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“Lizzie, you have to go.”

Lizzie shook her head, grasping Nina’s hand tighter.

“I can’t leave you. Not after everything.”

The color was draining from Nina’s face but she managed a faint smile, coughing up blood right after the act.

“We did what we set out to do. Now you have to get out of here before they come back.” Nina’s right hand fumbled its way to her pocket. It emerged with a large coin that had a sun sketched on both sides. “Take this. Find the others who believe in our cause.”

Lizzie slowly pulled the coin out of Nina’s fingertips. Fresh blood now coating the copper.

“Go,” Nina murmured. 

The tears were beginning to fall from Lizzie’s eyes. She wiped them away. Lizzie gave Nina a nod before getting to her feet. 

“We are awake,” Lizzie said.

“We are awake,” Nina repeated, the words of their rebellion bringing her peace as she took her last breath.

Lizzie could hear the horns sound through the air, indicating the guards getting closer. They would be here within ten minutes. Usually Lizzie would not worry, but she was a long way from her own neighborhood. These rich people designed their streets differently. Every turn would become a curve, it was too easy for Lizzie to get lost. Especially since every alley and avenue was going to be flooded with Reds, the guards put in charge of keeping order in this sector.

After running down the alley, she saw a person coming out of an apartment building. Lizzie dashed for the door before it closed behind them. She clipped the shoulder of a man who was obviously outraged, but Lizzie was a long way past him by the time he started yelling.

Once inside she ran up the stairs. She paused on the fifth landing to catch her breath. When she looked up she saw she was not even halfway to the top. She pushed forward.

When she finally stepped onto the roof, Lizzie saw the extent of the chaos below. It was far from over. The Reds utilizing violence as their main tool for restoring peace. Too many people were screaming. Lizzie had to remind herself that she had to hurry or she would be one of them.

The building to the West was the closest. She hardly had to jump to make it onto the roof. She continued on. Some platforms were further than others, but she had successfully made it a full city block until she had to take a running start to clear one of the alleys. 

She climbed down the fire escape of a brick building more than half a mile from where she left Nina. The thought troubled her but she knew she had to keep moving. 

The Reds were focusing their forces on Harold Square, where their peaceful protest turned bloody. 

Lizzie only had to duck out of sight three or four times to avoid any guards on her way back to South Rosen. It was good to be home even if home was a dozen of abandoned city projects which left their neighborhood worse off. Scaffolding still hung over the sidewalks, the businesses had boards in place of glass on their windows. It was getting hard to keep track of which were destroyed from looters and which were ravaged by the government because the owners had affiliations with those that spoke out against the injustices that occurred.

Lizzie did not run through these streets. She also did not stroll, she could not let down her guard just yet.

She was a block away from her rendezvous when two Reds came out of nowhere. Lizzie jumped behind a dumpster, her eyes locked on them until they were out of sight.

Lizzie picked up her pace until she was pushing open the door to Doghouse. When she came in all the faces in the room met hers, once they saw who it was all their shoulders lowered in the same wave of eased tension. 

Polly summoned her over to the bar.

“Where’s Nina?” Polly asked in a hushed voice.

Lizzie just shook her head. Her eyes gave away what happened.

“It’s a shame,” Polly muttered, “Nina was a true believer.”

“I need to lay low,” Lizzie whispered, “It got ugly and it’s only a matter of time before they catch me on the surveillance cameras.”

“You can’t stay here.”

“What are you talking about?” Lizzie implored, “The plan was always to stay here if it got too heated out there.”

Polly poured Lizzie a glass of water. Lizzie gulped it down.

“It’s worse than we predicted,” Polly replied.

Lizzie gestured for Polly to continue.

“The rulers must have gotten intel that there was a group of rebels here in South Rosen,” Polly explained, “We’ve had Reds patrolling ever since the protest started. Once they are done handling Harold Square I’d say they are planning on tearing the neighborhood apart looking for anybody involved. We’ve already had two different sets of guards barging in here.”

Lizzie hung her head for a moment, wishing they had come up with a back up plan. 

“So, what am I supposed to do? Wait for them to catch me?” 

Polly refilled Lizzie’s glass of water.

“You can’t let them catch you.”

Lizzie snickered. “Oh, that’s great advice. I’ll keep it in mind.”

Polly reached out and laid her hand on top of Lizzie’s.

“I’m serious,” Polly stated sternly, “We made our first move today and they reacted stronger than we could have imagined because they are scared. They are so scared of what we can achieve. First, we have to endure whatever they do next.”

“But I have nowhere to go,” Lizzie said, “Nowhere to hide. South Rosen has been the only home I’ve ever known.”

One of the bar patrons was beginning to take an interest in Polly and Lizzie’s conversation. Polly noticed his head tilting in their direction and pulled Lizzie down the counter a little further.

“You can’t stay here, Lizzie,” Polly whispered, “They are going to want to make an example of any rebel they can find.”

“But where do I go?”

Polly shook her head. “I don’t know. I heard they already raided the rebel meeting house here in South Rosen, we have to assume they know about the others in the city.”

“You’re only giving me more problems, Polly, I need solutions.”

Polly shrugged. “Myles?”

“Myles wants nothing to do with the rebellion,” Lizzie responded, “He only cares about what’s in his own interests. He would sell me out in a heartbeat.”

“I fear that he’s your only chance at getting out of the city. He’s very connected.”

“Yeah, connected to the wrong kind of people.”

Polly opened her mouth to reply, but before she could a teenage boy burst through the front door.

“MORE REDS ARE ON THE WAY!” the boy yelled.

Everyone in the bar turned to Polly, their hands reaching for their weapons if they had to use them.

“Go, Lizzie.” Polly grabbed the shotgun behind the bar and loaded it with shells. “You have to go.”

“Is my bag still in the back room?” Lizzie asked.

“Yes, grab it and get out of here,” Polly said.

Lizzie made her way to the back room, before she reached the door, Polly stopped her. She wrapped her arms around Lizzie. 

“Be careful, Lizzie.” Polly murmured in Lizzie’s ear.

Lizzie did not want to, but she pulled her body away.

“We are awake.”

“You’re damn right,” Polly declared.

Lizzie took the back door out of the bar, her black backpack now hung over her shoulder. It did not have much but it would be enough. She was used to making the most with what little she could get.

The kid who barged into the bar was right, more and more Reds were beginning to trickle through the streets of South Rosen. Lizzie dug into her backpack and pulled out a black cap, attempting to hide as much of her blonde hair as she could. 

Myles’ hideout was only three blocks away from the bar, but it took Lizzie over half an hour due to her constant ducking into corners to avoid being seen by the guards. They were already throwing teenagers against the walls, she knew they would not hesitate to stop her. They had complete authority and it was dangerous to question it. For now, anyway.

Lizzie took a few slow steps to the door of the garage Myles ran his operation out of. She was trying to convince herself that there was any other option for her, Myles was not the man you trusted with your life. You couldn’t even trust him to sell you working car parts. 

Lizzie noticed the small camera embedded into the doorframe. She stared directly at it. By the time she brought her fist up to knock, the door was already swinging open.

“Look who the cat drug in.”

Lizzie pushed past Myles to get inside. “I need your help, Myles.”

Myles closed the door. He studied Lizzie as if he were the wolf and she were the rabbit. 

He ran his hand through his dark, slicked back hair, pausing afterwards to study the golden rings that decorated his hand.

‘ “Got yourself a problem, then? Can’t say I’m surprised,” Myles admitted, “You’ve been a troublemaker ever since we were kids.”

“I need to get out of the city safely. If you can’t do it I’ll go somewhere else.”

Myles took a few steps closer to Lizzie. Lizzie stood her ground, refusing to break eye contact.

“You can act as tough as you want but we both know that if you're coming to me then you are out of your best options,” Myles stated.

Lizzie crossed her arms. “Can you do it?”

Myles tilted his head, either pondering the question or wondering how to take advantage of the situation.

“I can do it, of course. But why would I? If the Reds ever found out I helped you escape I’m a dead man.”

Lizzie reached into her backpack, bringing out a roll of cash. “This is all I have.”

“I don’t know if that’s enough.”

“Myles, why can you not understand what’s going on here? You’ve never wanted to join the rebellion but sooner or later it will catch up to you,” Lizzie pleaded, “Please, help me and be on the right side of this for once.”

Myles plucked the money from Lizzie’s palm. “I’m a simple man, Lizzie. I only focus on what’s real and right now that is not the rebellion. It is only a vague idea.”

“That’s how everything is created, it starts as an idea.”

“Then why are you running from it?”

Lizzie clenched her jaw. “I’m not running from the rebellion. I’m retreating so I can live to fight another day.”

“However you want to phrase it,” Myles responded, “I might be able to help but if it comes down to protecting you or saving myself just know I am not the selfless kind.”

“I need to leave as soon as possible,” Lizzie stated, “Tonight would be best.”

Myles nodded. “Let me get it all sorted, and just know that you owe me a favor if you ever come back to South Rosen.”

“Sure, but let’s just focus on keeping me alive until dawn.”

Lizzie settled down in the corner of Myles’ back office. She nibbled on some of the snacks she had in her pack. She knew she needed her strength, but she was too stressed to eat much.

The sun was beginning to set when Myles opened the door, smiling.

“You are very welcome,” Myles said as Lizzie followed him across the garage floor.

He stopped at a long black car. It was much too polished to belong somewhere where most people could not even afford any vehicle with an engine.

“Can you walk me through what I am supposed to be thanking you for?” Lizzie asked.

“This is your ride out.”

Lizzie looked at the expensive car, just thinking of sitting comfortably in the back seat while the people around her suffered made her uneasy.

“I can’t ride in that.”

“Of course you can,” Myles replied, “And more importantly, you have to. It already has its verifications, it should be able to ride on through the checkpoints. The Reds would never think to look for a rebel in this.”

Lizzie thought about it for a moment. “It might get me through the checkpoints in the neighborhoods, but not the ones on the borders of the city.”

“It won’t, this only gets you to the harbor where a ship is set to leave at nine sharp,” Myles elaborated, “the ship should pass under the guards noses because it’s run by smugglers that pay to keep them ignorant.”

“And what if the guards decided to check it this time?”

“Then it was nice knowing you.”

Lizzie wanted to object, but she was in no position to reject what was her best chance of getting out of the city in one piece. 

Myles insisted that if Lizzie was going to ride in the back of the black car, she had to dress the part. He had a few luxury garments laying around in boxes stolen off the back of the truck while it was unloading them.

Lizzie pulled off her canvas jacket, stuffing it in her bag. She draped a shiny gold and black shawl over her shoulders. She let her hair down, running a comb through it to tame it. It was going to have to be enough to get her through. She was not going to sacrifice all her practical clothing for the disguise.

The driver was one of Myles’ guys. Lizzie did not recognize him which made her skeptical but Myles vouched for him. It did not exactly settle Lizzie’s suspicions. 

Lizzie could feel her heart beating fast as they drove up to the first checkpoint. They slowed, but the Reds waved them through. They had no problem at the next one either. The last checkpoint took the longest, but it had to do more with traffic than any guard interference.

 Once on the other side, Lizzie took a deep sigh of relief. 

Then she heard the screaming. It was hard to tell exactly which direction it was coming from, but it was close. And Lizzie’s car was not moving. None of the cars were moving for miles. They were all stuck on this road. All of them owned by the very people who like nothing more than to ignore the suffering of those in the neighborhoods they drive through. Now, they had to listen. 

It was the perfect target. This road not only led to the harbor where Lizzie had to go, but also connected the wealthy to their townhouses. 

The checkpoints the Reds had set up were not able to stop all of them. They were too angry, they only cared about getting as many past the blockades as they could to make a point.

Lizzie watched as the first person in ragged clothes sprinted past her car window. Then came another. Soon over two dozen frustrated oppressed people were yelling and destroying the immovable cars. They were not all part of the rebellion, but they wanted in on the fight. They were tired of being ignored.

Lizzie was too focused on the pure rage being displayed in front of her when something collided with the window next to her, shattered glass cascaded down her hair. A pair of hands began tugging at her. Lizzie pulled herself away and shuffled down the leather seat.

The hands were reaching inside, searching for the lock.

Lizzie unlocked the door on the opposite side. She ripped off the shiny shawl and began running up the road, dodging the open car doors and people in fancy clothes begging for the ones standing over them to leave them alone.

Lizzie kept running. She did not look back. Even when she heard the horns that declared the presence of the Reds. She took back roads. She heard loud pops and yelling. Lizzie kept moving.

She had gotten lost on her way to the harbor. It was hard trying to make it anywhere undetected. By the time she recognized her surroundings it was already after eight thirty. The sun was gone. That was either going to make getting around easier or even more difficult.

She ran for another half mile when she saw the lights of the harbor. Six Reds, in teams of two, were patrolling the pier. 

Lizzie crept along, watching and waiting for the moments when the Reds were preoccupied or distracted. Luckily, Myles did not lie to her. The boat that the smugglers operated was far from the guards. They had no interest in monitoring it.

Lizzie climbed onto the deck. The man sitting on the chair did not even look up from the apple he was cutting

“You Lizzie?” He asked.

“Yeah.”

“You almost missed us,” the man muttered, “you’re set up down in with the rest of the cargo. We leave in five.”

Lizzie nodded. She descended into the area with large wooden crates. She knew better than to ask what was inside. Surely enough, along the wall was a blanket.

When Lizzie felt the boat leaving the harbor she could not help herself, she found a small porthole and watched as she drifted away from her home. She had the worst feeling settling in her stomach that leaving was the wrong choice. 

“I’ll be back,” Lizzie whispered to herself, “I have to come back.”

The full moon hung over the city as the boat slowly moved across the water, putting distance between Lizzie and the place she never wanted to leave.