Shadow Thief

39- Light it Up, Take it Down

"Ready?" I asked the unnamed soldier. Not that he was unnamed, I just didn't care enough to ask.

He nodded, determination in his eyes.

"Light it up."

He dropped the match, landing it on the wooden floor which was covered in beer.

"Out, out, out!" I yelled.

I jumped out the top window of the two story building. My body skidded onto the roof of the next one over. I was pulled up by Chris as the other four quickly popped out.

We started moving. One building after another we headed towards Pacific Rose. In the distance, I could see smoke rising in three distinct directions. Good, looks like everything went okay on their parts.

I jumped, landing in the next roof. Below me, I could see people, citizens and us terrorists, making their way away from the fire. Wee needed to get down, we were too suspicious.

I motioned with my hand, and the five of us running on roofs dropped down into the dirt. People bustled and pushed around us, but we managed to push through. No officials would be coming this way. Orchid was self sufficient, and the government hated them, us. 

"Only a little further," I said to those listening to me.

When we hit Pacific Rose in twenty more minutes. Riots had already broke out from citizens and us terrorists alike. I guess I should've expected that. After all, officers were making all kinds of arrests on people from Orchid, and that just turned into chaos. My groups quickly joined the fight. The richer citizens were starting to run, away from the fighting and the blood.

"Chris," I yelled over the crowd. He looked at me, obediently waiting for instructions. And he compared Theo to a dog too. "We're heading into the main building."

I touched my finger onto the bud that was resting in m ear. "Alright, guys. Time to head inside. Bring a bit of the chaos with you if you can."

'We have a problem,' Levi's voice said in my ear.

My heart skipped a beat. "What's wrong?"

'Mila's missing. She was with me a few minutes ago, but disappeared when the soldier came back with the earbuds. I haven't been able to find her.'

"Were you in or out of Pacific Rose when she went missing?"

'We were still in Evergreen.'

"Chances are, she got lost in the crowd. Either way, we don't have time to wait up for her. We have to keep moving."

If she was still in Evergreen, she was lost in a safe zone.

There were several 'okays' through my earbud before it was quiet again. Even though I said she'd probably be fine, I was chanting 'please be okay, please be okay,' in my head.

Still chanting the little saying, I pushed and fought my way past others. Even inside the building, there was chaos. Some people who I recognized as rookies were rushing the normal staff deeper into the building, away from the oncoming danger.

"Where are we headed?" Chris asked. "Or am I not welcome to come with you that far back?"

"Oh no, you're coming. I need someone to be my scapegoat while I make my way to the top."

He sighed. "Well, glad to be useful, I guess. I still don't know where we're going."

"Just follow me."

I touched my finger to my earbud, turning on the voice recognition, while we ran in the direction of the arena. "Alright, listen up. Mercy, stay with Clover in a deserted place until Chris or I tell you otherwise. The rest of you, don't die. That's an order."