11 - family ties

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D A Y

I can't believe I left June to fend for herself with those rebels. They had Eden and Tess and I just left. Ran away like the coward I am.

I berate myself for thinking like that and hurry through the shadows. Hopefully June will have gotten Eden and Tess and she's making her escape right now.

But still, I rush for Batalla Hall. I call one of the other Captains - Captain Brooke - and demand that she round up soldiers and head for my old home. She tells me she'll be there in a few minutes and I turn back towards Lake, before making a quick decision to call Anden.

He picks up after a few seconds. "Day?"

"Elector, I'm sorry to disturb you but there's been an attack at Lake. The intersection between Figueroa and Watson." I rattle off the information, "Tess and Eden are being held hostage there and June went to go save them. She's sent me back out to get reinforcements, but the rebels are drawing closer and closer to us."

I don't wait for Anden's reply, though I catch his last remark. "I'll look into it immediately."

I hang up and swing myself up a rooftop. There's no reason for me to try to barge in on foot again. The rebels are fairly aware of us and they'll catch me easily up there. I take out the gun June had lent me. I remember her lessons and aim down at my old house. Captain Brooke's soldiers are already there, and they disappear into the house.

It takes five minutes before shots are heard. My heart leaps when I see June dragging out Tess. Then it plummets when I realize Eden isn't with her.

Swinging down from the rooftop, I run towards her. June snaps her head up and shouts a warning at me. I flatten myself to the ground just as someone sails over my head. I raise my gun but the rebel disappears quickly. I help June and Tess to the side.

"Where's Eden?" I demand.

"I helped him escape earlier," June pants, "before they caught me too. I don't know if they found him or not."

I whirl around and scan the rebels' forces. "There's so little of them."

"They went after Eden," June explains, looking pale and exhausted, "But Eden is smart, Day. They won't find him like this. Not with all the civilians."

I don't listen to her. I have to find my little brother.

I push through the crowd and not to my surprise, June follows me. Hopefully Captain Brooke will keep Tess safe. She's smart too; she won't let herself get captured so easily. (We have lived on the streets together before.)

June staggers slightly and I catch her. "You need your rest," I urge her, "I'll be fine."

"Nonsense," she pushes herself up, "I can keep going."

"June," I say urgently, "I'll be fine."

"No!" June's eyes are frantic, "I let them get captured, Day, I have to save them." I look into her golden eyes and realize she's scared. She's scared of what I might do if she fails.

I lean down and press my mouth to hers. She gasps and wraps her arms around me before pushing away. "We can't," she manages, "we're at war."

"You need your rest," I tell her gently, lifting up her legs and carrying her silently through the streets to her apartment. I borrow her key and nudge open the door. I lay her down on her couch and close the door behind us. "Eden will take care of himself like you said."

"We need to go look for him," June mumbles, but her eyes are already closing.

I want to caress her cheek and tell her everything will be fine but then I'll just be lying. But I cup my hand around face and lean down to kiss her once more. She leans into me and I lay her back down. "Stay here," I murmur to her, "I'll go find Eden and make sure Brooke and Tess are alright."

She nods and she's already closing her eyes again. I hope she'll be alright.

~

Tess is alright, thank goodness. She's nursing a few wounds but other than that, she's perfectly unharmed. But nobody has found Eden.

I scour the streets for him, careful to avoid any of the shadows in case the rebels are hiding there. I stay with the crowds to ensure that nobody could take me by surprise and nobody would even notice. I then notice I'm still wearing my uniform and curse myself for not being more careful.

The day passes and I still haven't found Eden. The sun is setting and I know by nightfall, I have to get back to my own apartment or June's to protect myself. Sighing, I head back to June's and find her still asleep. Hopefully Eden will be alright.

I give Tess a call in case Eden went to her place or mine but my friend tells me she's been to both and he wasn't there.

June wakes when I enter her apartment. "I took your key," I mutter, passing it over, "but I can't find Eden."

"He'll be fine," June murmurs, her head tilted back so her glossy hair fans out around her, "Is Tess alright too?"

"Tess is fine," I reply, sitting myself at the edge of the couch so I could stroke my hand through her hair. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much," she keeps her eyes closed and I notice she's still pale.

I give her a light kiss and go to make tea and some dinner. I bring back steaming cups and some random pasta I put together at the last minute.

June manages to sit up for dinner, but after that, I insist that she goes to bed.

"Stay here," she whispers when I lay her in bed and pull the covers over her.

I obey her and lay down next to her, over the covers. This vaguely reminds me of when we were in the tunnels and June had a fever. I had tried to keep her warm and break her fever so we could keep going.

I drape my arm over her and find myself closing my eyes to sleep.

Everything is going to be all right, I remind myself, We'll find Eden and Anden will figure out something to defeat the rebels.

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