Uprising

Chapter 2: Aylin

I don't remember falling asleep on the couch but for the first time I was able to really rest without fear of being attacked. The exhaustion took over and before I knew it I was out. It didn't seem like any time had passed when I felt the rough hands of someone trying to wake me. My head was foggy and at first I tried to ignore the rude intruder hoping they would give up and go away. Suddenly everything clicked into place and I bolted up attacking the person who had been trying to wake me.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy tiger." I had managed to knock the man to the ground before remembering last night's events. Thomas laid beneath me with his hands up in surrender almost laughing. "Did we forget where we are?" He asked almost mockingly. I pushed off of him and waited for him to stand, "The sun will be up soon, if we are going to get you out of the city without anyone noticing we need to get going."

I nodded my response, being near him confused me. I hadn't been this close to an Assembly guard since the attack on my village when I was 10. They made me nervous and for good reason, they aren't known for their compassion. However, there was something different about Thomas. There was a sincerity in his amber colored eyes that had me wanting to believe everything he said and the light smattering of freckles gave him a boyish charm that was hard to resist.

"The guards will be moving in formation closer to the tower in the center of the city. We need to be ready, when they pass this building that will be our only chance to get you to the wall." He explains as he runs a hand through his short dark hair causing it to stick up in front.

"What about the rooftops?" That's how we always got in and out of the city after dark.

"This way is more efficient." He countered.

"This way is going to get us both killed."

"Can you please just trust me?" Thomas' voice was pleading, "At night the cameras have a hard time picking up anything above the bright city lights. It all gets washed out, which is one of the reasons for the helicopters." Thomas continued to explain. "With the sun coming up they'll be able to spot you like a neon sign. You wouldn't even make it to the next building over."

"And that makes the ground safer?" I questioned.

"Slightly, we will be a little more inconspicuous, especially if we keep to the shadows."

"Fine but if I die, I'm coming back to haunt your ass." I concede.

Thomas smirked, "Perfect, I've been feeling kinda lonely in this big ol' apartment of mine."

I rolled my eyes and pushed passed him heading for the door, "Coming?" I heard him chuckle as he followed behind me.

When we made it to the large glass door separating us from the outside Thomas pushed me behind him, his broad shoulders concealing me from the guards passing by. He waited as the sounds of their boots slapping the pavement grew softer until we couldn't hear them altogether. Once the coast was clear, Thomas grabbed my hand, pulling me behind him through the door and down a maze of dark alleyways. He moved quickly, scouting around every corner for any sign of danger lurking in the shadows.

Just as we broke free from the towering skyscrapers, the golden rays of the sun hadn't made their way over the horizon just yet but the black sky was beginning to light up with various pinks and blues. Our short window was rapidly closing and I could feel the sudden urgency in Thomas. He head swiveled back and forth, surveying our surroundings.

Suddenly, Thomas spun on his heels, gripping my shoulders. He crouched down to my eye level, "We don't have much time. Those cameras..." He points to each corner of the building, "They oscillate. There's about a two minute window where they aren't focused right there in the center." He points to the manhole cover directly ahead.