Chapter 3

Falling. I was falling helplessly passing parts of the sky in a split second.

The air was too thin. Winds too harsh.

Stale tears trickled down my cheeks, I was in shock, the whole world was now moving in slow motion.

Every passing moment represented all the parts that made up me; Evan, my mother, my father. All the people I subsequently left behind.

Maybe it was honestly for the best, truthfully I knew that surviving on my own was edging on absolutely impossible but one thing my father always managed to hammer into my head, was never stay in a place that's mentally and emotionally draining, that's how you truly lose yourself. All the aspects, the hopes, the dreams, the aspirations, that make you, you. Gone. Never, ever find yourself in that situation.

Stupid really thinking it was the right thing to do.

But either way, I'd be free, so I couldn't really focus on the downfall, I hope Evan doesn't miss me too much, gosh I never thought how he would take it.

Isaiah. Isaiah was the only explanation as to why human arms wrapped around me despite this enormous deceleration rate we were going at.

This abnormal amount of relief washed over me. I guess I'd live to fight another day.

With the adrenaline pumping in me, Isaiah flipped us over and in an instant, that same luminous flash glowed and we landed on concrete, actual ground. Roughly I might add.

The force threw us into what I would assume a road, considering it was morning, rush hour was well ahead.

Pain radiated throughout my body, my legs especially burned. He really had to work on his shifting skills. We almost died due to whatever he had done wrong.

Steadily, I pried myself off the ground, dusting off any asphalt I collected along the way. Blasting horns brought me into real-time, the noise of the streets and bystanders telling me to get out of the road, louder, erupting horns. I was tempted to crouch and just let the earth swallow me whole, the incessant ringing added more salt to the wound. Concentrating was a difficulty right now.

As quickly as I landed, a hand hauled me out of the main road. Grabbing my face with both hands, forcing me to look directly into his now blue eyes.

Subsequently, the ringing subsided, my vision somewhat returned to normal. Everyone resumed their daily routine not even a glance my way it was as if I could read their minds, just another one that couldn't take it anymore, just another one that found a way out, a way they all longed for.

Their faces merged into one, marks of weakness, marks of woe. We were all the same. Right now there wasn't any differentiation of race, gender, religion, social status everyone was treated equally. Equal respect, equal disrespect.

"Alexis are you okay?" His eyes scanned every inch of my face possibly looking for any major injuries.

But I was fine. I felt fine.

Pushing his hands away, I pursed my lips, "Yeah, I'm okay. Can you not fuss over me?"

Obeying my command it was followed with a frown and I couldn't help but feel guilty, I guess I just had to keep reminding myself that he's not the enemy.

"Sorry. Thank you though, for everything and you know saving my life. But you really need to work on your 'shifting' skills or what you seem to call it." The old me would never accept my wrongdoings but it was time for changes, right? Everyone had to go through stages in their lives and overcome their flaws, these were one of mine.

"You're welcome. But I'm the one that should be sorry, I don't know what I even did wrong." His frown deepened. I could tell he was having a hard time coming to terms with what almost happened. Almost.

"It's okay, Isaiah. At least we didn't end up in any sort of body of water. Or a different country."

That frown cracked again into a faint smile. "I guess that's a silver lining."

"Yeah. Are you okay, though? You're limping." I glanced down at his leg, which was sticking at an unnatural position, not broken maybe sprained, he took the brunt of the fall. Yet he looked completely fine. No pain. No excessive bleeding. Nothing.

"I'm fine. Come on. Let's go. " Forcing my eyes to meet his it held no malice whatsoever, more of understanding. He must have realized what I was trying to do. Yet, he gently nudged my forearm urging me to follow in his direction.

Blending in wasn't exactly easy, both of us were painted with dirt on our clothes, hands. Scratches and bruises from the impact littered our faces. Not to mention that these clothes were starting to smell pretty ripe. But truth be told, this whole area was stinking a lot worst, trash scattered everywhere for the wind to pick up, feces resided alongside the trash. Stray animals wreaked havoc everywhere, some were cemented into the roads, lifeless, some were eating the feces and evidently the rubbish. The homeless fixed at different places, hunting for more roadkill as their dinner, fights erupted over it, knives drawn and the rest- history.

Shrouding his arm around the small of my back, Isaiah guided me and ensured my safety with him. This time he'd hear no complaints from me. This wasn't the best place to find yourself walking alone, daylight or not.

"Just don't draw attention to yourself."

Glancing over to him, his face fell victim to series of cuts and green bumps and bruises. He was trying his best to conceal it but I knew he was in some sort of slight pain."Tiny bit hard don't you think."

Smirking he looked down, " Yeah, with that beautiful face of yours, I imagine it would be quite hard. "

I knew he was lying, in fact, I was dreading to see the state of my face even worst my hair. " Did they teach you how to be annoying at Nations, too?."

Again he gave me that irritating grin, despite the state of his face he still managed to look all the more beautiful. I wondered if he truly knew the extent of his beauty. Feigning surprised he replied, " Now, why wouldn't they do that? Not everyone we go after is males."

Rolling my eyes earned a laugh from him, "So what you mean to say, is that women are subjective to your flattery. Every single one?" The more we passed through the streets, increasing our distance from the site of the crash, the more it began to dawn on me that I was falling through thin air and if he wasn't there. I wouldn't be walking next to him right now, or that creature that's following us would have caught up and finished the job. He saved me. Twice.

"Not all. But some of my missions have ended in an interesting night." He was ordered and collected, he seemed so responsible that it was hard to imagine him slept with all these girls on the job. Especially, the people he's actually after.

"You sleep with the people you're trying to attain."

"It's not exactly like that. I don't go out of my way to do it. Sometimes it just happens."

"You seem to take your job, very seriously." Why would he even tell me this?

Nevertheless, he still smiled, not showing any offense taken. "I know a safe house not too far from here. Some people will be there. But we'd be safe."

"Can they be trusted?"

"These people work alongside me. They're in my unit. I trust them with my life."

"Your unit?"

"The Nations assign us to different units, throughout. Normally, you're given it when you come of age to go out to missions, but we were given it from birth. I've fought with most of them my whole life."

"If the Nations are so rich and power and distributed around Europe and some parts of the world. Why haven't they investigated everything that's happening here? Why can't they give us answers?"

"There are limitations to what they can do, Alexis. Some of the agents are permanently stuck in certain countries, for one reason or the other. And there's nothing the Nations can do to help them. We may be powerful, but we're not invincible."

"Isaiah, do you even trust me? What makes you think that I won't out this organization. Which I know for a fact that no one is aware of. I think we deserve some truth to our lives."

The next few minutes were silent-filled, only the busy patter of footsteps was the only thing anchoring me to sanity. We've been walking for about ten minutes and I still have no idea where we were or more importantly where we were going.

His burning gaze, piercing into me was so intense I was almost tempted to look away, almost. "Of course I do and if working for the Nations wasn't a way that helped all people, I wouldn't do it. But the more important question is if you trust me? You are putting your life in hands of a stranger."

Did I trust him? I'm suspecting he was waiting for what seemed like a reply but he wasn't getting that at least not now. Yet again, if I didn't I wouldn't be so relaxed walking side by side with him.

Once again, he laughed. "Still as shut off as from the moment I met you-"

Was he serious? "You kidnapped me."

Again he proceeded to give up on walking, staring me down this time the intensity was too extreme I shrunk back, not out of fear but his eyes were so expressive it was sort of painful to look at, all his emotions flowed out, "I saved your life and if that meant I had to do it again. I would. Without even a second thought."

He was telling the truth.