| Time for a Little Improvisation

Kyle looked over the long tables lit by candles and decorated with foods of all kinds. It made the redhead's mouth water. They must have hunters who stay out all day to be able to collect this amount of food. Bowls were filled with meatballs covered in some kind of steaming sauce, buttered bread laid perfectly stacked on fancy plates, pans of rice were laid out covered in fresh beef, and much more. It all looked too tempting to be true. Her name was written on a notecard with a glass of wine poured next to it at the end of the last table. Ezra's name was right next to hers, although Ollie's notecard was no where to be found. They must have put him in the front, near Violet.

"Hey."

Ezra's gentle hand rested on her arm, before she could even comprehend a kiss was planted on her lips. She kissed back for only a second before pulling away, for once he didn't taste like liquor. She looked up into his soft blue eyes,

"You're not still mad at me, right?"

His voice was anxious and she lifted her hands to his face, just like she used to do when they lived at their home, and tenderly rubbed the bags under his eyes with her thumbs.

"I could never stay mad at you."

She quickly gave him one more kiss before Ezra pulled her chair out and she smiled at him as she sat. He leaned down next to her, his lips inches from her ear.

"I crushed the pills in her drink."

Was all he whispered before sitting down, that smile back on his lips.

Kyle looked up to the front of the large dining hall. She and Ezra sat at the end of one of three long tables with name cards while Harper sat at the very end of the room, her shorter table on a pedistool. She laughed at something one of the girls on either side of her said, her finger twisting a long blonde curl. One of the girls Kyle recognized as Sai, a lanky girl with dark skin and thick braided black hair.

On the other side of Harper was a girl Kyle didn't know. This girl was muscular compared to Harper and Sai, with a tank top to show off. Her long straight brown hair was pulled into a ponytail and her intense eyes glanced over the room as if inspecting it.

Taking out Harper didn't look like it'd help much, but hopefully Jude was right. She had to keep faith that without their leader things would fall apart and it'd be easier to escape.

Girls flooded into the dining room, quickly taking their seats as if they'd done it a thousand times. Ezra bumped her shoulder nodding his head in the direction of Violet and Harper.

Where was Ollie?

"He's probably still looking for a getaway car."

Ezra whispered in her ear, noticing her worry with only a glance.

"He'll be fine."

Kyle nodded, holding out hope that everything would go smoothly.

Within a few minutes Harper was tapping her fork against her wine glass catching the attention of everyone seated.

"Tonight we thank the people who's sacrifice has kept us alive and thriving."

She held her glass firmly in her hand, smiling over the women admiring her from where they sat.

"They're sacrifice has kept us from starvation. They've given us hope towards a better future. This feast, just as every month, is for them. Thank you and may you Rest In Peace."

All the women around them lifted their glasses at that, scattered 'rest in peace's being repeated through the dining room for the hunters who had died for this meal.

Kyle lifted her glass along with the others although her line of sight never left Harper.

Kyle watched intently as the blonde lifted her glass to her plump lips.

Bang

Harper lowered her glass at the deafening sound.

Bang

Unexpected gunshots rang through the air, stunning the small crowd, Harper stood up with a concerned expression.

Bang

It came again.

There was no doubt. It was coming from the infirmary.

Without another thought Kyle bolted from her seat towards the exit, Ezra following right behind her.

"No Outsiders leave this room!"

Harper's authoritative voice filled the cabin. Two girls, who were already guarding the door, pulled guns from their holsters, not holding back as they aimed and fired.

Kyle was tackled to the ground from behind, the bullets barely missing her. Ezra grunted from above her before getting off and running at one of the armed girls. She fired again but this time he was close enough to pushed the gun away. He grabbed at her forcefully, using her as a shield as he wrapped a finger around hers and shot at the other girl.

"Go!"

He yelled out to Kyle who listened without question. She scrambled to her feet and ran towards the infirmary as Ezra covered her from behind.

***

Rory jumped at the sudden unexpected gun shots. So much for not blowing their cover. He tightened the grip he had on the new backpack around his shoulders, speeding up as he checked the last room on the left.

His eyes widened as they fell on a familiar petite blonde, his head wrapped with gauze. Baby blue eyes lit up as they fell on Rory's beaten form. Without a word Jude jumped to his barefeet, attempting to run and hug his friend but being stopped by the cuff around his wrist.

Rory closed the distance for him, wrapping his strong arms around the shorter man tight enough to suffocate him. Jude didn't mind. He felt Rory's hand tighten on his shirt and his head fell to Jude's shoulder with a soft sigh.

"I missed you."

Rory spoke in a tone so soft it was barely audible and it made Jude's heart swell. Before he could say anything back Rory pulled away from their embrace.

"I'm gonna get you out of here."

Jude hadn't noticed until this moment that Rory had a pocket knife in his hand. He quickly opened it and started picking at the lock ungracefully.

After many failed attempts at unuffing the man's thin wrist, Rory cursing under his breath the whole time, another figure came through the door.

Short red curls and freckled pale skin slammed the door open, her breath harsh as she looked over the two with confusion.

"How are you here?"

"It doesn't matter, help me with this."

She nodded, a silent agreement that she would question the man at a later time. Instead she snatched the knife from his hand and pushed him out of the way. She pulled a bloody bobby-pin from her pocket and within seconds Jude was free.

"Others are coming."

She stated frantically as Jude rubbed at his wrist.

"We need to find Dax and get out of here."

"Cash and Tabb too."

Rory added and she rose an eyebrow in question.

"I'll explain later."

As if on cue, a girl with a long blonde braid and hot pink shoes ran through the door with as much force as a freight train, a pistol held in shaky hands as she aimed frantically at each of them. She looked panicked, as if this was the first time she had contemplated shooting a human being.

Good thing for that because it gave Kyle enough time to stab her in the leg. She dropped the gun, grabbing at the wound with a yelp. Rory grabbed the pistol without a second thought and pointed it at the girl's head.

"Wait!"

Jude called out causing Rory to hesitate.

"Don't kill her."

When the gun didn't budge from it's aim Jude added a quiet,

"Please."

The girl looked up at him with terror in her wide eyes as she stared into the barrel of the gun. Her mouth was slightly ajar but she made no effort to beg for her life.

"Come on, let's fine the others."

Kyle interrupted when she decide Rory wouldn't kill the innocent looking girl. She walked past him and out into the hall, the knife in her hand held defensively. Jude followed and Rory lowered the gun, walking past the girl with ease.

***

Cash grunted at a kick to the crotch, almost falling to his knees at the sudden pain. Two more girls had followed right after the three he killed, either the yell for help or the gunshots alerting anyone in the area.

He already killed the brunette that came at him first, all he had to do was grab the meat pounder from the sink and slam it against her temple one good time.

However, the woman he was currently fighting knew what she was doing. She had kicked the gun from his hand within seconds before forcefully punching him across the face. She pushed his head into the sink and reach for a switch on the wall. The garbage disposal came to life, making a horrifying sound inches from his ear. He finally kicked her hard in the stomach, knocking her off her feet. He went for the kill while she was down but he was pulled back with a tug of his hair. His eyes widened as his long locks were pulled and twisted into the blade of the disposal. His teeth gritted in pain as the back of his head was pulled into the sink, his back bent at an uncomfortable angle.

He reached for anything around him to cut himself free, but he couldn't turn his god damn head to see what he was grabbing at. Panic filled his chest as the girl came into view in front of him, she punched him under the jaw, his teeth clattering. Thank god he didn't bite his tongue off.

She paused, her brows knitting and her eyes filling with pain. Blood began to ooze from her mouth and Tabb was suddenly in view behind her. He had stabbed her in the back with the biggest knife in sight. His next move was to find the scissors. He frantically grabbed at them and chopped Cash's long hair, releasing him from the sink with a relieved sigh. As soon it was clear Cash was okay Tabb turned back to the girl, ripping the knife from her back and driving it into her head with a grunt. She fell to the ground with a thud and Tabb pulled the knife out with a squelching sound, wiping the blood on his pants as he turned back to Cash.

The dark haired man stared wide eyed at him, his pale skin painted with blood. Cash smiled weakly,

"Have I told you I love you lately?"

Tabb grinned brightly at that. He looked over Cash's new uneven haircut and the stubble that had grown on his chin, a chuckle on his lips at how ridiculous he looked. Even in this disheveled state he was still breathtaking.

"Have I told you you need a haircut lately?"

***

Ezra huffed as he leaned against the wall, dragging himself to the next door in search of some kind of medical supplies. His bloody hand reached for the knob, forcing his way in to a sight he hadn't been expecting. Dax had moved the bed halfway across the room by the cuff around his wrist, which was now bruised and raw, in attempt at escape.

"Finally! I've been waiting on one of you to get your head out of your ass!"

Dax yelled in an exasperated tone. He looked over the tall man's sweaty, pale figure. His brows knitted as they fell over the blood that blossomed in the corner of his white shirt. Ezra pulled his brown jacket tighter around himself, hiding the wound from sight.

"Just a graze. I'm fine."

Without another word he reached for Dax's cuff, picking it with a bobby-pin he'd taken from a dead girl just like he'd seen Kyle do.

"I should punch you for shooting that gun on the bridge."

"I was practicing with my left hand. I didn't think one gun shot would cause us to be surrounded."

"Exactly. You don't think. We wouldn't even be in this mess if you'd just use your brain. I know that big head of yours isn't just for looks."

"That almost sounded like a compliment."

Dax joked with a cocky grin once his wrist was free. Ezra was about to come back with a jab but he was cut off by a wince as pain shot through his stomach. He reached down to feel that blood was starting to seep through his jacket.

"Don't go dying on me. I'm the one with a missing hand and broken ankle."

"Let's just get out of here."

Was all Ezra said before leading the way out of the room, Dax following right behind him with a limp.

"What the hell?"

Cash's yell made the two jump, both turning to find Cash and Tabb beaten and bloodied with kitchen utensils held tight in their fists. Cash's usually long luscious locks were now gone, his hair chopped and patchy.

"When did you get here?"

Tabb weakly pointed the meat beater in his hand at them with a skinny arm.

"We've been here-"

Ezra started but Dax quickly cut him off,

"I've been cuffed to a bed for the past two days."

"We've been locked in the basement, getting lightly tortured for the past three days. So, I think we beat you."

Tabb shot back, his weapon falling back to his side.

"You look good for a man who's been tortured," he chuckled before turning to Cash with a sly smirk, looking over his patchy haircut.

"You, on the other hand, have seen better days."

Cash growled, an insult on the tip of his tongue but Ezra butt in.

"Ollie's finding a get away car but there's no guarantee they have one."

Cash's angry demeanor quickly calmed and he nodded, his grip on the gun in his hand tightening.

"If not, we'll fight our way out."

They started towards the exit but Ezra stopped Cash with a hand to his shoulder.

"There's something you should know."

Cash raised an unruly eyebrow in question, lowering the weapons in his hands.

"You're sister's gotten attached to the girls here. She wants to stay."

"Violet?"

Cash's plump lips parted, his brows knitted, his eyes holding doubt at what he'd just been told.

"If she knows you're here she might change her mind. Talk to her."