Shisol slid under the blanket and put her head net to mine. She followed my eyes up to the window and the stars even further. We were high enough past the smug so half the sky visible. The stars we were looking at were real, but the ones to the south were fake.

“What’s on your mind?” She shook her head, but I could tell something was up. “Come on Unni, talk to me.”

“Its nothing, I just thought I saw something today.”

“Shisol what is it. Tell me.” I leaned my head on hers before she sighed deeply.

“When I was in the market I saw a group of men and then I saw the same group when we were eating.” A loud crack of thunder rolled across the sky seconds before bolts of lightning ripped passed the window.  “It was nothing. Promise.” Something crumbled downstairs at the same time as thunder rolled.

“Did you hear something?” I rolled over her and cracked my doors open. “I’ll be right back.” She mumbled something, but I was already tiptoeing down to the hall.

The house was huge, the mansion was huge. We were above the smog and still had four stories. Over a mile above the city floor, we were safe from every day thugs and common Runners.

The bed rooms were on the third floor, east wing and mine was the last one on the right. Shisol was across from me and Hansol was next to mine. His door was shut and there was no light coming from it. Our father’s door was the farthest away from mine, with two empty rooms between his and Shisol’s so he was secluded from us.

In the west wing was guest bedrooms and two of the six bath rooms. The servant’s stair was down the wing as well. The second level was all business rooms and offices. My father’s public office was on the second floor along with mine and Shisol. Hansol didn’t have his own, when he helped out he stayed with our father. The outside elevator only went to the front door of second floor only, father’s rules. No one was allowed in the upper levels.

The first floor was the ‘living’ quarters. The kitchen, dining room, entertainment and music rooms. It was where we would spend most of our time when we were home and not busy. The kitchen was huge, taking up most of the floor with industrial sized everything. My father liked hosting dinners for some of his top clients and that was where I met him for the first time.

I sat on the railing and slid down to the first floor. Hansol showed me how to do it the first time I got here. It made getting down quick and easy.

In the kitchen, a window was open and pots were spilled all over the floor. Rain was pouring into the house and it took me several tries to get it closed. I was soaking wet and sitting in a large puddle.

“Sari.” I pushed the button on the intercom. “Sari, can you send someone to clean up the kitchen?” Static was the only thing responding. “Sari?” I glanced up the stairs as I started to the other intercom.

“Sari?” Static came through this one too. “Sari?” I called up the stairs, but then thought better. It was probably nothing, but still…

Shisol shrieked and I ran. Back up the stairs and to my room. She wasn’t there when I threw my door open, but my balcony doors were wide open. I could see her legs stretched like she was running and she wasn’t moving.

“Kallisto?” Hansol’s voice called from outside. I snuck past my sister’s body and jumped to his balcony.

“Hansol.” His blue eyes met mine and I knew something was wrong.

“Appa… He’s…” His head dipped but didn’t cry.

“Shisol too.” I grabbed his shoulder. “We have to assume they are still here. Come on we have to go.” With his hand in mine we slowly made our way to the servants’ stairs. Sprawled across the floor was Sari. Her neck was broken and her eyes were staring accusingly.

“Noona.” Hansol tugged my hand to get my attention. On the stairs below was a man. He was still looking around so he hadn’t seen up yet. “What do we do?” I pulled him up the stairs and locked the door behind us.

“There is a kitchen elevator that leads to the servant’s quarters. We can get to the kitchen, then the second floor then out the front door.” The steps were narrow and dark as pitch. If not for my hand in Hansol’s he would have fallen multiple times.

The trip seemed to take forever because we stopped at every noise. Even if we knew it was just the wind settling the house, we still froze. It took us well over ten minutes to go up a flight of stairs that should have taken a minute, tops.

“Kallisto?” Hessa was standing on the other side of the door and jumped back when we opened it. “What are you doing up here?”

“Hessa, appa…” Hansol stepped forward, but I pulled him back.

“You’re with them, aren’t you?” Her usual plain blue dress was gone and she was wearing form fitting black cloth. There was a hood and probably a mask connected as well. “You’re one of the people that helped kill Shisol.” Hansol gasped, but she just grinned.

“Of course I am.” She bowed slightly. “You really think I like working for your family? They are all rich, money centered people bent on further destroying our earth. Your family… Oh wait, I forgot. His family was scum.” She pointed a finger at my brother.

“He is my brother. He is my family.” She opened , but something connected with the back of her head and she dropped. Behind her was Jamison, our butler. He had a frying pan in one hand and a long stick in the other.

“She woke me from my rest.” His deep voice rumbled from his soft face and I smiled. “Well come on then. If Master Jong is dead and the young mistress too then you two are no doubted next.” He seemed to know our plan. We followed him to the kitchen where he packed two bags full of things we would need. I really had no idea what we were going to do, but they would help.

“You have heard of Rail Runners, right?” Jamison handed me the larger pack and I shook my head. 

“They are the kids who are abandoned by their parents and band together on the rails.” Hansol answered for me. “Just because you’re a few months older than me doesn’t make me a kid.” He pull the pack from me.

“Your father had quite a band of runners on his far rail. RNH. Do you know it?” Hansol nodded before climbing into the dumbwaiter. “Get there and see if they will help you. The workers there know your father and will help you. I will get there as soon as possible, but if I don’t come don’t wait out for me.” I slid next to Hansol and grabbed his hand. I had gotten stuck in this dumbwaiter twice when I was younger and did not want to repeat my past.

“Who did this?” My brother had enough thought to ask important things. “Why? My father didn’t have any enemies, did he?”

“He had my mother.” The door opened slowly just before Jamison slid the door shut and we dropped.

“Kalliso, will we be alright?” I couldn’t see him, but I felt him take my hand tightly in his own.

“I don’t know.” 

Here you go unni, I hope you like it.