Reversal (Camren/Norminah)

Chapter 33: Wake Me Up

"What are you talking about?" The boy drew a small throwing knife from behind him, holding it out. "I have no idea who you are!"

"Save it." Lauren darted forward and knocked the blade out of his hand, grabbing his wrist and wrenching it at an unnatural angle. Pushing the boy up against the wall, she held his fists at the small of his back and restrained him from any further movement. "Tell me where she is."

"Ow!" The boy wriggled in her grip, twisting and wrenching around. "Cut it out! I have no idea what you're talking about, honest!"

"Jacob?" A second male voice appeared a ways down the hallway. "What's going- hey! Get off him!"

Lauren was caught off guard as a second boy darted from the shadows and rushed towards her with a knife identical to the first. Letting her confused captor go, the green eyed girl spun and brought the bar up, disarming him with ease and meeting his gut with her foot.

"Dex, who is this girl?"

"Dex?" Lauren turned to the teenager who was now on the floor holding his stomach. "Twins?"

"Yeah, I'm Jacob, he's my brother." The boy muttered, rubbing his wrists and taking a good number of steps away from Lauren.

"It's you..." Dex stood up and retrieved his blade from the ground. "You came here on your own?"

Lauren stepped forward and extended her weapon, narrowing her eyes. "It was you who took Camila." She growled. "Tell me where she is. Now."

"Take her back?" Dex held his hands up. "What are you talking about? We're keeping her safe here."

"Safe..." Lauren lowered the iron bar in her hand and slid it back in it's place. "What are you talking about?"

"Camila... that's what you said her name was? She's a lost fledgling, we took her in."

"Took her in?" Lauren clenched her fists. "You bound her in a net and electrocuted her. How is that taking her in?"

"That's how we gather all the lost fledglings." Jacob replied from behind Lauren. "Most of them don't come very easy, and force us to go to pretty serious extremes. Once they understand what our motives are, they'll thank us eventually."

"Lost fledglings?" Lauren looked at both the boys. "I don't understand... what is this place?"

"This is our hideout. It's pretty much a safe haven for anyone wandering around in the noxious gasses outside." Jacob explained. "If you want I can give you a quick tour."

Lauren nodded, turning and starting to follow the boy down the hall.

"Jake!" Dex called, stopping Lauren in her tracks. "You're just going to show a complete stranger around the base? Are you crazy? This girl is dangerous!"

"Just because I can kick your ass doesn't mean I'm dangerous." Lauren shot back over her shoulder. She smirked when the teenage boy scowled at her and spun around, heading in the opposite direction.

"Sorry about him." Jacob apologized. "You don't really seem all that bad. You're a fledgling right?"

"Right." Lauren looked at the boy. "Are you?"

"All of us are." He nodded. "When did you escape?"

"Uh..." Lauren looked down. "A while ago."

"Well it's good you found us." Jacob led Lauren down the hall into a large open room. Scattered among were people, dozens and dozens of teenagers just around Lauren's age stood chattering about in small groups. "Everyone you see here are escaped fledglings, so you're not alone."