"We will not be controlled!" My voice shouted. It had been the words that I had painted on the walls before. They were mine and I would let them be heard. I shouted it again. We had taken to the streets with those who were on their way to work. I wanted nothing more for them to join us. We needed strength in numbers.
I had sent someone to inform Macallister of the development with the hopes that he would have The Third Party join us. There was no way for me to know if the message would ever be received, or if they would even come if it was.
My voice shouted again, the same chant as before. And again. With every chant my voice increased in volume with the numbers surrounding me. Archer marched beside me. I could hear his voice mingling with mine. Before long ours were undetectable in the mass around us. We had all become one with each other.
Some stopped and watched us as we matched. Here and there a few would join us. One in a lab coat. One in a blue uniform that stood for an electrician. Another in a construction hat. I continued to walk with them. There was not an Officer in sight but there would soon be one that would spot us. Harold was leading the group that was growing large with every building we passed. Some people ran away from us in terror as if they were afraid that they would become involved and suffer for it. I hoped that would not happen. If we lost, we would without a doubt be put to death. Especially those who were older. They would not hesitate to rid the City of those who, for the most part, were too old to serve a purpose to the community.
It seemed as if we were reaching more people than not as more joined. My chant continued to dominate the street. There was no room for anything but the moment. It almost felt like a dream. No matter what happened to me, I would finally feel as if I did something worthwhile.
Harold was leading us towards The Hall of Knowledge. I had only been in the building once, illegally, and I had stole stack upon stacks of paperwork. I thought I had watched two people die that day, though it turned out to only be one, and I knew that I would see more as we marched to the Hall.
Officers guarding the gates stood watch. One in the tower and two on the ground. My heart thundered. They had their guns ready.
The large group we had acquired as we had marched froze before the weapons. We had none. Just human bodies in rows vulnerable to any bullet they let fly. Archer gripped my hand tighter. There was no way to know if my message had reached them or if they would firmly stand behind the rules of the City.
The one in the tower pointed his gun at us. My heart jumped to my throat as Archer and I gripped each other. It was happening. People would die. I prepared for them to fire. And fire they did. Two quick shots.
My face was pressed into Archer's chest as he held me.
Silence.
I looked around us. There, in front of me, stood only one of the three Officers. She was a medium sized woman with dark black hair pulled tightly into a bun. She had shot the other two stationed with her.
"Some of you can follow me," he voice boomed loudly. I felt the authority in her voice as if it had just shot me like she had shot the others. "I can get you some weapons."
I watched as people looked to Harold for direction. He nodded. "Half of you go with her. Get as much as you can and bring it back."
No one hesitated. I watched as the Officer ripped off her black shirt, revealing her white undershirt, and threw it to the ground. She would no longer be identified with the Officer's. She was now part of the rebellion. On the ground before us laid the dead body of her previous partner. My stomach lurched. Regardless if they were on our side or not, every death would weigh heavily on us all. The population of the City was never large and to eliminate possibly half who would not join us would be too much death for me to handle.
"That was lucky," Archer breathed heavily. "The could have just put round after round into us."
"Would it have been enough to eliminate us all?"
Archer looked round at the group, half who were following the now ex-Officer, and the other half who were still standing with us. "Maybe not all of us. But enough that this would probably never happen again."
I nodded. "I don't know where Macallister and The Third Party are but I hope they make it soon."
"We will never be able to accomplish this without their support."
"Then I guess, if you need us that much, we will be here," said a female voice I never thought I would be happy to hear. It was Jericho. Archer smiled and hugged her. I tried not to anger myself. He was her friend and that was all. Her feelings for Archer did not change his feelings for me. In her arms she held a large gun. Knives were strapped to her thighs as well as two hand guns. On her back she had a small pack of what I assumed would be supplies. She took notice of our bareness. "No weapons?"
I shook my head. Several others from The Third Party were spread out among us. They too were covered with weapons.
"Got any to spare?" Archer asked.
"Not on me." She narrowed her eyes at us. "Where did you two go?"
"That doesn't matter right now but clearly our disappearance had something to do with us being here now," Archer checked his surroundings. People were shuffling around, our movement temporarily confused until we could get a way to defend ourselves.
"I think we should follow the others," I chimed in. "Jericho is here now, she can lead these people to The Party and help supply them."
"Agreed," Archer said. "The Officer's who remain on the other side will be here soon. I do not doubt that the one in the tower signaled for back up before he died."
"We should meet back here?" Jericho said, gesturing to the Hall of Knowledge.
"Yes, this building is the most important one," Archer said. "Without it, there is no way to shut the computers down and take control."
"How are the children?" I had not forgotten about the people of the Forest coming in and taking it over.
"In safe hands and out of harms way." Jericho said. "Marie had let all of them come and stay with them."
I had not thought about Marie in a long time. Last I knew she had been prepared to sacrifice me. If that had ever been true. Though her name was not one I wanted to hear, knowing that the children were safe gave me a small sense of relief.
"Good." Archer sighed. "Take these people with you."
"Of course," she said before raising her voice. "Follow me! Quickly!"
Without hesitation they looked for the direction from Harold. I froze. I was not sure if Harold wanted Macallister to know he was still alive. He nodded at the people and they left with her. I relaxed. Jericho knew his name from Gina's mouth, not his face. Though, much like he had known Archer and I before we knew he had existed he must have recognized Jericho.
With them leaving to safety the three of us went to catch up with the other group. We could not be the only ones unarmed.
The building we were led to was a round black storage building. It was a strange thing to look at. The Officer must have used an access card to let the majority, allowing people to pass the weapons down like an assembly line. Mostly guns were handed out. I doubted most knew how to use them but I was hoping some of the older people were retired Officer's. At least The Third Party and the Forest knew how to wield them.
Together Archer and I walked into the building. Harold started talking hurriedly to those holding weapons. I did not have time focus on what he was telling them. Inside the ceiling was high and the walls were covered in different types of devise and weapons. My hands began to sweat. I knew nothing of guns and a small amount of how to use a knife and hand to hand combat. I was not the best at either of them. I might as well have considered myself to be in the same field as those who had never used them in the City. I did not realize I was fidgeting until Archer handed my knives to strap onto myself. I shook as I put them on like I had seen Jericho's.
"It's going to be alright," Archer attempted to reassure me. "I will be right there with you."
Archer picked deadly and more advanced weapons. In his hand he held a large gun that I knew nothing about.
"Thank you," I squeezed his hand before letting go. He smiled but it did not quite reach his eyes.
A shot outside startled us out of our moment. I knew my mouth was gaping in a panic. Several more shots were fired.
"Archer-"
"Come on, we don't want to be cornered in this building," Archer grabbed my hand. We ran outside as fast as we could. More shots happened consecutively. I had tried to prepare myself for the possible chaos that would be happening but it did not prepare me at all.