Reputation: Book One

Qrow

"What the hell is going on?" I ask rhetorically, clinging on to Tripp's bicep as he shoved his way through the human stampede.

"We need to find Talitha and Autumn before they get hurt,'' He says. "What all did you pack in your gym bag?"

I grimace. "A six round."

He groans, turning to me. "Seriously? You knew the enemy knows where we are and that's all you brought?" He sputters.

"I don't think I could explain an AK to security, Tripp," I snap back, stumbling over my damned feet as he tugs me faster. He reaches behind him and under the back of his denim coat, digging down into his waistband and pulling out a 9 mm. "We need to split up," He says, spinning around towards me. "Go find your bag and then come find me," He instructs. I quickly nod, squeezing his hand right before sprinting to the stage. The building was almost cleared out now, only a few more people fighting to the door. I jumped up onto the stage, but my left ankle rolls under my spiked heel. I cry out and fall right to my knees, a shooting pain climbing up the back of my calf. I scramble back up to my feet and limp-skip behind the curtains back into the complete darkness. The sound-cancelling curtains made it impossible to hear anything outside, and the only auditable thing I could hear was my breath and my heart as it smashed against the front of my chest.

The sound of my shoes echo out into the styling rooms and I slip behind the set pieces leaning against the wall to remove them. As I stepped back further, my rear bumped into something warm and I swirl around, shoving it back in surprise. The figure topples over the set pieces and it all goes crashing to the floor, making me reflexively recoil against the wall.

"Thanks for the goose egg, you son of a bitch," Talitha's voice grunts and my body immediately relaxes.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," I apologise, reaching forward for her.

"Don't touch me," She snarls, slapping my hand away. My eyes had finally adjusted and I was now able to see what little laid infront of me. I stepped forward and the toe of my shoe catches on the thin wood beneath me, sending me on top of her.

"Get off of me!" She yells, kneeing me in the stomach. I utter a pained moan, rolling off of her and to the floor.

"I can't see shit," She mumbles as I hear her stand back up. Suddenly, there was the sound of glass shattering and the lights flicked on. We both froze, giving each other panicked looks.

"Now, I'll promise you I didn't mean to crash this little party," A familiar female voice snickers, the sound of glass crunching coming from my far right. I slowly stand up, pulling my shoe off my foot and setting it beside me. I watched for any movement behind the rear and side curtains, but the standing fans blowing around didn't help anything at all. "I just want the girl."

I snap to Talitha, eyes wide.

"What's our exit plan?" She whispers to me, sidestepping to the opposite wall with her hand pistol pulled up to her face as she totally ignores the pley.

"Our what?" I ask. Her mouth opens in shock.

"Oh God, we are all going to die," She whimpers, squeezing her eyes shut as she turned her face to the ceiling. I hear steps approach and I crouch down, searching desperately for some sort of weapon.

"Talitha, you need to go," I warn, peering at her from around the corner of the desk. "Give me your gun and go."

She shakes her head, pressing a finger to her lips to silence me. I set my jaw.

"Talitha," I say a bit louder this time. "You can't do this. They're after you, you need to go," I order.

"If you tell me to leave you guys one more time, I swear I'm going to kick you somewhere you won't enjoy," She whispers back, giving me a cold stare.