Perfect School

Kyra had changed after her ordeal, but after a day or two I resumed treating her as I had before. She seemed fine, different of course but holding together alright. Sitting against the wall I motioned Kyra over with a nod of my head before burying my face into a towel. I scrubbed away the worst of the sweat then ripped my head back to look up at her.

She spoke before I asked how she was doing and the words on the top of my tongue died out. “It’s been a couple of days. Last one I got said she liked my smile from the videos of when I was younger. Why?”

Kyra:

“My dad asked. Just let me know if she does, alright?” I said. Dad wouldn’t say why, but it wasn’t hard to guess. Why else would he ask us if we had heard from Krissy if he knew where she was?

“Of course. I’ll send a message to her in a bit, she usually responds quickly if she’s awake.” Wiping away the last of my sweat I glanced up at Jonah while getting up to my feet. Settling the towel around my shoulders I smiled faintly at Kyra. “She’s fine I’m sure.”

Kyra:

“I’m sure she is too,” I said but I didn’t have much confidence. There was no good reason for Krissy to leave home without saying something.

It was another few hours before my dad called back again. He said to be ready if Krissy showed up and to keep her here. She had left home while Michael was away and didn’t say where she was going but they knew that she had caught a flight to LAX by herself.

I was dozing lightly on my bed with my phone in my hand when Kyra came to tell me that Krissy had been heading to LAX. A sinking feeling hit me and I looked at my phone for a long moment torn if I should try calling her. “I really hope she isn’t going where I think she’s going...”

Kyra:

“Where do you think she’s going?” I asked. Dad said to stay here, to let him and Michael handle this. But I couldn’t sit by and do nothing knowing a family member was in trouble.

“Kira, if you know where she is you have to tell me. At least so I can tell Michael and my dad.”

“None of you will be happy to hear it, and none of you should go after her..” rubbing at my face I sighed inwardly. “Before I left Michae and Krissy I gave her a gift. The videos of me frowning up in the training room.”

Pulling my hands away I looked up at Kyra, “I think she might be going where I was made into what I am.”

Kyra:

My heart sunk. I had seen some of those videos and I had been to the place where she had been trained as a child. If Krissy had seen it I was sure it would set her off. It was hard enough for me to leave without dealing punishment.

“We have to stop her,” I said. I couldn’t tell my dad. He would go after her and there was a higher chance of him getting killed in the process than there was me and Kira. Marie wouldn’t kill her own perfect little weapon, and that gave me a small amount of coverage.

“Can we? She’s probably emotional, and emotions can be very dangerous. Krissy...”. I trailed off and shook my head. I didn’t want to say what I was thinking, that Krissy already hadn’t struck me as the most stable sort. “Fine. Let’s pack somethings together. But we need someone to stay here too in case I’m wrong.”

Kyra:

“Andrew will,” I said. I went to tell him what we were planning. He didn’t like it he didn’t want me to go without him. He reluctantly agreed to stay and helped me pack a few things including weapons.

“What are you doing?” Jonah asked as he caught me with a bag over my shoulder going to meet Kira. I didn’t want to tell him. He would try to stop us. But then, I knew he would find out anyway. Kira would likely tell him if nothing else.

I explained quickly what we were going to do. My eyes flashed to Kira when she came out of her room.

“I’ll come with you,” Jonah said. I stared at him in surprise.

“Why do you want to come with us Jonah?” I asked softly while shrugging my backpack up onto my shoulders. I could guess that he knew where we were going and why. But I didn’t think all his reasons for going were going to be the same as Kyra and I’s.

Jonah:

“What makes you think you can do better than Kira on her own turf?” Andrew asked with narrowed eyes.

“Because the two of you have an emotional stake in this and weather you like it or not it will change your actions,” I said looking right at Kira. “You may know the city better than anyone else but you are also susceptible to the problems that come with familiarity. You may not be as cautious as you think you are being.”

Tucking my chin I thought it over. “Agreed. You can come. Pack quickly, I’m not willing to wait.” Turning to Andrew and Kyra I motioned with my head towards the door. “He is right. We need someone willing to keep us moving in the right direction and Jonah can be useful in his own way. If it makes you feel better than just picture it as us using him for our own benefit for once instead of the other way around.”

Kyra:

I nodded slowly but Andrew wasn’t having it. As Jonah left to collect his things Andrew said, “Jonah isn’t the type to be used. He’s getting something out of this. His goal isn’t to bring Krissy back safely. It’s something else. So, if it comes down to it, what do you think he will chose? He has no reason to keep Krissy safe.”

“That’s not exactly true,” I said. He had good points but his was the worst view of Jonah. “He does have some reasons to keep her safe. Kira being the primary one. I doubt he would let her own mother die in front of her if it came to it. Jonah so cold-hearted as one would think,” I said. My brother eyed me.

“You trust him?” He asked.

“I trust him enough,” I said. I hadn’t always trusted Jonah but this past week had changed that.

“You both are right. Jonah will get something out of this I’m sure. He always does. But you two will have to decide if what he might gain is worth what he can offer.” I looked from one twin to the other. “He gains leverage from this, a favor to hold onto over each of us. But that price could be much worse. There are worse chains to bare than Jonah’s. And we are entering the home of someone with much tighter and heavier chains.”

I set a hand on each of their shoulders then brushed past them both. “Make your choice quickly.”

Kyra:

“I think he should come,” I said and squeezed my brother’s hand. “He probably will anyways. If he leave him behind there is nothing stopping him from following. It will be okay. You’ll see.” I gave him a quick hug as Jonah reappeared.

“Let’s go,” I said to Kira and nodded Jonah over. “I’ll keep you posted,” I told my brother as we walked away.

I didn’t speak on the ride to the airport, simply stared out the window after making a quick call to Zero with instructions on travel plans. It wasn’t until the three of us were seated in a row on the plane that I finally spoke. “Marie isn’t going to be expecting us. And we are showing up in her city without announcing ourselves...we have to be careful but that much is obvious. So suggestions?”

Jonah:

For the duration of the flight we spoke about contingency plans, how we would find Krissy, and how we would get her out of the city without alerting anyone to our presence.

Zero was working to make sure our images were erased from any and all cameras. She also had a program designed to pin point Krissy’s location if she showed up in the city.

The flight was productive, and a good escape from my usual travel habits. I was too wired by the events to doze off, and the conversation kept me from wishing I could escape the gnawing worry that plagued me.

I was didn’t know if it was relief or dread that hit me when we touched down. But I wasted no time in waiting for other passengers and was at the door seconds after we were released from the seatbelt sign.

Jonah:

I put my hand on Kira’s shoulder when we were out of the gate. I leaned down to murmur to her, “check yourself, Kira. Don’t let your emotions get in the way. This is just like any other mission and should be treated as such. You’ll make mistakes if you don’t.”

I didn’t need to tell Kyra the same thing. She worked differently than Kira. They were almost opposites in this way. Kira functioned best when she locked her emotions away. Kyra was best when her stakes were raised when she had something to fight for.

I stilled at his touch and drew in several deep breaths. “If she is found or we are then it’s all over. But you are right. I just need a moment...”. I kept myself still, unmoving as I willed the well of emotions inside me down and out of the way.

Jonah:

I kept my hand on her shoulder for a moment longer while I checked my phone. “She’s already made it to the city,” I said sliding my hand down to Kira’s back to move her. Kyra followed with a determined yet worried look.

We had the advantage of knowing where Krissy was planning to go and how to get there. It would take her longer to find it since she was working alone with no knowledge of the city.

With Jonah’s guidance I was able to kee moving and finished calming down by the time we left he airport. “To my home then?” I felt on edge, even after calming down. But this was a good edge, it helped provide focus and clarity.

Jonah:

The plan was altered slightly when we arrived due to the immediate action required. When we got there, it was clear that Krissy had beaten us. The guard was dead outside the door with a knife slash across his throat.

The plan was for Kira to subdue any children in the building, Kyra to get Krissy, and for me to deal with the suit. But, when we entered the room and saw Krissy battling a young boy, Kira and I were the first to act. Kira went for the kid and I grabbed hold of Krissy.

I sucked in a breath but otherwise didn’t react to the jolt of pain in my side. I held onto Krissy tightly to keep her from escaping or anyone else coming near her. All the while my side throbbed.


Kyra:

When Jonah went for Krissy I raised my gun on the man in the suit who was sitting fifteen feet away in a large throne-like chair. He didn’t attempt to reach for a weapon, he only laughed.

“What a turn of events. First Krissy arrives to provide the best entertainment I’ve seen in a while then my own Kira? With Jonah no less. What a day,” The man said. Krissy jerked in Jonah’s arms, trying to get at him.

I held my gun steady, ready to pull the trigger if he moved. I waited for Kira’s order to do anything further.

Kira:

It only took a few moments, the span of a few long breaths. But it felt like everything took too long, and yet everything happened way to quickly.

I doubted the man in the suit was traveling alone. Especially if he was here. He had to have his latest project with him. And from the start I stated that project was mine to deal with. I wasn't going to stop Krissy, and I couldn't harm the man.

When we went in the plan was thrown awry, for the other two at least. Krissy was battling with the kid who looked to be no more than thirteen. Jonah and Kyra switched tasks but my target was still there. It took only a tiny bit of probing to get him to switch to me and our fight was brief.

I didn't hold back, I fought to kill him even knowing no one in the room would be happy I'd done so. But the kid was quick and I only managed to disable him by breaking a few bones and driving an elbow into his temple. As I raised my eyes I focused on the man still lounging in his chair, my face a mask of apathy and ice.