Lovers' Maehem

Chapter 1

Maeve

June 3rd, 2180

5:46 am

I shove my books and knives into my small sack as we get ready to leave once again. On the run once again. The sucky part about living the life I live is that every time they get too close to figuring out our location we have to move. The place we have been in for the past 5 weeks is nice, the carpets are soft and clean, and there is a huge kitchen we've been able to use. The best feature being I have my own room. Except yesterday, Mom spotted someone wearing a Colton uniform near the movie theatre. If they are in the same neighborhood as us, even if they are just going to see a movie, we have to move. I get that it is bad if we get caught, but it's not like we haven't gotten out of it before.

"Mae, hurry up or we are leaving you!" my oldest sister Indie yells from the bottom of the stairs. I sigh and grab my backpack, filled to the brim with all of my own things. Indie throws me a sack full of food to carry, and if it wasn't for my fast reflexes, she probably would've gutted me in the stomach. My skills have been getting sharper and better as I get older. They have to. Most of the time now I do the outings on my own. Sometimes I wonder what the point of doing all this is, but it's not like we could stop. My grandfather, who now runs the whole operation, says that we have been doing this since his grandfather's generation. I'll never get to run it though. Being the youngest of 4 children means there is literally no way that I'll ever be able to take the operation. Not that I need to. Taking care of business is one thing, deciding who goes onto the lists is a whole other. Grandfather showed me the whole process once, and it's just too daunting for me. I jump into the van, squished in the back between Nate and Dakota.

"Indie!" Nate shouts, "you can't just take the front seat!" he exclaims. I roll my eyes. Here we go again. Nate and Indie are twins, and ever since they were about 10 they've always argued for the front seat. My dad usually sits in the trunk with the strap we put in, just to watch if anyone is following us. This leaves the front seat open the majority of the time. Dakota and I don't even bother trying to get it, Indie and Nate would never give it to us. Sometimes I find it funny how I'm 17, and my whole life has always been the family business. I never went to a normal school like a lot of the kids I've seen, I've never done art classes or sports teams like the other kids either. Up until last year I spent most of my days homeschooled by my parents, or aunt and uncle, and my nights learning the family business alongside my siblings. Now I spend my whole day doing it. House to house, person to person, taking care of business as I've been taught. Today is a moving day, which means all plans are canceled until tomorrow. Moving from state to state constantly becomes quite annoying. I'm just praying I won't be sharing a room with Dakota at this house.

"We're here! Welcome to Pennsylvania!" mom yells getting out of the car. We all grab our bags and unload into this new house.

"Mae bring this stuff to your room, Dakota call Grandpa with the plan for tomorrow!" my dad calls. I roll my eyes. Great sharing a room with Dakota. It's not that I don't like Dakota, I love her, but sharing a room with her is just too much sometimes. She always has this guy over, who works with one of our allied organizations.

"Why so sad?" Dakota asks, as I thrust my bag onto the queen sized bed.

"The beds here are hard!" I say though that isn't really what's on my mind.

"It's okay," Dakota starts, "chances are we'll be out of here within a few weeks." I grimace at her and unpack a few of my things,

"Yeah, I guess," I say.

"Will it make you feel better to go with me on my mission tomorrow?" she offers. I look up in excitement,

"What is it?" I ask, grabbing Dakota's phone, where the plan for tomorrow sits. I scan through it quickly to see that I'm only doing one tomorrow, and it isn't until 10 pm. Then I find Dakota's name.