The Jeep was speeding down the road in the woods. With every rock, log or anything that laid in their path the Jeep bounced and shook.
Every time the Jeep violently shook someone hit their head on something. Rapps looked over at Kris, Jason and Elsa that sat across from her. Kris looked as if he was practically asleep. With every violent jerk of the vehicle, Elsa made a face of discomfort. She kept blinking her eyes as if she couldn't keep them open. Jason held Elsa's hand trying to comfort her.
"Hey Red, I know we're kind of in a hurry but I'd like to get there with all my insides still inside!" Eugene called from the seat next to Rapps desperately holding on to anything he could reach to make sure he didn't fall out.
"Hey Els, why don't you take a nap. You've been up for two days and barely slept a few hours after you collapsed. We're still a long way from the base." Rapps said as she grabbed on the the side of the vehicle after they hit another log.
"I'm fine Rapps. The thing Pabbie gave us just made me a bit loopy."
"Exactly why you should sleep some of it off. We can't have you disoriented and practically falling over your own feet. Follow Kris's example and sleep a bit."
"I said I'm fine Rapunzel."
"Your mom said I'm in charge of your health so unless you want me to send her after you, you'll get some sleep."
"Fine." She huffed and turned her body into Jason's to use him as a pillow. He lifted his arm and put it are her shoulder as she snuggled up to his chest. She fell asleep almost immediately.
Jason looked down at her with a smile and eyes full of admiration. He planted a small kiss on the top of her head. He looked up to find Sven glaring daggers at him. He mouthed, 'I will kill you.' at him.
He swiftly looked away trying to focus on anything else while Sven kept glaring at him.
"This will hold you until we've found your rebellious friends and we can put an end to this Resistance. We're expected to hear from Duke any moment now. " Samuel said as he walked away.
"Hans take care of her wound. We don't want her dying before she can watch everything and everyone she loves go up in smoke. Oh and once again, so sorry about your dear old sister. Such a pitty we never had a chance to meet. I thought that we might have... enjoyed each other's company." He said over his shoulder, leaving the room.
Hans look over at Anna, who was tied to a chair, her stab wound still bleeding. Her head hung low but the sorrow she felt could be seen without even looking into her eyes. 'Elsa's gone. My parents are gone' she thought to herself. Her big sister and her parents were gone forever and she never even had the chance to say goodbye.
Her head shot up as she heard the room door open and someone walked in. There she saw Hans with a first aid kit in hand, which he got without her realizing that he had left the room. He crouched next to her. He touched her wound and she hissed in pain.
"Does it still hurt?" He asked
"Oh no, it feels just dandy. You should try it sometime! A real 5-star experience!" Anna said shouting in his face.
"I was just asking, no need to be snippy. The wounds kinda deep. You'll need stitches." He said as he reached into the medical bag to retrieve the needle, stitching thread and some alcohol to disinfect the wound.
"Oh no, no, no, no!! There is no way in hell that I'm going to allow you to stitch up a wound!" Anna desperately tried to move the chair away from Hans and to get free for her bindings.
"Anna would you calm down! You're going to make your wound worse than it all ready is. Just sit still and trust me."
"And why should I trust you?! Last time I trusted you, you tried to kill my sister and Kris!"
"In my defense..."
"In your defense?!" Anna interrupt him. "What defense could you possibly have for all the crap you've done?!"
"Anna please, just calm down and let me..."
"It's because of your family that all of this happened! It's because of you, I almost lost everyone I love! It's because of your armies that I lost my best friend! It's because of you that my parents got killed!! It's because of you that Elsa's gone!! It's all your fault... It's all your fault...it's all your..." Anna's whole body shook as she was finally taken over by grief and she sobbed.
She bowed her head and she sobbed. She sobbed for Charles. She sobbed for her parents. She sobbed for the possibly fallen resistance and she sobbed for Elsa. Everything she had held near and dear to her was gone. She was alone.
She felt a pair of arms surround her but she didn't care. She just didn't care anymore. She was numb to the whole world. She wished for nothing but to be with her family right now.
They sat there in silence for a moment while Anna collected herself.
"You know, you comforting me doesn't make me hate you any less." Anna said as she lifted her head, trying to wipe her tears off with her shoulder. Hans released her for his embrace and went back to the medical bag.
"Back at ya." He said sterilizing the needle. "Okay so this might hurt a bit, well it will probably hurt a lot so just bit down on something."
Anna just nodded and bracing herself. She felt him steady her leg. She took a deep breath. She wanted to scream out in pain when she felt the needle enter her skin. After a few minutes pain and tears, of which wasn't only Anna's (Hans might have gotten a knee to the nose while stitches up the leg wound) finally finished and was packing up the medical bag, stood up and walked out the door but stopped and said over his shoulder.
"You know Anna, despite everything Elsa had done to you, she truly loved you and were lucky to have that. She was willing to fight to the death for you. None of my brothers would have thought twice of throwing me under a bus." With that he left.
Anna was finally alone with her thoughts. 'I have to get out of here.' she thought. 'I can't just sit here feeling sorry for myself. I have to get out of here and finish what Elsa started or at least try, I owe her that much.'
Knock, knock.
"Elsa? How is your studies coming along?" Agnarr knocked on her door. He heard a commotion on the other side of the door. "Elsa is everything alright?" He asked as he walked in through the door only to see Elsa throw something out the window and rushed to her desk as if she's been there the whole time.
"Everything is just fine, Papa."
"What were you doing just now?"
"I was studying." She lifted the book in front of her. "Economics and business studies, my favorite."
"Your book is upside down." He said with a deadpan tone.
"Oh."
"Elsa were you busy with that Resistance thing again?" She didn't meet his eyes. "Elsa I've told you to let that go and focus on your studies."
"But dad this is more important than studying."
"Getting yourself killed and possibly endangering your entire family is more important?"
"Dad.."
"No I don't want to hear anything. I've told Kai a million times not to talk about the Resistance in front of you and I've told you to stay away from all of that." He turned around heading to the door.
"People are dying dad. Don't you care about that?" He stopped in his tracks.
"Of course I care but it's none of my concern and it shouldn't be yours either. You're supposed to be studying so you can continue the family business and not end up like those living in the Towns."
"Like those living in the Towns? Dad those are good honest people who just didn't fit in with the ideals of the Order. They stood up for what they believed in.."
"And where did that get them? Hiding in the middle of the woods with a target on their backs."
"A target put there by the Order."
"Enough Elsa. This discussion is over."
"Dad, they.."
"I said enough Elsa! Enough of this conversation, enough of this talk about the Resistance! I will not stand by and watch you jeopardize everything this family built so you can live out a fantasy.."
"Fantasy?! Nothing about the Resistance is a fantasy! They're fighting for a better future for all of us! Not just for them but for those living in the City as well, so no one has to live in fear anymore. Only way we can live without fear and in peace is if the Order falls... "
" I said ENOUGH Elsa! " Agnarr yelled." You are no longer allowed to see Kai or Gerda and when Edward and Jason come over you are to stay in your room. Maybe if we can separate you from this nonsense you'll come to your senses and see the Order won't fall and the Resistance will be dead." He walked to the door.
"That's what the Order believes dad. You say you support the Resistance and you don't agree with the Order's ways but here you stand saying the Resistance is dead. Who's side are you truly on?"
"The side that will keep my family safe." He said as the door slammed behind him.
Elsa jerked awake. Her eyes began to focus to reveal she isn't in her room and her dad didn't just walk out of her room. She was in the back of the Jeep.
"Hey there sleepy head. Did you have a nice nap." She looked up at Jason's smiling face.
"Yeah." She said as she sat up out of Jason's arms.
"Well you have good timing lass because we're almost there." Red said from the drivers seat.
"Oh thank goodness. I'd rather do the tango with one of the soldiers than be trapped in this tin can of doom with mad Irish woman at the wheel for any longer."
Eugene complained.
"I'm Scottish, you roaster!"
"Whatever!"
"Wow, wow Red stop the car." Jason said as he moved in between the front seat and passenger seat.
"What's wrong?"
"Something isn't right... oh no."
"What?"
"The base is on lockdown. They know Anna's here. We have to move fast."
"Okay, we'll slit up. If they know Anna's here they'll be on high alert meaning our group would be to easy to find. Red, Rider, Rapps and Olaf you'll take the entire way we agreed on. Jason think you can get us in another way?"
"Sure."
"Elsa are you sure splitting up is a good idea? Remember what happened last time?" Olaf commented.
"Yes Olaf I remember vividly but if we go in as one big group we become one big target. It's better that we split up." Olaf nodded.He reached into his pocket.
"While you were in the hospital, I finally finished the new and improved communicators. It's smaller than the older version and the signal can't be intercepted by the Order." He handed everyone one. "When we find Anna we just call one another and get the hell out of here."
"Alright everyone, let's do this. We get in, get Anna and get out."
The team nodded their heads and they started getting out of the Jeep.
"Elsa are you sure you don't want take Rider or Red with you? You only have one arm and who knows how long that medicine will last before you and Kris double over in pain."
"We'll be fine Rapps." Kris reassured her.
She looked at him with a sceptical look but nodded.
"Be safe you guys." Elsa said.
"You too."
The two teams ran off in their respective directions.
"Hans what happened today?" Samuel asked with his back turned to Hans, just blankly staring at the wall.
"They over powered me."
"Overpowered you?" Samuel laughed. "You mean to tell me two unarmed women were able to overpower someone of your training and status? Pathetic."
"They caught me off guard."
"When exactly are you on guard Hans?" Samuel turned around. "First you get your ass handed to you by the sisters and now their mother and a middle age housewife."
"Don't underestimate them Samuel. Their capable of more than what you give them credit for."
"I don't underestimate them. I'm fully aware of the problems they can cause for us."
"More like problems we cause them." Hans mumbled.
"Are you defending them?" Samuel abruptly moved forward standing inches from Hans.
"I'm not defending anyone, I'm just thinking of how we can better the situation for us."
"And how exactly is that?"
"Loosen the grip on the people a little. Lift some of the laws. Lower the taxes..."
"You mean surrender? You mean give up everything our family worked for? Fought for? Sacrificed everything for?" Samuel's eyes were filled with rage.
"What? No. That's not what I meant at all. All I'm saying is if we loosen the reins a little, people might become more relaxed and not as willing to fight along the Resistance. We might be able to stop the Resistance if we just show some kind of mercy..." Samuel lunged at Hans and pinned him against the wall.
"You've gone soft brother." Hans could feel his breath on his face. "Showing mercy is showing weakness! And if you show weakness, your enemies will exploit it and you will fall. I will not allow the Order to fall!" He dropped Hans to the floor. " You've tested my patience long enough brother. When I return I will deal with you as I wanted to since the day you returned! To hell with Father's wishes!" He stormed out of the room leaving Hans on the floor.
Anna sat in the chair struggling against restraints. 'Come on!' She wiggled her arms and hands but she could not get free. She heard the door lock click.
Hans rushed in and with a swift move went in behind Anna, fiddling with the ropes.
"What are you doing?"
"Just hold still and be quiet." He ordered. After a minute or two Anna could feel her hands were free.
"Why are you doing this?"
"I need you to stop my brother." He untied her feet and walked toward the door.
"Where are you going?"
"I can't be seen helping you or near you. Look I honestly don't care if the Order or the Resistance wins this war, I just want to see my brothers fail."
"Are you just going to leave me here? I don't know if you've noticed but I can't exactly walk after your friend though it would be a good idea to play tag with a knife."
"That's your problem." He walked out of the room and dashed down the hall.
Anna looked at the door dumbfounded. 'How can someone do something that's selfless yet so selfish at the same time?'She struggled up for the chair she was once tied to and limped towards the door.
She looked up and down the hall to see a guard walking down the hall. She grabbed a random object that was within her reach and waited until the soldier was close enough.
He came closer and heard a whistle.
"Hey!" And she hit him over the head. When she was sure he was out cold, she grabbed his gun and hobbled down the hall.
"Were exactly are we supposed to start looking?" Sven asked looking around the hall.
"Well if the base is on lockdown, it means they haven't found her yet so she's not in the holding cells." Jason answered.
"So she could be anywhere in the base? Great."
"We'll just have to search this place top to bottom." Elsa said. She blinked her eyes repeatedly as a sudden wave of nausea and a feeling of unwell came over her. As soon as it appeared, it disappeared. "Hey Kris.."
"Yeah I felt that too, I think it's starting to wear off." Kris said shaking his head.
"Then we'll have to move quicker." Elsa order as they walked fast.
The group of four walked through hallway and hallway. Kris and Elsa in front while Jason and Sven covered their backs from the behind them.
The walked forward when Kris noticed a red streak on the floor leading into another hallway.
"Hey Els." He motioned with his head to the red streak. Elsa nodded and motioned for the other two to follow. They slowly rounded the corner aiming their guns.
When they came around they came face to face with a gun barrel pointing up at them.
At the other end of the gun was a small figure clutching her leg in one hand and pointing the gun at them with the other.
It took a moment for everyone to realize who they were pointing their guns too.
"Anna!" Elsa was the first to snap out of her daze and fell to the ground, moving closer to Anna.
"Elsa?" She looked confused. "I must have lost to much blood because I'm starting hallucinations. Elsa's not really here she's dead. I can put my hand right through.." Anna lifted her hand to prove to herself that Elsa wasn't really there but she felt something take a firm grip on her wrist.
"Anna, it's really me. I'm here." Elsa said.
"Elsa?" Anna gasped. She couldn't believe her eyes. "Elsa!" She dropped the gun and threw her arms around Elsa's neck. Elsa winced at the direct contact of her injury but didn't pull away. "Elsa you're here. You're really here! How? How are you alive?" Anna asked in between her sobs.
"I'm not completely sure how I survived. Maybe it was a bit of luck."
"But the crystal...it..it said you were dead."
"I hit the canyon walk on my way down. The crystals got shattered." Elsa explained. Anna and Elsa held each other in an embrace until Elsa realized that blood on Anna's leg. "Anna what happened?!" She shrieked.
"Oh this? It's not really. A soldier just thought it would be a good idea to store his knife in my leg."
"Someone stabbed you?!"
"Wow Elsa calm down, it's not so bad. See? It's already stitched up, quite badly I might say but it's fine."
"Can you stand?" Kris asked reminding the sisters that they weren't alone.
"Kris!" Anna exclaimed. Her eyes fell on the other two men in the hallway "Jason! Sven! Wait what? Sven?"
"Hey, there snowflake." Sven greeted.
"Can you walk Anna?" Elsa repeated Kris's question.
"If someone helps me, I can." Without a second thought, Elsa slipped her arm under Anna's and lifted her from the floor. She lifted Anna's arm around her shoulder and wrapped her arm around her waist.
"Okay, Sven radio Rapps that we found Anna and they can start heading out, we'll meet them in the woods, about eight miles away from here at the lake." He nodded and went off to contact the others.
"Hey Els, maybe I should take Anna so that you're shoulder doesn't..." Elsa shot Jason a look that read 'My sister. You touch, you die.' "Or never mind."
"Elsa what happened to you arm?" Anna asked only now realizing Elsa's arm in a sling.
"I fell down cliff." She answered plainly. "Come on, let's go."
Hey another chapter finished!
We're inching closer to the end. Thank you so much for the support. I appreciate each and every one of you.
Until next time :)