The Ravaged World (Book 2 of the Exiles Series)

Twenty: Talia

The sun was already setting by the time that Nicole and I snuck off to the warehouse without telling Mom. She was still at work--it was only about four o'clock.

Before we left, Nicole and I changed into dark leggings and the nicest coats we could find. Just as we slipped out the door, I scrawled a quick note for Mom, just telling her that we had to do something for the Rebellion and that, although we probably wouldn't be home tonight, we promised that we loved her, would be careful and would soon be in touch. Then, as silent and casual as we could, we left our house--not knowing then that it would be the last time we would ever return.

The first thing I noticed once I stepped outside was the late winter's chill in the air, a frosty breeze nipping at my cheek, chilling me to the bone.

As we strode in silence for the warehouse, I rubbed my hands together vigorously, attempting to warm up. Nicole eyed me quizzically, her face lit by the headlights of passing hovercars.

Suddenly, as we walked through the dark, one of the lights remained stationary, and a familiar voice shouted through the window of a hovercar, "Hey, Talia, hop in!"

I followed Fox's voice to the waiting car, a rusty old thing that anxiously awaited our arrival. From the dim light of the headlights, I noticed a small print of Silver's flag on the hood.

The two of us hopped in, me in shotgun beside Fox, Nicole in the back, as the car chugged down the dimly lit road, arriving at the warehouse in record time. Eager rebels spilled from the warehouse, their voices loud and stark against the encroaching darkness of the night, a night that seemed to me to be different than anything I could remember.

Fox parked the car in the empty lot by the warehouse, the wheels crunching on the gravel and dirty, compacted snow. We hopped out and started for the building, navigating by the voices. Fox and I walked side by side.

She cocked an eyebrow at me. "Nervous?" she asked. I was rubbing my arms furiously, trying to rid them of their frozen state.

I smiled and attempted to shake my head, to which Fox laughed and grinned. "Look, it's ok," she assured me. "I don't know if anyone knows what's going to happen tonight, not even me." Her comment was meant to assure me, but somehow it just made me more nervous. I don't know why I was so antsy--but I figured that it was only adrenaline. Only adrenaline, and then the fact that there was a possibility of me seeing Magnus tonight. Which would hopefully solve everything.

We entered the building. The throng was even thicker there, bodies everywhere, bodies moving and talking in a huge display of nervous energy. I unzipped my coat and removed the Rebellion issued gun that I'd hidden there. Nicole did the same, fiddling with the weapon for a few seconds before letting the hand that clutched it drop to her side, almost out of sight.

The meeting started a few moments later, though the energy refused to die down. I only caught glimpses of whoever was talking, a few words here and there above the voices of so many people.

"We're leaving soon," I heard someone say behind me. I turned to see Nicole a few feet away, moved so her back was pressed to the wall on top of her folded hands, talking to Max, who was dressed in jeans and a black windbreaker, unzipped to reveal a t-shirt underneath.

"What time?" Nicole asked, the flirtatiousness that I was starting to get used to replaced by her usual serious demeanor.

Max shrugged and raked a hand through his short, dark hair. "Soon," he replied, "at five o'clock."

The move was subtle, but I noticed it immediately. He took a few steps forward, towards Nicole, and leaned in. I could see his lips move, but couldn't make out the words.