<div style="text-align: center">《 Rachel 》<br/>
<i>Location: Shuttle pick-up location<br/>
Addressing: Rebel, Anise, Kennedy</i>​</div><br/><br/><div style="text-align: justify">Rachel felt relief wash over her as Rebel took the gun. He treated the weapon like a man poking around under the hood of the car. She watched his movements, not bothering to commit a single one of them to memory. Rachel didn’t ask to be titled the keeper of the gun. Considering what Rebel’s roles and responsibilities were at Abendblume, Rachel could only assume that Rebel knew how to handle a gun.<br/>
<br/>
<i>“Listen, I don’t want to order you around, but I’m going to give you some advice.” </i><br/>
<br/>
Her jaw clenched in response and she leaned into her hip, arms tightening across her chest while she listened to the <i>wisdom </i>that he had to bestow upon her. Rebel suggested she remove the gun holster, lest she want to end up as someone’s target practice.<br/>
<br/>
“I’ve heard it takes an awful lot less to get shot around here.” Rachel felt the weight of the gun holster on her thigh, though she kept her eyes on Rebel. Cold and unblinking. She hadn’t been in the lobby when Brian was shot, but had heard mumblings as she was toted around the property like a ragdoll. “If someone points a gun at me because of this stupid thing, then I promise to be a good puppet and stand really still.”<br/>
<br/>
Rachel’s mind was reeling over the stupidity of this entire day when the man spoke again. Rebel thanked her for handing over the gun and Rachel felt her muscles grow stiff. “My name is Rachel. Two syllables. Ray-chel. Not Re-bec-ca."<br/>
<br/>
"I’m awfully surprised that you don’t have my name committed to memory.” She glared at him, eyes raking over his handsome features at a pace that left her little time to actually admire them. “I’ve heard stories of the little meeting room you guards have. The wall full of  Polaroid photos of all of Abendblume’s miscreants tacked up for your nightly game of darts. Is that how Hale created the list? He sipped a beer while you all threw darts, adding the bulls-eyes to his list of victims?"<br/>
<br/>
Behind her, Anise and Kennedy hauled themselves into the cherry red carriage. It may have been candy apple red in another life. She would have liked to see it then, but now it just made her nauseous. Of course they would have a red wedding carriage to transport them to the gates. Red was the color of danger and rage. It was the color of blood and death and fear. Very fitting for Hale.<br/>
<br/>
“No,” Rachel turned to face Kennedy and tucked her hair behind her ear. “You guys go. I’m going to wait here for the boys. There will be more room in the carriage for the bags that way, and you can help reassure everyone that might be at the gates. Tell them what Rebel said. They have time to go get their things. Help them into the carriage if they need a ride back and I’ll be here to unload them.”<br/>
<br/>
The sound of a woman screaming drew her attention from Kennedy and Anise. She turned back to Abendblume and saw nothing. She didn’t know what she expected to find. Maybe a woman running across the grass, evading guards and ducking gunfire? Was it Aurora? Mr. Frazier was capable, she could admit that at least, but she could not confirm what else could possibly be happening within the grandiose walls of Abendblume.<br/>
<br/>
“Aurora.” Rachel whispered, one hand on her chest while the other absently gripped Rebel’s shirt, blue eyes set on the resort. The fabric bunched up into her fist. “Go- Go see who that was. Go see who screamed.” Her eyes flashed to his and then down to her hand. She released him like a bolt of lightning had snapped at her fingers.<br/>
<br/>
"Aren't you a guard?" Rachel asked, her inquiry rhetorical, but who was she to say that Rebel would actually remember what his job was? "Well go <i>guard</i>! There could be a riot happening in there and you're standing here mansplaining to me about the dangers of wearing an empty gun holster." She gestured to Abendblume's main building. "I don't need a babysitter. I'll be fine until Tobias gets back. Go."​</div>