Elite: Ragnald

What has been Lost

3 December, 9:30 pm

Noah and I entered the dark house, silence reigning between us. 

None of us had said anything since Annihilate's appearance. There were so many unanswered variables to his threat. His deadline. 

Before anyone could've reacted, Annihilate had simply disappeared in a cloud of red smoke and, later, we'd discovered that he was simply a holographic projection from the Crystal Towers. Of course. I mean, who would want to risk getting attacked by seven hormonal teenagers? 

Either way, it left us wondering. Who was Annihilate? Was he telling the truth about being Cataclysm's boss? I couldn't detect any sign of him lying but, what did he want from us? If what he said was true, then he already had our powers and nothing more to take from us. What could he have taken that he expected us to be so affected by him taking? Apparently, we had till 3 Ferbruary to get 'it' back. Whatever the heck 'it' was.

I frowned as I took in the dark entry hall. Where was Easton?

"Relax, Cam. He probably had work to do with the attack on the Bridge. Or, maybe, Ace is being a butt and gave him a mini-mission of rounding up some drug ring or something," Noah said, brushing past me and tossing his keys onto a small table we kept to the side of the doorway leading into the living room. 

I loved and hated that about my brother. He could practically read my mind and, let me tell you, I pride my acting skills. So, I appreciated we were close enough for him to be able to do that but, I didn't like how he could see right through me. I didn't like seeming weak and Noah always knew when I was. Even when nobody else could see it.

I sighed, knowing that he was probably right and followed after him, undoing my ponytail and letting my dark hair fall loosely around my shoulders. Wincing at the pain in my ribs and calf muscles, I tried not to think about having to go to school like this. No way was I doing gym. There was definitely going to be some bruising there and without my accelerated healing, it would suck to deal with hiding the pain. 

"Has East left any message about why he's gone? I mean, he almost always does," I asked Noah who had collapsed onto the couch, head rested back and elbows resting on the back rest, eyes closed. 

"I don't know, Cammy," my brother sighed, not bothering to open his eyes. "Why don't you check in his study?"

I bit back a groan at having to be the one to do so but, as a highly trained spy who had dealt with much worse, that would hurt my pride. So, I trudged off towards Easton's study and pushed the door open with a heavy sigh.

What I wasn't expecting was for the entire place to be completely trashed. The desk lay on its side, books from the shelves were torn or on the floor. The cupboard in the corner was toppled over, the laptop flung on the floor, the poctures frames cracked and files thrown everywhere carelessly. There was occasional splat of blood on the floor or desk but, what really shocked me was a starburst shaped mark on the left wall looking like it had been burnt there after an explosion.

I brought a hand up to cover my mouth, eyes widening. Oh no.

Almost without my meaning to, I screamed for my brother and the heavy thumping of feet informed me that he was coming. This couldn't be happening.  

"What's wro...?" Noah trailed off, having seen inside the room over my shoulder. There was sharp intake of breath from him before he gently pushed me aside and walked inside the room, crouching beside the table and scooping something off the floor. I only leaned against the doorframe, eyes fixed on the wall, feeling like the wind was just knocked out of me. My ears were ringing and everything seemed to be slightly out of focus- like I was underwater.