Katelyn's POV:

"It was nice getting to know you all," Garroth smiled. "Feel free to come around again sometime."

"Or not," Zane mumbled.

Vylad elbowed him, making me chuckle a bit.

"Anyways," Vylad said, still glaring at his older brother. "Are you sure you'll all be safe?"

"Heh, I'm sure," I say, crossing my arms and smirking. "The girls and I have been through a lot rougher things than just walking back to our camp."

The three boys didn't seem to like that, knowing that we've been through more.

"I'm sure we'll be back," Aphmau says, cheerfully. "Right, Katelyn?"

I nodded while the girls cheered.

"Just...don't tell anyone," Vylad said. "If people knew we were hear, it'll blow our secret."

We agreed. We said our goodbyes and went through the hole again.

•••

"Where have you three been?!"

Apparently we were gone all day. Laurance and Travis were worried sick.

"You all could've been dead for all we knew," Travis shouted. "Did you all get lost or something?"

"Not really," KC shyly said.

Laurance rolled his eyes walked back to the fire that they made.

"Travis, let it go," He mumbled. "Colorado Springs was a big city and every ruin looks the same. They could've taken a wrong turn and got lost."

The white haired boy groaned.

"Whatever."

The girls and I sighed, happy we didn't give away our secret.

"So, did you guys find anything," I asked.

"Nothing. Everything's gone," Laurance responded.

"Odd..," I say, crossing my arms.

"Hopefully Denver has something or we're at a lost," Travis sighed.

"It will," Aphmau assured us. "It has to."

"Kawaii~Chan hopes so..."

We all decided to head in for night. Tense and exhausted, we didn't want to be at each other's throats.

•••

As we were leaving Colorado Springs, everyone was silent. Like always, we were on our guard, making sure non of us got injured. Being in a dystopian world now, you always have to be. Outside of town was worse. Where plains of tall grass or lush green mountains, everything was dry. Luckily, the freeways were open. Sure a few old cars scattered around but, it was still able to be walked upon.

"Watch your step everyone," I warned. "Danger could still be lurking around."

They did as told and we started to walk cautiously. We seemed to be doing fine until, a stabbing voice came to my ear.

"Man, you all are slow."

"Aaron, leave us alone," I say, turning to face him.

"Nah," He said. "I missed you all. How's rations? I'm glad I did that favor for you..."

"You're a monster," Laurance shouted.

Aaron Likmen (tell me is I spelt that wrongXD) was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. He graduated high school right before the incident two years earlier than regular students. Highly intelligent. On the wrong side. His whole team wants to burn the past away and start from scratch. To start a new society. Not a bad idea but, if we start over, the human race will be extinct before we could remake Washington DC as a tribe.

"There's still time for you all to join me," He says. "We could all start over and start a new beginning in this world." He pulled out a folder of documents. He got to Denver first. "In these papers, every piece of information was revealed to my eyes. The government, gave up on us Katelyn. So let's prove them wrong."

Zenix tossed him a spare match.

"Aaron," Aphmau spoke. "If you do this, all will be lost. There is no going back!"

"Who said I want to go back..."

He lit the match. The fire soon lit the papers.

"No!"

Laurance and Travis pulled out their guns, causing Zenix and Ivy to do the same.

"If you fire, we fire," Aaron warned. "Don't make Dante's death not worth anything."

"He wouldn't be dead if you didn't fire at him," Travis shouted, sounding choked up.

"Listen," Gene finally spoke. "We can shape the world we want. We can fix the mistakes that others brought upon us."

"Gene," I say, trying to get through him. "Do you really agree with the people that killed your own brother?"

"The government killed my family," He said. "I didn't want him to have to same fate."

I finally gave up with getting through with him. I pulled out my gun and prepared to fire. The rest of my side did as well. Aaron and Gene pulled out their's. Now, we wait for that single gunshot from either side. I felt sweat beating down my head, afraid of losing another team member. It wasn't until Laurance's gun fired and shot Zenix arm, was when we all opened fire.

Travis, Laurance and KC ducked behind a red Lexus while Aphmau and I a Range Rover. Shots kept firing. No one was down yet thankfully.

"Katelyn," Aphmau shouted over the fires. "What should we do?"

I thought long and hard. Town is a mile away and if we jump off the tall freeway we'll definitely parish. Taking cover won't last forever. Zenix was behind a car, recovering from his wound. I took that as a useful thing. One of the three will have to stay with him.

"The hole," I say. "Laurance! Travis! Kawaii~Chan! Follow me! Watch your back!"

With the last few bullets that I had, I made a run back to town. Aphmau was right behind, the others close. Like I predicted, Aaron and Gene followed us, Ivy tending to Zenix. Every once and a while, I shot them, missing or making them stop to dodge. Soon, downtown Colorado Springs was close, meaning town hall was only a few blocks away.

"Katelyn," Laurance shouted, running besides me next to me. "Where are we going?"

"To see a few friends," I say.

I pray they wouldn't be mad when I revealed Laurance and Travis their hiding place. Aaron and Gene fell behind, giving us enough time to arrive and run up to the office of town hall. I push away the filing cabinets again and push them all in. I follow, grabbing the cabinet again, hiding he hole. I sighed in relief, having successfully gotten away.

"K-Katelyn," Travis stuttered. "Where are we?"

"Somewhere we probably won't be welcomed in again..."

Word Count
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