A/N I've just realised that the wrong chapter was here on the story and I'm really sorry about that! Anyway, here is the chapter. Thanks for reading!

1.

"What the hell is all that noise?"

Jared storms into the kitchen clearly in one of his little moods. He's been a bit on edge lately but for once he actually had a point. What was that noise? The caves were silent as everyone listened together for the sound he spoke of. I could briefly make out the sound of cars and a helicopter I think. Seekers! That's definitely not a good sign! What if they're looking for us? Maybe they know how many of us there is here so they came in large numbers. But even then it still sounds like too many. We were all or most of us at least, sitting around the tables just chatting but now we're all panicking. Life in the caves has never exactly been easy so we often have to be very on edge for the slightest sounds and things that could get us caught. Basically we've all evolved into very cautious creatures.

"The mirrors!" Shouts Uncle Jeb.

I sprint through the caves to the fields with Jeb at my side. I don't know who else is helping us but at this point the priority is just to get them turned. If there's helicopters circling the place they might spot the reflective surface of our mirrors that we use to help the crops grow inside the caves so we don't have to go outside. That's another one of Jeb's grand ideas that's saved all our lives although right now it might just go the opposite way. The point is, if they see it then they'll come investigate this area and probably kill us all. We've come close to being caught before but with this many seekers…I don't want to think about the possibilities there. When we reach the field my eyes focus in on my target – the wheel for turning the mirrors away from the sunlight. I run at my best over to the wheel and begin turning it with ease. Over time, I'd say- modestly of course –I've built up quite the muscles from all my hard daily labour here in the caves. Anyways, I'm joined by Ian to help me turn them even quicker and I can hear the helicopter overhead now; the pressure's on. We go quickly and efficiently. On the other wheel are Wanda and Ian's brother, Kyle. We all finish at relatively the same time and clearly just in time. That was definitely a close one. We all sigh in relief.

Ian turns to me and asks quizzically, "What's going on out there?"

I simply shrug in response.

"We should go and check it out."

"We?" I'm not usually allowed to go out especially when it's considered dangerous.

"Me, you if you want and Kyle?" He gives his brother a questioning look and gets a nod in response. "Ok. Me, you and Kyle."

"What about Jared?"

"He's been a bit…moody lately." I couldn't agree more.

"Come on then. You better be quick before Mel finds out. She'd kill the both of us!" I laugh because that's exactly what she'd do.

We walk back through the darkened caves quickly and swiftly whilst grabbing supplies as we go. I'm handed a pair of binoculars to which I'm quite disappointed by – I didn't even get a weapon like him and Kyle. Not fair. I don't complain though as they are risking their own hides for me here. When we reach the edge of the cave I look back briefly and I can't help but smile at actually getting out of the caves again for once. Believe me it's a rare occasion when I, Jamie Stryder, get to leave the caves. We walk slowly and carefully so that we don't run into any trouble and I'm surprised the guys aren't being more protective of me. I mean, yes, I am seventeen now but you wouldn't believe the safety crap I hear every day! I have Ian walking in front of me and Kyle behind me, both with their guns at the ready in case of any trouble we may encounter. They crouch a little and duck behind their little spying rock so I join them and pull my binoculars up from around my neck. What I see is something very confusing and unnerving. I even hear Kyle gasp from my left at what we're beholding.

"What the-?" Ian trails off in shock.

There are about thirty silver seeker cars all speeding down the road together and about five helicopters encircling the area. There are even some seeker cars driving on the desert ground. It's the weirdest sight but the oddest thing about it is that there's nothing else there just seekers. No humans, no rebels, no target, just seekers. I just sit and stare as they speed down in formation and the helicopters start to overtake them and descend onto the road. That's when I see it. One of the cars isn't with the others; they're perusing one of their own cars. But even so, why are there so many? If they knew we were here they wouldn't bring that many and there are about thirty of us here. Who's driving that damned car? Is it a soul 'gone native' like Wanda? Three of the helicopters touch the road while the other two hover protectively. I feel myself lean forwards slightly with excitement. Suddenly the car being chased does a sharp turn off the road and into the desert but their escape plan doesn't go down well. In a flash, all the Seeker vehicles are surrounding the lonesome car. I hold my breath. The tension rises. Who is it that's caused so much chaos?

"What's going on?"

"I don't know Kyle. I know about as much as you do." I say with exasperation.

We wait again in silence. I see a figure emerge from the vehicle very slowly almost carefully and they're in the signature seeker suit or at least they were until another rips it from their skin leaving them in nothing but a long t-shirt. It's definitely a female but I can't make out any significant features even with my binoculars. Confidently she makes her way from the car and into a crowd of seekers who recently appeared from their vehicles too. They all stand around her in a ring with guns. The weapons really catch my attention because most seekers didn't carry guns; they didn't believe in violence. That's part of the reason they took over this place and fear us humans so much. I mean, seekers are different to the rest of the souls in that they are more violent if necessary but still. Is it necessary in this circumstance? Is she that dangerous? I can't make out their words but I think they're telling her to put her hands up and surrender or something because that's what she appears to be doing. It's clear that there's no way she's getting out of this situation since she's completely surrounded and the majority of them have guns pointed at her. Out of nowhere, she removes her hands from behind her head and raises them in almost a motion of protest. Perhaps she's fighting back or something.

"What the hell?"

I completely ignore Kyle this time. My eyes are focused on the scene unravelling before us. Although, he does have a point. This is most likely the oddest spectacle any of us have ever seen and believe me we've seen a lot. Now the girl is moving around a bit as if she's yelling something in their faces. Then she goes back to the centre and kneels down as if in defeat. Just as I suspect they might actually take her away she stands up again.

"Maybe we should go back to the others and explain what's going on." Ian suggests.

"There's a slight flaw in your plan there," I pause, "We don't know what's going on."

He thinks for a second, "Fine. I think we should go back anyway."

"What?!"

"Look Jamie they're not looking for us so it's not our problem."

"Not our problem? We all know that that is probably a person down there and therefore it is our problem. There's not many of us left so how can you just abandon one?! We need to act human for once guys!" I snap back.

He sighs, "How can we help?" This time he's backed down and sounds almost defeated as if he did actually want to do something. I turn back to the scene. We can't just leave. How can we?

"Come on kid." Kyle says simply. Fine. I unconvincingly comply.

We start the trek back to the caves on that hot desert walkway and I think we all agree that it's the right thing to do. One life for about thirty? It only seems fair. It's what Jared and Mel would do. But is it what Jeb would do? I am close to turning back when we hear an unmistakable sound that sends chills down my spine and guilt through my system.

The sound of a gunshot. That's what actually gets us to turn around. It echoes through the empty land and rings in my ears but I could identify that sound anywhere. All three of us simultaneously whip around and focus on the scene below. I don't even really look at it until I notice that I'm running. I am sprinting right into the massacre probably to meet my own death yet such realization doesn't even get me to slow my pace. Hearing the shouts of the brothers I've left behind doesn't stop me either. I don't even bother to wonder whether they may be following me after all they most likely are. Mel will literally skin them alive if anything happens to me. My eyes finally drift to the scene and what I see almost makes me stop with absolute shock for it's not what I'd imagined. The girl is fighting them off and one-by-one they're going down. She's the one who shot the gun not them! A sense of dejavu courses through me at the sight and my mind slips back to the night in the warehouse and the girl who rescued me…

It can't be?! But it looks uncannily like her. I mean I'm still ages away, maybe I'm wrong. This just makes me run with curiosity now as well as my keen need to help her. Then again, if it is the girl I believe it is then she'll be just fine like last time. Although, there's a lot more seekers here this time. I hear the pounding sound of footsteps behind me and I know it's them coming to stop me but I just can't let them do that. I keep running.

More gunshots rip through the air and each shatters my façade just as well as the previous. None of them hit her and none of them kill the Seekers either as they're all in somewhere like the foot or shoulder. Suddenly, another gunshot sounds but this one's different. This one makes my heart stop beating as it hits her in the shoulder. Then another shoots her side and she just looks perplexed for a moment. But then she starts to fall.

She starts to move away as if trying to go somewhere but she must know it's pointless. This is where I should stop trying to help her but I keep going. I'm closer now and I sprint my heart out as I cross the deserted sand barrier before me. The Seekers are down and so is she. She stopped moving as she reached the car she arrived in. Leaning against it doesn't seem to help her weak legs take her as they soon give out on her and she collapses to the ground. Hopeless.

That's when I reach her and I immediately crouch beside her. Those familiar green eyes look up at me again but this time they don't have any light left in them. She's dying slowly. Against her wishes, I scoop her up in my arms and start moving swiftly away. She kicks and hisses against my grip and I try my best not to touch anywhere that may hurt her. She's still a fighter even with the injuries as she attempts to escape my firm grasp. I feel her slowly getting weaker until eventually she stops fighting me because the energy wore her out. Her breathing is sharp against my skin and I realise I need to get her to Doc before it's too late. We start making our way across the desert and I try to be speedy about it as I head for the path I came down. But I'm stopped quite quickly by too stern faces.

"Jamie put her down." Kyle says.

"No. She's dying! We need to get her to Doc!" I argue frustrated.

They put their hands up to block my way. It won't stop me though.

"Look, if that many Seekers wanted her, do you not think more will come?" Ian argues.

"Yes and that's why we have to get her away!"

"No that's why we have to leave her here. Think about it kid! They seemed pretty determined back there so who says they're not going to search this whole land for her. And if they do that who are they going to find? Us."

It's a compelling argument but I refuse to abandon her here. I know what I'm going to do but it won't be easy with these two. I suppose it's good that I've gotten a lot bigger and faster in recent years. Pretending to back down is my way around them. I look as if ready to place her gently back on the ground to their relief. However, just as they appear to have let their guard down, I shuffle her back into my arms and dart right past them heading straight to the caves. They follow immediately and they get pretty close to me but determination drives me on.

"Hey come on kid, stop!"

I really wish the caves weren't so far from the main road! My feet begin to get weary from running across the hot flat strip for so long. I end up stumbling on a few rocks but I manage to travel relatively injury free. When I see the caves up ahead I know it's too late for them. Once Doc sees the condition of this girl then he'll be sure to take my side. I check down on the girl whilst running and she's still breathing but the blood is really coming fast now.

Finally I reach the cave and I sprint right through the entrance, past Mel and Wanda's old jail of a hole, and right down the tunnels. I hear Ian and Kyle's feet pound the ground behind me as they follow. I'm in pursuit of Doc's part of the cave, not caring for the looks I receive, but something makes all of us stop running.

"Why the hell is my baby brother holding a half-naked bleeding girl?!"

A/N Did you like that? I hope so. Thanks for reading, and I'd love a review thanks!

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