Sight

Kalani's mutters turned into a breathy gasp as she put her dress down, as Bergy turned around immediately and glared at Panerin.
"How adorable."
Panerin entered the elevator, as it stood still, remaining open. An alluring pause of silence hit the four of them, before Panerin entered the elevator and swaggered towards Kalani, caving in close to her, as Bergy and Carlo went shoulder to shoulder to protect her.

"Aren't you Sienna's little sister..."

Panerin smirked, his accent thick, his hair mangled. "God save the queen."
Panerin exchanged cold glares at the other two.

"Back off." Carlo firmly told him. "Wait a minute. You aren't a grounder. You're that puny little Boston draft defenseman. I heard those trade rumors, bud. And they aren't rumors." He found joy in picking out people's flaws.

"And you, you'll never be the captain, always just an A." Panerin smiled at Bergeron. It stung. But Patrice had to remain strong and brush it off.

Panerin backed up, and looked in the corner of the elevator.

"Did you get that, camera? We have an imposter!" Carlo flinched, angry.

"I'm not an imposter. I'm just going to the game!" Quick. An excuse.

He raised his voice as Kalani ran in front of Carlo and kissed him, purposefully smudging the black paint on his cheeks.

Carlo kissed her back, gently, his eyes widened, but had to remain focused in this tough situation. The fresh paint on his face stung, but he had to suck it up.

"Well, he might be an imposter, but luckily you won't live to tell the tale."

Patrice drew the gun out of his back pocket, ready to fire.

"You're a dead man, Patrice." Artemi put his hands up.

"You first."

Aim, bang, down.

The black rimmed Carlo stood there, stunned, as Artemi Panerin fell back into the lobby, bleeding.

"Two more floors." Carlo said.

"That was a close call. What if there's more?"

Kalani jammed at the door to close it as fast as she could. Patrice slowly reached for his back pocket.
"I... just killed someone." He swallowed some air, as the elevator flew up to level eight, then level nine.
The elevator door opening, Addy and Marchy waiting in a different lobby, but for the same purpose.

"What took you so long?" Marchy inquired as Kalani opened up her gear and explained to Big J what was happening. Addy ran up to Carlo, with black paint on his face. Carlo was still very shocked, but he smiled calmly towards her.

"So you're a grounder now?" Addy smirked playfully.

"By faith, not by sight." He told her back, facing inwards of the lobby. Carlo's perception was twisted in this mission, and if Kalani didn't put the paint on him, he'd be fine.

"Group One. This is Little J on Big J's gear. Big J got shot by Corey Crawford and I'm trying to carry him up the stairs—go on without us."

Kalani's hand shook. "There's an elevator, Jamie, just bring him up the elevator!!!"

Kalani pled. "I'll try to find it."

Addy sunk her head in disbelief. Jordie was one of Tyler's best friends, one of the most humble people she had the chance to meet.

And when the elevator doors opened, Little J held Big J barely, plopping him on the tile, as Jordie cried out, wincing in pain.

"Ouch..." There was a bullet in his leg, and Marchy, Carlo, and Kalani worked hard to get it out. Addy had never seen anyone so weak before.

Carlo took his shirt off to help stop the excess, as Addy stood on the perimeter of the incident, watching him reveal his decorated body.

"I'm going to have to miss out on this one, guys." Jamie said, staring. The flat tone of Jamie's voice was clearly disrupted by his brother's sudden injury, but it was his brother. You can't go against family. Jamie was always apart of the package duo. He didn't want to stop the journey. He had to.

"You have one level left. Do it for everyone." Jordie whispered.

Brad nodded, Addy nodded through light tears, Kalani nodded in understanding.

'"All we have to do is walk up those stairs and Alexa will be there." Bras said. "But, Toews and Kane will be there too." Patrice added.

"Not to mention the salty Blackhawks after Carlo because he didn't put the stupid paint on." Kalani jabbed Brandon.

"And the person who shot the Breadman." Carlo smiled at Patrice.

"Who shot the what?! Bruh, that was the gunshot noise?" 63 high fived 37 like the old days.

"Yeah, I just shot this dude in the elevator, he must be a prospect or something. Those Blackhawks. They're so arrogant." Patrice smiled sheepishly. "What did you say his name was, Carlo? Never mind.. I couldn't of done it without him or her."

He threw his arms around Kalani and Brandon.

Addy spoke up against everyone.

"Maybe... we aren't ready yet. Maybe we should just stay the night here to prepare ourselves with a strategy, watch over Jordie, get some rest. Then we can go up in the morning, up the ramp, the stairs, to the concourse. And find Alexa."

Addy hadn't said her name in a while, and she was so happy she was close to her, the words falling out of her mouth.
Marchy was digging through a tin trash barrel, as he found some popcorn, parts of a burger, and some candy.

"Eating like a true grounder, level one is literally like the garbage disposal so we get scraps all the time. But everybody needs to eat if they want energy tomorrow. And stay low, because cars or guards could see you." Kalani warned, as she threw both gears at the doors to lock them shut.
Addy hadn't eaten well since Tuukka's meatballs, and her stomach watered just to taste the sea salt of the popcorn. After a few concession nibbles, the lobby light shut off, but the gears glowed a bioluminescent color. Looking down, the lobby was the shape of a house. There was a small, rectangular ally way where the door to open was, and one on the other side where the door to close was, and a big square in the middle where the elevators were. There was a voice, and it was Patrick Kane's, over a loudspeaker.

"All grounders must report back to their levels. Repeat, all grounders must report back to their levels. Night shift will begin in 2 hours. Elevator systems and stairways are shutting down and locked until 4am. Chelsea, Chelsea, I believe."

The intercom turned off and the room was silent. Carlo and Marchand decided to take guard at either door, Kalani was sleepy so she fell asleep on the tiles. Jamie had Jordie in his lap, constantly looking at his wound. Patrice fell asleep next to Kalani. But Addy remained awake.

Notes

feels.