Control

xxii | aidan

"TYSON, YOU'RE AN IDIOT."

I'm sure he's tired of hearing that at this point, from his sister, and from me. Right now, the scolding came from me, the two of us in the different room of the safe house. In the next room, Taylor was fussing over her little sister, Hayden playing some sort of game with her. I glanced over at them every now and then.

"I'm not an idiot, she's my sister."

"What were you doing outside, you aren't supposed to be outside the safe house--"

"I want to help, Aidan, I don't want to be locked up here when you and everyone else are risking your life out there."

I glanced around the room, every inch of it sparkling clean, screaming comfort and safety. I'd actually kill to stay here all the time, but maybe that was because I've been outside. I've fought out there. I know the dangers. Maybe I wasn't being fair.

But Tyson was the future king... the king at this point. I couldn't let my best friend be killed when everyone else was dying at our feet. When this is over, with or without all of us alive, he can help rebuild the kingdom. I know he can. But not when he's buried six feet under... or maybe stashed in the bushes somewhere unknown.

"You have to stay here. We have to keep you safe," I told him once again.

"YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER, AIDAN" He yelled, his voice bouncing off the low ceiling. I tried to keep my voice low while we talked, but his anger bled through. "I'd rather be standing next to you than have you in front of me as my shield."

I knew that. I always did. He'd do anything for us... his friends. But that didn't mean he could just be an idiot and bring an enemy to the safe house without letting anyone else know.

"She has to go," I said, glancing back into the other room. "We can't risk it."

"Like I said before, Aidan, you are not the boss of me." His bright blue eyes shone with more confidence than he had. "It's actually the other way around, you know."

"She can be a spy!"

"She's eleven," Tyson stated firmly. 

Maybe I was taking this too far. I glanced at the hidden entrance of the little home, hoping someone would come in. Where were adults when you needed them?

Right on cue, Jake and Dad dropped in, literally. Bloody and basically falling apart, they rushed around the safe house, grabbing things from drawers and cupboards. At one point, while Dad was wrapping a bandage around his arm, Taylor entered the room. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Grab what you need, you have to leave, now," Dad said. He turned to me. "Why did you let her in here?" He gestured to Sofia, who walked slowly into the room, tears flowing her cheeks. "They know where you are."

I turned to Tyson. "I told you she has to go."

I wanted to take those words back when I remembered Sofia was in the room.

She looked just about ready to burst into a river a tears, her back pressed to the wall as she tried to pull herself into a little ball. Hayden sat next to her, trying to comfort her. His arms were wrapped around her pale body. 

"She can go with you to the next safe house, it's fine," Jake appeared, sliding his gun into the holder, then setting down what looked like a first aid kit. "I'll just have to take out the tracker in her arm. Disabling it won't be enough."

Sofia looked up, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Will it hurt?"

Jake bit his lip. "Probably."