Mark POV
Disclaimer: I don't own the Shadow Children Series! Hands out cyber-cookies to Stained-In-Negativity, Maerad-of-Pellinor28, and UnderworldChick! Thanks guys!
Among the Rebels
Chapter 3
She was in charge. In charge of, Lina, Dylan, the camp, and every single rebel. "Why are your eyes bugging out your heads?" Lacey asked. I looked around at my family. I realized that they had all come to the same realization as I had. Lacey shook her head and picked up a knife belt from the ground. She tightened the black piece of leather around waist. I noticed that the belt had five different knives in holsters on it. I also noticed that the belt was home to two .40 caliber pistols. "You ever gonna use all those weapons?" Matthew asked with a smirk. Lacey pulled a pistol and pointed it at Matthew's forehead. "Do I need to?" Lacey asked and Matthew's smirk fell from his face. She tilted the pistol sideways. Lina walked back around the trailer, she stared at us and screamed. "Lacey! You promised me you wouldn't kill anyone this month! Remember I have to clean it up!" Lina shrieked. "Shut up!" Lacey screamed back, putting the pistol back on the belt. "You weren't supposed to hear that one. Anyways, I've got business to attend to." Lacey said quickly, lifting her eyebrows. She walked towards the ATV.
Lacey got on the four-wheeler and waved. She hit the gas and was gone. "Sorry about her" Lina said, putting the key to the trailer on the hood of the truck, "She had a mental breakdown about two months ago and killed two of her ex-boyfriends. She also tried to kill herself. Lace just hasn't been the same since. It was really weird actually. She went away for a bit and when she came back she was so angry and disturbed" Lina shrugged. She saw the look of shock and fear on our faces. "Don't worry!" Lina said, laughing, "She's been fine. Come on. Let's go to your tents and get you settled." We followed Lina as she walked farther up the hill. We had grabbed our possessions from the truck. It really wasn't much just some of Mother and Father's clothes and our rifles. We walked into a temporary house about half a mile up the hill from the stable area. There were six beds (One of which was in a small master bedroom area. The rest of the beds were in a larger living area.), a small kitchen area, two bathrooms, and a closet area. The floor was wood and the walls were made of concrete and drywall. I threw my stuff on a bed in the middle of the room.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. I spun to see Dylan and a younger boy, probably Smits's age, standing behind me. Each boy held two large duffle bag. "The clothes in James's bags should fit you and you." Dylan said, pointing to Luke and Smits. He tossed one of the bags at Luke and the other at Smits. Dylan turned to Matthew and I. "These should fit you two." Dylan said, throwing the other two bags at us. I caught the bag and put it on my bed. Dylan then turned to my parents. "Lina and her husband, Thomas, will be bringing clothes for you later. I hope thats ok." Dylan said. I unzipped the duffle bag and pulled out a flannel plaid shirt and a pair of jeans. Dylan watched as I pulled the clothes out of the bag. "Sorry if it's not your style. There's only so much I can do when Lacey tells me I need to scrounge up clothes for four teenage boys within the next hour." Dylan said, apologetically. I smiled. "I'll give you a moment to change. Lacey wants to see you all" Dylan said. He and James left our small house. I took off my dirty white t-shirt and tossed it at Matthew. He turned and gave me a look that said You are so immature. I shrugged and pulled on a navy blue t-shirt that was at the bottom of the bag. I decided my jeans were clean enough. Dylan walked back in and nodded when he saw we were all ready. Outside, the sun had started it's descent to west. "Lacey's is the farthest up the hill. You can't miss it because it's fricken huge." Dylan said pointing up the hill. "You're not coming?" Father asked. "No, Lacey has me going to help James fight." Dylan replied. "Huh?" Smits spoke up. "We have to learn how to fight if we want to have any hope against Aldous's army." Dylan said, simply.
Dylan turned and left, walking down the hill next to James. We turned and walked up the hill. It wasn't too bad of a hike. Lacey's house was HUGE. It was almost four times the size of ours and ours wasn't that small. I couldn't imagine all that was for just one person. A big, four wheel drive, Dodge truck with a diesel engine was parked outside the house. Lina stood next to the truck with a messenger bag and a middle aged man. I was pretty sure that the man was Thomas. When we approached them, Lina immediately linked arms with Mother. "Come on, we have other things to do. Your husband and sons need to talk with Lacey." Lina said as she and Mother walked back down the hill. It was sort of strange. As I had thought, the man was indeed Thomas. Thomas was huge. He stood about six foot, five inches tall and had muscles slightly smaller than bowling balls. He greeted us with a handshake and then walked into house. I had noticed that all the houses in the camp could be destroyed or taken down within an hour, but would withstand the elements. The door was open, but a curtain of colorful beads hung in the doorway. There was a slight wind that made the beads rock slightly. Thomas pushed aside the beads and walked into the house. After a slight hesitation, my family followed. Lacey stood near a small table with a black haired girl standing across from her. Lacey had taken her hair down and it was now slightly past shoulder length, wavy, and layered. Lacey didn't move as she heard the beads. Instead, she rubbed her temples like someone would if they were stressed.
Suddenly, she stabbed a knife into the table. The black haired girl didn't look the slightest bit fazed. "Just go and get me chocolate or something." Lacey addressed the black haired girl softly. The black haired girl stood and walked towards the door. She gripped Thomas's shoulder and whispered, "Good luck." With that, she turned and walked out of the house. Thomas took a deep breath. "Lacey?" He said. After a moments hesitation, she looked up. Straightening up, she said, "Good you brought them. Please leave us to talk alone for a while." Thomas nodded and walked quickly out the door we had just come through. Lacey paused for a moment and then turned to Father. "I'll apologize for this beforehand, Harlan. A certain situation has arisen and it seems you're going to need to determine where your loyalties lie sooner than expected." Lacey said, stopping every once in a while to think. I looked down at the table, there was a map of the surrounding area spread out across it. The knife pierced a small town about three hundred miles away from where we were now. (It was marked with a blue pushpin)
Father followed my gaze to the knife. "They're closing in. Aren't they?" Father said, not really expecting an answer because it was obvious. Lacey nodded slightly. Father put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you fully in charge here?" Father asked. Lacey didn't move, she made no sounds. "Lacey?" Father tried again. "Yes. I'm in charge." Lacey stated. Suddenly, Lacey was angry. "And I don't need any help running this place if that's what you're trying to suggest." She snapped. "Not at all!" Father said, shocked by her sudden change in attitude. "You have until tomorrow to decide whether or not you'll stay." She said, holding her head high. "We'll stay. Edna and I have already decided. My sons are not legal yet so they stay with us." Father said, "We'll be down the hill if you need us." "Your boys will be of great use to our cause." Lacey said. Father's eyes hardened and he led us out the door. I was the last one to leave, but before I was able to, Lacey grabbed my wrist. We both tensed the minute her skin touched mine. I felt cold steel in my hand. I looked down to see a switchblade resting in palm. "It's the least I can do for now." Lacey said quietly. She released my wrist, almost hesitantly. I nodded, "Thank you." She nodded. I turned and walked out the door.
