Safe at Last

“Thank you for patronizing Ashfield Skyrails. Retrieve any belongings before you exit the station.”

The automated voice of the skyrail station is apparently deciding to play babysitter for you. Lovely.

“Are we even in Ashfield at this point?” Heather shifts her bag over her shoulder as she Looks out the station’s door. “I can see trees in the distance.”

“We’re in the outskirts, but technically we’re in Ashfield’s greater metropolitan area.” Bella stretches, shaking her head as she holsters her pistol. “Dad moved us out here because he and Mom wanted to have a home with a little more space.”

“A bit of an understatement, sis.” You wouldn’t call the change in scenery your family went through ‘a little more space’ yourself. Moving from a comfortable townhouse in the city to a mansion designed to the specifications of an estate in the French Riviera and surrounded by 18 acres of land would be considered ‘extravagant’ by any other metric.

“Like you actually minded, Michael.”

“Well, no, but you’re still kind of understating it. Are you trying to leave everyone here speechless when we get there?”

“Think it’s gonna work?” Bella has an all-too-familiar shit-eating grin on her face. You still have nightmares of that grin after the time you had to sneak home from a girlfriend’s house without pants.

“A little too well.”

There’s a comfortable silence between you as you begin the walk to your home, the chatter of your compatriots creating a pleasant hum in the background. It’s almost enough to make you forget the hellscape that the city interior is becoming.

“So, Sam, huh?” Your sister raises an eyebrow at you. “She’s cute.”

“Yeah.” You give her a suspicious look. “I told you things have changed.”

“You did, but I still remember a few months back that you were gushing about Heather.” She shrugs. “Granted, a few months can be a long time with these things, but still.”

“What I have with Sam is… It’s new.” You purse your lips. “Really new.”

“Nothing wrong with new.” She smiles at you. “Enjoy it. Might help keep you both sane.” Her smile widens. “Plus, Mom and Lucy will be grilling you both endlessly.” You groan, and she breaks out into laughter.

The walk to your home is increasingly calm as the city outskirts give way to the edge of the nearby treeline, and you watch as the gate to your family’s property appears down the road. Bella strides ahead as Sam takes point next to you, bumping shoulders with you and throwing you a radiant smile.

“Bella Knight here! Open up!” There’s a long period of silence before you hear another voice over the intercom.

“What’s the password?”

“Dammit, Mendez!”

“That’s not the password, miss.”

“What password, you fucking ass?”

“If you were Lieutenant Knight, you would know the password.”

“That joke is more dead than fucking - Ugh, I don’t even know which meme to say, but I would pick an ancient meme!”

“... Yeah, you’re too easy to work up, boss.”

“Shut the fuck up, Mendez.”

As your sister glares at the intercom next to the gate, you hear a drawn-out warning sound. Then, the gate swings open.

“Mendez?” You raise an eyebrow at Bella, who sighs.

“The new security head. He’s ex-military, and I knew him before. I’m the one who really got him this gig.” She grumbles. “He’s also a cheeky bastard who’s gotten way too comfy in that office Dad gave him.”

“I like him already.”

“Of course you would, little brother.”

Sam keeps up her pace beside you, almost skipping.

“So we’ll be staying here until further notice?”

“Unless something goes pear-shaped.” You shrug. “We can’t just hide here non-stop, but at least we can use it as a base.”

“And there will be actual rooms with comfortable beds, so that’s a definite plus.” Sam nods. “But you make it sound like it’s stupidly hu- oh my god.”

“There it is.” You roll your eyes as you hear similar reactions from the rest of your compatriots. Honestly, you don’t blame them. The mansion is a sight to behold: elaborate and expansive, surrounded by lush grounds and various luxuries (you especially liked the pool, since you could watch from your balcony, though you suspect there will be fewer girls swimming there now). The grounds were almost immaculate, tended and trimmed to exact measurements.

It was home.

You let out a breath, and you felt lighter.

You were safe. You were all safe.