Shadows

So here's the link to the next book. This one's interesting, I think anyways. :) Let me know what you think!!!

http://shadows-realityisslipping.blogspot.com/

^_^

Epilogue

Epilogue
     - The night After

   “Finnley you’re going to be late. Oh great! It’s raining.”
Finnley chuckled at her mom’s freaking out as she unlocked the bathroom door.
   “What do you think? Too much?” She asked. Posing for her mother.
Her mom’s mouth dropped and tears came to her eyes.
   “’Too much’? No honey! It’s perfect!”
Finnley smiled and turned to look in the full length mirror. Her dress was simple, cream colored, with designs in brown stitching decorating the bodice and the bottom. She wore brown flats, (she refused to wear high heels.) And she had done her make-up herself and was very satisfied with the results. Her hair was curled and pulled away from her face with a brown ribbon.
   “You look beautiful darling you really do. But I don’t know what you’re going to do with this rain.”
Finnley walked over to the window and laughed.
   “Mom. It’s a drizzle. I’ll just run over to Tanya’s house really quick, she only lives two doors down. It’ll be fine! You’ll see.”
Her mom cast a worried look, but Finn kissed her cheek and squeezed her shoulder.
   “I’ll be back later.”
   “I’ll be staying up till you get back young lady!”
Finnley laughed and walked out the door.
She actually enjoyed walking in the rain. Though she didn’t walk. She waltzed.
There’s a difference.
Humming her new found favorite song, a smile grew across her lips when she was suddenly aware of someone watching her.
Looking up she noticed the familiar figure with a dark leather jacket and spiked blond hair.
Glancing both ways down the street, she hopped over the puddles daintily and ended up on his side of the street.
Before either of them knew it, she was standing in front of him with a sweet smile on her lips while raindrops clung to her skin.
   “So you thought you could just get up and walk away with out so much as a ‘good-bye’?”
Jay shrugged.
   “I was hopping to.”
Finnley cocked an eyebrow and shifted her weight with her hands on her hips.
   “M-hmm.”
   “Ok, so it didn’t work.”
   “You bet it didn’t.” She chuckled and shook her head. Sending her curls bouncing.
   “You look really pretty by the way.” Jayson said modestly.
Finnley smiled at him.
   “Thanks. This look is growing on me.” She said glancing down at her raindrop speckled dress.
   “Dresses?”
   “Femininity. Actually looking like a girl for once.” She smiled as she looked down at her shoes.
   “I wish daddy could see me now. Boy would he be surprised.”
   “I’m sure he can.”
There was a momentary silence, where Jay couldn’t figure out what to say.
   “So…you really leaving huh?” She asked.
   “Yup.” He repositioned the backpack he was wearing over his shoulder.
   “And there’s nothing I can do or say to get you to stay huh?”
   “Well…” He got a stupid boy grin on his face. “That seriously depends.”
Finnley rolled her eyes.
   “Within reason.”
He chuckled.
   “Yeah. Yeah I know. But no. I don’t think so. There’s something I need to do.”
   “Have you made up your mind yet?”
Jayson shook his head.
   “No. Not yet.”
Finnley couldn’t see the problem. It was an easy question, easy answer.
Jay noticed the confusion in her face, and pain crossed his.
   “It’s for your own safety Finn.” He said, trying to convince him.
   “You are always worried about my safety.”
   “Well someone has to. You being a long lost princess and all.”
Finn stuck her tongue out at him.
   “I’m just Finnley for right now.”
   “Finnley or Almera?”
She sighed and moved from one foot to the other, getting slightly chilled.
   “I’m not sure. But I am not a princess right now.”
Jayson caught her in his intensive stare.
   “Well you look like one. All your missing is the tiara.”
Finn blushed.
   “Thanks.”
Jay tapped his hand against his leg and sighed.
   “Well I’ve got to get going. Need to be in South Carolina tomorrow afternoon.”
He wasn’t sure how to say good-bye. But Finn had an Idea.

   “Then can I have a request?”
He raised his eyebrows, questioning.
   “One last dance? Before I like, never get to see you again.”
Jayson chuckled.
   “Don’t you have a party to get to?”
Finnley waved a dismissing hand.
   “It can wait. You aren’t. Come on. Please? Just one simple dance.”
Jay scoffed and looked around.
   “In the rain?”
   “it’s a drizzle!”
   “And in your-”
   “Best dress? Haha sound familiar? Come on please?”
   “With no music?”
   “Psh! The music’s in here!” She tapped the side of her brain.
   “Now you’ve run out of excuses, come on.”
She beckoned to him with her hand, and held it out.
Jay sighed and dropped his backpack on the ground.
   “Just one dance.”
   “Just one.” She agreed as he stepped closer and took her hand.
   “Now. Lets see if you remember any of those moves I showed you a life time ago.”
He rolled his eyes and placed a hand around her waist.
Finnley couldn’t believe they were dancing in middle of the street. In the rain!
She chuckled as they moved across the sidewalk, yet it felt like they were inches off any surface other then air.
She was surprised that Jay actually remembered any of the moves she had taught him a while ago. But he did. All of them.
   “Ok, I’m actually impressed.” She said.
   “Yeah. I’m full of surprises.”
Finnley laughed. “Yes I know that…I should by now.”
   “But I’m not the only one.”
Finn chuckled and glanced around nervously.
   “Haha. Not me. I’m just the girl next door.”
   “The girl next door that happens to be an agent.”
She laughed.
   “That’s true. But I doubt for long.”
   “Hey. You’ll be fine.”
   “I don’t know. What happens when I get in to trouble and need Superman to come save me?”
  “I’m sure you can find someone else to get there in time. And besides, you’re known for beating up people, and out smarting them.”
She scoffed.
   “Well for the record, I’ll miss you.” She muttered.
   “Same here.”
He laughed at her slightly disappointed look.
   “I’ll miss you too.”
She laughed.
   “I’m just an open book to you aren’t I?”
He pretended to be thinking about this, but he just nodded.
   “Yup.”
   “Well I’ve got new for you. You are too.” She whispered.
   “Yeah right.”
   “No, I’m serious. Like right now. You’re trying to figure out a way to say good-bye. And the easiest thing to do…is not to go.”
Jay sighed.
   “I told you Finn. I cant do that. It doesn’t…it doesn’t work that way.”
Finnley sighed. “Why not?”
   “Because…I’ve got-”
   “Stuff to do yeah I know. But you’re lying.”
They stopped dancing and he let go of her. This was getting to difficult. All he wanted to do was stay with her. That’s it. But he knew he couldn’t yet. He had stuff to do. He wasn’t even sure he’d come back.
   “Finn…don’t-Don’t make this harder.”
   “I just don’t understand Jay. You saw what was going to happen. You don’t…don’t want that?” She asked hesitantly.
   “It’s not that I don’t want that Finn. It’s just that we got a long way to get there. If we get there at all! Look at me Finnley! I’m not the kind of guy that gets the princess, and the happy ending.” He groaned and gripped his hair. “That’s Kaden…not me. I don’t get the happy ending.”
   “Jay. Jayson. Jayson look at me.” Finnley gripped his shoulder, turning him around.
   “We all get a happy ending. As Christians, we all get a happy ending. But God says ’ask and you shall receive.’ come on what more of a promise do you want?”
   “It doesn’t work like that-”
   “Yes. Yes it does. We make our own endings Jay! Our endings aren’t set in stone. The future is always changing! Every decision we make, bends the future to a different out come. You can have a happy ending because you deserve one!”
   “Finn-”
   “I don’t know what you’re going to do. I don’t know where you’re going to go. Just promise me one thing. Just one thing. That’s all I’m asking Jayson. Come back. Ok? I don’t care how long it takes, or how long I have to wait. Just come back ok?”
At the moment, Finnley was glad for the rain. It hid her tears. She couldn’t help it if they ruined her make-up. She couldn’t care less.
   “Just come back ok? That’s all I’m asking.”
Jay wiped away a tear and took a shaky breath. He knew what he was going to do now.
   “It’s just one promise Jayson. Just one. I’ve never asked anything of you before. But please… Just this one.” She was pleading now. She didn’t want to say good-bye, then never see him again.
Jayson fumbled with his hand for a moment, then looked at her.
Finn saw a look in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before.
She wasn’t exactly sure what it meant till he cupped her chin and pulled her in close.
Her eyes grew big, as he hesitated. He was asking she realized. She nodded slightly and rose up to her tip toes.
He leaned down and kissed her.
She was never sure she ever wanted to kiss a boy. Ever sense she was little, Finn thought it was gross. As she got older, she wasn’t opposed to other people doing it, but just never imagined herself doing it. This single kiss changed all of that.
This time, she kissed him back. (Unlike Ryan, where she simply punched him. There was no punching involved in this.)
Her head spun, but her anxiety didn’t act up. Thank goodness!
Jay’s hands slid down her arms till they came to her own.
He squeezed them tight as he pulled away slightly. Leaning his forehead against hers, they tried to get control over their breathing.
   “Whoa.” He murmured.
Finn smiled.
   “Uh-huh.”
She suddenly noticed the cold feeling in her right hand.
   “Finnley. I want you to know.” Jay started. He pulled away slightly. Looking down at her hand, he let her go and took a step back. “I’ll be back for that.”
He then grabbed his backpack and jogged off to his bike.
He revved the engine and gave her his lopsided grin that sent her heart pounding.
Waving at her, he drove off.
Finnley moved into the middle of the street to watch him go. Once he was out of sight, she opened her hand and gasped.
In the palm of her hand was the promise ring that he wore on his left hand.
She grinned.
   “You bet you’ll be back for this. If not, I’ll come hunt you down Jayson Stone.”
She chuckled and closed her hand around the ring.
   “That’s…a promise.”
                              The End

Entry: 12

Entry: 12
    - Is there a slow lane in life?

   “Captain, no one is here.” An agent shouted as they busted down the last door.
Jayson pursed his lips and looked around the old warehouse.
   “She’s got to be here somewhere…but where? Keep looking. Her tracker was still activated so she’s got to be here somewhere.”
The agent nodded and barked orders to everyone else.
Jayson spun his swords around as he walked into a room. Something about it was off. He walked up to the far wall and knocked on it. He was rewarded with a hollow sound.
   “Found you.”

++++

   “So you’re saying I’m a princess…of the Hyvens?” Finnley asked turning back to Azad. He nodded.
   “Yes my dear. You are also destined to carry this with you. It will help you when you come into great trouble.”
She walked around the pedestal that held the “secret” that held the key to the survival of peace.
   “Do you understand now Almera? It’s more then just you or I. We have to consider the existence of both of us.”
   “But how do I make peace with this?” She asked. Pointing to the pedestal.
   “That…you have to figure out on your own I’m afraid. But quick! They have already found the tunnel. Take it!”
Finnley reached for the secret and picked it up tenderly off it’s perch.
Twirling it in her hands she was shocked by how light it was.
   “What does this unleash?”
Azad nodded.
   “It shall unleash a magic that only you are able to whiled. You and your Templars are the only ones that can see it’s true purpose. To everyone else, it shall only look like a frightening weapon.”
Finnley nodded. Suddenly aware of how much was depending on her.
She spun the wooden stick that was just under two feet long. Green vines spiraled down the dark wood till they faded. She was surprised by how natural it felt in her hand. She also was very much aware of the tugging at the edge of her mind. But she knew it wasn’t the kind of tugging that wanted to posses her. It wanted to help her.
Azad nodded in satisfaction.
   “Now. Go. Your Templar is getting very anxious.”
Finnley was surprised by how easily he just let her go. But she realized that she wasn’t an enemy to him. Or the other Hyvens either.
Lord, guide my steps. She prayed as she dashed around him and clutched the envelope and daggers close to her chest.
Running around the corner she gasped and backtracked.
Leaning against the wall she tried to gain control over her rapid breathing.
   A major battle was going on between the Hyvens and the H.U.N.T.E.R agents.
Ok…global peace…right…got to start somewhere. She thought to herself.
Hearing the gun shots ringing between each line. She knew she was about to do a really, really stupid thing.
But seeing Jayson jump at the Hyvens, his swords a blur, she knew she had to do it.

   “No! Stop it!!” She ran out in between both lines. Using her new found powers to dodge bullets and to keep everyone else from getting hurt.
Standing like a tree, rooted in midst of the fight.
There was a moment when dead silence was heard. She looked over her shoulder at the group of Hyven and nodded. They all lowered their weapons, and she turned her attention to the agents.
   “Put those weapons down.” She demanded in a strong tone. Everyone was so shocked that they were only stunned.
   “Now!”
They glanced at each other, then to Jayson. He backed off from the Hyven he had been fighting with his hands raised. He sheathed his swords and nodded to his men. Gradually, they put their weapons down.
   “Thank you.” She said with a sigh of relief.
Jayson walked over to her, asking her a question with his eyes.
   “Tell you latter.” She murmured. “Now can we please just leave? With out the bloodshed?” She pleaded.
Jay nodded and slipped his arm around her neck. Pulling her into a tight hug, they both relaxed.
   “Come on.” He said. Offering her canvas bag. She smiled and slung it over her shoulder. Slipping the wand and envelope into it. He offered her his hand, which she gladly took.
Jay made a hand signal to his men and they all filed out.
As they moved off, she glanced over her shoulder.
Every Hyven in the room bowed their heads and placed their fists over their hearts.
Finnley’s eyes grew wide as Azad gave her a slight head nod.
Then they disappeared out of sight as they rounded the corner.

++++

   “What happened?”
   “A lot. I don’t have time to explain it all. But keep an open mind, Jayson.”
Finnley squeezed his hand as she looked up into his screaming blue eyes.
She was speaking in a shushed whisper because she didn’t want the agents to over hear.
They were making their way to the helicopter that waited for them. One of the agents had given her an ear com, but she had been hesitant to put it in.
Jayson noticed the urgency in her eyes, and the darting of her eyes.
   “Then tell me now.” Jayson urged.
Finnley shook her head as the wind created from the helicopter’s blades.
   “No!” she cried in a whisper. Pulling her hair onto one shoulder. “Not here.”
He was about to argue, but she gripped his arms.
   “Please Jayson…I promise I will tell all. But please…Not here. I give you my word. But please not in front of all of them…please.”
Jayson took one look at Finnley and nodded.
   “Ok…We can talk as soon as we get back. Agreed?”
Finnley nodded.
   “Agreed.”
   “Captain! Assassin! Please!”
They jumped into the helicopter and it took off.

Through the entire flight back no one in the helicopter talked to each other. However, the people from HQ did loads of talking!
Finnley sat numbly as she anticipated every question they asked. Her new found powers weren’t completely under her control.
   “Jay?” She whispered into the headphone mic.
   “Yeah?”
   “You don’t happen to have-”
   “A pain killer and a cherry Coke?”
She grinned at him as he passed it over.
   “You’re a life saver.” She muttered. After taking the pill, and a sip of the Coke, she leaned her head against the back of her seat and closed her eyes.
As much as she tried, she just couldn’t tune Maxxie’s worried voice ringing in her ears.
   “Maxxie? I don’t meant to be rude but…would you please stop talking? I’m really, really tired.”
  “Oh! Yes ok. I’ll do that. Shutting up now. Have a safe trip home.”
Finnley nodded and took the headset off.
Resting her head on Jayson’s shoulder, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Jayson wrapped his arm around her small shoulders and praised the Lord she was safe and sound.

++++

Jayson never left Finnley’s side as she was checked for any signs of brutality that might have been bestowed upon her. Nor did he leave her when she was questioned by Martha.
   The Phantom Team grouped up in the lounge room and there was hugs all around.
Finnley noticed how well Bekah was getting along with all of them. She seemed to be fitting in much better now.
   “So, what happened to you?” Kaden asked. With the expectance of a good story.
   “Well…uh-”
   “Don’t bother her Kaden!” Bekah jumped in. “Can’t you see she’s exaughsted! Leave the poor girl alone. Jayson I suggest you take her home before she passes out. We’ll see you latter Finnley.”
They all rose to their feet and the girls exchanged more hugs. Finnley even gave Kaden a hug.
   “Stay out of trouble. Especially with the girls.” She ordered with a playful grin.
He gave her a salute with a chuckle.
   “As always.”
She laughed.
   “Yeah, yeah. Bekah, keep an eye on him.”
Rabekah nodded.
   “Will do. You can count on it. Oh, here.” She handed over a piece of scrap paper.
   “Just in case you need a friend to call.”
Finnley smiled as she tucked the phone number into her bag.
   “Thanks. See ya’ll latter.”
They all nodded and her and Jayson left.

Sense Jayson’s car was pretty much destroyed, the only form of transportation he had left, was his motorcycle.
Lucky for Finnley, she had just changed into her trench coat and a pair of boots and jeans.
Jumping up after Jay, she forced herself not to fall asleep. She knew he was going to stop somewhere, only she didn’t know where.
   It was the park.
The park where Ryan Stevens decided to steal a kiss from her. And also the same park where she gave him a black eye and bloody nose.

Jay turned the engine off and she hopped down. Sense the sun had gone down, the lamps were now lit, giving a warm and fairytale like glow.
Finnley chuckled as they walked down the path.
   “So…where do you want me to start?” She asked. Shoving her hands into her pockets.
   “The beginning would be preferred.”
They both chuckled.
   “Ok. I blacked out before I ever reached the ground. And when I woke up, I was in this basement…”
Finnley told him the whole story. From start to finish. She even took out the wand as proof. She repeated what Azad said about peace and how they had to work to get it. She didn’t want the world to turn into a war zone when she could stop it.
She did however, avoid telling him that she was a Hyven. And that for some reason she could see the future.

They were still walking when it was well past midnight when she had finally finished her story.
Jay exhaled slowly and stopped walking.
Finnley turned and stood in front of him.
   “You ok?”
He nodded slowly.
   “Yeah…yeah that’s just a lot to take in.”
   “Well try taking it in in a matter of minutes.” She chuckled. “But yeah. I agree.”
Jayson searched her eyes as she searched his.
She was looking for a hint that he might believe anything she had just said.
He was looking at that familiar sign of truth.
   “So I’m your Templar?” He asked with a cocked eyebrow.
Finn’s eyes grew wide as she averted her eyes and tried to hide the blush by turning around and continue walking.
   “So he says. But apparently you aren’t the only one.” She answered.
   “Oh? And who is the other?” He asked, falling into step with her.
She shrugged.
   “No clue! But I imagine God will show us when the time’s right.”
Jayson nodded and slid his fingers in between hers.
She glanced down then up at him.
   “Well in the mean time, you had better learn to take care of yourself.”
Her brow furled in confusion.
   “Why?”
   “Because I’m not going to be around for a while.”
   “Why?”
   “I’ve got some…business to conclude. So you’re going to be on your own for a while.”
   “Why?”
He looked down at her and she giggled.
   “You’re just trying to annoy me aren’t you?” He asked with a grin creeping up.
   “I don’t know.” She said with a smile and a cocked eyebrow. “Is it working?”
He gazed down at her with a tender smile and just looked at her.
   “Nah.”
She smiled and looked down at the ground.
   “Will you come back?” She asked quietly.
   “Finnley!!”
She jumped and looked up. A surprised smile crossed her face as she let go of Jay’s hand and ran forward.
   “Tanya!”
   “Yes! Hello? You’re best friend?? Ring a bell??”
Tanya giggled and hugged her best friend.
   “Look at you! A new hair cut! New clothes! Wow!! That retreat must be really, really good!!”
Finnley was slightly confused at the mention of a retreat, but she just went with it.
   “Yeah. Really good.”
Tanya glanced over her shoulder and noticed Jayson.
   “Ooh. Someone’s got a date.” She said with a growing grin. “You go girl!”
   “Shh!” Finnley whispered, jumping at her friend to cover her mouth. “It’s not a date.”
Tanya moved her hand and rolled her eyes.
   “Yeah, yeah. You were holding hands! What more do you want?”
Now it was Finn’s turn to roll her eyes.
   “Whatever.”
   “Oh hey! While you’re here. My birthday is tomorrow. You’re coming right?”
   “Uh…” Finnley figured she would be sleeping in.
   “Great! It’s at nine ‘o clock. And it’s formal. So get a dress, and you can show off your dazzling new look, along with your awesome dance moves!”
Finn smiled and nodded.
   “Alright! See you then!”
   “Yup! I’ve got to go get the dog, I’ll catch you latter!”
Tanya gave her a quick hug and walked passed Jayson with a wave and a darting eye.
Finnley exhaled and shook her head.
   “Awesome. Just fantastic. It’s formal. I don’t have a dress!! Why on Earth would she think I own a dress?!” She asked herself.
Jayson chuckled as he came up behind her.
   “I’m sure you’ll think of something. Come on. I’ll take you home.”
   “You never answered my question mister.” She pointed out as they walked back to his bike.
   “That’s because…” She noticed the torn look on his face and knew.
   “You haven’t decided yet.” She finished for him, starring at her shoes again.
Jayson nodded.
   “Yeah I haven’t. But when I have. You’ll be the first to know.”
She scoffed.
   “Well thanks for that.”
   “Don’t mention it.”
Jayson said with a smile as he ran up ahead and started the engine.
Finnley took a shaky breath and wiped away a tear.
And here goes the rollercoaster.

Entry: 11 (sorry, it's a little short)

Entry: 11
    - A Warrior is born, Identity is learned

Jayson watched in pure horror and despair as the only girl he loved fell to her death.
He could hardly see her face with all of her hair constantly moving around it, but the one thing that never got covered was her eyes.
They closed slowly and she seemed to take a deep breath. Like she was completely at peace while Jayson was screaming his heart out.
But what took them both by surprise was a sudden blue light that covered Finn’s body and suddenly jerked her to earth. Her eyes flew open in surprise and she called out something, but the wind interfering caused it to be unheard.
Jayson suddenly realized that it was the Hyven.
They had Finnley.
And he couldn’t do anything!

He was about to electrocute them, but that would only make them lose their hold on Finn, who would still die. And he also couldn’t do that because then H.U.N.T.E.R would know.
So the only thing left, was to watch them take away the only thing that gave him a reason to live.
   He let out a yell as he banged a fist into the steering wheel.
   “Are you and Finnley ok?” Martha’s voice came through the com. Jay was doing his best to keep the hurt, anguish, and pain under control. But he still ended up snapping at her.
   “No! No we are not ok. She’s gone Martha!!”
There was a moments silence.
   “Gone as in dead?” Kaden asked.
   “No! Gone as in the Hyvens have her!”
Jayson shook his hand as the electrical shock ran up his arm.
He couldn’t loose control now. He had to keep on the good side of H.U.N.T.E.R so they could get Finnley back.
   “We’ll get her back Jayson. We’ll get her back.”
Jay was surprised to hear the new girl talking to him as if she knew him.
   “Bekah’s right. We’ll do what we can to get her back. You have my word.” Martha promised. With that Jayson was able to calm down long enough to stop the electrical flow.
   “I’ll hold you to that.”

++++

  “What have we got?”
  “Did she have her phone on her?”
  “No. Her bag was left in the car. Along with her guns.”
  “Alright…we can work with this.”
  “There’s nothing to work with Kaden!”
  “Shut up Maxxie!”
  “Guys. Arguing amongst ourselves is not going to bring Finnley back.”
Rabekah shouted over the loud noise. Everyone fell quiet and all eyes were on her.
   “Jayson. Did you see the license plate of their car?”
Jayson nodded.
   “Yeah but I already checked it out. It’s just a rental car. There’s nothing here.”
He groaned and punched the table. The screen flicked momentarily on the table as his powers got away from him.
   “Wait a second…” Kaden walked up to the screen in the table and quickly looked up something.
   “What?” They moved to Kaden’s side of the table and looked down at what he was going.
   “If they rented a car, they have to give an address. I know it’s not much, but it’s something to start us off.”
   “Ok. We’ll start there.”
   “Jayson.”
He turned around and saw Martha standing in the door with a worried look on her face.
   “Yes ma’am?”
   “You’ll want to see this.”
He walked up to her and she handed him a file.
He watched her walk away before he opened it. Looking at the top corner he took a deep breath.
   “Jackson Leavenworth.”

++++

Finnley had no idea where she was, or really…what had just happened. It was all hazy and a little blurry.
    “Hey boss. She’s comin’ around.”
Her eyes shot open and she realized she was cuffed, her head hurt like crazy. Actually her whole body did. It was like she was going into spasms. Really, really bad ones.
   “Well hello honey dear. Nice of you to join us.”
She looked up and saw the familiar Hyven standing over her.
   “The pleasure’s all mine.” She said in a controlled tone.
   “Ah…” He glanced behind him at a group of men in what looked like, white robes. “She’ll make a fine diplomat.”
Finn’s brow furled.
   “Diplomat? Why do you want me to be a diplomat?”
   “You’re so much more then just a diplomat child.”
An elder man stepped up and the tall, skinny Hyven stepped back with his head bowed.
The elder man waved his hands an another came up and unlocked her cuffs.
   “Walk with me.”

She rose, slightly unsteady, from her position on the floor, and looked around. They were in the basement of a building it looked like. However it was very interesting because it was decorated much like the Persian era.
Rugs of rich colors covered the floor, paintings covered the walls, which were painted a deep red. There were no chairs, just large round cushions scattered on the floor, most were around low tables that held various things. She didn’t see one piece of modern technology anywhere, save for the lights.
   “My name is Azad. I am an elder of the Hyvens. Please excuse our method of bringing you here.”
   “You attacked us. And you want me to excuse that?” She didn’t raise her voice, knowing her tone would affect how the words would come across.
The elderly man lowered his head and gestured to a cushion for her to sit on.
   “I understand your concern. But I assure you, no one was hurt.”
   “What about Jayson? Is he ok?”
The man nodded.
   “Very much so. And he is right now…” He picked up a fob watch, which she thought was a little odd, from the table before them and opened it.
   “On his way here. We will not stop you from reuniting with your Templar, but-”
   “my ‘Templar’? care to enlighten on that subject?”
The aging man sighed.
   “I will get to that my dear Almera…” Finnley gasped. “Yes…It is true. We do know you’re true identity. Your father did a very good job in keeping you hidden. But he promised us that when you came of age, you would learn your true identity. And the time has come Almera.”
Finnley’s mind was spinning with questions. Like who was this man? Why was the room decked out Persian style? And how on Earth could he know her real name?!
   “I see your eyes are swimming with questions. I will do my best to answer them in the little time we have before your Templar comes storming the place.
First off, we are not the bad guys.”
   “Then how come you’ve been killing people?”
   “Who says we’ve been killing them? Well my dear, let me explain myself. We are very, very old. The Order. Your people call us the Cult. But we are not a cult. We are the Order of the Last Persians.”
Finnley sighed.
   “Oh boy.” She muttered.
   “You doubt me. I understand that doubt. You see in the time of the Holy Crusades, the Persians were to be no more. However there were few of us, Hyvens you call us, that escaped with out lives. Together we multiplied and we only wanted to live in peace with the world. We never wanted to be at war with it. We only fought back with people who started the fight. Killing them in the end, yes. But I believe your government calls it self-defense. But then the government created H.U.N.T.E.R, and then we knew we had to find the one from the prophecy.” Azad raised a finger to keep Finnley from asking what the prophecy was.
   “I do not have time to recite it too you. But here. As soon as you get the chance, open this.” He handed over a thick envelope with a wax seal on it.
   “Only let your Templars see it however. No one else.”
   “’Templars’? I thought there was only one.”
   “No my dear. You will see. The prophecy will revial some of that, and the rest you will see for yourself. Now, as your Templar has found out, your father was indeed a Hyven working for your government. But your father was not a bad person. He went to great lengths to keep you safe my dear. Every sacrifice he made, he made for you.”
Thousands of images warped through her mind. She remembered how many times they moved when her father was alive. The day her father told her that her name had changed and she had to remember what her new one was. She never understood any of it…Until now.
   “But why? Why do I need protecting?”
The man gave a sigh.
   “Do you realize how bad you are shaking?”
Finn looked down and gasped as she found that her hands were worse then they had ever been.
   “That is the first sign my dear.”
   “F-first sign of what?”
   “…that you’re awakening.”
It was like his words was a trigger to a massive bomb. Her head felt like someone was taking a saw to it, and her vision was blacking out. But…not really. She was suddenly seeing a different place all together. Men in (modern) armor with large rifles ran down the halls and busted down doors. She saw a flash of blond hair, and the sound of unsheathed metal. She suddenly seemed to be standing right in front of Jayson as he marched towards a door. Dressed in complete black, he had to sheathes across his back with two curved swords drawn.
   Then it was gone.
Just like it had come, the pain suddenly went away, as did the weird vision.
   “What just happened?” She asked. Realizing she was back with Azad in the Persian room.
   “You my dear, have so much more of bigger destiny then you ever first thought. Come.”
They rose quickly and walked briskly down a hall.
   “You are the one from the prophecy. You are the only heir to the throne, and the only one with the Persian royal bloodline.”
   “What are you saying?”
The man stopped abruptly and turned to her. Grasping her shoulders gently, he looked down at her with kind eyes.
   “You, Almera, are the Princess of Perisa.”
Finnley knew this was absurd. It was Prince of Perisa. Not princess. Yet Azad looked very serious.
   “That boy. Is your Templar. Your protector. He was never needed up till now. But he was always watching over you. He always will be. Even if he doesn’t know it. Your ways will never be separated. But yet there is another. You shall see. However, we have no time to indulge that matter any further.
Almera. As Princess, you have responsibilities. One responsibility I do not wish to bestow upon you, is that of a secret. The secret to the very existence of our people. Come.”
He let her go and continued down the hall.
   “What secret? And why do you trust me so eagerly? How do you know that I wont go and blab this secret to my agency?”
   “Because…” He stopped at a wooden door, and turned to her. “Once you see it…you’ll know why.”
He opened the door and gestured for Finnley to step in.
At first she was hesitant, but for some reason, the man’s reassuring smile convinced her it was safe.
Gasping as she entered the room, her eyes welled up with tears.
   “Oh my sugar cookies…”

Entry: 10

(sorry it took so long)


Entry: 10
      - Two Stars Collide

Finnley yelped when she saw a monster that had been haunting her.
   “What-what do you want?” She stuttered.
The tall, skinny Hyven gave her a grin.
   “Just to show you what poor choice in friends you make.”
He made a lunge for her but she quickly ducked and ran past him, but not before his finger snapped her earring, ripping it clean out of her earlobe.
She shrieked as the pain pulsed through her left ear, but that didn’t stop her from running.
   “Oh come on!” The alien yelled as she dashed across the street into a busy section of town.
Her fingers moved rapidly across the key board of her phone.

Finn: S.O.S

Jay: Where R U?

Finn: Mall, heading to the music store.

Jay: K meet U There.

Finn pressed 8-0-1. Activating the alien scanner as she ran from the ghost.
He was right behind her, causing her to run even faster.
   “You can’t hide from us.” He shouted. Finnley glanced over her shoulder as she shoved through the crowds.
   “Why won’t you just leave me alone?!”
She hollered over her shoulder.
   “Because,” She jumped over a trash can as she scrambled through the automatic doors that just wouldn’t open fast enough. “You are just as valuable.” The Hyven yelled after her.
She was even more confused now.
What on Earth does that mean?! She shouted at herself.
Of course she couldn’t answer that, so she focused on running as fast as she could.
She was able to loose the alien in the unusually large crowd.
Keeping the phone scanner on, she figured she would know if him she saw him, but with such a big crowd, she wasn’t taking any risks.
When she pointed her phone at a person, the mini computer scanned that person and told her HUMAN or ALIEN. (obviously the majority was human.)
She only glanced up to figure out where she was.
Spotting the music store on the second floor, she raced up the stairs, two at a time.
Her heart beat was ridiculously fast and she forced herself to breath normally.
Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed the Hyven standing at the bottom of the stairs.
He didn’t make any move or give any signs that he was going to pursue her. And it scared her for a moment.
But what happened next scared her even more.
Jayson called out to her and came running over. The Hyven grew a wicked grin. And suddenly, her right hand that held her phone, started to move on it’s own.

Finnley gasped as she watched her hand move in the direction of Jay.
   “Finn what are you doing?” He asked. Sliding to a halt three yards away from her.
   “Nothing! I’m not doing it!” She cried. She watched in horror as the phone got closer and closer. Jay wasn’t sure what was going on till it was too late.
   Jayson showed up in the phone’s screen. Finnley watched as the scanner decided Jay’s origin. Silently praying that it came out normal.
…ALIEN.

Finn’s eyes grew as big as sand dollars. Her breathing became shallow as her head spun.
Maybe it’s faulty. But she really doubted it.

Jay’s fists tightened till they were white.
She knows.
He was ready to hit something.
   “Jay what-?” She was cut off when her hands started to move again.
And not by her.
Her right index finger reached over to the deadly charm bracelet on her left wrist.
   “Oh no.” She muttered. For a second she could see what was going to happen.
   “Jay…I would suggest that you leave.” She warned, struggling to get control over her arms again.
   “I don’t think so.” Jay said stubbornly.
Finnley groaned as she fought against the will force that was not her own.
   “Why are you so stubborn?! Get out before I hurt you!!” She screamed.
Pure shock showed it’s self on his face. And she knew exactly what was going through his head.
   “You have a lot of explaining to do you man. And I would actually like you to be there for that. But you’re not if he gets you!”
Jay was only inches from her face in just two strides.
   “Guys what’s happening?” Bekah said in a calm voice over the coms.
   “Please.” Finn whispered. Tears falling down her cheeks as her finger got closer, and closer to the charm.
   “Just go.”
Finnley really didn’t want to hurt him. But she couldn’t stop herself. She was painfully aware of a mind in her head that was not her own.
It was demanding her to move as it wanted.
And she knew it involved hurting Jay.
   “Jay get out of here! I can’t fight it. And I swear I would die if I hurt you!”
He caught her gaze and searched her green eyes. He cupped her face in his hands and became very serious.
He better not kiss me! My life is not a movie!! Finnley thought angrily.
   “No.” He whispered. “You can’t fight it…but I can.”
She let out a shaky breath. Her eyes flew wide again. Looking in his, they told her everything. She knew what he had to do in order to get the Hyven out of her head.
He was also asking her.
Asking her two things.
One was as plain as day, the other, she figured, he wasn’t even aware he was asking.

Finnley answered both with one head nod.
Jay rubbed the side of her head with his thumb and took a deep breath.
   “This is going to hurt.” He warned.
She nodded.
   “Just hurry up.”
   “What are you doing?!” The Hyven yelled from the floor below.

By now people were creating a perimeter around Jay and Finn.
And every once in a while, some one would glance their way and smile.
But little did they know, that silently she was screaming, as volts of electricity ran through her head.

Jay was amazed by the fact that she wasn’t screaming.
All she was doing was crying.
His heart broke to hurt her. Especially knowing that he was the one causing her pain. He ignored his tearing eyes as he watched Finnley bite down so hard on her lip, it started to bleed.

However, everyone could hear the tall man at the end of the stairs scream in agony even though no one was touching him.
He finally let go of his hold on Finnley and they both collapsed.
Jay caught Finn and immediately checked her pulse. It was barely there, but it was there.
   “Ok. Let’s get you out of here.” He muttered. He scooped her up and walked quickly to the nearest emergency exit.
Opening it caused the fire alarms to start.
That’ll get everyone out and shake them off our tails. He thought as he stepped out into the two story parking garage. He walked quickly to his red mustang and set Finn down gently so he could open the door.
Once he did, he got Finn’s seat belt on and quickly jumped into the driver’s seat.
   “And now for some where safe.’ He muttered as he drove off.

++++

After the most strangest dreams, Finnley woke up in a strange place.
Looking around wildly, she finally figured out she was in the passenger seat of Jayson’s car.
Looking out the window, she gasped.
They were on the beach.
A silent tear slid down her cheek as she sucked in air.
   “Oh boy.”
She glanced over her shoulder. Smiling slightly, she found Jayson stretched out in the back seat, fast asleep.
   “So I’m not the only one that got knocked out.” She mumbled.
Finn held her stomach as it growled.
   “Ok…time for breakfast?”
Glancing outside she realized that it really was the morning. Of the next day!
   “What is with me? Always loosing time.”
She sighed and glanced back over her shoulder. Spotting the keys in Jayson’s hand she quickly and as quietly as she could, hopped over the seat and crouched down next to him.
Taking the keys slowly from his hand, she let out another sigh.
   “You sure are something Jayson Stone. The one guy that shows a mild Christian interest in me, just so happens to turn out to be an alien…awesome. Typical you Finnley.” She murmured. Moving a strand of hair across his forehead, she bit her bottom lip.
God…You are going to have to be my strength. I know you won’t take me out of these troubles, but would you please just get me through them? I know I can’t make it through life with out you…So let you’re will be done.
As an after thought she added, And with the whole alien thing…um…yeah. Just help me wrap my mind around that. Amen.
   “Well you certainly don’t look like an alien.” She stated, more to herself then the sleeping boy before her.
Jayson’s question came to mind.
   “What does an alien look like?”
   “Like you Jayson…an alien looks like you.” She answered.

Outside, she found that they were on the outskirts of a small, ancient town that had a certain charm to it.
Finding a bakery that just smelled so inviting, she purchased two gooey looking pastries, and two bottles of water.
Walking past the stores that were yet to be opened, she made another mental note to come back and visit when she had the time.
Pausing at the end of the street she looked out at the big blue.
The waves lulling the sand below it as they came gently up onto the shores, the sun was just starting to rise, and it made a picture perfect scene.
A wave of pain washed over her as memories cascaded around her.
   “Oh dad.” She whispered through the flow of tears.

Waking up disoriented, Jay couldn’t figure out where he was. But it all came crashing back down on him as soon as he looked out the windshield.
Scrambling out of the car, he was surprised to see Finnley sitting on the hood of his car, leaning against the windshield with a hot pastry in her hands.
   “Well nice of you to join the living, Doctor.” She stated. Not looking at him, just starring dully at the ocean.
   “Doctor?” He asked as he jumped up next to her.
She nodded and handed him the other pastry and water bottle.
   “Well that’s pretty much who you are right? The mysterious boy whom no one really knows. Showing up right in the nick of time to save the world, or the girl. Mostly both. And then of course there’s the whole you being from another world. All we’re missing is two hearts, a big blue police box, and Rose Tyler.”
She didn’t make eye contact with Jay as she took a swig from her water bottle.
Jayson finished his pastry and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
   “You mad?” He asked her.
   “A little. Yes.” She answered. Crossing her arms and ankles. She still didn’t look at him.
   “Are you scared?”
Jay expected her now to say bye, pick up her bags and leave him. Not looking back once. Half of him wanted her too. It would be safer for her, the farther away she was from him. The other half couldn’t stand being alone again.
   “No.” Her reply was immediate. Which shocked Jayson.
   “Why?” This young lady astounded, and baffled him.
   “Because…I know you won’t do anything to hurt me. At least not in the long run. I’m ignoring the whole electrocuting-my-brain thing.”
   “Hey it was either that or-”
   “I know. I know. I’m not blaming you, nor am I mad at you for that.”
She said, her voice becoming a little more gentle. Her face became less hard as she fiddled with the hem of the vest she was still wearing.
   “Shouldn’t you be freaking out right now?” He asked. Trying to figure out if she hit her head or something. “Because you’re freaking me out because you’re not freaking out.”
Finnley’s brow furled.
   “Do you know how messed up that sounds?” She asked with a grin.
   “But that’s not the point.” He stated. “You shouldn’t even be here. You should be back home with your mom and Tanya. Where you belong.”
   “Who are you to tell me where I belong?” She challenged. Jay met her gaze with a hard stare.
   “You don’t belong with someone like me. If you stick around they’ll come find you. And in getting to you, they’ll get to me. You’d be a weakness, and besides you’d only slow me down.”
He knew that his words were harsh, not to mention they weren’t true. But he knew that if he wanted to keep her safe, he’d have to hurt her to make her leave.
But what he didn’t count on, was Finn smiling at him.
She reached down and untied her shoes. Kicking them off and along with her socks she jumped off the car.
   “That’s not going to work on me mister. I know the routine.” She shouted over her shoulder as she made her way down to the beach.
   “You can tell me that you hate me, or don’t want me, or that I’m…what ever! But I know you’re lying.”
She said, turning around and giving him a smile.
   “How would you know?” He shouted after her.
   “I can see it in your eyes as plain as day.” She replied.
Jayson growled and tugged off his shoes as well.
Not having to worry about his clothes, seeing as he was just wearing a T-shirt and kaki cargo shorts, he walked out on the beach after her.

Finn took a deep breath of the salty sea air and let the mist moisten her already wet cheeks.
She had forgotten how much she really did miss this place.
Jayson came up next to her silently and she sighed.
   “You can’t stay with me Finn.” He said quietly.
   “And why ever not?” she asked.
   “Because Finn…I’m dangerous. Everyone around me ends up getting hurt in one way or another.-”
   “Jay. I get hurt everyday. Every waking moment there’s always something nagging at the bottom of my heart. I just put on a fake smile and ignore it. That’s what my life has been like sense I was six. So…what’s the difference if I hurt alone and by myself, or with someone who actually knows what it feels like to be hurt?”
Her question hit him hard. Her green eyes pierced gently into his heart and he knew she would find her answer. Whether he gave it to her or not.
He sighed.
   “Finn…I don’t want to be the cause of your hurt.” He turned around and walked down the beach slowly. Trying to force his mind to wind down a notch.
   “But you wouldn’t if you let me stay.” She said quietly with her gaze to the sand below her feet.
Jay came to a stop and shoved his hands into his pockets.
   “And if I didn’t?” He asked. Not turning around.
   “Then…I honestly don’t know how I would survive.” She answered truthfully. “I would probably spend half my time constantly wondering where you were, what you were doing. If you were ok. It would drive me insane. I wouldn’t be me…anymore.”
Jay drew in a shaky breath.
That’s what he was afraid of.
She was as much attached to him, as he was to her. It killed him to think he would have to leave her. He wanted to say yes more then anything. He wanted her to be right there for the rest of her life. Never to leave him, not even for a second.
Of course he knew these thoughts were extremely selfish and wrong.
She wasn’t his. She was the Lord’s.
He had figured she would find a way to live out her life like any other person in the world when he left.
   “Do you really think I can go back?” She asked from behind him. As if reading his thoughts. “Do you really think I can be normal again? After all the things I’ve seen and done? I would only be able to act normal Jayson. But that would be a lie. And I hate lying.” She paused as she wiped the tears away. “What about you?” She asked finally.
   “What about me?” He asked, turning slightly.
   “Will you be able to keep going like this? Moving from town to town, constantly switching your name. If I know you right…this will probably be the last time you go by Jayson…is it not?”
Jay inhaled sharply.
   “Will you be able to live with the question that will always be nagging at the back of your mind? At night it’ll haunt you, and you won’t be able to shake it. No matter how far away you run.”
   “And what question is that?” He dared to ask.
She was quiet for a moment.
   “’Is she ok?’” She whispered.
Jayson groaned and looked up to the heavens.
Why Lord?! Why would you let this happen? What have I ever done but try to please you?! He screamed silently.
Turning on his heel he marched up to Finn till he was only inches away from her.
He didn’t say anything, and neither did Finn.
For a fleeting moment she though he was going to kiss her. Knowing she wanted to only ever kiss her future husband, she figured she had best break the silence. But there was a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach that she wasn’t sure what it meant.
   “And you won’t be able to answer that question. Not till you see me again.”
He let out his breath that he realized he had been holding. Gripping her shoulders, he rested his forehead on hers.
   “You are really something Finnley Leavenworth.” He whispered.
A small smile reached her lips.
   “So are you.” She replied.
   “Do you really want to go down this road?” He asked, turning serious.
   “If you stay with me you’ll be traveling the country all the time. You’ll change your name so many times you’ll forget your real one. You wont be able to see your mom anymore. And Tanya too. They’ll become a distant memory.”
Finnley took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment.
   “I always wanted an adventure. I’m not letting it slip through my fingers now.” She replied bravely.
Jay sighed and moved away.
   “Why?” He asked. “Why would you leave everything you have for an alien? For me?”
Finnley thought about that for a moment before a smile reached her.
   “My daddy always said I was fearless. He said if the right guy came along I’d dance around in a storm in my best dress for him. He said, I would know when that time came, and when I met that guy I would do just about anything for him…Does that answer your question?” She asked slowly. She moved away from him and walked deeper into the ocean. Feeling the waves crash against her legs. She didn’t turn around. She didn’t have butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. Her mind was at total peace. And she knew that was God’s sign for her.
Prepare for a rocky rollercoaster. She told herself.

Jay wasn’t really sure how to respond to that.
Her dad said that?! He couldn’t understand what that all meant. But he knew one thing for sure. She was fearless.
She also lived on a whim.
Jay just sure hoped she knew what she was getting herself into.
   “Are you sure?” He asked again.
Finnley chuckled and glanced over her shoulder.
   “Yup. I’m sure. Believe it or not, but I‘ve been praying about this a lot in the past week…And I know now, this is where I‘m suppose to be.” She answered with a smile.
   “And you do know I won’t be able to save you every single time you get in trouble right? I’m not Superman.”
Finn laughed.
   “I’ve been known to kick butts. And besides, I can usually out smart most people.” She replied.
   “Well…that’s true. You are really annoying sometimes.” He pointed out.
She turned to him with a confused look.
   “Well aren’t you Prince Charming.” She stated sarcastically.
   “I said nothing about charming.”
She scoffed.
   “Yeah, yeah. I hear ya. Crazy kid.” She mumbled.
   “Me? Crazy?!” He asked in fake shock.
   “Yes you. Do you see anyone else on this beach?” She asked with a laugh.
   “No. I don’t. And ok fine. I’ll admit it, I am a little crazy. But where would we be if people weren’t crazy?”
   “See? I was giving you a complement.” She said with a laugh.
Reaching over, he grasped her hand tightly as they both ignored the chill that was slowly creeping up their spines.
   “Can you show me?” She asked after a moment.
   “Huh?”
She gestured to his hands.
   “Please?”
Jay let go of her hand and let his mind go blank. (Which was easier said then done.)
Lightning sparked and flowed up from his hands like flames.
Finn gasped but was wise enough not go sticking her fingers in it. Seeing as she knew first hand what it could do.
   “Oh…” She said quietly. “That’s actually really freaky.”
Jay chuckled and closed his hands, and the lightening disappeared.
   “You’ll get use to it.”
Finn shook her head.
   “No. I don’t think I will.”
Jayson laughed and waved a dismissing hand her way.
   “Whatever.”
   “Can you do anything else?”
He gave her a sly smile.
   “Maybe.”
Her eyebrows rose high. She felt something tug at her mind and quickly tried to keep her rising anxiety in check.
But unlike the other Hyven, it wasn’t controlling her physical body. It was just giving a slight influence to her thoughts. It was like a slight hand touch. She knew it was there, yet it was so light that she had to double check.
It gave her a warm fuzzy feeling and she knew she had to raise her guard, other wise she would do something, very, very regrettable.
   “Right.” She shook her head and started to walk off. “Don’t do that again.” She called over her shoulder.
Jayson chuckled and jogged up next to her.
   “You are extremely sensitive.”
She glared at him.
   “No! not that kind of sensitive. I mean I barely touched you, yet you still knew I was there. It’s a little weird actually…”
   “Huh. Freakin’ Jasper Cullen.” She mumbled.
   “Who?” He asked. Completely lost.
She laughed.
   “Never mind. Come on. We should probably get back. I’m curious to wonder why on earth these Hyven are so interested in me.”
They picked up their shoes and climbed back into the car.

Finnley chuckled and shook her head.
   “We’re on a collision course.” She muttered.
   “Huh?”
   “You and me. We’re on a collision course. Kind of like two stars colliding. There’s going to be a big bang once we hit our marks.”
She had no idea where that just came from.
   “What’s our mark?”
She gave a secretive smile.
   “You’re just going to have to figure that out on your own.”
Jay took his eyes off the road for a moment only to study her face.
   “You know I could make you tell me.” He pointed out.
Finn nodded, but the smile didn’t leave her face.
   “Yes you could. But you wont.” She stated calmly.
   “How would know you know?”
She met his gaze as they stopped at a red light.
   “Because you respect people. And therefore you respect their privacy. So I know you wont.”
Jay’s jaw slacked slightly as she gave him a innocent smile.
When he didn’t say anything, she glanced around her with a confused look.
   “What?” She asked.
   “You have that all figured out huh?” He said finally.
Finn nodded.
Jay shook his head.
   “Sheesh, I’m like an open book to you.” He mumbled.
   “You are an open book to me. But I suspect it’s only me huh?” She piped up.
   “Yeah, It’s really weird actually.”
That made her laugh.
After a few minutes, Finnley came up with another question.
   “Ok, so I have to ask. Are you really from…somewhere else?”
Jay sighed.
   “No.”
   “But I thought-”
   “Yeah I lied. That version of the story is easier to believe then the other version.”
Finn’s jaw dropped.
   “Well what’s the other version then? The real one.”
   “Oh boy…that’s a long story.”
She glanced outside.
   “Well I think we have time.”
   “Little miss Persistence.”
   “Well I have to be if I’m going to get anything out of you.” She pointed out.
   “True. Ok. So let’s see…ok first off. Give me the definition of the word ‘alien’.”
Finnley chuckled. Great. I’m still in school. She thought to herself. But she obliged.
   “Alien is someone who is not native to your homeland…or something like that.”
   “Good enough. Well technically that’s what we are. Sort of. In the seventeenth century people started to experiment. More specifically the Cult.”
   “The…Cult? Oh well gee that’s a lovely name. No one likes them I assume.”
Jayson nodded.
   “Right. But only a few know of them. Even H.U.N.T.E.R doesn’t know about them. But anyways. They were looking for a way to make man immortal. And they did accomplish that. But at extremely steep costs. However, their experiments went wrong, and they developed into more then just immortal men.”
This whole while Finnley was thinking, Oh great! Vampires. Lovely.
   “The men that had been injected with…whatever it was they used, started to learn how to use their full mental capacity. And through that they have-”
   “Super powers.” Finnley finished.
   “Yeah. If you want to call them that. Anyways. So back then when it all began, they were more human like. Their powers were not so strong. But as time passed, they grew more, and more ‘alien’.”
   “Well that’s backwards.”
   “Yeah, talk about it.”
   “So…you’re parents were human?”
   “Uh…more or less. Almost anyone can end up like me. Most everyone has it in their genes now. But in other it’s not as strong. It’s all there, but not everyone can use it. It’s like a box. That’s locked. You have to have the key to open it right?”
Finn nodded.
   “Well that’s how it’s like. You can be human one day, and then suddenly a few weeks, something will trigger it, and suddenly you can do things you never thought possible. Or at least, that’s how it happened to me. However, the box is easier to unlock if one of your parents is a Hyven.”
Finnley raised her eyebrows as she rubbed her temples.
   “That’s…very confusing.” She said finally.
   “Yeah sorry about that. I’ve figured all this out on my own over a span of years. I can imagine it would be a little hard to grasp in a few minutes.”
Finn nodded.
   “Ok, keep going.” She said, taking a deep breath.
Jay glanced at her. She was looking a little pale.
   “You sure?”
   “Yup.” She noticed the worried and concerned look on his face. “I’ll tell you went to shut up. Alright?”
He chuckled.
   “Fine. So…Where was I?”
Finn scoffed.
   “If one of your parents is a Hyven then there’s a good chance you’ll end up one too.”
   “Right! Yeah. Well anyways. So my dad was a Hyven, and that’s how I ended up one.”
   “Oh…weird. So why are you running around all the time. I know you probably think I’m a complete idiot. But ignore that little fact for the time being. Why are you running?”
Jayson chuckled at her rambling.
   “Because I found out who the Cult is. And I might have uh…blown up their main facility.”
Finnley was not expecting that!
   “You’re joking!”
   “No. I did that last year…around mid July. And I’ve been on the run ever sense.”
Finn starred at him, amazed.
Sure she had gone through basic training and all, but she was far from blowing up a building!
She chuckled and looked out the window.
Watching all the people walk by made her think. They were so lucky, they had no idea how messed up this world really was.
She sighed and sunk slightly lower in her seat.
She let her mind lull all these things that had just been explained to her. She couldn’t believe all of this. Her mind was fighting it, but eventually it grew to accept it…At least parts of it.

   “Unnoticed by most, sought out by some.” She didn’t realize that she had actually said that out loud.
   “What?” Jayson asked.
   “Huh?” She wasn’t sure she heard right. Her thoughts were somewhere far away.
   “You just said something. What did you mean?”
Finn’s eyes grew big.
   “Did I just say that out loud?”
Jayson raised his eyebrows and nodded.
   “Yes. Yes you did.”
Finnley smiled as she watched her own fingers fiddle with the hem of her shirt.
   “It was a saying my dad use to say. He’d say it whenever things would get really confusing. I’m still not completely sure what that means, but he says I’ll figure it out when I really need to.”
   “Your dad sounds like he knows a lot of stuff.”
   “Knew.” She corrected.
Jay glanced her way, but then quickly concentrated on getting around the curved road.
   “Um…my uh…my dad died when I was six. We use to live at the beach. My dad taught me how to swim when I was a toddler. I learned to surf when I was five.” A small tear slid down her cheek, even though she was smiling.
   “They use to call me the Little Mermaid…But I haven’t been to the beach sense he passed away.”
Finnley dug through her bag and pulled out a tissue to wipe her eyes with.
   “You didn’t have to tell me that.” Jayson said quietly. He knew how hard it was to bring up people from the past.
   “I wanted to. Though I honestly have no idea why…” Her sentence dangled in the air as she caught sight of something in the mirror.
   “Is that…?”
She turned around in the seat and looked out the back window. She jumped and shrieked when there was a sudden blast and glass shattered everywhere.
  “Get down!”
Finnley leaned forward and cupped her head in her hands. On second thought, she pulled out the ear com and plugged it in.
   “Assassin to base. Anyone there?” She said. Jerking when another shot rang through the car.
   “What are you doing?” Jay asked over the wind and the sound of tires screeching.
   “Getting help!” She shouted.
   “Base to Assassin. Finnley Leavenworth! You are in some big trouble missy!” Finn cringed at Martha’s stern voice. But the fire from a gun behind them was more demanding.
   “Can we skip the pep talk please? We’re in a bit of trouble.”
   “Alright…how much trouble?”
   “Like they owe me a new car! Kind of trouble!” Jayson shouted. Jerking the steering wheel hard to the left to avoid cars that were going to slow, and from getting another hit.
Finnley shrieked again and bit down on her lip as she tried to keep from ending up in Jayson’s lap.
  “Where are you?”
  “I have no clue. I was passed out for a while. Jay?” She realized he was a little busy. “Hang on a sec.”
She reached over on the dash board and pressed the hidden button, the holographic screen came up.
   “You have a password? Why on earth do you have a password?!” She growled in frustration.
Jayson was about to tell it to her, but he was forced to concentrate on getting them out of the situation alive.
   “Never mind. I’ll figure it out on my own.” She said. Reaching forward she quickly typed in a command and she was in.
   “Ok, Martha. We’re on…highway 19. You’ve got to hurry. There’s a lot of people out here.”
   “Alright. A team is on their way to extract you.” 
   “Right.”
Digging deeper into her bag she glanced over her shoulder and found a black SUV to be the source of all the shooting.
Jayson caught on to what she was doing and tried to stay in a line of sight.
Taking out her two pistols out of her bag, she took her seat belt off and aimed out the back, seeing as there was no more glass back there she had nothing to worry about.
Having to adjust with the constant movement, she wasn’t as good of a shot if she had been standing on solid ground.
Finally being able to hit one of their tires, she spun back in her seat and recharged her guns.
   “Martha. How long till that extraction?” She asked.
   “They should be there in twenty minutes.”
Finnley bit her lip and met Jayson’s gaze.
   “Think we can hold on for that long?” She asked. He grinned.
   “Lord willing. Definitely.”
She grinned back and turned around again. Bracing herself between the two front seats to keep from sliding around when Jay suddenly jerked one way or another, she was able to blow out another tire.
   “Uh…” She muttered when what she saw didn’t make sense.
   “Jay?”
He didn’t answer.
   “Jay?”
   “A little busy Finn.”
   “No Jay I’m serious!”
But she knew it would be to late. Spinning around she jerked the wheel hard right and screamed at him to put on the brakes.
There was a hard jerk and Jayson wrapped his arms around her to keep her from hitting something. (But in the process, he ended up with a mouth full of hair.)
The car came to a screeching stop, followed by the sound of metal crashing, and horns blaring.
   “What on Earth did you do that?!” Jayson demanded when she sat up again. She was about to answer when suddenly a huge jerk over came the car and they shot strait up in the air.
Finnley screamed and it took Jayson a minute to figure out, that a helicopter had lowered a magnate that had clamped it’s self on to his car.
   “What is that?” Finn asked. Looking at the claws that had ripped through the canvas roof.
   “That…is our extraction.”
Finn’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and she seemed to relax a little.
But the fight wasn’t over yet.
A sudden vibration rocked the car and a massive groan rang through the silence.
Finnley and Jayson met each other’s gaze with fear in their eyes.
Jay offered his hand and she held his like her life depended on it.
…And…it did.
The groan suddenly stopped, and the whole floor area around her seat suddenly dropped out from under her.
She screamed as she found that she was suddenly dangling out of the bottom of the car with nothing stopping her from hitting the highway two hundred feet below her.
   “Finnley!” Jayson shouted as he laid across his seat and looked down through the hole to see Finn flailing around.
   “Jayson. Please. Please don’t let go. Don’t let me go.” The tears was making her make-up run, (not like either of them cared) and her eyes were pleading, and praying.
   “I won’t. I won’t let you go.” Jay said. Straining to keep a firm grip on her sweating hand.
   “I don’t want to go yet. Not today.” She said to God. “Please don’t make me go.”
   “You’re not going anywhere Finn. I’ve got you.”
Her eyes opened and he saw just how scared she was. Jay was praying for all he was worth that she wouldn’t die today. Or any day! But especially not today.

Glancing down Finn saw the Hyvens standing around their car. They looked eager for her to fall and she suddenly realized what was going on.
Looking back up at Jayson, and then studying the bottom of the car she saw a crack creeping around his side of the car.
   “Oh no.” She whispered.
Her weight was causing it. And she knew that the Hyven’s down there would be eager to get both of them in one event.
She couldn’t let that happen.
Coming to terms with her fate she knew two things could happen. And both were equally scary.
Looking back up at Jayson, she knew he could see what she was thinking.
   “Don’t you dare.” He shouted at her.
A sob broke out from her lips as she realized she had so many feelings she wanted to figure out.
   “I’m sorry.” She replied.
Jayson reached down with both hands and got a better grip.
   “You are not dying today.”
   “Philippians 1:7.” That was the last thing she said before she went limp.
   “No! Finn don’t! I can’t live if you aren’t here!!”
More sobs escaped from her as she gazed into the eyes of the only boy she ever liked.
Right then she realized it was more then that. It wasn’t just a simple crush that would be gone.
Remembering the moment on the couch in the lounge room at Headquarters, the feeling they both had. She knew it was much, much deeper then words could express.
God had worked at sewing their hearts together ever sense she had first noticed him at the running track. And only now, while she knew she was going to die, did she realize how much he actually meant to her.
   “If you die today,” He said, tears rising in his eyes. “I’ll die too.”
   “Philippians 1:7 Jayson…I’m sorry…It’s the only way.-”
   “No it’s not!”
She gave him a sad smile.
   “Yeah it is. If we both fall, they win.” She gestured to the Hyvens below them.
   “Keep strong Jay,…it’ll work out in the end.”
Her hand slipped a little more, and Jayson tried his best to keep a grip on her.
   “No. No. No. No.” He muttered. “This is not happening.”
   “I’m sorry.”
Going completely limp, she was dead weight. And that weight caused Jayson to loose his grip on her hand.
  “Finnley!!” He screamed.
She didn’t move. She didn’t flail about. She just starred back at him with sweet green eyes for a split second.
She saw the anguish in his icy-blue, screaming eyes. This was the first time she had ever seen him cry.

Entry: 9

Entry: 9
     - Suspicion

Jayson said he would be back in a few.
Finn wasn’t quiet sure if that meant, a few seconds, a few minutes. For all she knew he could mean days or even years!
All she knew, was that he was taking forever!

She sighed and jumped up from the couch and paced the empty lounged room.
It had been an hour sense he told her that. She had gone to talk to Martha for most of that time, however.
   “No! No, no, no!!”
Finnley jumped as she heard yelling.
There was a low groan and then the sound of something crashing to the ground
Jay started talking to himself again.
“Not now. Not again. Please God, don’t let this happen again.” There was a loud groan again, and then a sob broke out.
Finn walked slowly, placing one foot in front of the other in a slow determined pattern.
   “Jay? Jayson are you ok?”
There was a sound of metal scraping across concrete.
He moved the bed. Finnley stated to herself. But why? First a thumb, then a crash, now a scraping…It’s like he’s hurt.
   “Jayson? Are you ok?” She hopped the last step to the door.
   “Yeah, yeah I’m fine.”
She knew he was lying. His voice was full of pain. Like he was trying to keep it out of his voice.
There was another groan, Finnley’s hand flew to the door knob.
She jerked her hand back when she got shocked by the metal.
   “Jayson what’s going on? Why does the door handle feel like it could shock someone to death? And what is that noise?”
She had noticed a low hum that was coming from his room.
There was a sputter and she jumped when all of the lights in the lounge room sputtered and flickered. They momentarily went out.
Her eyes grew wide (wider then they already were, that is.) as she watched a bright blue light seep through all the cracks around Jayson’s door.
A sudden scream rippled through the air, then it was…gone.
There was no flickering lights, and no sounds from inside Jayson’s room.
She couldn’t just stand there anymore. Reaching out for the door handle, only to jump back when it flung open before her fingers even met the metal.
   “Ready to go?”
She was shocked and surprised to see Jayson’s calm face and controlled tone.
Like the thing with the lights never happened.
But the glean of sweat on his forehead didn’t escape her.
   “What just happened?” She asked. Standing on her tip-toes to see over his shoulder.
   “What was what?” He asked, glancing back into his room.
   “The electricity went crazy and…” She let her sentence fall as she noticed that he seemed to be shifting uncomfortably.
She knew that she probably wouldn’t get much out of him at the moment. So she decided to let it go for now.

   “Are you ready to go?” He asked again. Finnley nodded and took a few steps back.
   “Ok then.” Jay picked up his jacket and carefully closed the door behind him.
   “Let’s go.”

++++

A few minutes later, they were both out on the road again. The sky was already bright and beautiful. Jayson had the hood of the mustang up, but he had the windows down.
When the sun hit her face, she smiled as the warm rays heated up her cool cheeks.
She sent up a prayer of thanks for everything she could think of.

   “You’re doing it again.” She said calmly. She turned to Jay with a playful grin. Holding up both her hands, she made a rectangle with her fingers and thumbs.
   “Take a picture, it lasts longer.”
Jay chuckled and looked back out at the road.
   “I would. If I had a camera.”
Finnley smiled.
   “Well you do have a phone right? It should have a camera on it.”
Jay hadn’t thought about it, until she suggested it.
He fished out his phone and tossed it at her.
   “Yup. And would you mind putting in your number?”
Finnley flipped the phone around till it was right side up, and went to put in a new contact.
   “Sure…how come I’m not already in here?”
Jayson made a face.
   “Because…you threw the paper in the trash didn’t you?” She answered for him.
   “How do you know these things?!” He asked, amazed.
   “Um…I’ve read all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books I could get my hands on at the age of six. After a while I began to figure it all out much more quickly then the average human. So after that I’ve always paid attention to the small details. So, I guess in a way, Nancy Drew taught me.”
Jay was impressed that a six year old could read Nancy Drew.
   “Whoa. Did you read Sherlock Holmes when you were what? Ten?” He was only teasing.
   “No. Eight actually.” She answered. Not looking up from his phone. “Ok, my number’s in here now, and…”
She turned it around, smiled, and snapped a picture.
   “…Now you have my picture as well. My turn.”
She set Jayson’s phone in the cup holder and pulled out her new cell phone.
   “Does this one-? Am I acutally suppose to use this one?”
Jay nodded.
   “yeah, for two reasons; 1) it’s on a secure line so Hyven’s won’t be able to hack you. And 2) it’s got that handy-dandy alien scanner on it.”
   “Well ok then Blues Clues. What’s your number.”
She asked as she scrolled through the contacts list. She found that Martha, Kaden and Maxxie’s numbers were already in there. (complete with pictures)
But Jayson’s wasn’t.
Jay recited his number and she quickly programmed it in.
They stopped at a red light and Jay messed with the radio.
   “Smile!”
Jay looked up a little startled, and only managed a small lop-sided grin before she snapped the picture.
She let out a small giggle as she looked at the final product.
   “Nice.” She joked.
Jay rolled his eyes and hit the gas as the light turned green.
   “So…” She started, putting her phone away. “What can you tell me about these blue-blooded aliens?”
Jay took a deep breath.
More then you’d like to know. He grumbled to himself.
   “Where do they come from?” She asked.
   “Sector five as we call it. But in actual reality, there’s only one sector. The Hyven’s are the only ones we’ve ever come in contact with.”
   “So…what do they want?”
   “What every alien wants.”
Finn rose her eyebrows. Telling him to actually tell her what he meant.
   “To dominate the human race, and use us as labor hands for something.”
   “Of course. So it’s H.U.N.T.E.R’s job to make sure that doesn’t happen right?”
Jay nodded.
   “Right.”
   “Well how come they look like us?”
   “What’s an alien suppose to look like?” He answered her question, with a question. Which gave her the answer.
   “Ok. Can they do anything that we can’t?”
   “Yeah. They each have control over…something. Sometimes more then one. Most of the time it’s mental. But sometimes it’s physical.”
   “Like…?”
   “Um…control over fire, water, air, stuff like that.”
   “Oh.”
She couldn’t ask anymore questions, because he drove up into the drive way of Majestic Academy.
Finnley was getting a little nervous and her leg was starting to get away from her again.
Jay pulled off to the side and turned the car off. He reached over and laid a hand on Finn’s bouncing leg.
   “Stop. Please. Or you’re going to make me nervous.”
She immediately stopped the bouncing, though she was starring at him with wide eyes.
   “Come on. Let’s get you inside.”
Jayson moved to the door.
   “You’re coming in?” Finn asked as she slung a canves bag over her shoulder and stepped out of the mustang.
   “Do you want me to go in?”
   “Do you want to go in?” Finn shot back. Jay linked his fingers together and rested them on the soft roof.
   “I don’t know. Should I?”
   “Wow. You guys are such bad flirts!”
Finnley burst out laughing.
   “Whoa re you calling bad?” She asked. Though not to Jay. “I remember that you are the one with the horrid pick up lines, and you can’t even talk to Miranda! Am I right Kaden?” She retorted.
Jay snickered.
   “Now hush so it doesn’t look like we’re talking to ourselves.” She ordered.
Kaden had given them earpieces for when ever they needed to get in touch with “home base”.
   “Yadeyadeya. Jay already talks to himself.” Kaden responded with an exaggerated sigh.
Jay rolled his eyes.
   “I do not!” He protested.
   “Ok, ok, that’s enough. Come on Jayson.”
Finnleyshut the car door and they walked up the gravel road to the school.

The school was actually a mansion built in the early 1900’s.
It was made of rich stones, and was built with a sense of style and elegance.
It had four “towers” at each corner of the house.
There was two large wooden doors at the front of the house that led down to a gravel walkway and a perfectly cut and trimmed lawn.

   “Oh my sugar cookies! Would you look at this place?!” Finnley exclaimed as she spun around on her heel.
   “And this is just for girls huh? Oh goodness!”
   “Yeah, yeah ok. Don’t rub it oin. Come on.” Jay tugged at her elbow and they kept walking.
Opening one of the doors, Jay gestured for Finnley to go first.
Smiling, she stepped through and gazed up at large entry way.
The roof above the stairs looked like a dome made of colored glass.
The halls were empty save for a few students rushing to class.
Finnley noticed Jay’s eyes linger on them and bashed into his side.
   “Keep your eyes under control or I’ll blind fold you.” Finnley whispered.
   “Remember the helping tips for everyone at the SRT?”
Jay really had to rack his brain for a minute before he realized what she was talking about.
Finnley saw the realization on his face and nodded.
   “Just a friendly reminder.”
He chuckled.
   “Well thanks for that sis.”
   “Just being helpful. Now come on.”
She had noticed the sign for the office
Most everything inside the mansion was made of wood. Very expensive wood of course.
So, finn wasn’t surprised to see the office lavished furnished.

The young lady behind the desk looked up and smiled pretty.
Finnley smiled back and walked up to the desk.
   “Hello. I’m Anna, how may I help you?”
They lady said as she pulled all her hair to one shoulder, Finnley noticed her way-too-low V neck shirt.
Adjusting her position, she leaned against the desk, hoping to obscure Jay’s view.
   “Um…yes, my name is Finnley Alexander. And that’s my brother, Andy.” (first name that popped to her head. Can’t really blame her.)
Anna gave him a wave, and what Finnley knew to be a seductive smile.
She cleared her throat, claming the girl’s attention.
   “I’m a new student here, and I came for my papers. And hopefully I can start today.”
Anna nodded and typed away on her computer.
   “Name?”
Finnley gave her a look.
   “Finnley Alexander.” She knew they had just been through this.
   “Ah yes. Here you are.’
The printer hummed to life as it spit out papers.
Anna took them and slipped them into a folder.
   “In there is all the things you’ll need. A map of the campus, a list of all your classes, your locker combo et cetera. And please change into your uniform.” She handed over the folder and gave her a smile. “Enjoy your time her at Majestic Academy.”
Finn nodded and took Jayson by the arm as she marched out the door.
   “Who came up with the name ’Alexander’?! That’s a first name! Not a last name!” She growled. “And that girl was laying it on thick! Oh my gosh. That was just sad.” She was still talking to herself as they stepped up next to Jay’s car.
   “You probably shouldn’t have come in.” She stated, pulling a bag out of the trunk that had her uniform in it.
   “Girls are so confusing!” Jayson cried. “First you say ’yes’ then you turn around and say ’no’. I get so confused! Why is it you can’t just say what you mean the first time?!” “He asked with a laugh.
Finnley leaned against the top of the car opposite of Jay.
   “Do you say everything you mean?” She challenged. Jay shifted nervously.
   “No.” He admitted.
Finnley smiled with a cocked eyebrow.
   “See? It’s not just me.” She made a slow circular movement with her finger, and gave him a look that said, ’one wrong move and you’re a dead boy.’
Jay crossed his arms and turned around, still leaning against the car.
   “But at least I don’t go around, hinting things, and then just drop it like I hadn’t even said anything.” He pointed out as a door shut behind him.
   “Yes well, sometimes girls want the guys to figure it out on their own.” Finnley replied through the ear com.
   “Girls always say the opposite of what they actually mean.” She continued.
Jay studied the garden’s layout and the mansion’s. He took note of the vines running up the mansion’s walls, and the large, deep fountain that was the center piece of the garden.
   “So…why do they do that?” He asked.
   “Because, do you want to tell me every time you’re depressed, down, or angry? Or when you’re really happy but don’t know why, or when you simply have feelings you cannot explain?”
Finnley sighed through the com.
   “Do you?” She asked.
Jay hesitated a moment.
   “No. I guess not.”
   “Well then, you can’t expect me to either.”
Her voice was clearer now, and Jay was about to run around when he caught himself.
Finnley giggled.
   “You can turn around now.” She said tapping his shoulder.
He turned and his jaw dropped slightly.

Finnley was now dressed in teal blue, and grey plaid and pleated skirt that came a little above her knees.
She wore a white button-down top with the sleeves rolled up past her her elbows.
A knitted vest with the Academy’s crest was on top of it.
She, of course, still wore her teal blue converse.
   “Too preppy?” She asked, glancing down at the uniform.
   “No.” Jay shook his head. “Looks good.”
   “’Looks good’?! Come on Jay, a girl needs a little more then that!” Maxxie yelled at him through the com.
Finnley bit her bottom lip to keep a smile from creeping up.
   “So let’s try this again. How does she look?” Maxxie continued.
Jay took a deep breath and watched as Finnley’s cheeks turned to a shade of pink.
   “She looks amazing.” He said finally. Actually verbalizing his thoughts for once.
There was a small break of silence when Finn looked up and got captured in his icy-blue gaze.
   “Now we’re getting somewhere! See? I told you he could be taught.”
This just made Finn’s day.
   “You all are a bunch of nuts. I hope you know that.” She said. Directing the statement to Maxxie.
    “Besides, there are thousands of other girls that look so much better then I do. Ha! Who might actually know how to put together an outfit with out the help of a computer.” She muttered.
Jay shook his head.
   “You’re who you’re suppose to be. Just the way God made you. He made you perfect and beautiful. I’m just complementing his work.”
Finn’s cheeks got redder and she shrugged.
   “Well anyways. I think it’s to preppy. But no one listens to me.”
Jay would have objected, but she kept right on going.
   “I’m going in now, and see if I can find Bekah.”
   “Remember the clue?” Jay asked. She nodded.
   “Yup. Whish me luck!”
   “You don’t need luck.” Jayson said with a grin. “Just the Lord.”
She beamed up at him. Leaning forward she gave him a friendly hug.
   “Thanks Jayson.”
   “For what?” He asked when she pulled away.
   “For being you of course.”
She laughed and ran off back to the mansion.
   “You’re welcome!” Jay yelled after her.

He sighed and hung his head.
The weight of the secrets that he kept was making his heart heavy. He wished so badly to tell it to someone. Anyone!
He didn’t want to feel alone anymore.
But he was the only one that could ever know that secret.
   He opened the driver’s door and started the engine.
He glanced over to the passenger’s seat and noticed a piece of paper.
Ignoring it for the moment, he pulled out of the drive way and sped down the highway. He pulled out the ear com and tossed it in the seat next to him.
   “I’ve never said this before. I’ve never wanted to open that door. But no one’s around right now. Of course, I could be talking to myself, but I don’t think so.”
He sighed as he turned the car towards the beach.
   “This secret I can’t tell. My life depends on it…and so do others. But it’s like I’m dying inside. So little can make me laugh these days. I hate feeling like this!
Why would you let this happen?! What have I ever done wrong? You know I hate being alone.”
He dropped his hands and lowered his head.
The soothing sound of the crashing waves rang through his ears.
Grabbing the piece of paper, he jumped out of the car.
He walked down the slope till his feet hit the sand.
   “Why do I always have to feel this way?” He asked. “Why did this have to happen? Why does Finnley have to get dragged into all of this?” He fell to his knees and groaned in frustration.
   “I just don’t want to hurt anyone Lord. Especially not Finn.”
He sighed.
   “Son.”
Jay glanced up and saw a man in his mid forties, standing over him.
   “I couldn’t help but over hear these troubles you’ve given to the Lord. I just want to say one thing.” The man sat down in the sand next to him.
   “People these days are always carrying secrets around these days. I don’t know how bad things might be with you, but things could always be worse.”
Jay shook his head.
   “No. Things couldn’t be any worse then they already are.” He remarked.
   “Now, you know that’s not true. What about this Finnley gal? huh? At least she’s there for you. What would happen if she wasn’t? Would you even be here?”
Jay saw his point. And no, he wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her. She was…something else entirely.
The old man smiled.
   “I thought so. Like I said, it could always be worse off. And don’t you tell yourself any different.”
The man rose to his feet and gazed out at the ocean with a look of contentment.
   “You’ll always have the Lord, just as you’ll always have Finnley. Oh! And by the way,” He looked down at him with a grin. “Do anything stupid, or hurt her in anyway, I’ll hunt you down myself.”
He gave Jay a two fingered salute and walked off.
   “Wait!” Jay jumped up. The man turned slightly. “Who are you?”
The man chuckled, didn’t say anything, but just walked away.

Jayson sighed and sat back down on the sand.
   “Well that was less then helpful.” He paused a minute as he tossed sand into the on coming waves.
   “Maybe not though…” He opened the paper that had been crumpled up in his fist.

   Jayson, couldn’t say this to everyone else, that would be like broadcasting your whole life to the world. But…You don’t have to hid from me.
I don’t know if you’ll ever tell me this secret you have hidden deep with in you. But maybe someday.
Haha. Yes, I know you have a secret. I’m not stupid. I’ve seen things in the past few days I probably shouldn’t have, but I did and that’s that.
Jay…I don’t want you to feel like you have to act a certain way around me.
I never have to around you.
This is longer then I thought it was going to be, but I’m just trying to say that what ever you’re hiding, you don’t have to.

Jay sighed. Running a hand through his blond hair, he shook his head.
   “Oh man Finn. You just have to go and make this more difficult don’t you?”
That set everything into motion.
Jay jumped up and raced back to his car.
He turned his com back on as the engine turned over.
   “Finnley?” He called, pulling back out of the parking lot.
   “Finnley?!”

++++

Finnley shook her head and glanced around.
   “…and when Napoleon invaded…” she realized that she was still in history class.
   “What did I-?” She cut herself off when she noticed a girl several seats over watching her like a hawk.
She jumped when Jay shouted her name.
Glancing around she tried to calm down. Her nerves were going crazy, and she was going numb.
She rose her hand slowly.
   “Yes miss Alexander?’ The history professor asked.
   “May I use the restroom?”
When the teacher nodded, Finnley jumped up and made for the door.

In the bathroom she splashed her face with cool water. Glancing up at the clock she realized that class was almost over!
   “How on Earth could I have missed a whole class?!” She muttered to herself.
Shaking her head she took a deep breath.
   “I was probably sleeping.”
   “Sleeping in class? On your first day? Ooh that’s not going to give a good first impression.” Kaden pointed out.
   “Shut up.” She said with a chuckle.
   “Finnley you there?” 
   “Yeah Jayson. It’s not like I’ve gone anywhere.” Half of her mind wondered if he even bothered to pick up her note. The other half hoped he hadn’t so he wouldn’t see how sappy she sounded.
   “Call me.”
   “Jay, I’m in school! I just can’t call people! I’ll get detention!”
He sounded worried. And Finnley knew it had something to do with her.
   “Did you read it?” She asked.
Jayson didn’t respond for a moment.
   “Just call me.”
She sighed and glanced around.
She was on the ground floor, and there was a large window in the bathroom.
   “Oh boy. I am going to get expelled on my first day. Awesome.” She mumbled.
Walking over slowly to the window, she opened it.
   “Finnley!” She jumped when Maxxie yelled at her. She was not use to people talking to her, yet not being there.
   “Don’t you dare leave that building! You have a mission to do! And that does not involve a date with Dream Boy.”
Finnley sighed as she sat there on the window sill. One leg already dangling out of it.
   “You know I can hear you.” Jay said. He sounded out of breath. Like…he was running somewhere.
   “Gee thanks for that Max.” Finn responded.
Torn between two strong forces she finally gave in to the stronger one. Jumping out of the window she felt a rush of adrenaline. Landing in a tuck-and-roll. She quickly swiped her phone out of her shoulder bag and hit ‘1’.
Turning off her com, she waited for the speed dial to kick in.
   “Finn?”
   “Doesn’t my picture show up when I call?” She asked as she kept walking.
   “I’m a little busy at the moment. So I wasn’t looking at the picture.” He snapped.
  “Ok. Don’t get all touchy. I was just saying…What are you doing?”
   “Research.”
   “On…what?”
   “Do you always ask so many questions?”
   “Do you never answer them?” She shot back.
There was momentary silence.
   “Ok so I’m not doing research. Just meet me at the mall around the corner. In front of the music store. I-I have something to tell you.” 
Her heart skipped a beat and she could hear him breathing hard on the other end.
   “Alright…I’ll get there as soon as I can.” She said finally.
She turned around a corner and came face-to-face with a tall dark haired girl.
   “Do you always wear converse?” She asked in a thick British accent.
Finnley hung up on Jay and slipped the phone back in her bag.
   “Yeah.” She replied. “Some say I have a rainbow in my closet.”
They both relaxed slightly once they knew they were on the same side.
   “Rabekah Harrison?” She asked. The girl nodded.
   “The one and only, as you Americans say. And you are?”
   “Finnley Leavenworth.”
Bekah nodded.
   “Nice to meet you. But on to business. Are you on your own?”
Finnley shook her head.
   “Well then, our next period is class free, so lets go meet these other people, shall we?”
Finnley nodded.
   “Hey Jay, hear that?” She asked.
   “Um…yeah can’t be there. Sorry. Kaden, get the girls.”
   “Yes I have a com, and Kaden will give you one when we get there ok?” She said to Bekah. She nodded.
   “I’m right across the street by the way. If anyone cares.” Kaden chimed in.
   “Alrighty, be there in one sec.” Finn motioned for Bekah to follow her.
   “Sorry about that. Kaden‘s waiting across the street.” She said with a smile.
   “So who’s all on this team?” Bekah asked. Shoving her hands into her black slacks she wore.
   “Well let’s see…There’s Maxxie. She’s our forensics. And she’s awesome.”
   “And I know it!” Maxxie cried.
Finnley laughed and continued.
   “Then there’s Kaden.” She lowered her voice slightly. “He’s a bit of a play boy though, so just be careful.”
Bekah’s eyebrows furled like she didn’t quiet know what she meant.
   “Hey I heard that.” Kaden growled.
   “Alright. Come on.” Bekah took the lead and they reaced across the road.
On the other side, shops lined the sidewalks. Finnley made a mental note to take a day to walk through them.
   “Oh, and then there’s also Jayson on the team.” She added with a smile.
   “Ah. Totally off the subject, what does ‘play boy’ mean?” Bekah asked.
   “Oh! Um…flirtatious. That’s what it means.”
   “Ah! So he’s use to having girls throwing themselves at his feet.”
Finnley laughed. “Yes. Yes that’s him. Haha.”
   “Are you…?”
Finn shook her head.
   “No. I’m the first girl to refuse to fall for his cheesy pick up lines.”
Bekah smiled and raised her head as she looked at the stores.
Finn got a better chance to look at her.
Rabekah was a tall and skinny girl with tanned skin and black hair she styled with curls.
She wore make-up perfectly, and the shade of deep blue eye shadow made her brown eyes pop.

   “Hello ladies. Finnley you look as amazing as ever.”
Finn cocked an eyebrow as she moved her weight to one foot and crossed her arms.
   “Uh-huh. You should know by now that your flattery doesn’t work on me.”
Kaden rolled his eyes. “Doesn’t hurt to try.” He then turned to Bekah.
   “I’m Kaden. Who might you be? You beaut-”
   “Na-huh!” Finnley placed her arm right in front of him like a bar.
   “Rabekah, Kaden. Kaden, Rabekah. Moving on.”
Kaden glared at her and she figured that if this was a cartoon, there would be a little cloud above his head with an exclamation point in it, along with his face being deep red.
   “Ugh! Fine.” He turned on his heel and marched off, fists clenched.
Bekah giggled quietly.
   “I see what you mean now Finnley.” She whispered.
Finn smiled, but in reality, she was far away. Wondering what had kept Jayson.
What was he doing? Why had he lied about doing research? And then there was the stolen class period. What had happened there?
   “Finnley?”
Bekah’s voice brought her back from her thoughts.
   “Are you ok?” She asked.
   “Um…yeah. Yeah I’m just thinking. That’s all.”
   “Thinking can be very dangerous.” Bekah stated seriously.
   “You never know what a thought could unlock.” She continued, shoving her hands back into her slacks. “It could be good. Or it could be bad. Only the Lord knows.”
   “You’re a Christian?” Finnley was rewarded by a nod from Bekah.
   “All my life.”

They came to a cleaning van parked on the side of the road.
Kaden slid the door open and gestured for the girls to get in first.
   “Well at least some of you have manners.” Bekah muttered as she took a seat.
   “My dad was from London.” Kaden said, stepping in and closing the door.
   “Ah, that would explain it.”
Finn looked around, and saw several agents, she didn’t know, manning the computers. There was a wall separating them from the driver in the front, and it wasn’t very bright in here either.
   “We need a base.” She stated randomly.
   “This is your base ma’am.” one of the agents replied.
   “And it’s lovely at that, but she’s right we need a bigger base. One with a higher roof where we can actually stand up.” Bekah added.
The agent sighed. But it seemed they had won over Kaden.
   “And I know just the place. I’ll show it to you latter. But you two need to get back before too many notice you’re gone. Here.” He handed Bekah an ear piece. She nodded and managed to get it in right.
   “Everyone say ‘hi’. Well actually just Jay and Maxxie.” Kaden said.
   “Hello Rabekah!” Maxxie cried with glee. “I’m glad to meet you. Though we haven’t actually met yet, and I’ve only seen your picture, but I’m sure you’re a wonderful person in…you know…person.”
Everyone laughed.
   “Well thank you for that…Maxxie was it?”
   “Yup that’s me!”
Bekah smiled and there was silence for a moment.
   “Jay?” Kaden asked. “Hello? Earth to Jayson.”
There was no reply. (Of course none of them could possibly know he had shoved the com in to his back pocket. Except for maybe Finn…but she didn’t either.)
Finn’s pocket vibrated suddenly. She pulled out her phone and saw that the text was from Jayson.
   “Excuse me a moment.” She said, getting up and stepping out of the van. Moving off a little ways, she opened the text. All she saw was two words.
Jayson: Behind. You.