Lego House

xxviii. Deletion

Rose rushes out of the room, following Michael and letting Paul tie Maust and Jarrett up. She wonders where he is supposed to get the duct tape from, but doesn't question Michael on that. Instead she demands, "What so we're just going to leave him?"

"He just killed someone, Rose. I don't – I can't – what's happening to us?"

"It's not like Jaylen's necessarily innocent," she replies defensively, crossing her arms and forcing him to stop. He looks defeated and oh so tired. She wants to reach out and stroke his face, telling him it's going to be okay. But she also wants to keep her anger raging.

"Neither are we, Rose. Would you want to be murdered for past mistakes?" She scoffs.

"As if we're having this conversation right now. Where's my sister, Michael?" She watches his anger fade into regret. "Where is she?" she demands angrily. They're only a few feet from the room they'd just left. She can hear Maust mocking Paul.

"We need to find Autumn," he replies.

"No – where's my sister? We found her – so where'd you send her off to?"

"To find Ley," he admits with a sigh. "And with good reason. What if we'd found you dead? That would crush her." Roselle curses. He looks confused.

"Do you seriously think she fell for that? She's probably just gone to fight now. Not to find Aleyah, Oh my gosh. What if she's dead because you decided she wouldn't be able to handle seeing me dead." Rose growls before storming away. The sounds of the battle, screaming and gunshots and yelling, grow louder and louder. But she can still hear his footsteps.

"Are you sure she'd come out here?" She nods, not wanting to turn and look at him. She feels the tears in her eyes. What if Irisa's hurt? Or worse? Rose raises her gun as she enters the line of fire, her eyes darting across the open area in search of Irisa. "Ris!" Michael calls out, running towards familiar blonde hair, blowing in the wind. He is completely defenceless, running in the middle of a battlefield.

Rose follows after him, slower, and with her gun flicking from, left, front, right and behind. "Ris, we have to go. We still don't know where Autumn is." Irisa swiftly punches the Pyllagement soldier in front of her, knocking him to the ground. He had been distracted by Michael and Rose, allowing Irisa to gain the upper hand. She glances and them with a small smile, nodding slightly. She pushes past them and tilts her head, urging them to follow her as she rushes through the battlefield. Michael now has his weapon raised, cautious of any threat. Rose follows suit, however Irisa seems hardly worried.

When they get undercover she explains, "Most people's guns have been thrown to the side or they're out of bullets. Most of it is hand to hand combat. We've been tying unconscious Pyllagement soldiers to the poles over there." She nods her head towards a row of poles, where four soldiers have been tied up. "I still have my gun, obviously. I've just chosen not to use it. Yet." Rose can see an almost smile on her lips, but it breaks when Michael starts to speak.

"Good job, soldier," Michael chuckles, clapping her on the soldier. She glares at him momentarily.

"I'm not a soldier, Michael. Anyway, what was it that we needed to do?" she asks. Michael raises his eyebrows before shaking his head and replying.

"Autumn. We have to find her. She could be anywhere." Rose can tell he does not want to even think that she could be dead. Irisa shrugs.

"She can handle herself, Michael. She's been doing it since the two of you left us here." Rose sighs, exasperated yet understanding.

"Ris, we had to. You wouldn't be alive and with a possible chance of freedom if we hadn't escaped," she explains, her voice soft.

"Autumn will be fine, Michael," Irisa says, ignoring Rose, who scoffs and rolls her eyes.