The Darkest Minds: Red

Five

"Lee, don't you dare," Chubs said to him. "If the League comes after us..."

"It'll be okay," He cut him off. "We're just taking her to the nearest bus station."

"You don't have to," Ruby said.

Liam ignored her, "It's fine. Sorry, we can't do more. Can't risk it."

"Yeah, you're right," Chubs said once again. "So, explain to me why aren't we taking her to one of the train stations, which are closer?"

"Remind me again- Ruby, right? I'm sure you've caught up by now. I'm Liam, that's Zu, and she's Lily." Liam nodded his head at Zu, then motioned towards me.

I sent her a polite smile and Zu shyly smiled. Ruby then turned to Chubs.

"I'm guessing Chubs isn't your actual name?"

"Charles to you. Liam gave me that name in camp," He shot back.

"He was a bit of a porker," Liam said with a small smile. "Turns out field labor and a restricted diet are better than fat camp. Zu and Lily can back me up on that. Right, girls?"

But Zu wasn't paying attention. She pulled her hoodie up over her head and twisted around her seat so she faced the back window. Suddenly, the color drained from her face.

"Zu, what's wrong?" I asked, before turning my head in her direction. I widened my eyes and quickly turned back around. A bullet suddenly whizzed through the window, and I ducked, pulling Zu with me and letting out a small gasp.

"It's Lady Jane! I told you I saw Lady Jane!" Chubs told Liam.

"Liam, start the van! Go, go, go!" I pressured him, and Liam struggled to start the car. He finally did and quickly drove away.

Lady Jane passed the van, but she didn't stop. She turned the car around and chased us down the road.

"We can't get rid of her!" I informed, looking back from the passenger seat, watching as Lady Jane pulled out a gun. Liam whispered something under his breath and tried to accelerate.

Suddenly, another car slammed into Lady Jane's, making her drop the gun. Chubs quickly turned around.

"It's the League, man!" He informed.

"Go, go, go!" Cate told Rob as he pressed the gas. The car was then next to Lady Jane's, and Rob slammed the side.

"Please. You have to let me out before someone gets hurt," Ruby told Liam and me.

"Liam. Let her out, man!" Chubs told him.

"Shut up, I got this." He unbuckled his seatbelt before briefly turning to Ruby, "Can you drive?"

"No!" Ruby responded in fear.

"Well, you're gonna have to. Chubs can't see more than ten feet in front of his face."

"I heard that! Why is she driving? Let Lily drive. She knows how to drive, man!"

"No, I need her with me!" Liam responded, and I looked at him in shock.

"Me? What do you need me for?" I widened my eyes, unbuckling my seatbelt and standing up from the seat.

"You'll see. Come on. It's just like riding a bike." He said to me, before turning to Ruby.

"Tell me you've ridden a bike," Chubs desperately told her.

"Of course I've ridden a bike!"

"Come on," I motioned her to the driver's seat as Liam stood up. She immediately accelerated the van and I climbed over, following Liam.

The League slammed Lady Jane's car, causing her to slam into the van. We all jerked forward, me holding onto Liam for support.

"Okay, good," Liam said, then turned to me. "Come on."

"We are so dying," Chubs stated matter-of-factly. 

"Stop being so negative, we got this," Liam responded.

"Keep driving," I told Ruby, moving towards the back with Liam. Zu moved to the front and I moved to her spot. 

Chubs followed along, behind Liam and me.

Liam opened the back doors of the van and grabbed the top. He struggled to maintain balance. "Whoa! You got me?" He asked Chubs, and he nodded.

Liam stretched out his arm towards the row of trees. His eyes turned blue and bits and pieces of the tree started to fly towards the two vehicles behind them. Suddenly, he put out his other arm, and Chubs held him steady. I looked at him and realized what he was doing before turning to Ruby.

"Drive faster," I told her, and she responded with a nervous okay.

"Whatever happens, don't stop," Liam told her. Both his arms were still stretched out towards the road. The road started to split, causing the vehicles to drive in a zigzag pattern.

Lady Jane wasn't having much luck as she roughly turned off the road and into the water, causing the League to pass her. Liam, again, used his powers to cause a tree to fly towards the truck. He lost his balance, and Chubs grabbed his arm, pulling him back.

Liam then looked at me with expecting eyes. I looked back at him.

"Seriously?" I groaned before standing next to him.

Slowly, I took a deep breath. My cheeks started to glow red to match my irises. Red, hot, air escaped from my mouth as I watched the tree catch on fire.

"Shit!" Chubs exclaimed, pulling the both of us back.

Liam made his way to the front as I closed the doors. "Nice driving," he told Ruby.

"This is so not like riding a bike," She responded.

I started coughing and held onto my chest. Liam immediately made his way back to me. 

"Hey, hey," He gently said, helping me sit up. "What's wrong?"

Still coughing, I pointed to my bag. Liam grabbed it, then unzipped the top and handed it to me. 

I immediately grabbed a water bottle and opened it, taking big gulps from it like it was the first time I have had it. I finished the bottle, putting it back in my bag. The redness started to fade, but a couple of tears escaped.

"Are you alright?" Liam asked concerned. Chubs and Zu looked at me, and I studied their faces.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It happens once in a while."

Ruby looked at me in confusion, "I thought Reds were removed from the camps."

"Well, that's a long story."