Chapter 29

Raven dove to the side to avoid the gunfire, Jack laid flat against the bed of the truck. He pulled her next to him, so she was flat next to him. Hunter slammed the truck forward, pedal to the floor. Man I can’t die like this. Hunter rounded a curve, then slammed on the breaks, cutting the wheel a tad.

Jack and Raven both hit the cab of the truck, which now sat at an angle on the road. Raven heard footsteps surround the truck, as well as other trucks, keeping their distance.

“If you don’t all put your hands to the sky, I will blow you all to kingdom come.” A rough voice said over a loudspeaker. “Including you two idiot fucks in the bed.”

Raven had no option but to comply, further confirmed by Jack’s sigh, and raising his hands. The group pulled raven to a seated position, using her raised arms as pry bars against the side of the truck. One popped out of socket, but the other stayed as it was. In pain but in socket.

Rough hands pulled her arms behind her back, forcing her out of the truck bed. She saw Jack dragged off before they put the hood over her head. The strange men didn’t listen to her yelling, but dragged her to a waiting truck. It was a box truck based on how the sounds echoed in it. They left the door to the truck open, and Raven heard indistinct yelling from where she’d come from. After several minutes a body thumped to the floor of the truck. The door slammed shut, and they began to move.

“Jack?” She got no reply. Raven slid close to the body, and felt at it with her hands. Dammit that is Jack. Same shirt he was in before, but the material was damp, and when she pulled her fingers from it, they were sticky. “Dammit.”

The inside of the truck had a texture of plastic, all around it. There were no ridges or tie down spots or anything she could use to remove the hood or cut the zip ties at her hands. At least I wasn’t beaten to a pulp.

She had no way of knowing who the group was, none were recognizable. Granted, they wore masks. The truck soon began moving, slowly. It must have been a half hour before they finally stopped.

Raven was dragged away from Jack’s body, her protests were ignored. The rolling door of the truck was slammed shut before the truck rolled away. Raven saw Nova next, wings bound over her arms, like a makeshift straitjacket. How on earth did they manage that? Hunter was in normal cuffs.

“Welcome, mortals and Rebel Demigods, to New Mythborn.” Raven strained against the arms that held her on her knees. She needed confirmation, but Instead, she recieved a hard crack of a gun’s butt end. The speaker strolled into view, and she got what she needed. Michael Logan. “Raven, daughter of the traitorous god, and the magic one. Nova, daughter of the gods of death and hell. And a mortal you have adopted for some reason.”

“Where is Jack?” Raven demanded, trying to summon her power, but failing. What the fuck.

Michael stooped to her level, grinning. He cupped her face with his hand. “He will live.”

“What the hell are you people doing here?” Hunter demanded, drawing a glare from the filth standing over Raven now.

“Gloating. Victor and the offworlder will be glad to see what i have done here.” Michael brought with him some horrible memories of Raven’s past. He’d beaten her as a child, before she and the others were able to leave Mythborn altogether. Michael didn’t speak again, rather gestured for the group to be taken.

Yet another pair of rough hands got Raven on her feet and trudging toward some train cars. “Fuck you.” Raven said as the door slammed.

“Raven? Is Nova with you?” Hunter asked, then coughed. A wet slap sound came from where he’d spoken.

“She isn’t.”

“Jack isn’t here either.”

“Dammit to hell. What the fuck are we going to do?”

“You can’t use your powers at all, can you?”

“No.”

“Fuck.” Raven heard Hunter hit his head on the wall. Raven herself shifted to the corner of the car adjacent to the door. They both stayed silent in the darkness for a long time.

Hunter broke it eventually. “I am really scared of losing Lainey.”

Raven raised an eyebrow, though he wouldn't be able to see that in the dark. “You like her?”

“Come on now. It’s painfully obvious.” And I am worried about Jack.

---

Dammit, what have I done? Nova knew in her head it wasn't her fault, she couldn't have predicted where mythborn would be located. I should have. Her arms were pulled close to her body by her wings, which were bound to her. It was like a mental hospital straitjacket, or a police wrap device. It felt pointless to fight or escape. I hope they just kill me.

The door opened fast and sharp, and a body was dumped into the room. Has to be Jack. The room was dark once more.

After an hour of silence, Jack crawled to the corner. “Shit, didn't realize I had company. Sorry Nova.”

“No problem. I’d untie you if these assholes didnt bind me so.” What would be the point? Can't even use our powers. Nova didn't know if it was magic the group had, the container she sat in, or the bindings around her, but it was odd.

“Where are the others?” Jack asked, his voice was hoarse. Nova heard him moving t9 the other far corner from the door. He grunted with each movement. The hell happened to him?

“Another car. I wish I knew.”

---

As far as Nova could tell, they were left alone for a full day, without food or water. That’s when the Mythborn members threw the door open and dragged the two out. In the light Nova made out Raven and Hunter, and had a better glimpse at Jack’s injuries. His clothes were in tatters, and he had clear electric burns on his arms and legs, mixed with bruises and cuts. The worst of it was his face, lacerated and he had an eye swollen shut. I need a way to fix this. That would be hard in an insulation trailer.

The trailer in question had an Orkin logo on it’s side, insulation bales in the back, and a thick layer of dust on the ground. The actual insulation grinder and blower was removed, leaving a clear spot and streak to the ramp door. When it was shut, a cloud of insulation dust was stirred up.

Jack took a seat on one of the bales, while Nova just sat on the floor, head down. This is hopeless. The truck began moving, and continued to do so for upwards of half an hour.

“Well we cant just sit around. We need to figure this shit out.”

“My hands are useless, Jack. I am tied up like a mental patient.”

“Everyone is in this world I think.” Jack stood, and began shuffling the insulation bales around with his feet. A few minutes later he laughed. “They are fucking idiots.”

“Hm?”

“They missed a freaking knife.” He kicked the knife toward her. It was a dull thing, blade worn down by the recycled paper used for the insulation, but it would be enough. For the first time in captivity, she could smile.

---

“How long has it been?” Corinne asked, signing for Arden’s benefit. She was trying not to use her Nythrana spike constantly, the bleeding was annoying to her.

“Too long.” She didn't have to speak, the answer was obvious.

“We need to get them back dammit.” Alaina said, arms crossed, a dark expression on her face. The Umbrir Karthas and Kal were both present, but largely silent. Corinne took the silence as an opportunity to stretch a bit, but got glares in return. Well fine then.

“Search team?” Arden asked aloud.

“Immediately.” Alaina said, uncrossing and recrossing her arms. She looked like she’d never smiled in her entire life. The body armor didn't help that. “They would have headed south, then back west toward us. I can draw a map of possible locations.”

“I will join on the endeavor.” Kal spoke up. His voice was grating and sharp. It was as if the sounds that made up English were foreign to his mouth. Karthas spoke much the same as Kal, but she acted more like a human than him.

“If I may,” Rhett said, approaching the table. Rose entered the room, following Rhett. The pair were late to the meeting. Can't blame them. If I had a boyfriend I'd be late everywhere. “Rose and I can stay to lead.”

“Works for me.” Corinne said, and signed the situation to Arden, who nodded.

“*Need some action anyway.”

“I’ll stay with the mortals.” Karthas said, nodding to Kal.

“We leave in a half hour.” Kal said in his sharp way.

Corinne was the first to leave the room, nigh giddy. Arden was next out, and the pair walked to their beds. “It will be good to do something more productive.”

“Definitely.” Corinne packed her bag, med kit, clothing, fire kit, knives, and a pistol. The two women had run the camp for god knew how long at this point.

Corinne, Arden, Alaina, and the male Umbrir all loaded up into a 4-door pickup shortly thereafter. They said some short goodbyes, and left the former Costco. Alaina drove, Kal in passenger. Arden and Corinne took the rear seats. The truck was a newer electric model, Arden’s idea, so they would be near silent as they made their way to the southeast.

“Kal looks super uncomfortable.” Arden signed to Corinne.

Corinne watched Kal intently for a few moments. He was sitting still and straight like a corpse, and his eyes were wildly scanning both the windows and mirrors. “You reckon trucks are foreign to him?”

“They have to be I think.”

Corinne tapped his shoulder, causing him to whirl in his seat. “You’re rsther jumpy, relax a little.”

“I will relax when your companions are found in one piece.”

“Not scared of cars then?”

Kal said something in his own tongue, or at least not one of earth, then spoke. “No other planet has such advanced vehicles. It is unnerving how one can be so large and yet silent.”

Corinne sat back. “Well that’s fair.” Arden nodded.