This Should Feel Something Like Fire.

The House that Doubt Built.

Kellin's POV

Being stuck in my cage, there were no windows and left me no way of knowing what time it was unless I asked. I spent the time after Austin left dozing off. It was a better idea than trying to move around. It would just hurt my legs and I knew it would indirectly hurt Vic too.

I was in the middle of falling asleep again for the fifth time when the loud clomping of boots was heard coming down the stairs. I knew it was Austin, but he still terrified me. He could decide to kill me at anytime. He probably had a gun like Alan and would shoot me in a second.

I jumped as the metal cage clanked open and winced from staying in the same position for too long. Both men had changed since I last saw them. They were dressed in black khakis and loose black t-shirts, black boots tying the outfits together. Austin was holding more bandages and rubbing alcohol. "How are you doing?" He asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Why do you care?" I snarled. Maybe Austin personally didn't do anything to me, but he's still part of the reason I'm stuck in here.

Austin acted like he didn't hear me and walked into my cage, carefully approaching me as if I'll attack him if he moves too fast. "You should probably clean your wounds again soon. Don't want them to get infected."

"And I ask again, why do you give a shit?" My voice is still harsh, and somewhere inside I know I'm being extremely rude, but I can't find it in me to care. They took me away from Vic and will kill us both.

Austin sighed and Alan groaned, exchanging looks. "Because...we're on your side here." Alan finally spoke up. I laughed in their faces.

"Right, sure you are. If you're on my side, then why am I still stuck in this damn cage? Wouldn't you have gotten me out of here by now? I'm not that stupid. Nice try."

"Really. We're being totally serious right now. They would kill us if we left right now."

"And they're going to kill me anyways, so what the hell does it matter?"

"Would you just shut up and let him talk?!" Austin cut in. I was majorly pissed off, but judging by the look on his face Austin's patience was wearing thin and I knew he could take me down even without the gun because I couldn't even move, let alone put up a good fight.

Crossing my arms, I nodded. "You've got five minutes."

Alan nodded back in agreement. "That's all I need. Anyways, Austin and I are part of this group. We don't really have a name, but what we do is protect your kind from the Resistance; we make sure they don't kill you. We'll be fighting them off as long as possible, but our group is so much smaller than the Resistance. If we were to make a run for it, we wouldn't make it ten miles before they found us. I'm sorry, I know this is a lot to take in, but it's all true. You need to trust us; we can get you out of here alive."

Both guys looked at me expectantly. It seemed as if I had no choice but to join. I didn't like the idea of trusting these people I barely know, but it seemed to be the only opportunity I had at possibly escaping and saving Vic's life and my own. I was going to die if I didn't make a move to escape soon. It's amazing how much you'll risk your life when you already know you're going to die.

"I'm in." Austin and Alan grinned at me, and Austin pulled out some papers from a black bag on his back I hadn't noticed before and began to lay them out around my cage.

"Okay, so here's the plan..."

~~~~~

Vic's POV

The gentle rumble of driving over rocky roads shook me awake. After being up half the night in burning pain, presumably from Kellin, I finally had gotten a few hours of sleep when we left early the next morning. Once again, Jack and Alex convinced my mom that we were going into "hiding" until this whole drama was over.