UPRISE

004

Inside, Noah sits on the ground. Pluto joins him, resting her head on his shoulder. Her presence seems to calm him, at least a bit. Once everyone else filters in the room and the door is shut, Noah sighs. "Welp. If we're all going to die, I'd rather die with strangers. That way, I don't need to be embarrassed when I scream."

"We aren't going to die," Wren corrects. He rolls his eyes, leaning back against the wall. The nine of them had better learn to get comfortable here, because they're going to stay the night.

Corbin begins to count them. In total, there are four blues and five reds. "We can use our guest passes to get you guys into the blue apartments."

Harper's eyes flick up. He is surprised to see such a kind gesture from Corbin, even after such little time.

"Guest passes?" Aeryn asks. "Those things don't work."

Across the room, Reagan narrows his eyes. The bands are a tiered system. Anything that a red can do, a blue can. The only people who Aeryn could possibly have tried to tap into the complex are the clears. He can't help the soft smile that creeps on to his face.

"If, and this is a big if, all of our bands let us tap someone in, we'd still be leaving someone to the wolves," Viola says. The puff of the joint has killed her headache, so she finally feels present. Even though she is high.

"Well, any other plans?" Corbin asks, looking over to Harper as if it was Harper that challenged him.

Harper blows out air, trying desperately to keep himself calm.

Unlike him, Jasmine has pulled herself out of the conversation. She stands facing the door, staring through the glass. Her arms are crossed over her chest, waiting and watching for any sign that Edison is right. So far, none of the colourless have appeared.

"I say we try our best to get some of them in the apartments," Corbin tells the group. "If we move quickly, we might be able to get some of our roommates to help us try to tap them in."

"Might," Pluto echoes the word.

Corbin turns around to glare at her. "You've got a problem with that plan? I don't hear you coming up with any ideas, now do I? Do they call you Pluto because that's how tiny your brain is?"

Pluto grits her teeth. "That's a stupid fucking insult. Pluto is massive compared to your tiny dick."

"You're a fucking cunt," Corbin snaps back.

Now, Harper can't take it anymore. He darts forward, stepping in front of Corbin. Harper presses his chest up against the other man, sizing him up. Sure, Harper is smaller, and less buff, and probably going to get beaten in, but what else is there to do?

"Okay," Reagan huffs out. He tries to push his hands between the two men and pull them apart. The chains on the ground tangle up in his feet, and he nearly trips and falls. "This is super not cool, and you both need to stop it."

From where he sits, Wren sighs. He begins to pull himself off the ground, his joints cracking with every movement. Above him, he stretches his arms out. It's been about a year since Wren got in his last fight, so he needs the minute to let the adrenaline leak through his body.

"First fistfight?" Pluto asks Noah as she stands up. She moves over to Corbin and slaps him across the face. The sound echoes through the room, pulling Jasmine out of her daze.

Wren puts himself in the mess. He grabs Harper's shoulders, beginning to pull him away from Corbin. It takes Harper a second to breathe and calm down.