Wow, do I owe everyone an apology or what? It's been... over three years, since I last updated this story and I disappeared without a trace.

I can only say that at the time I was dealing with some very severe issues in my life and had to move into the hospital for a time period of two years. I was not in the state of mind to even think about the internet let alone remember my responsibilities to those reading my story. To those of you who have been waiting anxiously for updates - I sincerely apologize.

It's been a bit over a year since I have been living in the real world again. I would have completely forgotten about this story entirely if I hadn't stumbled across this chapter while cleaning up some old files on my laptop. It is probably the shortest chapter I've written for the story and not very much happens, but I thought I would post it anyway.

I can't say for sure if I will continue this story or not, I've been away from it so long that I don't know if I could even continue to write the characters the same. After three years I have probably lost all of my original readers anyway, but I want to thank you if you are still out there for never giving up on me, and I am sorry again. So sorry.

Eleven

The awkwardness hadn't lifted, even as Ell and Lash climbed their way over the chalky Caiolinite boulders. By the time the sullen fortress that was MSFSCI was in view they were both sweaty and bleeding from shallow scrapes on their palms and legs. Elliana had never approached the prison from this far away before, Will had flown them on to the island but that was as far as he dared to take them incase they were spotted. Lash had not spoken a word the whole time they'd hiked except to mutter curses under his breath as the landscape got increasingly more rocky, until they'd been forced to help each other over the boulders. The fallout of the powerful stone had just begun to kick in as Lash pulled her onto the final outcropping of boulders, now they had no powers to rely on and no terrain to veil them from the guards, just an empty plain to cross.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Lash muttered breathing hard from effort, doubling over to brace his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Elliana wiped at her forehead with her gloved hand, sweeping back her bangs which were plastered to her skin with sweat.

"Not at all, but I don't see you coming up with a better plan."

"You know this is illegal in all the worst ways," he replied looking at her out of the corner of his eyes.

"That's never stopped you before."

"Just checking," he snorted, straightening up. They were going to break Speed out of prison. The thought of it made her insides coil up, the thought of what she had to do to get him out, the people she might have to hurt. But this was bigger than them right now, they had to save Warren and Magenta, and stop whoever was behind this before more people got hurt, and she was willing to do anything to accomplish that. "Do you have the Rays?" Lash asked. They'd spent all last night with Ethan constructing Stun Rays, the only thing she could think of that could put the guards out temporarily without hurting them and wouldn't be affected by the Caiolinite radiation. Zach had been their unwitting test subject, as he'd been annoying Lash at the time and was blasted before anyone could lay a hand on the dark haired villain. Fortunately for Zach the Rays worked fine and he'd been out for exactly one hour, which was more than enough time for Elliana and Lash to get in and get out with Speed, as long as they weren't met with any complications. Ell rustled around in the backpack she was carrying and produced two identical sleek metal Rays, she hesitated before she handed one to Lash.

"How do I know that when I give you this, you wont just shoot me and disappear with Speed?" He looked at her darkly.

"After all this time you still don't trust me?"

"You and Speed were friends, how do I know that you won't turn on me." He made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat and kicked a rock violently.

"Are you kidding me right now?" he paced away a few steps and for a minute Ell thought he was going to stalk away and leave her there but then he whirled back and gripped her shoulders tightly, "How can you even say that to me after... after..." He couldn't continue, his dark eyes just poured into hers with an intensity that frightened her. His face was still painted black and blue and starting to yellow in some places and his cuts looked red and irritated around the edges, but the pain on his face had nothing to do with that.

"After what?" She asked, embarrassed of the way her voice shook.

"What do you think Ell?" He replied looking at the ground, "I don't just sleep with anyone you know." He said the last words almost shyly. He let go over her arms abruptly and walked ahead a few steps. "You can choose not to give me one," He tossed over his shoulder, "But you are going to have to start trusting me sometime." Elliana felt her face flush deep crimson, she'd been trying her best to suppress the memory of her and Lash together but at his words the feelings and images washed over her. The feeling of his lips and his hands and the surprising warmth of his skin and the silk of his hair through her fingers, and of course the other sensations; she was glad he had his back to her right now.

"Lash..." She started, but he cut her off.

"Are we going to do this or what?" She smirked and strode by him, shoving one of the Rays into his arms as she brushed past.

"Let's go then." He grinned tucking the weapon into the back of his pants and tugging his shirts down to cover it before following her. She didn't have to look back to see if he was following, the crunch of gravel assured her he was just a few steps behind her and that was all she needed to calm her nerves and stride as levelly as she could towards the towering metal cube, and their fate.

Elliana was sure the guards could smell her deceit rolling off of her in waves as she and Lash entered the first set of check points. She met the eyes of her partner in crime briefly and they were practically screaming at her to stay calm. Look normal, act normal, breathe evenly, smile; she read him loud and clear and smiled nervously at the sandy haired security guard patting her down. He was young, maybe Warren's age, with a wide honest smile, she sincerely hoped she didn't have to stun him. In fact if they had to stun anyone at this point the whole operation was going to be shot, they had to get much deeper inside the facility. Her main concern was Lash, for he did not have such a nice innocent looking Guard. He was a huge hulk of a man with a low furrowed brow and an unforgiving glare. He ordered Lash to spread his legs in a bark and began to roughly man handle him thoroughly with no signs of stopping anytime soon. She was worried he was going to submit him to a cavity search in a second. The problem being that not to long ago, Lash was a resident of the MSFSCI with a cell next to Speed and a matching jumpsuit.

"How's it going Lou?" Lash quipped with a winning smile as the big guy got closer and closer to where the Ray was concealed, "I see you still haven't lost your zest for frisking."

"Shut Up, Face the wall." Was the flat reply as Lou blessedly ghosted over the area and moved upwards to rough up Lash's torso and armpits.

'If you could state your purpose please Miss?" Sandy asked her with a slight drawl, he gave her a big grin and handed her a clip board. This was standard, she'd done this every month for a very long time, nothing was out of the ordinary... "It's unusual for you to visit your Dad twice in one month Miss," He remarked shyly, Ell froze in the middle of signing her name. Shit. Why hadn't she thought of that? She never went to visit her father more than once in a month, never. She'd never broken this pattern in her entire life. Against the wall Lash tensed up as the silence stretched out and Lou seemed to be determined to find anything Lash was concealing even if it was some hard candies and began patting his way back down. Slowly lowering the clip board she tried her best to conjure tears to her eyes as she looked earnestly at Sandy.

"I know," She gasped, "It's just that last time went so horribly, I barely even saw him 15 minutes before..." She trailed off with a sigh.

"Gee, I'm sorry Miss," He replied looking horrified with himself, "I didn't mean to upset you none," He snatched the clipboard back from her hastily, not looking her in the eye. "I'm awful sorry, I know what he gets like, Y'all can go right on through." Ell hated herself. Lou quirked his eyebrow at his colleague but released Lash from the wall, steering him by the scruff of his neck to stand next to Ell.

"Step through the metal detectors, slowly." He gruffed out. This was the real test. According to Ethan, the Ray's were made of an alloy that couldn't be detected, but there was always the horrible improbability that he was wrong. "You first." He gave Lash a sharp slap on the back that made him stumble forward a few steps, but her lanky companion hesitated as he was about to step through the grates. They exchanged a dark look as Lash tried to walk through the detectors as nonchalantly as possible. Ell held her breath, all of her senses straining against the sudden silence as Lash put one foot over the threshold, willing the machine with all of her nonexistent powers to stay silent. Mercifully, the silence remained, dragged out, maintained until Lash was safely through the other side, smug grin back on his lips as he tossed the burly guard a wink.

"Nothing to it Sweet Lou," He said in possibly the most condescending tone he could muster and the older guard clenched his jaw so tightly in rage that Ell could see a vein jut out and start to throb in his forehead.

"You too Miss," The sandy haired guard said hastily, ushering Elliana through the detector before Big Lou snapped an had a rage blackout. The second she was between the two jutting metal bars the detector chirped to life, warbling out a series of high pitched beeps in quick succession. Elliana felt her stomach drop out. She stepped back reluctantly, afraid to look at Lash, her tension tangible now as she tried to look innocent and apologetic under Sandy's now intent and sharp focus.