The Rebel Queen

Chapter 3:

I stared up at the palace. It was so familiar. It's beauty shined out even more in the pale moonlight. Most of the windows were dark, but a few windows were lit up with lights in a select sequence. The palace was supposed to be my home. Now I sleep on an uncomfortable cot in the underground basement of a rebel base.

I couldn't help but think of the people in this palace. Specifically Maxon. What was he doing right now? Was he pulling an all nighter and working till he became brain dead. Was he sleeping peacefully? He barely ever got a goodnights sleep and I didn't want to wake him up by attacking. Was he asleep with Kriss in his arms, cuddling into his bare chest? I'd be just fine waking him up than.

No, America. That's over. This is your life now. You are a rebel. Your honoring your dad. You're supporting a cause that so many others support. Your helping your rebel friends. August, Georgia, and Marianna. Mary, Anne, and Lucy. Aspen. Even Gavril Fadaye is a rebel.

"How are we getting up?" I asked in a bored tone.

"Were climbing a rope," August told me, with a reluctant look in his eyes. I ignored the look.

"Ha! Whose going to climb up the balcony and tie down the rope!" I laughed. I don't want to be the one who almost dies climbing up the balconies up to the fifth story.

"Because of you and Marianna's kitchen escapade earlier today, you too will?" Thelma smiled, getting some sort of twisted happiness out of my pain. She really didn't like me.

I sighed unhappily and Marianna gasped uneasily. I glared fiercely at Thelma and motioned for her to hand me the rope. I studied the palace for any row of balconies, with a room without lights on. Luckily I found one completely dark row of rooms. Bingo.

I motioned for Marianna to folllow me and led us underneath the first balcony out of four. I blocked out the hundreds of eyes on me. Ever heard of privacy, rebels... I took one end of the rope and with as much force as I could muster, through it up. It soared up before wrapping around the railing of the balcony and falling back down.

I smiled in triumphant. Now I had the rope wrapped around the balcony  with both ends Hanging down. I griped the rope and began sliding up the rope. As I reached the end, I griped the railing of the balcony and propelled myself on to it. I held the rope for Marianna as she did the same. We both continued to do that for the next five balconies, until finally we reached the roof. I wiped some sweat off my forehead with my red bandana and took a deep breath.

True to her word, Kriss did unlock the roof. Now to deal with the rope.

"I got this," Marianna told me. She took one end of the really long rope and walked over to the door. She looped the rope through and around the door knob and tied a complex knot. It was brilliant really. Not only would it keep the rope in place so the others could climb up, but the weight on the rope would hold the door open. Perfect.

I ran to the edge and gave the rest of the rebels a thumbs up.

"You'll have to go first," I instructed.

"What? Why?" Marianna blanched.

"You have to check if there's a guard on duty. If there is, they'll recognize me. That's why you have to do it," I explained.

"Okay. But first..." Marianna reached into her pocket and pulled out a small sheet of paper. She kissed the sheet, leaving an outline of her signature preppy red lipstick lipstick. "A parting gift."

She stuck the sheet of paper between the handle and the door.

She slid through the door and I followed closely behind her. But she continued past where as I stopped at the corner and just peeked.

There was a guard doing his rounds of the fourth floor. If I recall correctly they only have one guard on the fourth floor. The floor is his for offices, study's, and meeting rooms. So it should be vacant at this time of night. But the guard wouldn't be an issue. He was obviously a newbie. All he can do is pull the alarm and that's never stopped the rebels before.

When Marianna stepped out his eyes widened and he stuttered uncontrollably. She just waved at him and he took off running. The button for the rebel alarm is  a couple long halls from here. We should be good. I motioned with my hand for them to to continue and a bunch of rebels came barging past Me.

So this is what it's like on the other side. Cool.

I followed after the last one ran. This was my first attack. They don't ever kill anyone. They just do what they need to get them out of the way. As long as it's not killing. I just needed to look for the books. And I was in the perfect place.

After I learned of the diaries hiding place in the secret library, King Clarkson would never trust me enough to leave them there. He wouldn't trust anyone, especially me or Maxon, to know where they are. The only person he trusted was himself.

They would be somewhere only he knew of. Somewhere only he could have accessed. Somewhere that only he thought he was smart enough to reach. Which means the ideal place for him to hide the books...was his office.

I sprinted in that direction. I tried to ignore the gunshots coming from downstairs, but it was difficult. The shots were coming from guards (because were weaponless) which means they're being shot at rebels. Which means my people could be injured. Or worse. I sprinted faster. The sooner I get those diaries, the sooner we get out of here and never come back. If we never come back, no one else will be injured. I ran right into the room. My mistake was...I didn't look into the room first.

I came to a halting stop when I ran into something strong. A person. Almost automatically the person caught me and steadied me. Their arms were strong and alluring. Than there was a gasp.

"America?"

The voice was heartbreakingly familiar. The one voice that could bring me to tears of joy and sadness. The one voice that was strong and firm, yet Kind and sweet. The one voice that could make me drop to my knees and pray to any god he demands. The one voice I here in my dreams. The one voice I would never get tired of. The one voice I loved and missed. The one voice I thought I'd would never hear again. The one voice that just uttered my name.

Maxon.