Rose

Maximus has gone completely off of the face of the earth. I have been searching relentlessly for him but he seems to have just turned to dust. Colton has tried helping but he has been rather preoccupied with the sector leaders. A meeting is being held tonight in the conference room. A proper one - as requested by Scarron.

"You must know where he is... I thought you and Maximus were friends?" I question the nurse. She was the one that called Maximus here the first time, she knows but just won't tell me.

"Maximus is a very private man, he keeps secrets both for that reason and because it's dangerous for him... for who he is," she whispers the last line and my anger only rises.

"For what he is," I seethe and she sucks in a sharp breath. "He could be in danger," I say and the lady pinches the bridge of her nose.

"There's only one place I can think of," she huffs and I contain my triumph. "A run down building off of Claydon lane, that's the only place I can think of him being," she says and I nod.

"Thank you, really," I say as if I hadn't just been harassing her for his whereabouts. The nurse waves her hand haphazardly, dismissing me, and I turn to leave.

I haven't heard of this place before, so my only guess is that it's on the outskirts of town. Why in the world would he be in a run down building? I can't help the paranoia that bubbles in me... what if this is all a trap?

I come to the conclusion that I should probably bring Colton with me or someone. I can't go to this place alone or I could but I'd need to be layered in firearms. My safest bet is to bring someone along or at least notify someone of my exact location.

My legs are leading me towards Andrew's office before I can overthink anything. I hear people shouting inside, Colton shouting, and hesitate at the door. I probably shouldn't interrupt their heated conversation.

Tensions have been high and everyone is stressed. Colton has been particularly broody the past few days. Everyone has been snapping at each other, getting angry over minor things. The rebels are pushing a wedge between us when we need to be united.

I am about to turn away but the door flies open and I am met with a very angry looking Colton. His eyebrows are drawn together, a deep frown set on his face. I can practically see the anger rolling off of him.

His eyes widen at the sight of me. "Rose," he breathes and I smile awkwardly. This is not a good time, not a good time at all.

"I can talk to you later," I say and Colton runs a hand through his hair before closing the door behind him, slamming it really.

"No it's fine... what's wrong?" it bothers me that as soon as I need to talk to him he assumes that something is wrong. That's just the reality of our messed up lives I guess. A problem around every corner we turn.

"Why were you shouting in there? Is everything okay?" I say, wanting to know what's caused him to be so stressed. Conversations between him and his father, recently, haven't been going too swimmingly.

"It's nothing," he sighs and I scoff. Of course.

"It's nothing... right," I say and nod my head. Unbelievable. I'm sick of him constantly shutting me out. I am trying my best to be understanding and to give him time but my patience is running thin.

It's times like this where I only have the reassurance of the letter that he wrote me. Those beautiful words that quite literally carved his name into my heart.

"Rose, it's not like that," he says and I have to bite back a laugh. A laugh at the irony. Of course it's not like that... it's only what he says every time.

"No it's fine, I get it," I shrug. I don't get it. "I'm gonna go... there's somewhere I need to be," I explain, trying to be as vague as possible, and turn on my heel - walking away before he can ask me any further questions.

***

I strap the last gun to my thigh, over my black uniform, praying that I won't have to use it tonight. I've decided that it's probably best that no one knows where I am going, god knows who has sided with the rebels now.

We can't trust anyone.

The sting of betrayal, from Melissa, is still fresh. I really thought I had found a friend in her, we had gotten close over the weeks when we were preparing for the ball. We'd talk for hours and train together.

She was a liar, a fake... a traitor.

My only regret is that I didn't put that bullet in her skull myself. She had killed my father, taken that opportunity away from me. Killing my father was what I needed for closure, to give my mother the justice she deserved and Melissa took that away from me.

I was so ready to be rid of everything to do with my father, to eradicate him from my life completely. To kill the walking reminder of my messed up childhood.

Now all that is left is a gaping hole that will never be filled. A burning vengeance that will never subside. A pure feeling of rage that will never be suppressed.

I shake away the thoughts as I make my way towards the fire exit but halt when a voice cuts through the silence. "Going somewhere?" Marco questions and I roll my eyes.

Twisting to face him I say, "Got a problem with that?" and he chuckles.

"Is Colton aware of your little adventures during the night?" his smile fades and I scoff. This freak has been watching me.

I've been out trying to find Maximus, those are the little adventures he is speaking of. I'd hardly call them adventures, they have been uneventful and, quite frankly, a waste of time.

"Does he need to be?" I fire back and something glints in Marco's eyes. Something I'd rather ignore.

"No one is safe right now... especially you Rose," he says as if I don't know that. I know exactly the target on my back right now. I'm the next lead commander but as I have professed many times before... there is no way in hell that I am taking my father's place.

"I know how to protect myself if need be," I say and for once I actually feel confident in saying it.

I've had enough practice and the time I spent training with Melissa seems to have paid off. I am much more skilled than I was a few months ago.

"I'm sure you do but that doesn't change the facts... I'm only trying to make sure you don't get yourself killed," Marco says, his voice sharp.

"I appreciate your concern but I really have to go," the sun is beginning to set and I'd like to get back before it gets too late.

"Be careful," he says and I nod.

"Always," I say, offering him a small smile. He returns it before I set off into the cold.

***

I focus on my breathing as my feet slap against the pavement. The pattering a soothing sound. The crisp air nips at my skin, the bitter cold of winter is upon us.

Marco's words ring through my head, making me even more paranoid. I find myself constantly looking over my shoulder, snapping my head up at every sound, every movement. I can't live my life like this. Forever in fear.

I am nearing the outskirts of town, the houses and buildings now mere piles of rubble and debris. It's sad really. All of the homes, shops, factories - destroyed. All because people couldn't keep the peace.

The sun finally disappears over the last rooftop and the darkness swallows me. It being run down also means no street lights.

I can just about make out the sign that reads 'Claydon Lane' and physically sigh in relief. I have no clue how I even managed to find it but here I am.

I make my way down the dark road, my hand clutching the gun attached to my hip like it is my lifeline. Only one building is still somewhat composed and I can only assume it's the building the lady was talking about.

It's then that I realise that I've been so focused on my surroundings that I haven't been effected by the gun placed firmly in the palm of my hand. The images... they're still there but they aren't screaming at me anymore.

They aren't ripping the air from my lungs anymore.

I can't help but smile to myself, the relief that washes over me is undeniable. I welcome the feeling of being free... being free from something that almost killed me.

Something moves up ahead and my moment is quickly cut short.

Immediately I duck behind a broken wall, concealing myself from whoever or whatever is there. I take a deep breath before poking my head out. Two people stand in conversation but I am too far away to decipher the exchanged words.

I can't spot Maximus and I have never seen these two people in my life.

One is a tall woman, her hair a light brown from what I can make out. Her face looks familiar but I can't tell if that's my mind playing tricks on me or the darkness manipulating her features.

The other a man, also very tall, with broad shoulders and dirty blond hair.

I try to creep forward, to get closer so I can hear their conversation but the gravel crunches beneath my shoes and I cringe at the sound.

Hastily, I move back to where I was hiding but I've already given myself away.

"Who's there?" the woman calls out and I clamp my hand over my mouth, my breathing becoming erratic. I scold myself for not telling anyone where I was going. I can't help the developed trust issues but it was reckless of me.

"Come out or we will shoot," the man shouts but I stay exactly where I am, my feet rooted to the floor. Even if I wanted to move, I don't think I would be able to.

Everything goes quiet for a while, the world blanketed in a horrifying silence. I'm sure that I have gotten away with it until I hear their footsteps. Their footsteps that seem to be getting closer and closer with every passing second.

I search frantically for somewhere to hide or to run to but there is nothing but rubble as far as the eye can see.

I set off in a sprint, my whole body moving in a frantic hurry as I try to put as much space between us as possible. I hear shouts from behind me but they are drowned out by my heavy breathing and thundering heartbeat.

I see the forest that I have sought refuge in so many times before and head straight towards it without a second thought.

"Get back here!" someone else shouts and shots begin firing. God, could this get any worse?

I can only hope that they think I am a random person, that they don't suspect me of being the daughter of the now deceased lead commander.

I launch into the opening between two trees, branches scratch at my face but that is the least of my problems right now. The shouting only gets louder and I will myself to carry on, to keep on running.

My whole body is screaming, begging me to stop, to take a breath. But I deny it. I don't have the luxury of stopping and catching my breath right now.

Not while I am being chased by countless people with heavens knows how many guns.

I have no clue where I am going, what direction I am going. I'm just hoping that they will finally give up and decide that I am not worth it.

I force my legs to go just that bit faster. I immediately regret it when I find myself going too fast. Too fast to stop. Too fast to stop when I come to the edge of a steep drop.

I can't stop myself as I hurl over the edge, plummeting down the hill. My body is crying in agony with each roll, each slap against the floor knocking the wind out of me.

Something hard smacks into my back as I continue to roll down the hill at a deathly pace. I feel like I can't breathe as the pain resonates through out me, almost rendering me unconscious. I'm sure I am about to throw up from both the pain and the constant spinning until I finally stop.

The thing stopping me, a huge boulder. My head smacks against the rock and I see stars, my whole body going numb. I feel something trickling down my face. Touching my fingers to my forehead, I pull them back seeing a sickening amount of crimson covering the pads of my fingertips.

My breathing becomes shallow and uneven, the world becoming muffled around me as I lay on back staring up at the starless sky.