Protective Measures

by Jessica Arman

of the safe house she was immediately hit over the head and beaten for what seemed like forever. Alloy evidently had his guards bring her back to the school and put her in the most secure room in the building. There were no windows, the door had triple deadbolts, and a surveillance camera was mounted in each corner.

  Each time she became unconsciousness, she had the same dream—Ryker and Laiken being killed by firing squad, and she had to watch. Some guards came into the cell, and one of them stuck a needle of something in her arm. She didn’t know what it was, but immediately she was alert to her surroundings.

  “Look who’s awake,” a voice she recognized said from behind her. Alloy came around and stood right in front of her.

  “Look who’s still a moron,” Taryn shot back at him.

  “You really need to watch what you say. There are so many things I can do to you and your friends,” Alloy said casually.

  “You can’t do anything to them without them knowing,” Taryn said.

  “Well my little helper did a wonderful job of cutting up your friend...what’s his name? Laiken?...last night.” Alloy said.

  Taryn’s heart sank, and she was completely speechless.

  “Nothing to say to that?” Alloy asked with a superior attitude.

  “You have a spy at our safe house.” Taryn said, exasperated.

  “I’m actually surprised you didn’t guess that earlier,” Alloy said.

  “Tracker,” Taryn whispered angrily.

  “Nope. Although she was my first choice, she wouldn’t take the deal.” Alloy said. “Don’t waste your time trying to figure it out.”

  “So why are you so obsessed with me?” Taryn asked.

  “Oh, you know exactly why. I don’t understand why you haven’t told anyone yet. It could be the turning point in your life.”

  “I don’t need to be at a turning point. You need to be at gun point, though,” Taryn said.

  “Have it your way.” Alloy left.

  After hearing four distinct clicks of the locks from outside the door, Taryn let the tears roll down her face. Yes, I've been keeping a secret from everyone, even my closest friends. But it was from my earlier days here at the slave school, before Ryker and Laiken came. I know they'll soon know the secret, but I don’t know how they'll take it. Then the possibility of Laiken being dead went running through her mind. She couldn’t bring herself to believe it.

  OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS Laiken neither got better nor worse. He did not wake up, and his breathing was abnormal. Dr. Render said it would take extra time for his body to build up his red blood cell count back to a healthy number.

  Ryker rarely left Laiken's room and ate only a little. He had offered countless times to give some of his blood, but the doctor said there was no way to tell if he was a compatible match. Laiken’s condition had gone from bad to worse.

  Ryker had a few notebooks strewn around the room, trying to make a plan to recapture Taryn.

  On the fifth day, Tracker came into Laiken's room and asked Ryker, “Got anything yet?”

  “Yeah, a bunch of scribbles and wadded up paper,” Ryker answered, tossing aside a notebook. He was sitting with his back against the wall and his feet balancing on Laiken’s crutch. “He may be tough, but I think things are pushing his limits.”

  “Well, I see the way he acts around you. He’s trying to keep it together for your sake,” Tracker said.

  “He’s been doing a pretty good job. I don’t know what all of this'll do to him, though,” Ryker said.

  “Maybe he’ll be able to tell us who did it.”

  “Let’s hope.” He changed the subject back to Taryn. “I don’t know how to get Taryn out quietly.”

  “Maybe we shouldn’t do it quietly,” Halo said walking through the door with Devin, each holding a folding chair.

  “We could go in guns blazing, light the place up,” Devin said, sitting down.

  “How do you propose we do that without any weapons?” Ryker asked.

  “You clearly haven’t explored this place. Come with me.” Halo said. “Devin’ll stay here with Laiken.”

  “I’ll stay too,” Tracker said. I’ve seen it enough times, though it still fascinates me every time.”

  Ryker got up reluctantly and followed Halo down the hall, through a few doors, and finally to a long, steep set of stairs. Halo hit a switch on the wall and the whole staircase lit up. They walked down the stairs and around a few more corners, Halo hitting switches here and there. Finally the narrow hallway opened up to a huge room.

  “Wait till you see this,” Halo said lifting a breaker lever. The whole room was flooded in light, revealing rows and rows of metal shelves with every type of weapon imaginable. Machine guns, hand guns, rifles, swords, knives, grenades, bombs, crossbows, flamethrowers, ammo, and armor lined every wall and shelf of the huge expanse.

  “What the hell?” Ryker said in total astonishment.

  “I know, right?” Halo said. “We have an arsenal.”

  “Who even owned this building?” Ryker asked, making his way to the weapons.

  “Don’t know, but they were freakin’ awesome!” Halo said, handling each crossbow. “A few of my people and Tracker have been coming down here for a while organizing and sizing up the stock.”

  “Is this a flamethrower?” Ryker asked, picking up the double-tanked weapon and pointing it at Halo.

  “WHOA! Don’t point that at me!” Halo yelled, ducking away from the aim.

  “We are so gonna light them up,” Ryker said, putting the flamethrower down and moving on to different weapons. “Is there a practice range?”

  “Oh yeah!” Halo answered. “It’s back there. There’s even a secret combination lock.”

  “How did you get it open then?” Ryker asked.

  “Render is sort of an expert in the field. Says it's her hobby. She can get past anything mechanical.”

  Ryker looked at Halo and smiled. “Well I'm going to throw a few knives. I haven’t touched throwing knives in so long.” Ryker said.

  “Boys and their weapons,” Tracker said, shaking her head as she walked in. “But I have to admit, I already went through a few hollow points with one of the Winchesters.”

  Ryker's happy face turned serious. “How’s Laiken?”

  “No change. Devin's still with him.” Tracker picked up a short-handled dagger.

  BACK AT THE SCHOOL, TARYN was on her sixth day with no food and what little water the guards gave her. Alloy had been in once to tell her that this could not last forever; sooner or later she would die of starvation. She had told him to go to hell, and he had left.

  The same images of Laiken lying dead in the safe house had been playing in her mind since Alloy’s hint. She was thinking how devastated Ryker must be and what everyone else was doing.

  “He’s not dead,” she finally said out loud. “Laiken isn’t dead, and neither is anyone else.” She was hoping Ryker had a plan to get her out—and soon. She was getting weaker every minute.

  OVER THE COURSE OF THE next week, Ryker, Halo, Devin, Dr. Render, and Tracker took turns training anyone who was willing to learn. They served on shifts with different weapons, teaching people how to shoot, throw, and block. Tracker stuck to teaching the ways of a rifle and some blocking maneuvers. Ryker was in charge of throwing knives and swords. Halo took on the crossbows and hand guns. Devin was teaching sniping skills to a few younger students. The doctor, when she wasn’t checking in on Laiken, taught people how to decode messages and how to pick locks. Laiken still hadn’t awakened during the seven days of training.

  “What are we going to do about the people who don’t want to go in fighting?” Tracker asked at dinner one night.

  “I’ll show some of them how to clean and patch up wounds,” Dr. Render answered between bites. “They can help the injured at least.”

  "Hopefully there won't be any," Ryker said.

  “Do you have a plan yet?” Halo asked.

  “Not a final one,” Ryker said, putting his
fork down. “I was thinking the rifles could surround the building, and a few snipers could be placed at different points around, too, in case of an emergency. We’ll see if we can get Alloy to come to the door, and when he opens it, Devin will snipe from his point.”

  “You do realize that Taryn wants to be the one to kill Alloy, right?” Tracker asked.

  “I know,” Ryker said. “That’s why it isn’t a final plan.”

  “I think everyone but the snipers should surround the building. Like you said, snipers for emergencies.” Halo said. “Maybe the guards will realize they're outnumbered and will surrender. Then we can capture Alloy, and Ryker can go in and get Taryn. We’ll bring Alloy back here, and when Taryn gets her strength back, she can do as she pleases.”

  “When do you have time to think of all this?” Devin asked.

  “Oh, when I’m not painting my nails or brushing my hair,” Halo said.

  “You’re funny,” Devin said.

  Ryker rolled his eyes and said, “Ladies, back on subject, please.”

  “What if the guards don’t surrender? Then what?” Tracker asked.

  “I never said mine was a final plan either,” Halo said.

  “Well it’s the best we got so far.” Ryker said. “I hate waiting so long, but I think we need another day to finalize and get everyone in the loop.”

  They finished their dinner and continued to talk about the school structure and where Taryn might be. They were discussing Laiken’s condition when a horrific scream echoed through the building. The whole dining hall went silent as a young girl ran in with tears streaming down her face, blood on her hands.

  Ryker