Chapter 6: Captured... ALREADY?!

Adam yawned. He thought Karabold was closer than this! He peered over towards 'Tasha and Dai, who seemed to be getting on nicely. His smirk turned into a small frown. They'd better not be getting on too well, he wanted 'Tasha for himself. Spitting at the ground, he looked up at the darkening sky. They may be out of reach of Capital, but the curfew was still active here.

 

As were the Guardians, as the trio found out quite early into the trek. After fifteen minutes, they found themselves staring at a few Guardians brandishing nightsticks, who started to attack the three without hesitation. The resulting fight was... rather one-sided, leaving Adam and 'Tasha lying on the ground, cut and bruised, while Dai managed to escape into the hills, just. As the Guardians moved away to contact their superiors on their find, Adam looked over at 'Tasha.

 

“So... You and Dai...” Adam began.

 

“There's nothing between me and him, if that's what you're wondering,” 'Tasha replied with a scowl. Why was he being jealous at a time like this? Adam, on the other hand, sighed softly. Damnable women's intuition, even at this age...

 

“Oh, alright. That's not what I was going to ask, but still. It's good to be re-assured.” He smirked, hoping that his bluff wouldn't be called by the girl. Of course, he was dead wrong.

 

“Is that so? Then what did you want to ask, hm?” Adam swore.

 

“I... uh... well, uh...” The girl sighed and shook her head. She was about to come up with a witty remark, when something broke across both of their thoughts.

 

You guys there? It was Dai! The same disembodied voice that had let Adam know that the guy was there in Sect Sigma... Adam started to speak, but shut his mouth when the Guardians finally returned with the leaders.

 

Guys? Try and Attunate to me. Adam and 'Tasha both shook their heads slowly. They were too tired " too weak.

 

Guys? Can you hear me? Attunate! Adam swore to himself. It was futile. Dai just had to agree to that, somehow.

 

Futile? Are you sure? I'll wait for you, alright? Adam's eyes opened suddenly. He could hear his thoughts? Maybe that's how he could communicate with Dai... He tried to focus on one thing " a large NO... Right before the Guardians knocked him and 'Tasha unconcious.

 

 

Dai was confused. No? Did that mean that Adam didn't want his help? He blinked, and stood up from his hiding place, trying to contact the two once more. But he couldn't feel either of their thoughts. Which meant that they were either unconcious, or dead. He hoped for the former. That also explained the abrupt stop of the message. No use trying to Attunate, it was suicide. He just had to wait and follow their signals until he found where they were being held, or buried.

 

He ran along through the foothills, looking over the crests every so often, making sure that he was still keeping in line with the Guardians. They seemed to be heading to Karabold anyway. He smiled softly, at least they were helping the three. Somewhat.

 

As the party traipsed through the gates into Karabold, the large steel doors slowly but surely closed themselves, shutting the town out from the world. Dai couldn't climb the wall, and he couldn't risk Attunating to the pair " he'd still be going to his death. He'd just have to wait.

 

And above the boy, a helicopter with the TSC logo on the side flew into the town, and landed in the center square. And out of the craft stepped a black-haired, violet-eyed man in an expensive suit. Endavi Diederich was in the midst of the people, and he wanted to get his teenagers.

 

 

The Next Morning

 

Adam slowly opened his eyes, and found himself in a small, dark and dingy room, a lone, naked light hanging off the ceiling above them. He shook his head slightly, and tried to move his left arm. Nothing. Still groggy, he checked the arm with a quick glance, and saw that he was, in fact, tied to a f*****g chair. Great. He rolled his eyes, and attempted to look around the room for 'Tasha. He found her. Right behind him, tied to another chair. He breathed a sigh of relief, Dai should be safe too.

 

But... where were they? The last thing he remembered, they were knocked out on their way to Karabold by a pair of Guardians. He groaned, they could be in Capital, for all he knew. Suddenly, and to his complete surprise, a strange voice cut through the silence like a machete.

 

“Welcome to Karabold, my young Adam.” The boy blinked, and turned his head towards the source of the voice. His vision was still kinda blurry, but he thought that he could make out a suit-clad figure. As his vision finally returned, he recognised the man! The new president of TSC, Endavi Diederich.

 

“You.” The man smiled gleefully.

 

“You? Such a... kind and well-spoken insult. I expected more of you.” Adam blinked again, was he... mocking him? Adam shook his head, and felt the movement on his back, 'Tasha seemed to be back in the world of Men.

 

“Yo, Adam. Where are we?”

 

“Tied up in a sticky situation.”

 

“Ah, okay. 'm gonna go back to sleep no- Wait... who is that?” 'Tasha peered at the man for a couple of seconds, and gasped. “You!” Endavi laughed again.

 

“You really are a pair, the two of you. The same insult? Really...” He sighed and shook his head. “Well now, Natahsa, Adam, you're going to die today.” He giggled. Was he... taking pleasure in this?

 

“Die? You're f****n' kidding, right?” The man pointed a finger into the air, and swung it side-to-side.

 

“No, I'm not. You're going to die, and I'm going to get the pleasure of carving my name into your bodies with a pen. Get it yet? You. Will. Die. Here.” He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small pocket knife with a manaic grin.

 

Adam's eyes widened in fear, and he felt 'Tasha begin to struggle, as Endavi brought the blade down onto her face.

 

“Don't struggle...” The man grinned, and started to cut into the skin, a small red line appearing on her face.

 

Adam! The boy smirked, here was the calvalry. He tried to communicate again. He tried the simple word, Dai.

 

Yeah man, it's me. You alright? Adam sighed. If being trapped with a maniac and a knife was alright, then he was fine...

 

Oh. Alright. I'll try to get some help. The gate's just opened, but Guardians are out in force. Speak to ya later.Adam smirked, and tried to reply with a confirmation, but the line seemed to have been cut. Ah well.

 

“Kukuku... Her pretty face is being all ruined by this here knife of mine. Maybe I should make the damageworse, what do you think?” Endavi grinned even wider, and held the knife higher.

 

Boom. The wall of the prison suddenly fell down, and from the smoke appeared a young girl, golden hair at her feet, and a pair of cold, untrusting golden eyes staring at them.

 

“Men, open fire on Endavi Diederich.” The men behind her nodded, and cocked their machine guns, before aiming at the man and pulling the triggers, mowing him down into a bloody mess. She smirked, and walked over towards Adam and 'Tasha, pulling out another knife and cutting the ties that bound them. “Looks like I saved your asses.” Adam nodded, and checked his wrists for lesions.

 

“Seems that way.” The girl turned around, as one of the soldiers inspected the mass of blood and guts that used to be Endavi Diederich.

 

“It ain't him, ma'am.” The girl's eyes flared up.

 

“What?! Our intel was perfect " what do you not him?” She stormed over to the man and the body, and knelt down at it, gasping slightly at the mess. “You're right... A body double. He sent a body double in his place.” She turned to the pair with fire in her eyes. “He talked to you, didn't he? What'd he sound like?” Adam blinked.

 

“He sounded, I don't know. Like a man on the edge " crazy, psychotic.” The girl sneered.

 

“S**t. He's sending convicted criminals in his place, huh?” Adam's heart suddenly skipped a beat. No, it wasn't what she said " it was something else. He looked at her for a couple of seconds, before she turned back and blinked. “What?” He shook his head.

 

“Nothing.” A complete lie on his part " there was something, something that he'd felt from her. A Resonance. She was one of the Ten. The girl walked back to them and smiled brightly.

 

“I forgot to mention. I'm Reila Tsukino. I lead the Free Hawks here in Karabold. You two should come with me " you need to clean up a little, and explain yourselves. Especially why two wanted murderers are in a Guardian-controlled town...” She nodded a couple of times, and motioned to the men behind her, grinning. “Take 'em to the base. We'll clean up here, and I'll be back with ya soon.” The soldiers nodded, and Adam and 'Tasha felt themselves being moved away by rough hands.

 

They were in for a bumpy ride...