Chapter Twenty-three- When Things Get Worse

Kelly was wrong. Things did get worse.

"No! He can't do that!" Pocahontas screamed at Samuel Smith.

"He's the king, and he can do anything he wants." He replied.

"He can't do that! He's already ordered John's death and now he cancels his meeting with us! All because I'm different!" Pocahontas screamed again.

"He can do anything he wants, whenever he wants. He's the…" Peter started.

"King. I know, I know." Pocahontas said sarcastically. She sat down and sighed. She was angry. She, to be blatant, hated King James. She turned on her heel and walked outside. Thomas and Nakoma looked at each other and ran after her. Wendy and Peter looked at them. They had known Pocahontas longer and maybe they could calm her down.

"Pocahontas! Wait! Where are you going?" Nakoma called, Thomas right at her heels.

"I don't know." Pocahontas snapped, but Nakoma wasn't taken aback by her sudden outburst. Pocahontas was just worried. Worried that the king wouldn't speak to her at all and she would have to return home to be forced to watch John die.

"You can't just go out like this! You don't know your way around!" Thomas said between gasps for air, finally catching up to Pocahontas and Nakoma.

"Well, I need to calm down. I have to. If I don't, well, let's just say the king won't like me very well." Pocahontas said, smiling for the first time that day. She, Nakoma and Thomas had the woods by then on the outskirts of London. Pocahontas and her friends continued to walk past the woods, Meeko, Percy and Flit by their side. Suddenly, Percy stopped and growled. Pocahontas suddenly heard a twig snap. She stopped and turned towards Percy.

"What is it, Percy?" She asked. Percy snarled in the direction of the woods. Suddenly, Pocahontas caught sight of a man and something shiny…he had a gun!

"RUN!" Pocahontas shrieked. She, Nakoma, and Thomas took off running back to Thomas's house. The shadowy figure shot at them, but missed. Peter swung open the door. He and the others had heard the gunshot. Kelly had grabbed Carrie from the floor and rushed her to the pantry, where Kelly pulled Wendy as well. There, the three huddled. George, Peter and Samuel were ready to fight. They all ran outside.

"Pocahontas! Nakoma! Thomas! Hurry!" Peter called. The three friends ran inside and stopped to catch their breath as Samuel and George went to find the gunman.

"Wendy! Open the door! It's Pocahontas and Nakoma!" Peter called. Pocahontas shook her head. She wasn't going in there. She wasn't going to hide from the person who had just shot at her and her friends. Shooting at her was one thing, but shooting at her friends was taking it too far.

"Pocahontas! Come on!" Nakoma called She was already hiding with Kelly, Wendy and Carrie in the closet. Pocahontas shook her head. There was no way… Nakoma reached out and grabbed her friend and dragged her into the closet to hide from the gunman.

"Let me go, Nakoma, let me go!"

"Pocahontas, no! That man was aiming for you! You have to hide!" Nakoma insisted. Pocahontas stopped struggling against her best friend. Carrie was crying.

"It's OK, Carrie, it's OK." Kelly said, trying to sooth the small girl. Finally, someone knocked on the door.

"Mum! It's me!" Thomas called. Kelly sighed a sigh of relief and opened the door.

"Thomas! What happened?" She asked.

"We were walking beside the woods and someone shot at us. Don't worry; Peter and Dad are taking him to the Tower."

"Where's Samuel Smith?" Pocahontas asked, looking around.

"I don't know." Thomas answered. "He disappeared when we caught the gunman."

A/N- Where has that darn Samuel Smith gone to? Stay tuned and find out! Please review!