The Runaway Victor | Book II

Chapter Twenty | The Warning

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Everything around her was dark, the trees threw heavy shadows over the entire valley. She felt like she was suffocating, her heart was pounding in her chest, she could feel her leg about to give out from under her, the branches she ducked under only made another obstacle. But wasn't the mutts enough of a obstacle? She could barely make out the shape of the branches, how was she able to protect herself from a mutt too?

"Quinn!" Finnick shouted.

"Quinn! Stop! Please!" Annie pleaded.

They're just mutts, Quinn told herself. They're only mutts!

Her leg was throbbing, and her hands were getting all cut up from the branches. She could feel some blood trickling down her cheek where she had gotten hit with a branch. Suddenly, something grabbed her arm. Pulling on her arm so hard she she practically fell against them. She looked up to see Finnick's green eyes looking down at her.

"Quinn, Quinn it's okay-"

"Quinn!"

She jolted awake when someone shook her shoulders forcibly. She was panting, as if she really had been running for her life. She could still feel her heart racing in her chest.

"Quinn, we have to go." it was Marcus who had waken her up. "Somebody tipped off the peacekeepers, they sent word to the Bensons-- they're on their way."

"Who sent them word?" Quinn asked as she kicked her blankets off. The sound of rustling around in the trunks filled the bunker, she glanced in their direction, it was Orion and Jules hurrying to get as much supplies as possible.

"Two of the peacekeepers are Drifters from Two," he explained.

"Quinn where's your backpack?" Jules called over her shoulder. Quinn grabbed her pack and brought it over to Jules who snatched it and began piling food in. Once it was packed full, Quinn pulled her backpack on and then they all made her way towards the emergency escape trapdoor.

"What about the Bensons?" Quinn asked as Marcus began to climb out so he could help the others. "If they find the bunkers, they'll kill the Bensons--"

"They knew what they were signing up for when they offered to help us." Jules said as she tossed up an extra bag that would probably go over Marcus's shoulder.

"So what? We're just leaving them? For the peacekeepers to find them?" Quinn asked, looking at her then Orion. Quinn knew that it was dangerous for the Bensons to be helping them, but she had thought they would at least try to help them if something happened. "Do you know what they'll do to them if they think they know where we're going!?" she asked sharply, glaring at Jules.

"There isn't anything we can do-- we have to get out of here." she retorted.

Quinn scoffed and turned around and began running towards the other trapdoor.

"Quinn!"

"You and Marcus go, head south. We'll be right behind you." Quinn heard Orion giving her the orders, and then she heard her mumble something in reply.

Quinn got to the ladder and began to climb up it. That trapdoor was hidden by nothing but a carpet that was under the kitchen table. So Quinn began to climb up the ladder, but she felt Orion grab her backpack.

"What exactly is your plan?! Peacekeepers have armour on, we don't--"

"I never really have a plan, Orion." Quinn replied sharply, "Usually I just hope for the best."

Orion let go of her backpack and she climbed up a few more steps before pushing up the trapdoor. The carpet was on top of it, and let a bunch of dust and dirt fall in on her. So she lifted up the door and moved it and then pushed the carpet with it before crawling out of the bunker and into the upper part of the house. Once she was out from under the table, she heard Orion coming up behind her. Then she stood up and looked around the house, the dishes had all been tossed in the sink in a rush. The fire was put out but still smoking. They had all been in a hurry to make the house seem normal.

"Hannah? Kal?" Quinn called out and a moment later, one of the curtains was pulled back. It was the small room that had been set aside for Mrs. Benson, Kal's grandmother.

She looked so small in the doorway, "You should both be gone." She stated, as if it was the most obvious thing ever.

"We can't just leave you three with the peacekeepers." Orion answered for Quinn.

She raised a hand, "Don't you worry about me," she said her voice was quieter and Quinn could have sworn there was a small voice crack as she began to tear up. "Hannah, Kal," she took a few slow steps towards the actual bedroom door. But before she could knock on it, Kal Benson already pulled open the door.

"You two shouldn't be here! You have to leave, they know you're here." he stated, looking at Quinn for a long moment.

"You and Hannah should go with them,"

"That's why we haven't left yet." Quinn added, "We want you to come with us."

Kal stared at them as Hannah appeared behind him. Both of them were in the same clothes as they were during the day. Hannah's eyes looked puffy, as if she had been crying.

"W-we can't leave." Hannah said in a shaky voice. "What about you?" she added, pushing past her husband and looking at the old woman.

She shook her head, "Don't you worry about me." she said softly and Hannah quickly wrapped her arms around her in a hug. Then when she took a step towards Quinn and Orion, Kal quickly hugged his grandmother too.

"Are you sure?" Hannah asked.

Orion sighed and nodded, "But we have to leave now." he pressed, "We got slowed down enough."

"You be careful! Okay?" Mrs. Benson called after the group of them as they began to move towards to door.

Then with that, Orion slipped out the door with the Benson's close behind him and then Quinn stuck close behind them. The group of them went around the back of the house, and after a moment, they started running. Quinn assumed it was the same direction that Jules and Marcus had gone.

Quinn felt like she was back in her nightmare. The only difference was that there were thick trees surrounding her, making it more difficult for her to run. And there weren't any mutts either, there were peacekeepers with guns somewhere looking for her, but they weren't directly behind her. And if they were only peacekeepers, then they couldn't be genetically altered to be able to see perfectly in the dark.

Orion led them into an old field, one that looked like it hasn't been entirely harvested yet. The taller plants made it a bit more difficult for Orion and Quinn to actually run. Hannah and Kal had grown up in their environment, it was probably second nature for them to be in a field. So eventually, the two of them took the lead to lead them out of the field and then to the fence. As they ran, they began to hear the trucks that carried around peacekeepers coming up the road that they had just crossed to get into the field.

The group of them ran and ran until the fence that boarded the District finally came into view. As they neared it, Orion pulled off his backpack and tossed it through and Quinn did the same. Then Quinn ducked through the fence to show the Bensons how to do it. Then a moment later, they were all through and running towards the trees-- but the warning about the peacekeepers had barely been enough for them to get out. And they still had no idea of Jules and Marcus had made it. And the thought that they, even Jules, hadn't made it made Quinn feel sick to her stomach.