Page 48 of Perfect Chaos

Chapter Twenty-Four

Atlas

We went back to the house to wait for instructions. All the unanswered questions start to drive me insane. Not knowing what is happening to Gavin right now is killing me. Maizyn digs through the pantry as if she is contemplating eating something, but nothing sounds good enough. This isn’t unusual for her.

I wrap my arms around her from behind, dropping my face into the crook of her neck. “What can I say to convince you to stay behind?”

She slams the pantry door shut, pausing with her hands still gripping the handles. “That question doesn’t even deserve an answer.”

I let out a long exhale, placing a quick kiss on her temple while squeezing her a bit tighter. I hesitate for a moment before letting her go and stepping away. “No, I guess it doesn’t. I had to try at least, though.”

She turns to face me, running her fingers up my chest, tangling them into my hair. Her eyes swirl with every emotion she is trying to smother back down. She is as scared as I am; I just hope I hide it a lot better than she does. She runs her fingers through my hair. I soak in this moment like it could be our last.

“We are in this together. Gavin helped you bring me home and I’m going to do the same for him. Wherever you go, I go.” She says it wholeheartedly, meaning every word.

I nod my head, expecting her answer to be along those lines. “Just please be careful; I can’t lose you too.” I try masking my apprehension. I can’t blame her for refusing to stay home when i would do the same thing.

“You won’t.” The words leave her lips, but they lack conviction. Which only makes me want her to stay behind even more.

A sound chimes through the kitchen as we both turn to look at where my phone sits on the counter. We both race to grab it, only beating her to it by a few seconds and opening the texting app.

“What does it say?”

“All it says is to dress in all black and then gives us a set of coordinates. That's all.”

“Okay, then let's go change, so we can get going.” We both quickly change before rushing out the door.

The coordinates bring us to what looks like a normal realty building. When we walk inside, it's an entirely different story. Everyone's already dressed in full gear as we are ushered into the acting strategy room.

The room is full of computer screens with a table in the center hosting a bunch of maps and scribbled notes.

Ramos takes one look at Maizyn, “Absolutely not. What is she doing here, Atlas?”

“I'm going. You can't stop me.” Her chaos is showing in the tenor of her words. While it’s not a bad thing, I can no longer decipher if it’s bravery or fear driving her.

“And you're okay with this.” He throws both hands up in disbelief before pointing in her direction and gesturing to the room around us.

“It's not worth arguing over. Nothing we say will change her mind.”

“Look, let me make sure it's okay with the boss; it's their mission. If they say it's fine, then she can come.”

“Okay, that seems fair.” Maizyn relents, probably realizing that while she can fight her way into the room, she can force herself into the mission without the boss’ approval. Her words lack the same amount of boldness as her previous answer.

I catch up to Ramos before he gets too far. “Hey, I need to ask you a favor.”

“What can I do?”

“Don't push for her to stay behind. If the boss gives the green light, then let her go on the mission. But if anything happens, please make sure Maizyn gets out safely, even if you have to leave Gavin and me behind. If the choices are her or us, I need you to promise me that you'll pick her.”

“You have my word.”

I return to where Maizyn was standing while Ramos talks to two people already fully dressed in gear. I can’t see their faces under their face masks, but I assume one is the boss and one is second in command. They talk in hushed tones for a few moments before Ramos walks back over to us.

“The boss said you can go, but you can't wear that. We will round up some tactical gear for you to change into.” He doesn’t sound happy about it but he doesn’t have a say in this anymore than I do.

Another man in full gear enters the room with a stack of clothes, handing them over to Maizyn, instructing her that there is a bathroom off to the right where she can change. She takes the clothes from him before skipping away like she knew she would get her way. I think we all knew she would. She prances back into the room a few minutes later, somehow looking adorable in the gear. “What do y'all know?”

Everyone in the room turns to face her, probably not expecting her to be asking the question. Ramos and the two others all share a look before the shorter one nods their head. Ramos takes the nod as his cue to fill us in. “As I told you over the phone, he was on the call with me when his car was hit. Two gunmen forced him from the car. I was able to confirm what happened by pulling the surveillance video of the intersection from the bank across the street.”