We paused before we reached the doors to the armory and crouched behind a split in the wall, staying silent while we watched other Addisans pass by the armory as if they were afraid that someone was going to try and go into the room to get their weapons and use them to destroy the group.

I held back an eye roll but didn't say a word while I waited for my father to say something because I had this feeling that they were not going to be our friends or take too kindly that we were there.

Stay hidden and stay quiet, my father said, answering my silent thoughts. They are not friends, but I have some men coming to help you both deal with them, and they will be there shortly. I do not want you to start fighting yet, especially since I am partially in control of your body. Ummm... He cleared his throat, and I could feel him grow bashful through the bond we shared. Tell Copeland. I do not know how you two communicate with each other while you are on a mission like this.

I mentally rolled my eyes at him. I do not know how you have control over half my body and mind but still do not know how to contact my comrade. You should not be as bashful as you are in hearing my thoughts when there is nothing bad going on. I shifted until I was looking at Timothy, making sure not to make any noise at all. 'Stay hidden, and be quiet,' I signaled, gaining full control over my body when I did that and pushing my father further into the back of my mind but not completely out because I knew that I still needed him. 'They are not friends, and my father is sending some people to deal with them. He doesn't want us to start fighting anything yet, especially since he is partially in control of my body and can do things at will.'

Timothy smirked, and a look of amusement flashed through his eyes. He slowly nodded, silently indicating that he wouldn't go toward them but that didn't mean he wasn't going to have some fun. 'Well, remember the stupid stuff we did, a-'

I waved him off, and he grinned because I knew where he was going to go with that statement. 'Shut up, Copeland,' I warned and narrowed my eyes at him, and my father grew amused at the way that we were acting, even though we were still on a life and death mission. 'There is no need to bring that up when we are in the middle of a life or death mission, especially with my father partially in control of my body and can read my thoughts and see this.'

'Well, we were i-'

'Copeland,' I warned, waving him off, and the smirk on his face grew deeper. My cheeks turned red because I knew where he was going to go with that statement while I narrowed my eyes at him. 'If you continue that statement, then I will tie your hands together so that you can not say a word; is that understood?' I narrowed my eyes further into slits while my father chuckled again.

Timothy grinned, and amusement flashed through his eyes some more. He didn't say a word about the issue that was on hand and bowed his head, silently indicating that he understood and wouldn't say another word. 'Have I ever told you that you look cute when you blush?' he asked and raised an eyebrow in question. 'If not, then you look cute when you blush, especially when you are in this half form of yours.'

I rolled my eyes while my cheeks turned another shade of red, earning a small chuckle from my father, even though I had a feeling that he had no idea what we were talking about.

What did he say that made you blush so much? he asked, and I had a feeling that he was amused with this whole ordeal and me not trying to blush but was blushing anyway. I can feel your cheeks turning red from here.

Don't worry about it, Dad, I said with a small grunt in my voice, and he chuckled, which had my cheeks turn another shade of red. It's nothing, especially since we should be more focused about this. I mentally nodded toward the area where the guards were still pacing back and forth. Are they almost here? We're running out of time.

I have a few things stalled for now so that we will be able to do this and get started on collecting the kids, he said. Do not worry, for I will be fine. However, I would be more worried about you both if you aren't able to get all of the kids in time.

I rolled my eyes and pressed my lips into a thin line before I turned to look the way that we needed to go after I made sure that Timothy would behave himself. The Committee will not do anything to us, I said and mentally shook my head. They know that there will be some casualties and then some kids that won't be going home.

Because they will be in the Pit, my father said, and I mentally nodded because I knew that was where they were going to be. We, well, those that do not agree with the way that my father is running things, have been trying to get kids out of the Pit, but we haven't been able to. There is something down there that I do not wish for you to face...

My father trailed off, and I had a feeling that he looked away from whatever it was that he was doing while he grimaced.

I grabbed my gun tighter in my hands and pressed my lips into a thinner line while the hair on the back of my neck stood at attention. Is there something that is living in the Pit? I asked. And is that what has been killing the kids, or anyone else, that has been disorderly or whatever, which is why there have been no reports about what is down there? Is that why you gave me a bomb?

My father didn't say a word, and I had a feeling that his grimace grew deeper while guilt filtered through the bond between the two of us.

Answer me, Dad, so that I can warn Copeland about what is to come if we do not get all of the kids out of here in time. I know damn well that I am not leaving them behind if they are alive in the Pit, and you knew this, too, which is why you had a bomb made and then had it given to me to see if that would better offset the odds of me dying down there.

My father sighed and mentally shook his head. I can't, he said, his voice barely above a whisper and filled with guilt and pain. I am sorry, but I can't. I can't think about losing you, too, because there is a chance that you will die if you do that, which is why I am stalling for time so that you can get done with what you need to do and get everyone out safely.

I bit back an annoyed groan and mentally nodded, even though I had a feeling that there was a big chance that I was going to go down there, no matter how much my father stalled whatever it was they were planning on doing. Well, it's a good thing that I am hard to kill, I said, because I'd be damned if something bad happens to them under my watch and care, so what I need you to do, Dad, is to stay alive and not to poke the sleeping bear too much or else he'll turn his gaze to you next. Is that understood?

My father chuckled softly and mentally nodded. Loud and clear, Neeley, he said, his voice barely above a whisper, and I could hear a trace of sadness and pain in his voice because he knew that I was going to do this no matter what he had to say. Loud and clear.