Perfect School

Kira:

My goal was to the cottage than to the airport for s flight home. Oddly enough as I walked my fire died out and i felt empty. Like I had been the one in the wrong. I made sure to bury those feelings deep. I couldn't let Jonah know. And it could only be him following me.

Paublo:

I stared with wide eyes at the whole situation. I didn't have any idea what to say or where I should go. I looked back doen the hill but the two adults were gone, unknowing of the event that had transpired just yards away from them. Sighing I nodded to Andrew and began to trudge my way along the path, further into the wilds.

Jonah:

I caught up with her in a couple strides but I didn't say anything for a couple minutes. "You're going home?" I asked in a conversational manner. It was a guess based on how determined she was to get away from the temptation of her parents. It was rare for Kira to snap, yet the topic of her family and parents had caused her to do it more than once now. Kyra had gotten under her skin better than anyone else. She had never reacted to me like that. I almost envied Kyra for it.

"Zero didn't need us at all. So yes. I have no interest in a vacation so i am going to go home." I told him as we returned to the cottage.

Jonah:

"You don't want to go for a swim first? Cool off? Things got a little hot back there," I said, acknowledging her flare of temper. The beach was close enough that we could hear the waves crashing against rock.

Tilting my head back I drew in a slow breath. "Sure Jonah. We can go swimming. Im sure I packed a swimsuit among my stuff. Oh wait. I was first going on a rescue mission because everyone thought Zero was in trouble. And from there we came here on some fetch job that was really Kyra pulling strings. I of course packed a swimsuit through all of that, especially after knowing what kind of weather Zero lives in."

Jonah:

I only barely refrained form smiling through her snarkyness. Any reaction was a good reaction as far as I was concerned with Kira. She was open to communication.

"You don't need a swimsuit to go swimming. And I don't have to go with you, though I admit I would like to if you are going without a suit," I said teasingly. I didn't often play with her these days, but right now I wanted to feed off the emotion inside her. And if nothing else, offer her a distraction from what she had just gone through.

I gave him a side long glance. "You wouldn't even do any swimming." Without warning I pivoted on my foot and slugged him with all my strength into his shoulder. Returning to a rest position I resumed walking as if nothing had happened.

Jonah:

I gave a soft grunt and touched the tender spot on my arm. "Probably not," I admitted taking one long step to catch up with her. "But I'm still putting the offer out there." I kept a nice little bubble of space between us now that I knew she was prone to lashing out at the moment.

"Answer is still no." I replied. A slap would have been preferable, but he'd have seen it coming. I didn't let him draw out any more words from me until we were back at the cottage and I was packing everything up.

Jonah:

I left her alone to get her stuff while I packed mine. I met her out in the hallway. "We can't leave the others without a car, want me to call a cab to the airport?" I asked, not even bothering to ask if I could join her.

"If you plan on following me then yes. I was going to take a cab anyway." I responded while shouldering my backpack and switching the grip on my duffle bag.

Jonah:

I called us a cab and set up flights for our return flight. It was going to be a sixteen hour nonstop flight. On ride to the airport I left Kira alone, letting her simmer in her suppressed feelings. I sent a message to the three we left behind, giving them instructions for the next few days.

Finally once we were seated on the plane, Kira next to the window, and me in the middle seat with no one next to me, I finally asked her, “How are you doing with this?” I knew she she hadn't recovered completely, even if she didn't show it. She may have acted like it, but she wasn't heartless.

"I'm fine Jonah. This trip was just...a mess." I watched him from the corner of my eyes for a moment before looking out the window as we began to get ready for take off. Sitting down for the next sixteen hours wasn't going to be ideal, but I could deal with it. Once we were in the air I settled further in my seat, slouching a bit.

Jonah:

“What are you going to do about Kyra?” I asked a few minutes later. “She's probably the only person in the world who is truly loyal to you. She would do anything for you.” I was looking for her true feelings about the matter. Was it only her parents that riled her up? Or was it a deeper connection to her new found cousin that got to her?

"I am going to do nothing. This changes nothing. I will be the same as I was before I ever learned I was family with her. She buried that part of me with this stunt." I closed my eyes. "Betrayal is part of the business." But it still hurts...

Jonah:

“You know, emotions aren’t bad, Kira. Every normal person has them,” I said. “Marie would have you believe that it's a weakness, but even she feels things. If you do nothing but bury them, they are eventually going to leak out. Like what happened with you and Kyra. But if you focus them where you want them, instead of suppressing them, then you're all the more powerful.” I touched her shoulder with the tips of my fingers.

"I am a weapon Jonah. Weapons aren't supposed to feel. A weapon is to be used in defense or offense. But it isn't supposed to feel." I countered softly before looking up at him. "We've had this argument before. I am willing to bend my stances, not break them. I don't hate all of you, and I've come to....enjoy being around you all. That is the closest you should hope to get Jonah."

Jonah:

“You're going to break if you go on like this,” I said quietly, looking down at her in all seriousness. “The cracks are already showing.” I wasn't toying with her, it was the truth. There's only so much one person can withhold without an outlet before it eats them apart from the inside.

I searched his face for a moment then snorted and turned away to gaze out the window. I couldn't say anything to him. Because I knew he was right. I was beginning to crack, and it wasn't the cracks that worried me. It was what might lay beneath that did.

Jonah:

Her reaction was only further proof. I wondered what Marie would think if she saw it. After few minutes of silence, I pulled a magazine from the back pocket of the seat and a pen and started scribbling on the leaflets.

I didn't speak again, but as the flight wore on I dozed off. Turbulence didn't wake me but it did slide my head over against him.

Jonah:

Kira stayed true to her word and treated Kyra and Andrew like she had before anything had happened. Kyra was clearly struggling with it, she still preformed well, but there was no drive pushing her. I spent more time with Kira, trying to get back to the easy conversations we had used to have with each other. I had minor successes.

We had gone on a few missions since the one that went wrong, all of which went according to plan. I didn't always use everyone on the team, especially for small jobs, but we all went to the site anyway in case something went wrong. And this time something did.

Kyra was assigned the hit while Andrew was working on sabotaging some equipment. Kira was set up just as a precaution as a sniper and Paublo and I were in the van waiting for them all to finish.

Kyra whispered that she was in position waiting for her target, and Andrew reported that he was nearly finished. Minutes later there was a thunderclap of noise over the radio.

“A5?” Kyra asked at the same time I did. There was nothing but static on the line. “Andrew? Andrew?” Kyra's voice cracked.

“A3, finish your job. We'll handle this,” I told her sternly. I sent Paublo in wearing a gas mask to investigate what had happened with Andrew.

Paublo:

I moved through the smoke and debris, calling out for Andrew. An arm under a bit of rubble drew my attention and I rushed over, flipping over the bit of stone I uncovered Andrew. My hands turned him over gently but he wasn't moving. "Andrew? Come on budy..." I didn't even notice that in removing the debris from him I'd cut my hands up a bit. I just checked his vitals with shaking fingers. I could feel a pulse in his neck and toggling on my mic I picked him up.

"I've got him. He isn't responding but his hearts beating and he's breathing."

Kyra:

My heart was rattling in my chest but I tired to focus on my job. I had to seek out my target now that the explosion had rocked the building. I found him quickly and finished just as Paublo spoke. I gave a small whimper and started running through the hallways to get to him. They were all in the van by the time I reached him. I clamored into the back with my unconscious brother and gingerly pulled his head into my lap. Tears were streaming freely down my face.

Jonah:

I was on the line with Zero to find a medical clinic we could go to that wouldn't draw suspicion while everyone loaded into the van. I drove off, following the directions Zero gave.

Kyra:

My heart was rattling in my chest but I tired to focus on my job.  I had to seek out my target now that the explosion had rocked the building.  I found him quickly and finished just as Paublo spoke.  I gave a small whimper and started running through the hallways to get to him.  They were all in the van by the time I reached him.  I clamored into the back with my unconscious brother and gingerly pulled his head into my lap.  Tears were streaming freely down my face.  

Jonah:

I was on the line with Zero to find a medical clinic we could go to that wouldn't draw suspicion while everyone loaded into the van.  I drove off, following the directions Zero gave.