❛ I think I've had my share of crap for the day ❜

"Anything interesting going on today?" Annabelle wondered, heaving herself onto the next level of the salmon ladder. Oliver was climbing the rope, sweat rolling down his face. He cringed and shook his head, dropping easily back down onto the ground. "Martin Somers," he announced, gaining attention from his girlfriend. She raised an eyebrow, releasing her fingers from their grasp on the bar and landing smoothly on her heels, stepping over to where Oliver was staring at a name on the list. "Laurel's targeted the worst of Starling City, so it's no surprise his name is on my father's list. The city's police and D.A. can't stop him, or won't. Laurel thinks she's the only one willing to bring him to justice. But we're going to prove that she's wrong," he explained, tossing the journal back onto the desk.

Annabelle squinted, staring at the brown leather, before sliding into the chair in front of the desk, resting her arms on the arm-rests. "So, why Somers today? Are you looking into all the cases that Laurel's taken interest in? Or you just decided to bring down a Chinese Triad revolt this day?" she pondered, lifting the book with one hand and searching through the thick list of names. "I told you, this isn't for Laurel. She's taking these cases because of what happened to Sara, we can at least be protectors for her," he argued in return. Anna shrugged and handed him the book, "Of course we can, Oliver. But now, I've revealed myself as another vigilante. This isn't comparative to Hunt where you took him down on your own and I was just the research. The people know there's two of us out there, so I hope at least one of us can be intelligent in our decisions. This is the Triad, and we know the Triad," she concluded, standing to her feet and collecting her jacket off the back of the chair. 

Oliver watched intently as she threw him a smile over her shoulder before jogging up the stairs and out of site. She knew he still cared about Laurel, maybe a bit more than he was telling himself. And she only hoped that he knew it himself when going to meddle in her affairs in the Somers trial. Otherwise, everything could go south. Annabelle only desired he understood that Laurel hated him and Anna at the moment, and letting her get attached to their alter egos wasn't the way to win her trust back, especially when it could put her in more danger than teeny bopper feelings.

•••

Both in gear and with determined looks on their painted faces, Oliver glanced to Annabelle with a slight nod. "We should really invest in some masks," she muttered under her breath just as Oliver killed the electric in the warehouse. She took that as her signal and leaped down, ducking into a forewords as her feet touched the ground. Using the night-vision enhancement on a pair of glasses she slid onto her face, she raced around, slamming her bow into the guards backs and swiping their feet from under them. Oliver was crouched behind a metal stand, waiting for Anna to finish her task.

Looking around the facility, she saw her three knocked out opponents and tapped her foot on the ground, Oliver rushing to turn the lights on. Martin Somers looked around, seeing his protection scattered around him, and with a fearful look in his eyes, he gasped. But Oliver was quicker, racing to his feet and taking Somers from behind. 

Very easily, Oliver wrapped the bow around Somers' neck and choked him, letting the crook fall to the ground unconscious.

•••

Somers grunted, then let a light groan escape his lips. His eyes fluttered open, blinking rapidly to examine his surroundings. As he came to, he realized he was upside down and swinging side to side, Oliver and Annabelle standing in front of him, disguised.

"Martin Somers..." Oliver began, his voice deep and hoarse, doing his best to mask himself from someone who didn't know him. The dangling man looked between the two, seeing a girl with two french braids running down her collarbone dressed in a black hood and purple eye makeup, and a man decked in green with green eye covering. "Who the hell are you?" he called out, demanding an answer that would not be given.

"You've failed this city," Oliver continued. "No! No, no, no, no, no!" he screamed as Anna drew her bow, sliding an arrow in with ease and firing it so it flew past Somers' shoulder -on purpose. "You're gonna' testify in that trial. You're gonna confess to having Victor Nocenti killed. There won't be a second warning," he finished, glancing to Annabelle.

She drew another purple-tipped arrow, and fired, letting it scrape Martin Somers in the cheek. He whimpered and cried out, placing a hand over to cut and frantically searching around. Annabelle and Oliver had disappeared. 

•••

"Ma'am, I truly do not know," Diggle told Mrs. Queen, a sigh leaving his lips. "And he truly doesn't," Oliver interrupted, walking in with his normal day-to-day suit and Annabelle by his side, wearing a tan sweater and black leggings. Moira turned around, frowning at her son stepping in to join the conversation. "Then perhaps you'd like to share with me you know, where it is you run off to," she offered. Oliver only chuckled, a light smile planting itself on his face. "I've been on an island for five years," he excused, glancing at Anna to watch her face fall from the reason Oliver gave. She hated that excuse, and Oliver knew it. She wanted that memory erased from her mind. "I know that Oliver."

"Mom... alone," he emphasized, reaching down to wrap his hand around Anna's. "I see," Moira whispered, clasping her hands in front of her. "I promise to call if any abducting happens," he joked, swaying a hand back and forth. "No, I'd rather you promised to take Mr. Diggle with you on your next rendezvous," she jumped in, stepping closer to her son. "It's not safe, you've already been abducted once... There is a maniac out there, hunting the wealthy."

"That maniac saved our lives," Oliver objected, gesturing to Anna who stood quietly by his side. "This isn't a game," Moira argued. "I lost you both once, and I am not going through that again," she completed. "Okay," Oliver agreed, a slight nod of his head. "Yes, you're right," Anna added in, giving Oliver's hand a tight squeeze. 

"Dig's our guy," Oliver said a little louder, looking over at the well-built soldierin the corner of the room. "Thank you," Moira softly whispered, tears brimming her eyes. She stepped out of the room in a hurry, not looking back once. "Sorry to give you so much grief," Oliver apologized to the man.

"I served three tours in Afghanistan, Mr. Queen. You don't even come close to my definition of 'grief'. But I tell you what, you ditch me one more time, no one will have to fire me."

Annabelle watched Diggle walk away, a stern look on his face. With a sigh, she pulled her hand from Oliver's and slipped it into her pocket, pulling out her phone that was ringing. With hope, she thought it would be her mother or father, maybe a maid or butler from the Carter Mansion. A sliver thought maybe it could be Laurel, calling to say she accepted Anna's apology. And a dream that could never happen thought it could be Sara, calling to say she wasn't dead.

But when she looked at the screen, she never thought she could be so sad to see Tommy calling. She quickly moved her thumb to silence the phone just as Thea walked into the room, dressed and styled for a party. "Where are you going?" Oliver asked, curiosity taking over. "Uh... somewhere loud and smoky," she answered. "And don't bother trying to pickpocket my stash this time, because I'm gonna go get drunk instead," she said with a snippy attitude.

"Thea, do you think this is what Dad would want for you?" Oliver asked, stepping forward. Anna froze, knowing this would piss the hell out of Thea. So, with no objection, she pulled out her phone and ducked behind Oliver, then sliding between Thea and the doorway, trying to make an easy escape. 

She had the phone in hand, scrolling through the recent news. "Going somewhere, Belle?" Diggle wondered, standing at the entrance of the mansion. She offered a small smile and held her hand with her phone up, dangling it. "I was just going to take a call, get some fresh air. I'll just be in the front," she answered. He gave a curt nod, pulling the door open for her.

With a muttered 'thanks', she leaned against the exterior of mansion, letting the noises of nature and crickets chirping engulf her. 

Her phone began to buzz again so she let out a groan, holding the device to her ear. "Have you gotten any contact with your parents?" a voice blurted out, not even giving Anna the chance to say 'hello'. She recognized the voice instantly and narrowed her eyebrows, "Uh, no, I-I haven't. Why?" she questioned, letting her feet guide her as she walked around the yard. 

"Your mother was just admitted into Starling General, the doctors are saying she had a heart attack," he explained. "What? No, no, that's impossible. She's healthy, she was healthy," Anna argued, her voice raising as she paced the cobblestone paths. "It's hard to believe, Bella, I know. But these things happen to everyone," Lance defended. 

"Anyways, your father's there now, but I don't recommend you go when he can see you. Just visit long enough to peek in and see how they are, when the time comes, they'll accept that you're alive. That time isn't now."

"My mother nearly died, Lance! It's been five years since I saw them last, it's been hard enough restraining myself from going, but now that she nearly died? How? How do I not go see them? They're my parents!" she cried out, running a hand through her hair in exasperation. "I have to go, Bella. I'm in the middle of a case, but I'm here if you need a call, alright? I love you, and I'll see you later," he finished.

"Thanks for the update, Lance. Love you, too," she replied, slamming a thumb on the end call button. Reaching a bench by a path, she slumped down onto it and rested her elbows on her knees, staring below her at the ground. Martin Somers wasn't a tough match compared to the match of her parents. She didn't know what to do, and she didn't know how to do it.

•••

"Aren't you coming with us?" Oliver asked his girlfriend as everyone gathered in the living room to begin their days. Moira, Walter, and Oliver were all dressed appropriately for their visit to Queen Consolidated, but Anna was dressed in a comfortable arrangement of black leggings and a navy blue sweater. "No," she responded, throwing her hair into a loose ponytail. "I'm off to the hospital."

"Hospital? What's happened? Are you ill?" Moira immediately worried, her eyes full of concern for her god-daughter. "No, of course not," Anna said with a fake smile. "My mother has had a heart attack, and I'm just going to see how she is. And no, I won't be talking to her or my father. I just need to see... I just need to see them," she finished, glancing to Diggle who nodded from the doorway. "I will escort Ms. Carter," he assured Walter and Moira.

"Thank you, Mr. Diggle," Moira smiled. "Yes, thank you. And Annabelle, dear, I hope they are alright. You will keep us informed, yes?" Walter asked, Anna responding with a nod. The couple walked out of the room, likely to the car that was waiting for them, but Oliver strolled next to Anna. "Why didn't you tell me? Are you okay? Do you need me to go?"

"Ollie, it's fine. I'm fine. I didn't tell you because I didn't know if I would go myself. I just need to see them," she remarked, slipping slowly away from him and nearing the door that Dig was holding open for her. "I'll see you soon," she dismissed. 

Exiting the home, she lowered her head as she climbed into the vehicle that John was driving. Her parents didn't want to see her, they didn't believe she was alive. But all Anna wanted to do was give them a hug, tell them how much she's missed them. She wanted to love them, and them love her. She didn't know how much it would hurt to love someone who didn't return the feelings. She wasn't aware of the pain she would feel in an hour, watching her parents hold hands and talk to each other as if nothing was missing in their world. 

•••

Diggle and Annabelle wandered the north side corridor, glancing through the rooms where the blinds were pulled back. Anna walked a foot or so behind Diggle, not wanting to start a conversation about her parents. They had passed dozens of rooms on the cardio-thoracic floor, but none belonging to the famous Carter couple. It was difficult to enter the hospital, all the reporters and paparazzi wanting an exclusive on Annabelle Carter, the girl from the dead. But Diggle and Anna managed, except now they don't know where they're heading to.

"Excuse me, we're looking for Jessica Carter," Diggle told a nurse at the circulation desk in the foyer of the corridor. She smiled at him and pulled out a clipboard, flipping to a small file. "Room 13B, sir," she replied, motioning to the left. He thanked her and continued walking, Anna rushing to catch up to his side. 

Diggle stopped in front of a window, the blinds pulled back, allowing the ongoers outside to peer into the room. Room 13B. Jessica Carter. Anna slowly stepped up to the window, her hands beginning to shake. In view for her to see was her mother, resting peacefully on the hospital bed, and her father gripping her hand. Both were asleep with no knowledge that their daughter they believed was dead was standing on the other side of the window, tears brimming her eyes. "They will realize you are alive, Anna. This isn't a forever situation," Diggle assured her.

She sniffled and used a hand to wipe her eyes, "I've seen enough. We should go pick up Oliver," she said, blatantly ignoring Dig's statement. He nodded and stepped away, beginning to waltz down the hallway. Lingering for a second longer, Anna brought a hand on the window, letting it rest there for a moment. 

But she knew, it wasn't going to change the fact that they want nothing to do with the truthful rumors of the life of their daughter.

•••

Anna waited patiently in the backseat of the car, her head tilted to the side so she could look out the window. Her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks glistening due to the stains of her tears. 

Diggle had gone to guide Oliver through the paps, but Anna insisted on staying put, not wanting to face Oliver or the paparazzi at the moment. 

She heard the door open beside her, and someone plopped into the seat. She heard the man sigh, and she knew it to be Oliver, and Diggle sliding into the passenger seat. "The driver will be here in a minute," Dig announced, looking back at the two adults. "Okay," Oliver emotionlessly replied, staring at the back of the driver's seat.

"You know, I spent the first twenty-seven years of my life in Starling City, and the next five in Afghanistan. You want to know what I learned?" Diggle wondered. "There's no place like home?" Oliver guessed.

Anna scoffed and continued looking out the window, refusing to meet eyes with Oliver. "If that's the truth than my home best be the island," she mumbled, loud enough for Oliver to catch what she was saying and glance over at her in concern. "No, just the opposite," Diggle told Oliver. "Home is a battlefield. Back home, they're all trying to get you. Get you to open up, be somebody you're not sure you are anymore."

"Spoken like a true Jordan Sparks song, Diggle. But I've never been who the media says I was, or am. They think they know me as a humble servant in my parents footsteps, someone who never thinks twice about helping people become their best self," Anna spoke up, still looking out the window. "Then who are you, Annabelle? Because I see you exactly as you just described yourself. You went to visit your parents today even though they have no desire to visit you," Diggle told her.

"Yeah, and I cried about it. Because they don't want to see me even though I have been dreaming of seeing them for five years. I don't know who I am, Dig."

"I could be wrong. Maybe after five years alone, you're not as messed up in the head as you have every right to be," he then said, looking more at Oliver than Annabelle when he finished his speech.

"Who are you?" Annabelle begged as a guard tossed her into a dark room, only one person standing in the corner. "Doctor Anthony Ivo, pleasure," he smiled, holding out his hand after Anna struggled to her feet. Her mouth was open agape, short, uneven breaths leaving her lips. There was fear in her eyes as she stared at the man before her, but she didn't raise her hand. "Shy, hm? Well, you're on my freighter. Those guards are my soldiers, and we're searching for something on the island out there," he explained, pacing about the room. 

"Where you came from, however, is what I want to know," he said, looking her dead in the eye. She gulped and glanced down at her shaking hands, "I-I was on a yacht, and it crashed. I-I didn't know what happened, I didn't know what to do," she cried, letting the tears fall from her cheeks.

"Did anyone else survive? Are you alone?" Ivo demanded, stepping closer. Anna looked at the roof above her and cried out, falling to her knees, "I don't know! I-I don't know! My friend Sara was dragged in here, she's in a cell! But my boyfriend and the others, I watched them drown! They're dead!" she shouted, looking at the ground. 

Ivo crouched next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, "What my crew is doing, everything you saw, we're going to create a cure for something much greater in the world. We could cure cancer, and disease, those people are going to help us do it. And you can, too. We can help you survive. Teach you everything we know, but we need to know that you're willing to save millions of people around the world," he admitted, his voice soft and caring. 

She looked up at him and let out a whimper, before slightly nodding her head. "But Sara, please, you have to help Sara. She's all I have left," she told him. He grinned, "We'll help your friend, and she can help us, too."

Anna never knew that when she agreed to help Ivo, she was agreeing to kill for him. She had to learn to kill and fight with no mercy. And her first kill would forever haunt her mind. Even when she was fearless on the island, she wasn't. Every kill was difficult, and it only reminded her that instead of saving millions, she would be killing them. And they were all innocent, regardless of what Anthony Ivo told her.

•••

Watching the news, Anna laid on Oliver's bed, her eyes closed. She was trying to drift to sleep, after not getting any the previous day - courtesy to the hospital visit for her parents- and from having an exhausting conversation with a very worried Oliver. 

Walking to the bed, Oliver grabbed a denim shirt that was covering Anna's ankles and began to wrap it around himself after giving a glance to his girlfriend. "Wait, how did you get those?" a new voice questioned, the volume increasing as it entered the room. Anna squinted one eye open, then immediately shutting it after she realized it was Thea discovering Oliver's scars and tattoos. 

"Don't you knock?" Oliver snapped, quickly pulling his arms through the sleeves. "No, wait... Mom said that there were scars," Thea argued, jogging over to Oliver before he could button his shirt. Her voice was cut short when she pulled back one bit of the sleeve, examining the dagger and sword wounds that never healed properly. Anna had dozens more scars, far worse than Oliver's, but also covered, because she had a shirt on. "I-I'm... Oliver, what happened to you out there?" Thea stuttered. "Do you have them, too?" she called, knowing Anna wasn't asleep. 

Anna groaned and rolled over, "I'm not taking off my shirt!" she shouted in response. "I don't want to talk about it," he excused, beginning to button his shirt. "Of course you don't," Thea scoffed. "You never want to talk to me about anything. Except for my social life."

"Wait!" Oliver argued, facing the bed see if Anna was asleep. "Where are you going?"

"Why should I tell you?" Thea retorted, folding her arms across her chest and pursing her lips together. "I'm sorry, Thea. I need to get better at talking about what happened to me there. But I'm not ready yet, and neither is Anna. Okay?"

"Do you two have a second?" Thea asked, looking over Ollie's shoulder to Anna. The 'sleeping' girl turned over and sat up, rolling her eyes. "Yeah," Oliver responded. "Good, I wanna' show you something out back," Thea announced.

She walked out of the room, expecting the two to follow. Oliver steppe backwards and grabbed his jacket, sliding it on, then waiting for Anna to grab her trenchcoat from the back of his desk chair. "You sleep?" he asked as they headed out, "Do you think I slept?" she remarked.

  •••  

"Sometimes, when I felt... whatever... I'd come here," Thea told the two, gesturing to the three headstones in the backyard. Anna loved to walk through the backyard years ago, it was massive, just like her own, but it had a 'Garden of Eden' type feel. Secret pathways, glorious flowers, it was perfect. But when Anna saw the headstones, she froze. Her feet stopped a foot behind Oliver and Thea's, staring at the stone farthest to the left. 

Annabelle Carter 

A wonderful daughter and woman whose heart affected all those around her

Anna couldn't listen to what anyone was saying around her, she was too focused on why her headstone would be with the Queen's, and not her parents. But her confusion was answered when Thea approached her, "Mom was devastated when your parents refused to give you a ceremony. They thought you were somewhere out there, so she held one for you. You're family, Anna, and family deserves to be together, so both of you have got to let someone in," she told Anna, then directing her last statement to Oliver.

Oliver stood still, watching Thea walk away. But Anna crouched down at the gravestone, running her hand along the smooth granite. "I'm sorry," she whispered to herself, speaking so low that Oliver couldn't hear. "I'm sorry," she repeated.

••• 

"I'm going to Laurel's, maybe take up on Thea's advice and let someone in. You want to come?" Oliver asked, walking into Anna's room. She glanced up from her bed where she was clicking away on her laptop, searching for information on Martin Somers and the Chinese Triad. Her initial thought when Oliver asked her that question was that he did have feelings for Laurel and he was only playing them off. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that maybe it would be a good idea to let someone in, and Laurel was a friend, a best friend, before everything happened. So Oliver was just trying to reconnect with a friend. 

"No, Laurel hates me, and you for that matter. I've been scolded enough for one day, I've looked death in the face - quite literally - and I've been confronted by overworking emotions. I think I've had my share of crap for the day. Besides, Tommy's on his way to pick me up for dinner," she replied, closing her laptop screen and standing up. 

"Oh, are you now?" he chuckled, walking into her room. She playfully rolled her eyes and nodded, letting Oliver wrap his arms around her waist, "I promised him I would go to dinner and talk about everything I've missed. So most likely, I'll see you in three weeks," she joked.

"He's not taking you away from me that easily," Oliver told her, placing a soft kiss to her forehead. She smiled and rested her head against Oliver's chest, listening to the soft beating of his heart. That could definitely put her to sleep. "Go have fun," she told him after a short minute. Patting his chest twice, she stood on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you later," he said, giving a slight wave and stepping out of the room.

Little did both know that Laurel was in for a surprise from the Chinese Triad. And Diggle was on Oliver duty that night. 

•••

"What the hell happened?" Anna demanded, shutting the front door as she raced inside the Queen house where Oliver and Diggle were conversing. "There was a situation at Laurel's apartment, but we're fine," Oliver told her, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend. She gave him a tight hug before looking at Dig. "Are you alright?" she asked him.

"Of course, Ms. Carter. It's getting late, you both should turn in for the night, I know  I am," he told the two. "Goodnight," Oliver waved, walking off with Annabelle's hand wrapped in his. "Chinese Triad?" Anna whispered as they headed to the stairs. "They were going to kill Laurel, caught one in the fire escape," he replied with a nod of his head. 

"They can't kill Emily Nocenti, it would be an obvious voucher for her father's murder. The DA would never stop if she was dead. But kill Laurel and the case disappears, it's a perfect plan," Anna planned out, reaching Oliver's bedroom. "You've been doing your research," Oliver snickered, beginning to unbutton his shirt.

"Tommy was late, I had time," she said, leaning against the door frame. "How was that, anyways? You had a spark in your eye that I haven't seen in five years," Oliver noticed. She shrugged, "It was fine. Tommy always knows how to make me laugh and see the brighter side of situations," she answered. 

Oliver grinned, seeing her finally happy, but he knew they couldn't be finished. Both of them had a job to do, and that was to stop Martin Somers. 

  ••• 

Tightening his gloves, Oliver concentrated on his plan to stop Martin Somers. Anna had been filled in, and she was busy braiding the last of her hair, letting the french braids fall to her shoulder. "I wanted to give Martin Somers the chance to confess and face a court's justice," he started saying to Anna. "But he chose to go after Laurel instead. He's still going to face justice. It'll just be a different kind," he finished. 

"I'll get the bows," Anna announced, walking to the large trunk and grabbing hers and Oliver's bows out of it. She waltzed to Oliver's side and handed him one, before placing hers on the table so she could pull up her hood and shield her eyes. "Are we killing?" Anna inquired, fastening the gloves on her hands. Oliver looked over to her and briefly closed his eyes, "If needed," he shortly replied, ready to go to the docks and face their opponent.

•••

Guns were rapid firing at Anna and Oliver, and they both struggled to avoid all the bullets flying towards them. Anna swung herself upside down on a railing and dropped behind a guard who was circling around, trying to figure out where she went. While Oliver ran on the catwalks, trying to find Somers, Anna was in charge of taking out the men.

She grabbed her bow from her back and ran towards the guard, ducking under his gun when he turned around and saw her. She slid underneath his legs and used her bow to wack him in the stomach. Scrambling to her feet, she drop-kicked the man, watching him fly back into a metal post and fall unconscious.

All the men began to grow frustrated as Anna continued to disappear in the shadows, only to reappear behind them and knock them out. No one knew what was going on, but they did know there definitely was not enough men to handle this force.

As Anna continued, she fired her arrows at dozens of men, hitting them in the shoulders and legs, knowing only to wound them. There were a dozen men fallen, arrows piercing their hearts. The only difference between the arrows, the men who were murdered had green arrows. The men who were wounded had purple.

Anna raced into a secluded area of the docks, seeing Oliver engaging in a fight with a member of the Chinese Triad, and Martin Somers struggling to free himself from Oliver's arrows. She didn't know what to do, except run through another corridor after the woman who sprinted away at the first sign of cops. 

She chased after her, her feet longing to stop. But adrenaline pumped through her blood and she continued, her heart racing. She came to an end of the tunnel, seeing no one around her. Until, to her dismay, a knife hurled through the air, slicing through Anna's suit and cutting deep into her arm. She hissed in pain and leaped out of the way, hiding behind a shipping container.

Looking around her, she saw no one, and the knife was gone. "Son of a bitch," she muttered, holding a hand to her arm to hold pressure on the wound. Anna rested her head against the container and took a deep breath, knowing that at least Somers would be convicted now.

•••

A bandage on her arm, Anna sat by Thea's side as they listened to Walter begin his speech about the new Applied Sciences building in Robert Queen's honor. She was wearing her usual outfit: black leggings, a black top, and a tan trenchcoat, but all thoughts of hers and everyone else's were cut short when Oliver made his debut to the public, intruding on stage and stealing Walter's spotlight.

Anna was honestly embarrassed for him, it's like he didn't know what he was saying, and she couldn't tell if he was drunk or just putting on a show for the others to believe he hadn't changed. "...Mostly, though, I'm famous because I'm Robert Queen's son. Uh, but as Walter, who's my new dad... Huh? Who is... Sorry. As Walter was saying, I'm not much of a legacy, per se. No, sit. Sit!" Oliver told Walter, who very hesitantly moved towards the seats. "Gosh," Oliver sighed. "See, I was supposed to come here today, and I'm supposed to take my rightful place at the company. Prodigal son returns home and becomes the heir apparent. But I'm not my father. I'm not the man he was. I'm not half the man he was. I never will be. So, please, stop asking me to be," he concluded, sticking the shovel in the dirt nearby and walking off the stage. 

••• 

"Martin Somers, the CEO of Starling Port, was arrested last night for the murder of Victor Nocenti. He is also being accused of accepting cash, including over ten-million dollars in bribes," the news reporter went on to say. Anna grew a small smile on her lips before turning the report off and sitting down on her bed with satisfaction. They did it, they turned Martin Somers in. It was a good feeling, and Anna hoped it would last before dealing with the next name on the list.

"Sara!" Anna called out, seeing her friend enter the room with a look of distress. The room they were ordered into had two twin bunks with crappy mattresses. There was running water, but not much else, but the girls didn't need much. "Anna!" Sara cheered, running into the older girls' arms. Anna hugged her close, feeling the need to protect her no matter what.

"Did Ivo tell you? Did he tell you about those people and where we are?" Sara asked, her hands gripping Anna's forearms. "Yes, Sara, yes. He did, he told me all of it! But we can do this, we can survive and help the world. We can go home! We just have to help him first," Anna rambled. Sara nodded and let a few tears run down her cheeks, "I'm scared, Anna. What's going to happen? He said we have to learn to fight," Sara worried.

A simple sigh leaving her mouth, Anna looked to the ground, "We have each other, and that's all we have to focus on. Just focus on this."