RULE THE WORLD | D.DIXON

111

"Shit, shit, shit," Alice muttered as she peeked around the corner.

"What? What happened? Why are there people shooting at us?" Max asked, looking at the redhead.

"I pissed off a couple of dudes on my way to you." The redhead replied as the sound of men yelling came closer. "C'mon, we've got to move behind they come."

Max and Cassie followed the girl, hopping down the side of it before running into the tree. Crouching down in the trees, the trio watched as the men climbed up the stairs holding weapons in their hands.

"We gotta get to the Washington Monument. And cut through the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, then a straight shot to Maryland from there." Alice explained, pointing to the very tall Washington Monument on the other side of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool.

"How did you make these people mad," Cassidy questioned, following her brother and Alice towards the Monument.

Alice glanced at the little girl. "I was attacked by the leader's wife when I came through here the first time. I had to kill her."

"Why?"

"Because she wouldn't let me pass until I gave her my stuff. I refused and she attacked me, so I killed her." The redhead answered as the sound of bullets hitting water alerted them.

Cassie looked behind them and saw the men running towards them. The trio took off sprinting towards the Monument. They rounded the tall structure, heading towards the Smithsonian, and hurried inside.

Max and Alice pushed the doors closed before hurrying through the museum towards the back exit. As they neared one of the exhibits, the front doors slammed open and the shouting of the men echoed through the halls.

"This way," Alice said, heading down a different hallway and up the stairs. "We've gotta get them in the exhibit below."

"I can do it." Cassie volunteered. "I'll lead them there and meet you up here."

"No." Max shook his head. "It's too risky, you'll—"

"It will work." Alice interrupted him. "Cassidy will lead them to us, and we will use those."

The redhead opened her backpack, pulled out two bottles of alcohol, two cloths, and a lighter, and handed a bottle and cloth to Max.

Max pulled his knife, pulling it into his sister's holster. "Meet us in the Butterfly exhibit, be careful, Cas."

Cassie nodded and headed down the stairs towards the voices of the men. As she made it to the main entrance, she spotted the men.

"Hey! Come and get me." She shouted, gaining the men's attention before sprinting away with the men following

As she got closer to the exhibit, the men suddenly spilt, five heading the direction forwards her bother and Alice and two chasing after her. Cassie took a sharp turn, sliding across the floor before running into other exhibit and ducked behind one of the statue of an animal.

"She couldn't have gotta far." One of the men said. "You head that way, I'll go this way,"

Cassie watched as the men separate heading in down opposite sides of the exhibit. She crawled around the statue as the first man got close to where she was, as he walked passed she took out her brother's knife and lunged forwards, stabbing it into the man's knee.