Rainbow, Texas
19/03/2016 11:50am
Abbie POV

"Youre going back?" Dad asked.

He'd been sat next to me for about five minutes, staring across the acre of field. I'd told them I was going back to New York. I'd arrived home a week ago and been yelled at, nearly grounded and Ma almost stopped speaking to me.

"I am going back." I confirmed.

For a while Dad said nothing. He had taken the news as he took all news, with calmness and silence. Ma was much more forward in her thoughts. She's burst into tears and fled to the bedroom. I didn't mean to hurt her, but I had to go back.

"This about that boy?" Dad asked, shocking me. "Yeah, I see you sneaking off to answer your phone."

"I love him." I murmured.

Dad nodded and he smiled at last, "Then you have to go back. Can't stay here waiting."
I smiled and my stoic Dad smiled back. I'd planned to leave today since it would be quick and painless. I left Ma a note on the table in the kitchen, hoping she'd forgive me enough to read it. I was going back to New York the same way I arrived. On a bus.

This time Dad dropped me off at the small depot and he embraced me like it would be the last. I almost cried, but held back. I got on the bus and and sat in a window seat. I waved at my Dad and I almost saw the tears in his eyes before I ducked my head and rubbed my own leaking eyes.

This time the 24 hour journey to New York would seem like an age.

****************************
Riverside Boulevarde
19/03/2016 14:45pm

Light cascaded across the room. Dani stood and lowered the blinds. He glanced around Annaliese's appartment. The place was tidy. No more weapons laid everywhere. It resembled an ordinary place to live. He shifted uncomfortably before walking over to his lap top and slumping back on the sofa.

He finished his RPG that he'd had opened, growing bored of dying countless times. He paused and decided to check his emails. Junk, spam. Penis enlargement, yeah right. Dani deleted it all and stopped when he saw one that had it's subject matter written in code.

He glanced around and hovered the mouse over the email. Opening it could be problematic given that it might be spam, but who could know code this well? He clicked the email and saw it was empty. Virus protection revealed there was no virus. So, what the heck?

There was an attachment though. An attachtment that read 'do not virus scan me.' Dani frowned and vaguely wondered if machines had decided to uprise at last. He smirked and clicked the attachment, sipping his drink that was next to him. A text file appeared on screen. He leaned in and started reading.

His eyes widened and he threw the laptop on the floor, grabbing his phone. He bought up Annaliese's name and waited for her to answer. She'd disappeared to Starbucks and hadn't come back yet. The phone rang and rang until it got to voicemail. Dani groaned and grabbed his keys. He had to tell her.

*****************************

20/3/2016 11:56am
New York
Abbie POV

I'd slept most of the journey, waking only to watch as the bus arrived in New York. The bus depot appeared and I stood, staring out the bus driver's window to watch as it all came back. The bus pulled up at a terminal and the passengers departed. I followed too.

Arriving in New York felt like the first time all over again. I noticed a familiar figure leaning against the railings. I had spoken with Andy on the phone, but seeing him in real life was nothing short of amazing. I ran over and we hugged. It felt like heaven, or how I imagined it should feel.
We pulled apart briefly to kiss and my entire body felt like it was exploding in joy. We held hands and walked to a nearby cafe. I needed a caffeine fix after that crazy journey.

"So, how were your parents?" Andy asked.

"Happy until I left again." I replied, recalling Ma's sorrow.

"I'm sorry. I'd love to meet them one day." He smiled then.

We sat and drank coffee and talked. It felt amazing to be able to sit with him and talk. I remembered I had some money in my purse. For some reason, I wanted to go on a date and now seemed like a good a time as any.

I opened my purse and a crumpled bit of paper fell out. Andy eyed it suspiciously. I picked it up and noticed it had Kacee's name on it. I frowned and tried to recall. I gasped when I realised it was the letter that John had given to Kacee.

"What is it?" Andy asked.

"It's the letter that John gave to Kacee." I replied, staring at the bit of sorry paper.

"Open it." Andy said, and I glared at him.

I couldn't possibly open it. It wasn't addressed to me, but Kacee hadn't wanted to. It had been too much for her at the time. What harm could opening it do? I picked the flap on the envelope and broke the seal. It opened with a satisfying sound.

I looked to Andy and noticed he was biting his lip. He actually looked nervous. He missed the assassins too and I felt bad for him, but maybe this would be closure for all of us.
I unfolded the letter and started reading to myself. My eyes widened as I read and Andy seemed to notice I wasn't crying at the sentiments of a dying person. In fact I was smiling the further I read and Andy seemed unnerved by this. I thrust the letter at him and he read, eyes widening too.

"We need to tell Kacee. Do you still have her number?" He asked.

****************************
Central Park
20/03/2016 12:10pm

Annaliese shifted on the bench and glanced round at the people walking by. It had been a day since Dani had found an email. He'd phoned her fifteen times before she'd answered. He was frantic and she couldn't say she blamed him. She wanted to tell him it was all probably a hoax.
The email had asked that she, on her own, go to Central Park and wait. The email stated to be there by twelve. So, here she was and no one was around apart from joggers and Mom's with their babies. Across the way, children ran around a play park.

She glanced down at the dress she was wearing and picked a bit of fluff off her lap. Across the way she noticed a payphone. A memory of a few months ago came back and she stood, walking towards the red box. It was standing under a tree like something out of a bygone era.
Anticipation built as she approached and opened the glass door. No one was inside and her insides clenched painfully. It was like being torn open. She shifted and started to walk away when the phone rang, startling her. She wiped at her eyes and stepped into the booth.

Her hand trembled as she picked up the reciever and pressed it to her ear.

"H-hello?" She murmured.

"Look behind you." A voice said.

Annaliese lowered the reciever and turned round. She pushed the door open and she noticed a very familiar figure sitting on the bench across the way. His hair was just as she remembered. Those same hazel eyes were bright and he waved at her.

"Paul." She blurted, rushing over.

He stood to walk over and was nearly knocked flying when she hugged him, sobbing. He was real. Not dead. Still alive. Anger took over and she shoved him harshly.

"You let me think you were dead." She snapped.

"Clearly I'm alive," He replied, stepping back when she glared. "Don't shove me again."

Anger was then replaced by overwhelming joy and she lunged forward, hugging him again.

"Stupid idiot." She whispered.

"You have plenty of time to insult me." He laughed.

Annaliese suddenly realised that if he were alive then the other three were too. They'd managed to escape, but how?

***********************
Brookville, NYC
20/03/2016 13:40pm
Kacee POV

"So, how're you coping?" Rochelle said, taking the seat next to me.

Coping was a funny word. It had been a month since I'd escaped Abaddon. It had been two weeks since I'd left GreenView Heights. I couldn't stay there any longer. I conceded defeat and moved back to Brookville with my parents. Mum fawned over me and took me to spa days with her and tried to cheer me up.

Dad seemed to relish the victory like a typical politician and started dragging me to formal meets, where there were sons of his powerful friends. Today I was at a gala with my parents. Rochelle seemed to be awaiting my answer.

"I'm sort of coping." I replied, brushing my dress down.

I'd sat down across the way, tired of talking to some boring son of a banker that my Dad wanted me to marry. He and I shared no common interests. He didn't watch Netflix and eat pizza. He didn't like reading. We were nothing alike and that didn't really surprise me.

I pulled out my phone. The new one Mum had bought me to cheer me up. Her heart was in the right place and I was glad of the change of number. I wanted to be friends with Andy, Annaliese and the others, but I was still hurting.

"You'll see him again." Rochelle said, making me look up.

"He died." I replied.

She had no words for that. Her enthusiasm was nice though. It made me feel better until Dad sauntered over.

"Dirk is a nice boy, Kacee." He said.

I shrugged, not wanting to be involved in a conversation about a boy I wasn't interested in. Dad sighed and motioned for Rochelle to go. She scampered away and Dad sat down. He glanced around the room.

"But Dirk isn't the boy you love."

I lifted my head and looked at my Dad. My politician Dad. He should be singing Dirk's praises, but he was agreeing with me.

"Of course you don't love him," He smiled at me then. "Kacee, I would move heaven and earth if it would bring that young man from Greenview back to you."

He meant it and I smiled too. We both watched the people milling around, talking. Dad seemed to be watching them with a vague sense of dissatisfaction.

"Hey Dad," I whispered, and he looked at me. "Thank you."

"No problem, pumpkin." He leaned over, hugging me. "Go and get some air. Dirk and his father are coming this way."

I smiled and got up. My Dad greeted them. I left and went outside. The country club was beautiful at spring time. The lawns spread down as far as the eye could see and I sat on a wall, watching the breeze flicker over the grass. Footsteps approached and I thought it was Rochelle, coming to check on me at Mum's request.

"I'm fine, Rochelle. Just wanted to get away from Dirk." I said.

"You left Greenview, love?" A voice said. I was suddenly fearful I was hallucinating until I turned my head to see John leaning against a wall.

I felt two things. Sickness first. How could he be alive? This had to be a trick. Then I felt elated. He was here in front of me. Alive and seemingly intact. How? I stood and walked over. I felt like I was in a trance.

"You? You're alive." I stuttered out.

"Last time I checked." He grinned.

"But how?" I asked, smiling too.

"One of the windows was a fire escape, just had to break the glass." He walked over, standing in front of me.

I had so many questions, but I reached out, hugging him. He hugged me back tightly. I never wanted to let go of him. He smelt how I remembered and I pulled back, smiling yet again. I looked him up and down, noticing there was no holster around his hips.

"No longer a demon, I'm afraid." He said, shrugging.

"So, no more assassins." I replied.

"Nope, clean slate, thanks to Nikki."

A clean slate? Nikki was Dani's hacker friend, who apparently was quite skilled. He'd wiped their names from the records, making it possible to start again.

"Annaliese and Paul?" I asked.

"Reunited about an hour or so ago." He replied.

This was all so sudden and I could barely believe it was happening.

"So, what happens now?" I murmured.

"We could run away together. Being a banker's wife really doesn't suit you." He teased.

Running away sounded fun, but we had all the time in the world to decide that.

Notes

Finished!!!!! This story has been amazing to write and I've really had fun. Thank you to everyone that read. A really big thank you though to everyone that voted and commented. I've started a new story called Death and the Girl. Please read it and comment. It would mean the world to me. Thankies and much love.