Annihilate

Chapter Eleven: The Resistance

A girl waits at the edge of the woods, her shoulder length black hair tucked just behind her left ear. She wipes sweat from her forehead onto her ripped up tank top. She kneels down and looks through the scope of her rifle. She gasps and screams “This way!” as her eyes catch Ryan and the others running for their lives through the godforsaken forest. Audra is the first out, then Natalie and Sam, Ryan eventually comes stumbling out, collapsing in the field, his lungs burning from the exhausting run. He scans the forest, waiting for Noah to come running into his arms, but he never does.

“They…” Audra says before Ryan interrupts her.

“Don’t even say it.” He says, choking back tears. “He’ll come out any second.”

“Ryan…” She taps his shoulder. “We have to go.”

“No!” He screams, launching forward. Natalie and Sam hold him back. “Let me go, I need to go back for him!”

“There’s nothing we can do now, Ryan!” Natalie forces him into an embrace as he sobs uncontrollably in her arms. “We’ll get him back. I promise.”

“C’mon. Let’s get going.” The mysterious girl says, tossing her rifle behind her back. “Name’s Maya by the way.”

“You’re from Jamestown?” Audra asks, being extra cautious.

“No, I’m from China.” She laughs a little. “Geesh, no humor in this bunch. Yes, I’m from Jamestown.”

She gathered the group into her jeep and floored it, driving it out of the field and onto a back road. The warm midnight air flowed through the car, easing everyone’s mind, except for Ryan. He pressed his head against the window, tears sliding down his face, making dirt trails on his cheeks. He held Natalie’s hand tight, not wanting to let go. He didn’t want to imagine what they were doing to him, but his mind went there. He winced at the pain they could possibly be causing him. He knew something terrible was about to happen to him, he could feel it. He couldn’t bare it, the thought almost made him want to vomit.

Maya drove the jeep across a long bridge that seemed to last forever. Ryan’s heart felt heavy, full of loss, he was angry that they didn’t let him go back for Noah, but he could only be angry for so long. He tried admiring the view as they crossed the suspension bridge but something in his mind was blocking any sort of pleasure. Natalie squeezed his shoulder and gave him a faint smile. Her heart hurt as much as his did, but she had to stay strong for the team, she didn’t want to break down as well; this wasn’t the time or the place.

A gate at the end of the bridge opened slowly, a group of people welcomed them with open arms and smiled as if they all knew each other for years. Blood stained the roads, and bodies in black bags lined the sidewalks. Wounded gathered in an area off to the side, huddling near a fire. Maya threw the jeep into park and kicked open the door with her boot. They were greeted by a man that looked pleasantly surprised to see her, but not the others.

“This is all?” He asked disappointed.

“The others were captured.” She leaned against the jeep and sighed. “How is everything here?”

“We’re surviving, Maya. Glad you’re back.”

“What happened here?” Natalie asked, jumping out the back of the jeep.

“They attacked us. Hundreds of them. We got hit pretty back but we’re managing.” He walked over to the wounded and began talking.

“Welcome to the resistance.” Maya smiled. “For a long time we were afraid of them…of what they could do. But we’re not going to cower anymore.”

“What’s the plan?” Audra’s eyes lit up at the potential use of her powers.

“We’re gonna storm the castle and get our people back. Then we’re heading for the big guy.”

“Once he’s dead, the company will crumble.” Sam didn’t argue, she liked the plan. She wanted the man dead.

“We have to get him back.” Ryan’s voice hoarse, the words scratching at his throat. “They’ll kill him once they’re finished with him.”

“We will.” Maya reassured him. “Don’t worry. We’re getting everyone back. They have my sister. I’m not waiting another minute.”