2 Belle

We hadn't been walking for long when they began to turn off on the side of the road. There was nothing there but a car on the side of the road. They couldn't possibly still have gas in it and there was no power to charge it electronically. They have to be kidding.

"Let's go Belle." Niko said. She had unlocked the car and opened the trunk.

"That's not my name for one and another, how in the world does this car still work?" I asked. I was completely shocked.

"It's called we pump the oil ourselves. Just like they used to do. The car is only used to go on runs so we save on gas as much as possible. Now stop asking questions and let's go." she said. She had pulled my cart to the car and began unloading it. I helped and was also putting the food and water into the trunk of the car. Once we were finished we got in the car. The car roared to life. Surprisingly it was Astrid who was driving. I thought that Niko would be one to want to do everything and be the one who is always in charge but I guess this was one thing that she let Astrid have.

"Buckle up." Astrid said before she stepped on the gas and we were off. I had no idea if it was because I hadn't been in a car in so long or if she was speeding. I mean could we really call it speeding since there were no longer laws in place. No one to enforce them at least. I stared out of the window as we drove. I had no idea where we were heading to. How many people would be there or if they would even welcome me to their little group. I mean Niko tried to kill me and she didn't even stop to ask who I was or anything. I'd be dead if it hadn't been for Astrid. Let's just hope that she'd have my back once we got to their sanctuary.

Not long after, I think, there's no telling how long it's been without any way to tell the time, we arrived in front of this place. I didn't know what to call it. There were tall brick walls that stood in place. They looked sturdy too. I bet they were a couple feet thick. Just above the wall I could see a tall building. I was amazed it wasn't torn to pieces during the end days.

"What is this place?" I asked.

"We call it home of course. That tall building used to be a clothing shop. Perhaps the tallest one ever from what I've been told. There were many other buildings that surrounded it but we've been knocking them down so our little wall here can keep us safe. No one gets in or out without permission from the big man." Astrid said. Then the wall well a part of it began moving to the side.

"How is it moving? The thing must weigh a ton." I said.

"It's the thinnest part of the wall there is so we're able to move it. Takes nearly the whole town but it gets moved." Astrid replied to me. I was in complete shock. They have managed to live in this place for this long and built all of this. The car came to a stop and then I heard as the wall was being moved back into place.

"Get out." Niko said. Then her and Astrid got out of the car in unison. I stepped out and closed the door behind me. I could feel all of the starres that came my way. I could hear all the whispers.

"Ah, my little runner! How'd the run go with the newbie?" an old man asked as he walked up to Niko and Astrid.

"Ask her and the newcomer she brought." Niko said as she moved from in front of me. The man looked at Astrid and then he looked at me.

"All three of you come with me." he said as he quickly turned around and began walking away. He was walking rather quickly and I felt like I nearly had to jog to keep up. He was headed to the building and once inside he continued to walk but up stairs. What did this man do before the end. He was more built than I was. After many many floors of stairs we finally went into a room. He shut the door behind us and he turned his attention to me. I felt so self conscious at that moment. I wish I could go back to my room and hide from this man's intense gaze.

"You two know the rules." He said as he looked at Niko and Astrid.

"She was going to kill her. I couldn't let her do that. This girl right here is the reason why we now have food and water. She saved us all. I know there's no telling how long the water will last all of us but it's something." Astrid said. He glared at her then he looked at me.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Arabelle." I replied to him. He walked around me observing me as he did so. It's official,

this man is weird.

"Where did you come from?" he asked.

"The old water factory. I've been hiding there for five years." I told him.

"How?"

"What do you mean how?" I asked as I looked at him.

"How did you survive in that place for that long?" he said slowly.

"I had the water. All I needed to go out for was the food." I told him. My attitude was a bit rough which I knew he didn't like. He was about to speak again when the door opened.

"So this is her. She's a looker. Surprised you didn't snatch her up Niko." A young guy said. He was rather attractive as well. What is it with these people and looking good? It's like everyone that I meet is good looking.

"I tried to kill her." Niko said emotionlessly. Her face showed no emotion as she said so. His no longer showed any emotion either. All he did was glare at her.

"Proč ji chcete zabít? Nic ti neudělala.." he spoke. What language was he speaking? I looked at Astrid and she looked just as confused as me. She wasn't shocked like me but aggravated.

"Mohla být nebezpečná. Nevěděl jsem, co e schopna, a stále to nevím." Niko replied. She knew this language as well, yet she sounded way more elegant than he did. It's just the way it rolled off her tongue so effortlessly. Like it was so natural to her.

"Stop it. Both of you. You two are not about to have an argument in Czech.." the old man said loudly. His voice boomed throughout the room and it made me jump as soon as he spoke.

"My apologies father." the young man said. Niko said nothing but she remained quiet. "Father I will look after her. If we were to leave her under Niko's watch she'll be dead by next week." he said as he glanced at me, and then he looked at Niko. Niko still had a blank look on her face as he spoke.

"Very well. Take her and show her around the town." the old man said as he turned and went to sit behind his desk.

"Seriously. He's going to be looking after her!" Astrid yelled.

"She's survived on her own for so long. Him and Niko are the only runners that we have. It's better that she goes with him and he starts preparing her for trial." the old man replied.

"I can do it." Astrid said. She looked angry.

"No you can't." Niko finally said. Astrid quickly turned and looked at her.

"What do you mean I can't?" she practically yelled. She looked like she could kill in that instance.

"You failed your test." Niko replied sternly. She had a stone cold look in her eyes as she looked at Astrid.

"You can't make that decision." Astrid replied. At this point she was fuming.

"I can and I did. You failed. You failed to listen to me and you put yourself in the way of harm. Runners have to be smart. They can't make stupid choices like the one you made today. I would have talked to her before I killed her and then determined whether she should have died or not. You interfere with my work. Rule number one of being a runner. Don't question each other's decisions. We trust each other. You didn't trust my judgement, much less give me a chance to question her. So you failed." Niko told her. She looked speechless. I could see the hurt in her eyes as she looked at Niko.

"We don't even know her and yet she's being taken in to be a runner."

"We don't know if she'll be a runner yet. She has to undergo the trial just like you did." Niko replied.

"Oh and the both of you go with her alone on runs. We don't even know if we can trust her." Astrid yelled. At this point I was so confused. She was just backing me up and now she's against me. What is going on here?

"Oh can it Astrid. You just hate the fact that she'll be alone with Niko at one point. Don't be angry that she might have a chance with Niko while you never will." the young man said.

"Kane." Niko said sternly.

"Screw you Kane. You don't know anything! Yo-"

"Astrid! Enough. Get out! Go walk it off." Niko told her. She looked at Niko once more and then at Kane. She huffed loudly and then stormed out, slamming the door in the process.

"That was uncalled for Kane. You had no right to do that." Niko said to him.

"She just doesn't want a new girl in the picture. We all know she likes you. Someone has to be blunt with her. If you won't then I will. There's no need in dragging the poor girl on. She needs to know not to get all defensive of you every time a new girl comes along." Kane replied. He looked at Niko sternly.

"Can you three talk somewhere else besides my office? I do have some work that I need to get to." the old man spoke. The three of us looked at him and we nodded. Niko walked out of the room first and then Kane motioned for me to follow. I followed Niko out of the building and into one of the only buildings that was left standing. As soon as we were in, Niko turned around and punched Kane right in the face. Kane stepped back a few steps and then he glared at her.

"What was that for?" He yelled.

"For saying what you did. She doesn't need you to remind her that I have no interest in her. I do that well enough on my own." Niko told him.

"Someone had to tell her like I said before. There is no need for her to take her anger out on the new girl." Kane said. He once again got punched by Niko but this time he stumbled back too far and fell over the couch that was behind him. I quickly ran over to him as he groaned and slowly picked himself up, holding his jaw.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" I asked as I crouched down in front of him. He looked up at me and then at Niko.

"I'm good. I'm going for a walk." he said as he stood up and walked out of the house. Niko sighed as she ran her hands through her hair.

"Guess it's up to me to show you around now." She sighed again. She looked at me with that stone cold look in her eyes again. I couldn't help but gulp at the way she looked at me. This was going to be miserable.