Organized Lightning [Revolution]

13

I woke up in the middle of the night to a crash. "Ciara, get down!" Bass yelled. I sat up quickly causing me to tumble off the cot, taking the blanket with me. Bass stood in front of me protectively. I finally came to enough to realize what was going on. Rachel Matheson stood in the entryway with a live grenade. Militia soldiers grabbed her and pulled her away, they threw the grenade outside. The explosion still made my ears ring.

Bass knelt down beside me. "Ciara, are you okay?" He grabbed my shoulders, making me look at him.

It took me a second to respond, but I nodded. "Just surprised." He helped me up, keeping the blanket wrapped around my shoulders.

"I have to talk to Rachel. You should get dressed. Slow down your breathing, you're going to hyperventilate."

I hadn't even realized I was greedily sucking in air to the point where I wasn't actually getting any oxygen. I held my breath to calm myself down. Bass handed me my sweater and nodded, as if assuring himself I was going to be ok before he left. I dressed and started to leave the tent, but at last minute turned and grabbed a bottle of bourbon off the counter. I took a swig, I still wasn't used to the taste, and I cringed as I swallowed. I hoped it would calm my nerves, but I didn't have much faith.

I found Bass with Randall and Rachel. He was walking with purpose, and Rachel was being practically dragged by two soldiers. I jogged to catch up. "You think she can open the door?" I asked.

"That's what we hope," Randall answered. I frowned at him. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way. I preferred to pretend he wasn't there.

Rachel was messing with the control panel, while the soldiers looked over her shoulder. I walked up to her and waved the men away. "How's it coming?"

"The old passcodes aren't working," she informed me.

"You've been here before?" I asked.

She nodded. "This is where I used to work." She pressed more numbers and groaned. "Ciara, I'm sorry about what happened back there. I didn't know you were in there."

"Would it have stopped you if you had?" She looked at me regretfully for a moment before shaking her head. "Just collateral damage, right?"

"I like you, Ciara. I think you have potential to be a good leader, like you father. I would have regretted killing you."

"But killing Monroe is more important than saving me, I get it."

She shrugged. "No promises that you'll be safe if you stick with him."

"There's no guarantee I'll be safe anywhere."

The door slid open and Rachel and I both turned surprised. "I guess it worked after all."

"Follow me," Randall told us. I felt like a kid on a field trip as I weaved around to get in the front, I wanted to be the first person to see everything. Randall explained things as we passed, but most of it was tech speak that I didn't understand. "Ciara, I think this next room will be your favorite." He opened a door to an observation room. Through the glass there were lots of computer screens showing places I'd only ever seen in books.

"Are those live?" I asked.

Randall nodded. "The US Government has cameras all around the world."

"There are millions of people out there," I said staring at the live feeds. "Can you imagine what it'll be like after the power comes back on? We'll be able to reconnect with these people, we can rebuild airplanes, and-"

"Don't get too ahead of yourself," Randall said cutting me off. "We need to reach Level 12 first."

"What's on Level 12?" I asked.