Interlude [h.s]

fifty-six

This time, it feels like a betrayal.

She shakes her head quickly and walks out of her room, searching her pockets for the front door key. She was too taken by her argument with Harry that she forgot to lock the door, but she definitely needs to do that before having a shower. She wants to believe Harry wouldn't escape, but she can't trust him too much, and doesn't want to make things easier for him. Besides, the risk of someone breaking into the apartment is always high, so it's for their safety, too.

She frowns when she can't find the key. She's sure she had it on her—she unlocked the door when she came back. She presses her lips together as she tries to think of a solution. She could block the door with a chair from the inside, but then Harry would easily be able to get out.

She walks past the spare bedroom, and her gaze falls inside. Harry's lying on the bed in the middle of the room that once belonged to her, even though she can tell her father remodelled it. He seems to be asleep. The key of the door glints in the lock.

An idea comes to her. If she can't lock the front door, she could lock this door. She doesn't like the thought too much, but it would only be for the twenty minutes it'll take her to have a shower, and he's also sleeping. He won't even notice.

Without giving herself too much time to rethink it, she closes the door and turns the key in the lock. It's for his safety, too—this way, if someone comes in while she's showering, they won't be able to get to him while he's asleep. She'll try to be as fast as possible and open it again as soon as she's out of the shower.

Alouette puts away the key and steps into the bathroom, turning on the shower. The water is cold, and she waits a little longer. She could shower with freezing cold water if it comes to it, but the weather is starting to get colder now, and she really doesn't want to. It takes ten whole minutes for the water to finally become warm.

She takes off her shirt and bra and lets out a surprised sound when a key falls to the floor. It's the one of the front door. She lets out a little surprised laugh. She usually hides it in her bra when she goes out since she doesn't trust the small pockets of her clothes too much, but she hadn't realised she'd automatically put it back in there after coming home. Maybe she should tie a string around it and put it around her neck, so that she'll never lose it.

She should go lock the front door now, since the thought of having locked Harry in the bedroom doesn't make her feel too comfortable. She gets dressed again and turns off the water.

In the moment she does that she hears a loud banging resonate through the apartment.

Is someone knocking at the door?

Alouette hides away the key and pulls out her gun, silently exiting the bathroom and walking towards the front door. The banging gets louder, more urgent, and so does her quickened heartbeat.

Have those men followed her? If they did, that means that the Revolution is now standing on the other side of the door. It means they're in danger. She'll have to fight to keep her part of her deal with Harry.

Her eyes dart to the window of the living room as she tries to come up with an escape plan. They aren't on the ground floor, but maybe there's still a chance for them to go down from there unharmed. They only need a rope. She stops moving. Should she get the door or get Harry and try to flee the scene? But what if the people at the door aren't even Revolution, and all she'd need to get rid of them were a couple of words?

"Alouette!" A shout rings out, and she gasps. "Open the door right now!"

Alouette frowns. It doesn't seem to be coming from the front door.