Catalyst [Unedited, rough]

Chapter 27

After Carson and I dodged guards dressed in red and gold that were searching the streets for the Catalyst, it wasn't long until we reached the houses that I could tell were occupied. Most of the chimneys had smoke drifting out of them or there was a light on near one of the windows. In the Rose Clan you had the choice if you wanted to fight or not if there was war unless we were in dire situations. I knocked on one of the house's doors and waited, my eyes dancing around, trying to get a grip on my surroundings, looking for the enemy.

"P-princess Riley?" The lady bowed down and I cringed, gently touching her shoulder and pushing her upwards.

"I am not the princess anymore, neither is Kendall. I'm begging you to treat us as equals," I pleaded. "Are you well acquainted with your neighbors?"

"Yes, your highne- I mean, yes. Why?" She asked. "I don't want part in this-"

"Mom! Who's at the door?" A boy asked and I knew I wasn't going to like who came to the door. I was correct when grey eyes landed on me and he glared at me. "What the fuck are you doing back here? I told you to leave us alone. I don't care if you are in the Catalyst, you still were the cause of my dad's death."

"Don't talk to her like that," Carson snapped. "We're here to help end this madness and all of you are part of it. Even if you don't want to be. It's part of you, you're born with it. And now you have to deal with it."

"Please, Lucas," i interjected. "I know you hate me, but I'm begging you here. I'll seriously put up more of my pride and get on my knees-"

"Someone's coming," Carson whispered urgently. "We need to hide, now. We can't get caught here or it could put them in danger."

"Nonsense," Lucas' mom said, she gripped mine and Carson's biceps and pulled us into her home, the door closing quietly behind us. "Lucas, show them to the living room."

"Mom, this is ridiculous! Do you want to have us killed?!" Lucas shouted, he was still sour about some things after he was forced to take care of me in the hospital after my attempt. His mother was busy mourning over the death of her husband, he had just been let off life support because my brother- who I hope was brainwashed at the time, my brother prebrainwash would have never done that- had demanded that all the comatose patients be unplugged and the families to move on.

Not the best of times, they still aren't.

"Honey, lower your voice. We don't need anyone suspicious," she said, quietly from the kitchen. Lucas sighed and finally led Carson and I to the living room, but I didn't sit. Adrenaline was running through my veins and I couldn't sit still, so I decided on pacing the room. She came out of the kitchen with a cup of tea for her son and herself and sat on one of the plush brown chairs. She glanced at me. "I'm not sure if you remember me, but I'm Bertha and I was-"

"Yeah, my nurse back then," I said, not wanting her to say it out loud when I was confident once more, that would only bring me down. "Anyways, Lucas and Bertha. Do you want this craziness to end?"

"What do you mean by end?" Lucas questioned. "We all heard what you said on the speakers about taking down the Clans, what does that mean exactly? There's gotta be something that you left out of your speech..."

"Team Blues Clues," Logan said through our ears and I excused myself to the kitchen while Carson continued to talk these two into convincing the rest of the population to be on our side.

"What's up Lo?" I asked. "Are you guys in trouble?"

"We've been in trouble since we were born, that's nothing new, but Riley, you gotta get to the castle. It's, I don't even know how to explain it." She breathed and I was surprised because Logan was never left so out of it. This must be big because she wouldn't have reacted this way if it wasn't. "You and Carson need to get here though and fast."