Sean watched Mark's vehicle pull out of his driveway. The house became silent, leaving him to his own thoughts and a pill bottle in his hands. Sean never thought much about it, but now seeing what Mark was really like, threw him for a loop. All he'd been doing was minding his own business, and the president decided that the best way for him to comply would be to punish him. Sean placed the pill bottle on the table and walked out of the kitchen. He entered the bathroom and turned on the light. Sean pulled off his shirt and looked in the mirror. Being whipped at this point had been normal for him. The pain always became numb each time. Lashes from the whip stared back at him, scars from his past disobedience. Sean kept quiet, but at that point he couldn't take it anymore. He put his shirt back on and stormed out of the bathroom.

"Is everything okay, son?" His dad asked, suddenly appearing before him.

"No, it's not!" Sean exclaimed and stormed past his father. Entering his own room, he grabbed his leather bag and started putting important items into it. Clothes, shoes, anything he could get his hands on. Sean needed to leave, no matter what the cost, even if he had to risk his own behind. Anything was better than being trapped in a house with people that didn't care about you. Sean entered the kitchen and grabbed some food from the cupboards while his father followed and watched. For a good while, his father said nothing. Leaving Sean to do what he must, but after a while of waiting, Mr. McLoughlin couldn't take it anymore and placed his hands on the table.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mr. McLoughlin asked. Sean paused and turned his attention to his father.

"I'm not staying here," Sean said. "I'm leaving before they hurt me." Sean filled his bottle up with water and placed it in the netted pocket.

"You know, the best way would be to take those pills." His father suggested. "Then you wouldn't have to worry about it," he continued. "Your mother and I have to deal with it, so why can't you?" Mr. McLoughlin continued. "Where would you go?" Sean rolled his eyes. Now his father was trying to befriend him. Well, that was a little late. He could have stopped Mark when he had the chance, but he let Mark bully him.

"Don't you dare claim you care!" Sean exclaimed.

"I do to care!" his father exclaimed. "I don't want to see you get hurt." Even though Sean wanted to say a few things to his father, there was really no time to explain. Either he went through with his escape or he stayed there and get beaten for doing something accidental. Sean's father sighed and walked out of the room. A few seconds later, he walked back out carrying a rolled-up piece of parchment and politely handed it over to him.

"I know I haven't been the best father," he explained. "but if you plan to leave, you'll need this." he said. Sean paused and unrolled the paper. On it were intricate lines that showed landmarks and black ink covered some of the paper. Rivers were also labeled, so it made things easier for him to read it. Examining it closer, Sean realized he was looking at a map, the map of the entire city and places outside of Aventura. "Just be careful. Mark has spies all over the place." Stuffing the map into his bag, he shook his dad's hand and ran out of the house. 

***

Mark sat in his office, going back to the stack of paperwork that sat in front of his computer. Even if he gave Sean those pills, somehow he couldn't shake the feeling that something else was bound to happen. The kid was smart, always coming back with snarky comments, no matter how many times he punished him. The alarm went off throughout his house, forcing him to tear his focus away from his work.

"What the hell is going on?!" He exclaimed. Fiona raced inside carrying a tablet in her hand, which had security cam footage. She handed it to Mark. He went through it and discovered that Sean had left his household and he had been heading for the forest on the outskirts of the community. His blood boiled. This time, it was personal. "He can't leave! Guards!" zooming in on the camera, Sean turned toward it, allowing Mark to freeze it in place. The guards raced in, armed and ready to do exactly what he wanted. "Sean is escaping! Go after him and bring him back alive!" a glance at the camera again and Mark saw a blurry picture of the two maps he entrusted Sean's father. "He's got the map! Go! Now!" The soldiers bowed and took off running, hoping that they'd get to Sean in time. Mark's stomach churned. If Sean knew the truth of that map and its secrets, everything would be ruined.

"Fiona." Mark said.

"Yes, sir?" Fiona asked, bowing.

"When they bring Sean back, you know what to do." Mark set his tablet on the desk, deep in thought.

"I do sir." Fiona answered.

"Good." Mark walked out of the office and made his way to his room, engulfed with his thoughts and all the possibilities of his downfall appearing every minute.

***

Sean ran from the forest, already the guards had been onto him. They were gaining. Sean searched for a way to stall them when he saw a branch in front of him. It was low enough as a plan formed in his head. He smirked and ran for it. He grabbed the branch and turned. The guards ran toward him, Sean pulled the branch back and flung it at his enemies. They cried out in surprise and crashed into each other.

"Bullseye!" Sean exclaimed.

"Get off me you imbeciles!" a guard wearing medals and carrying a weapon slung over his shoulder. He pushed the other guards off and stood. "Kid! I'm going to get you!" he exclaimed. Sean laughed and took off, ignoring the guards' shouts. A few more dodges, until he believed he escaped from the clutches of his enemies. Out of breath, Sean took out his water bottle and drank from it. He placed it back on the side of his bag and unrolled the maps again. It made no sense. The map was nothing more than land markings. Light shone through the trees and hit the map at an angle. In black ink, words revealed themselves. Secret.. Community... appeared on the paper.

"What the?" Sean said to no one in particular. He waited for more of the words to reveal itself but suddenly, the paper was yanked out of his hands and firm hands grabbed him by the arms. Sean struggled to break free, realizing that the guards had somehow found him.

"Nice game of hide and seek, McLoughlin," said the head guard. "But sadly, you're wanted by the president." They forced him to his feet and handcuffed him, dragging him to a car. The guards shoved him in even if he struggled to fight back.

"Let me go." Sean begged.

"No, you are a threat to the community and therefore, you must come with us to the capital." The guards climbed into the car and drove back to the capital.

"What are you going to do to me?" Sean asked worriedly.

"That's for the president to decide," the guard answered. "Now stay quiet before I give you something to make you shut up." Sean continued to argue, but the guards only ignored him. Sean pushed, trying to get the guards' attention, even mentioning a secret message hidden in the map. An hour after they were in the car, they arrived at the capital. The guards dragged Sean out and into the building.

"The world is beautiful in color!" Sean exclaimed, trying to get through to the guards. They lit the capital up in blues and reds, with fountains spurting water into the air. They walked through the halls of the building and into Mark's office. The guards shoved Sean onto the floor at the feet of Mark Fischbach.