"YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL US WHY YOU ARRESTED ELLE?" Kyla stood in Allie's kitchen with her arms crossed. Even though the Pentagon were kind of separated at the moment, they still gathered up to talk to Allie.
Miles was leaning against the counter sink, Xavier was standing with his hands in his pockets, and Valerie was sitting on the counter.
Allie kept quiet, staring at the ground. The Pentagon had came in after Gordie stated that Lexie may win the election.
"Don't give us the silent treatment," Valerie furrowed her eyebrows, "What? Our leader isn't here so you won't say shit?"
"She didn't even tell our leader," Xavier muttered.
Kyla narrowed her eyes and looked at Xavier, "Why are you here? Playing spy for your goons?"
Xavier rolled his eyes, "I'm still apart of the Pentagon."
Kyla scoffed. Will looked at the two cautiously. He was very well aware of the recent tension in the Pentagon. He was the one that told Allie to keep some stuff from the group, as they were not in their best shape. That was why they were not informed of Elle's arrest.
"Are you gonna tell us why you arrested her or are you gonna stand there and look out the window like a sad widow?!" Valerie snapped, "Where is she? Let me see her."
"I cannot tell you why or let you see her but she is safe and fine." Allie said, looking at Valerie who had hopped of the counter.
"That's bullshit!"
Miles frowned, "You can't even tell us? You know you can trust us, Allie."
"Yeah, we've been by your side since the beginning and now you're suddenly questioning our loyalty to you?" Kyla furrowed her eyebrows.
"We don't know who's loyal anymore," Will stated, glancing at Xavier.
"You should already know that we're loyal."
"You're not actually loyal to me, you're loyal to Charlotte." Allie mumbled.
Valerie shrugged her shoulders, "And? It's literally the same thing."
"It's really not," Will pointed out, making Valerie send him a side eye.
"No one's talking to you, the Weeknd."
Will clenched his jaw as Xavier slapped a hand over his mouth, to prevent his laughter. He cleared his throat when he realized it wasn't the right time to be laughing.
"How come you didn't tell Char?" Miles remembered.
"She was already busy with the expedition, there was no point if she's not going to be here."
"Why didn't you tell us though? I know Char's not here but we're the Pentagon, we deserved to know." Kyla furrowed her eyebrows.
"Nobody was to know, I didn't want to—" Allie paused, "I wasn't sure if you guys—"
Xavier sighed, "By the way you can't come up with an excuse, just say you don't trust us and go."
When Allie kept quiet, Valerie scoffed loudly. "Wow, we've stuck by your side all this time and you still don't trust us? Are you serious?"
"It was to keep Elle safe—"
"If anything, we'd be best to keep her safe," Xavier pointed out, "You're protecting her from Campbell right?"
Miles frowned, "You should know that we're able to go against Campbell, you should've told us. Communication is key, Allie, and keeping things from us is what will break our trust."
Kyla sighed. "Just tell us next time, okay? We could've helped you, but since Lexie knows the Pentagon wasn't informed, she'll use that against you."
The others noticed Allie's eyes turning red, which made Valerie scoff. She shook her head, "Nah, what the fuck? I just want to see my friend that I didn't know was arrested, yet now you don't trust us and you're gonna cry? What? Can't handle the confrontation?"
Miles sighed, "Come on, Val, give her a break, she's trying—"
"No! I know leading the town was difficult for you but we were by your side the entire time, helping you and doing the work while you sat back and barked out orders to us! Now you want to feel like the world's against you? This is nobody's fault except yours!" Valerie looked at Will, "And you, you're a shitty assistant, you told her to run elections so she won't be a 'dictator' but now she's gonna lose her position of power because of that! How does it feel to be the reason this town goes to shit?!"
"This town won't go to shit, Val," Xavier spoke.
Valerie glanced back at him, "With Lexie running? You guys should've let me rock that bitch ever since that play happened!"
"The Guard will be the one to fix this town,"
Kyla let out an obnoxious snort, "Oh, even better,"
"Got something to say?"
"Oh baby, I have a lot to say, but I'm not sure you'll be able to comprehend my words since you've been with those jocks that got pea for brains."
"Don't talk shit about them, they'll make this town a better place and won't make us work like dogs!"
"Allie's rules may have been a bit too much but it's what's keeping us alive."
"We can still be alive even without some of those stupid rules."
"I'm sorry, but do we know the same Clark, Jason, and Luke? You really believe they'll help this town?"
"They'll save this town."
"Save what? If anything, we'll need saving from them because they'll fuck this town over and we'll be dead in weeks."
"We won't be—"
"Enough!" The two shut their mouths when Miles shouted. He had his head in his hands and his elbows were leaning on the counter. He looked up with a tired look on his face.
"No more.." He frowned, "What happened to us? Why do we keep fighting?"
"The fool over there supports Luke and his other buffoons."
"Don't call me a fool when you're still under Allie and her rules."
Miles groaned, shaking his head. "I can't take this anymore. You guys have been arguing for days now and because of this defect in our friendship, Char's anxiety came back and now she's huffing and puffing on an inhaler, and she also went on that damn expedition."
"Her asthma is back?" Valerie furrowed her eyebrows. "Why didn't she tell us?"
"Maybe because everyone's fighting each other so we can't talk to each other? Look, it's completely fine if we have different opinions on this election, but what is the fighting really about?"
When the three kept quiet, Miles shook his head. "Tell me when you guys have an answer. This fighting is draining and pointless, today's been a long day, I'm gonna head to bed."
The three watched as Miles walked straight out the door and didn't look back.
➖
Kyla sat next to Helena as they listened to what Lexie had to say. Kyla rolled her eyes when Lexie began to encourage people to clap.
Helena glanced over at Kyla who whispered, "I'm gonna leave before I start arguing with her, I'll see you later."
Helena nodded. Kyla got up and silently made her way to the doors. She saw Will and Jason standing by it but she continued to make her way to the door until Jason muttered to her.
"You support Lexie?"
Kyla stopped and looked at him. "No, I came to hear what she had to say, just like you. But, this wouldn't have happened if you had let her use the washroom."
Jason rolled his eyes, "She's had pent up anger from Allie's rules, it was bound to happen."
"No, it happened because what you did to her was the final straw. Now we're gonna starve and die when Lexie takes over. Thanks a lot."
Kyla left, not wanting to talk to Jason anymore. She walked out of the church and saw Valerie standing with Xavier. The two were talking to each other, and they noticed her.
Kyla was gonna go talk to the them but she saw Clark coming toward their direction and quickly walked off.
Valerie watched as Clark came over and stood with them. Xavier glanced at Clark who stood awkwardly in silence, since Valerie was there.
Valerie rolled her eyes, "So, how are you gonna win the election now that Lexie's running?"
Clark blinked, "Huh?"
"How are you gonna win? I'm not letting that bitch rule this town, I will literally leave."
Clark raised an eyebrow, skeptical of Valerie, "Aren't you with Allie?"
Valerie scoffed at the name and crossed her arms, "I was, until she started keeping secrets from the Pentagon and locked my friend up without telling me why."
Clark looked at Xavier who shrugged his shoulders. "The Pentagon is officially divided."
"Since when?"
"Last night when Miles snapped," Xavier frowned, recalling the previous night's events, "I'm pretty sure Kyla and Miles stand by Allie, since they stand by Cassandra,"
"Or Charlotte," Valerie pointed out.
"You guys don't?" Clark questioned.
Xavier thought about it, "We did, but the only reason why she's still behind Allie is because of Cassandra. We don't agree with Allie."
Valerie nodded, "It's time we stand by what we think is right, and Allie's done us dirty, I don't know why those two still stand by her. I stand by Char, but she's not here, and I'm not standing with Allie, or Lexie for sure, so I guess the Guard has my support."
Clark slowly nodded, "Alright, good. Now we got two of the Pentagon on our side."
Valerie glanced at Xavier who kept quiet. She nodded, "I hope you have a plan on how to win. Lexie has a lot of supporters."
Clark looked at her and nodded. The three decided to head for lunch to talk more and as they left the church grounds, Xavier saw Kyla sitting on a nearby bench, talking with Lexie. He nudged Valerie and nodded his head over to them. When she caught sight of the two, she furrowed her eyebrows but continued to follow after Clark.
➖
Kyla sat on the bench, watching Valerie and Xavier talk to Clark in a distance. She was curious as to what they were talking about, but her observing was interrupted when someone took a seat next to her.
Kyla narrowed her eyes when she saw that it was Lexie that had sat next to her. She turned her focus back on the three but then Lexie spoke to her.
"How come the Pentagon broke up?"
Kyla kept her eyes ahead of her. "The Pentagon isn't broken up."
"But you guys are divided," Kyla kept quiet, "What happened?"
Kyla pursed her lips, "Different views, I'm sure you can figure that part out yourself."
"From what I see, Xavier is with the Guard, Valerie seems to be going toward them, and you and Miles are with Allie?"
Kyla shrugged her shoulders, "It seems like it."
"You're okay with the things Allie makes us do?"
"It's not enjoyable but it's what makes this place work. It may be torturous now but we'll thank her in the future, y'know, when we're still alive."
Lexie glanced at Kyla, "I know you got into a dispute with Jason that day, and that you wanted me to use the washroom."
Kyla sighed and looked at Lexie, "What do you want Lexie? Just tell me what you want and I'll give you my input."
Lexie chuckled, "Allie lied to you guys. I know you were furious on what happened to me that day during my interrogation. You only stand by Allie because Charlotte does, but that's only because of Cassandra. Look, I praise you for being such a loyal friend to Charlotte, but she's not here to straighten Allie, and who knows how long the expedition will be."
Kyla noticed the three leaving in her peripheral vision but continued to look at Lexie. "Get to the point, Lexie. I already know of all those things you've stated."
"Alright, look, you're a strong figure here. You stand your ground and you fight for what you think is right. Sure, you may think that Allie's rules is what's keeping us alive, but I can do much better."
"And how so? You guys already bitch for the rules now and it's only going to get harder from here. When Grizz and the others find land, we're gonna have to do back-breaking shit to produce food, but since most of you guys are used to being privileged, you will just constantly bitch and complain about it."
"Her rules—"
"Are 'stupid' I know." Kyla stood up and shook her head, "I've been having this same conversation for like the billionth time, I don't want to do this right now. Even if I don't stand by Allie, you know what my opinions are. You're probably gonna win, Lexie, so just think about this. If you can reassure people here a easier life, and no curfew and all that shit, then who's gonna work the farm and feed us all? Are you gonna perform some magic and make food appear? You go easy on them and they'll take advantage of it, and start to slack."
Lexie furrowed her eyebrows, "I can handle that—"
"How? If we won't have to do work, then who will? Unless you're the scientist from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs who can make burgers fall from the sky, tell me how else you're gonna produce food without doing back-breaking labour?"
Lexie stayed quiet, making Kyla scoff and shake her head. "I gotta go meet Miles for coffee, I'll see you around, Lexie. Good luck with the election," Kyla stopped for a second and chuckled, "You know, you may feel like a saviour to everyone now, but it's only a matter of time that you let the power get to your head and become the next Allie."
Lexie clenched her jaw, "I will never be like Allie."
Kyla snorted, "Maybe, maybe not, but let's see how fast it will get to your head. I'm telling you this, I wasn't even leader, I was just apart of the 'committee' but that shit was stressful as shit. I know we, as the workers, view Allie as some kind of villain, but realize that we're in a parallel universe, and that she has the responsibility of the whole town on her shoulders. Honestly, we don't give Allie enough credit for her effort."
Kyla walked off, leaving Lexie alone on the bench.
Lexie thought about what Kyla said, but she quickly shook her head to not let herself get convinced by her words.