Bryony's POV
"Noah." I whispered, shaking his sleeping form. "You need to pack up some things, we're going to get moving to the safe camp Kieran was telling us about." My little brother groaned and held a pillow over his face.
For the record, I was only older by about a minute, but it was established in our family that I'd matured a lot faster than him. So, I became his big sister.
Eventually I gave up and started throwing some of our belongings into a bag, watching as Kieran did the same from the other tent. He'd managed to obtain quite a few things, whether they were stolen or given to him by people he was supposed to have ride with. Nether the less, it took him a lot longer to get his things together than Noah and I, who had only just emerged from his sleeping bag and trudged outside to help pack.
By around 2pm, we had everything together and Kieran was beginning to load all of our things into a truck. Yet again another thing I'm not sure how he got his hands on. And by 3pm, he'd fiddled with the engine and we'd started to move. I watched as the forest that'd been my home for two weeks faded into just a blur in the mist-infected windows. It was nice, actually, freeing even. Sitting at the back of the truck with the cool air blowing past me. Almost like when we were younger and we'd go on family vacations.
***
Elodie's POV
We set off around 5pm, having woken up fairly early we had time to get things together and set off. Returning to the same vehicle Luke and I had hijacked weeks ago. It's not like anyone would ever go looking for it. The world had worse things to overcome.
Luke took a sharp turn left as soon as we made it out of the abandoned area, heading directly south. Checking every now and then to see how far Kieran had moved. We weren't gaining any ground, so our only hope was that they stopped off somewhere at some point. So aside from a tracker and a very bubbly Cara in the backseat we had little to nothing guiding us on. Around the four-hour mark we'd reach the old compound, which we could only assume would be swarmed with officers by now, looking for anyone who might come back. It was a straight road to there, no backstreets or alleyways which means we'd be driving directly next to it. Almost like a motorway except completely desolate.
Around an hour in, I could feel my eyes drifting off. Lucas had his eyes keenly on the road, Cara was fast asleep in the back and all was peaceful despite the circumstances. It was freezing cold, but the clouds had departed and the sun began to shine slightly through them. Within 10 minutes I was asleep too.
***
At 9:15pm, Lucas shook me awake as darkness surrounded the car. He pulled into the side of the road and told me to wake up Cara, which I did carefully. I checked the time on the car radio and took in a deep breath, it'd been four hours, which meant that we couldn't be far from the old area. He stepped out of the car with the dagger by his side, checked left and right before opening up the boot and handing out supplies to us both. I'd become good with a crossbow, Lucas stuck with that too, however Cara pulled out a regular string bow which she indicated was better. All three of us had daggers.
Lucas pulled us both to the side once we'd exited the car, pointing his finger at the distant of lights and guards coming from the building. From what we could see, there were about six stood at the front. He pulled me to the side and handed me something.
A bulletproof shield. Invented in 2022, pop up of course. Only opened up if I was in such a dire situation that I had to protect myself. He wrapped his arms around my neck and pulled me into a quick, good luck kiss. I was worried he'd never get to do that again.
Using the side of the road as cover, all three of us started to silently move forwards. Closer and closer to the building, keeping out an eye behind us.
Until Luke put out his arm with the other arm's finger to his lips. He silently indicated to Cara to pull back her bow and I watched fascinated as she aimed intently at one of the guards out front.
She counted down from three, and just as she reached three Luke and I threw ourselves forwards, aiming our crossbows. My shot hit, his narrowly missed a guard. Cara hit the front one directly in the heart. Lucky for us, they'd been here weeks and weren't expecting a fight any time soon. One of them managed to wrap their arms around my waist, attempting to restrain me. But I managed to pull out the dagger from my side and in seconds he was crumpled on the ground.
3 down, 3 to go.
Lucas was wrestling with one of them, I watched as he pulled back his crossbow and fired a hit straight at the guard's chest.
Another guard chose that moment to go for me, running forwards. But Cara was prepared, she'd fired a shot in front of him. Causing him to directly run-in front of and into the very thing that would kill him.
Then there was just one left, I checked around me, holding my crossbow loaded to my chest as Cara did the very same thing.
But my heart sunk in an instant when my eyes latched on to Luke, being held in a headlock by one of the guards. I would've shot him right then and there but just as soon as I'd noticed Luke, had I noticed the pistol pressed hard into his head.
My breath was heavy in my chest.
"Put down the bow, Elodie." The guard spat.