We were silent the whole car ride there.

We had a large weight on our shoulders. So many lives, including ours, was at stake.

If we failed... I don't even know what would happen.

What would I do if I lost any of them? What would they do if they lost me?

I tried to think positive, but my thoughts always circled back to my negative ones.

The driver stopped in an alley about 100 yards away from the capitol building.

"Good luck." The driver says to us.

None of us thank him. Not even Micah.

We just climb out of the car, fearing the outcome of this mission.

~

I waited for the signal from Micah.

He had already infiltrated the building, and would tell us when the surveillance cameras weren't being monitored.

I felt the pager buzz in my pocket.

I let out a breath and sprinted towards the nearest door. Micah's taken out whoever was watching the surveillance cameras and we were safe to enter.

Although heaven knows how long that'll last before someone else notices.

I mentally pulled up the map of the capitol building.

Take a left, go down the stairs, take two rights, then a left...

I kept a hand on the gun at my hip as I neared the corner.

There was no one there.

I sighed in relief and started going down the stairs.

"There she is! Fire!"

I gasped and started running as fast as I could. Bullets hit the railings near me in a shower of sparks and shrapnel.

I heard footsteps on the metal staircase, their echoes bouncing around my ears.

I wanted to look over my shoulder, but I then remembered my training.

The first rule of running away is to not look back.

I willed up some stamina and ran faster.

Bullets flew all around me, ricocheting.

My heart hammered in my chest, frantically pumping blood and oxygen into my veins.

It didn't want to stop beating anytime soon.

And I didn't either.

I neared the bottom of the stairwell, but my pursuers were gaining on me.

I looked over the railing. It was about a one story drop. Could I risk it?

If I want to get away unscathed, this was my only choice.

I hopped over the railing and watched as the ground rushed up to me.

But something slowed my momentum and I landed safely.

I didn't have time to wonder how this was possible; I needed to run.

I ran as fast as I could despite my inflamed lungs and aching legs. I could barely feel my feet touching the ground.

Two rights, and then a left...

As I made that first right, I was met with more guards, but I dashed right by them and immediately made the next right.

I found myself surrounded by guards, and had no choice but to use the weapons I had on hand.

I decided on a smoke grenade, memorizing the way I needed to go.

I pulled the pin and ran.

I heard it go off and the coughs of the guards. I smiled to myself and kept running.

I made that last turn and entered the basement.

I saw Sakura already working on freeing the prisoners.

"Sakura!" I called.

"Azzi! Thank goodness you made it back safe. Now help me out here!"

I ran up to her. She was sawing at the rope that bound one of the prisoners with a pocketknife. "What do you need me to do?"

"Find something sharp to help cut the ropes. We need to work as fast as we can. Hopefully we can work faster once Sera and Micah get here."

"Right." I searched what I had in my gadgets and found my own pocketknife.

I turned to the prisoner behind me. She looked about 18 or 19, with jet black hair and olive skin.

I began to cut away at her ropes. "My name is Azzi van Eeden, and I'm here to help you."

The girl sighs in relief. "Thank you so much, Azzi. My name is Sofia."

"Nice to meet you, Sofia." I replied. I cut through her ropes. "Now you're free. Run outside. Someone will be out there and tell you what to do. Got it?"

Sofia turns to me and nods. "Good luck, Azzi." She stood and ran out, her ponytail swinging about as she ran.

It was the same routine with every prisoner I freed; "My name is Azzi van Eeden, and I'm here to help you." They would tell me their name, I would free them, and they would thank me and run away.

Sakura and I had gotten through about half the prisoners when Sera came in.

She immediately got to work, cutting the ropes with one fell stroke of her knife.

We're finished after 30 more minutes.

Micah still hasn't come back yet.

"We gotta go, Azzi." Sera says.

"B-but... what about Micah?" I asked, holding my arm out to the entrance he was supposed to come through.

"You know what the mission report said, Azzi. Free the prisoners, then leave, even if part of the team hasn't returned."

"He could still be out there!"

"He could be dead!" Sera snaps. "We're sitting ducks right now, Azzi. I don't want to leave Micah either but we just have to, Azzi."

I pressed my lips together as I felt the lower one tremble. I nodded.

Sera wipes at her eyes and sniffles. "Come on. We're leaving."

_____________

This was shorter than promised I'm sorry y'all! I honestly thought it would be longer...

But yeah. Micah's gone. Deal with it.

-Spontaneous_Soprano