T H E R E N E G A D E S {MCU}

⛧⛧⛧THE SELECTED PROCESS⛧⛧⛧

"Dismissed" Mademoiselle Charlotte announced after the girls were almost at their breaking point, after their two-hour mark of ballet class. They all let out a small sigh and began to leave to prepare for the next class.

Evelyn practically ran out of the ballet studio, dragging Harper behind her to their lockers. She knew they would have to split up again for the next hour for their language classes. So she talked as fast and clearly as she could.

"Go easy on the old ankles, Vortag!" Harper huffs as she barely keeps up with Evelyn's quick pace. (Eve)

"For once Harper, shut up and listen, okay? This is serious. We could be in serious trouble here. Like not getting caught or being punished kind of trouble. Like life-changing trouble." She says quickly in a harsh whisper. "I went to the principal's office, and she was talking to a man. They were talking about picking girls for something. I think that means taking them away somewhere, but only certain ones get picked. Then I saw him, he was the definition of bad news." She explained the previous events while still keeping her voice low.

Harper had a puzzled expression, the gears visibly turning in her head. "What'd they say specifically?" She squinted her eyes leaning forward for more. Evelyn took a moment to respond, trying to remember the specific words that they said.

"I got there mid-conversation. He asked if she had chosen them yet and if they were greater than last time. Then she said she picked 15 of us and that she thought we were exceptional, and then he said he'd see them this afternoon. Then he said to her not to disappoint him. He then left. And then I ran before he could see me." She explained carefully to her, Harper just stared at her sister.

"Well that's freaky isn't it, wonder who they are going to choose." A shiver ran down Harper's back.

"That is your thought right now? Not who is picking them? Or why? Or maybe what are they being chosen for?" Evelyn asks, completely dumbfounded that this is what she is thinking about.

"Okay, okay Chill out" Harper takes moments to think through. "We need to prepare for the worst as always. And, I guess the worst would be being picked, right?" She looks at her sister.

"Yeah, but for what?" Evelyn mumbles more to herself, she turns to her locker and grabs her Spanish textbook along with her notebook and pen. Stuffing them both in her bag before turning back to her sister. "We'll talk about it later, okay?"

Harper nods."This is weird"

Evelyn chuckles dryly before heading down the hall to her class. Her head spun with thoughts as she walked toward the Spanish classroom.

"Sprich mir nach: Wir sind die intelligenten Mädchen.'' Wir werden lernen, zuhören und aufmerksam sein. "Wir sind respektvoll, talentiert und kämpferisch." The class repeated while Harper was unknowingly letting her mind slip to the conversation she had earlier with Evelyn. (Repeat after me: We are the Intelligent girls. We will learn, listen, and pay attention. We are respectful, talented, and fierce.)

"Very good. Now, I will speak in English for this part. After you eat lunch, go straight to your dorms till Ms. Pandora tells you, you may come out. Students will be missing but nothing to worry about." The teacher nodded. "Nun, fangen wir an" (Now, let's begin)

⛧⛧⛧

"Harper Strange," The German teacher called after class.

"Please don't use my last name," Harper said respectfully but sourly.

"My apologies." Harper was surprised the German teacher didn't punish her for her disrespect towards her but it didn't seem like her career at the moment. "After lunch and after you are taken, I wish you and your sister luck." The teacher nods and then touches Harper's cheek. "Möge Gott Sie und Ihre bevorstehenden Nöte segnen" Harper tilted her head slightly and turned to leave immediately, to tell Evelyn. (May God bless you and your sister in your hardships ahead.)

What in the world?

⛧⛧⛧

For the second time that day, Evelyn was in her dorm. She was nervous. Evelyn doesn't get nervous, there was never a reason to be and if there was she could control it. But nothing like this has happened in 6 years. What was making her more nervous was that she was chosen, and so was Harper. Her Spanish teacher pulled her to the side after class and told her that she was sorry and that she was proud of her. She told her "Buena suerte para ti y tu hermana. Lamento que tengas que ser tú." Good luck to you and your sister, and I'm sorry it has to end like this for you.

They were chosen for whatever the mistress had planned and by the way her teacher spoke it was worse than she thought.

Finally, Harper came into the dorm. "What is happening?!" Harper yelled as soon as the door was closed. She had walked to her dorm after History, Weapons training, and their daily library time, skipping lunch altogether, she felt sick to her stomach, and she doubts she can even eat if she tried.

"I'm like 99 percent certain we were chosen. And I'm kinda freaking out." Evelyn says her voice shaking, she was honestly losing it.

"You're losing it before I am!" Harper shook her head and pretended to pout again before she went emotionless. "My teacher was praising me. She was all speaking German and 'Oh I hope God will bless your soul' or whatever. I didn't even get to steal anything today or eat lunch" Harper whines, though she wasn't worried about that, her mind swam in the unknown waters of confusion, she never cared to wonder about things like these, that was Evelyn's job.

"Shut up Harper! Just shut up!" Evelyn said in the politest way possible at that moment. "There isn't anything we can do. We can't escape, we can't run or hide."

"They made sure of it" Harper mutters, scared, she knew her sister only seriously told her to shut it when she was scared, and that was now.

Three knocks shocked them to reality, and the door opened. "Good afternoon, Girls. Please, follow me." It was Ms. Pandora, just like their language teachers said. And Evelyn could undoubtedly say that she had never been more scared in her life.

"Don't do anything stupid," Evelyn whispered, trying to keep her voice steady, taking Harper's hand as they were led away.

They were led down the hallway outside where they did their field training. As they made their way through the school more and more girls joined them. Evelyn counted 15, just like the man said.

Once they were outside Evelyn noticed the man in the middle of the field. The man that had been talking to Miss Pandora. At that moment Evelyn and Harper looked at each other just as the man spoke.

The snake.

"Hello, my name is Dreykov. I run the organization 'The Red Room'. I've come to take you home."

They knew now the danger was real, but they also knew their fear was a choice. Evelyn had chosen to ignore it as she continued to glare at the snake.

But Harper's mind was distracted by thoughts of the clock that had called to her earlier that she had stolen while her sister was turned the other way.

"You stole it didn't you?" Her sister asked without looking at her. And despite the situation, she smiled and didn't say anything.

"Oh, I stole more than it," Harper smiles with mischief written on her face.