Chapter 24
December 30th, 2309
It was night time, everyone in the palace was fast asleep. Apart from officers doing the night patrol. They walked around the grounds awaiting for intruders.
It was really dark out, so it seemed as if no one was around for miles.
The front gates were closed and two officers were keeping guard. But little did they know, someone was watching them.
Suddenly, a bang sound was heard and the officer on the right side of the gates collapsed, he had been shot!
The guard on the left turned to check but then a man sneaking up behind him shot him in the back of the head.
Inside Michelle was sleeping in her bed, when she suddenly shot up when she heard a banging sound.
Quickly she climbed out of bed. Her room was facing the front yard of the palace and when she looked outside, she saw at least a dozen men walking across the driveway.
Michelle gasped and quickly raced downstairs.
A knock was heard on the door and a doorman was walking to the door.
Michelle stood in place on the stairway.
"No, don't!" she cried.
But it was too late.
Just as the doorman opened the door a shot fired and the doorman fell on his back dead.
Some of the rebels walked in.
Michelle screamed and raced back up the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her.
She ran down the hallway to Holliday's room as the alarm went off.
"Holliday! Holliday!" she shouted pounding on the door before opening it on her own.
Holliday rubbed her eyes as she sat up in her bed.
"What's all the fireworks Michelle?" she asked tiredly. "And why are the alarms going off?"
"The rebels are attacking!" exclaimed Michelle.
"What!?" cried Holliday shooting up.
The two girls ran out of the room quickly, but not before Holliday quickly grabbed her pastel pink robe and threw it on.
The halls were very chaotic, officers and servants were running in different directions shouting and panicking.
Michelle and Holliday ran into the safe room. The royal family and most of the other girls were already there, including the quartet.
"Are you two ok?" asked James.
"Just about" sighed Michelle.
Michelle wasn't just worried about herself she was worried for everyone in the palace. But at the same time, she knew some people were good as surviving the rebels. Eights like Riley, Leanne and Tiifu had street survival smarts, so they would know great places to hide during rebel attacks.
Just then Tiifu came running in, her left shoulder was covered in blood!
"Tiifu!" one of the girls in the selection cried.
"Are you alright?" exclaimed Kasha.
"I hid in the kitchens," explained Tiifu. "But two of the rebels found me, I've knocked them out with a frying pan. One of them shot me in the shoulder, but luckily it wasn't the one that I used to hold the frying pan and I knocked him out in time before he could shoot me again."
Just then an officer came up.
"Your majesty!" he cried.
"What's wrong?" asked Taylor.
"It's lady Giselle, the rebels have gotten her!"
James and Michelle both looked horrified.
The two quickly ran off.
They reached the grand hallway. It was still a bit chaotic, but not as bad as it had been.
James and Michelle saw a man running off with Giselle screaming in a muffled way as his hand was covering her mouth.
"Giselle!" cried Michelle.
James came up to an officer.
"Gather some of the officers," he ordered. "We're going after them."
"As you command your highness" said the officer.
Michelle felt very worried for Giselle.
"I'm coming too" she declared.
"No," cried James. "You'll get hurt or even killed out there."
"Well so could you," said Michelle firmly. "And a good queen would help her people. And Giselle needs my help. So, I'm going."
James and Michelle helped the officers gather vehicles and then James joined the head officer up front and Michelle climbed in the backseat and they drove off with two other cars behind them.
They believed the rebels were hiding out in the countryside. So, they drove out there.
"Okay," instructed the head officer. "Everybody spread out, but keep your guns around and down let you're guard down, they were armed remember."
Michelle walked through the countryside trying to be brave. But the country as we all know, is opened space, so there wasn't really anywhere to hide. So she felt a bit nervous as she was vulnerable.
Just then at the bottom of a hillside was a rundown cottage.
"That must be their hideout" said Michelle to herself.
She walked down the hill and tiptoed up to the cottage. She peered in through the window.
Inside what looked like the living room four men were talking. The oldest looked like he was in his late 40s and the leader of the group.
"What are we gonna do with the girl boss?" asked one of the rebels.
"Since she's part of the selection," said the leader. "We could hold her for ransom, or if the prince is looking for her, we'll kill both her and the prince."
Just then a fifth man walked into the room. He looked like a young adult, not around Michelle's age but in his early 20s.
"Is the girl tied up Calvin?" asked the leader.
"Yes boss" said the man called Calvin.
Just then another rebel turned and saw Michelle.
"Boss, look!" he cried.
The four rebels took off outside, Michelle turned around to see them.
"Well, well, well," taunted one. "Another girl. I think she's part of the selection too, can't things get any luckier?"
Two others grabbed Michelle by the arms. Michelle tried to break free, but then the leader of the group pointed a gun at Michelle which made her stop.
"Don't make a move or else…" he warned.
They all went back inside the cottage. The leader still pointing his gun at Michelle.
"Calvin," said the leader. "Take her upstairs with the other girl."
"Yes boss" said Calvin dismissively.
He took Michelle upstairs.
Inside a room, Michelle saw Giselle her arms tied behind her back.
"Michelle?" cried Giselle. "What are you doing here?!"
"Well I was trying to rescue you," said Michelle. "But it looks like we both need rescuing."
"You got that right" retorted Calvin tying Michelle up.
"You don't seem so bad Calvin" said Michelle.
Calvin looked surprised.
"What's a young man like you doing with the rebels?" asked Michelle.
"I've always been an outcast in Illea," sighed Calvin. "My parents died and I'm basically an eight. Which is pretty much why I'm a rebel."
Michelle and Giselle both felt sorry for Calvin.
"You know," said Giselle. "Our queen was an eight too and her parents have died. But you never know just how much life can change for some people. And I know how it feels too, my mother also died."
"Why are you two being so nice?" asked Calvin a bit defensively. "My boss and friends have kidnapped you two, tried to kill you and attacked the palace!?"
"Like queen Dinette says," said Michelle. "Everyone deserves a little kindness."
Calvin thought for a minute and then left.
Meanwhile James and two of the other officers were scouting and calling for Giselle.
"Your highness," said one officer. "Are you sure we should've let lady Michelle go in her own direction?"
"I'm sure she's fine," said James. "After standing up to Emily I think she could fight a rebel too."
But he had his doubts deep inside.
Just then there was a voice.
"Hey!" called the voice.
James and the officers turned around to face a man. But he had his arms in the air.
"I know where the girls you're looking for are" he said.
"Who are you?" asked James suspiciously.
"Calvin your highness," said the man. "My boss, Robert Wisto and some of the other rebels that attacked the palace tonight have the girls in our abandoned cottage."
"Why are you telling us where they are?" asked James.
"Let's just say, one of your girlfriends are very persuasive to get people to do the right thing," said Calvin. "She gave me a change of heart."
"Where is it?" asked James.
"I think you will lead us" said the officer grabbing Calvin by the shoulder.
Back in the cottage, Michelle and Giselle were talking.
"Michelle," said Giselle. "You're a good friend."
"Really?" asked Michelle.
"Yeah, you tried to save me" said Giselle.
"I don't think the quartet would've" retorted Michelle.
"I know," sighed Giselle. "Emily and her friends only want to be my friends because I'm an aristocrat. They don't seem like friends. Not the ones I want."
"James and the officers are looking for you too," said Michelle. "I'm sure they'll find us."
Calvin lead James and the officers to the cottage.
"That's the place" he said.
"Let's get them" said James.
The rebels were inside the kitchen joking and laughing when suddenly the front door burst open.
"Police put your hands in the air!" shouted an officer.
Robert's three cronies got up with their own guns so the officers shot first as many times as they could and while they shot, Robert snuck out the back door.
When all the banging stopped and the smoke cleared, James and the officers looked to see all three men on the floor dead.
James and another one of the officers went upstairs and opened the door and found Michelle and Giselle tied up.
"James!" both girls cried.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"We're fine" replied Michelle.
"Well fineish," added Giselle. "Apart from getting kidnapped and tied up, we're alright."
James and the officers helped untied.
As officers searched around the cabin, James noticed the guns the rebels had, they didn't look like regular guns that rebels would use. They looked like the fancy type that only the guards of wealthy people owned.
I wonder if count Neilson gave those rebels those guns thought James to himself.
He then decided it was best to take Michelle and Giselle home.
It was dawn by the time they got back to the castle. Taylor, Dinette and count Neilson were waiting.
"What's going on?" asked count Neilson.
"The rebels during an attack last night kidnapped me," explained Giselle. "But James and Michelle saved me."
Giselle turned to the king and queen and curtseyed.
"Michelle has what it takes to be queen someday your majesties" she said. And then she walked inside.
Both Michelle and Giselle failed to see the dark look on count Neilson's face as they left.
"One of the rebels told us where to find them," James. "He's being taken into custody until trial."
"Good James, and well done for rescuing Giselle," said Taylor. "We need to discuss the damage the rebels have done in the attack."
With that the royal family went inside.
That night, count Neilson drove back out to the countryside. He found Robert Wisto sitting at a campfire.
"We need to talk" said count Neilson catching Robert's attention.
"Oh really?" he said sarcastically. "What about?"
"When I told you to kidnap any of the selecteds in the selection, I did not mean my daughter!" he snapped.
"Really?" huffed Robert. "You didn't tell us which one was your daughter. You should really be more specific."
"I offered you and your group a place in Illea when I become king and this is how you thank me?!" snapped count Neilson.
Robert was cross.
"Well you owe us more now," he argued. "Most of my friends are dead or in prison now because of the stunts you wanted us to pull!"
"Well your about to join them" taunted count Neilson.
He pulled out a gun and before Robert could do anything, count Neilson shot him between the eyes and he dropped down dead.
Count Neilson smirked and headed back to his car.
Author's note; that's chapter 24, and it looks like Giselle is finding a friend in Michelle don't you think?
P.S. do you think the chapter's a little rushed? If it is, sorry about that, I just wanted to get this one done.