I just figured after last chapter's events, I would update a bit earlier than usual. Also, a friend made me. Enjoy! Sort of...
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I could barely keep up with the events that followed. I saw Kasey and Damian run in, staring at the burned body in shock, not knowing what to do. I kneeled by him quietly, not speaking or even crying for that matter. Part of my brain recognized that I was going into shock. Chewie had landed and was nudging Flynn's hand as if to get it to move, breaking my heart even more when he too realized it was hopeless and collapsed on the floor next to me.
"Skye." Cameron's hoarse voice broke through after what had to be the millionth time of calling me. "Skye." She repeated, and I finally looked up from Flynn's head, which I had brought up on my lap. "We have to go." She said, and I looked around, dazed.
There was nothing going through my mind other than Flynn is dead being repeated. Other than that all I felt was nothing.
Standing around me was Kasey and Damian, both looking forlorn as they stared at me and then again at Flynn. The back up team had finally arrived, and they were taking out the charred remains of the witch. A medical team was hovering on the other side of Flynn, looking kind of awkward as they waited for me to let go of him.
"We have to let the others do their job, Skye." Cameron said softly, putting her hand on my arm. I yanked it away, not wanting to move. His skin was still warm to the touch. He had been alive only minutes ago.
"No, let me in, dammit! I'm an agent!" A shrill voice rang through the tunnel, followed by some muttering. "I know I'm a human, you idiot. Look at my credentials." A pause, then, "Thank you."
Cassidy came running in, stopping and gasping slightly in shock at the scene before her.
"Oh, Skye." She walked over to me, kneeling down next to me.
"He's... dead." I breathed out harshly. "He- we- this wasn't-" I tried to form a sentence, but the tears finally caught up to me and choked me until I let them out, hunching over to cry into my hands. I felt Cassidy place her hand on my shoulder and I immediately went to it, wrapping my arms around her and sobbing into her shoulder. She returned the hug, rubbing my back. I felt the weight of Flynn's head being lifted off of my lap as the medical team placed him in a body bag, and I cried harder, squeezing my eyes shut against the temptation of looking. I knew I wouldn't be able to stomach such a sight, as the recurring image of his dead body and pale face on my lap was haunting enough. I heard the bag zip up, and the rustle of it as they hoisted it up onto a stretcher to roll out. I heard the clicking of Linda's heels on the hard stone floor and her voice giving muffled orders that I ignored to the men, then she came in.
"This was not part of the plan." Were her first words as she stood and assessed the situation. All of us, even myself, looked up at her in confusion.
Flynn was not only her prodigy, but practically part of her family. I knew for a fact that she had a soft spot for him, so why did she sound so cold?
"Obviously not." Kasey scoffed, and she pinned him with a glare.
"Everyone, back to The Agency." She ordered our small team, and after a moment of continued staring, we all got up and filed out of the cave. Cassidy stood with me, her arm around me and making sure I wouldn't collapse. I was able to pull myself together for the walk down, but Chewie it seemed didn't have the energy to fly as he just perched himself on Cameron's shoulder.
When we finally got to the artificial Portal I almost wished that it would just malfunction and trap me, but it didn't and we all emerged from the other end safe and sound. My heart hurt when I thought of Flynn coming through the Portal in that body bag.
Don't think about it, the ever rational part of my brain reminded me. I couldn't listen, my thoughts constantly on the way he looked. His eyes were closed, like he had been in pain, though the expression was soon lost due to his muscles relaxing. He was in pain before he died. It wasn't peaceful, I knew that when I wasn't looking at him his body was probably convulsing as the lightning pulsed through him, destroying him.
I didn't realize that we were in the Training Room, sitting around quietly until the tears sprung up in my eyes. I let them out, crying again as Cameron held me, as Cassidy wasn't around anymore. I assumed she had been called to do work.
I heard the door swish open as someone entered, and then Sierra's voice.
"What happened?"
I looked up at her but didn't answer the question.
"It's Flynn." Cameron answered, her voice sounding hollow. I glanced at her to see that she was also crying, and then I felt bad for not noticing that everyone else seemed to be in pain as well.
"What about him?" Sierra asked, a tinge of nervousness in her usually calm voice.
"He's... dead." I choked out, a new wave of tears clouding my vision before spilling over.
Sierra's hand flew to her mouth and she squeezed her eyes shut, as if to try to absorb what she'd just heard. After a few moments she spoke again.
"How- what happened?" Her voice was strained, and I could see she was trying not to cry in front of us.
"It was supposed to be a simple Coven raid, infiltrate and dismantle." Kasey started to explain, his voice monotonous, "We were fighting the witches when one of them ran off, Cameron, Flynn and Skye started to chase her until they all ran into a dead end in the caves. They cornered the witch, she lashed out with a Lightning Strike and Flynn tried to protect Cam but was too slow. He was gone in seconds." He finished, his bright blue eyes steeled and emotionless. I wondered if Kasey had ever lost a teammate before.
"A Lightning Strike... that's horrific." Sierra seemed to be processing the information.
"Within minutes after we had taken that last witch down, The Agency was on the scene. They took away his body and cleaned up, letting us go early." Damien said. "We've been here since. We don't know what to do, or if we're going to be told anything. It was just supposed to be a simple raid..." His voice was thick with emotion and regret, as if he could have done something.
"It's always supposed to be a simple raid... That's how Flynn's last team died." I said, remembering. "He was always so upset that he was spared, that he couldn't do anything to save his team and now he's gone, too." My voice broke into a sob at the end.
"How long has it been? Why haven't they given you any information?" Sierra asked after a minute.
"We don't know anything. Not since it was all... cleaned up and we were brought back here. That was the last we saw of anyone." Damian said, sounding lost.
"Wel-" Sierra started to say but was cut off by the swish of the doors and the sound of Linda's heels making a blunt sound on the rubber tiles.
"Hello, everyone. I am aware that you all want me to skip the pleasantries and tell you about what's happening. As you know, we have lost a vital asset to our team. Flynn Jacobson, who was trained to be stronger and better equipped to take on such a threat. We don't know what happened, or why such weakness was displayed in the way it was. His guard was let down, and as a result he paid the ultimate price. I hope this is an experience we can learn from in the future, when we take on bigger challenges. As for now, we have to get on with notifying his father and tracking the rest of the covens that have shown activity. This threat is getting bigger, and there is no time to waste. However, you all are dismissed for the rest of the day to recuperate and mourn your loss. I expect to see you all back here tomorrow afternoon to continue training." Linda gave us her speech and looked around at us.
