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Whitney stared at the cemetery just beyond the wooded area. She could see the mansion on the other side of the cemetery. Whitney looked back to Zach as he loosened the cinch on the horse's saddle. Zach caught her stare and turned to face her.
�So what do we do now?� Zach asked curiously.
�I'd like to take an hour to case the place and maybe rest a few minutes before heading any further. I'd like to have some strength left for the battle ahead. We might be in for a lot of trouble just within those walls.�
Zach pulled his sword from its holder and spun around. Whitney turned also then saw what Zach had heard. Frazer stood within the woods being only thirty feet away. Frazer walked toward them. Whitney smiled with relief and met Frazer half way. She hugged him happily. He returned the quick embrace.
�I'm so glad to see you,� Whitney announced with a sigh.
Frazer's eyes skimmed over Whitney's body quickly then met her eyes. �I was concerned when I got your message. Oscar said they took Nadine,� Frazer announced then glared slightly at Zach.
�We think they have her in the mansion, but we're not certain where,� Whitney informed Frazer simply then glanced toward Zach.
Zach gave her a strange look then he looked away without saying a word. Whitney looked back at Frazer.
�So what�s our plan of attack?� Frazer asked curiously.
�We're going through a passage way in the back. It'll take us to the kitchen. We want to search the tower first. We were hoping to have some more help, but we didn't find any. Rumor was the rebels were in the area, but we didn't see them,� Whitney stated simply.
Zach had been leaning against a tree then straightened and raised a brow. He eyed her suspiciously.
Frazer shook his head but didn't seem too concerned about not having any backup. �We'll just have to do it on our own.�
Whitney then glanced back to Zach as if just remembering now that she hadn't introduced them. �Frazer, I'd like for you to meet Zach. Zach, this is Frazer.�
Frazer glanced back to the masked mutant. Both men exchanged looks and nodded coldly to one another. Frazer looked back to Whitney. �I'll take count of the guards before we head in,� Frazer said simply.
Whitney nodded with a gentle smile. �Thanks, Frazer.�
Frazer left them. Zach waited until Frazer was out of sight then glared at Whitney. Whitney lowered her head and didn't look up. �What was that all about?� Zach asked.
Whitney knew the reason but hated to act upon them. She slowly met Zach's eyes beyond the mask. �Someone has been betraying us, and I think it might be Frazer.�
�Why do you suspect him?� Zach asked curiously.
�He's underhanded everything I've done so far,� she remarked simply. �Go along with the original plan. We'll tell him just before we go in.�
Zach nodded then raised a skeptical brow. �Do I know the original plan?�
Whitney laughed softly. �Yes, Zach, you do. I trust you,� she remarked and looked into his eyes. �You've saved my butt on a couple of occasions.�
There was a long silence between them as they stared into each other's eyes. Whitney then looked away. Frazer returned several minutes later and approached Whitney and Zach. He quickly sat down beside Whitney. Zach slowly sat as well. He was directly across from Frazer.
�You chose a wise route,� Frazer informed Whitney simply. �There are only two guards around back. It's a little rough getting around back, but they won't be suspecting a thing.�
Whitney nodded simply. �Good. We'll go in just before dawn,� Whitney lied easily.
There was a long silence while they rested. Whitney was deep in thought about many things. Her father crossed her mind briefly. She then thought about Brent and how she had left him tied to his chair. Whitney only glanced around once and looked over Zach. He met her stare. She wondered what he was thinking. Frazer glanced at Zach and broke the silence.
�You�ve become quite a legend over the past couple of months,� Frazer said with a tiny smile.
�I�m hardly a legend,� Zach replied. �I�m just another angry man.�
�I presume so,� Frazer pressed. �If more of your kind would fight for our cause, we�d move along a lot faster.�
Whitney glared at Frazer but didn�t comment. He was never very sympathetic toward mutants.
�The others have been broken by their situation,� Zach informed him. �They have no fight left within them. We�re strangers in our own town. Just a bunch of freaks whom everyone feels sorry for.�
�You don�t need to get defensive, Zach,� Frazer said with a small laugh. �I didn�t mean anything by what I said.� There was a short silence. �You�re pretty good with a sword, huh? Where�d you learn to fight?�
�I was forced to learn after the aliens arrived,� Zach replied.
�Where are you originally from?� Frazer asked. �I mean, would I have known you?�
�Quite possibly,� Zach said. �I knew of you before you were a rebel leader.�
Whitney glared at both men. She didn�t like the way they were looking at one another.
�We�ve all changed after the alien invasion,� Whitney announced.
�Yes,� Zach said lowly while glaring at Frazer. �Let�s hope so.�
Frazer tilted his head. �I�d really like to know who you are. Why don�t you take the mask off.�
�I�m a mutant,� Zach snapped. �There�s nothing more to see.�
�Knock it off, Frazer,� Whitney growled. �If Zach doesn�t want us to see him as he is, then he doesn�t have to show you. He�s helping us, and that�s what really matters. Besides, if having a criminal record is a crime for our rebellion, we would only have three people left within our group.�
Frazer glared at her. �You�re cranky lately. What�s wrong? Brent not giving you enough?�
Whitney punched Frazer. He was thrown backward. He stared at her with surprise then anger. Frazer stood. �I see how it is,� Frazer snapped. �You�ll come crawling back one day.�
Whitney watched Frazer as he left the cemetery. She looked back to Zach. He was staring at her.
�Aren�t you going after him?�
Whitney appeared surprised. She laughed softly. �Are you serious? After what he�d said? I don�t even know if I can trust him. Nadine is my only concern.�
