Malia returned his kiss in full, her hands curling into his hair as he held her close. She savored the taste of his lips, memorizing the way he smelt, the way he spoke, before he broke away and walked off. She offered him a small smile, bracing the wall. “I love you, too. Be careful, don’t do anything stupid.” And with that, she watched the love of her life walk out the doors, and towards the danger that had crippled her not a month ago. She sighed, rubbing a hand down her face before walking out as well, down towards the giant doors where he would be leaving from. She just wanted to watch him go.<br/><br/>She saw the squads he had lined up as she leaned against the wall, before the giant doors opened, and Carson slipped out along with the runners. She bit her lip, ignoring whoever told her he would come home safe, and turned to walk to the training room. She needed to work off her anxiety, and that’s what she did.<br/><br/>By the time the next morning came, she was dressed quickly and out of bed, walking down towards the mess hall where the remainder of their group was eating. She sat down next to the other Striders, crossing her arms. “Any word of Carson and them? How far did they make it last night?” She was worried, she wouldn’t deny that. The Vanguard weren’t to be messed with, that was for sure. Of course, no one knew for sure. They would check in within the next few days at minimum, she was just anxious to know if they were okay. If Carson was okay.<br/><br/>Night fell, and just as Malia was about to begin packing up for the night, she heard the doors to Central crack and shudder, before pulling themselves open. Malia exchanges glances with Sunny who was standing near her, before breaking off in a sprint. Her boots hit hard against the concrete and, just as they arrived at the large metal doors, Luke came stumbling in. He took a couple of steps toward Malia before nearly tipping over, but the runner caught him before he did. He wasn’t bleeding, it didn’t look like. He may have just been exhausted. She held him up, her eyes full of concern. “Luke, what’s wrong? Where’s Carson and the others?”<br/><br/>The Runner caught his breath before standing up a bit straighter, looking directly into Malia’s eyes. He shook his head, casting his blue eyes back to the ground. “The Vanguard caught up with us, it...it’s a blood bath. We were able to hold them off but...”<br/><br/>“But what?” Malia prompted him, her anxiety spiking.<br/><br/>“But...they got Carson. He’s not dead, we don’t think, but they took him, Malia.”<br/><br/>Malia widened her eyes, taking a step away. Luke was saying something to both her and Sunny, but she didn’t register it. Instead. She snagged her gear that was laying against the wall, strapping it in. There was no way in hell that she was staying here while he was there. Her heart pounded in her chest, her blood rushing in her ears. She pushed passed Luke, punching the code to open the doors. They grumbled before slowly opening. As they did, she looked to see Sunny at her side,  but she wouldn’t protest. She was going to save Carson, whether she did it alone or not. Together, the women stepped into the night air, before breaking into a sprint down the path. She felt nothing, only determination.