Later on in the day Calice (or whatever she wanted to be called) sent them out onto the balcony for some fresh air. Robyn leant against the railing, tapping her cigarette against the metal and watching as the ash fell off the end. Mabel was sitting with her legs crossed, against the wall, hands on the rail next to her and looking down. Valerie was staring out onto the horizon, trying to make out the figures below. The city was a bustling life force - from up at their height she could observe hundreds of people milling around in the nearby market place - Calice one of those many pushing and shoving people as she tried to get some food for the week to feed her refugees.
Something suddenly caught Valerie's eye - a demonstration of some sort was happening down in the square. A group of Security guards were combing through the crowds carefully, obviously looking for someone or something special. Valerie swallowed hard and ducked her head. Chances are that they were looking for any escapees - for them. If they were caught they’d be screwed.
Don't worry, love. They're not going to look up here. Besides, I'm pretty sure they're looking for someone else - one of their own.
"Ro, see that? Something's going on." Valerie pointed down to the crowd.
Robyn glanced over and shrugged. "Not my problem."
Valerie chewed her lip. "I'm going down there. I want to see what's happening."
Robyn nearly chocked. "Are you crazy? You can't just waltz down there, you'll get caught and arrested on the spot. You're lucky if they don't put a bullet through your brain!"
Valerie tapped her fingers on the banister. "I need to get out, Ro. I can't stay pent up in here. Just for a while. I'll be careful. I'll even wear a disguise."
Mabel snorted. "What sort of disguise would hide you that much?"
Valerie shared a smile with her confused friends. "You'll see."
***
Minutes later Valerie was out the door, wrapping her ratty grey shawl around her shoulders and head, hiding her brightly coloured and very distinguishable hair.
She took a deep breath before merging into the crowd and being carried along. Around her hundreds of older, impoverished women wore more or less the same, rags wrapped around heads to keep from having to look people in the eye. The younger ones walked with their heads held high, carrying an air of urgency as they swam through the crowds with young families in mind. Men and women swarmed out of buildings, joining the crowd which proceeded towards the market. Every time a street corner was reached, groups would break off to travel up lonesome streets to their shabby apartments. Younger kids stood on steps and climbed up poles, playing games or simply looking for someone to pickpocket. The plucky one braved the crowds, dipping between legs to steal. Girls as young as ten stood outside of dilapidated houses, wearing next to nothing and inviting visitors in. Valerie watched them with avid curiosity. If she hadn't joined the Institution she might have well become one of them, mattered hair and wounded identities. She shuddered at the thought.
Pay attention, hon. Don't want to get lost now, do you?
Valerie fashioned a path out of the crowd, moving into a small alley, the walls covered in paintings of all mediums, shapes and sizes.
She ran her fingers over the colours, eyes wide with awe. Such pretty paintings, all locked away in the middle of nowhere where they couldn't be appreciated. She was tracing out the pattern of an hourglass when she realised that she was being watched.
Turn around slowly and walk out of here! The voice screamed in her brain.
She turned to find herself face to face with a shaky gun.
"Give me any money or food that you have and you can leave, ma'am." The boy whispered, gritting his teeth.
Get out! NOW.
He didn't look much older than her but he did look a lot less worn. His pallid blonde curls were flat against his forehead, matted with sweat and his silvery eyes darted around her face nervously, shock dawning when he realised that she was a lot younger than anticipated. His clothes weren't even shabby - just a little dirty by the looks of it from sleeping on the ground.
"Calm down, I-I don't have anything on me." She raised her hands slowly, pushing her shawl away from her face. She was captivated by his eyes, not able to look away. They seemed to house a desperation and despair that was starkly different to the blank and accepting looks for the sector people. They held too much emotion - that was always a bad thing.
"Lies!" He snarled. "Empty your pockets!" His hands shook more as he waited. Her trembling was almost on par with his - it took a great deal of effort to manoeuvre her shaking hands into her pockets to turn them out, nothing inside. Upon seeing this he muttered a few curse words.
He lowered the gun slightly, looking worried. "Take me somewhere safe. Now. Take me to your apartment."
This seemed to amuse her inner voice.
You'd think he'd have a little more decorum. Usually there's a date or two before the whole 'can I come over' thing
That's when Valerie noticed that the handgun was missing the magazine clip. She fought the urge to laugh.
"No."
"I'll shoot you if you don't!" He said, pointing it at her face.
"Go ahead. My life can't get any worse than this. Shoot me." She raised her arms high in the air.
The boy froze, unsure.
Valerie smiled, taking advantage of this. A hard punch to his chest had the boy bent over, wheezing and most importantly, made him drop the gun. She lunged, kicking his leg back and flipping him over - making him land on his chest with quite a lot of force. She twisted his arm behind his back as he squirmed in the dirt, making him yell.
"I'm going to leave in a second. Try to follow me and I will kick you so hard in the crotch that you won't be able to move for a week." She said angrily. The threat made his protests subside.
She let go of him and stepped backwards towards the mouth of the alley, anticipating a last minute attack. He got up into a sitting position with some effort, breathing heavily and looking like he wanted to cry. He pressed a hand to his side and winced.
"Go. Chivalry is dead, anyways." He muttered.
"Excuse me? You tried to kill me!" She advanced on him, looking quite fierce and he put an arm up to defend himself.
"Just trying to survive."
"Oh no- that's not how you survive. You're not from around here, obviously." She spat at him.
You're not one to talk, hon.
"Shut up!" She said to herself.
He looked at her , wide-eyed and obviously thinking that she was crazy. "I didn't say anything-"
"Not you." She glared at him before bending to scoop up her shawl from the ground. She dusted it off and wrapped it around herself.
"Keep away from the main road - Security's roaming." She muttered before turning on her heel.
"No-wait!" The boy cried out.
Just keep walking.
Valerie did just that.
As she moved silently through the crowds, Valerie started to feel guilty for the wreck that she had ignored in the alleyway.
Think about it this way - there was nothing else you could do.
Valerie nearly screamed. That sounded awfully familiar, she thought bitterly. She decided to head home, abandoning her mission fully. Maybe it was safer to just observe from above, she thought.
***
"- and you whopped his ass?" Robyn's laugh filled the small room and she nearly fell off the sofa in excitement. "Aw, now I kind of wish I'd come with you, just to see the look on the poor kid's face."
Mabel grimaced. "I dunno. Maybe you should have helped him Val, he sounded desperate to me."
Valerie's stomach churned. She had thought the same thing.
Robyn made a noise. "Nah- he deserves whatever comes his way."
At that moment their housekeeper came in, laden with bags. "Look!" She waved a book in the air. "Classic edition of Macbeth. Absolutely priceless- I caught someone selling it as tinder for fireplaces. Stupid, uneducated souls."
Billy mewled, jumping out from his hiding place under the wardrobe.
"Shakespeare must be rolling over in his grave."
Robyn gave Valerie a confused look, mouthing 'Shakespeare who?"
Valerie shrugged in response.
Mabel piped up from her spot in the corner. "Can I read it one? I have nothing else to do and I’ve never held a real book before."
The woman gave an almighty cry, rushing to her side. "Of course, child. Here, here! Oh how I wish my own son was like that."
"Where is he now?" Mabel asked.
Calice stared at her as if she was stupid.. "He's right over there." She pointed at Billy.
Mabel's face was incredulous and Robyn had to pretend to cough intently to hide her laughter.
"You poor girls must not get up to much, cooped up in here all day. It'll be a while before you can go outside- wait till things calm a bit."
Valerie smiled wryly. "Oh it was no problem. I'm sure we'll find something to do tomorrow."
They did just that. After Calice has gone out as usual to the markets, the thee ventured out in search of the strange boy, Robyn the only one out of the three that was armed. She had been lucky enough to have her trust knife on her the day of the invasion.
"Keep your eye peeled for Tanner or my mother." Mabel whispered. Valerie ducked her head, slipped her shawl further over her head as they passed by patrols of Security. They were still roaming the streets, looking for someone or something in particular with no such luck.
"Where did you find this kid, anyways?" Robyn muttered, pushing past people a little bit more roughly than necessary.
"An empty alley, nearly impossible to miss. The walls are covered with paintings. It's a shame no one notices."
"That one on the left?" Robyn said, leading them out of the crowd.
Mabel's eyes grew wide in awe as they stepped into it. "It's wonderful Valerie. Your descriptions didn't do it any credit!"
Robyn made a face. "I don't see anyone. Looks like no one's home."
She was right.
There was no one else but them, a few birds and the paintings.
"He must have packed up and left. No use staying around when you know there's a wicked crazy girl that knows where you live. If I were in his shoes I would relocate too." Robyn received a glare from Valerie for that comment.
"Guys if we're done here can we keep searching?" Mabel's voice was laced with worry. The more days that went passed without any sightings of their lost loved ones meant that the danger that they wouldn't be found increased. Mabel knew this and was verging on desperation by the looks of it.
"I'll check back tomorrow." Valerie murmured, stroking the wall with reverence.
They drifted from street to street, Valerie craning her neck for Tanner, Mabel for her mother and Robyn for a good food stand.
"Wait- is that- mum!" Mabel shoved suddenly through the crowds, causing alarm with the attracted attention.
Valerie rushed after her, trying to calm her down.
Hundreds of people cried out in protest, being pushed into walls and staggering into oncoming flows of pedestrians.
"Mabel wait up!" Valerie shouted.
She found on a street corner, tears streaming down her face.
"It wasn't her. She gone, isn't she? Gone. Gone. Gone!" Mabel sobbed.
Valerie shushed her gently, pulling her close. They got suspicious glances from the occasional passerby.
"Let's get home, okay? Everything will be fine. I promise, darling, I promise."
Mabel refused to look Robyn in the eye when they returned.
"People are starting to notice, better get out of here, fast." Robyn whispered, looking in the opposite direction.
One guy went as far as stopping in his tracks to stare openly at her. “Take a picture, idiot. I’ll last longer. You’re not even my type – I play for the other team.” She snapped. He walked away hurriedly, blushing as he looked back over his shoulder.
“Let’s just go now. Before we cause any more trouble.” Valerie mumbled.
They fled, shawls barely staying on their heads.