The room remained silent for what seemed like ages, and I couldn't tell what Lucas was thinking. He didn't look mad, and he didn't look confused. He looked scared. But I don't think he was anywhere near as terrified as I was. I had practically already died, there was no way to get out of this. Lucas spoke before I did.

"What do we do...?"

"What the hell do you mean 'What do we do!?'" I yell. I was beginning to panic, but he held a firm grip on my shoulder to keep me from falling over.

"Here, sit down..." he said, plopping me down onto my bed. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, he was normally easy to read, but now I think it was only because he allowed me to read him. He stared at the wall behind me blankly, as if debating something.

"It could just be a coincidence...right?" I ask.

"I think we both know the answer to that..." he murmured, and he was right. I quickly grabbed a tissue to stop my nose from bleeding, applying ample pressure. Realizing that I had gotten blood all over the pretty white sheets, I decided to sit on the floor and sigh. Lucas crouched next to me.

"We can't tell anyone about this, do you understand? They will quite literally kill you." he said grimly. I nod my head...but what was the point?

"I'm going to die anyway..." I say. Lucas actually rolls his eyes and sighs.

"The goal is to keep you alive for as long as possible. We can find something to slow it down...anything..." he whispered.

"Lucas, I have The Phantom! What part of that do you not understand? There isn't a cure!" I was starting to get irritated, but mainly because I was so terrified.

"Well I think it's about time we found one then," he replied, barely above a whisper. Before I could reply, a shadow flew past my door and audible footsteps were heard running down the hall. I couldn't even process it at first. Wait...wait a minute. Was that shadow there the entire time? I immediately shot up and flung the door open, desperate to see who it was, but they had already rounded the corner and were unfamiliar to me.

"Oh no..." I murmured. Lucas had the same look of dread on his face. Whoever was there had heard that entire conversation, and that was anything but good, and it seemed like Lucas and I had the same idea. I was so dead.

"The only thing we can do is wait...the security cameras will catch you if you try to run," Lucas mentioned, his face looking like he had just seen a ghost, "Let's just wait here and give you some rest, you need to sit down, you might faint. Are you still feeling dizzy?"

I didn't respond to him, but sat back down as he recommended. We sat there in silence for a very long time, maybe an hour, until his wristwatch dinged. He stared down at it for a moment before speaking.

"I have to go, The Council is calling me. Will you be fine on your own for a while?" He asked. I cast him a slightly distressed look.

"How long will you be gone?"

"I'm not sure..." he replies, looking back up at me, "Stay safe."

I nod, and then he leaves me alone in my room, shutting the door behind him with a small click. Fifteen minutes later, another knock came on my door. I got up, assuming it was Lucas, and unlatched the door.

"Thank God, you're back-" I paused mid-sentence. The man at the door was not Lucas, but somebody I had never met before. It was a different Sentinel who looked about 50 years old, and he clearly meant business. He had a full beard and dark black eyes that looked as if they were piercing through me. Before I could apologize for mistaking him for somebody else, he spoke first.

"Your presence is requested in front of The Council, that's an order," he stated. I rolled my eyes.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"That's a bit of an oxymoron, which is it? A request or an order?" I ask with full sarcasm. That was in fact, not a good idea. He grabbed me by my arm forcefully and started dragging me down the hall. I decided putting up a fight was not worth it and didn't try to escape. Instead, I tried to make small talk.

"So...what does The Council need me for..?" I ponder out loud.

"That's classified."

"But doesn't it have to do with me?"

He stayed silent and kept dragging me along. I became quite aware that he wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but he made up for that in sheer strength. My arm was becoming quite sore, and stress overcame me. What could The Council possibly need me for? The hearing was already over...were they getting on to me for leaving headquarters today? So many questions filled my head, until I was ripped out of my thoughts by a massive pair of double doors opening in front of us. Nothing could have prepared me for what was inside.

The room was massive. It had tall marble columns that stretched up about 15 feet. The echoes of voices yelling and arguing could be heard, even from far away. I stared up at the ceiling which was adorned with a ginormous and magnificent golden chandelier that had thousands of rhinestones dangling from it. The refracting light from the stones shined onto the floor, creating magnificent spots of light.

Three council members sat at a lavish podium, and about three strides from the podium, was Lucas. I could hardly describe the horrified look on his face as he was still talking to The Council members, but my presence was made known by the loud groan of the doors. They all turned their heads to me and immediately my heart sank to my stomach with dread. Something was definitely wrong if Lucas was freaking out, and the looks on The Council member's faces revealed nothing. They got straight into it and didn't even allow me to speak.

"Blair Linden, you have been accused of conspiring against The Council and working with Savages to plunder private records. How do you plead?" The first council member stated.

What? Were they being serious?

"Innocent!" I yell incredulously.

"Do you deny that you have contracted The Phantom?"

That was something that was hard to lie about. My symptoms were irrefutable and there was no way that I would get away with that. "Well no, but-"

"Then you agree that you are a Savage?"

"What!? No! I-" I begin. The Council member held his hand up to stop me from talking.

"You have said enough. Unfortunately, you will have to be exterminated."

Everything was happening so quickly that I didn't even know what to say. My hands and legs were shaking, but instead of being scared, I was furious. However, I knew that arguing against The Council would be extremely foolish.

"Like...right now?" I stammer. My heart rate sped up significantly as I realized the gravity of this situation. Executed for false accusations? There was no way they would ever believe me. It looked like Lucas had been arguing on my behalf too, considering his face was flushed with anger. However I knew why he wasn't saying anything right now. If he said anything to help me, he would be killed for conspiring with me and it wouldn't matter what I said.

"Yes, and we have just the right person to do it..." The Council member gestured over to Lucas, whose face turned to one of shock and horror. My face was similar to it. I wasn't even mad that he was going to be the one to kill me, I was mad because they were using this to test his loyalty. Just how cruel can a person be?

The Council member spoke again, "Present your weapon, Sentinel."

Lucas didn't have a choice in the matter. Reluctantly he pulled his gun out of his holster and held it at his side. The massive double doors slammed shut to prevent my escape, causing me to jump. There was no way that I was getting out of this. Lucas's expression turned stone cold as he walked up to me, gun in hand. Fear overcame me, and I was too stunned to move. He was soon about a meter away from me, out of earshot to The Council members.

He looked away from me, and I assumed it was for the normal reason that most people would look away, but something was different. He wanted to draw my attention to something. I followed his gaze over to a small door, one that blended in so neatly to the wall that you could hardly see it. He mouthed something barely audible to me.

"Duck on three."

"What?"

"One..." he whispers, aiming his gun at my head.

I don't know what I was thinking, but my first instinct was to trust him. However, my entire body felt too numb to move. I feigned a horrified look as The Council members observed me.

"Two..." he murmured. I fake another hurt look.

"Three." I duck immediately, the gun fires, and suddenly everything begins to go in slow motion. I realized the gun wasn't aimed at me, but the ceiling. The bullet clips the chandelier and I watch in shock as the chandelier right above me begins to fall. My ears ring, blocking sound from getting through, and all I could do was look up. Somehow, a muffled scream gets through to me.

"BLAIR!" I immediately jerked my head to the source of the sound, and it was Lucas. He had changed positions quicker than I was able to see him, and he was now over by the small door. He was stretching out one of his hands to me, beckoning me to run to him, "RUN!"

It felt like I was rooted like a tree, but even so, I pry my legs off of the ground. However, I was a bit too late. I move my legs as fast as they can carry me, and I make my final leap for Lucas, only praying that I would be able to touch his finger tips.

I felt my fingertips lightly brush his, and then everything went black.