Haven's Army

Chapter 9

Jean's hand released. I fell to the ground, coughing and gasping for breath.

I looked up. Dennis stood in front of me protectively as Jean got up.

She grinned. "You're not Dennis per chance, are you?"

"That's me," he replied solidly.

She giggled excitedly. "I am Jean, leader of the..."

"I know who you are, so shut up." He seemed to tense more. I got up slowly.

"Why don't you join us?" Jean asked.

"Because you all are trash, murderers under The Halo's control!" he yelled at her. I had never seen him like this before. "I didn't want to join you then, I won't join you now!" He took a moment to calm down. "I don't care if how much you need me, these people need me more," he continued. "You're all just impure murderers made for the sake of protecting the sea."

"Am I impure?" I asked him, my heart dropping.

He stopped. "No Charlotte, you were born that way. It's a good thing you're different. It makes you unique, unlike the rest of us. They were injected with DNA from The Victory to make them bloodthirsty."

"So now you're saying I'm bloodthirsty," I said, tears coming to my eyes.

He looked at me, frightened. "No, I..." He looked to the ground. "Please, I trust you. Help me fight her."

He was denying it, I could tell. I blinked away the tears.

"Oh what a cute little heartbreak," Jean commented. "How I love heartbreak. But you know what I love more? Death." She came at us.

"You're insane," Dennis commented calmly before dodging her attack. Every attack she came at him with, he smoothly dodged. I hadn't realized he was such a good fighter. I had never seen him in action. I could see Jean starting to get frustrated. Suddenly, she changed direction and punched at me.

Before I could dodge, Dennis was in front of me. He caught her hand and punched at her. His fist connected with her jaw and she fell back. She used the momentum to propel herself off the wall back at him. He grabbed me and pulled me out of the way. She clung to the bars and propelled towards us again. This time, Dennis didn't have time to react and she landed on Dennis, knocking both of us to the floor. She pinned Dennis to the floor, punching him over and over again. This woman was inhuman.

"Stop!" I moved forward. She turned to me for a moment and punched me. I hit the wall, seeing spots. How could Dennis put up with so many punches? I practically passed out from one.

Jean stopped for a moment. "Come with me and I'll stop."

"Never," he growled. She raised her fist to punch him and I wanted to move forward but I couldn't.

I guess there always was someone stronger.

But then, someone grabbed her arm. It was Julia. She ripped Jean off of Dennis and punched her hard. Jean fell back. She was about to run forward again when a mass of water swooshed in, smashing her against the bars. Dennis stood, panting but keeping Jean there. The water began to resist, probably Jean's doing, but Dennis kept hold of it.

Julia walked back up to Jean and punched her.

"You think you've won!" Jean shrieked with joy. "What funny little kids! We've only just begun!" Julia punched her. "I am one of many! We're right on the other side of the Uninhabited!" She punched her again. "We'll kill you! We'll kill you!" She punched her again but Jean continued giggling gleefully.

Suddenly, the water was ripped from Dennis' grasp and Jean shot up the stairs and out the door.

Dennis and Julia collapsed. I crawled over to James and made sure he was okay. He was still breathing and his heart rate seemed normal so I put him in a more natural position an left him alone.