❝ 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 ❞
▬▬ Chapter 04
• . ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳₊·͟͟͟͟͟͟͞͞͞͞͞͞➳💧

The streets of the Last City were alive with the chaos of a crumbling world. Shouts rang out from every direction as people scurried about, clutching their belongings or desperately seeking safety behind the city's protective walls. Madison walked with the group, her senses heightened, constantly scanning the crowd for signs of danger. The air was thick with anxiety, the tension palpable in every hurried step.

A man on a truck above them shouted through a microphone, his voice booming as it echoed across the streets. "We are the voice of the voiceless! They hide behind their walls, thinking they can make a cure for themselves, while they watch the rest of us rot!" His words fell like a heavy weight upon the people, and Madison's eyes briefly met those of a nearby guard, a woman with short blonde hair, her face partially obscured by her mask. There was something unsettling about the way their gazes locked, a familiarity that unsettled Madison.

"Everyone's on edge," Jorge muttered beside her, his sharp eyes surveying their surroundings. "This place is already going through hell."

"We just have to stick together," Thomas responded, his voice steady despite the palpable unease in the air.

The group weaved through the crowd, the sounds of desperation and rebellion swirling around them. There was an oppressive sense of fear mixed with defiance. As they moved further into the heart of the city, snippets of conversations filtered through the air, fragments of the current struggle: tales of the Cranks breaching the walls, whispers of rebellion against WICKED's control.

"We can't let them break us," Brenda murmured, glancing around at the worn faces of the citizens, trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy in the face of impending chaos. "But it's only a matter of time."

Madison nodded, but her mind remained sharp, her instincts alert. She had seen what WICKED was capable of, and she wouldn't let herself be caught off guard again.

The group's path eventually brought them to a narrow alley, and Thomas abruptly halted. Ahead of them loomed towering, reinforced doors. The crowd outside was growing larger, pressing in, desperation evident in their actions. "That's it," Thomas said, his voice a low command. "That's our way in."

Jorge hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he studied the throngs of people around them. "Are you sure this is the right move, Thomas? All these people are trying to get in. What makes you think we can get past them?"

"We've come this far. We don't have a choice," Thomas insisted, stepping forward, his resolve unshaken.

Frypan grumbled, his unease evident. "What the hell did we get ourselves into?"

Jorge's skepticism deepened. "This doesn't feel right. All these people, fighting for a chance to get in... this isn't exactly the 'safe' option."

Still, they pressed forward, their bodies squeezing through the masses. The air thickened with the shouts of others, some desperate, some hopeful, all hungry for any chance of salvation.

As the group neared the massive doors, Jorge's frustration began to show. He shoved his way through the crowd, his voice rising in anger. "Get out of the way!" he shouted, pushing past bodies that were in his path. Madison followed closely behind, scanning the crowd.

A sudden jolt of recognition shot through her when she saw the blonde guard again, her figure moving through the crowd just a few steps behind. Madison's gaze lingered on her, her stomach knotting with suspicion.

"Madison, keep moving," Thomas urged quietly, not yet noticing her lingering gaze. "We're almost there."

But Madison couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Her instincts were screaming at her to act, to get out of the crowd. "Thomas," she murmured, "I think we're being followed."

Thomas turned, but it was too late. The crowd erupted in chaos as someone fired a shot in the air, and the soldiers guarding the gates immediately began shouting orders. A missile slammed into a nearby building, sending a deafening explosion through the streets. The ground beneath them trembled as debris rained down, and people screamed in terror.

"Run!" Jorge shouted, his voice rising above the panic. He drew his weapon, but there was little time to make sense of the situation.

"Go! Go! Go!" Thomas barked, urging the group to flee.

Madison's heart raced as they sprinted, weaving through the chaos, with missiles now raining down upon them. The city was unraveling, and it was only a matter of time before they would be trapped.

Jorge led them into a narrow alley, his voice cutting through the madness. "This way!" He shouted, his eyes sharp as he navigated the streets with precision. The group scrambled after him, breathless, trying to stay ahead of the devastation.

But as they turned the corner, Madison was seized by a pair of strong hands. She spun around, fists clenched in reflex, but before she could fight back, a masked man threw her into a waiting van. Her heart pounded in her chest as she struggled against his grip, only to be pushed roughly into the back of the vehicle, where Thomas and Brenda were already trapped.

"You're all just a bunch of cowards hiding behind masks," Madison spat, her voice laced with fury.

The man said nothing, his grip tightening around her wrist as the van door slammed shut. The vehicle lurched forward, rumbling as it sped through the streets.

Inside, the air was thick with tension. The masked figures remained silent, ignoring Madison's defiant glare. Thomas and Brenda exchanged a few tense looks, their minds racing with questions, but there was no time for answers. The van bounced and jolted through the city, and the only sound was the occasional muffled voices of the guards, their words unintelligible beneath their masks.

When the van screeched to a halt, the doors flung open. The chaos outside had intensified, and they could hear shouting and struggling in the distance. Jorge was engaged in a violent scuffle with another masked man. "Where is she?" he demanded, his voice a growl of frustration.

Brenda tried to intervene, but Madison was already moving, pushing against the figure who had restrained her. "Don't touch me!" she shouted, elbowing the man who held her back.

Then, through the commotion, a familiar voice rang out.

"Everyone, relax." The voice was calm but authoritative, and it cut through the noise like a knife. Madison froze.

It was the blonde guard.

Her stomach twisted with recognition, and she narrowed her eyes at the woman. Something inside her shifted, a memory flickering to life.

"Take off your mask," Madison ordered, her voice low and seething with anger.

The woman hesitated, her eyes flashing with a mix of reluctance and resolve. Slowly, she removed the mask, revealing her face.

Madison gasped. "Beth?" Her voice cracked with disbelief. "I thought you were dead."

The reunion was anything but warm. Without warning, Madison's fury exploded. She lunged at Beth, her fist connecting with her jaw. The impact made Beth stumble back, her eyes wide in surprise.

"Madison, stop!" Thomas shouted, his hands gripping her tightly to pull her away.

"You're a monster!" Madison screamed, struggling in Thomas's grasp. "You stupid bitch!"

Beth took a step back, wiping blood from her lip as Madison raged. "Madison, stop," Thomas commanded, his voice firm. "We need to stay focused."

Madison's anger flared, but she couldn't stop the storm of emotions that surged inside her. She had seen Beth die. She had mourned her. And now, here she was, standing before her—alive, and not offering any answers.

Then, as if to add fuel to the fire, a man in the corner of the room removed his own mask.

"You're here, too?" Thomas gasped.

"Gally," Madison breathed, her voice tinged with disbelief. "You're alive?"

Gally's eyes flickered briefly to Madison, his expression unreadable. "Guess we're all still breathing."

As the group stood frozen in the tense, charged moment, the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder. A new figure stepped into view, his eyes narrowing at the group. He looked at Gally, then at Beth, then directly at Thomas.

"You've got a lot of nerve showing up here," the man said, his voice dripping with disdain. "And you—" He pointed at Thomas. "Why should I trust you?"

"I can help you," Thomas said quickly, stepping forward. "We need to get into WICKED. And you can get us there."

AUTHORS NOTE;

Okay, guys, I added Beth! If you don't know who she is, she's from Group B. In the original story, she was the one who killed Rachel—yeah, the one who was only in the movie for like five seconds—but Rachel's alive in this version! I know, I know, she actually died, but this is FAN FICTION, and I wanted to bring her back, so there you go.

Anyway, hope you liked it! Let me know what you think, and stay tuned for more!