The Rebels

When they find you

Prologue

Rogue

2042, Jul.30. The City.

Lauren woke to the sound of shuffling feet and harsh whispers coming from outside her bedroom door.

She swore under her breath and grabbed the pistol from it's home beneath her pillow.

She wrapped her fingers tightly around the handle and placed her index on the trigger.

Her bare feet padded softly on the cold tile floor as she tip-toed toward the closed door; her heart raced, her right hand trembled at her side. But her gun-hand stayed steady, gripping the weapon tightly, keeping it straight out in front of her.

The girl glanced at the watch on her wrist; who could be here at this early hour? And how did they get into my house?

Robbers? But why would they come here? We don't have anything really valuable. And how would they get in past the security?

Lauren Smith froze, suddenly realizing who they were, and why they were there.

No, no, no, not now, this can't be happening. How did they find me?

She closed her eyes and tried to steady her beating heart, tried to even out her heavy breathing.

Did they get Adam? No, he's too good, they wouldn't find him.

But did they?

She swallowed and moved forward, knowing she had to get out of there, and fast.

Or she had to end this once and for all. Like she'd been trained to do.

For the first time since starting at the School, she was glad that she'd been forced to go. Now at least she'd stand a chance against these men.

Lauren was going to die, but at least she could go out with a fight. At least she could die standing up for what she believed in.

How did they find me? What did I do wrong? I thought all my tracks had been covered months ago?

Did they get Adam and force him to give me away? He wouldn't, would he?

When she made it to the door she backed up into the wall and peered out the small opening into the living room and kitchen area.

She didn't see or hear anything, they must have moved on.

With both hands on her pistol, she nudged the door open with her shoulder and quickly dove out of her room and behind the couch.

She readied her gun in front of her, expecting to be ambushed. Nothing.

They're probably looking for me in the training room.

Lauren cautiously crawled away from the safety of the couch and into the kitchen.

Behind the counter, she sat on her butt and curled her legs into her body.

She heard footsteps coming from the hallway, their steps echoed off the metal walls, making it hard to tell how many people the girl should be expecting.

She peeked around the corner to see three armed men running down the hallway. Coming right at her. Her breath caught in her throat. She wasn't ready. She couldn't do it.

She quickly pulled her head back behind the counter and put her finger on the trigger of her gun.

I can't do this.

But they're trying to kill me. They took my life away. They took Allen's life and Belinda's life.

She softened thinking about her little niece, just a few days old, the poor girl would have to grow up in the same world that Lauren hated if something wasn't done.

Something had to be done.

And I can do this. She squeezed her eyes shut and imagined baby Lindy. For her.

With this thought in her mind, Lauren knew what she had to do. She couldn't let them take her, she couldn't give away the others.

She couldn't let this go unfinished.

So she did the only thing that she could do.

~

Lauren's gun went off seconds before his did. The man to shoot dropped dead, Lauren's bullet lodged deep in his chest. His shot sped past the girl and dug a hole in the wall on the other side of the room.

Lauren ducked back behind her hiding place, hot tears streamed down her face. Her breathing was heavy and ragged.

Another shot was fired in her direction.

She took a last, deep breath and then stood up, twirling around and firing at the two standing men.

Oneof them slumped to the ground, blood staining the wall behind him.

The other took a shot to the shoulder, but stayed up and ignored the red that was gushing from his arm.

He grimaced and raised his firearm at the girl, who was standing motionless in the kitchen, her pistol dropped out of her hand and clattered onto the hard floor. 

Without a second thought, the man pulled the trigger.

Lauren was thrown backwards by the force of the bullet, she now lay in a pool of her own blood, sinking further and further into unconsciousness. She put a hand over her stomach, trying to ease the pain of death.

It hurt so bad.

What was she thinking?

The surviving man stepped over her crumpled form and strode out the door, leaving bloody footprints in his wake.