Walking was hard, and tiring. It seemed as though we never stopped. If anything, Achlys pushed us harder once we were outside of the COMPOUND. He seemed more eager to meet up with Iszak now that we were so close to him. It was a hard regiment, and even Tavion, Raith, and Lexter seemed to be struggling with it. Because Achlys didn't need to sleep, he treated us as though we were all the same. The effect drained all of us, and yet, we didn't stop.

So when Achlys held a hand up, it was a bit of a surprise. We all stopped, hunching over with our hands on our knees to try and catch our breath. Achlys waited for us to rest for a few seconds, then signaled Tavion over. He pointed up into the sky, and my eyes followed the line. I could just barely see what he was pointing to.

It was a trail of smoke, swirling and twisting into the night.

"Do you think that's Iszak?" I asked Lexter. He shook his head quickly.

"Iszak would never be that careless. He's smarter than that. He's very aware that smoke would be visible to anyone in the quadrants. It's probably some clueless slicker doing his best to stay alive. It's cold tonight, and chances are they don't have thermal clothing to keep them warm like we do," Lexter explained.

That made sense. Even through the heavy sweater that Raith had given me I could feel the bitingly cold air against my skin. I hadn't planned for that when I left. I had a few sweaters, but they wouldn't have been thick enough to keep out this frigid air. I would have done the same thing this kid had, and lit a fire to keep myself warm. Better that than freeze to death. I was lucky that it wasn't me out there, even though I knew it easily could have been.

"What are we going to do?" I asked him.

"It's all up to Achlys. We might go up there and try to recruit the poor kid before he gets himself killed. Or we might just leave him be. It all depends on what Achlys wants." I knew that was true. Achlys seemed very focused on getting to where Iszak was, and I wouldn't be surprised if he chose to find him first, and then deal with the slicker.

We stood there for a while longer, while Achlys talked with Tavion, figuring out what to do. After a while, Achlys came to a decision. We were going to recruit the slicker first. Iszak would be able to survive on his own for longer than the slicker. If we let the slicker stay on his own, he would get himself killed before we were able to return. It was a choice I agreed with wholeheartedly. If I were the kid, I'd want them to come save me first.

We started up the hill, everyone doing their best to remain as quiet as possible. We didn't want to scare the kid and have him bolt before we could talk to him and soothe his worries. Because everyone else was dressed in varying stages of guard uniforms, I was pushed to the front of the line. Raith followed close behind me, in case the slicker needed some sort of medical attention, and the rest of them trailed around a hundred feet behind the two of us.

We came up closer to the camp, all of us slowing down to try and maintain our level of sound. I cracked on a branch, wincing as the sound echoed off the trees around us. Hopefully the kid wouldn't be able to tell the difference between human and animal noises. I finally got close enough to look into the camp.

There was no one there. There was plenty of evidence that someone had been there recently. The dancing flames looked pretty new, there was a pack off in one corner, and the beginnings of a woven mat lay next to it. This didn't seem like a slicker to me. A slicker wouldn't know how to weave a mat out of twigs like that, and I doubted that they would be able to start a fire.

I motioned to Raith. "There's no one here," I called back to the rest of the group, who rapidly charged up the hill to the camp. I don't think they believed me when I told them that the place was deserted. "And look at that mat. I don't think a new slicker could've done that."

"It could've been a camp of someone who'd been out here a while. Some of them kind of go mad, being on there own for so long. It wouldn't be surprising if they forgot how dangerous it is to light a fire," Raith commented lightly. "It also might explain why they're not here anymore. They probably heard us coming and bolted. We might've underestimated them."

I nodded. That sounded more right than some brand new slicker coming out here. I could also relate to going partially crazy when you were on your own for so long. I'd gone slightly mad being alone for a couple of months. I couldn't imagine being on your own for several years at a time. It would be enough to drive anyone to insanity.

Achlys, Tavion, and Lexter entered the camp, and we all started looking around. I think we were all looking for clues as to what had happened. I heard a cuss, and a shout from Lexter. "Get over here, Raith. Now!" I turned to see what was happening, and was shocked to see a figure lying on a mat in the shadows.

Raith was kneeling next to her, lifting her wrist to check for a pulse. The seconds ticked down slowly, and he dropped her wrist with a shake of his head. "She's gone."

Raith started checking out her injuries, as though he could do something to revive her. He also started reciting a laundry list of her maladies aloud to us, "Broken leg. It was set, actually pretty well. Someone else had to do that, there's no way she could've withstood the pain it would have caused. Broken wrist, untreated. Lacerations on the stomach, thighs, and arms, treated with an herbal salve, but they're now infected. Front teeth knocked out and chipped, untreated." The list seemed to go on and on, and I couldn't help but wonder how she's gotten all of these injuries.

I came closer to this girl that I didn't know. Something about her face tweaked a part of me, and images of Leyca flooded my mind. I couldn't help but wonder if this was what she looked like now, if the politicians had gotten a hold of her. Would she be this broken? I hoped that she wouldn't, but it terrified me to think of it.

I could feel myself getting shaky, and my heart pounded in my chest. This poor, poor girl. Tears sprang up in my eyes as I thought about her. What kind of life had she lived? Was she a sister? Did her father miss her? Did she miss those that she had left behind, or was she devoted to the choice that she'd made. Thinking about her in such a personal way made me feel the loss of her in a way that I couldn't comprehend. It's not like I knew her. But in a way, I felt as though I could relate to her. At one time or another, she'd been a COMPOUND girl, just like I'd been a COMPOUND guy. Thinking about the life she'd left behind made me think of the life I'd left behind.

I couldn't help the flood of emotions that came over me. I'd left so much behind, and the weight of exactly what I'd done was overwhelming. I fell to the ground, sobbing out. Raith, Lexter, and Tavion came up to me, trying to soothe me. I think they'd dealt with people in my situation several times, and they were used to the breakdown. Raith patted my back gently, telling me, "Everything's going to be okay. I promise."

I think Achlys thought that I was crying over the death of the girl. I wasn't. It's not that I didn't mourn for the passing of someone. It was tragic that someone who looked so vital and young had been taken from this world. But I didn't know her. It felt almost sacrilegious to be so upset over this, when I really didn't know her. The thing that did get to me was the fact that this could have been me.

I was the lucky one who'd been found by the rebels before I'd gotten myself into this exact same position. It hurt to think of myself being in the same position that she was. Anything could have caused those injuries, and it was certainly something that I could have fallen victim to. It was only a passage of time that separated me and this girl. The thought was sobering.

Not only that, but it scared me to think of something like this happening to someone I loved. This young woman wasn't just an isolated being. She had people who, at one point in time, had loved and cherished her. What would they do if they knew? Would it hurt them as much as Leyca being injured like this would hurt me?

I cried for a long time. It was too much all at once. They let me cry, which I appreciated. I think I needed to get it out of my system or it would just consume me altogether. It was best for me to get it out now, here with just these four people, instead of in front of the entire rebellion. It was a sign of weakness, but at least only a few people would know about it.

I finally managed to get a hold of myself. It was hard to put my tears behind me and allow myself to move on. At the same time, it was something that I needed to do. If I couldn't gather the strength to let this go, then I wouldn't be strong enough to be a part of the rebellion. Everything would have been for nothing. It was time that I looked at the hardships that choosing this life had caused, and realize that it was all worth it in the end. These things that I was going through were hard. No one could deny that. But I knew that in the end, if I could prevent others from feeling how I felt in that moment, then it would be worth it.

I wiped the last of the tears from my eyes, telling myself that for now, I would be strong. I wouldn't cry anymore tonight. I would do everything I could to help fulfill my goal of aiding the rebellion in any way that I could.

Achlys was seated by the dwindling fire, relishing in the heat that still emanated from the coals. Tavion smiled up at me, and patted the dirt next to him. I sat down beside him, pulling my legs close to me and huddling into their warmth. It was getting colder than I thought possible, but the fire provided a glowing light that chased away the freeze from my body. It felt lovely.

We decided to stay here for the night, and then set out in the morning to find Iszak. We could all use some rest, as the day had been incredibly tiring, both physically and emotionally. Lexter, Raith, and Tavion lay down, but I sat up for a while with Achlys. We didn't say anything, both of us staring into the dying embers. I rested my chin on my bent knees and closed my eyes, preparing to fall asleep that way.

It was then that we heard the scream.

Achlys bolted upright and I wasn't far behind. Lexter, Tavion, and Raith groggily stumbled to their feet, attempting to erase their weariness as they chased behind Achlys and I.

The scream came again, along with the sound of a skirmish. I heard the heavy breathing of a struggle, and the continued shouts and grunts that accompanied it. Achlys followed the sound, his ears sharp and attuned to the sounds. I followed behind him, and the rest of our group trudged along behind me.

We reached the spot pretty quickly. Achlys came to a very sudden halt, assessing the situation in the blink of an eye. Before I'd even registered that he'd stopped, he was moving again, preparing to intervene in the fight. I stopped where Achlys had, knowing there wasn't anything that I could really do to help. Tavion, Raith, and Lexter fell into place beside me, watching the scene unfold.

Achlys ripped the arms of one person from off of the other, and then pinned that same person to the ground. "Iszak!" Tavion breathed, running forward. He raced straight to the man, nearly tackling him in his eagerness to hug him. It almost made me laugh, but at the same time, I knew the moment was still incredibly tense. Raith and Lexter rushed forward to greet Iszak, while I made my way over to Achlys.

He knelt on the back of the girl, holding her firmly to the ground. The girl was flailing around, but mostly she was sobbing and gasping for breath. "I'll hold her. You go say hi."

Achlys looked up at me, then nodded shortly. He helped me place my knee just right on her, and showed me how to hold her hands to ensure that she stayed motionless. He then rocketed over to Iszak. Everyone stepped aside as they embraced tightly.

It was rather... intimate. It all confused me a great deal, and I couldn't help but wonder at just how tightly they hugged, and exactly how Iszak placed his hands on Achlys. It made me want to blush, and I wondered if they were lovers of a sort. The idea of two men being together in that fashion was unheard of inside the COMPOUND, but I knew many things were different outside the walls. The idea made my cheeks flush.

I watched as Iszak reached up, and took the guards helmet off of Achlys, revealing something I definitely did not expect.

Achlys was a girl. Her hair was cut in a short, pixie-style, unnaturally colored a light purple shade. Her skin was somewhere between Tavion's and my own, seeming to naturally occur that way rather than being colored from exposure to the sun. Her lips were surprisingly full as they pressed softly against Iszak's. A smattering of freckles dotted her cheeks, contrasting her harsh demeanor with a surprising softness.

I gasped, looking back into my mind. Not once had anyone mentioned Achlys's gender, so I simply assumed that she was a male. Everyone else was, so it made sense. But now Iszak's tender treatment regarding her made more sense. Not that it would have been wrong, if they'd both been men, I reprimanded myself. Just because it didn't happen in the COMPOUND didn't mean it didn't happen elsewhere.

They shared a passionate kiss, one that added to the color in my cheeks and made me look away in embarrassment. It felt as though I was intruding in a very private, special moment.

They pulled apart after a few moments, and Iszak embraced her tightly. After a prolonged hug, he pulled away. "Where's the girl?"

Achlys pointed over at me, kneeling on the now motionless girl. She was still sobbing, but she'd given up fighting a long time ago. I'd barely even noticed.

"Who is that?" Iszak asked, suspicion lacing his voice. I could tell he didn't trust me, and for good reason. He didn't know me at all. To him, I was just some kid.

"His name's Evrynn. He's a slicker we recruited a couple weeks ago. He's cool," Raith told him, coming up beside me. I appreciated his support, knowing that the easiest way to get Iszak's trust would be to have the trust of his companions.

The rest of them, even Achlys who I'd never exchanged a single word with, nodded. "We can trust him, Iszak. Not only has he not slowed us down, but he's actually been something of an asset. His perspective is interesting, and I fully believe that he's committed to this cause," Achlys said.

Iszak smirked slightly, obviously not completely convinced. "There are people who you'd think wouldn't abandon the cause even if it killed them, and yet they do. You never know how someone will act under pressure..." His voice trailed off bitterly, and I wondered at the biting undertone it carried.

I motioned to the girl under me, trying to ignore the hurt I felt at his comment. "What are we going to do with her?" I let up on the pressure I was placing on her back slightly, and loosened my grip on her hands. She turned her head to the side, breathing deeply, trying to fight back the tears. It made me pity her a great deal, and I wanted them to be kinder to her. I didn't feel like she'd actually done something wrong, and it felt wrong to treat her like some criminal.

I let her up onto her feet, but kept a firm grip on her hands to keep her from running. Her head remained lowered, and I could see tears dripping to the ground beneath her. Raith stepped forward and lifted her chin up, revealing her tear-stained face to all of us. She looked mad, but her eyes carried an intense level of pain. It jerked at my heart-strings, and I instantly wanted to reach out and help her. It wasn't fair.

Iszak's face softened, compassion igniting in his eyes. "Are you alright?" The girl glared up at him, eyes bright with pain and sadness. She remained silent, as though that somehow would make everything better. Iszak reached out and lifted her chin, bringing her face to face with him. His forehead creased, showing genuine concern. "Please. I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?"

The girl began to laugh, sounding hysterical, as though everything was finally getting to her. You could practically see her cracking as she spoke. "Like I would ever forgive you!" she shrieked, and spat in his face. Iszak turned slightly, hiding the insulted and hurt look on his face. Achlys came over, placing a hand gently on his shoulder, comforting him. They walked away together, so I could have a few moments to regain his composure.

I turned to the girl. "Will you at least talk to me? I bet I can understand."

She laughed again. "I am nothing like you. I will never be anything like you. Don't even say those words again, they're insulting." My brow creased slightly. Perhaps she'd been out here longer than I had, but we were all slickers in one way or another. Unless you were with the rebels, there was no way that you'd been born outside of the COMPOUND.

"Aren't we both slickers?"

"No," came her quick response. She rolled her eyes. "I told you, we're nothing alike, and we never will be."

I frowned. Was she in denial or something? Of course we were both slickers. I shrugged, and decided to let it go. It wasn't worth arguing over, and upsetting her further. "Well, will you at least tell me your name?"

"Christian." Her voice was terse, tight, and unhappy. Her eyes narrowed, as if she was in pain. I reached a hand out, and placed it on her upper arm gently, trying to convey my sympathy to her in any way that I could. She sniffed lightly, and after a few moments, shrugged my hand off of her. It seemed as though she didn't want to be comforted.

I sighed. "Well, I guess you're right. We are different. Christian certainly isn't a COMPOUND name. Any idea how you got it?"

I don't know what I did, but she broke down. She fell to the ground, sobbing without restraint. I wasn't quite sure what to do. I liked to be left alone, but what if she was desperate to be soothed? Even when Leyca cried, I was always unsure of how to act. Distraught girls were volatile creatures, and needed to be treated as such. I shook my head again, clearing out the COMPOUND conditioning to treat women as dangerous. She was a woman, yes, but first and foremost, she was a human in pain. She needed help.

I sat on the ground next to her, and reached out to pat her head soothingly. That didn't seem to help any, and her sobs only grew louder. I hazarded a glance up at Achlys, who had a small smirk on her face. She shrugged down at me, indicating that she didn't know what to do either. I was starting to panic, thinking that I was doing everything wrong, when Christian leaned over into me to cry. I fought back a sigh of relief. Perhaps I'd taken the right first step.

Raith came up to me, and knelt beside the girl. He reached out and took her hand, stroking it gently, only releasing it when she looked up at him through bleary eyes. He laid his pointer fingers and pinkies together, entwining the rest of his fingers and laying his pointer fingers under his chin—the sign of the rebellion. She stopped crying, and took several deep shuddering breaths, then gave a small nod of understanding.