The Rouges

s i x t e e n

I SUCKED IN air as Triven pressed the cold compress to my neck. We were still in the training room.

"Sorry." He murmured. His thumb traced gingerly over the bruises. "These are going to look worse tomorrow."

"I know. Thank you... for coming after me tonight. You didn't have to step in like that. I could have handled him." I didn't quite meet his eyes. It was apparent to both of us I sucked at saying thank you.

"I know you could have." He was stroking my ego. We both knew I couldn't have taken Maddox. A few more seconds and I would have been unconscious. "I also know that you despise him and that tends to affect your judgment."

"It's not just that I despise him, it's that I don't trust him."

"He doesn't really give me the warm and fuzzies either, but he is a product of the world he was born into. Maddox wasn't raised like us. He never chose to be part of a Tribe. It was forced on him."

I thought of my own upbringing. I was born a child of The Sanctuary, but Tartarus raised me. And I was still a better person than he was. "I believe it's our choices that make us who we are and his certainly define him."

Triven was quiet for a while as he slowly nodded his head. "You're right. We may be handed a certain deck of cards but it is our choice how to play them. Maddox struggles with his inner demons every day, but remember, he chose to leave his Tribe and join us. His sins may be different from yours and mine, but we all sin."

He was right.

"Come on. We can still get a little sleep before tomorrow." Triven dropped his hands from my neck and I followed him back to our room, feeling ashamed.

I never thought I would miss the wretched stench of Tartarus, but as the tainted air blew across my face I realized I did. It felt like so long since I felt outside air on my face, or saw the hazy night sky. Triven shifted next to me. His ever-watchful eyes were, like mine, trained on the streets below us. Across the alley a shadow moved in the darkness. I knew Arden was just as restless as we were.

It was taking too long.

Archer and her team disappeared into the warehouse over thirty minutes ago and those of us left to stand guard were starting to get anxious. The day had passed in a blur. I couldn't remember eating or working or moving at all, but somehow I was now crouched on a rooftop surrounded by other unseen guards. I was the only one unarmed. Triven had fought for me saying I was an asset, that they could use my skills with a knife if not a gun. But Arstid wouldn't hear of it.

"Stay close by me at all times." Triven had murmured in my ear before we left.

I tugged idly at the fastenings on my vest. It was supposed to suppress body heat, to protect me, but I hated it. It felt awkward and heavy. Restraining.

"Leave it." Triven shot me a look as I pulled on the straps.

I scowled without looking at him, keeping my eyes on the street. "I did just fine without one of these things for six years, why do I need it now?"

"Humor me." He adjusted his gun on the roof's ledge.

I patted the rectangular shape hidden under my vest. My father's notebook was carefully concealed beneath the fold of restraining fabric. I had left Mouse with Veyron. At least I knew she would be in good hands, if I didn't return.

I had not yet decided if I wanted to return. My mind was still warring between freedom and staying. While trapped within the cement-lined walls of The Subversive headquarters, it was easier to stay. Seeing Mouse's innocent face, letting her tender brown eyes bore into mine made it impossible to leave her. But here, with the wind in my hair and the darkness of the night calling to me it was harder to want to go back.

When we had first emerged onto the streets I had thought about it. Barely a few seconds had passed before I had oriented myself and I knew running would be easy. I just needed the right moment. Leading the team to my roof access had been easy. I had even been impressed by how soundlessly we moved in such a large group. There were no lights on the street, and the green tinted clouds provided us with a perfect cover. When we had reached the alley, I took the rope from Triven and slung it over my shoulder without a thought. My fingers had easily found the familiar holds on the building's pocked surface, allowing me to scale two stories in less than thirty seconds. It wasn't until I had reached the railing and looked down that I realized this was it. This was the chance I had wanted, the moment that could lead to my freedom. The nine other bodies were waiting at the bottom for me to toss them the rope, but what if I didn't? I knew they couldn't follow me up the wall, not all of them anyway. I could have run. Mouse was in good hands; she would be safe under Triven's watch.

I could have run.

I could have, but I didn't. Instead I had tied off the rope and tossed it down.

Now waiting in this agonizingly crouched position I wondered if I had made a mistake, if I was a fool not to have run. I didn't get much of a chance to dwell on it though.

"They're out." Triven whispered as he pressed his eye to the scope.

There were five shadows moving across the warehouse roof. We watched as they maneuvered over the beam balanced between the buildings. Once all ten feet were on solid ground we were in motion.

The team was scattered across the rooftops. Arden and Maddox were three roofs behind us, and closing in. Half of the team was already a block ahead of us and we had to gain some ground if we wanted to meet at the rendezvous point at the same time. Unlike some of The Subversive members, my feet were sure on the tarred surfaces. As we sprinted over the skyline, I could see them falling behind from the corner of my eye. Surprisingly, only Triven held his ground with me, his broad chest never far from my left shoulder. When I leapt from ledge to ledge his feet were nearly in sync with mine. A smile crept to my lips. It had been so long since I had moved like this, running at full tilt above the city. Triven's breathing next to me only heightened my ecstasy.

Ahead of us I could see the armored bodies disappear down the fire escape. Eager to beat Triven, I pushed my muscles harder. I could feel him pushing harder too. My smile widened, then abruptly fell. We were less than twenty feet from the ladder when the gunfire rang out from below.

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