The alarm blares into my ears, and I grab Milo and pull him behind me, shutting the door so we can only see through the crack. My free hand grabs my backpack strap, then I grab Peter's wrist. No ones seen us yet. It's just a bunch of alarms and spotlights, none of which have landed on us.
"Right. Jody," Peter says nervously, "we are currently standing just inside Bankside Power Station in the dark. There are people trying to get searchlights trained on us, and we have the King of England with us, who was supposed to have just been executed! Thoughts? Opinions? Any plans?"
"Okay. Okay, I'm just thinkin'!" She squeaks.
"There!" A guard yells. "I see something there!"
"Speed up your thinking, Jody," Paula says. "I think someone's just spotted us through the crack in the door. And we're in the middle of Sigrid's territory, miles from the wall of the neutral zone, and she'll kill us if we finds us."
"Okay. Okay. Uh... uh-"
"The plan still holds," Nicole interrupts. "They're going to try to follow you, but you know where you're going, and you're all fast. At least, I think you all are. I haven't really seen Jaime run, but I'm sure His Majesty is fast if he did runs with Singer before going off to live the royal life. Anyway, your transport has been arranged by the Laundry. There's a van waiting down by the Thames to your left. Get there. They'll get you across the wall."
"Wow. That was... quick thinking," Sam says, sounding impressed.
"I was in training to be a supervisor. My job was to make sure every plan went smoothly, and before that I was a radio operator, remember? Anyway, no time for talking. Just move!"
"I'm with you, Five," Jaime says with a nod. "Let's run!"
We sprint outside the door, taking a left and keeping our heads down. Everyone but Milo could be easily recognized if seen, so we need to make sure we're fast and remain unseen in the shadows. I keep quiet, one handing having ahold of Milo's arm and the other wrapped around Peter's wrist.
It makes running a bit awkward, but I manage. I like to keep hands on Milo so I know I don't lose him, and I keep my hand on Peter, because if I don't grab his wrist then he will most likely grab mine. He still hasn't gotten out of that habit, even after all these months. Plus it's like, weirdly calming. It's our thing, I guess. No one really questions it, though I do get some weird looks from people sometimes. I find that the most puzzling thing of all, since I used to do something very similar with Simon and no one batted an eye.
Although people are weird with Peter. I think it might be because how much he misses Janine, because he does. He misses her a lot. I've always known he had feelings for her, but its really obvious now that she's gone.
But Jaime gives me an odd look too.
"What?" I ask, and for a second he opens his mouth, before closing it again, his eyes flickering to Milo.
I turn my head to see the teenager sending him a threatening look and drawing his finger across his neck with his free hand. He drops it immediately when he sees he has my attention.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing," He replies a bit too quickly, and that's when I decide we are definitely going to have a talk when we get home.
You can't just threaten the king, even if he was supposed to have just been executed.
But thankfully the weird looks drop as we get into the streets. I let go of Milo's arm, only holding onto Peter's wrist. It would look weird if I were holding onto both of them, and any passerbys that take notice of us will probably think that me and Peter are a couple or something like that.
"Bloody hell," Jaime says as he glances around the shops. "This all looks so normal. I didn't know they'd make it feel just like it was."
"Yeah, apart from the soldiers everywhere," Peter says warily.
"And you haven't seen the wall yet, Jaime," Paula says, and he grimaces.
"Oh, yeah. I heard about that. Security measures, it's supposed to be."
"Sigrid put it up overnight a few months ago. It's supposed to be a security measure against zombies, but it does a better job against people than the zoms. It stops people from escaping zombies. It means we can't work together effectively. But mostly, it cuts off territory ceded to Abel from Sigrid's bit of UK."
"Not to mention the little pocket states in the middle," Peter says. "The wall cuts straight across London. Families were split up overnight." He scoffs bitterly. "This is what people are calling peace.
"We're supposed to put up with it because at least we're not killing each other. We're supposed to not worry about all the people who were stuck here with no way out, having to live under Sigrid's rule. We're supposed to be winning hearts and minds! Trying to torrent an uprising and-" He cuts himself off with a sigh, and I squeeze his wrist in a way that I hope is reassuring. "It's taking a long time. That's all I'm saying."
"It does." Jaime shrugs. "Revolution doesn't happen overnight. But I can try to help if we can get out of this."
Paula reaches into her backpack and pulls out a gas mask. "Here, Jaime. Put this one. That way, no one will spot you here on the streets. We can't afford to give Sigrid a reason to break the ceasefire. She knows we've got enough weapons to hurt her, but she could surely hurt us too."
Jaime nods as slips on the mask, and we continue running. These streets are less crowded, so we don't have to worry about slowing down. I sneer at the cafes and shops and restaurants. I don't know how everything's paid for, since money still has no value. It's probably through work for the Minister. Do what she wants and she'll give her the luxuries.
It makes me angry how people as horrible as Sigrid get good things in life while others have to fight to make it another day.
I mean, Abel always has enough for its residents, as does 'Fort Canton', since many of the New Canton residents have moved back in and have gotten rid of most of those shady people that tried to turn it into a sort of black market.
But even we don't have the luxuries these people have here. Although I guess poor freedom is better than a gilded cage.
"Alright, guys, you're gettin' close to the transport now. There were three people followin' you. They can't have seen Jaime's face," Jody says. "I think they've given up. Must have thought it was a glitch, maintenance people goin' out the wrong exit. Can you see the van parked by the river?"
Peter nods. "Got it. Your Majesty, why don't you go first? Get out of sight."
"Uh, yeah..." He says slowly. "You can just call me Jaime, mate."
He bristles. "Yes, well, we can talk about that when we're safe."
And as soon as the word 'safe' leaves his mouth, someone starts shooting.
There are screams from the few people around us as they duck for cover, terrified at the sound of more gunshots. The bullets take out the tires of our van, the air leaving rubber with a hiss.
"I'm going to say we did not give those people at the power station the slip, and they definitely saw Jaime's face!" Milo exclaims. I look around, trying to find the shooter. He's on a bridge. It's hard to tell, but I see the shadow in the dark. I squint, trying to get a better look at him. Peter grabs me and pulls me away from a bullet coming at me. I keep my eye on the shooter though, struggling against Peter's grip as he tries to pull me back.
The bullet hits the brick of a nearby building, and then another bullet gets our van driver right in the neck. He lets out a gurgled scream before he dies, the light fading from his eyes as crimson liquid stains the seat of the van.
"He shot our van driver!" Peter yells, trying to pull me away as I keep trying to get a look at our shooter. The shooter steps forward, the light shining on his face for just a moment.
Oh.
Oh no.
"Guys, that guy has a tattoo on his face. Do you see it?"
Sam curses. "Pit Viper."
"Who's Pit Viper?" Milo asks, his eyes wide. "Mum?"
"Guns for hire," Nicole answers before I can. "It makes sense. Sigrid wouldn't send a platoon of armed guards because it would reveal that Jaime's still alive. So she hired a Pit Viper instead. Look, from what we've read on Roufflenet, these guys are more viscous than Torrencers. They do not give up until they've got their mark. Turn left. Put that building between you and him. Go!"
Reaching for Milo again, I grab him and sprint, pulling him and Peter along as fast as I can. Thankfully, neither of the two complain about being practically dragged by me, but I think they know that the pain in their shoulders from me jerking them around will hurt way less than them being shot.
I grit my teeth at the thought of Pit Vipers. They're very resilient. They're some of the other enemies that have popped up, causing trouble, making things difficult. There's also a group called the Last Riders, but they're mostly just chaotic-setting stuff on fire, burning down buildings that may have had vital equipment, that sort of thing. They're more of a nuisance than anything, but Pit Viper... they're anything but chaotic. I mean, they cause chaos, but their movements are precise and particular. They are assassins that don't stop for anything.
They're like Torrencers, in a way, except Torrencers are loyal to the A.M.T.B., to America. Pit Vipers are loyal to whoever is paying.
So this guy won't stop. He'll kill all of us-well, those of us that can be killed. Even Milo. Pit Vipers have no morals.
That's why I keep running. I run and run and run, ignoring the burning in my legs, in my chest. I just run.
"He's still coming, Jody," Paula says, and a bullet flies by, just barely missing her shoulder. "And our getaway car has, if you recall, gone away!"
"Alright, alright, this is goin' to be okay. We're goin' to work outa way for this to be okay. Think. Think. Sam, what would Janine do?"
"Um... shall I have a look at the book of rules for running Abel she left us?" He asks. "There's probably something cross-referencing under regicide, hired assassin."
"Obvious, innit?" Jaime asks, and my stomach turns as he pulls off the gas mask, a sad look on his face. "I'll turn back. I was supposed to be dead anyway. If I give myself up to them, they'll hardly come after you, will they?"
"No way!" Milo exclaims with a scowl. "Not after we've risked all this to come rescue you!"
"No sense losing everyone over this."
"Look," Sam says, "I know one thing Janine would not do, and that's agree to leave someone behind. She protects her people! There must be another way!"
"Protects her people," Jody murmurs, before gasping. "Yes! Yes! Okay, got it. Guys, head towards the Millennium Bridge by the power station. That rally's on the move. You'll intercept it if you keep runnin'. What worked for your target will work for you. Lose yourself in the crowd. Go!"
•
"Okay, Jody," Paula says, "we're coming up onto the Millennium Bridge now. I don't want to jinx this, but-"
"Whatever it is, don't say it!" Peter shouts, eyes wide, and I'm sure the look on my face matches his. I'm not exactly a superstitious person, but even I know you don't say crap that might jinx us. You just don't. It's written down. It's the rule of runners.
"I was just going to say that I can't see that Pit Viper assassin," She huffs as we head across the bridge, my grip on Peter tightening out of need for stability. "And no one's fired on us for a few minutes."
"Just keep running, guys," Sam says as we keep moving, not making eye contact with those we pass.
"Bloody hell, this Millennium Bridge is wobbly," Peter says, grimacing. "They never fixed that. I can feel it moving under my feet."
"So can I," Milo says, muttering a small curse and ignoring the glare I send him. "How come I never heard of these Pit Viper assassins? I've been training-like, actually training with other runners-to be a runner since we got Abel back."
"Because I didn't think they'd be a problem for us," I reply. "Well, I didn't think they'd be a problem for you."
He narrows his eyes at me. "What do you mean?"
"Well, as fun as this is, you'll probably just go on more of the supply missions or maybe decoy runs. I mean, they're still important, but I don't think you'll be running with me every single mission." I roll my eyes when I catch a glimpse of the look he's sending me. "Pit Viper assassins were never supposed to be a problem for you."
"Just like the Last Riders were never supposed to be a problem for you," Paula replies, and I roll my eyes again.
"I don't think hey we're actually targeting me when they tried to blow up that building. Those guys have no goals. They just like setting stuff on fire."
"There's rumors of them being cannibals."
"Well, I don't have time to worry about that right now. One thing at a time, Paula. We have to get Jaime out of here first," I reply, and she purses her lips. "And no matter what you say, I am not putting my guard down because for all we know, that Pit Viper could still be tracking us. So there's no way I'm going to say that we're in the all-"
There's a loud boom very well near us, and I go rigid.
"What was that?!" Sam yells, his voice cracking.
"Five, look behind you," Peter says, and I do, the blood draining from my face. "Sam, you do see that, right?"
My heart rate picks up when I see the power station start to lean to one side. A scared laugh leaves my lips. "Remember when Steve said if we were coming all this way, we should definitely try to find a reason to blow up the power station, even though it would take four separate charges? And we couldn't find a reason, but-" Three more booming sounds come from the power station, "looks like the Pit Viper did."
"Oh, God!" Sam yells as the tower starts to fall, metal groaning and squealing, concrete cracking, people screaming. The tower's falling directly towards the bridge. "You've got to move now! If you don't, you'll be crushed! Run!"
I do not need to be told twice. Holding onto Milo and Peter, I bolt, dragging them with me as the tower falls. People scream in fear, pushing and shoving and trying to get out of the way to avoid death. I keep my eyes up front. I don't want to look around for the Pit Viper. I don't want to slow down. I can feel the tower getting closer to us, falling and falling and falling. Closer, closer, but we keep running. I think Jaime's just behind me, and Paula behind him. I'm not sure. I just run.
I can feel the fear pulsing in my veins, each step, each breath screaming to keep fighting, to keep going. Survival instinct takes over.
We make it across the bridge, but I don't stop. Thd destruction of the tower falling will kill everyone even close to it, so I push my burning legs to go a bit farther. We get about three blocks away before the tower hits the bridge, and I can taste the rubble and dust and death that permeates the air. I feel the dust of it hit my skin, clogging my pores, staining me with the blood in the air.
The screams are drowned out by the sound of the tower hitting the bridge, the impact of thousands of tons of metal and wood hitting something slightly weaker, the force of it causing it all to break. Everything there is destroyed. Milo tries to look back. When he does, I just tug on his arm a bit harder than before.
It wasn't supposed to happen like this. His first big mission wasn't supposed to go this wrong.
Paula looks at the rubble, at what must look like a terrifying sight of destruction and death. She blinks.
"Steve will be sorry he missed that. He wanted to come along to set the charges himself, even though he's still using that walking stick, and his skin grafts need another few months to heal."
I look at her with something akin to disgust. The tower just collapsed on a bridge full of people-some who probably didn't even want to be here under Sigrid's rule-and that is the first thing she says?
"He'll get over it," Sam replies, his voice low, heavy.
"What was that? What's happened?" A rallier from down the street asks a man dressed in a dark shirt and pants. I only have to see the look on his face for a second to know that he was one of those secret policemen Jody was talking about earlier.
"No concern of yours, citizen," He replies, and I want to scoff as his stupidity. He's supposed to be a secret policeman. "Or do you want me to report you for disloyalty?"
"No! No, no, please," The rallier begs. "Death to King Jaime! Death to enemies of the people!"
Those around him chant the same thing, their voices wavering in fear.
"When that tower came down, there were innocent people on that bridge," Jaime says, grinding his teeth, and I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought about that. "Sigrid doesn't care who she kills."
"Yeah, but she won't be able to spot you in this crowd up ahead," Sam says. "Just hold up one of those-oh. They're effigies of you, Jaime. Sorry about that. Yeah, just grab some of those and move through the crowd."
Jaime stops completely. "No."
"Look, I know they're not flattering, but it's the safest way."
"No. If we use people for cover, Sigrid will kill them. Some of them, anyway. We can't do that. I don't know if being king means anything, but I know what it means to me. I don't put people at risk for me."
"You might not get the chance," Nicole replies. I don't like the way that she says it. "Look, Sam, Jody. People are whispering to the guards on the far side of the rally."
I grab the back of Milo's head and force him to look down at his feet.
"Hey!" He yells, trying to jerk away.
"Keep your head down," I say in a whisper-like-snarl, freezing when the speaker squeals.
"Loyal citizens, there are traitors among us!" One of the police officers announces. "Fugitives against the people's justice, wearing maintenance uniforms. Seek them out and capture them!"
"We're got to get out of here," Paula says, looking at us. "Come on! Move! Get those overalls off and run!"
I let go of Peter and Milo and slip off my backpack, undoing the fastens of my overalls and slipping them off, running as fast as I can get my feet to carry me.
"Pass your overalls to me," I say as I slip my backpack back on. We can't just leave them out in the street. Then they'll know we took them off and that we're headed for the wall. It's not too far from here, I think. But first, we have to try to throw the ralliers off any trail they may have on us.
They're searching for us, the crowd murmuring and pushing, grabbing people and accusing them of being the traitor. There are a lot of people wearing dark green, the color of the maintenance uniforms, so thankfully we don't have to worry about them spotting me holding multiple pairs of overalls right away.
"What are you doing?" Peter whispers, nervously glancing around, watching as people yell and shout, trying to find the traitors. So many of them are loyal to Sigrid, looking absolutely livid at the sound of traitors being among them. I wish they knew the truth. But they don't, and most don't believe us when we try to tell them the truth.
"Just trust me," I reply, pushing just a little bit faster to get out of the rallying crowd. I start heading back towards the train station. I can see it in the distance. There's a train being boarded now. Even with the tower having just collapsed, the trains are still moving. The elite who came to see the king's death must be trying to get back home. It doesn't surprise me that they would be eager to get away, even when there's news of traitors about-especially when there's news of traitors about.
There's a box car that's open, almost like the ones you'd see in movies, where people run and hop on in order to hitch a ride. It's a good thing, I think, because that means I can do what I was hoping to do. I throw the overalls onto the train, making sure that some of the fabric remains visible. From a glance, it'll look like someone who's trying to hide and get away, but not hiding very well.
"That should get them off our scent," I say, my feet pounding into concrete sidewalks as we run, turning down lesser used alleys and going down the darker, less popular streets. The yelling of nearby ralliers are fading, meaning we're losing them. That, along with the overalls should keep them off our scent until we make it back into Abel territory.
And once we're back in Abel territory, we'll be okay. Sigrid won't cross into our territory, because she knows if she does, she'll be declaring war.
"Smart move with the overalls," Peter says breathlessly, and my lips twitch as I resist the urge to smile at his praise. My visions have come true concerning my and Peter's relationship. We're best of friends now, although I suppose we've always been best friends.
Moonchild still whispers to me about him though. She says he's a liar, and that I don't know who I'm trusting. I try to ignore it as best I can.
"Is that the wall?" Jaime asks, his face screwing up in displeasure. "Bloody hell. I'd heard about it, but I didn't expect it to be that tall."
"Oh, yeah. Ten feet of big, beautiful wall," Sam says, spitting out the word 'beautiful' with venom and spite. "It started off in London, but it encircles most of Sigrid's territory now. There are checkpoints where you can get through if you have the right paperwork.
"Otherwise... try to make a run for, they dump you into the zombie-infested neutral zone; Complain about Sigrid, they dump you into the zombie-infested neutral zone; Climb over the wall, and you're in the zombie-infested neutral zone. It's a pretty water-right nightmare, to be honest."
"With one or two loopholes if you're lucky," Nicole says. "Runners, Your Majesty, the Laundry has left a crane in place for next to the wall. Singer, if you climb into the cabin and pull the red lever..."
She trails off as Jaime gives me a leg up into the cabin. I pull the red lever, watching as the long part of the crane stretches out over the neutral zone, creating a narrow bridge that only leaves about a eight foot jump at the end. We'll be above the wall, so we should make it.
"Clever," Milo hums.
"Yeah, but it'll be noticed," Jody says. "You've got to climb up there and get moving. Go!"
•
"So this is the neutral zone," Jaime grimaces, looking down at the zombies roaming around the empty streets and houses.
"Yeah, two parallel walls around Sigrid's bit, the middle being full of zombies," I reply with a huff. "They herded all the zoms they could in there. When the wall went up, I doubt they cared too much about any living people that were in there too."
"They didn't," Peter says. "All Sigrid talks about is protecting her people from the Abel menace."
A bullet flies right by my head, the sound of a gunshot ringing in my ears. Paula sighs.
"I suppose it was too much to expect that we'd outrun Pit Viper. Keep moving, everyone."
There's another bullet fired, and I hear Jaime shout. I turn around just in time to see him clutching his bleeding arm, leaning too far to the right to maintain his balance on the crane. I reach back and grab his good arm, pulling him back to keep him from falling into the streets full of zombies.
I curse when I see blood spilling past his fingers. "He's winged Jaime."
"He's advancin' on you fast," Jody says. "Too fast."
"There's only one option to get them through before that Pit Viper catches them and kills them," Nicole says, her voice firm, and Sam chokes.
"You can't be serious!"
"I am, though. Jody and I can get you guys through, but you have to trust us, trust me."
"If Jody trusts you, then I do too," Jaime says.
Paula nods. "I trust you enough to know you'll do your job."
Peter nods as well, before looking at me. "And what about you, darling?"
I can feel Milo's eyes on me, and I sigh.
It wasn't supposed to happen like this.
"Get us home, Katelyn."
"I will. You just have to do exactly as I tell you. Drop down into the neutral zone and head west. Now! Go!"
A/N: Here you go, guys! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please be sure to vote and comment! Thank you and have a blessed day!