(all right people, it's time to come up with some ship names. we need one for Eve & Micah--he only calls her Eve so I think that's important to note--and one for Evelyn and Harry--he obviously is the only one to call her Evelyn, also important--so let your comments begin! 

P.S. The two I choose will be on an edit I'm going to attempt to make & you'll be credited *wink wink* Now enjoy the chapter, for the next one will be the one you've all been waiting for!)

CHAPTER TWELVE

EVELYN WALKS VERY RELUCTANTLY to the mess hall where a mass of people crowd the inside. There had been some standing around by the entrance, but Evelyn had no idea just how many people are at this camp. People are pressed against walls to let others by while some are literally only a butt cheek on the seat because of how packed the tables are. The scariest thing is the diversity--both beasts and Normals reside.

And few are actually conversing with each other.

She takes this in a bit befuddled, glancing this way and that. Faces, faces everywhere. She hasn't seen this many people in one place since before the war erupted. That had been years ago. She suddenly feels very claustrophobic, instinctively backing into the door she just entered. It opens, knocking her off balance. She throws the culprit a glare.

It's a girl about her age, and she returns the glare as if saying Evelyn had been in the wrong. The two maintain harsh stares until the girl finally turns away to slide into a long line, which must be for the food.

Once again, Evelyn starts feeling out of place because of her attire. It's another damned dress, only because she hadn't intended on being around this many people and the jean fabric still agitates her wounds, bandaged or not. She pushes back out the door, but not before hearing someone shout her name.

It's Erik, and he follows her outside since she doesn't stop. "Hey. We've been worried. Did anything happen?"

She turns to face him, subconsciously folding her arms across her chest. "Indeed something did. Unfortunately for you, I don't feel like talking about it."

He gapes at her. "Come on, Eve. You can't do that."

She shrugs. "Well, I'm going to do it anyways. Where's Sasha and Locke?"

He frowns at her changing the subject, but answers nonetheless as he points back at the door. "Inside eating lunch."

She scrunches her nose. She really doesn't want to go back in there.

Erik notices her distaste and smirks. "So you do care about what people think of you."

"I didn't say that," she snaps.

"You didn't have to. Come on, I was really beginning to think you weren't a stereotypical teenage girl."

She steps closer to him though he's a an inch or two taller. "Would you like me to further prove that theory for you?"

He rolls his eyes. "You wouldn't--"

"I punched Locke in the throat simply because he said I wouldn't. Try me."

The two hold eye contact for a few moments before he takes a step back. "Fine," he mutters. "But do you want to see them or not?"

She balls her hands into fists, chewing the inside of her cheek. She hates when people stare at her, and she hates crowds. There's hardly enough space in there to breathe, nonetheless move about. She wants to tell Sasha what she's going to do, though. She wants to let the little girl know that she hasn't forgotten her best friend.

It's her turn to grumble a "fine" and follow Erik back inside.

Luckily, the table they've chosen is in a corner so there's a bit more space. Not much, but a bit. Enough for Evelyn to sit down and breathe regularly. Sasha hugs her when she arrives, but when the child sits back down, Evelyn notices it isn't just Locke with her. There's a few more people; a girl with dark red hair yet soft blue eyes, a boy a few years younger than Evelyn with an angry expression as he jabs at the carrots on his plate, a middle-aged looking couple, both brunette with kind smiles on their faces.

She awkwardly shrinks in on herself, trying to muster a semi-friendly smile as Erik introduces her to all of them. In order of previously mentioned: Ruby (because of the hair, she'd said), Aiden, Lola and Mark.

Mark leans over to peer around Lola at Evelyn. "So Erik told us you have a knack for getting yourself in trouble."

She narrows her eyes at Erik who shrugs, mumbling through a mouthful of his peaches, "What? It's not like I lied."

She turns back to Mark, itching to be anywhere else. "I guess it's a talent to be places I shouldn't."

Mark actually grins. "I can respect that."

Evelyn finds herself fighting a smile. Maybe these people aren't all that bad.

Ruby, who sits in front of Evelyn, raises her eyebrows. "He also said you know Micah pretty well. Which everyone already assumed. May I ask, how in the hell do you know him?"

Evelyn purses her lips. "It's complicated but--" She turns to Erik, glaring "--while I'm being interviewed, what else of my business did you share?"

He swallows his peaches, then sheepishly shrugs. "Things slip out. But that's all I've said."

Ruby's eyebrows stay raised. "How much business do you have?"

"It's my business," Evelyn retorts.

She clicks her tongue. "Fair enough."

Locke nudges Ruby, hovering a little too close. "Eve and I go way back. I know all her dirty secrets."

Evelyn squints at him like she can't figure out what she's looking at. "I met you like a month ago, idiot."

Ruby smirks, glancing to Evelyn knowingly. "I presume he's already tried to get with you."

Evelyn lets out an exasperated sigh. "Oh, like you wouldn't believe. Did you know the cologne he wears is called 'Desperation'?"

Ruby sniffs him, then waggles her fork. "You know, now that you mention it, it's so obvious. He's reeking."

Evelyn grins as Locke scoffs, placing a hand on his chest in mock hurt. "And here I thought punching me in the throat caused enough damage, but you've truly tarnished my reputation, Eve."

Ruby practically chokes on the mashed potatoes she just placed in her mouth. She struggles to swallow, then looks to Evelyn with wide, amused eyes. "You seriously punched him in the throat?"

She shrugs. "He said I wouldn't."

"I can see a beautiful friendship ahead of us," she replies, chuckling to herself as she goes back to eating.

Evelyn falters with this. Friendship. That's such an odd word. Even before the beasts took over and Evelyn was a (mostly) normal teenager, she'd never really had friends. Sure, one or two people liked to hang around her and talk at lunch, but she never had sleepovers or went to the mall or movies or anything like that. She's always preferred her own company.

Or at least she's always thought she did.

Clearing her throat, she turns to Sasha who sits beside her. "I've got to ask you for a big favor, Sasha. Can I count on you?" She's nearly whispering because she doesn't care for eavesdroppers, but it's hard to be quiet and still be heard in the loud cafeteria.

Sasha's eyes sparkle. "Yes, yes, of course!"

"Well, I've got a special mission I've got to go on," she tells her, ducking down so their eyes are level. "I have a boy named Robbie to save, but I need your help to keep Locke in line while I'm gone. Do you think you can handle it?"

Sasha giggles. "Well, I don't know... He doesn't really listen."

Evelyn smiles. "I just need you to keep everyone safe, especially yourself."

"I can do that." She nods. "I want you to save Robbie, so I'll be the best protector there has ever been."

Evelyn ruffles her hair. "I knew you had it in you."

"But..." A frown tugs at the little girl's lips. "How long will you be gone?"

She inhales deeply. "I'm not sure, but hopefully not long. I'll be back for sure."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Sasha reaches up and hugs her, squeezing her tight. She settles back down and Evelyn looks to Erik who had already been watching. He gives her an acknowledging nod to which she returns, then she stands to leave. She realizes Locke and Ruby had been staring too.

Locke scratches his chin. "Maybe I should come with you," he suggests.

She rolls her eyes but smiles. "No, thanks. I'll be fine." She darts her eyes to Sasha and back, and Locke gets the hint and nods as well.

It's Ruby that surprises her by speaking up. "Surely you aren't going by yourself?"

Maybe, but it doesn't concern you anyways.

Evelyn doesn't know what to say so she simply starts walking away, back towards the door to leave. Thankfully, no one follows her.

Now comes the tricky part.

Micah is the only one that knows where Robbie is, and they were supposed to leave the day prior had it not been for this mysterious, stupid "contact" of his. Evelyn still gets goosebumps when she thinks of Talon. She has to grit her teeth to keep her emotions at bay. Lashing out will get her nowhere.

Anyways, she needs to convince Micah to tell her where Robbie is being kept. She can't keep sitting around anxiously waiting for him to be ready. Who knows what's happened to the poor kid since he was taken weeks ago? The thought sends Evelyn into a pit of anger that's hard to pull herself out of. She can't believe she had abandoned him. For this long, she had let him get further away from her.

She's disgusted with herself for it.

Since the guards have all been transferred to watch over the mess hall, it's an easy task making it to the main building after slipping past them all. She tiptoes up the stairs, knowing he'll hear her coming anyways, and quietly steps down the hall to his room. She hears talking before she even gets to the door, almost like an argument is occurring.

So of course, she stops when she's close enough to make out what they're saying. She hates people eavesdrop on her, but it's so easy to be the eavesdropper.

"--now and we've already settled this disagreement. Piston is supposed to send a few of his men down with a report on how the reconstruction is going. You know damned well that we can't backtrack on all we've achieved." Talon's voice. A bit disgruntled.

"Did I say we're backtracking? No. I said a new obstacle is in the way that we have to bypass. It sets us back, but we can't have that asshole breathing down our necks anymore. I should've finished him when I had the chance but I couldn't..." Micah's voice trails off followed by a heavy sigh. "I don't know what the hell is going on anymore, truthfully."

"What's going on is a revolution," Talon hisses. "I'm tired of cowering. I'm glad you didn't kill him so I can. After I make him fix me."

"Talon, I told you--"

"I don't give a damn what you told me!" he shouts, and something clatters to the floor that makes Evelyn jump. "That bastard changed me once, he can do it again. I don't care if I have to beat him senseless to get him to agree, but he will fix me."

Micah doesn't reply for a few moments. "Take a seat and calm down, all right? We'll finish this conversation later when everyone else is present."

Everyone else?

What exactly does that mean?

Evelyn is so confused by this that she doesn't run away in time. Micah steps out into the hall and casually glances over at her as she crouches against the wall. She peers up at him, shrugging innocently. He sighs and nods to her, so she stands and follows him into the room she stays in. The only one with a balcony. He goes to it, pulling open the doors and taking in the fresh air, resting his forearms on the railing.

"Sneaking around is pointless, you know. I heard your heart pounding when you were halfway up the stairs," he remarks, staring out over the massive gate that secures them.

She walks to stand beside him. "Sorry."

He peeks over at her, then sighs again. "All right, spill it."

"What?"

"Your heart was pounding like you were scared, and now you're actually looking nervous for once in your life. What's wrong?"

She tries to roll her eyes to play it off, but the scrunch of her nose betrays her. This is a bad idea. He won't agree to it.

But it's for Robbie.

"I need to find him," she whispers, not daring to look over at him. "If you'll just tell me where he is, I--"

"Eve," he says, and she catches his gaze with her own. "I want to take you to him, I do, but now really isn't the best time to leave."

She straightens. "I don't need you to go with me. I survived perfectly fine on my own for months."

He narrows his eyes. "I didn't ask if you needed me, I told you I'm going. It's getting worse out there."

"Oh, and you have no part in that, right?" she bites sarcastically, huffing and breaking their stare.

"No, actually, I don't," he hisses back. "You wouldn't understand."

"Why, because I'm a girl? Because my mind is 'too fragile' to handle such a reality?"

He doesn't say anything.

She whirls back on him. "Unbelievable," she scoffs. "Do you understand how degrading that is? What if the roles were switched and I left you in the dark because a man's brain is the size of a pea, and he wouldn't grasp that the world is bigger than him? You'd be offended, wouldn't you?"

A low growl rumbles in his throat as he drags a hand down his face. "Eve--"

"Tell me where Robbie is."

"You can't find it on your own."

She stomps her foot, poking her index finger into his chest. "I will scavenge the ends of the earth until I find him, so do save me the trouble and just tell me."

"You're not going alone," he says lowly yet firmly, his eyes dark red and full of the anger he's trying to contain.

She presses her lips together and starts to walk off.

"Eve, don't walk away from me," he says in annoyance.

She looks over her shoulder at him. "Hmm? Sorry I didn't catch that because I'm walking away from you."

Right when she reaches the door, he groans loudly. She pauses long enough for him to catch up and place a hand on the door to keep her from opening it. She glances over at him, his eyes already boring into her.

He holds up his hand that isn't blocking the way and lifts a finger. "We leave when everyone is locked away for the night. The place isn't too far. We go down there, get Robbie, and we head back. No detours. No other rescue missions. Do I make myself clear?"

She wants to snap at him about speaking to her as if she's a child, but she doesn't want to ruin her chance. "Crystal," she grumbles instead.

He nods, then lets his hand fall. "I'll come to you. And for God's sake, don't get impatient and try to find me. I will come to you," he repeats.

She mimics Locke from earlier, her palm on her chest in mock hurt. "Why, Micah, you sound as if you don't trust me to be rational."

He mutters under his breath, "I don't."