Alice

The Officials took us out of the room with Nero and Shun, and dumped us in one of the headquarters' many interrogation rooms. Once all of us were inside, they left and locked the door behind them. Dan scrambled up to his feet and hit his fist against the door.

"Let us out!" he shouted. I was sitting on the floor when the others started to wake. Runo's eyes were the first to open. She raised her head slightly and looked around the room, probably as confused as I was when the drugs started to wear off. "Wh-where am I?" Her voice grabbed Dan's attention, and he abandoned opening the door and ran over to her side.

"Runo, thank heavens you're awake. What did they do to you?" he said as he knelt down beside her. He helped her sit upright and she rubbed her hand with her hand as if she had a headache. "I remember being asleep near the fence cause we were waiting for you guys to come back, then we woke up and found two Officials standing in front of us. They captured us then injected us with something."

I jumped in the conversation and told her, "They injected us with drugs, and strong ones at that." Runo nodded slowly; she still looked like she wasn't sure what was real or not. I remembered how confusing things were when I woke up.

I didn't know where I was, what was going on, or anything else. All I knew was that I wasn't at where I last remembered. Runo then asked, "I don't think I remember you being around us when the Officials ambushed us. Where were you?"

Behind her, Murucho was starting to stir, but I figured he would be out for a little while longer. "I got up while you guys were sleeping and went for a walk. That was when they first got me and caught me before they got you guys. I didn't even think of warning you by yelling. Maybe you and the others wouldn't have been dragged into this mess," I said softly.

If I had just yelled and gave out a warning that they were in danger, maybe they could have gotten further up the hill. But I had known those three my whole life, and something told me that they wouldn't have run away. They would have run and looked for me.

So, maybe it wouldn't have made much of a difference. Runo told me with a smile, "Don't blame yourself, Alice. I'm sure they would have gotten us anyway." I smiled back. She then asked, "So, where exactly are we? And what's going on?"

Murucho was now sitting up and rubbing his eyes as he woke from his sleep. I knew Julie wouldn't be asleep for much longer. I said, "How about we tell them when everyone is awake. That way we don't have to explain it three times." Dan nodded and asked Runo, "Think you can wait for Julie and Murucho to wake up before we tell you?" She nodded.

Dan smiled and got up. He then went over to Brunswick and knelt beside him. I got up and joined him. "How's he doing?" I asked softly. Dan's face was grim as he stared at the blood-covered Brunswick. "I don't know. But I don't think he's in good shape." I saw where Dan tried to stop the bleeding by pressing Brunswick's shirt into a ball and trying to make a bandage.

It was already drenched in the fisherman's blood. Dan whispered, "He saved my life. I don't want to watch him die cause of me." I placed my hand on Dan's shoulder. I couldn't think of anything to say, but my simple gesture seemed to bring him a little bit of relief.

Probably more than I could have provided him if I tried to tell him something reassuring. I watched as Brunswick's chest slowly moved up and down as he took in air. I kept thinking that any one of those breathes, could be his last. His skin was pale, like all the life had been drained from it.

Dan was sitting against a wall next to me when he said, "Why did he save me though? He was a way better fighter than me. He could have already gotten you and the others out of this room and the City. I just don't understand why." Runo was staring at Dan from across the room.

She didn't understand what he was talking about because she wasn't awake to watch Brunswick take a bullet for Dan. I told him, "I don't know why he saved you, Dan, but he did. And it's too late to say that you wished he hadn't. All we can do is go on, and I'm sure that's what he would want."

Dan looked surprised by what a told him, then a small grin formed on his lips. "Guess you're right. He'd probably slap me senseless if he heard me doubting him right now." We laughed for a short moment, then regained our composure.

Across the room, Murucho and Julie had fully come to, and Runo was explaining what happened to them back in the woods. The two of my friends that had just woken up, turned and looked and Dan and I. Murucho asked, "So, what is going on?"

Julie chimed in after him, "Yeah. And where are we?" I glanced at Dan, who was looking back at me then told them, "We're in the Official's headquarters. This is one of the interrogation rooms." They looked around, as if just now recognizing their surroundings.

Dan continued, "A lot has happened here. Nero has taken over the Officials. We lost Val and many of the others who came with us. Feliciana and Marquis left after we escaped the first time. None of us know where they are now, or even if they're still alive. And as you can see, Brunswick is hurt cause he saved me. Right now, we're just waiting for Nero to decide what he's going to do to us next."

Murucho scratched the back of his messy hair and asked, "What about Shun? Where's he?" I felt my stomach do a turn. Dan looked down and said, "Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about him. He's-" I cut him off and said, "He's back in Nero's office…We have no clue as to what's going on in there."

My mind raced with different scenarios of what Nero could have done with him. I hadn't heard a gunshot yet, so I knew for a fact that the leader of the Officials hadn't shot him. But that didn't mean that they couldn't be doing something else to him; the Officials had all sorts of torturing methods.

I remembered how the Officials had gassed the Outcasts out of their homes while we were hiding in the City. And also how they threw bombs at Feliciana, Shun, and the rest of their group. It seemed like their methods didn't end. Dan was looking at me, I could feel his eyes on me.

He said, "Yeah. What Alice said. But right now, we're trapped in here until they say otherwise." We all remained silent after that. Everyone was caught back up, and nobody had anything else to say. My thoughts went back to when Nero ordered his Officials to take us out of the room. Shun had been talking with the leader, and seemed to be hitting a few nerves.

I was sure that was part of a plan he had; even I was able to see that a direct attack on Nero would only mean a bullet to the skull. So, words might have been Shun's only other option. I wondered what was being said, if anything was even being said at all.

Nero could just as easily stabbed Shun and taken him out like that. I was positive that when that door opened, it would mean that something had become of Shun, and our fates would follow. I just hope it won't be soon. In the silence of our interrogation room, I could hear rain pouring down outside. A low rumble of thunder followed and verified the status of the weather. The world is crying again, I thought.

Crying for the horrible things that were still happening, and that would surely continue unless something was done about Nero and the Officials. But it felt like nothing would be done. We were locked away in a room, awaiting our execution, while Shun was in the lion's den with that madman.

Was this really the end for us? Like this? When we had been so close to our freedom, just to turn back around and return to what we had been running for? I shook my head. This couldn't be how it would end for us. Somehow, we would pull through like we always did.

The door clicked open, and Nero walked in. I felt my heart drop to the deepest part of my being. But it only stopped short when Shun walked in behind him. He wasn't tied up or covered in blood. He looked just like he did when we left. Nero had an evil smile on his face, one that I wanted to slap off of him.

All eyes were on him. The leader of the Officials said, "Me and the Outcast struck an agreement, and we both see it fit that you all suffer as you've made the Outcasts suffer for so long." My heart, hanging on by a thread in the bottom of my being, felt like it shattered.

Shun's eyes scanned over us, giving each of us a cold stare that matched Nero's. Each one of our faces showed pure shock, and Nero laughed. "Surprised? You shouldn't be. Years of treating us Outcasts as dirt can fuel a very strong revenge. And I doubt it matters that you all may have been friends….Or even if you were friends."

He laughed again. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. Shun had betrayed us. Or like Nero said, was he ever even with us? What if everything had been a lie? It would explain why Nero never killed him, even though he had so many chances. I wanted to scream.

At Shun, at Nero, at everyone. I tried to speak, but no words came out. Shun? Why? Nero smiled and said, "I'll just let you all absorb this while we discuss how to dispose of you all, appropriately." The two of them left the room, locking the door back behind them as they left. My brain felt fried. How? How could he?

Next to me, Dan said coldly, "I knew I should have never trusted him. He was bad news from the start, but I let my guard down anyway!" He turned and punched the wall, leaving a slight dent in the sheetrock. "Sh-Shun betrayed us?" Julie asked in a shocked sounding tone. Murucho told her flatly, "It looks that way, Julie." I brought my knees up to my chest and buried my face in them.

Shun

Their faces. They would never forgive me, and I didn't blame them. I wouldn't even forgive myself, but it was the only thing I could do. Hopefully they would understand if everything went according to plan. But Alice's face was the one that was haunting me the most. She looked as if she had been slapped in the face.

I clenched my hand into a fist as I walked behind Nero. If things did go right, and we made it out of here, would they ever forgive me? Nero laughed and wiped a tear from his eye. "Did you see their faces when they found out you turned against them? Priceless! Especially the orange-haired girl's expression. I wish I could keep that in my memory forever. Don't you agree?"

He turned his head around to look at me. I smiled and chuckled. "Yes. It pains me to not see them again." Nero turned back around and let out a satisfied sigh. "Finally, they get what they so well deserve. How do you think we should end their miserable lives?"

He stepped back into his office, and I followed him. My eyes fell on Brunswick's puddle of blood that had yet to be cleaned up. Knowing Nero, he might keep it there as a trophy. I told him, "How about an execution?" Nero tapped his chin and thought.

"I was hoping for a way to make them suffer before they died. Something…Ironic I suppose." The idea came to my mind, and I smiled on the inside. "You could kill them out in the Wastelands." He smiled and said, "Genius! That would be perfect. To die in the place that they had cast us out for so many years. I like the way you think. And I know just the one who we'll execute first."

I raised a brow and asked, "Who do you have in mind?" Somehow, I already knew who he was thinking of. Nero looked at me with his slimy grin that I had to restrain myself from slapping off of him. "The orange-haired girl. She will die first."

aye. o.o another chapter down. but i have this kinda planned out for once. (i know, shocker) the bad thing is, i have another story that im super eager to start when i finish this one. (workaholic mode, activate!) XD at least i'll be written over the summer when i'm not that pressed for time. read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~