Runaway Lover // Andy Leo

Chapter Six

I wake up in Andy's bed, my legs tangled in the sheets. I hear soft snoring coming from behind me and I smile to myself. I try and get out of the bed as silently as I can, hesitating whenever the snores stop. I breathe a sigh of relief when my feet connect with the cold wooden floor.

I look back at Andy, who is lying on his side with his legs splayed. I laugh to myself before going over to the mirror that was hiding behind the doors. I stand in front of it, surveying myself. It had been a long time since I had seen myself in the mirror. The image that greets me is entirely foreign - I don't recognise the dark brown hair or the grey eyes that stare back at me. The small frame that wears the same black clothes as two days ago has been alienated. I find it hard to believe that this is actually what I look like, even though I imagine I look a little less dead inside than I did three days ago.

I try to decide how quietly I can open the door to Andy's room and take the chance, sneaking out into the hall. I close the door behind me as silently as I can, and turn to find Megan standing in the hall. I jump, almost banging the door in the process.

"Jesus! You scared the shit out of me." I laugh. She returns my smile and studies me.

"Aren't they the clothes I gave you a couple of days ago?" I nod. "Right. First thing's first, you need a decent supply of clothes. Come with me." She leads me back down the corridor and opens a smaller door that unveils a cupboard filled with various items of dark clothing. "Take your pick."

I pick out another pair of boots, a black dress, some black jeans and a couple of plain grey t-shirts along with a black bomber jacket.

"Washing's in there." She nods toward the door to my right. "There aren't any rooms left, but Andy did say yesterday that you could share his until we can get one sorted." I give her a look of horror at sharing a room with a guy. "Don't worry, if you go next to the set of drawers on the right wall theres a bathroom with a lock. You can change and stuff in there." I nod and go back to Andy's room, leaving Megan to go downstairs. I try and quietly slip back into the room, realising it was meaningless only when I hear the water running in the room Megan told me about.

I debate about changing where I am, and eventually come to the conclusion of 'screw it'. I strip off my clothes and put on one of the t-shirts and a pair of black jeans. I have one leg into the jeans when I hear the water turn off and the door unlock. I frantically try to pull the jeans on before Andy walks out, but I just end up almost falling over instead.

He walks out in a pair of black skinny jeans, using a towel to dry his hair. I use the cover of his towel to quickly attempt to pull up my jeans, but of course, I don't manage to do it quick enough. He lifts the towel off of his head, and we both just stand staring at each other for a few seconds. I'm taken aback by the sight of Andy in only a pair of jeans not only because he has a great body, but also because of the massive amount of tattoos that cover his chest and arms. It only just occurred to me that this entire time I had never seen him in a t-shirt, and with a closer look, I can see why. Mixed in with his tattoos are several different scars and wounds that I can only presume came from one of the Ravens that tortured him.

"Sam? Your pants." He laughs, and my face flushes red as I remember that I was just checking him out with my jeans at my ankles. I pull them on and keep my face low, trying to hide my embarrassment.

When I eventually manage to get them on I look back up as he puts on a black t-shirt.

"We're having a meeting today - to see how we can get the people that were taken back." He smiles at me from across the room. "I want you to be there too." My stomach drops to the floor. "You'll know the most about Empire territory." Oh. I take a deep breath, trying to keep my stomach in check and feeling like an idiot. Of course he would only want me there for information.

"Sure." I try to sound nonchalant, but I'm not entirely sure if thats how it comes out. To tell the truth, my heart starts racing as soon as the Empire is even mentioned. A phantom of the pain in my leg returns, and I close my eyes to try and calm myself.

*****

I walk into the meeting room to see it much more filled than it was previously. Andy goes to his seat at the foot of the table, and I sit in the only spare seat available; between a guy with bleach blonde hair and Dave, who places a map on the table.

It takes me all of ten seconds to figure out what the map is of; The Empire's territory. I look at it, noticing that it is only a layout of building exteriors and roads.

"Sam?" I look up from the map, meeting Andy's determined gaze. "Where's the most likely place they'll be?" Everyone turns to me and I stare down at the map, trying to forget that they're all watching me. I turn the map so that it faces me and study it intently. A twinge goes through me as I see the outline of the building I used to live in, and then another when I see the one I jumped off of.

I get my bearings and orientate myself, looking for the three places where the Ravens work. "The Ravens work in these three areas." I point to them on the map. "They wouldn't take them too close to the civillian borders, so that rules out this one." I remove my right hand from the map. "Which leaves these two. This one," I point to the one to the right, "Doubles as a soldier infantry, so I'd wager your guys are in here. Civilians don't have access and it's close enough to the infantry to have soldiers on hand but not hand their weapons over to us right off the bat. They'll be in there." I look up and scan the faces. The three I don't know give me somewhat bewildered looks, while Brandon, Megan, Dave and Andy smile at me confidently.

"You sure about that?" Blondie speaks up beside me, his voice doubtful.

"Benn, if she says it's right, it's right. She probably has more knowledge of the Empire than me, you, Taddie and Hayden put together." I clock the names of the people I don't know before Andy turns to me. "How do we get in?"

I look back at the map. "The back door. It'll be closer to your people so we can get in and out quickly." Everyone gives a collective nod, but I stare at the computers at the back of the room, an idea forming in my mind. "I have an idea, bear with me." I look back at the map, confirming what I originally thought. "Theres a room around here," I point to the bottom left hand side of the building, "That acts as a broadcasting station for all Empire networks." I look up, trying to see if anyone is getting where I'm going, suddenly nervous. Andy gives me a small nod of reassurance, and its all I need to finish the rest of my plan. "If my chip was faulty, then there must be at least a few others that are. If we broadcast some type of video that could light that spark, we could affect the Empire more than just retrieving our own." I look around at the faces, feeling pride well up inside of me when they all broadcast grins.

"What should we put on the networks?" Andy asks.

"You. The face of the Rebellion. Just talk some crap about not being machines for a bunch of people that need computers to have supporters. That should be enough to edge the borderlines over to your side." Everybody starts looking at each other, as if mentally debating my proposition. I only now realise that everyone around the table wear the skull cloths, and that Benn and Hayden were the two that were sparring yesterday.

"Sounds like a plan." Andy grins, and I find myself grinning back at him, thankful to have been some use.