"I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will."― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
Running with the Boys
Chapter XXXIV: The Movement
"Sent away like a child," Wren snarled. "I am not a child!" She rattled the bars. "How dare you send me to a cage?!"
"Maybe if you didn't act like a child, you wouldn't be treated like a child." Kaster grumbled from the bed.
"Maybe if our parents didn't fucking lie to us, we wouldn't be in this situation." Wren snapped.
Rider rolled his eyes. He twisted his arm and tried to jam Wren's bobby pin into the keyhole. He'd only seen it done in the movies, but it was worth a try. Bash sat on the bars, watching for the guards that worked for their families.
After listening to Camille's swan song, they ended up in the Fortress' cells with Wren. He'd been here before and welcomed to familiar room, Kaster had to be forced in. He retreated to the small bed, staring at the ceiling as Wren paced like a caged animal.
"When I get my hands on Jace I'm going to snap him in half." Wren snarled.
"Yes, we know." Kaster answered. "That's the fourth time you've said that."
"Well, I don't see you doing anything!"
Kaster sat up. "And you think pacing angrily is helping our situation?"
A click came from Rider's hand, he smirked and swung the door inwards. He looked to his sister and Kaster, they stared at him before looking at each other.
Kaster cleared his throat. "Ladies first?"
"How 'bout a plan?" Bash asked.
"Right." Rider responded. "Weapons, transportation, Kras."
"I need Eco," Wren said. "And lots of it."
"What about Camille?" Kaster asked.
"She's staying here." Rider snapped. "Jace doesn't need any more help."
"Our parents?" Bash inquired.
"Will protect Haven and Spargus, like always." Wren snapped. "They've done enough."
"Okay," Rider peaked out of the cell. "No guards, Kaster lead the way to the weaponry."
Kaster nodded, he stepped past Rider and started to his left. Bash jumped on Rider's shoulder, they nodded to each other and kept up with Kaster. Wren followed behind him; her boots heavy on the grated walkway. Rider expected the cells to be filled with prisoners from Monaghan -at least the ones they managed to capture- but they were empty. Did the prisoners retreat with Jace or were they hiding in the city, waiting for Jace to lead the assault?
Kaster entered his code into an elevator, it blinked twice before a car showed up. They stepped in, Kaster pressed four levels above them. Wren bounced on her heels, her pent-up energy-burning around her as Rider leaned against the wall.
What was Vidia doing right now? Was she safe? A bubble of anger turned inside of him; what if Jace was hurting her? She seemed strong but he had a feeling when it came to Jace she was powerless.
The elevator opened and Kaster runs into the open, Wren followed him. Rider fell to the back but kept them in his sights with a jog. Kaster turned a corner, stopping at a door and entered another code. The doors swung open, Wren ran inside, heading straight to the back.
"Where's she going?" Bash asked.
"War hammer." Kaster answered. "Suit up, Riddie." Kaster ran to an aisle. "We leave in five."
Rider walked down the first aisle, while he enjoyed his morph guns and pistols, he was curious about the gun stick he'd seen in his mother's room. He wandered down the gun aisle, grabbing a morph gun and a few mods. He took a pistol and hid it in his waistband. He couldn't find the gun staff, but opted for a few grenades. He walked down another aisle, finding Kaster shoving his own morph gun into his belt.
A sinister laugh came from down another aisle, the boys looked at each other. Whatever Wren found was what she was looking for.
"Wren!" Kaster shouted. "I'm going to get my sword!"
"Why do you need a sword?" Wren shouted back. "You're literally bringing a knife to a gunfight!"
He rolled his eyes. "Come on, it's in my Mom's office."
The boys didn't speak as they moved through the hallways, quietly sneaking past the confused guards. Most spoke of Jace and his promise, but others questioned Ashelin's ability to rule. Her own daughter pulled the rug out from underneath her; how could they trust anyone to lead?
Rider couldn't help but agree. Whatever lesson Ashelin and Torn were trying to teach Camille -she was absolutely failing. Rider stopped when Kaster did, he held up his hand before motioning for him to follow. He scanned his wrist, the door opened with a click and they slipped in.
The last time Rider had been in Ashelin's office, he was with Keira -he'd destroyed another set of zoomers. The walls were red now, there were pictures of her with her father. He didn't bother smiling, he looked stern and a man Rider never wanted to meet. He held Kaster's sword -well it was his sword, to begin with. The next picture was of her and Torn, they looked happy. Next one she held Kaster and Camille in her arms with Torn standing behind her.
Kaster went to her desk, pushing the chair away. He opened it violently, almost ripping the drawer off.
"Wow," Bash began, he jumped onto the desk. "We don't want them on our trail!"
Kaster looked at the picture of him and Camille standing together. Rider didn't need to ask for context, they were clearly fighting but in the cute way that children do. Kaster went to the cabinet, he unlocked it and pulled the sword out. He attached it to his belt, he paused before the cabinet before pulling the sword out.
"I've worked so hard," Kaster began. "So hard to be the perfect son!"
"Kaster!" Rider shouted.
He swung the sword downwards, hitting the desk with a loud thud. He pulled it back, swing it around and hitting the chairs. Fluff bloomed out, popping at the seams. "I did everything she told me. I wanted to be the baron that people look back on and say what a hero." He walked to the pictures. "How many bad Praxises have to rule before we have a good one?" He sliced the wall underneath him. "I will not be like that." He pointed at Praxis. "I will not be a tyrant that forces people to become experiments.
"I will not sacrifice myself to win." He moved onto his mother. "I will not let people influence my choices. I will not be a martyr for Haven, I will not be a murderer of innocent people, I will not be the monarch my heritage demands I be, and I will not go mad to appease my darker ideals." He stabbed the wall, the paint flaked from the wall and littered the ground.
A clap came from the door. Wren stood in the door with a giant smile on her face. "Normally when I rebel I get another tattoo."
"Shut up Wren." Kaster snarled.
"Are we ready to go?" She asked, she held out a set of keys. "Hellcat Mock 3, ready for us whenever."
"How did you get those?" Bash asked.
"Do you want the good news or the bad news first?"
The boys looked between each other and said: "Good news," together.
She grinned. "They'll wake in an hour or so."
TBC…