Asher takes the light rail until he gets to the World Mall. He dials the number again for the fifth time.

"Asher. We're-"

"Finally! Where are you?!" Asher growls,

There's a moment of hesitation, "We're at the Athena penny fountain. What's going on?"

"Ryan, watch them and around you carefully. I'm on my way. I'll explain later. 'Run into them if you have to.' Just keep them there."

"A-alright. I'll try."

Asher shoves the phone into his pocket, as soon as the door opens, he hurries, but doesnt run out of the station, to avoid looking too suspicious. He moves as fast as he's confident enough to, until he comes to almost the center of the mall. He finds the nearest elevator he takes it up to the 14th floor. As soon as the door opens, he speed walks to the fountain.

It's right next to the inner circle of the World Mall, a mile long in diameter. The statue of Athena faces the inner circle, her shield held above her head, her sword hovering around the rim of her circular shield. Protecting Aphrodite from the wrath of Ares when he attacked her out of jealous rage. She claimed a lucky shot with her bow where Ares had missed. Athena killed Ares to save Aphrodite, simply because she was innocent, when Athena actually found her annoying.

Standing next to her is Riley, Jess, Ryan and Mia, though Mia walks to the edge, admiring the people and the World Mall. Asher thinks about rushing out but second guesses himself. What if whoever is watching him is waiting right now, watching them. How will he get them out? Ugh you idiot!

He rolls his eyes at himself. How could he have forgotten?! He could have saved so much time too! He types a number into his phone and calls it, the phone glitches and the system and controls appear on his screen. he taps the screen and puts the phone away.

It doesn't matter, they matter. Whoever this is, knows Asher. He has to get them out, even if Mia and Jess are in on it. He hurries out over to them, Ryan looks at him and gives a forced smile but it quickly disappears.

"Asher?"

"Hey guys."

"Asher! Hey! Why are you panting?" Jess giggles,

"We uh...we need to go, now."

"What? Why? Where?" Mia asks,

Riley's eyes turn dark with fear. "What's going on?"

"I uh...I'll explain later. Riley, Ryan, we need to go now. Like right now." he mutters to them,

"What about them?" Riley asks,

"They're coming with us."

"What? Where? Asher you want to start making sense?" Mia demands,

Asher rolls his eyes, "I'll explain later. Someone's coming for us."

"Who?" Riley asks,

"To kill us?" Ryan asks,

"Maybe...probably." Asher says,

Mia and Jess look at each other and back, "What?"

"Why us?"

Asher sighs, "Over here."

Asher walks over to the edge of the inner ring, he pulls out his phone and unlocks it and taps the screen. They walk over and look down, following his finger. "Sorry guys."

Asher pushes Jess and Mia off. They gasp, Mia screams as she plummets.

"Asher!" Riley screams,

They hit seemingly, air and turn invisible. Asher taps the screen and suddenly Mia and Jess appear almost eye level, in front of them, on their sides, holding themselves up with their hands. They stare back at them in shock.

"What the hell!?" Mia shouts,

"Go now!" Asher pushes Riley and Ryan off the edge, the invisible jet drops a little and lets them fall into and roll into the jet. Asher jumps off and into the jet as people around them shout and point and whisper. The drawbridge closes and Asher walks to the front of the air craft, he taps a button on the seat and a skinny drawer slides open, he pulls the tranquilizer gun out and shoots Jess and Mia. They grunt and fall to the ground.

Asher puts the gun back and pushes the button, letting the drawer close. Asher takes a seat and takes control. "A-Asher! You shot them!" Riley sobs,

"They aren't dead, it was just a tranquilizer. They cant know where we are going. Whoever is after me, has likely found me."

"Likely?" Riley asks,

"80% sure. If they know and are coming for me, they are coming for you. I have to get us out of here. Aria, take us to the safe house."

"On it Ash." an english female voice says,

"AI?" Ryan asks,

"Ish..."

Asher turns and looks at them, spinning the pilot's chair. "Riley? Ryan? I just...I need to hear it from you...can I trust you two?"

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

They look at each other with concern and back at him. "Yeah man, you can trust me."

"A-and...me too...I'd probably be in prison without you."

Asher nods, "Just needed to hear it. We are going off the reservation. I don't trust them yet."

They look at Mia and Jess, lying unconscious on the ground. "I'm not sure how long the tranq will last so...I need to tie them up...for now."

Riley sighs and looks at him and then them. "Okay."

****

The jet softly sets down into the snow. Ryan walks up to Asher and frowns.

"Where are we?"

"The Alps."

"You have a safe house here?" Riley asks, surprised,

"Yeah, it's one of them. It's run by a contact of ours. Ready?"

"Yeah, what about them?"

"We'll bring them in."

Asher picks up Mia, Ryan carries Jess in his arms and they walk down the ramp, the almost fresh snow, crunches beneath their feet. A soft wind blows across the white desert. Asher had only seen pictures.

The cabin sits within the tree line ahead of them. A large pond sits in front of the cabin, obviously frozen. The camouflaged cabin is almost invisible even in the clear air. But Asher has seen it a few times in pictures to know its exact location.

They leave a trail of a thousand steps seemingly before they get to the cabin. Asher walks past the covered window, to add to the camouflage. They walk up to the door, Riley is instructed by Asher to knock four times, rhythmically.

They wait for maybe 10 seconds, but no answer. Asher narrows his eyes, he quickly sets the still bound Mia in the snow, leaning against the wall. Asher gently puts a hand on Ryan's shoulder and pushes against him, telling Ryan to take a few steps back.

Asher grabs the door handle and twists, it's unlocked. He slowly opens the door and peers inside. The room is lit by the fire cracking against the rock cave it sits in. Asher hums to himself.

"Where's your contact?"

"Probably out hunting. Don't worry though, he won't hurt us when he comes back."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I haven't met him, but I've talked to him over a secure line before."

Asher picks up Mia and the others hesitantly follow him inside. They set Mia and Jess down on the couch. "You guys okay?" Asher asks,

"I suppose?"

Asher shrugs at Ryan, "Just making sure. This is a lot to take in."

"Riley?" Asher asks,

She just sits next to the fire place and hugs her knees, "I...don't know."

She shakes slightly, they did move pretty fast, it must be just hitting her. Ryan sits down in a reclining chair. "I think we just need a moment or two."

Asher nods in acceptance. "I'll see what there is to eat."

He disappears around the corner. Riley stares into the dancing flames, they seem to dance like Indians to the speed of her pounding heart, with every second, her anxiety grows and she shakes harder. How could this all happen? Why? What about her family? Her friends? School? Life? It just all shattered into fragmented mirror of what she once saw as her future.

Even though she's so warm, she feels trapped in a cold, dark tunnel, her mind races and at the same time focuses on only a few thoughts. Her life is different. Her life is ruined. She might die. Will she die? Why? Why? WHY?

Ryan sighs and rubs his face with his hand. He must be freaking out too, she glances at him, she can see it now, her guess is he's trying to keep it together to help Asher. She doesn't know. As for her, if she doesn't try her hardest to keep it together, she'll scream and sob, full on breakdown. But she feels like it's going to come.

"What are we doing here Ryan?"

Her eyes widen, she just said that to him aloud!

He looks at her, "If you cry, I'm gonna lose my mind Riley."

She stares at him, "So you are freaking out too?"

He bends over and throws his arms out, "Are you freaking kidding me?! I'm about to pull my own hair out!" He whispers angrily to her,

She just stares at him. He takes a deep breath and rubs his neck.

"Asher cares about us. He's trying to help us, we need to help him and be here for him."

Riley swallows hard and looks up from the wooden floor. "What if...what if being here with him is only endangering us more? What if he's wrong and we aren't really in danger?"

Ryan straightens himself and looks at her in surprise. He looks to the hall where Asher disappeared and back. "You think he's lying to us?"

"...I-I-"

Asher's footsteps sound as he enters the hall, he walks into the living room and gives a weak smile. "Hey...um, I found some cans of chili. Sound good?"

"Sure." Ryan says,

Ryan turns and walks down the hall and into the kitchen. Asher looks at Riley with a raised eyebrow. She looks at Mia and Jess as Jess groans.

"Great." Riley softly mutters,

Jess's eyes open, her eyes widen, she looks around the room until she settles on Asher and Riley.

"Riley? Asher?" her eyes widen and become filled with fear and anger, "Asher! What is going on?! What are you doing?! Why am I tied up?!" She spits,

Ryan hurries into the room and stares in surprise and silence. "Hey! Wha...why are we tied up?! What's going on?! Let us go!" Mia shouts,

"Easy, calm down, I'll explain."

"Just let us go now!" Jess says, tears forming in her eyes,

"I can't."

Mia's face turns to horror. "We never did anything to you!"

"No you didn't. But we can't let you go just yet. There's a reason."

"Why?" Jess cries,

Asher swallows hard, his hands shake lightly. He looks at Ryan, Ryan shrugs. "I trust you."

Asher looks at Riley for a moment, but doesn't let her answer, he knows how she feels, these are still her friends. Even if trusting them scares her.

"Well...someone is after me...I think they want to kill me, I have no idea what means they would use to get to me, but I care about all of you. I didn't want you guys to get hurt or worse because of me...but I'm not sure I can trust either of you yet. I can't tell you why, but I have my reasons."

The two look at each other, "S-so you just going to leave us like this!?" Jess shouts,

Tears run down their cheeks, Asher finds it harder and harder to breathe as his anxiety grows. "Um...I...I don't know yet."

Riley's body jolts, straightening, she looks at him with concern. "Truth is I don't know any of you, but I'm choosing to trust Ryan and Riley, I know nothing about you two, but it should be majority vote."

"A-are you serious?!-"

"Yes! Release them." Riley declares,

Asher hangs his head, "Riley-"

"I know you can't trust them, but you trust me? Right? Even I'm skeptical of them, but...but I trust them enough."

"Riley we need to have majority vote, if this was up to me alone, I wouldn't let them have even seen you. This needs to be majority vote."

"I vote no, not yet at least." Ryan says,

"You say that cause Asher said no!" Mia spits at him,

"I don't know you guys either, the only one I even remotely know is Asher, he's been kind to me and helped me. But this decision I make for myself."

Asher nods, in acceptance and understanding. "So you'll leave us tied up?"

"Like prisoners?! It's cleeear he cares about us!" Jess cries,

Asher sighs softly, it feels as though he just breathed out all of his energy. Asher clears his throat.

"It's only temporary...I hope. I'll make dinner."

Asher turns and leaves to the kitchen. Ryan looks at them, "He just is trying to help us. Try imagining yourself in his shoes. He has no one in his life right now that he can trust totally."

"Ryan, he kind of kidnapped us and actually kidnapped them."Riley says,

"Asher saved you over Raegan, she was his best friend before this life happened to him. He chose to save us instead. Consider that before you claim him to the title of monster."

Ryan turns and leaves to the kitchen. Asher leans over the sink, hanging his head.

"They'll understand Asher."

Asher nods, "I hope so, thanks Ryan."

Ryan pats his back softly. "We got this."

"Ryan? Would you mind making the chili? You literally just need to heat it up in a pot."

"Yeah, you okay?"

Asher nods, "I, I think I'm gonna go take a shower. I got something else to do too."

Asher turns his hand over and looks at the watch on his wrist. A black, blue lined grid shows with two green dots. A map.

"You sent the ship to Raegan?"

Asher nods, "With a drone bot on the ship."

"Huh. Scared?"

Asher nods, he turns and walks away. "Good night Ryan."