A/N: Okay, people. It's been a quick-ish update. You know what I'm sorta angry about? NO REVIEWS! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU! I ONLY GOT, LIKE, THREE REVIEWS! *pouts in corner* Does this mean I have to go back to threatening? Because I'll do it. I swear to God, I will do the 'if I don't get such and such views, I won't post the next chapter. :ppppp'. I'll do it. So review, and I won't have to xD. Anyway, enough about me. The story. This is an OC chapter, the next will be regular, then the one after that will be the last OC POV. K? K.
Alysia's POV
My feet move in tandem with the thumping bass. My hands streak through the air, twisting, flying, creating a story.
"Hey baby, nice moves," a man says from behind me, his alcohol breath fanning across my face. "Why don't you take the move that sweet ass back to my place." I swing my body around, still moving to the music.
"Not likely, baby," I hiss, moving away from him with a look of disgust. I don't come to clubs for creepy men to hit on me, much as it seems weird of me to say that. I come to escape the constant worry that someone will capture me. That I might not live to see the next day.
"Sorry, doll, but I don't think you have a choice." I freeze, feeling the gun press against my temple. There are screams around me from the other club-goers. There's a mad scramble to the door. "No one else needs to get hurt," the man whispers in my ear, licking my earlobe.
"The Division?" I breathe, slowly inching my hand down to the switch-blade I carry with me at my side.
"None other. But, if you're lucky, I might just keep you for myself." He sweeps my long black hair over my shoulder and presses his lips to the back of my neck. "You're too pretty to get rid of." My long fingers close around the knife and I flick it open, a little click of a sound. One smooth movement and I lodge the blade in the man's throat, kicking him to the floor, where he struggles to breath around the cool metal.
"I know." I say. I glance around; the club is empty, except for about ten people, obviously Division members, closing in around me.
"Now, now, Alysia. You're surrounded. Trying anything will get you killed," another man threatens, pointing his gun at me. I fill my lungs with air.
"EVERYBODY COVER YOUR E-" One of the member's warning shout gets cut off by my scream, so shrill it shatters the bottles of alcohol lining the bar, so strong it shakes the rafters of the building. All of the member fall to their knees, many with blood dripping out of their ears.
Without waiting to see if any of them made it, I dash from the dance floor, my heels thudding against the ground, my heart thumping a beat not unlike the one still gracing the club. I stagger up the steps and shove through the outside door, taking in deep gulps of the thick New York air.
"God, why?" I whine. "Why now?" I skid around a corner, diving into a doorway, and I hear footsteps streaking past me. "It's been three fucking years. I just got my life back on track." I take a deep breath, look both ways, and start down the alley I'm in, the opposite of the footsteps I still hear.
"Hey, lady, get your own squat," a scruffy man shouts at me when I accidentally tread on his fingers.
"Sorry, sorry, just, please, be quiet," I plead.
"Don't tell me to be quiet, missy!" The homeless man staggers to his feet, absolutely thundering now. "I don't know why you young kids nowadays think you can walk all over-" I happen to glance down to the mouth of the alley and see two men in suits stopped, watching us.
"Shit," I mutter. "Cover your damn ears," I tell the homeless man, then let loose another scream, shards of glass from the windows of the faceless buildings raining down on me. I don't bother seeing if I got the Division idiots; instead, I race down to the end of the alley, through a random doorway, and out into a street I didn't recognize. I keep running, weaving through alleys and side streets and abandoned buildings until I reach a safe-house I remember from when I first arrived here.
"Elsa?" I whisper at the door. It swings open to reveal the robust woman, who gathers me up in her warm embrace.
"Oh, Miss Alysia, we wuh vehwy wohwied about you!" Elsa says. I'm not sure where she's from, exactly, but she can't pronounce 'r's to save her life. "Please, please, come in, deah." She pushes me in the cozy little house, making a complete scan of the street before closing the door behind her and bolting it shut.
"I'm sorry for intruding. It'll only be for one night." I scrutinize the dingy apartment, trying to find somewhere clean enough for me to sit. I settle for a perch on the counter-top.
"Nonsense. My house is yoh house." Elsa bustles around the small kitchen, preparing whatever she was preparing before I showed up.
"Late night guests?" I ask with a tinge of curiosity. When I lived with Elsa, people were always popping in and out, usually the most intriguing people.
"Yes, as a mattuh of fact. Just awwived a few moments ago. He's in the showah now." Now that she mentions it, I can hear the gentle woosh of the shower.
"He?" I ask. Yeah, I'm running from the Division as we speak, but there's always time for a little bit of action. Don't hate. Just as I am about to interrogate Elsa a little more thoroughly, the water shuts off. There is a bit of scuffling, then the door opens, revealing a boy, in his late teens. He's a pudgy Chinese kid. Too bad. (A/N I hope everyone knows that the author of this fic in no way condones prejudice in finding someone attractive, and this is simply the character! :D)
"Hello." I say blandly, turning back to Elsa. "Now, I don't suppose you have a little extra room, do you?"
Elsa looks at me disapprovingly. "Alysia, this is Zhao. Zhao, Alysia." I wave briefly. Come on, Elsa, get a hint. I'm more interested in talking to you right now.
"Room?" I remind, irate.
"You can have yoh old bed. Unfohtunately, foh you, Zhao will be shahwing the woom."
I roll my eyes. "That's absolutely wonderful."
"Please, don't be wude." Elsa scolds.
"I hope you don't snore." I shoot Zhao a look. He just shrugs.
"Not that I know of." I stifle a laugh. Is that really his voice? He seems to notice me biting back my laughter, for his lip quirks up knowingly. "Division?" He asks, rubbing furiously at his hair with a towel.
"Mmhmm. You?" I only answer because of the fear I acquire from Elsa's death glare.
"Yep. My sister and I are Bleeders."
"I'm a Bleeder, too," I say with a touch of surprise.
"You don't look like one," Zhao sneers, looking me up and down.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, nothing." And now he won't answer any of my proddings. Well. Rude, much?
After more pleasantries, I plod off to bed, plopping down on top of it without taking off my clothes. No way am I going to be naked in a room with a fug.
The door opens, and Zhao slips in. He sits on the edge of my bed. "Excuse me, Alysia?" He asks in his ridiculously high-pitched voice. I stiffen.
"Yes?" Who knew one word could drip with so much venom?
"I have a proposition for you."
A/N Wow, that was bad, and a fail of a cliffhanger...But the next one has Cassie and Nick and the gang. Yay. *deadpans* So. Srsly. I'm threatening to threaten if I don't get more reviews. I can't get better if no one tells me what I'm doing wrong. Don't worry, I can take it. And I wouldn't mind a beta reader. *hint hint*