Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Cyan

 

“Come on.” The guard pushed me forward into the room. It was my father’s office, a large room with a large desk in the back, accompanied by a large window. Large: just the way my father likes things so that no one can miss them. I sighed as I walked over to sit down in one of the chairs placed in front of his desk. He wasn’t in the room yet, funny how he can’t even be on time for his own meetings. I pulled a magazine off of his desk, rolling my eyes at the cover. It was about him. I flipped to the page. It had the generic information: his accomplishments within the city, the city itself, his leadership, and a small part about me. His brilliant daughter, following in her father’s shoes. I shook my head. If only they knew how little that was true. I looked over as the door opened behind me. I turned to face it. My father walked in, with two guards behind him. The guards stopped at each side of the door and closed it, while my father walked behind his desk, not making eye contact once. He sat down calmly at his desk, sitting up slightly to grab the magazine in front of me. 

“These tabloids. They lie. They say that you're a young woman, full of passion, wanting nothing more than to be like her father. Bullshit. All of it.” He forcefully slammed his fist and it onto the desk, causing me to jump slightly. “They should write that you act like a fucking child, rebelling against her father, no matter how much he gives her, like a spoiled child who has always gotten what she wants.” He scowled darkly at me. “Have I not given you everything you have ever wanted? I gave you a home, a safer place than anyone could ask for, I never said no when you asked for something, yet you defy every single one of my orders. You went past the fucking walls again!” He stood up smashing his fists against the desk. “Do you have a reason for why you did this? Or was it just so you could get my attention?” He stood back up to his full height and crossed his arms. 

 

I looked to the side. “It wasn't like that…”

 

“Then tell me, Cyan. What was it?” 

 

“I...just wanted to be out there, I guess. I like it out there. The danger. The adventure.” I shrugged weakly. “It wasn't to make you mad at me dad, I just...I don't want to be stuck here, inside these walls. There's more to life than hiding from the world outside.”

 

“Cyan Prosperity Havelock.” He spoke my full name before sighing dramatically. “Do you think I built these walls to trap the people? I built them to save them. To protect them. The things that are outside these walls, they want to kill us, every single one of us. If they had their way, we would all be dead.” He turned his back to me, shaking his head. “Why do you refuse to listen to me?”

 

“It's not that I did it to defy you. I told you that. I didn't do it to rebel, I just want to see the world. There's more to life than sitting up in a tower and wishing the outside world away. There must be a way to reclaim our world. And I want to be able to help find it.”

 

He shook his head again, before turning to the guards. “Take her to her room. Make sure that she doesn't leave.” He didn't even glance back at me as his men took a step forward to drag me out of his chambers.

 

 I stood up, crossing my arms. “I'm going. Don’t touch me.” 

---

The guards closed the door, locking it behind them. This wasn't the first time I was locked in my room, not even close. Whenever I'd make my dad mad, he'd lock me in my room. Out of sight, out of mind, I suppose. I walked into the bathroom and began to clean the dirt and filth off. I wished that I had the ability to just live my life. I wanted to see the world, find a solution to our problems and let everyone live whatever kind of life they'd want. What I wouldn't do to just be able to live outside of the walls. I shook my head as I looked up at myself in the mirror. My cheek was bleeding and I hadn't even noticed. I rubbed it away, smearing it everywhere. 

 

I looked over as the bathroom door opened. “Don't you knock anymore?” I smiled over at Marth.

 

He shook his head with a smile. “I heard your dad’s locking you in here again. Welcome back.” He hopped up on the counter. 

 

“Yeah. He's not happy with me. I might be locked in here until I'm fifty.”

 

“Probably. It'd be easier than actually having to try to keep you alive if you weren't locked in here.”

 

“Shut up.” I hit him in the chest lightly. “I know how to handle myself.”

 

“Yeah, because you spend all your time training personally with Roman.” He winked. 

 

I rolled my eyes. “Shut up, Marth.” I walked back into my bedroom, plopping down on my bed. Marth sat down next to me. 

 

“So, what was it like this time? How far did you two go?”

 

“Quite a ways. We didn't really run into much though, it was pretty quiet. But...I did slip and fall.” I pulled my pants up, showing my scraped knees. 

 

“Ouch.” He winched. “That looks painful.”

 

I shrugged. “It's alright. Nothing too bad. So, since I'm grounded, do you want to sleep over tonight?”

 

“You know it.” He smiled. 

 

“Then you need to pick some things up. I need some cherry chip cookies, some soda, a few gossip magazines, and a new terrible action movie.”

 

“Done.” He laughed. “I'll go pick those up and then we can start our night.” Marth stood up from the bed.

 

“Wait.” I grabbed onto his arm. “Get Roman for me too.”

 

He laughed again. “I'll get your boyfriend.”

 

“Shut up.” I hit his arm. “Just get him for me.”

 

“Fine, fine. Your wish is my command, my lady.” He bowed. 

 

I rolled my eyes. “Just go!”

---

Silas

 

I looked up at the cliff in front of us, before looking over at Rex. “You ready?” 

 

He nodded. “Yeah.” Rex let go of his rifle, allowing it to rest on the strap on his back, before stepping forward and grabbing onto a rock, pulling himself up. I walked over to the wall, deciding which would be the best path, before grabbing onto a thick vine. We made our way up the cliff, finding ourselves at the top not long afterwards, Rex beating me to the top due to his long limbs. After he was on stable ground, he grabbed my upper arm and pulled me the rest of the way up, saving me the last bit of trouble. 

 

I smiled up at him slightly, brushing myself off. “Thanks.” 

 

“It's getting dark.” Rex looked up through the thick canopy. “But we’re not too far from the outpost. We should be able to make it in time.” I grabbed the Snapjaw’s heart out of my bag and held it up for him to see. “When’d you get that?”

 

“While you were sleeping.” I gave him a half-smile. “I got the arrows to work again. I killed it so I can study what it is that makes it do this.” I tossed the heart in the air, catching it again. 

 

Rex shook his head, looking away from me and towards the direction of the outpost. “Be careful, Silas. You know Martin wouldn’t be happy finding out about what you’re doing.”

 

“I’ll be careful, Rex.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m not even working on it by the precious outpost. I’m doing it back in Hope. With any hope, I’ll figure out why they don’t attack you and me too often.” I shrugged. “And if I do...maybe we can figure out how to make them attack no one else.”

 

Rex began walking off, I quickly followed after him. “There have been more and more corrupted machines recently. I have a feeling it will only get worse. Don’t be the one to add to it.”

 

“If I can hack the machines to help us, why shouldn’t I? I know the bosses wouldn’t approve, but if everyone could see what they can do, they’d understand.”

 

“Or maybe they wouldn’t, Silas.” Rex glanced down at me, shaking his head. 

 

“That’s the risk you’ve got to take, Rex.” I shrugged. “Someone has to. Besides, Sue’s fine with it, hell he even encourages me. Jack on the other hand might try to burn me at the stake.” 

 

“Wait.” Rex put his arm out in front of me, stopping me in my tracks. “I hear something.”

 

I listened, hearing the rustling of leaves, getting closer and closer until a small pack of Zetas jumped through the bushes in front of us. Rex quickly pulled his gun out, but I grabbed the barrel, lowering it. 

 

“They don’t attack us, just let them pass.” Rex glared at me for a moment, before watching as the Zetas passed.

 

“You know,” he finally spoke as the last Zeta disappeared into the dense jungle, “that’s going to get you killed eventually.”

---

Cyan

 

The door to my room opened, and I looked over to see Roman walk in. I sat up in my bed, tucking some of my hair behind my ear. “I heard about your dad.” He walked over to the bed and sat down next to me. His weight caused the bed to sink in slightly, causing my hip to touch his. I smiled up at him slightly. 

 

“It's alright.” I shrugged, my shoulder brushing against his arm. “Thanks for taking me out again, it was fun.”

 

“It's better that you do it with me, because I know if I refused to take you, you'd go anyway.”

 

I laughed slightly. “That's not true…”

 

He raised an eyebrow. “It isn't?” 

 

“If you told me not to, I wouldn't do it.”

 

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“Really?” He chuckled. “You'd listen to me, but not your dad?”

 

I rubbed my arm. “Well, I like you more than him.”

 

He smiled. “I like you too, Cy.” He leaned forward and touched my cheek gently. “I didn't see this earlier. Did your dad do it?”

 

I shook my head. “No. My dad just yelled at me. That's all.” He licked his finger before rubbing it on my cheek, rubbing some of the blood away. I smiled up at him. “That was weird.”

 

He laughed. “Sorry. I wanted to fix that.”

 

“So...would you be willing to talk to my dad for me? I want to keep training with you.”

 

He nodded. “I can try. I'll talk to him.”

 

“Thanks, Roman.” I smiled. 

 

“I heard Preston is coming here soon.”

 

“Yeah…” I quickly broke eye contact.

 

“Are you nervous?”

 

“Terrified.”

 

“Why?” Roman wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me against his chest.

 

“What if he doesn't like me? What if he's disappointed in what he finds when he gets here?”

 

“Why would anyone be disappointed if they had the chance to marry you, Silas? You're beautiful, smart, and you have a fire no man can hope to tame.”

 

“I'm not sure he's going to see that as a good thing.”

 

“Hey.” He tilted my chin up. “Don't worry so much. He’ll love you, Cy. Any man would be happy to have you as his own.”

 

“Would you?” I looked up at him with a small smile. 

 

“Of course.” He brushed a piece of hair out of my face. 

 

I moved over and wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his chest. “Thank you, Roman.”

 

He rubbed my back. “I got you a present.”

 

I sat back, a small smile on my face. “What is it?”

 

He laughed. “I love how your eyes light up at the thought of a present.” He pulled something out and unwrapped the cloth around it. My eyes widened. 

 

“Roman!”

 

He smiled. “Do you like it?”

 

“I love it! Thank you so much!” I took the pistol from him.

 

“I'm glad you like it, Cy. I know your dad doesn't approve, but someone’s got to support you.”

 

“Thank you, Roman. Really.” I slipped my hand into his.

 

He squeezed it with a smile, before leaning forward. I closed my eyes expecting him to kiss me, but he kissed my cheek instead. “Don't let that rich bastard walk all over you, Cy.” He leaned back as I nodded weakly. Roman smiled at me kindly, before standing up from the bed. “I'm going to go talk to your dad. I don't want to interrupt your and Marth’s sleepover. But I'll be over tomorrow.”

 

“Goodnight, Roman.” I smiled slightly. 

 

“Sweet dreams, Cy.”

---

Silas

 

“I’m ready to take a nice long hot shower and then pass out.” I smiled over at Rex, as we neared the outpost. “I’m going back to Hope in the morning.”

 

“A shower does sound nice.” He nodded, not looking over at me, his eyes trained in front of us like usual. 

 

“Give me a second to stash the heart.” I jogged over to an old oil barrel that I had covered with moss and leaves. I pulled the lid off, before throwing the heart inside with the rest of the machine parts I was going to haul to Hope with me. I knew some of the rebels wouldn’t even like the idea of parts from machines being in the area, thinking they’d attack more, like a vulture to meat, but I knew better than that. The machines, sans the corrupted ones, never picked a fight. Corrupted ones on the other hand would happily come and attack the outpost regardless of the parts I may or may not have stashed outside. 

 

“Rex.” I jogged back over to where he once was. Now he was nowhere to be seen. “Fuck, Rex.” I sighed. “Can’t even wait a second for me.” I shook my head, knowing better than to expect anything less. Most days I feel as if he barely even tolerates me. I took a deep breath before heading towards home base. 

---

Cyan

 

Marth sat against my headboard, shoving a piece of pizza into his face. I laughed watching him. “What?” He asked with his mouth full. 

 

“I love you, Marth. My life would be so empty without you.” He smiled, after finishing the piece. There was sauce all over his face. “So...want to read my newest story?”

 

“Of course!” I laughed, before leaning over and picking it up off the nightstand. Marth quickly took it. After quite some time of his silently reading it, he looked over at me. “It's…” He paused for dramatics. “It's great, Cy.” A large smile grew on my face. “Though, I've got to ask, this main guy, he's based on Roman, isn't he? Older hunky guy, hardass with a soft spot for the protagonist.”

 

I rubbed my arm. “I wish I could tell him how I feel…”

 

“You could. And I promise you he shares those feelings.”

 

“But that wouldn't make Preston disappear. Even if I told Roman I was in love with him, it wouldn't make it so we could be together, even if he wanted to.”

 

“It would give you someone to keep your bed warm at night.” He winked. 

 

I laughed. “That's not something that I'm looking for.”

 

“You're such a romantic, Cy.”

 

I rubbed my arm. “Shut up, I want some of those cookies now.” I reached over to grab the box. 

 

“I want one too.”

 

I pushed one his way, grabbing one for myself. “He called me last night and told me he convinced my father to continue the training. I have no clue how, but to say the least, I’m excited!”

 

“Good for you, Cy! You gonna kiss him next time you see him?”

 

“I’m gonna shove this cookie up your nose if you’re not careful.” I threatened, moving it closer to him. “No. But we are having a session tomorrow.” I shrugged with a smile until Marth made a kissy face at me. “Now you’re asking for it.” I pushed the cookie into his mouth, causing both of us to laugh.

 

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