Christine continued training and was improving but she was getting sick of the routine: wake up, eat, train with Raquel, eat, train with Damien, eat then sleep. There wasn't much else for her to do so when she heard that Damien was going on a supply run, she jumped at the opportunity. Damien didn't like the idea but she wasn't going to take no for an answer. She had survived this long without getting caught and she would continue doing so. Two others came with them, Sigurd and Claudia. Luckily, they didn't seem to have an issue with Christine like most of the others. They were quiet and kept to themselves. From their similar red hair and features, she guessed they were either siblings or twins.
The town was far away, it was going to take them two days on foot. Had she been alone with Bane, it would have taken a day but Damien refused to let her go alone. She felt like a prized goat sometimes. Something that had to be protected. She wasn't a child and she was more than capable of taking care of herself.
It felt good to sleep under the stars again. She enjoyed the safety that came with the underground hideouts (as safe as one could be given her situation) but she missed tracing the constellations when sleep eluded her. She didn't actually know any constellations but she traced the shapes that she saw and gave them names of her own. Eventually, it lulled her to sleep.
When they made it into town, Christine wrapped a scarf around her nose and mouth and pulled her hood up. They were to split up and get supplies for Ned. Food and clothes were supplied by the locals that aided the resistance but the materials that Ned needed were harder to come by. If someone was found buying an excess amount of metal, tech, and tools it would raise red flags for the Raiders. Solar technology was all most had, other technology like computers and cell phones had turned into a luxury, reserved mostly for doctors and scientists. That's why they had to split up and each get a portion of the supplies.
Christine was parting ways with Damien when she suddenly froze. Rage flared inside her as she watched a Raider roughly grab a young boy. She felt her hands start to heat up and she had to clench them to keep them from producing any flames. She took a step toward the two but Damien put a hand on her shoulder.
"We can't draw any attention to ourselves." He whispered.
"He's just a kid. We can't not do anything."
"Chris—"
"Just get the supplies and I'll meet you at the meeting spot."
Before he could protest further, she took off towards the Raider. The Raider had dragged the boy down one of the streets and when she turned down it, she saw the Raider push the boy against the wall of the town's jail. He pulled out a gun and pointed it at the boy who was looking back at him, trying to put on a brave face but she could see in his eyes that he was scared. In the back of her mind, she thought that he'd make a great addition to their cause but she had more pressing things to think about. Like the fact that Christine knew that she wasn't going to make it to them before he shot him.
She thrust her hands out and willed the roots in the ground to wrap around the Raider's wrist. He struggled as the gun turned on him instead. The boy looked shocked and he looked around the street before seeing her. She nodded and he bolted the other direction just before she let the gun go off in the Raider's face. His body slumped to the ground and she let the roots recede back into the ground before running after the kid.
Christine found the boy crouched under a table with his knees brought up to his chest. She crouched down next to the table and the boy shrunk away. He looked no older than twelve and her heart ached at the thought of this kid having to go through even a fraction she had to at his age. She wished that someone had been there to help her then so she was going to be the help this kid needed.
"Hey," she said, softly. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you."
He peeked up at her through his folded arms and she saw his big brown eyes were filled with fear and what shook her the most was that he was afraid of her. She'd seen fear in the eyes of Raiders right before she killed them but to see that fear in a young boy's face struck her.
"How did you do it? Those roots..."
"You're not the only one who's been running from Raiders." She said and created a small ball of water in her palm.
The boy jumped back in surprise and then leaned closer. "So, it's true. You're her." He murmured. "The one they've been looking for."
She nodded and let the water evaporate. "I am, and I can help you. I'm guessing you don't have a family and you've been resorting to stealing to survive which is why the Raiders went after you."
The boy hesitated then slowly nodded. She heard shouts and knew that they must have found the dead Raider. Christine held out her hand.
"It's now or never, kid. Do you want to keep hiding in the shadows or do you want to fight with us?"
She heard heavy footfall behind her and knew that if he didn't agree to come with her in about ten seconds, she'd have to leave without him.
He looked at her hand. "Okay, but you can't call me kid. It's Travis."
She smiled as he grabbed her hand. "Deal."
She pulled them to their feet and sprinted down the street. She heard the Raiders yell at them to stop as she cut around a corner. She thought she'd have to be dragging the kid behind her but he was surprisingly fast and easily kept up with her. Shots rang out behind them and one grazed her shoulder. She cursed but didn't slow down.
"Know the way to the forest, ki—Travis?"
He nodded and led her down a few alleys before she saw the forest. The Raiders were still on their tail and she couldn't have them following them. She could hear Raquel's voice in her head, use your gifts as a last resort. She pulled her gun from her hip and spun around, hitting two Raiders in their knees so they'd crumble to the ground. A bullet tore through her bicep as she turned back around. She started weaving through the trees to keep cover. Her body itched to use her gifts but knew that she couldn't leave a trail with the organization at risk.
There were still three left and she had to lead them off her trail. Their meeting spot wasn't too far and she could use the backup but she didn't want to lead danger to them but she also couldn't keep running with Travis. She brought her fingers up to her mouth and whistled. It didn't take long for Bane to find them. He burst through the trees and barked happily when he saw Christine. Travis fell back and covered his face with his hands.
"It's okay, he's mine." She said, helping Travis to his feet.
Her arm was bleeding heavily and she could hear the Raiders closing in on them. She pushed through the pain and helped Travis onto Bane's back.
"He'll take you to three people that'll help you. Tell them I'll meet up with them soon." Christine said.
The Raiders burst through the trees and Christine ordered Bane to move. He bounded toward the meeting spot and one of the Raiders took aim at their retreating form. Christine urged the trees around them to grow together so that they were trapped in a dome of trees together. The Raiders' eyes widened in realization.
"You're—"
"I'm going to give you an option." Christine cut in. "You can either die here for a bunch of dictators that don't give a damn about you or you can live and join us."
They exchanged looks and when one raised their gun, she sent a ball a flame towards him and he turned to ash with little more than a scream. The other two dropped their guns. She couldn't keep this up for much longer. Her head was pounding, blood filled her mouth and her vision was blackening on the sides. It was taking everything in her not to collapse on the spot but if she showed any weakness than she'd be dead. They could use more allies but who's to say if they're trustworthy or not? She wasn't good at making decisions like this. She wasn't the strategist like Damien was.
She heard footsteps on the outskirts of her dome and tensed. If there were more Raiders, she doesn't think she'd make it back. She heard someone bang against one of the trees and then her name. Relief coursed through her and she let the dome fall away. Her group stumbled into the clearing and turned their guns on the Raiders.
"Wait," Christine said. "They surrendered."
Damien turned to look at her and an idea seemed to spark in his blue eyes. He lowered his gun and Sigurd and Claudia followed suit.
"Spread the word," he told the Raiders. "Tell everyone what happened today, how you were spared and let people know that change is coming."
They didn't have to be told twice. They turned and bolted back toward the town and it wasn't until they were out of sight that Christine collapsed.