"Well done Matthew!" April squealed with delight.
Matthew put a finger to his lips and moved to the cell holding Jayce and Nora. "Very smart Matthew," Jayce said.
"Thank you," Matthew replied.
"Now we just need weapons," Nora said. "We're all trained for these moments, now's everyone's chance to show off their skills."
Jayce nodded in agreement, "there is no room for words here anymore. President Collinson and Prime Minister Blake do not see reason. We must fight."
****
Matthew held up his hand for the Divisions to wait behind him. He flicked the switch on his watch once more and the door to the cells clicked open just enough to be unnoticed by the guard. The battery in Matthew's watch was burnt out now with the last effort. He dropped it on the ground. "Quietly," Matthew whispered to Nora. Nora nodded and slipped through the door. In seconds the guard gave a gasp and fell to the ground. Nora disarmed him and brought back his gun, she handed it to Matthew with a smirk.
"Easy."
They started to walk down the hall, April held Matthew's free hand with a vice-like grip. The halls were silent except for the slight grunting of Doctor Mancha who was being dragged along by Jayce.
"Where are they?" Zoe asked.
Matthew shook his head, "I don't know, be on the lookout."
The group of tense bodies slipped as quietly as they could through the abandoned hallways. Matthew checked the two hallways that branched off from a fork in the shinning white halls. Both were empty and Matthew allowed everybody to pass, he stayed behind with April who refused to let go of his hand. Once everyone had passed Matthew brought up the rear.
That was when the dim lights they had been using to guide themselves cut out, everyone stopped in silence. April quivered beside Matthew and he held tighter to his gun. Flashes of light whizzed around Matthew as gun shots rang out from unseen soldiers. Matthew heard the sickening thuds of bodies falling and he tried not to think of his friends dying as he tried to pinpoint where the shots were coming from.
Before Matthew had fired a shot the lights came up and the gun fire ceased. Prime Minister Blake emerged from the darkness slowly clapping his hands. "Very good," he said, "very good." He stopped in front of Jayce who was kneeling beside Doctor Mancha, "but not good enough."
Matthew scanned the lit hallway taking in who was dead. Garrison, Flora, Carson, Gwen, Erin, Charley, Elijah, Verity, Owen, Evan, Piper. Matthew stared at the dead and April shuddered beside him. "Drop your gun!"
Mathew felt the barrel of a revolver tap his spine, he let go of the gun and it clattered to the ground. Prime Minister Blake stepped up to Matthew. "So are you the leader?" he asked.
Matthew glanced at April and her eyes told him not to give away anything, but the dead told him to spill the beans. "Yes," he said.
"No!" April screamed, "he's not, he's just saying that!"
"April stop, I'm the one that got everyone out I don't want any more unnecessary deaths."
"I won't let you do this," April cried.
"Well isn't this sweet," Prime Minister Blake said sourly.
"Matthew," Jayce said from where he was knelling beside Doctor Mancha, "he's dead."
Matthew met the Prime Minister's eyes, "take me and no one else, let them live."
"Well I usually kill the leader," Prime Minister Blake said. "Take aim!"
"I must warm you that President Collinson has tried to kill me multiple times and I have cheated death each time. I can do it again," Matthew hoped his empty threat was enough.
Prime Minister Blake seemed nervous now and he waved his hand to call of the gunmen. "Very well, come with me."
"NO!" April screamed.
"Control the girl!" Blake ordered.
April was torn from Matthew's arm and Matthew was led away from his friends. With one last look at the dead and April's tear streaked face the door to the hall shut and he was cut off from the only people that could save him.
