It feels like old times, sitting here at the side of the school, leaning back against the wall as I eat my sandwich. Cody sits beside me, his arm brushing my own as Eva and Jared sit across from us. They don't sit very close to each other, almost like everything that's been happening has driven them apart a bit. Jared has his eyes closed like he doesn't want to deal with what I've just told them. I've told them what James talked to me about this morning. We need to go to the government, to this Herold guy.

Eva shakes her head. I look to Cody, who lets out a breath.

"We do what we need to do. The government isn't our problem anymore. Leane is."

Jared nods, his eyes opening. "Yeah, I guess you're right. It just seems like everyone's our enemy lately."

Eva places a hand on his arm. He leans into it.

I slump back against the wall, setting my half-eaten sandwich in my lap. This day has really taken a toll on me. Curious people can get annoying. "Where exactly do the government do all their work, anyways?"

"Yeah, where would we have to go to find this Herold guy?" Eva asks, sitting up a bit straighter. She's already finished her lunch, as Cody has. Jared hasn't even touched his, and that worries me. If the stubbornest of us can crumble, then who's next?

The cousins share a look.

"Well, it's on the edge of town. It's a huge glass building made of one way glass. This means they can see out, but no one can see in. I've only been there once when I was younger. That's where Chips were manufactured, and that's where anyone who works for the government should be during the day," Cody briefly explains.

"You actually went there?" Jared queries in disbelief.

Cody shrugs. "Yeah. Back when my parents were on good terms. Back when things were different. I think I could get us there."

I think of James. He should know where it is, but I'm also sure that Cody can get us there.

"Then we go after school," I breath. Strangely, the thought of going to the government doesn't make me scared. After everything that's happened, I don't get scared as easily. In fact, I'm rather excited to see what Herold can do. Maybe this is a new beginning for us. Maybe now that Jeremy and Chips are out of the government, things can get better. We've won the battle, now we need to win the war.

"Isn't that a little quick?" Jared mutters. "I mean, can we really just walk in there, tell some random guy everything that's going on, and trust him to help us?"

"Do you really think a bunch of teenagers can defeat Leane's army?" I spit back. I can't help the words tumbling out of my mouth, because I know they're true no matter how much I wish they weren't. "I've seen the people training with Leane. People with abilities." I light up my fingertips both in emphasis and because nerves boil within me thinking of all this. "They didn't know the exact plan, but I bet you that they'll still fight for her. She'll find a way to make them." The electricity grows into a ball in my hand. "Now, there's Jeremy, Cody's father. He's power hungry and will stop at nothing to get his way. A bunch of teenagers are no match for the bigger scheme of things. It doesn't matter that I pushed Jeremy into a stupid fence and tore the stupid Chip in his wrist. Those pieces of technology were just pawns in this game of power and perfection."

Now, I'm on my feet, and my friends seem wary of me. Of my bottled up emotions. "People put so much hope into me. Into us. Into this world." I think back to James. How he really thinks I can put an end to this. "This is war. This is serious. We need people backing us. People with training, with experience, and people who actually know what they're doing." I glance at the ball of electricity in my palm and hurl it at the cement to the right of me. It leaves a blackened circle in it's wake as I begin shaking. Someone puts an arm on my shoulder, but I shrug it off.

"I'm just a little girl with stupid dreams trying to save the world. But I can't do it alone." I close my eyes and gulp in a breath of air. "I won't stop fighting. I won't give up what I've started, but what we're trying to accomplish is a bit far fetched. We can't do this alone."

"You're right, Autumn Morales. You can't."

I gasp, spinning around to find that dark-skinned kid from earlier next to someone I haven't seen since the day I died. Derek, the leader of The Others. 

It was Derek who spoke, who steps forward. My friends try to block me, but I shove past them.

"I believe I was talking to Autumn."

I roll my eyes and cross my arms. "What do you want?"

Derek stops in front of me, holding up a hand at the boy to stay back. "I want to help you take down Leane. My brother here has helped me confirm my suspicions. You are, in fact, alive."

"So, you know Leane's plans?" I question, standing my ground. I can't help but remember him holding that gun. I'll never forget it. 

He nods. "And it seems you want to stop her as much as I do."

"Why, aren't you going to join her?"

He shakes his head. "She's crazy. All I wanted was to better this world, not take it over and make it worse. I'll do whatever it takes to keep her and Jeremy from taking over this city. You seem to be good at getting rid of Chips. Maybe you can do it again?"

"It won't be like last time. This is a battle to be fought, Derek. I hope you realize that."

He nods. "I do. That's why I want to help you and your friends. All of my former rebels will help you stop Leane and Jeremy. I would've done it anyways, but now I have someone to join up with. Someone else who wants to fight for the cause."

"What's the catch?" I'm wary of him. Of his motives. I know he doesn't like Leane, and I bet that's the only reason he wants to take her down. After she's out of the picture, I have no idea what he'll do. Of course we could use the help, but he isn't someone to trust. Not when he's willing to hold a gun to someone's head in order to find out how to remove Chips. "You have a funny way of trying to help the world, you know. Holding a gun to my friend just to get me to tell you how to remove Chips. Oh, how noble of you."

Derek takes a deep, steadying breath. "Autumn, some of the methods I've used might seem harsh to you. I've done what I've had to."

"What you've had to," Jared spits from somewhere behind me. "If I were Autumn, I wouldn't even listen to a word you have to say."

I hold a hand out to him. "Well, I hate to say it, but Derek knows that we need something. And, if we're going to stop our enemies, old enemies might need to become allies."

Derek smirks, and looking over to his brother, I can see a striking resemblance. Only, Derek is older and his dark hair is buzzed. "I don't want anything but to see Leane crumble."

"That's it? No tricks?"

"Morales, The Others aren't even a thing anymore. There's nothing for us to rebel against. Only Leane to fight. Trust me, you're not someone I want to be best friends with. This is purely an alliance because you have skills that I need. They strike soon, Autumn Morales. Will you take a chance with a few people against an army, or will you stand a chance at winning?"

I let out a breath, then stick out my hand. It's not something I need to mull over. The sake of everything I hold dear, everything hanging by a thread, we need to win against Leane and Jeremy. In order to win, we need all the help we can get, and riled up rebels sound like a real win.

His calloused hand grasps mine.

"Autumn!" Jared shrieks. "You can't trust him!"

"She's doing what we all know she has to," Eva sighs. "We don't have many more options."

"The government?" Jared tries.

"They might not help," Cody replies. "Besides, the more, the better."

"One more thing, before we officially shake," Derek says.

"I knew it!"

"Shut up, Jared!" Eva hisses. 

"What?" I sigh. 

"You and I have to go to the government, plead our case, and see if they'll help us."

"Just us?" I query.

"It'll be best," Derek replies. 

I shrug. "Fine."

Then, we shake on it.

Both of our hands drop back to our sides.

"Be here after school and I'll take you," Derek instructs.

"How do you know where-"

"I have my ways."

With that, him and his brother walk away. That leaves me with my friends. I don't regret what I just did. As I turn, I shake off Jared's glare. It's like his eyes are now made of ice, and they follow my movements as I grab my sandwich and shove it back into my lunchbox. Then, the bell rings and signals the end of lunch. Wordlessly, I walk back towards the school, towards the classes that mean nothing to me now.

"That's it?" Jared asks incredulously to my back. "You're just going to side with someone who held a gun to my head?"

I ignore him, annoyance bubbling inside me. It's just all my other emotions bleeding into this, I tell myself. Jared's just voicing his opinion. I shouldn't be angry with him. Yet, I am. I understand his point, yet I don't think he understands what's going on here or what's at stake. He doesn't realize that he and everyone he cares about can die either way we swing this.

I toss open the door to the school and enter. The halls are warm as always, and people stop to watch me walk to my locker. I unlock it, grab my bag, and shove my lunchbox into my locker. 

"Autumn, are you okay?" 

I jump, almost bumping into Cody and tripping over my own feet. He places a hand on my shoulder to steady me and I quickly nod. Letting out a breath, I close my eyes for a minute. I need to keep a cool head, but I think that, in a way, I just reached a breaking point. I can't let this happen again. I have to be strong. I have to keep fighting until this is over or my heart stops beating.

My eyes fly open, meeting Cody's concerned ones. By now, barely anyone remains in the hallway.

"Autumn?" Cody murmurs, reaching and tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

I flush slightly. "I'm fine. Just- I guess everything has finally gotten to me like it's gotten to the others. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Eva says from my other side. "You handled that well."

"You guys should've had a say."

"He wanted an answer from you. Besides, we're behind you. We understand that we really only had one choice," Eva sighs. 

"Where's Jared?" I ask her.

She shrugs. "He's been pretty moody lately. I think he's just upset about his dad, and he has every right to be. I mean, he's probably dead. But, I'm sure Jared will be okay. For now, we just need to be there for him."

I think that's the wisest thing I've ever heard her say, and I agree. I shouldn't have let his frustration get to me. These emotions are going to get us nowhere. "Well, I guess we should get to class."

They both nod, and we continue to our separate classes. I'm a bit nervous about going to the government with Derek after school, but after this, it almost seems trivial. Except, it's actually very serious. If Herold says no, we might be screwed, Derek's rebels or not.

_____

Another chapter. Wow. Proud of me? Unedited, so  feel free help me do so.

Any plot holes or anything you want to point out that I can improve in on the second draft? Just to be clear, this is the first draft. Since this is to be published, I will be revising it before sending it to editors and eventually having it published after Removed. However, only the first draft will remain on Wattpad. I'm not sure if I'll do a teaser of the published version for Removed or not, but I've decided to keep the first version up.

Shout out to @MarineDinosaur2 for keeping up with this story and always commenting! I appreciate it so so much.

Also, where did all my readers go (besides the above obviously, or those I know are reading or whatever the circumstances may be.) I just feel a bit- discouraged Removed has 3k with 36 chapters (before I posted the extra stuff which leaves it at 42). Still, this book has 32 parts and 31 chapters (which will change after I post this) and is about to hit 800. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to have even that, but I'm still a bit discouraged. Either way, inspiration for this story keeps coming, so.

Now that Autumn is back from Leane's base, I think I'm gonna keep with Autumn as a narrator because it's easier and I feel there isn't much of a need to have Cody narrate really because it was just when Autumn was gone. I debated about this for a while but I decided to just do this. Thoughts?

-Sarah