The Weight of You (and Me)

16

KEERA, DAVID, MRS. MENDOZA UNITE AGAINST LEECORP

〰・♡・〰

The Underground Journal's follow-up post, a carefully curated snippet hinting at the vastness of their evidence, had caused a stir. Environmental groups picked up the story, demanding answers from LeeCorp. News outlets swarmed the company, their questions met with carefully crafted denials and accusations of "misinformation."

Keera, David, and Joshua, their makeshift alliance rekindled by their shared purpose, followed the news with bated breath. They were winning, albeit slowly. The pressure was mounting on LeeCorp, but there was no sign of Iñigo. The uncertainty gnawed at Keera, a constant ache in the pit of her stomach.

One afternoon, as Keera sat hunched over her computer, a notification popped up – an anonymous message. Her heart pounded in her chest as she clicked it open. This time, the message was short and cryptic:

"Meet me at the old abandoned amusement park. Sunset. Alone."

A shiver ran down Keera's spine. Alone? This felt like a trap, yet a flicker of hope burned within her. Could it be someone with information about Iñigo? She glanced at her phone, the time ticking closer to sunset. Fear warred with desperation.

"David!" she called out, her voice echoing through the empty house.

David materialized at the doorway, his brow furrowed with concern. "What's wrong?"

Keera showed him the message, her voice trembling slightly. "I don't know who it is, but I think this might be about Iñigo."

David's face paled. "The abandoned amusement park? That place is creepy. Are you sure you should go alone?"

"Maybe it's a trap," Keera admitted, gnawing on her bottom lip. "But what if it's our only chance?"

David hesitated, his mind racing. "Alright," he finally said, a resolute glint in his eyes. "We'll go together. But we need a plan. What if it is LeeCorp?"

Keera nodded, a spark of gratitude warming her chest. They spent the next hour strategizing, formulating a plan B and C, just in case. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the street, they set off, a mix of fear and determination propelling them forward.

The abandoned amusement park was a dilapidated monument to forgotten fun. Rusted rides groaned in the wind, and peeling paint flaked off the decaying buildings. An eerie silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by the occasional creak of a rusted swing or the rustle of leaves in the cool evening breeze.

Following the cryptic instructions in the message, Keera and David found themselves standing before a boarded-up funhouse. A shiver ran down Keera's spine as she stared at the warped mirrors and faded clown faces leering down at them.

"Are you sure this is the place?" David whispered, his voice tight with apprehension.

Just then, a figure emerged from the shadows behind them. Keera spun around, her heart leaping into her throat.

"Iñigo?" she breathed, her voice filled with disbelief.

But the figure that stood before them wasn't Iñigo. It was a girl, silhouetted against the dying light, her face obscured by a dark hood.

Disappointment washed over Keera, a bitter wave cresting and crashing in her chest. But before she could voice it, the hooded figure spoke, her voice surprisingly steady.

"It's me, Keera," the figure said, pulling back the hood to reveal a face pale and drawn, but undeniably Mrs. Mendoza, Keera's mother.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" Keera stammered, her mind reeling. "Why are you dressed like that?"

"There's no time to explain," Mrs. Mendoza said urgently, her eyes scanning the deserted park. "We need to get out of here."

"But... the message said it was about Iñigo," David interjected, confusion etched on his face.

Mrs. Mendoza's lips thinned into a grim line. "It is," she said, her voice low. "But LeeCorp knows you're coming. This was a trap."

David's hand instinctively went to his pocket, likely searching for his phone. "How... how did you know?"

"Let's just say," Keera's mom said, her voice laced with toughness, "I have my ways. Now, come on. We need to disappear."

Grabbing Keera's arm, she began to pull her towards the rickety fence bordering the park. David hesitated for a moment, his gaze flickering between Keera and the dark unknown beyond the fence.

"But what about Iñigo?" David asked, his voice filled with concern. "You said you knew..."

"I can't explain everything here," Mrs. Mendoza said, her voice tight. "But trust me, I have a plan. Now move!"

With a burst of adrenaline, Keera scrambled over the fence, adrenaline propelling her forward. She glanced back to see David following suit, his face a mask of worry. Mrs. Mendoza, her movements surprisingly agile, clambered over last, her eyes darting nervously around the park.

They plunged into a maze of overgrown alleyways behind the park, the shadows swallowing them whole. Keera's heart pounded in her chest, a frantic drumbeat against her ribs.

"Where are we going?" Keera gasped, her voice barely a whisper above her ragged breaths.

"Somewhere safe," Keera's mom said, her voice grim. "Somewhere LeeCorp can't find us."

They ran until their lungs burned, until Keera's legs threatened to buckle beneath her. Finally, Mrs. Mendoza brought them to a halt in a secluded clearing behind a dilapidated warehouse.

"Alright," Mrs. Mendoza said, her voice regaining some of its usual composure. "Now, listen closely. LeeCorp knows you were leaking their secrets. They're desperate to shut you down. And that includes..." she trailed off, her eyes welling up.

"Mom?" Keera prompted, reaching out for her mother's hand. "What is it?"

Mrs. Mendoza took a deep breath, her voice thick with emotion. "They threatened me. Threatened to... to expose certain things about me, about your father, if I didn't stop you."

Keera's breath hitched. "What things?"

"It doesn't matter," Keera's mom said, brushing away a stray tear. "The point is, they're using it as leverage. They took Iñigo, and now they're using him to control me."

A wave of anger and helplessness washed over Keera. LeeCorp wasn't just after their investigation – they were targeting their families, using their loved ones as pawns in a twisted game of power.

"What are we going to do?" David asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Sarah straightened her shoulders, her eyes gleaming with a newfound resolve. "We fight back," she said, her voice firm. "We expose them. Not just for Iñigo, not just for yourselves, but for everyone they've hurt. But we need to be smart about it. LeeCorp might have muscle, but we have the truth. And in the end, that's the most powerful weapon we have."

A new fire ignited in Keera's eyes. Fear and uncertainty still lingered, but they were overshadowed by a surge of determination. They had a fight on their hands, a fight that had gotten much bigger and more dangerous than they ever imagined. But for Iñigo, for justice, they would not back down.

"We're with you, Mrs. Mendoza," David said, his voice ringing with conviction.

Looking at her mom, her mother transformed into a warrior, a protector, Keera knew this was a fight they would face together. They may not have all the answers, but they had each other, and that was a start.