CHAPTER EIGHT: COUNTDOWN

Cherry looked over at Silver’s bed. Where had she gone?

She sat up and stretched arms, letting out a weary yawn. She’d been curled up in bed all morning after breakfast, scribbling away in her sketchbook. It had been a while since she’d found time to draw.

She glanced at the clock. 12pm. Time for a snack break.

Just as she swung her legs over the edge of her bed, as if on cue, she heard loud thumping out in the hallway. Someone sure was in a hurry.

The door burst open, revealing a flushed Silver – excitement, anxiety and impatience flooding her face.
“I found it, Cher! I found it!”

Cherry tilted her head in confusion. Found it? Then, she realised. She must’ve found something related to her case.
“Well, what is it, Sil?”

***

“Steal it?!” Chloe exclaimed – her voice loud enough to turn the heads of the four girls nearby towards them.

“Shut up, Chloe!” Flame hissed loudly. “If you so much as say another word, I will stitch your mouth shut.”

He glared at her as she clasped her hands over her mouth. He then let out a frustrated breath, directing his attention towards the quadruplet sisters who were still watching them, growing more and more curious with each second that passed.

His eyes lit up. Scarlet Garnet.

He chuckled nervously, seemingly apologising for the unnecessary noise his exceedingly annoying cousin’s exceedingly annoying best friend had made and reassuring them that they were not stealing anything.

The last bit was a lie.
Obviously.

Besides, it wasn’t as if any of the girls could read his mind. The girl next to Scarlet, the one with purple highlights in her hair, softened her expression, whispering something to her sisters. Surprisingly, whatever she said caused the four to return to whatever they were doing before Chloe opened her big mouth. He quirked a grin. That girl was his savior.

He turned back to his cousin, her best friend, and Gio.

Gio had been sitting on Chloe’s other side, his lips tilted in gleet as he enjoyed the show.

Flame sucked in a shaky breath and started over.
“I know it’s weird, Chloe. But I really need to do this.”

“Do you hear yourself?” She scoffed, imitating his voice and gesturing air quotations with her fingers. “‘Really need to’ – I seriously don’t think that breaking into the station in the middle of the night and stealing a file on some criminal that’s been ‘dead’ for 12 years and might still be alive is worth the risk! We could get in serious trouble!” 

“But, it isn’t just some criminal, Chloe, it’s my mother!” Flame shot back. “My aunt refuses to tell me anything about her and I’m sick of it! This is my last chance at finding out what really happened to her 12 years ago!” 

Chloe and Blaze exchanged defeated glances. The Speed stubbornness really ran through the family.

They heaved a breath, snapping their head back towards him as he continued.
“You guys don’t have to do it, you know?” His expression softened. “You could either help me with this, or not. But, I’m begging you two: if you don’t want to do it, please don’t tell anyone else about it.”

He patiently stared at the girls as they fell into a state of stillness, thinking.

“Flame?” Blaze broke the silence. “Do you mind if Chlo and I discuss this first?”

Flame nodded his head as they both walked past him.

He glanced dismally at Gio before taking a seat next to him.

“You know,” he began. “You don’t have to do it either.”

“Who said I’m backing out?” Gio looked to the side and grinned slyly. “It sounds hella fun to me.”

Flame sighed, relieved to have at least one friend by his side. Even if Blaze and Chloe disagreed, he knew that no one apart from the four of them would know.

He took a glimpse at the girls who had been seated 2 benches away, far from earshot. Scarlet seemed oddly invested in the book one of her sisters was reading. Oddly invested, yet completely unfocused.

He pursed his lips, furrowing his brow.
Why did he have a feeling she knew?

***

Cherry stepped outside her bedroom, gently closing the door behind her and leaning against it. She hung her head in defeat as she shut her eyes, recalling what had just happened.

It hadn’t been long since Silver returned from her trip to the library. It hadn’t been long since they each unveiled their findings on the case. It hadn’t been long since she’d convinced Cherry to join her and Sarah on their new mission to hack into the police database.

Who knew so much could happen in thirty minutes? She let out a hollow laugh.

She drew a breath, standing up straight and running a hand through her hair.
“How do I get out of this without James’ help?” She mumbled, rubbing her fingers on her temples, hoping for a miracle to save her from the situation.

As if on cue, she collided into someone, causing both individuals to unfortunately tumble backwards and fall onto the floor.

“God, Cher,” James groaned. “Do you need glasses or something?”

He shot her a dirty look before heaving himself up on his feet. Cherry laid still, her stare frozen. Did he hear what she’d said?

He stretched out his arms, growing impatient.
“Come on, get up now.”

She shook her head lightly before turning her attention to her brother.

“Oops,” she flashed an awkward smile as she accepted her brother’s hand, clumsily staggering onto her feet. “My apologies, brother. I’m just a bit clumsy.”

He observed her, his forehead creased, as she scratched her nose anxiously.
“I suppose you should be more careful sister.”

And with that final remark, Cherry thought as she watched her brother disappear into his and Tim’s room down the hallway, the countdown to James finding out begins.

***

Scarlet was looking over Sage’s shoulder, seemingly engrossed in her book. In reality, she was far more interested in the conversation that was going on between the four friends.

She never really considered herself a nosy person, but she couldn’t help that she had excellent hearing. It was more their fault for discussing such things in a public place like a park.

She zoned out after Blaze and Chloe left, thinking.
How did they plan to execute the mission? She thought people usually sought to run away from the police. But no – of course this idiot decides that breaking into the station in the middle of the night to steal highly classified information is the only way to find out about his mother.

She winced.
Why did she care what they did? They would be the ones getting in trouble. Not her.

She turned her gaze towards Flame and Gio.
Was she really that desperate for friends?

Her head began to hurt. She wasn’t the type to think first. She would rather act first doing things like – “Like helping them,” a brittle voice echoed through her mind.

She let out a dramatic sigh. Go away, I didn’t ask for your advice.

If she and her siblings were ranked on sensibility, she guessed, she would be in the middle. Not too sensible but not too foolish either. The most sensible would be Cherry, followed by Violet. After Violet it would be… she lamented… her late sister, Rose.

She bit her lip, trying to recall faint memories of her. She didn’t have many – they weren’t close.

Much like Sage, Scarlet thought, Rose always had her nose buried in her books. She was always hiding, it was like her entire being was constantly overcome with…

Scarlet tightened her jaw. After Rose, on the sensibility scale, it would be Scarlet herself. Followed by Sage, then James, and finally Blue.

She shaked her head softly. Focus – what was going to happen to Flame?

She shut her eyes abruptly, crossing her arms and legs. She should do the thing Cherry taught her. She began to tap her finger on her leg slowly, drawing in a sharp breath. Counting down.

Five.

She slowly opened her eyes. It was really none of her business.

Four.

She uncrossed her legs. But–

Three.

She began to shake her leg. She could make it her business.

Two.

No, she scowled. It was not smart to–

One.

With no forewarning, she stood up, letting out a bitter laugh. Since when was she smart?

She cast her gaze towards her sisters. They didn’t seem to notice. She raised an eyebrow and concluded they had gone both blind and deaf. She shrugged, turning away and storming towards Flame and Gio, smiling what she hoped to be a friendly smile. 

Flame stiffened and Gio tilted his head, nonetheless, returning a welcoming grin and nudging Flame to do so as well.

Flame fearfully forced a smile, taken aback by her sudden approach.
“H– hey Scarlet! What’s up?”

Just then, as if on cue, Blaze and Chloe came sprinting to them. 

“We’re in!” Chloe declared happily.

“Even though it’s the stupidest thing that you ever–” Blaze froze midsentence.

That was when they noticed Scarlet, who had already turned back to Flame, beaming. “I’m in too!”

The four friends awkwardly stared at her.

Scarlet shot him a deadpan look.
“So? Will you or will you not allow me the luxury of joining your, may I say slightly mediocre, mission to steal your mother’s file?”

Their jaws dropped. She recognised the fear in their eyes, quickly reassuring them, “Don’t worry! No one else knows! Not even my sisters know. It’s between the five of us, and I can give you my word that it will stay between the five of us." 

Finally, they could breathe again

Flame stood from the bench and took a step towards Scarlet as the others watched, baffled. He extended his right arm for her, curling his lips with amusement.
“Welcome to the team, Miss Garnet.”