Previous Installments:
Prequel
Planting Seeds
Ayiana
had left Collins office with a purpose in mind, to seek out Byrne. It was more than needing his advice from the
man she had come to view as a father. He
was also the closest thing to friend she had.
She did not expect the two guards standing in wait to usher away some
place she did not know.
Dark
green hood pulled over her head she looked out the stained window, there was
little to see. It was once Atlanta, but
now it was nothing more than wasteland for scavengers and the infected. Pollution spread from the north, the Appalachian
coal companies run amok no longer responsible for cleaning up after themselves
had left most of the lands north of Atlanta for three states with the air, land
and waters polluted beyond repair. The
effects were devastating but the majority of the population still suffered and
lived in the stained land. There were
only three clean cities on the east coast, Charleston, Buffalo, and
Jackson. And only the wealthiest called
the places home with little care for anyone who they did not gain profit from.
Ayiana
hated the mask; she kept fidgeting with it over and over trying to deal with
the discomfort. At least it took her
mind off of her destination and companions.
If Collins was sending her to be executed, at least a couple of her
companions would have been the ones he would have sent along to do the
job. But then why so far, they had
already traveled two hours northwest away from Atlanta and no one said a word
to her let alone a move in her direction.
Logan
was a shooter, or at least it was what she knew most about him. Others had described him as the best shot in
the underground at a distance. He
appeared asleep a couple seats in front of Ayiana, and looked that way almost
from the moment he sat down. She had not even noticed a twitch of his eye, a
wrinkle on his forward or any discomfort from the mask. She envied how comfortable he looked.
Sarah
was another story, like clockwork she would walk down the aisle and back, her
arms crossed her chest. She like Logan
was a hitter, but of another variety, she was a beautiful young woman. Ayiana had heard Sarah was not afraid to get
her hands dirty and her beauty and wide eyed youthful smile got her into places
others could not go. And most times her
assignments were of lustful men or women who only saw her one way. Ayiana imagined if one of these two were to
kill her, it was Sarah who would do it.
The
train jerked, as its speed reduced cause Ayiana to jerk forward with her hand
on her mask she almost pulled it free in the movement. She glanced up to Sarah who was near her seat
holding steady on the back of one of the seats.
Logan’s eyes were opened now but he still did not move from his
position. “What’s going on?”
Ayiana
watched Sarah; the position was perfect for an attack. The high ground, she could almost see her
working through the movements of pulling her dagger and thrusting it
forward. None of it happened as the
slender woman moved away towards the cabin with no answer to the question
either.
“Okay
kiddies.” A large man rushed into the
cabin, almost pushing Sarah down as he moved passed her. “Time for the three of you to make your exit.”
“What’s
going on? Where are we?” Sarah
questioned only a step behind him as he passed by Ayiana’s seat. She could see the woman had her blade out and
ready as she walked. Ayiana looked to
Logan, who showed no rush in his movements.
“I only
know this is your exit, up ahead about twenty miles this train will be boarded,
all on board will be taken captive, unless they resist then they’ll be
executed.” The man opened the door
quickly tossing bags out into the dirt, “You can lose the masks, we are clear
of the polluted lands.” Ayiana had no
hesitation in loosing hers and breathing in, she looked out seeing something
she had never seen before clean forest.
“They are hunting one of you…or maybe each of you are listed with very
impressive bounties on your heads.
Collins wants you as far from Atlanta as he can get you until things
cool down but the government knows you were on this train, or at least
suspected. And they see your heads on a
pike would go a long way to quelling the rebellion.”
“Where
are we to go?” Sarah questioned.
“North,
Montana, he wants you to lay low until he sends for you.”
“How…”
The
large man spoke before Logan could finish, “Trust me kiddies, he’ll find you.” Ayiana was the last out the door before the large
man slammed it closed. They were still
standing there when the train moved away.
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