Renegades Stories

Chapter 4: Andrew

Andrew lay down on the grass, staring up at the night sky. He and the team had decided to go stargazing. Well, Nova had forced them to go. She was explaining all the backstories for constellations to Adrian and Danna, who were on either side of her.

With Ruby on one side of Andrew, and Caroline on the other, he couldn't really hear the girl, but the parts he did hear seemed interesting enough.

"I'm exhausted," said Caroline, letting out a yawn. "I was up until two in the morning last night, studying for my entrance exam."

Caroline was trying to get into the Prodigy School of Education, where prodigies could finish their education, as well as get extra training. It wasn't required, but recommended for all prodigy Renegades under the age of eighteen.

Andrew hadn't wanted to go. When his mother had suggested he try out for it when he was transferred from Paris to Gatlon City, he'd laughed and said he'd rather not. He'd be living life as a Renegade. He wouldn't have time for school, plus, with Nova Artino on his team, she could teach him a lot of things.

Andrew frowned as he felt something curl around his wrist. Looking over at his right hand, he saw green vines emerging from the ground, pinning it to the earth. The same thing was happening to his other hand, and his ankles. He tried to move, break the vines, but they were too strong.

"What's happening?" he cried, panicking.

"I don't know!" Caroline responded.

He looked over at her, and saw her dark brown eyes were wide with worry. Something strange was happening here.

"Don't worry, Renegades," said a new voice. A girl of about sixteen or seventeen walked into Andrews line of vision. She was tall and skinny, with blonde hair braided back with vines similar to the ones wrapping around him and his teammates. She was wearing a black and green tank top, a denim jean jacket, black leggings, and tennis shoes. She had several knives strapped to a belt around her waist. Her green eyes were glaring at them, but she had a smirk on her face. "This is only temporary," she continued. "We just wanted to let you know that Gatlon City isn't as peaceful as you thought it was."

"Who the hell are you? And what do you mean by we?" Adrian snarled.

The temperature spiked as a ring of fire surrounded the group. Oscar screamed. A figure walked through the fire, revealing another girl of about thirteen or fourteen, with very red hair pulled into a high ponytail, and green eyes like the older girl. She was wearing a red and orange muscle tee, black leggings, and tennis shoes. She didn't have any visible weapons, but her control and immunity to the fire around them was enough proof that she could be dangerous.

The girl's nose wrinkled in distaste as she took in Andrew and his team restrained to the ground.

The first girl spoke. "I'm Wildflower. This is my sister, Inferno. We know Gatlon City has been relatively quiet since the fall of Ace Anarchy, but it was getting boring. Sitting around for seven years waiting for revenge really wasn't working. We got impatient. And now... here we are. Ready to make some chaos. Isn't that right, Inferno?"

Inferno sighed dramatically. "Right. I'm ready for some action. Sitting in the tunnels for six years just wasn't cutting it."

"What?" Nova said sharply, on the other side of Caroline.

"Oh yeah, you didn't know, Nightmare. You weren't the only one being raised by Anarchists. Or, well, in our case, Anarchist singular. Leroy raised us," said Wildflower, stepping forward a few steps to peer down at the former villain.

Oscar coughed. "By Leroy, do you mean Leroy Flinn, as in Cyanide?"

"No, a different Leroy. Yes, Cyanide," said Inferno sarcastically, her eyes flashing in the flames.

"Why are you telling us all this?" Narcissa asked. She coughed.

"Yeah, good question," Caroline said.

Inferno strode forward, looking down at Caroline. "I've heard of you. Caroline Westwood. The Dread Warden's niece. Camo, they call you. Wildflower?" She turned towards the older girl, who nodded, and made her vines pull her into a standing position.

Inferno's hands lit up with fire, and she leaned in towards Carolines arms.

She shrank back, and as the flames touched her, she screamed in agony.

Andrew struggled against his bonds, shouting.

"Stop!" Danna cried. She disappeared, transforming into a swarm of monarch butterflies. When she reappeared, she grabbed Inferno's arms back and yanked, sending both girls sprawling.

Caroline had collapsed, sobbing and shuddering in her vines, her eyes glazed with pain, her arms burnt severely.

"It's okay," Andrew whispered to her. "We'll get you to safety."

She didn't seem to hear him.

He glanced over to where Danna and Inferno were wrestling on the ground. Danna kicked the younger girl in the chest. Inferno fell to the ground, gasping for breath. The fire around them died down to a small blaze.

"Release my friends," Danna said through gritted teeth, "Or I'll kill her."

Wildflower was watching Monarch with horror in her eyes. Her fists were clenched tightly, but she didn't attack. Instead, Andrew felt the vines around his wrists slink away. He rolled his wrists, trying to get feeling back in them. He sat up and scooped Caroline into his arms.

She moaned in pain, barely conscious. The rest of the team circled close around them.

Andrew could hear Wildflower helping Inferno to her feet, asking if she was alright. But he didn't care about the villains. All that mattered at the moment was Caroline.

He glanced at Adrian. He was the team leader, he would decide who would fight and who would get Caroline back to safety.

"Andrew, Oscar, and Narcissa, you guys take Caroline back to HQ and make sure she gets treatment. Nova, Danna, Ruby and I will fight with the villains."