I gently awoke to the sunlight flowing into my room, blowing in on the soft morning breeze. It was mild and meek, the perfect start. I raised my head off my pillow but a sudden shooting pain went through to my spine. What had happened to it? I turned my head to the right to see speckles of blood thrown into my pillow. I delicately moved my hand around the back of my head to find a plaster. I peeled it off as I walked over to my dressing table. It came off and I looked at it in my hands, soaked red like rubies, glamour kills. I turned to face to the mirror where the plaster had been removed. There was a patch of baldness and a small red pin point. Had someone injected me with something in the night? I walked into the bathroom and changed into today's outfit. Perhaps a dress, the purple one with butterflies. I put it on and brushed my hair and teeth. I went down to breakfast, alone. Everyone had gone quiet. I went to find Rachael, she wasn't in her room or His office. Same with Danny. I walked the whole grounds behind the house and still couldn't find him. Puzzled, I made my way back into the building and towards His office. As soon as I heard voices I crept towards the door and gently placed my ear on it. I had to know if he had done something with them, they felt more like family than he did.
"Soon Georgia will become the Monroe Republic, then California. And with this pendant we have so much power." I heard his voice grow colder through the door.
I went back to my room and sat at my dresser,twirling a piece of gold hair as I pondered my thoughts. What pendant was he going on about? How could he have power? What had he injected me with last night? It had to have been him!
I moved over to my bed, throwing my body down and placing my head to one side. The bedding was cotton soft and held my body against it. So many questions needed answering so why do I find it so difficult to move? What if he had killed Rachel and Danny in the night? Or taken them somewhere? Would I ever see them again? Maybe he had taken Danny to train him up in the army?
No.
I needed answers and I needed them now.
I managed to make my way off the bed and walked to my window. Monroe and his men were getting ready to go somewhere, packing horses with what looked like a weeks worth of equipment. I sprinted out of the restricting room and down the marble stair. I flung the massive doors open and made my way over to Him. His officers surrounded me, as He started to mount his horse.
"Hey!" I shouted in his direction.
His head turned to me when he saw me making my way towards him and the horses. He looked shocked, his curls deflating and his blue eyes changing to a murky grey. All the men began to groan and jeer as Monroe dismounted and walked over to me. He touched my face then moved his hand slowly around to the bald patch on the back of my head. He smiled and took his hand away.
"Scarlett I'm glad your here, I'm going away on a trip so your in charge of the house."
"Where's Danny?" Is all I could reply.
"He's in the house now go back in and you can see him."
"Do you take me for an idiot? Where is he? Where is Rachel and why is there something in the back of my head?"
"So many questions! But, I must go," he said patronisingly.
"Bass I'm not five, he's not there, neither is Rachel now where are they?" I was getting angrier by the minute.
"I'm going up north for a while." His voice rose and guards came to my side. He was avoiding the questions completely.
"STOP LYING TO ME, you've taken them somewhere and I don't want them getting hurt! You promised!"
"Like I said, I'm going up north for a while. I'll be back soon." He walked back over to his horse.
"Why are you avoiding the question? God, what the hell are you planning? I swear to god if you hurt them, I'll ... " An officer cut me off by slapping me in the face. I touched my cheek and saw the blood running down my fingers. The sting was so strong it felt as if a swarm of bees had attacked me.
"Take her into the house and lock her in my room." He calmly spoke, giving me a sly look as he left.
I was screaming. "LET GO OF ME. BASS. WHERE'S DANNY. HELP!" I stopped when one of the guards whispered to the other.
"Why would he do that to his own daughter?" This was my chance. I wriggled free of his grip and punched him hard. The other then held me back and chucked me into the broom cupboard. I heard it lock and I was stuck in silence and darkness.
I'm so stupid. They had taken my blood! They had taken it to scare Rachel, and Danny! But why would they shave the patch where it had been taken from? More questions spiralled in my skull, ricocheting off the edges and back into the middle. There was only one thing I had to focus on now and that was escaping.
I tried pushing the door with my shoulder but that only made me ache. I tried to kick it down, but still nothing. I could hear the guard outside sniggering.
If I was to get out of here then I had to come up with a smart excuse. Then it came to me, I had to start tearing up. This was easier then I thought. I knocked on the door and began to speak through tears to the guards.
"Guard, please. I'm sorry for what I did. It was stupid and I shouldn't have spoken so rudely. Please, could I go to bed? You can stand outside the door? Please?" The guards opened the door and walked me to my room. I was shut in.
Brilliant! Just as I had planned! I changed into my Militia shirt and some black jeans I found in the wardrobe. I grabbed a black pen I found on my dresser and drew a perfect 'M' on my wrist. I then opened the beautiful picturesque window and jumped down and out onto a cart parked beneath. I snuck off and ran to the horse enclosure. I jumped onto one which was already saddled and rode out of the estate.
We rode at a pace through the countryside and passed the streets full of dirty children, cowering as the horses hooves pounded the slate road. We rode on.
Got to find Danny.
The horse came to an abrupt stop outside a power plant. It's tall cylinders towering above us.
I guess I should trust its instinct. I petted the black beauty on the nose and tied him up outside the plant.
There was no way in without getting spotted. So I went undercover, I had the tattoo, shirt and attitude to get in. I grabbed a gun lying on the floor and walked in. Nobody questioned me as I walked through the levels of the plant. It was unhealthily clean. Nothing would've been near here in the years after the blackout, I guess that's why He uses it. I guess it's where he keeps prisoners.
Stop. Got to find Danny.
I wondered around the same level until I found officers crowding outside a door. I walked through when one of them grabbed my shoulder.
"Alright sweetheart, what are you doing here?" He called through his yellow stained teeth in a patronising tone. His beard caught his dribble and his eyebrows could've landed a plane.
"I've got a message for General Monroe and Major Neville. Now get your hand off my shoulder and let me in!" I showed him my tattoo and after a moment or two of strange looks, he let me in.
The room seemed to be even darker than the ones I had passed through, all that sat in there was a work bench, a sofa and some tools. Looking downwards I could see Danny being cradled in Charlie's arms, his lips bleeding and cut. Rachel was pacing by the two of them when her eyes shot up to meet mine. Monroe was standing next to a tool desk with Major Neville next to him, look of anger in his eye. I ran to Danny calling his name but was grabbed by Neville who locked his arms around me. Monroe walked over, calmness in his eyes turning into rage.
"You're just like me, aren't you?" He said touching my face. He smiled, the devil does have inner feelings. I turned to face Danny and Charlie.
"Are you okay?" I called to him, he nodded in response and hugged Charlie. I turned to face Monroe again, anger levels rising. "Why didn't you tell me about this? About the pendant? About the plant?" He exhaled in through his teeth and punched me in the cheek. Neville let me go as I collapsed; Danny shouted my name. Strausser, one of the Militias most ruthless and violent officers, walked in, loading his gun.
"Rachel." Monroe began. "Must be nice having both your children back. Hello Charlotte, nice to meet you. I'm General Monroe." He smiled as he looked Charlie up and down.
"What did you do to my son?" Rachel cried.
Monroe had tuned his voice into a manipulative state. "I'm completely and utterly done playing games with you Rachel. You know what that is right?" He said, glancing over at some sort of machine in the corner.
"An Amplifier." She replied, sighing and watching the dust particles float down.
"A real one, your friend the Doctor was making me a new one until you shoved a screwdriver into his chest." He stiffened at the thought. Charlie turned to face her then, her hair swishing down with the sharpness of the turn.
"Mom?" She asked, surprised by her actions. Monroe began to walk around the room, getting closer to Charlie.
"I'm sure there's a lot about your mom you don't know. You've seen one of these pendants before right? And you know what it can do, this machine can amplify its range and makes jets fly, tanks roll and your mother was going to finish it for me" he smirked.
"Mom what's he talking about?" She snapped back.
"She's going to be a real patriot, isn't that right Rachel?"
"Stop it!" I mumbled, unable to speak with the sheer pressure of the punch.
"Mom look at me. Whatever he's asking you to do, you can't do it." You could see behind the strong exterior was a small girl, afraid of losing her mom again.
"Is that so?" Monroe replied right against Charlie's face. He raised himself and turned to face Strausser. He pulled the trigger back on his death coloured gun, aiming it in Danny and Charlie's direction.
"Mrs Matheson I'm sorry but you need to chose which one of your children I'm going to kill." He spoke calmly.
"You Son Of A Bitch" Rachel shouted when guards held her back from the pair.
"Listen to me" Charlie replied trying to to keep the situation cool.
"Which one, the boy or the girl?" He pressured.
"I've seem the militia kill dozens of people and if you help him, he will kill hundreds if not thousands of them mom!" She began to raise her voice a little, getting her point across. I sat there amazed at how strong she was.
"The boy or the girl, which one is your favourite?" He laughed.
"Mom don't!" Charlie's voice deepened with worry.
"NO!" Rachael screamed.
"Some things are more important than family." Charlie whispered loudly.
"Choose now!" Strausser was beginning to get angry, his crows feet deepening.
"Pick me!" Charlie shouted in his face.
"Alright, have it your way." He said with a chuckle. He began to pull the trigger.
"No!" Rachel cried.
"Its okay" Charlie said, her hands shaking. Strausser was about to shoot when Rachel interrupted him.
"Stop, Stop I will Finish Your Damn Amplifier. Stop." She said through panted breath. Strausser returned the look Monroe gave him.
"See just like Miles always said, a good hostage works every time. Take them back to the holding cell and if she steps out of line or even breathes funny, shoot both the kids." He said with no remorse.
Both of them were pulled out of the dirty workshop. Charlie first without resistance then Danny who was limping. I pulled myself up and went to go over to him but got held back. I was left in a room with Militia officers, Rachael and my dad. Monroe took me out and looked me dead in the eye, his pupils dilating.
"I told you to stay at home." He said sternly.
"No, you said nothing if the sort. You told me you were going away."
"I didn't expect you to follow me. Now you're in this mess too. Just take her to one of the cells for now, and Scarlett. Don't you dare speak to me like that. Ever again."
I was escorted through many corridors, all with the same patterns and marks smeared on the walls. I peeped through the scratched windows and saw so many bodies, lying down on the cold hard concrete. Life had seeped through the walls. I spotted Danny in one and realised it was my chance for escape. The officer went to unlock a cell when I pushed him into the door. He went to grab my wrist when I kneed him in the groin and punched him around the face. He fell to the ground, checking his pulse I slipped my hand into his pocket and grabbed the keys. He was still alive so I had to be quick. I unlocked the cell door to hear Dannys voice.
"CHARLIE NO!" He shouted when he saw me walk in. Charlie was behind the door, a vent above her head. She lowered it and took the keys off me. Danny came over and kissed my forehead.
"Thank you."
"What for? I knew Monroe was up to something." I couldn't finish the sentence. There was more blood trickling down his lip which I had to clean up. I went to wipe it but he put my wrist back down. He smiled at me, his teeth gleaming. He took my hand and turned to face Charlie who was still holding the vent behind the door, she was waiting for something. That was when we all heard a groan.
"Shit, the guard is waking!" I whispered. Charlie put her finger to her mouth. The guard walked in to the cell, his face surprised to see it unlocked. Thats when she struck him with the vent. He collapsed instantly, making a hell of a sound. We heard more guards coming. Charlie grabbed his gun, making sure it had amo.
"Do you know how to use that thing?" Danny said, panting out of breath.
"Guess I'm going to have to learn, come on let's go get mom." She replied, no remorse.
We walked out the corridor and through the tower, I was leading them as I had retraced my steps. We came to the open space opposite the torture room and hid behind this giant green tunnel. Why it would be in a power plant I don't know but it was a good shield. Danny was still grabbing my hand tightly, he squeezed it making me look at him which made both of us smile.
Bang.
Some guards had spotted us and began to shoot. Luckily Charlie was on hand with the gun she stole off the guards. She jumped out and began shooting the men, then they came closer. I walked out amd punched the closest one in the stomach, making him fall in pain. Then I kicked him in the head which knocked him unconscious. I was grabbed from behind then and pushed into the green structure. He hit me in the face then in the stomach.
"Ahh!" I called in pain. The guard laughed and punched me in the lip again. Then a knife pierced through him, opening his insides. He fell down revealing Miles. Charlie spotted him and stopped shooting.
"Miles?" We both said at the same time.
"You're uncle Miles?" Danny asked.
"You're the reason we're in so much trouble. Are you alright?" He said to Danny and I.
"Yeah I'm okay." Danny replied.
"Scarlett? I thought I taught you better than this?" He turned to me.
"You know each other?" Charlie said.
"Yeah, Miles came to my village and taught me how to fight. Said I might need it some day." I told them.
"You're a bit rusty. Anyway, we got to go." He stated.
"We can't. My mom's here." Charlie replied.
"Rachel's alive?" Miles was surprised by this, his deep brown eyes widening in shock.
"Okay, you gotta get Danny and especially Scarlett out of here." He commanded. This was just like when he taught me to fight, bossing us around but in a way that was calming. Charlie grabbed Dannys wrist, he grabbed my hand and we fled the building, dodging bullets and guards as we did.