Haven's Army

Chapter 5

"What about hope, Nathan?" I asked after I had gotten over my initial shock.

He looked up at me. His eyes looked paler than usual. He looked pained. "Hope? What is hope when there is fear? They will always control us. There is no escape. We just have to succumb or we will all die."

I stepped closer again, feeling myself choke a little with exhausted sadness. "What are you saying?"

"I'll stop you," he said. He put a hand on my cheek. "I've already lost almost everyone. I don't want to lose you too."

I pulled away. "You don't understand. You have so many other people who want to support you. You just need to let them in."

He shook his head. "They'll only get hurt too. Promise me you'll stop."

"No," I stated firmly. "I won't back down just because they corrupted you."

He flicked out his sword. "I guess I'll just have to stop you."

I slipped my knives into my hands and he ran forward. I dodged under his attack and slammed him to the ground. I pinned his arms under my knees, dropped my knives, and put my hands on his cheeks.

"Please Nathan," I begged. "You're too weak."

"No," he said frantically. "You have to stop. You'll die. There's no escape. You have to..."

I kissed him. He stopped mid sentence, frozen. The tears began slipping down my cheeks and falling onto his.

"Please," I whispered.

He relaxed a little. I helped him stand, still dazed. Then I slipped my hands behind his neck and kissed him again, this time deeper. My heart fluttered with excitement. He wrapped his arms around me and I felt safe. I felt all my fears and all his pains washing away into pure joy and hope.

I pulled away and he frowned. It took all my willpower not to once again run my fingers into his soft hair, press my lips to his, to feel his hands on my waist.

I smiled a little sadly. "If we don't fight, we won't ever have freedom. We have to fight. We have to win."

He thought for a moment. Then he gave me a slight smirk. "Let's do this. But promise me something."

"Yes?" I asked, grinning.

"Let me do the talking. You're a horrible liar."

I blushed in embarrassment. "So what's your plan?"

• • • • • • • • • • •

The door creaked open. Nathan led me by the hand out to the hall. My only job was to look like I had lost all hope. I was now only timidly following Nathan. I hoped I looked convincing enough.

He opened the second door leading into the room I had been in before. We kept up the act since we knew now for sure we were being watched. We both jumped as Louis approached us.

"Well?" he asked.

Nathan looked to the ground and I moved closer, still keeping my eyes on Louis. This had to work or we would die for sure.

"It worked," he said, his voice cracking convincingly. "We'll convince the rest. Even if they don't yield, we're the strongest. We can stop them after we regain our strength."

Louis smiled. "Perfect." He waved a hand and the guards unlocked the cell that held Amy and Daniel. "You may go, but I am giving you an escort of some of the finest Elites in this facility."