Love Is A Dangerous Word

Part 8: I'm here now aren't I?

"What exactly do you stand for?" Jorge asked Greg, everyone peering their eyes his way.

"We stand for freedom, true freedom of the human race," he responded proudly "We stand for the dismissal of oppression," he snapped his fingers "Bring him out."

Two of his men walked out with a man with a burlap sack over his head. They put him on his knees to then pull the sack off of his head. It was Scar, he looked beaten and his clothes were ripped. Seeing blood ooze down form the scars his men left him and staining his shirt. 

"The dismissal of oppression begins with him," smirking with his hand rested on his shoulder "Scar right? What's your real name?"

Scar wouldn't open his mouth since he refused. Greg continued to speak "Well too bad, we don't know what to put on your grave." 

He drew his gun and aimed it point blank at the side of his head, pressing the end of the barrel against his temple. "Its Johnny..." Scar uttered.

"Thank you Johnny," without anymore hesitation Greg pulled the trigger sending blood flying out the other side through his cheek. Johnny lay dead on the floor as Greg's men quickly dragged his body away.

"FIRST BLOOD!" Greg yelled as his people cheered.

Lilith and Jorge remained silent "What do we do?" Lilith asked Jorge.

"First chance we get we book it and never see the likes of either of these people ever again, hopefully," Jorge whispered.

"Will you two join the fight?" Greg asked them, interrupting their conversation "FOR THE LEGION!"

Lilith and Jorge seemed unsure "We need time to think," Lilith stated.

"Of course," Greg said "We all have the free will to think."

Lilith and Jorge walked off to the office building where Lucas and Hope were being held. The room was empty except for the cubicles, the occasional piece of paper lying on the ground and other office supplies. It was pretty dark except the flood lights used to emit light on the door to the main room and the two people stationed at the door. The two people stationed there were sitting down in front of a solid door that looked like a storage closet. Jorge and Lilith strutted up to them with intent.

"State your purpose," one of them stated.

"We need to talk to the prisoners," Jorge demanded.

"Why?" asked the other one.

"Greg asked us to convince them to join The Legion," Lilith lied.

The first one scoffed and said "You can try, but at this point they are a hard nut to crack since they haven't been in there for about an hour and Greg killed their friend."

"Don't doubt my negotiation skills," Lilith responded.

The first one said "Alright, whatever you say," he opened the door and let them in then shut it right behind them. The room was empty, Hope sat in a the far right corner of the small room while Lucas was laying down across from her with his hands folded over his chest. As soon as Hope looked up she stood and said "Where the hell is Scar?"

Jorge looked down and said with sadness "Greg...uhh killed him in front of all of his people."

Hope looked angry so she punched Jorge in the face "Why didn't you help him?!"

Lilith took the liberty to punch her back directly in the nose "We don't have a side so don't play the fucking blame game."

"That doesn't mean anything," Hope said while rubbing her face "He was a human being."

"It happened so quickly and we were at the back of the crowd."

"Great...now he is going to kill both of us. Is that why you're here? To tell us that?"

Lucas looked like he is in a depressed state now in a fetal position trying to contemplate this.

"Not necessarily," Jorge said "We are here to help you escape."

Lucas's eyes perked up and Hope asked "Why are you doing this?"

Lilith told her "He was your friend...I've lost so many of those. You have to get back to your people and we will never see either of you ever again."

"Is the reason you helped Greg escape was because we killed his brother?"

"Ironic ain't it?" Lilith chuckled.

"We see the insanity in Greg and Leo's eyes and we don't want to be apart of any of it."

"Insanity?"

Lilith grunted in frustration "That's what ended the fucking world. Leaders being mad at each other for the smallest of reasons and people following them like sheep. Bringing them to war with no purpose and death for what? Vengeance? Justice?"

"Its all a cycle," Jorge continued "People in power go bat shit crazy and use their people to fight in battles they don't want to die in."

"I just followed Leo because it seemed like the safest bet. I want to fight to keep my people safe, same with Lucas whom said I can vouch for him when I say that."

"Fighting for safety you're gonna die from?" Jorge scoffed "Does that make any sense?"

Hope looked down at the floor then back up in remorse "I never thought of it that way."

Lucas stood up and nodded at them. Hope then said "You can help us escape, but I want to come with you two," she looked at Lucas "Would you like to come?"

He nodded and she said "It's settled we all can escape together and get out of the clutches of these monsters. How are we gonna plan to do this? We can't just walk out the front door."

"Maybe we can," Lilith said "It's pretty gruesome, but I'm sure it will work."

 "Let's hear it then," Hope smirked.

"I tell Greg we are on his side, gaining his trust. Then later in the night Jorge and I sneak out and find a few infectors to lead back here and let them loose in the main building. Thus, giving a big enough distraction to kill the two people posted here to let you guys loose then quickly sneak out the front."

A devilish smile smeared on Hope's face "Sounds pretty gnarly."

"For our true freedom from the oppression of leaders and social guidelines," Jorge stated.

"I will explain to Greg that I'm trying to convince you to join us and to give us another week," Lilith explained "You gotta do what you gotta to do survive and that's the second biggest thing my friend told me to never forget."

"What was the first?"

Lilith put on a genuine smile "To never doubt myself, no matter what. That's the last thing he told me before he sacrificed himself to save me..." her smile morphed into a frown.

"I'm sorry Lilith," Hope said with sympathy.

"I'm here now aren't I?" she smirked.

"Let's quit lollygagging and get this plan into motion," Jorge said with confidence.