Survivor - Connor x OC

Do You Hear The People Sing?

Les Misérables – Do You Hear the People Sing?

Taylor slid out of the backseat of the taxi, into the cold night air of Detroit. Markus had thankfully answered when she called the number of the phone she had given him days ago. They were marching on Hart Plaza; she was meeting them there. She had already called Rachel. There had been no word from Connor yet.

She walked down the sidewalk, toward the plaza, where she could see clusters of people gathered. A helicopter was hovering over the scene, which meant that Markus must already be here. Of course, she was late.

The crowds turned out to be mostly press, local news stations and national alike. There was a barrier separating them from the scene, and when she looked across the way she could see that Markus and his followers had set up a barricade across from the encampment that was holding the deviants captive.

She clung to the edge of the crowd, hoping not to be recognized as she tried to make her way to the front. Somehow, she had to get to the barricade, to Markus, but she didn't think the officers standing guard at the barriers were going to just let her walk past.

Sliding her phone out of her pocket, she hit redial on the number that would connect her to Markus, hoping he still had the phone. Her luck had run out, however, because the number rang straight to voicemail. Cursing, she ended the call.

"Taylor!" She recognized the voice instantly and turned to greet Rachel as she pushed her way through the crowd. Unfortunately, the shout had drawn the attention she had been trying to avoid. Some of the reporters were eyeing her with interest now, but Rachel ignored them. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? Where else would I be," Taylor frowned as Rachel scowled at her.

"Don't act like I don't know what happened to you earlier. You shouldn't be here. I would've handled this," She reached a hand toward her and then hesitated, drawing it back, afraid to touch her.

"I have to get across," Taylor said, brushing it off, determined.

"Yeah, I'd like to be on that side too, but there's a few people with guns in the way." Rachel replied, dropping her hand.

"What'd I miss?" She asked next, her eyes searching the barricade for some signs of movement.

"Your friend Markus came out to speak to Special Agent Perkins of the FBI just before you got here. I'm not sure what they said but it didn't seem too agreeable. I don't think the FBI is going to let the deviants they have in those camps go." Rachel glanced at the barricade and back to her nervously.

"Anthony Jacobsen is in jail." Taylor said, pressing her lips together. "Public opinion is in favor of the deviants."

"You think any of that matters to the government?" Rachel scowled at her again. "They'll do whatever they think is necessary in the name of national security. Don't be naïve."

Whatever Taylor was going to say in response was lost in the sudden explosion. Someone on the officers' side had tossed a grenade, and the gunfire quickly followed as they rushed the barricade. Her face paled. Rachel turned away, shouting at her cameraman. In the distraction, Taylor didn't hesitate to vault over the barrier in front of her and started running.

Time seemed to slow down and speed up all at once. She thought she heard Rachel scream her name behind her, but it was impossible to be sure over the sound of the automatic weapons firing. An officer tried to grab her as she ran past, but she ducked away. She was unencumbered by the heavy armor they were all wearing and faster, so she slipped through.

She didn't know what she was doing, running into gunfire, besides being reckless. If they were gunning down deviants like they weren't even people, though, maybe they would hesitate to shoot her. Maybe she could stop this. Or she could just get shot, but she had to try.