A/N: Happy New Year! Shit, 2016 already, huh?
Okay, so updates will still be happening, since I feel horrible for announcing a sequel when I knew I wouldn't have that much time to update. ANYWAYS, like I said before, updates will still be happening, but not as frequently as you expect. Probably monthly or bi-monthly updates, I don't know. I'll make time when I can. Thank you to the people who still stuck with me, despite how much of a shitty person I am for leaving you guys out to dry.
And if you suddenly see a lot of changes in the chapters, I'm doing a lot of editing since I prefer writing in past tense rather than present, so yeah. :P
I feel like I've improved a lot in terms of my writing style these past months because of constant practice, but if you ever wanna talk to me or see what I'm up to; drop a PM in my inbox or drop by on my Wattpad profile since I'm a lot more active there (than I ever will be here)! XD
Sorry to keep you guys waiting, but as always, enjoy!
"Why are you here?" Marlene asked us, casting glances to each of us, one by one.
I chewed on my bottom lip when I looked over at Tess, her response fairly smooth, "Business." Tess shot a glance at Marlene's hand, bloody and pressed against the side of her abdomen. "You aren't looking so hot," she said in an attempt to make things a little less tense.
Marlene scoffed, looking around briefly until she turned towards us again, asking us, "Where's Robert?"
I gave exchanged a quick look with Dad, sucking in air through my teeth as I watched Tess step away from Robert's bludgeoned body, the blood circling his head still pooling towards our feet on the floor. I stepped away briskly because blood was pretty hard to clean on shoes. The way Tess waved her hand at Robert's body was as if he was on display at some sort of exhibition.
Marlene let out a cold and dry laugh, shaking her head in disbelief when she said to us, "I needed him alive."
"The guns he gave you," I told her, my arms still crossed over my chest as I leaned against the brick wall behind me, "they weren't his to sell. We want 'em back, Marlene."
Marlene shook her head at, still remaining stationary, "Doesn't work like that, Mel."
"The hell it doesn't," I hissed at her, waiting for an answer that wasn't evading what I'd told her.
"First off, I paid for those guns. If you want 'em back, you're gonna have to earn 'em." Marlene snapped, taking careful steps towards us. She directed her response more towards me this time. "Second, I don't remember you being so civil to me the last time we spoke. Did Tess and Joel here put you on a dog leash or something? You still seem pretty salty about what I did to-"
"Yes, I'm still fucking salty about what you did to her." I hissed at Marlene angrily, my mind drifting to the day she gave Ellie up for foster care. "Anna would never forgive you for-"
"Enough," Tess snapped at us, but her gaze lingered on me for longer. "Whatever she did to you in the past, you'll have to let go of for now, Mel." Tess turned to look at Marlene, and continued talking, hesitation lacing her words, "How many cards are we talking about?"
Marlene snorted at Tess, shaking her head when she answered, "I don't give a damn about ration cards." The expression on her face hardened, "I need something smuggled out of the city." I couldn't help but roll my eyes at that, Marlene was one of the most notorious of Fireflies in Boston, Lord knows how much her head would be worth if I shot her here and now. "You do that – I'll give you your guns back, and then some."
"How do we know you got 'em?" Dad asked her, crossing his arms over his chest as he stepped towards her. "Way I hear it, the military's been wipin' you guys out." The light the Fireflies once promised us was dimming significantly these past few years, considering I was an ex-Firefly myself. I watched on the sidelines as they began to crumble and collapse. Without the yellow uniform, I was simply another 'weak civilian in need of saving'. Fuck that shit. My gaze burned through her, awaiting her reply.
"You're right about that." Marlene gave us a sad smile, mainly to show us how vulnerable she was at the moment. "I'll show you the weapons."
"Search the area," a communicator not too far from where we were announced.
I looked at Tess, cursing, "What the hell do we do?"
Marlene backed up a few steps, knowing we had only two options: A) Follow Marlene to where the guns were and B) Take off and leave Marlene for dead without the guns. "What's it gonna be?" Marlene asked us, pressuring us to make a move before the soldiers got to us.
I sighed in frustration, looking towards Dad and Tess for their opinions.
"We better see those guns."
"Whoa.." I said as we stood on the roof, looking towards the source of the explosion coming from a couple miles away, "The Fireflies.."
Tess looked over at Marlene, her eyebrows scrunched up as she asked, "Are those your people?"
Marlene scoffed, her breathing becoming heavier as she held on to her abdomen. "What's left of them."
Once we'd gotten past the soldiers in the area, we'd reached a kitchen of sorts, the shelves barren other than the filthy looking pots lying on them. A frozen clock hung on the wall, stuck at 10 past 10 for God knows how long. "Mel, give me a hand with this," Marlene said to me, as she pressed her hand against the door handle. The door was stuck, considering it hasn't been opened as often as it was since before the Cordyceps hit. We pushed the door open together, Marlene tumbling forward and landing on the floor.
"Whoa-whoa," I said to Marlene, grabbing onto her arms and helping her up. "Take it easy-"
A flash of red appeared, and when I say red, I mean bright red – ginger hair that reminded me of my, now dead, best friend. "Get the fuck away from her!" A girl jumped me as soon as I stood up, her hand clutching a switchblade that looked familiar, aiming it at my face.
"Oi!" I yelled, grabbing the girl's wrist, still holding onto the switchblade that nearly stabbed my eye out. "Get this fucking thing out of my face, kid." I seethed, glaring at her, still struggling against my grip. I was met by bright green eyes, the very same green eyes that I saw before Anna.. "What the-" I sputtered, my mouth opening and closing as I stared at her, gaping like a fish. The girl's face was pale, freckles dotting her nose and cheeks. A small nose, small lips, a scar on her right eyebrow. She looked frighteningly like..
No. It couldn't be.
"Let her go," Marlene said to me, her tone gentle. I wasn't sure what the pain in her voice was coming from – either her wounds or the fact that the girl standing in front of me was who I thought it was.
Dad looked over at me, confused by the look on my face, "You're recruiting kinda young, don't you think?" Dad asked, turning to Marlene.
"She's not one of mine," she answered efficiently.
I had trouble swallowing altogether, my throat closing up when I saw the girl standing in front of me, running towards Marlene and aiding her. "Marlene, what kind of fucking trick is this?" I hissed at her, clenching my jaw when I realized who the girl was.
"I've made up for my mistakes. I took her back."
"Yeah, when?" I scoffed, in awe and totally appalled by her answer. "Yesterday?"
"Three weeks ago."
"Well-!" I choked out, my throat dry. "How is that any different? We promised Anna that we'd take care of her, and now-"
"Save your whining for later, Melanie."
"Do you have any idea how long I've been looking for her?" I seethed, my hands shaking uncontrollably, my body trembling because of the anger boiling up inside me. "I spent years looking for Ellie, and she fucking vanished out of the foster system. I couldn't bare thought of her being-"
Tess grabbed ahold of my arm, shooting me a look.
Don't lose it, Mel. Hang in there.
My temper was basically on a leash, thanks to Dad and Tess; I'd become better at controlling my emotions, but not by much. Enough to make sure I didn't throttle the person that annoyed me, enough to make sure I didn't murder everyone I made eye contact with.
I scoffed, shoving my hands in my pockets when Dad and Tess agreed on the deal being made with Marlene.
"Don't be long," Dad said to Tess, "Mel, you're comin' with me. And you," Dad told Ellie pointedly, "stay close."
A/N: ELLIE'S HEREEE ;)
Like I said, monthly to bi-monthly updates, guys.
Alrighty, see you around! :D
-LGGH AKA Atticus
