Cameron flinched at the gunfire sounding outside, instinctually crouching low as her eyes scanned the room. The exchange between Connor and Justin was observed from this position, and the words spoken between them was no surprise – Cameron’s first thought, if in Connor’s position, would be to give them up to secure safety. Well, maybe before. Now, she felt as if she was becoming more compassionate, and she didn’t know if that would harm her or help her in the end. 

Her and Justin followed Connor into their makeshift armory: a small, steel room, with all sorts of hardware hanging from the walls. Rifles with and without bayonets, handhelds, and other weaponry were all organized neatly, but Cameron’s eyes locked on to a long dagger that sat by itself on a shelf. Once she secured it, she also grabbed a pistol. It still felt foreign in her hands, but hopefully she had become a better shot since the first time she had used one. 

“What’s your plan?” Cameron asked bluntly as Connor and his crew armed themselves heavily. “We don’t know how many are out there.” 

“We’ll have to give it all we got then, huh?” Connor replied without looking up to her, his tone revealing that he wasn’t taking her words too seriously. 

Cameron scoffed in annoyance. “Look,” she said, placing her hand on the rifle he was loading, “If these guys are as serious as you say they are, shouldn’t you call for back up? Don’t you have more men?” 

“In the city,” he gruffly answered. “How am I supposed to get them here?” 

She scratched her head in thought, then began to search the lower cabinets that lined the walls.

“Aha!” she yelled, almost hitting her head on a shelf that was directly above her head. “A flare.” Cameron stood up and ran over to the men. “Is there roof access?” 

Connor nodded. “A small latch in the ceiling of the main room. Come on,” he signaled with a hand for her and Justin to follow. “Let’s lift her up.” 

After taking a deep breath, she stepped into one of their hands and gripped their shoulders, and she was lifted up to the ceiling to be greeted by a steel wheel. Cameron grunted as she conjured up what strength she had to turn it, and after a quiet click, the latch fell towards her, nearly causing her to fall onto the ground. 

Connor handed her a silver Zippo and the flare. “Stay low,” he looked up to her. “Light it, then hop back down. We’ll catch you.” 

“Got it,” Cameron groaned as she lifted herself up to her waist, keeping her head as low as possible as the top half of her body laid on the roof while her legs dangled below her. She sat the flare up, then swung her other arm over to it to light it. After a few attempts, the wick finally caught fire, and she shimmied her body back towards the entrance. “Coming down!” she yelled as she dangled from her hands, and after noting that the men below her were ready, she released her grip and dropped into their arms. 

As Cameron caught her breath, three men worked to seal the latch once again. 

“How many do you think will come?” she asked Connor.

“Hard to say. Maybe twenty.” 

Cameron nodded, then looked to Justin. “I think we need a vacation, huh?”