Strange Tactics (pt. 2)

Running down the hall to Sam with the dripping kitchen knife and fork in hand I stopped at Sam's cell and miraculously picked the lock after a few failed attempts. I scurried over to him, and gently shook him awake, "we have to go, now." I looked out the window to see that the sun was fully risen showing that it was around nine o'clock.

Sam jumped up, but stumbled back from the shock the guardians gave us earlier. "How the hell did you escape your cell? Like seriously...and why am I waking up after you've already escaped?!" He held my shoulders as I helped him up and out of the cell. "Alright...if you're going to dodge those questions what about this one..." I looked back at him as I circled clockwise through the halls to attempt to find the exit. "...Do you know how to get out of here?"

I kept taking lefts at every fork we came to and answered him quietly while I was entranced in my method, "well, when they were playing their hide and seek game, Eiji kept running around the tree clockwise."

Sam looked at me with a look of befuddlement, "What are you talking about?"

I stopped and saw a staircase leading up to a light, "in simpler words, he just kept turning left. The one right he took was when his mother caught him." I walked up the staircase and pulled out the bloody knife from my sleeve.

From behind me I could hear Sam gasp, but before he could say anything, I already opened the door and was walking up and out. I scanned the room for anything else I could need for later. I didn't find anything of value so I kept going towards the doors that had the brighter lights. Sam was trailing behind me still confused on how I knew where we were going, "so uhm...what about your bag then? Or do you know where that is too?" He hesitantly kept asking me questions that I honestly didn't know the answer to.

Where would they put the books? They seemed important so I'm guessing they'd be heavily guarded, I just hope they didn't send them out yet.

The last door we went through led to the outside of the sanctuary and to my 'surprise,' the place was crawling with guardians. I looked over to Sam and saw his face go pale. "How the hell are we getting out of here now?" I looked around and saw a corner of the place where a bunch of the guardians were sleeping.

I looked at Sam and he gave me a scared look, "give me your belt, also don't think of me differently after what I'm about to do..." He looked at me confused then began to unbuckle his belt.

When he pulled it off of his pants, he didn't give it to me but asked, "what're you doing before I give you my belt?" He raised his eyebrow at me and nudged me seriously.

I sighed softly and pointed to the flock of men laying lazily in the corner and said, "you're gonna need a uniform right? How else are you going to be able to walk around with me? I was going to use the belt to--" Before I could finish what I was saying he was already crawling away.

What the hell is he doing!? I told him to give me the belt, not go and get himself killed!

"Sam! Sam, get back here!" I whispered at him thinking he could hear me. "Sam I'm serious you better--" I looked past where he was crawling and behind him in a few crates was my satchel and the books inside.

What luck do I have today.

Not much, look.

I looked around the boxes and saw slaves being beaten by guards to move the crates on to the flying transporters.

This is gonna be a rough day isn't it?

I looked back to see him choking out a guard in the back of the pack, when the man stopped squirming, Sam pulled him under a hammock, coming out from under it standing in a guardian's uniform wielding an electric shocker with a metal bat on his hip.

My heart started pounding as he walked over to me. He whipped out a pair of electric handcuffs, "stand up peasant, you'll be loading those crates like the rest of the slaves." He winked and motioned towards the satchel.

"You've got a good eye sir." When I stood up I wiped the smile away from my face and he shoved me towards the loading station.

As we walked he whispered in my ear, "whatever happens today I just want you to know that I'll always be by your side. Whether it be in bad or good light." A light blush flushed my cheeks as he again shoved me towards the crates.

When we reached the area, some guards looked over to us with raised eyebrows.

They don't believe us, shit, shit, shit!

I whirled around and began to fight Sam to make it look like I was a new pick up. I think out of shock Sam really didn't know what to do, but when he glanced at the other guards drawing their electrical stems, he pushed me to the ground and started to kick me.

I know it sounds bad, but it's really not.

Is what I would love to say right now, but at this rate I don't think I'll be able to stand up. I know he was going easy on me, but I also know he wanted it to be believable.

As I began to cough up blood, one of the other guards ran over and pushed Sam away from me, "are you mad man?! If she gets injured, Eiji might see her bad condition and shut this place down! I dunno 'bout you but some of us here need the money!" The man pushed Sam away then walked over to me, "Get up second stage. You still have work to do." As I stumbled to my feet he looked back at Sam, "and you! I don't know what section you came from but here in the capital we don't run them shitless understand?" He walked off as the crowd of guards around us dispersed.

Sam walked up to me with a stern expression on his face, "get to work." He lifted me up by my collar and threw me towards the crates. I stumbled forward, my ribs bruising with every step I took, but if I fell over now I wouldn't get to the books.

I turned to Sam so that he could at least see how I was doing. I looked back and tried to stay strong, but when I saw the metal bat he was holding I began to cry as I held my side. His eyes softened as he stared at me about to give up the whole act.

Why did I leave? I should've just accepted the fact that Haru could never love me.

You're right, you were just being a stupid child. Why are you like this, so pathetic and useless and--

"Hey! Keep moving...you uh, you have a job to do!" Sam lightly shoved me towards the boxes. I looked back at him and shook my head, "go, I know this is tiring but this is your job now, the sooner you finish the sooner you can leave."

He's right. The sooner I get the bag, the sooner we can find out where we are--

Wait a second.

I looked over to the guard that stopped Sam before and remembered what he said, 'I don't know what section you came from but here in the capital we don't run them shitless understand?'

"The capital..." I looked back at Haru as I approached the crates. The man from before blew a loud high pitched whistle that made everyone stop what they were doing and cover their ears, "I'm going to separate the guards and slaves into two groups. The first group will be going onto the airlift to unload the crates and weaponry in the safe house, the rest of you will be staying here and sending rations throughout the cities and putting the slaves to rest."

Shit, what if we're separated?

Just keep loading the crates, try to look strong enough to get onto the lift.

Right, just keep working. Ignore the pain in your side and your cuts and bruises. The books, the satchel, the books and the satchel. Focus Azami, focus!

The man was putting yellow tags on the people leaving while the people staying were told to stand by the side. Sam was one of the first to receive a yellow tag.

Whew...At least I don't have to be worried about him staying here and not knowing how to distribute rations...

When the guard reached the last two slaves, me and a very elderly woman, he rubbed his chin while watching us lift boxes.

Ignore the pain! Ignore the pain! Ignore the pain!

I kept repeating this in my head until I looked over to see him placing the yellow tag on the elderly woman. My heart sank to my feet at the sight.