Even When the World Comes Down (Sequel to Always & Forever)

Chapter 11

I couldn't wrap my mind around this whole thing. Why in the hell would Marlene want us to smuggle this little girl? Was she some big Fireflies' kid or something? I didn't like this. I didn't want to do this but we needed those damn guns. This was how Tess and I stayed in business. More importantly, how we stayed alive. But kids in this world...they didn't get far and I did not want to have her death on my conscious. I already had enough shit in there as it was. I couldn't afford anymore.

We were out and I was already heading over to where we needed to go.

"Whoa...I heard all the shooting, but...What happened?" Ellie asked.

"The Fireflies. Listen someone's gonna find us if we stay out here in the open. We've gotta get moving," I said.

I hated small talk. Even more so with a little girl I didn't know at all.

"Well, you're the pro at this. I'm following your lead," she said.

"Down here. And keep up," I said when we reached some stairs.

"I am," she retorted sounding a little irritated.

We descended the steps and came to the back alley of the building where we would wait.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Up there. That'll lead us to the north tunnel," I said.

"And how are we supposed to reach that?" she asked.

"I've got it," I said.

I grabbed a garbage bin and rolled it right under the fire escape that had been knocked off. I climbed it and went up the stairs until I reached the top floor. I looked behind me to make sure she was following. She was but I waited for her. Once she was close enough, I went into the building.

"So this tunnel, you use it to smuggle things?" she asked.

"Yep," I said.

"Like illegal things?" she asked.

"Sometimes," I said.

"You ever smuggle a kid before?" she asked again.

"No. That's a first. So what's the deal with you and Marlene, anyways?" I asked wanting to get some more info out of her.

"I don't know. She's my friend, I guess," she replied.

"Your friend, huh? You're friends with the leader of the fireflies. What're you, like twelve?" I said not believing that a kid could ever be friends with not only a Firefly but their leader.

"She knew my mom, and she's been looking after me. And I'm fourteen, not that that has anything to do with anything," she said.

"So where are your parents?" I asked.

"Where are anyone's parents? They've been gone a long, long time," she said.

"Hm. So instead of just staying in school, you just decide to run off and join the Fireflies, is that it?" I pushed.

"Look, I'm not supposed to tell you why you're smuggling me if that's what you're getting at," she said.

Damn it.

"You wanna know the best thing about my job? I don't gotta know why. Be honest with you, I could give two shits about what you're up to," I said, that coming out a little harsher than I had intended it to.

"Well great," she said nonchalantly.

"Good," I retorted.

We got to the apartment we'd be waiting for Tess in.