The Calm and the Storm [#NaNoWriMo15]

7. Acid Test

Chaos. Good lord, it was everywhere. It ran through the doors and down the corridors as bodies filtered into the factory, pouring out onto each other. There were so many of them, Atticus could sense it; they were big, strong. Familiar. Their presence was familiar.

A cold, stiffening feeling rattled his bones and froze him taut on the spot as one particular company gave him a name almost instantly, revealing the intentions of the others.

Nathaniel.

Backing up as he realised that the men's tones were rising and their boots were deepening them in the factory, Atticus turned and ran as soon as he became aware of the situation fully. They were all splitting down many different passes, but Atticus couldn't let them reach the tank room. No matter what they had done to him, he didn't want them to die. Not like that. They would get what Fate had coming for them, so all Atticus could do was the best of his abilities.

But before he could protect his enemies, Atticus ran to protect his friend first, dodging corners and rounding up his last few ounces of energy before he burst into the double room, expecting to see Reyna where he had left her.

"REYNA!" he cried out, eyes wide with panic. Had they reached her already? Was she hiding? Atticus didn't care. As long as he saw her safe and unharmed, he could deal with everything else later.

He kept shouting her name, running on through the double room as he did so. He went for her room, knowing full well that Nathaniel's cronies would be approaching the tank room soon enough. Atticus only hoped that Nathaniel wasn't one of them.

"REYNA!" he bellowed again, his desperate nature settling in with his instincts. Where would he find her if she wasn't in her room?

As if she had heard the fear in his voice, Reyna was already descending the ladder that led up to her space and as she reached the bottom, her eyes were mirrored reflections of distress.

"What is going on?" she asked hurriedly, eyes wide. "Has something happened?"

"They're here," he breathed. "They've come for me, they found me. We need to leave, now."

And her eyes flashed so brightly that Atticus had to take a step back in surprise.

"I cannot," she replied through gritted teeth, longing in her eyes. "Forgive me, but I will not leave."

It was those words that had stabbed him more harshly than anything Nathaniel had hit him with in the past.

"God, Kit, do not look at me like that," she muttered, raking a hand through her radiant hair. "You do not know my reasons for wanting to stay and I do not know your reasons for why there are murderous people in my home, after you. You told me that your brother never hurt you like that, and now he wants to kill you? What are you doing with yourself, Kit? I was here for you to talk to, because someone like me always listens. So go; run. I will distract them, but that is as much as I will do."

"Is this about what I said before?" Atticus demanded suddenly. "You can't bear to look at me after I repeat what you told me earlier, is that what this is?"

"This is not about your statement and we both know it," Reyna hissed, throwing a glance over Atticus' shoulder. Someone had opened the tank doors. Their screams were loud, piercing. They were dead.

"I don't have time to argue with you about this," Atticus snapped. "We need to go now. You don't know my brother; he's mad. Crazy. He's gone dark, ever since our parents left. He won't hesitate to try and hurt you and even if he can't, I won't take the risk that either of you could get caught up in the violence. It's not the answer, not always."