A Call To Arms (A Crown The Empire Fanfiction)

We will not stop for anything

Taylor's P.O.V.

As we leave through the doors and make our way up the stairs, I begin to question what we are doing.

Me, Bri, Jewel, Hayden and Brent. The 5 of us. Making our way to the Scarecrow HQ to find Brandon, Ryesha, Soleil, Andy, Bennett and Erika. 5 of us to find 6 people in the middle of a crowd of scarecrows who could attack at any time. Dave gave his phone to Hayden to use for tracking and now I have no way of getting in contact with him and knowing he is ok.

To be perfectly honest, I'm petrified.

Me, Bri and Jewel haven't had much training and so are the vulnerable ones in this situation but I put on my brave face to reassure them everything will be ok. They both look terrified.

No one speaks.

It's too late to turn back now, Dave will tend to the recruit having the asthma attack, and we will get our Runaways back.

We have to.

Going up these stairs takes a lot longer than going down them.

My muscles ache after 5 minutes or so but I urge myself to keep climbing. For their sake.

We finally make our way up the stairs and into the hall.

The floorboards are broken, the walls and doors are smashed, luckily we don't have too many windows because it would take forever to clean that shit up.

The place looked a mess.

Like no one has lived here for over a 1000 years. The only signs that people had visited here recently were the pieces of random paper that were on fire and piled in the corner. We went closer to attempt to extinguish it before it spread.

"Holy shit, guys" I shouted when I saw what it was "all the recruit files are ablaze! Help me put it out quick!"

Before I had even finished what I was saying, I was jumping on the pile of paper and trying, unsuccessfully to blow out the fire. Jewel has ran and got a fire extinguisher from across the hall and was firing the foam partially at the inferno but mostly on me. I screamed at her to stop but she was having too much fun with it.

Bri stood there, looking confused and terrified all at once.

Hayden and Brent stood there laughing loudly.

I turned and stared at them.

"Aren't you going to help us?"

"Taylor, chill" Brent said, still laughing "Everyone knows that Bones keeps an extra copy of all the Runaway files with him at all times. We'll put out the fire to prevent it from spreading but everything is ok, I promise. The walls are fireproof anyway. Plus do you really think Bones would leave files around unattended like that if he didn't have an extra copy?"

Embarrassed, I put out the rest of the flames with everyone's help this time. I feel my cheeks redden but blame it on the heat of the flames and not my complete humiliation.

We dispose of the remaining files and make our way through the deserted building and head carefully to the launcher pads where we take a pod and fly to the Scarecrow HQ.

Part of my training here was in simulated flight machines, I had done that a lot of times but I had only flown a real pod twice, this would be the third time.

I tell the others not to expect anything great as we make our way off the ground and into the air.

.

.

.

.

We arrive at the Scarecrow HQ and Hayden goes over the plan: "Bri and I will go and find Brandon and Ryesha. Brent and Jewel go and find Andrew and Soleil and Taylor you take Dave's phone and track down Erika then go and find Bennett. Everybody happy? I don't care, you have no choice. Stick with your partner at all times unless you're Taylor, you get the phone so you can call either Brent or me if something happens especially how you're on you're own. Stay out of sight of all Scarecrows and stick to the plan. Meet back here when you're done. Let's go. See you all soon and don't to anything stupid."

Bri looked a little troubled, "What's up?" I ask

"Nothing, I was just hoping that I could go and find my sister but it doesn't matter, I don't really have much of a choice plus we don't have enough time to stand here arguing. Let's just get this over and done with."

After she was finished Brent says: "Remember to stick together and if something happens either call one of us or make a lot of noise. And NEVER give away any secrets of ours. Do you understand?"

Everyone nodded and we were on our separate ways.

I decided to go and look for Bennett first because then he could help protect me while we find Erika. I just hope that they aren't doing anything too harsh to her while I am away.

I snake my way through the building which seems strangely familiar, I take right and left turns trying to remember every place I turn. I listen for any noise.

They are most likely to be torturing him right now, the thought of that makes me sick to my stomach, all the recruits are the good guys and don't deserve any sort of ill-treatment. Bennett in particular, he was the one who gave me most of my training and looked after me until I knew what I was doing so the thought of him getting hurt in any way upsets me and makes me feel sick.

I am determined to find him as soon as possible.

I listen out for any screaming or shouting.

After what felt like half an hour of aimlessly wandering around the building, narrowly avoiding several groups of Scarecrows on my travels, I hear what I think is distant screams in the room behind the door to my right.

Distant.

If doesn't seem right.

Unless the room is huge.

Or soundproof.

"ANSWER THE FUCKING QUESTION BENNETT BEFORE I SHOCK YOU AGAIN!!!" a muffled shout from in the 'distance' again.

I place my ear on the door, my heart racing.

"WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP DISAPPEARING INTO YOUR BUILDING?!?" - definitely coming from inside the room.

Bennett doesn't reply.

The scarecrow shocks him.

He screams an ear-splitting scream that sends chills down my spine.

I hear the sound of a slap, which I am guessing was done to Benn.

I hear a grunt of pain.

I imagine the pissed off look on his face.

I hear the click of a gun.

I feel a shadow behind me.

Luckily, I have been blessed with abnormally quick reflexes.

I turn and duck just in time so that the bullet grazes my shoulder but does no significant damage.

I use all my energy to kick the back of the knees of the menacing figure. It falls to the floor, dropping the gun in the process and moaning in pain.

I grab it, forcing the gun to its right temple and drag it to its feet. It's a lot taller than I am but I'm in control of this situation.

I open the door and shove it inside, still with the gun to its head, ready to demand for Bennett back at the cost of its life.