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THE YOUNG GODS
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

" DOESN'T MATTER IF I COME OUT
DEAD OR ALIVE. "
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"LOOK AWAY." He whispered in her ear as she hid her face in his chest. His hands held her trying to figure out what to do in this current situation. He scanned the hallway full of men in gear running downstairs. Rosie could hear his heartbeat start beating quicker. They were looking for them and the pair didn't know where to go. "I need to go find her first."

      Rosie nodded knowing he wouldn't leave his sister behind. The man pulled away unhooking one of the guns he had wrapped around him. "And I need to find Eirene." She spoke having this feeling in her that this would be the last time she would see him. He had made sure the gun was fully loaded before handing it to her.

       Rosie took a deep breath knowing she'd have to survive on her own once again. He looked up noticing the fear in her eyes, his fingers reaching her chin caressing her cheek for a second. "We're getting out of here, okay? Rosie, I love you and I'm going to do everything I can to keep you alive."

      "I love you." She pulled the boy close to her reaching his lips kissing them for the last time. "I'll see you soon."

       "I'll see you soon."

        Rosie didn't know it yet but that was the last time she'd ever see him again. Once she stepped out of that room, reality struck and she realized she was in the middle of a war. And she was on the losing side of it.

       The girl looked around the empty halls searching for her best friend who had become the distraction. Eirene had distracted the majority of the soldiers as the rest of the team headed under the city to escape. A lot of them unfortunately never made it down one flight of stairs as they were shot to death or wounded. Rosie had the chance to reach safety but insisted to go back for her best friend. Luckily for her, someone was also searching for his sister not wanting to leave her behind.

      And here she was hiding from soldiers who carried their wounded friends and the rest of Rosie's team in cuffs. The last thing she was going to do was burn those documents and that's where she was headed. Rosie ran up a flight of stairs reaching the level she used to work in. It was silent and rooms were evacuated. Most staff employees were downstairs waiting for the soldiers to round up the resistance.

      She rose the gun to eye level as she opened one of the laboratory doors locking it behind her. She scanned the whole room making sure no one was inside. The only other person inside was sleeping hooked against a chair with wires around him. He had blond hair and seemed to be in good shape, unlike most cases. The poor boy wore only brown cargo pants and had wounds displaying all over his chest. Obvious signs of struggle were visible and the only way to restrain the hapless boy was to hurt him.

      Rosie looked around the shelves successfully finding the lighter she hid in one of the cabinets. The girl gathered as much paperwork she could pile together. All the books and large binders full of important information slammed against the metal table. She emptied the bookshelves trying to erase all of their discoveries. Rosie took a deep breath knowing once she dropped the lighter, the smoke will cause the alarm to go off.

       Without thinking another second, Rosie threw the lighter into the pile of important information. She watched the fire burn away all of WICKED's data.

        "Help me." Rosie turned to notice the boy had woken up to the smell of smoke. Without thinking she grabbed the pocket knife she had in one of the pockets of her cargo pants. She reached the boy who had worried eyes and light skin. Rosie managed to cut through the ties as the smoke had reached the detectors.

        "We need to leave. Now." Rosie spoke helping the boy on his two feet. "They're coming over here any second." Rosie grabbed his arm laying it around her neck to support him.

        Rosie opened the laboratory door looking both ways to make sure the halls were clear. The boy nodded dizzily from all of the injections they gave him. "I'm Ben—"

        Rosie turned to shake her head snapping at him, "don't tell me your name." She didn't want to know who he was just in case the plan went the wrong way. Rosie had enough people to worry about, too many people to mourn already. "Just follow me. We're not leaving until we find my friend."

Rosie had the urge to drop her mission and help this boy but she felt it was more important to save the only family she had left. The boy nodded trying his best to hide his pain from the girl who took him with her instead of the rest who left him without a thought.

"Do you have another gun?" Ben asked tiredly but wanting to help her getaway. Rosie scanned the hallway before crouching down to grab the small gun she had hooked on the back of her pants.

"You know how to shoot?"

He shook his head, "only in video games."

Rosie sighed for a second before handing him the gun, "then you know to aim and press the trigger before they shoot you." Rosie took a few steps before stopping again to turn to the boy, "if by any chance I'm shot, keep going downstairs. There should be a passage that connects to outside the walls where my team's waiting."

"But, what about you?"

         Rosie shrugged her shoulders raising her gun back up able to listen to distant footsteps, "I'm not leaving without my friend. I did what I came here to do, doesn't matter if I come out dead or alive."

       Ben flung his hand over his mouth as they turned a corner where Rosie wounded two soldiers without any hesitation. She didn't wait to see if the soldiers were going to shoot or not, she just let her finger press on the trigger. "That's a lot of blood!" The boy now pale-looking mentioned as the pair walked past the dying soldiers. "You're, you're just going to-to leave them there?" Anxiety ran through his body with the simple nod she gave him. "They didn't do anything-"

      "They killed my friends!" Rosie raised her tone, "they're going to kill us too if you don't shut up!"

The girl's eyes widen hearing the speakers turn on quickly making her pull the boy out of clear view. "We repeat this is not a drill, we are in lockdown. Please proceed to the designated waiting room." The recording played a few more times before getting cut off by someone.

"Are you still here?" A female voice rang through the whole building which Rosie immediately recognized. "I need you to leave—"

      Muffled noises were heard before the sound of struggle was clearly heard. "This is an official warning to the remaining imposters; we have five of you in custody and four killed. Surrender or the rest in custody will be terminated."

       Another voice more elder spoke, "speak to them. Tell them to turn themselves in or you're dead." The girl glared at the man who pulled her by her hair dragging her close to the mic. "Speak!"

        "It's okay, Rosie." She spoke through the speakers as Rosie felt goosebumps run down her body not knowing what to do, "get out of here—"

        Before the girl could comprehend anything she fell to the floor as a gunshot was heard through the speakers. The speakers turned off leaving the entire building in shock. Ben watched the girl drop her weapon with her hands supporting her on the ground.

       Ben crouched down trying to face her, "that was her?"

        She panicked. Tears streamed down her face, her world had crumbled down. Everything she had left as family was gone. The one person that kept her going was gone.

       The boy looked up hearing heavy footsteps getting closer, "we need to get up, c'mon. They're coming." Ben pulled the girl up by her arm as she shook her head starting to cry.

         "No, no, no, no, no." Rosie sobbed unaware of soldiers getting closer to them.

       Ben glanced around not knowing what to do but shake her. He gripped on her shoulders and shook her. "Get a grip! We need to leave!"

        It was as if a lightbulb turned on and the crying suddenly stopped. Rosie gave Ben a quick glance before shaking her head again. "No." She spoke wiping her tears away taking a deep breath, "you're leaving."

       "But—no! I'm not letting you stay. C'mon!" Ben spoke trying to convince the girl to leave this place.

       "I told you." Rosie loaded her gun making eye-contact with the boy, "I'm not leaving without her."