CHAPTER TWELVE

"Remain where you are. If you comply with our demands, we will spare your life." All of them looked like normal teenagers, all wearing normal clothes, but their eyes stood out more than imaginable. You're probably thinking, 'Let me guess, they have red eyes?' I wish.

The whites of their eyes were dominated by their irises, which held no pupil. At all. The color was black for all of them, and the fact that they spoke in unison with a monotone made me a little freaked out. We all stood quickly, Kate clinging to Dave's arm, both of them scared out of their pants. Aaron stayed silent in my head, and that made me all the more nervous. Who was going to tell me what to do? The intruders surrounded us from all directions.

"Aaron," I whispered, right when one of them barked out, "Aaron!"

We all blinked, looking for the voice. Finally, they made a path for a guy, probably twenty, with a harsh look in his eye and hair that fell flat and greasy on his head. He had muscles, of that, everyone was sure, but he stood at nearly 5'6". Never slowing or speeding up, he approached Aaron, who I stood behind, but now came to stand next to him, but he didn't seem to notice. His expression was odd, and a mixture of emotions were thrown there: confusion, defense, sadness, regret, anger. I wanted him to tell me that he had it handled, to tell me to get back, then I wouldn't listen. But he stayed silent.

"Good to see you again," the man emphasized. His smile was one that I cringed at.

"Dean," Aaron spoke grimly, but no hostility was held there.

"Surprised to see me?" Dean said, clearly enjoying himself. He didn't wait for Aaron to answer. "Well, you were taking far too long, Aaron. We thought you needed a little push." On the word push, Dean poked Aaron's shoulder.

"Aaron, what's he talking about?" Zander asked, pealing his eyes off of the person closest to him for a second to look at his comrade.

"Oh, so they have no idea?" Dean pressed, and I wanted to throw a chair at him. "Good for me! I get to spoil the fun! You see, Aaron here has been our spy."

No. I wanted to shout, but it wouldn't come.

"And we know all your little secrets, kiddos!" Dean said with another smile. "So, Miss Claire, would you mind coming with us? We are on a tight schedule."

"No!" Zander pulled me behind him. "Aaron, we trusted you, man! Traitor!" He spat the last word in Aaron's impassive face.

"I'm… sorry," Aaron finally said, but he directed it toward me.

I didn't say anything, nor did I look up at him. Instead I asked, "What if I don't go with you?"

Dean answered, "Then you can watch your friends die." Kate whimpered.

"I'll go," I said finally. Zander turned to look at me, more like glare. He mouthed the word 'no' and took my hand.

"You'll have to go through us, first!" Calvin growled, then roundhouse kicked the person nearest to him.

"Calvin, no!" I shouted, then he stopped, but I saw determination in his eyes. "I will go, but you have to set my friends free."

"Of course, of course," Dean agreed, sounding diviner. The charming voice did not go well with him. "As long as you come with us."

I nodded, then pushed past Zander, who had an iron grip on my hand.

"You can't go. I won't let you." He sounded decided. I smiled.

"Zander, one thing you should know about girls is that we never take no for an answer," I whispered, then pulled my hand away. I walked up to Aaron and finally looked at his face. "I hope you suffer for what you're doing."

"Claire…" he began, then dropped it. I walked up to Dean and said,

"Let my friends go." He nodded and motioned to his minions to leave, which they did, with me in the middle of them.