The Remnant of the Past (GXG)

Chapter 24: The Risk

A distant murmuring woke me up from my sleep. I was expecting to wake up from the tree I was leaning against last night, but instead, I woke up back in the bed in our cabin. I was no longer in my calm state, I rose from the bed with frantic breaths and the first person I saw was Chantel.

"You're awake." She breathed out.

"Why am I back here?"

Chantel gave me a look before sitting down next to me. "Someone complained about a noise last night. You weren't in your bed so I asked Kalia to search outside. So, we searched and Anne found you in the forest."

I sighed and leaned my back against the wall. I cupped my face in distress as I remembered what happened last night. Chantel kept looking outside our cabin, making me look at her with a questioning look.

"What's going on?"

Chantel looked back at me with a smile, but I insisted she tell me why the Jahanel people are moving a lot outside. I saw that they were carrying bags and filling the vehicles with gasoline, which only meant that we are going somewhere.

"Kalia suggested that we should change our location."

I hummed and glanced outside the cabin again. I saw Anne walking toward us with empty gallons of gasoline in her grip.

"Great, you're awake. We need to go." She said alarmingly. We nodded, although I still have no clue as to why they had the idea that it was the Council who took me. I don't even know where Fi ended up, that made me worry a little bit for her kid. 

Kalia was already telling some of her people what they should do, while we three are already seated inside our vehicle of Anne.

"Where are we going?"

Anne shot me a look through the rearview mirror. "To be honest, I don't know. Kalia only instructed that we follow their trail."

That's...a not a good idea. She should have at least told us the coordinates or a specific direction so that we won't get lost. 

I nodded and let the things flow around me freely. Anne started the vehicle's engine and followed behind Kalia's vehicle that is already outside the gates, the rest of their people were behind us in a larger vehicle.

The direction we are going seems very familiar to me, and I know Anne knows it too because she's quite uncomfortable as me. We were just passing the Council, which was surrounded by high security.

"What's wrong?" Chantel asked Anne.

Anne eyed me again through the rearview mirror before answering Chantel. "Nothing...it's just that I think we are going to the wrong road."

I hid my face behind the vehicle's window. The security might think that these vehicles are working for the Council, but knowing how they are putting a search for me and Anne, there will be a checkpoint here somewhere.

"Anne, we need to ditch them." 

"Where would we go?!"

I cursed underneath my breath. Once we passed a checkpoint and the security recognized us, we are doomed, but Anne was also right, we have nowhere else to go.

"Alright, so how do you plan on what we should do?"

Anne lowered the speed of the vehicle while checking around the road. We are already passing the Council and from we are currently, I could spot two nearby checkpoints.

"How about Kalia? Will they pass the checkpoint?" I asked. It also made me wonder how Remnants could get past security.

"Trust me, they will," Chantel answered. 

"I don't know what to do!" 

I worriedly looked at Anne and asked Chantel for help. Anne was still slowly moving the car behind the Jahanel people. 

"I have an idea, but you might not like it." We both looked at Chantel, desperately waiting for her plan. 

"I can disguise as a bounty hunter, you two will be taken inside the Council while I will find a way to ask for Kalia's help to break you two out."

I gave Chantel's idea a thought. It seems like a good plan but something about breaking us out of the Council seems too impossible now that the security is very high inside. I can't also guarantee Chantel's safety because they could also take her in like what I bet happened to Fi last night.

"Good idea, but I am pretty sure that we can find our way outside the Council. You should go with Kalia." 

I just remembered that Anne has a secret hatch in the Council that could easily help us escape. "Let's go with that."

Anne nodded but Chantel seems to be hesitating about leaving us alone. I held both of her hands into mine and gave her an assuring look in the eyes.

"Hey, we will be fine. Just help your people away from the Council's eyes, okay?"

"How can you find us?" 

I smiled and inched closer to Chantel just to give her a hug. " I will always find my way back to you, remember that."

I broke our hug but Chantel remained close to me, looking at me with so much care and worry. "Be safe."

"We will be," I whispered.

We changed our seats so that Chantel will be the one driving and Anne will be sitting next to me. It was almost our turn at the checkpoint, Anne tightly held my hand which helped eased my nervousness a little.

"Be strong, soldier." She teased with a grin.

"We never really made until that rank, rookie."

Anne laughed a little but she stopped and gave me a serious look. "I promise that we will be back."

I firmly nodded with closed eyes. Chantel turned to look at both of us but particularly at me. 

"Hey, eyes on the road," Anne said but Chantel ignored her.

"Chantel?" I worryingly asked.

I saw Chantel take a deep breath before letting go of the steering wheel and making her way back to the passenger's seat, right in front of me.

"Chantel," I repeated.

"Angel, I know that this is bad timing, but I have to do...this."

That was the last thing she said before leaning in and cupping my face. She planted her lips against mine it took me a moment to realize that Chantel is kissing me. I shakingly rested my palm on the top of her hand and kissed her back at the same pace.

"Um, I hate to cut this but it's our turn for the checkpoint..." Anne interrupted which made my head go back to reality.

I was still in a trance when Chantel let go until she gave me a last kiss on the forehead before going back to her seat. Chantel rolled the windows down and the security immediately asked her questions.

"I got them."