Rebel Young

Part 10

A/N Thank you all so much for helping this story reach 100 views in such a short period of time! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

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The formerly calm, organised operating system of the Lab was in complete mayhem. Workers scurried back and forth in panic. Lacey and Freddie raced around behind them handing out orders. 

"We need to get our communications back up and running otherwise we remain completely isolated in the midst of a full scale invasion!" Lacey commanded. 

I tentatively stepped foot into the chaos. Without Jack standing next to me I felt completely out of place. Jack, he was currently completely defenceless in a city overrun with enemy soldiers armed to the teeth with state-of-the-art weaponry. Freddie noticed me and waved me over to the control desk. 

"What happened out there April?" Freddie asked, "Jack decided to follow you home after a security breach was detected and then communications just ... died."

"Enemy soldiers invaded the city and attacked families in my suburb, including my own," I explained shakily, "Jack and I sought refuge away from the attack in a safe house."

"Why didn't you just wait out the attack in the safe house?" Freddie inquired.

He had picked up a notepad and was noting down every word that I said.

"The invading forces infiltrated the safe house so we fled into the city's underground tunnel system. Inside the tunnels we found a hidden office full of maps, blueprints, schedules and information on every member of the City no. 134 military forces."

"Where is this office?" Freddie questioned, pen poised at the ready. 

"There is a ladder hidden under a manhole in the old marketplace. Anyway, we figured that today's attack can't have been completely random. There must have been someone feeding information to the enemy."

"Where is Jack now?" Freddie stared at me intensely. 

"We- we were sighted- by enemy soldiers on the way back to the Lab. Jack left me at the entrance and ran off to draw the enemy away from the Lab." 

Freddie put his pen down with a nod and walked away to find Lacey, the intense interview finally over. A cheer sounded from the workers behind me.

"Communications are back on air," one worker declared.

Alerts and messages flooded in from every direction and the Lab returned to a familiar, buzzing hive of activity. Every message was swiftly sorted off into it's respective area and dealt with from there. An alert lit up the monitor above the control panel. Lacey was immediately drawn to the flashing image.

"I need a rescue crew sent to Sector 24A, we have an urgent distress call," Lacey ordered. 

A team of  workers immediately assembled and kitted up. Within seconds they were fully packed and out of the door. Lacey turned towards where I was standing and motioned for me to come closer. 

"That alert was from Jack. Did his decision to leave you land him in any serious danger?" Lacey demanded. 

"We were being shot at," I gulped, "he was being chivalrous and insisted on protecting me."

"Do you think he's okay?" I asked shakily. 

"We can only  hope," Freddie replied. 

"Hey, why don't I show you to the bedrooms, you look exhausted and I can't expect you to head home in the middle of this invasion," he suggested. 

"My home was invaded, I couldn't return there even if I wanted," I grimaced, "the soldiers killed my Mum and my little sister."

"I'm sorry April, I had no idea," Freddie comforted. 

"Where are the bedrooms again?" I asked. 

Freddie pointed down the hallway.

"Second door on the left."

I thanked Freddie and located the bedroom before opening the door and collapsing on the nearest bed. 

The digital alarm clock on the side-table said half-past-eleven the next morning when I finally came to. It took me a moment to fully wake up, until I remembered the events of the previous day. Jack, Annabelle, Mum, the invasion. Everything came flooding back.

 I choked back a sob as I sat up. No! No crying April! If I start now I probably won't stop any time soon. I stood up and found the light switch. The harsh white of the fluorescent lighting hurt my eyes. I blinked away the spots that appeared in my vision and took my first look around the room.

 A bed sat in each of the four corners with a three-drawed side-table and a reading lamp next to each. There was a wardrobe on the far side of the room and a full sized mirror attached to the wall. I glanced my reflection in the mirror. 

My eyes were shadowed with exhaustion, my clothing wrinkled and covered in mud, dust and blood splatters and my hair had a mind of its own. I attempted to run my fingers through the bird's nest on my head to no avail. A knock on the door brought my attention away from my appearance. Freddie popped his head through the door. 

"April, Jack's in the infirmary. He's asked to see you," he said. 

"What happened out there?" I asked.

"He was shot April, he's fine we have our best medical staff working with him and he's on some medication to stop the pain. He might not be completely with us, but he's fine," Freddie explained in a flood of words. 

"Is their any chance of me getting a shower and some clean clothes," I asked.

Freddie smiled, "I'll see what we can do, but first, Jack is waiting for you."