The Rouges

t h i r t y o n e

  OUR PROGRESSION THROUGH the city seemed painfully slow compared to the nights I had run with Triven. There were many more of us this time and not every member of the guard was as agile or as fast as I would have liked. Mouse stayed at my side as I had instructed, only leaving it when we came to gaps between buildings that were too big for her to span. At these rare moments Triven would gather her in his arms and flawlessly make the leap with her held close to his chest. My heart stopped every time they jumped, only restarting when their feet were once again on solid ground.

It took us nearly an hour to reach the outskirts of the city. The massive base of the wall loomed high above the streets. As a reminder of its power, of our separation from their world, a bird slammed into the invisible shield towering above us. I could feel a collective jump from the group as the air crackled and the incinerated carcass fell to the streets. Only Mouse and I stood steady.

Gazing at the city below us, I mentally slapped myself. How many times had I stood on this exact rooftop? How many times had I passed right by the one thing I wanted most and never knew it was there? I should have known it would be here, of all places. It made the most sense.

I looked to Mouse for direction. "It's by the warehouse isn't it?"

She nodded, pointing to a dark shack of a building not ten feet from the Ravagers' food warehouse.

It all made sense now. The place I had first seen Mouse was not far from here and what better place to hide a passageway than one that is already guarded. I had always been so distracted by the food that I had never thought to look for more. Even now as we stood atop the skyline, three Ravager guards passed below on their rounds. No wonder those guards inside had always been so careless about their patrol of the food. It was never the food they were protecting.

Triven spoke first. "Team two will cover us from the rooftops. We will have to enter from street level. Veyron, take Mouse—"

Mouse tugged on his shirt interrupting him, shaking her head. She held out her hand and pressed her other index finger to it like a keypad.

Triven closed his eyes in exasperation. "There's a code isn't there?"

She nodded.

"And I'm guessing you're not going to tell us." I glowered at her, but she wasn't intimidated. Mouse signed together again then, folded her arms defiantly and shook her head. I wanted to hit something.

Triven opened his mouth to argue but I silenced him. "There's no time to waste arguing about it. Veyron, Arden and Willets will come with us. Once Mouse lets us in the tunnel you will get her back to safety. You two will cover us from above."

I pointed to Rowan and Baxter. I had seen what each of them was capable of with a gun. If they were acting as snipers from the rooftops, our chances were significantly better.

"Shoot anything that isn't us." Archer barked before they took off across the rooftops.

Triven's glare was cold when I finally met his eyes. I knew he disagreed with me and if anything happened to Mouse he would never forgive me. In truth, I would never forgive myself either. He hoisted her up on his back and began to climb over the edge of the building into the dark alley below.

I brushed against Veyron and Willets as we moved toward the building's edge too. "I don't care if you have to knock her out or if she fights the whole way back. But once that door is opened, get Mouse the hell out of here."

I didn't wait for their response. Instead, I hurtled myself over the side of the building. My hands instinctively fell to the drainpipe I knew was there. Shoving off with my feet I twisted and caught the windowsill on the opposing building. In two more bounds I had passed Mouse and Triven and landed silently on the pavement with my gun drawn.