Redemption

Chapter 16

I don't.

"Avery, we are getting ready to leave, I can't help you if you don't cooperate." he says sternly, "you're braver than this, you can't just crumble to pieces."

I slowly open my eyelids. It's nearly sun break. Adalene is in the corner, sleeping. My sisters are still sound asleep. My parents are gone, and so is Darius. They must be helping to prepare to leave.

"There she is, I say once again." Mac chuckles, thinking back to the termination site. I cringe, I can't bare to think of that horrid place.

"Yeah, yeah." I say. He looks at me, studying my thoughts. I feel like he can read people the way that he is so observant.

"What?" I say.

"Nothing," he says, smirking.

"You were talking," he says.

"Was I?" I'm curious.

"You said, "Come dance with me."." he emphasizes my desirable expression, batting his eyelashes.

"Come on, I do not do that." I say. "Let's get these people up and working, shall we?" I try to lighten the mood.

Adalene gets up quickly, Claire and Meghan take a couple tries. I watch as they make their way out of the loft, turning to Mac.

"It started as a good dream." I explain. "Then, it turned into a disturbing one."

He nods, listening.

"It's okay, nightmares come and pass."

"I know, but still."

"Come on, follow me."

I follow Mac, down the loft and into the hangar. I see the plane that I sat in yesterday and wander over to it.

"I like this one." I say.

"Well, maybe I can show you how to fly it sometime." he replies.

"You can fly?" I ask, astonished.

"No," he laughs, "but I can figure it out!"

I laugh. The laugh ends quickly, and my smile fades.

I hear blades, chopping the air. It sounds like the helicopters that fly across the sectors.

"No." I say. "How did they find us?" I say to Mac, struggling to speak over the noise.

"We need to go!" he says.

I take off running, searching for our companions. I find Claire and Meghan first. Grabbing them by the wrists, I rush off to find Mac.

The helicopter has landed, and three soldiers are exiting. Another person comes out.

The General.

I panic, "Mac!" I shout.

Mac rounds the corner with Adalene in sight. My mother, father, and Darius are no where to be found.

I bite my lip.

"Well! Look who we have here?" the General spits. "Avery and her army. You know what to do."

The soldiers rush forward, leaving no time to escape. The dark-haired soldier knocks the breath out of me. I collapse against him as I am dragged to the vehicle. Claire cries out in pain, the soldier twists her wrist.

"Claire!" I cry.

I am blindfolded and my hands are tied before I am thrown into the cargo section of the helicopter. The others are done with the same way.