Fif15teen
Page 28
Chapter 26
Law 4
The Strongest Will Survive
“You’re not coming with us,” Akeem said to the ten boys that stood angrily at the cave entrance.
“Yeah, we are,” said Pudge defiantly.
“Look, what we’re up to could get us killed,” Akeem threatened.
“Dude, spare me, everything in Fifteen can get us killed,” Cruz mumbled from his makeshift bed. Doc shrugged in agreement.
“You don’t understand. I’ll be breaking some serious laws here, and I don’t want your deaths on my conscience.”
“You can leave this cave, but it’ll be over our dead bodies,” a gangly boy named Chester said unconvincingly. Akeem looked at the oddball group of boys and snorted. He could take them all on at once and they still wouldn’t stand a chance against him, but he admired their bravery.
“Tell them,” Doc finally demanded. Akeem glared at him. “Fine, I will,” the thin boy said.
“Doc,” Akeem warned.
“There’s a way out of Fifteen and we’re going to find it, but first we need to get to the Tree of Laws and talk to Akeem’s friend Quinn.” The boys stood there for a long moment, letting what Doc said sink in.
“There’s a way out?” Pudge finally asked. “How?”
“That’s what we must determine. It is going to be dangerous getting through the corn with a battle raging out there, but we mean to do it,” Doc said.
“But isn’t your friend Quinn an Angel?” Chester asked with a twitch.
“Yeah, she’s a girl, but I need her,” Akeem said, and the boys stared at him perplexed.
“You need her for what?” a boy named Jason asked.
“Err…he needs her to help us find the way out,” Doc corrected. This seemed to ease their minds, and they talked quietly among themselves for a while.
“We wanna help, we want out too,” said Pudge fearlessly. Akeem shook his head and scrubbed his face with his hands. “Either you take us with you or we’ll follow behind you, but either way, we’re going.”
“Well, that’s settled then. Shall we go?” Doc chuckled as he pushed past the boys and out of the cave with Akeem hot on his trail.