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“Okay, try to stay with me here. This is an earpiece, it’s voice activated so if you have any information or questions then just say ‘call Willow’ and it’ll call me. If you want directions then just say ‘give me directions to…’ and wherever you want to go. It can also do other things but I’ll let you figure those out on your own. There’s a red button on the back so if you’re ever in distress just press it or you can say ‘Distress’ and it will alert me and show me your location. I am also rewarding each of you a debit card for your troubles, don’t spend it all at once. Moving on.” Willow walked over to her computer after handing out the earpieces and cards. The four boys gathered around the computer once again. She opened up a document and went to the menu. Pressing the print button, the printer next to her hummed. Four copies of the document finished coming out—warm to the touch—and Willow grabbed them and gave them to the four gentlemen before her.

“What’s this?” Hershey asked.

“A page of coordinates. They were sent to my computer a few minutes ago. At first, we thought they were addresses but then we noticed the spacing between the numbers and realized they were coordinates to different places. They want us to follow the path it leads to.”

“And why would we?” El asked.

“Because going to the White House isn’t going to solve anything. Even if you do make it there, there’s nothing you can do, not yet. This our best shot.”

“So, while our country’s being led by a psychotic monster you want us to sit on our asses and follow a wild goose chase that they deliberately sent us on?” Matrix said.

“Dude,” Beta warned.

“I know we’re asking a lot but this is necessary. They obviously want us to do something and I think I know what,” Willow said gently. She handed them another piece of paper. “The first destination is a club. I looked them up and apparently it’s a popular one, but it’s been getting a lot of hype lately. People go there and get missing real quick.” She sighed. “I think they’re testing your loyalty to humanity. Either you go, or they die.”

The group let out a strangled, collective sigh. “Okay, sounds promising,” Beta said, looking back up. “This is really good and all but…we’re not doing this without setting boundaries.” Beta turned to look at El when he gave him a ‘you can’t be serious’ look. Matrix and Hershey looked at him as well, surprised that he cared. “We’re not doing any of this unless we’re clear who the target is.”

“Yes, the Syncs we know,” El said, and that’s when Matrix jumped in.

“No, Walker. Walker is the only threat we have here.”

El’s eyebrows furrowed. “Okay and what about the Syncs that did all of this to me?”

“Well I’m sure you did a good job of killing them all yourself so—”

“What Matrix is trying to say,” Hershey interjected. “is that you’ve killed people too El…but you don’t see anyone here holding you against it.”

“Killed, yes. Not tortured.” El turned to the Queens who looked distant from the whole issue. Just that look told the guys who was really in charge of the war the Queens seemed to barely know was going on. El then turned to Beta. “You’re the one who brought it up,” he stated. “What do you think?”

Beta wasn’t sure what it was about the situation that it made it so easy to answer. He was always the one who could be on both sides without either side knowing, but in that moment he knew exactly what side he wanted to be on and what side he didn’t. “I’ve learned, from a lot of different people, that good and evil aren’t black and white. People can be just as good as they are evil, and the same goes for Syncs. Nature raised me to protect humankind, not to murder any and all other kind there is.” Beta paused and turned to the Queens. “I know I already waged this stupid war…but that doesn’t mean we have to fight it.” Beta turned back to El whose expression was hard to read. “All we have to do is protect the human race. That’s our only job.” He half smiled. “You with us?”

El sighed, unfolding his arms. “Yeah, I’m with you.” He walked toward the window. “I’ll meet you guys in the garage.” He jumped out for maybe his 5th time that day.

“Unfortunately, this is where I leave you,” Willow said sadly to the ones remaining. Faith gave Willow a reassuring tap on the shoulder before turning back to the boys. “Follow me.”

They did as they were told. The group of elites swung down from the ropes to the forest floor; even in that beautiful dress Faith managed to do the same. She led them to a giant chamber near their castle buried in the trees’ leaves and limbs. As they walked, people looked at them strangely as if they were aliens, which in a way they were. Beta avoided their gazes until they reached the chamber. Faith pulled out a key and unlocked the metal door which managed to stay cool because of the limb’s shade.

To Hershey’s surprise, Faith didn’t have to pull too hard on the door for it to creak open and not stop, threatening to hit them all if they didn’t move an inch out of the way. A crisp air caressed them slowly as the gaping hole of darkness before them was revealed, and they wondered what the spots of shine actually were hiding amidst that darkness. Faith leaned in and hit something; a buzzing that then turned into light. It was a slowly declining cement tomb and inside were rows and rows of all makes and models of cars, motorcycles, boats, buses, really anything that could move you. “Wow,” Matrix breathed. “You bought all of these?”

“No,” Faith said, turning to him. “I made them.”

They descended into the garage, going deeper into the Earth as they passed vehicle after vehicle. Matrix whistled, having dreamed of being able to touch cars this nice since he was a kid. Faith turned the corner and they stopped at a small vehicle covered with a sheet. “I made this one especially for you guys.”

Faith pulled the sheet off of the vehicle and it revealed a motorcycle. It was streaked red and covered silver, the seat cushion a solid black. It had a sidecar that was like if black paint was thrown on the red and silver design and allowed to drip down for several hours until it dried. There was a windshield on the sidecar and space for two. They were connected by metal rods and the ride was freshly polished to add a shine to it. “I tangled with a lot of different parts from a lot of different grade A motorcycles, but because I don’t want to bore you with the engine type and the HP, I’ll just tell you what you need to know.” Faith turned to the boys and leaned in. “It goes fast.”

“Wow,” Hershey exhaled. He walked up to it and ran his hand along the new polish. “This is insane.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Faith said, raising her head high.

“Wait, but there are only three seats. There are four of us,” Beta commented.

“Hey.”

Matrix, Beta, Hershey, and Faith all turned around simultaneously as someone walked up to them from around the corner.

Before them was a beautiful woman.

Her hair was a dark brown and so were her eyes, adding a sunken mystery to them. She had brown freckles next to her nose, mouth, and on her neck. Her teeth were exceptionally white and her skin was exceptionally pale. She was slim, but her body curved. Her breasts weren’t huge, but a size just enough to grab attention in a tight shirt. She wore blue jeans and a green half-sleeved shirt with a bag slung over her shoulder. “Sorry,” she said, her voice oddly even. “I’m late.”

Matrix whistled. “And who might you be Ms. Try Hard?” he asked.

The woman’s eyebrows furrowed, confused. “Elias,” she answered, and the smile on Matrix’s face ceased. The other two boys’ mouths hung agape at the realization that it indeed was Elias.

She walked forward and looked at the ride. “Is this it Faith?”

“Yep. But it’s only a three-seater. Hope that’s okay sweetie,” Faith said.

“It’s perfect, I’m sure I can get one of them to ride behind me. Thanks, I owe you and Will a lot.” El turned to the boys, confused at their stares. “What?”

“El?” Beta asked, slightly confused.

“Yeah, what?”

“Why are you—”

“Female?” El finished. Beta cleared his throat and nodded.

He shrugged. “I find them…easier.”

Matrix couldn’t help the smile that edged onto his face in response, unconsciously putting his hands in his pockets as if it would make him seem cooler.

El walked over to Faith. “Be careful,” she said, giving Faith a hug.

“You too,” Faith whispered back to her. She gave her a kiss on the cheek and smiled. As El walked back over to the bike and passed Beta, he—with brute force—shoved Beta’s newly discovered tail back down his pants, getting a yelp from Beta. “Rude!” he exclaimed and El ignored him.

El got on first and Matrix, feeling slightly uncomfortable, got on behind him. Beta and Hershey got into the sidecar. El turned the key to start the engine and pulled up the kickstand. Faith ran over to the wall with the small door and pressed a button far away from it, opening up a larger hole in the wall. El pulled off and Faith chased them out of the garage and through the hustle and bustle of people. They parted, letting the motorcycle through. Matrix held El tight once they turned a sharp corner, although his heart raced from the rush. Faith smiled as they disappeared around the corner, taking in a deep breath. “Be careful,” she whispered to herself, hoping, somehow in this vast universe, they would hear her.

They went through the woods on a designated gravel road and hit the neighborhood in no time. And they kept going, leaving their stolen car still parked next to their neighbor’s house. Eventually they hit the interstate, and they were on their way to the unknown.