Eleven

Hibis stared up at her ceiling, listening to the wind blowing against her curtains that fluttered gently. The shadows of the outdoor branches and trees spread across the room to create patterns against the walls, like a kaleidoscope. The girl fidgeted in bed as she focused on another sound: the sound of her alarm clock ticking rhythmically.

Her anxious excitement was itching her, and Hibis had to clench her hands against the covers to stop herself from looking at the alarm clock for the hundredth time. Restlessness was something Hibis hated, but she couldn’t concentrate or think of anything else.

Within a few minutes, she would be embarking on her first mission: to find the weaponry to give them answers. Now that she pondered about it, Hibis wondered if Vincent was right.

If they were merely walking into a trap.

But, Hibis reassured herself, Ace and the executives are prepared. Surely we’re taking the risk to get a better chance of succeeding?

The alarm blared the sounds of a school bell close to her ear and Hibis shot herself up, snoozing it as quickly as she could. Hibis cringed to herself. Maybe she shouldn’t have done the alarm and increased the chance of her mother waking up at midnight.

Not wanting to think about the consequences if that happened, Hibis quickly dressed and ricocheted out of the room, tiptoeing past her mother, only to see her still snoring softly in her room.

Hibis lingered there to look at her. Her mother’s features were restful, a tint of a smile perching on her face ever so lightly, blissful in her sleep…just like the sleeping beauty. Chloe seemed so innocent in her sleep, as if not knowing all the adventures and action Hibis had put herself through for the past three weeks.

Hibis bit her lip at thought of her stirring and waking up before Hibis was back. She needed to stop Chloe from getting suspicious. The girl hurriedly ran back to her room and emptied out the contents of her sleeping bag and placed her necessities for the mission into it, then grabbing it and scribbling a note to tell her that she was invited to sleep at a friend’s house. As she placed it on the dining table, her hesitation came back, but she relented the feeling of guilt.

Her mother wouldn’t mind.

Just as she opened the door, her eyes first laid on the boy who was standing right at the doorway, a hand leaning against the pillar and another outstretched towards Hibis.

Ace.

“Come on, I’ll walk with you Hibi,” he said, smiling as he waited for Hibis’s hand to lace in with his. She looked at him, as if he knew how excited yet scared she was. A little comfort from him was all she needed.

As their fingertips touched, Hibis’s gaze wandered to his face, which stared straight ahead as they started their way to the exhibition. She thought of the conversation with Kaden. Who was he kidding? Even if Hibis loved him… he was far too perfect for her.

Rover-blue eyes and a clear stance, amazing jawline and fit body. Works as a leader and is respected as a leader. He was too good.

Too good for her.

Hibis’s other hand tightened around the pink strap of her sleeping bag and urged herself to concentrate as they slipped into the mall through the small window and towards the exhibition. From a distance, she could already see a small group gathered at the entrance.

Flow, Lily, Kaden. Max, Glimmer, Embry. Vincent, too, pacing around with his clipboard and looking at his watch in frustration. Upon sensing the two teenagers approaching, he finally exhaled and turned to greet them, handing their EarPods for emergency contact. “On time sir and mam. Midnight. Do we initiate the plan?”

Ace fixed his pods into his ear and nodded, facing his crew. “I’ll go first for patrol checking. The rest of you will stand as backup.” Nobody interrupted because they understood how logical it sounded, but Hibis raised her hand to put herself up for debate. “I’m coming with you,” she said defiantly.

Ace opened his mouth to object, but Hibis shushed him again. “ You’ll need eyes above the ground, you can check below.” Turning to Kaden, she commanded “Kaden will come along too. He must. Kaden can focus on examining the houses while you find the weaponry with caution. I’ll watch from the air, alright? I’ll be sure to tell you if there’s anything suspicious.” Hibis raised a brow as she tapped at her pod. Ace couldn’t complain, again. The more space they cleared, the higher chance of finding the weaponry.

Just as they were about to set foot into the wax exhibition, a call came from behind the trio. “Wait!”

They all turned to see Raven, hurtling towards them with bottles of water, a solemnly compressed expression on her face. “You might need this,” she said, passing the bottles along to Ace and Hibis, entrusting more to the boy. Kaden stood beside them, puzzled. “What…do they need them for?”

Raven smiled, her lips sealed as she passed one to Kaden as well. “In case of emergency, really,” she explained as she watched Hibis gulp down her bottles. A droplet of water dripped down her face as she stared at the bottle in amusement. “Why do I…not feel full?” Hibis questioned out loud.

Ace finished his bottles and turned to face Hibis. “It’s the type of liquid people like Lily usually drink. You consume water that doesn’t fill your stomach because it comes in forms of something between liquid and solid. One litre of this liquid could basically mean about only a drop into your stomach. Oh and…” he stepped forward, brushing a finger at her cheek to wipe away the water on Hibis’s face. She stared back at him as Ace’s eyes lingered on hers as well.

Kaden coughed, embarrassed as he watched the two of them break contact. “Sorry, we should probably get going?”

Hibis nodded firmly, but just as she turned, she noticed that the others didn’t hold a form of prop or material to suggest why they were out in the middle of the night. “You guys…don’t need to hide your elements from your parents?” She asked to the crew behind her. They all shook their heads.

“Well, most of our parents have elements, but commoner parents like mine understand, too,” Max explained as the others nodded. Hibis bit her lip. She knew she couldn’t exactly tell her mother. She would freak.

Ace grabbed Hibis’s hand, squeezing it lightly before letting go. Hibis almost reached out again to feel his touch of comfort one last time, but pulled herself back. “Come on, we got this.” Ace turned to signal Kaden, then the duo headed in. Hibis stayed behind for a moment, her heart racing as the thought of the mission starting came clearer in her head. Traces of consequences and end results flashed before her eyes, and all she could do was put a brave front and blink them all away.

Glimmer giggled from behind her back. “Come on Hibis, you can do it!” She encouraged warmly. “Besides, Ace is in there. We know how hard he’s crushing on ya, so don’t worry! You’ll be fine…” Hibis’s cheeks went warm at the thought. “Thanks,” she smiled, and with her Lotus, she shot up through the sky.

To start her very first mission.