Peter stared at the space John had been seconds before.
"They took him!" He croaked. "He's dead! They killed him! We're next!" Chase barreled into him.
"What happened?" He yelled. "Where's John? Who took him?" Peter didn't respond. His face was so pale, his freckles stood out like blood on snow. Chase turned to Ryan. "Tell me what's going on! One minute, John is standing there, and the next, he's gone!" Ryan nodded.
"That's all we know too." He decided not to mention the fact that they were standing too close to the border. It would only cause panic. He turned to Peter suddenly. "Who told you they were coming?" He asked. "And who are 'they' anyway?" He pointed behind Ryan.
"She did." Everyone spun around, but they didn't see anyone. Chase rolled his eyes.
"You must have hit your head pretty hard Petie. There's no one there." Peter gave him a confused look.
"Yeah there is, she's right behind you. And I didn't hit my head." He added.
"So what happened, then?" Chase snapped. Peter frowned, and rubbed his temple.
"It's a little fuzzy." He admitted. "I was running, and then I hit something, and I fell, but nothing was there. And I was really cold, but then I felt a hand on my forehead, and there was this rush of heat. When I looked up, she was standing there. She told me that they were coming. That's all she said. After that, she put her hand on my head and- and that's all I can remember." Ryan took a deep breath.
"Okay." He said. They all stared at him. "Okay. First, we get Peter back to the Base. Then, we'll find John. Agreed?" Peter looked like he wanted to protest, but Eric glared at him until he nodded.
They started towards the Base, walking fast. While they walked, Ryan thought about how strange Eric had been acting lately. He'd never stared at him like that before with those big, beautiful, brown eyes.... He stopped walking so suddenly Peter ran into him. Where did THAT thought come from? He glanced at Eric behind him. To his surprise, he was staring back. Ryan looked away quickly. He noticed Eric had died his hair again. It was a light purple that somehow suited him perfectly. He hoped he kept it like that for awhile. He was so preoccupied with these thoughts, and the effort of trying to get them out of his head, that he didn't notice the large square of melted snow ahead of them. Chase let out a sound that was a half gasp, half groan.
"Wh-where's the Base?" Peter whispered. Ryan felt his heart sinking to his toes.
"They moved it." He answered quietly. Suddenly angry, he rounded on Peter. "This is all your fault, you little bitch!" He yelled shoving Peter to the ground. Peter got right back up, and faced him with a bravery the other boys couldn't help but admire.
"Well who chased me out here? Who always bullied, and threatened me, until I was so scared for my life that I decided running to the Border would be better than facing you! Who threatened to destroy me over some goddamn test that I got a better grade on! Who did that? Because it certainly wasn't me!" He shrieked, his tiny frame quivering with rage. Eric and Chase stared at him, open mouthed. Ryan hung his head, and kicked at the snow.
"I'm sorry." He muttered. "I shouldn't have...." He trailed off. "Anyway, since taking you to Base isn't an option anymore, let's see if we can find John." Without knowing why, he glanced at Eric. He was looking at Ryan with obvious disapproval in his eyes. He turned away from him, back towards the direction they'd come from, and started marching away. The others followed him.
When she was sure they couldn't see her, a girl shimmered into sight. Her long, red hair was tied back in a ponytail, and her green eyes seemed to glow. Despite the bitter cold, she was wearing nothing but a sleeveless shirt, and running shorts. Her bare feet made no mark on the snow, like she was weightless. Her pale arms were decorated with golden tattoos of dragons and fire.
She stepped onto the patch of melted snow, and picked up a handful of dirt. She tilted her head, and it burst into flames. She stood up, and brushed her hands on her shorts.
"So close." She murmured. She then turned around, held out her hands, and murmured a few words. A huge blaze shot out of her hands, and when it died down, John was standing there. He fell to his knees, breathing hard.
"Who are you?" He asked. She stepped closer. He scooted back, looking for an escape. "Y-you're from over the Border aren't you?" She nodded. "Let me go, or-or-" she made a gesture at him, and his mouth snapped shut.
"I'm not your enemy." She murmured in a soft voice. "My name is Katarina, and we need to talk."