I really should have cleaned this damn carpet. A vacuum at least; I can see the fucking crumbs beneath my boots. The smell of the fresh ink scrawled across the manilla folder and it's pages I had thrown in the back and ignored had leaked was now pressed into the fake leather seats.
And it was so overpowering too. I groaned at seeing it smeared down the side of my hand that had stained it onto the side of my clean shirt I'd have to soak in the sink again.
How long would that stain last? Maybe I could try and ditch the shirt for a new one to make it easier?
Of course I was going to be getting slack for being sloppy again. It was going to get so many jokes that I really didn't want to be the butt of.
The papers were strewn everywhere. The damn leader sure knew what he was doing when he spared no detail. I was just lucky I didn't forget the papers this time; that would be a bitch.
And my legs. I hadn't moved them since stuffing myself into this car. They felt like wood now and were just as stiff. The pain traveled up my legs and into my back that squirmed in the seat for relief.
Despite the size of the car overall, the boot was bloody tiny. I was surprised I could fit my target in there after all the fighting and struggling he had kicked into me as I stuffed him in.
At least I had help with me. That made it much easier than struggling alone would have.
I had to chuckle at how lucky I had been. How damn obvious it had all been with the weeks I had spent tracking his movements and favourite locations.
What did he think was going to happen? Once he split from his two friends, he cycled alone through the outskirts of town. They all rode, but they all lived so far apart. The guy was an easy target, even for one inflicted with the same feral energy that surged through the Second.
I usually avoided Missions that directly involved those higher in the Base. I ignored those Souls themselves like they were the plague and had gone to the lengths of checking each folder that passed my hands before leaving the office.
But today; today I had let my excitement think instead of my morality. After leaving and later reuniting with the family, I convinced Sparrow to be one of my henchmen in this Mission.
If he helped me out, he'd get a share of my money he could use for whatever his Skin could snag. That'd be a nice repayment for an old brother.
It wasn't his first one either. We had a particular pickup and dropoff spot not too far from thier new home far from the Base. Old fueds were long gone now that Tor had settled into his role of little Pinecone's father who had surprisingly survived to become the ball of energy it was now.
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On Missions with people I knew, I wore my Hearing-Aid I had sacrificed way too much of my money for from the shadiest Soul I had met. It was just one and wasn't too noticeable with its slim tube and smaller design, but it reminded me of simpler times with my original one. If I didn't make it obvious or keep my head turned for too long to let eyes to linger, I could hide it from anyone. Mostly though, the little device stayed in its container in my shared sock drawer.
But, despite it all, here I was. Living it up with the best life had to offer.
Sparrow shuffled together the papers to dumped the folder into the passenger seat beside me. He smiled in the rear view mirror and went back to leaning against the window to stare at the passing scenary.
I could see he was starting to seize up too. If I had pulled over like I said I would sooner, we'd both be stretching out somewhere more comfortable.
And I just had to convince myself it was a little further, making me pass up perfectly good opportunities in a false hope the Base was only up the road.
I had driven plenty of times, just never anything this far. It was just the first time I had decided to play kidnapper too.
He was interesting though, I had to give him that. Short pink hair, plain-faced and a little scrawny. Loved spending time alone to draw or bike out further to new places when he wasn't hanging with his friends. Had a bad habit of sleeping with his music in when the weather was just right. That's how I thought I'd take him by surprise, but it was when he was biking home alone.With the low cut singlet swinging from his sweating body and what should have been restricting black denims, he really was peddling for his life when I pulled ahead of him in the car and made my move.
I thought I had been a bit too lucky. Now I was doing things I never had imagined.
"Are you fucking serious?" I heard Sparrow's voice sigh from behind me "at a time like this?!"
The anger in his low voice made me aware of his discomfort and stiffened stance. It made me realise instantly.
"Dude, I'm sorry" I groaned back with a laugh "I forgot you need to pee."
"And I'm starving."
I realised how hungry I was at the mention of food. I hadn't eaten yet and was looking forward to anything that wasn't just picked scraps back home. With my accumulated paychecks from Missions, it would only be nice if I also bought something home for Ransom.
My stomach was twisting itself into sickening knots as I sat there staring at the billboarded road like a clueless idiot. I really wanted something to eat, it was starting to make me sick.
Maybe it was because the stress had worn off from the rush? I had never been in a situation like this; not even at the Base.
"Philly!" Sparrow whined "just pull over! I'm busting!"
I continued on until I could veer off the road. I was still moving when I heard Sparrow burst out of the back door. He sprinted for the legs of a sign advertising burgers to sigh gratefully as the trickle of piss splashed down the metal shading him.
I was nervous sitting here off the side of the road. I was a kidnapper, and it wasn't even of a child. This was a young man with enough of a social life to be noticed when he went missing.
How was the news going to spin that when they realised he was a Stealer now? Would they search for him at least?
I should probably check if he was alive. Since throwing him in the boot, the noise had died off a while ago. I wouldnt be paid if he had suffered from monoxide poisoning on the way back.
"Come on!" I slapped the side of the car at Sparrow "let's go!"
"We should stop for food!" he pointed to the sign above him happily as he fixed himself.
I sighed, agreeing to listen to him and my growling stomach.
"Just go check on the boot" I lowered my voice when Sparrow returned with excitement "make sure he's not....you know..."
"Sure."
My whole body ached with nerves when I watched Sparrow round to the boot I popped unlocked for him. The metal blocks out my view when he opened it to check inside.
"WELL?" I called.
He was there a bit longer, letting out a sharp laugh and carefully pushing the boot closed so he could climb into the back again.
"He wants a twenty four pack of nuggets and a coffee frappe" he commented with a snort and a thump on the middle seat he flipped down to reveal the disgruntled face to me "right, buddy?"
Before the guy could say anything, Sparrow slapped the seat back up with an amused smile.
I sighed again, realising just how expensive this trip was about to become.
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"Um, hello. Could I please get three twenty-four packs of nuggets, please? With tomato sauce?"
A disgusted noise rose from the back.
"And a coffee frappe" Sparrow added as he poked his tongue back in "and I want the largest Roadtrip burger meal they've got with the frozen peach drink that has the little balls in it."
I turned to him in bewilderment.
"Is that all?"
"Three of those" he smiled after a brief thought "got to feed the others too."
Was he paying for that?
When I saw he wasnt handing me any money, my annoyance climbed as I slowly pulled out my wallet.
"Hey, it's payment for dragging me two hours one way and two back" he leant against my seat "I said you owed me."
"If I knew you were going to be this expensive, I would have left you on your pole" I jabbed.
"And if I knew you were going to be this cheap, I would have told you to pull more money out of your g-string, you whore" Sparrow retorted.
"Fuck you" I chuckled.
"You wish you could."
I paid and rolled forwards slowly, growing worried at the silence through the car.
The guy should have been screaming out or doing something to get attention now that we were near people. He bucked like a wild bronco when we caught him and wailed like someone was murdering him when we threw his bike into the bushes nearby. Silence wasn't good. Maybe I had killed him?
"Pop open the middle a little to give him some air" I worried.
I heard a thump as the middle seat was cracked open just a sliver. I heard a gargle and the body scraping on the lining weakly.
"I don't feel so good" the tiny voice rasped.
I heard the rustling of the first paper bag by the window and quickly grabbed it to dump it down besdie me. The others were chained through to join the pile before I arched us around the curve of the drive through to veer back onto the road.
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Cool air blew across our faces when I pulled the car over onto a gravel ledge next to a deserted toilet block.
I popped the boot once more and passed across the oily paper bags so we could sit on the back of the boot and weigh the car down.
The guy didn't look good at all. His skin was pale and his eyes were barely staying open. He groaned when he took his dripping frappe to suck on it. His skin was as glistening as the outside of the drink he held.
Suddenly, he placed it down, and slid off the boot to try and make a run for freedom.
With only one road arching beside us and nothing else but the mountains and rolling landscape to the left, we only watched his staggering walk towards the toilets.
"Should we stop him?" Sparrow spoke through his burger.
I shrugged, still watching.
Sparrow leant forward, hunger in his eyes as the guy fell into the dirt and tried to stumble back to his feet.
"He's not an animal" I shook my head at the focus Sparrow held.
He straightened, flicking out the tomato from his food.
"Sorry. It's force of habit now" he admitted in embarrassment.
I saw the guy getting closer to the toilet block and felt my gut clench at the slim possibility he had to wriggle free.
"Maybe you should bring him back though..."
Sparrow grinned at me and eagerly took up the easy task.
"Don't damage him!" I called "I'm serious!"
I listened to Sparrow's shoes crunch on gravel as he slowly walked away. He stalked the guy like he would a rabbit, enjoying the pleasure of making him panicked in his slow pace.
He chuckled at the guy's panicked cries and easily moved aside when he charged to try and knock Sparrow's legs from under him.
Despite falling to the ground again, the dude was more of a fighter than I had taken him for. Watching him refuse to give up, I saw why the Base would have wanted someone like him in thier ranks. His determination alone was admirable as he stood up to Sparrow and gave up trying to escape. When he charged again and staggered Sparrow back by smashing into his middle, I saw his eyes were now fully black.
Huh. So that's what it looked like when the change happened. Nothing exaggerated, just a silent snap.
That would explain the importance of the seemingly pointless pages of facts I had been studying for weeks.
Sparrow squirmed and tried not to be dragged down when he pulled free. The guy yelled out as he charged again until Sparrow let out his own brief scream that had him groan out in pain.
I felt like cold shivers running over me when I braced for the hammering pain in my ears that never came. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKMuB2godv
From way over here, it wasn't so bad.
"Play nice" I warned Sparrow finally snatching up the guy's arm to drag him back roughly.
I hunched over my packet of chicken nuggets that I drowned into the sauce when the guy was thrown against the car roughly. The frappe teetered until Sparrow leant over to stop it from tipping, getting incredibly close to our Captive's scowling face.
"Run again and I'll deafen you completely" he hissed "sit down, eat your shit, and be grateful."
"I'd listen to him" I added.
"Fuck you both" the guy hissed as he snatched his drink and food to hunch over the edge of the car and scarf it down there.
"Maybe we should tie him up for the rest of the trip?" Sparrow slid back up onto the back of the car.
"We could gag him too" I pondered out loud and grinned at the guys stunned reaction.
"You aren't going to kill me, are you?" the guy asked as he pulled on the straw noisily and swallowed in fear.
"And kick your body over the edge out here?" Sparrow scoffed "give us some credit. We aren't that damn sloppy."
"You aren't going to die" I reassured.
Not yet anyway. The Base would cut his life short if he even managed to outlast the first Mission.
No-one was going to hear him out here if he started to panic and scream out again. With his strength quickly regaining now that fresh air coursed through his lungs, I didn't doubt he wasn't going to put up another fight before we got him that far.
At least he was trying harder than I ever did.
I just stared at his head scanning his bleek surroundings as he ate, setting down his burger to make a run for it in the opposite direction along the road.
"Fuck me" Sparrow drew in a long breath as he slid down again to give chase.
The guy was returned promptly, fighting and snapping against Sparrow who shoved him against the car again.
"Your food is going to get cold" I teased.
"Ha ha" Sparrow glared back and dragged my box of nuggets towards him to pinch one.
We both eyed the guy still trying to find an exit.
He really was trying, the poor thing.
"We've been very kind to feed you and let you breathe, you know. The least you could do is thank me."
I looked to the guy again and made sure to scowl at him. He snorted and spat at me, laughing even when it fell short.
"Fuck you."
Sparrow leant back with a silent snarl and nudged me roughly to get my attention.
"Just throw him back in the car. Save us all the hassle" he rolled his eyes.
I could see he was trying so hard not to break the guy. His hands tried not to squeeze the cup he held too tightly when his eyes shot back to the end of the car.
"Well, you have had enough air" I shrugged and started to clean up my mess "the Base shouldn't be too far. They can deal with you."
The guy scoffed but didn't move. His eyes still searched wildly though.
"Aren't you going to try running again?" Sparrow jeered "Scream? Cry? Tell us to fuck off?"
"Well, he won't be doing much talking when he can barely breathe" I chuckled.
We both snorted but he just looked between us sourly.
"They'll find me" he snapped "they'll find my bike and call the cops. People know me, my friends know me. They'll see I'm missing and kill you both."
"People knew me too" I jabbed back "I worked in one of the biggest stores in the town, but do you see them coming to save me? I'm still here, aren't i?"
"I doubt they'd send a search party for a kid who snaps when he gets angry" Sparrow added "caused a few problems in the past? Do you think they'll come running to your rescue when it'll be easier not to have you around?"
"I'm...." he bit out, falling silent briefly as his eyes started to spread again "....you don't know shit!"
I smiled and shook my head as the training of the pop-cap cartoon from work kicked in. Dealing this guy was like dealing with a loaded gun; a bomb even. If I followed the five c's, I could get us all back home without blood being drawn.
Calm.
I took a deep breath to steady myself.
"Would you like the boot, or the back seat this time?" I offered.
He was confused by the option, retracting the hate flooding his vision.
"The....back? What kind of fucking question is that?"
Even Sparrow was confused by my suggestion.
Ok. Co-operate.
"Sparrow will sit with you. If you make things hard, you'll go back in the boot, got it?"
He frowned, gathering up his mess.
He thought he had the upper hand here. By being in the back, there was more chances for someone to see him or hear him if he decided to yell out, which he would. But, by being in the back, I didn't have to worry about accidentally gassing the guy to death. Plus, he didnt know that from here on in that the roads we were taking wouldn't pass through any more towns. He lost his chance when he was dazed at the drive-through.
Conserve.
He was still a Captive that I was only going to be paid for as long as he came back alive. I had to make sure he was comfortable enough to not suffer any damages that Eagle might throw back on me.
Bare minimums. Nothing too lavish that he thought he was above his Captive status.
"Take a piss before we go. We aren't stopping again."
"I don't need to go" he replied shortly as he moved to the back door.
OK. Communicate.
"Philly, what the fuck?" Sparrow whispered to me while rounding in "stick him in the back? Are you mental?"
"The sooner we get him back, the better" I replied "it'll be fine. You'll be there to stop him if he tries anything. I'll have the doors and windows locked too."
"He's a Kalfar, just like the Second" Sparrow breathed "it's safer for everyone if he goes back in the boot."
Dont back down, Phillius. Complete. Complete the Mission.
"We are going to finish this Mission, ok?" I said sternly, placing a hand on Sparrow's shoulder "He's coming back alive. Nothing will happen."
"Fuck" Sparrow hissed nervously "I don't like this. He's Unbanded. If he jumps out...."
I glanced to the guy who leant against the car. He was just laying his arms along the roof, looking bored.
Still thinking he was in the best position. Not even running now.
Gestering to this smugly, Sparrow grumbled at being proven wrong.
"You've dealt with much worse. He's a twig. You could snap him" I whispered back with a smile.
"And i will if he tries anything" Sparrow pointed to me while backing up towards the car "I'm serious."
He wasn't. I smiled and nodded anyway.
"Sure. OK."
At least that eased his mind just a fraction. It was enough for him to get into the back with our Captive anyway.
Now I was starting to feel the fear jitter through me.
We were almost there. So much could go wrong still.
It was a time like this that i wished I had just been a bit more couragous.
After taking a quick piss and sliding back into the driver's seat to activate the locks, I saw a glimmer of hope drain from the guy's face when a possible exit was stripped from him.
Now was the chance to keep control of the situation. It was my only chance.
I pulled the car onto the curving road to my right. We bumped straight past the overlook that still dominated the left in all its glory. All I could hear was the gravel crunching under the tyres and feel each lurching hole slamming us against the straining seatbelts.
Just a little bit longer, then you can return home to your family.
A year had built it up nicely. It still wasn't the crowded fifteen we once had, but nine for now was comfortable. We still had time to search for those few to fill in our missing gaps.
Surviving through our worst had bought me closer to those I had shared the darkest times with.
Ransom was my everything. He patched the place in my heart that was lost to Talio. Little by little, he mended me through experiences I had lost to the death of my first mate.
He taught me to dance in his own shower of embers. It always amazed me how two people so similar could have such different versions of love.
He built up my courage to face the Base and the dangers that lurked within it. Solanine still rattled me when we crossed paths, but time had him hunting for a new victim to torment. I was old to him now; nothing more than a face and a stolen name.
Outside the walls of our room, we were just brothers. Inside, we were so much more. It worked that way. As long as Souls were fooled into believing our fake family tie to each other, then we could continue to live our true lives peacefully.
Talow helped keep our love guarded too. In his position, he saw and heard things other Souls overlooked. We kept his death and lineage a secret, and he turned a blind eye on Ransom and my relationship. He helped me in more ways than one. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGapH3YHJeB
We took an Oath on it. Packed over with healed skin, it was still gouged into our very beings that this was one Oath we couldn't break to each other.
I didn't dream on it. In a place I had once hoped a miracle would come to save me and let me go, I chose to stay and devote myself loyally. The delivery of this new Captive was going to further prove that.
I had more there than I ever could out here. They let me be with the one thing that mattered most, and that's what I thanked each new day for.
Until darkness takes our lights together, let me be with him forever.
Let me stay.
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