Chapter 10

" What? " The scream that followed over Rakel wasn't too funny as the small army went after her as he watched as he knew he only had so much. Rakel on the other hand didn't care too much even though she was upset with her father and not really knowing if it was him ran but not in fear but from the army that didn't like what she had done. They were going to kill him and she wanted at least a moment with him only everything happened too fast. She didn't climb down she jumped to the ground not seeing the few guards that were already there as she hadn't hit the ground yet. The gun came in contact with her face hard but she hit the ground harder before slamming against the wall. Austin didn't get to react in a certain way thankfully they didn't kill her they only dragged her behind them as several didn't see why as they had their own guns ready just in case. " Freaking nut cracker Rakel. " He muttered under his breath following from behind but further as necessary.

Austin a good ways away pulled out his Dragon Sniper and a bomb just to be sure of what was going down. Rakel lay sprawled out on the ground as one of the guys grabbed her guns including the holster around her hips. He didn't like watching as they had put something around her arms as the one guy who had the gun to the shaggy man's head yelled out in glee. " I'm going to have too much fun. Maybe I'll kill her first and make you watch your daughter die knowing you left her just to find me. Ha, See how that turned out. " Austin couldn't really hear but he heard most of it as he only thought of the one thing he really didn't want to do. "What's wrong with this guy!" He shot the one that spoke as everyone around didn't understand what was going on as they only looked in his direction as the shaggy man very frightened looked as well but not before long as he turned his attention to his daughter. Some of the men didn't know what to do other than run at where Austin was one of the men tried to shoot out at the man before he quickly acted and kicked him towards the stairs at the few others as they had caught him.

The few thoughts that went through Austin's mind weren't okay with him as he immediately had to yell at himself as he only wanted to wait for the perfect time to use his last bomb only they were gaining on him and the only way he had was to either run back to where they had come from or go towards where Rakel was. " He shot the Leader! " He heard them clearer now as they got closer he only hid behind the only thing he could hide behind as he crammed himself in between the walls before he could think about the bomb that lay in his palm. Breathing hard he closed his eyes still hearing them saying the same thing as one yelled after he heard the simple question from one. " Could we go home? Does this mean we can't take any orders? We're not getting paid if he's dead. " He heard it along with the questions that stirred but he was already in motion as the pin had already fallen to the ground as he barely had to even throw it towards the voices that were right behind the wall as it went off in mid-air. Most of the guys were already in mid screams as Austin shut his eyes tightly thinking of what he had done when all they wanted was to go home.

Would he get PTSD from all of this or did he already have it? He felt the need to stay behind the wall that sheltered him from the bodies that he honestly didn't want to see. He felt like after all this it would be pictured in his mind forever and that he would have to plaster a fake smile everywhere he went not only that he didn't think at all about his future as he only thought of what would have happened if he hadn't come with Rakel in the first place. Austin still breathing hard knew he would have to move at some point but he wished even by a little that it would've hurt him so he wouldn't have to deal with the nightmares that would follow or lead him astray. Stepping over the loose body parts he pulled himself to not puke to keep going, trying to think of other things he pushed himself to look anywhere else but where he was. He saw The man behind Rakel as they both seemed upset about something more than just what had happened he didn't watch his footing before he came face to face with a man and the plastered look of a scream as something more haunted, haunted Austin at the moment. Shrieking he backed away hurting in a way he never thought was possible as his body shook with the pain as he still heard the voices in question. " You're fine. You're Fine. " He closed his eyes for a mer second as he breathed deeply before letting it out as he gripped the gun trying to rig his mind of everything he had done. Should he pull the trigger on himself?

Rakel woke up with a start thinking only of herself at the moment as the only thing she had remembered was trying to get away she knew right then she was tied up trying to get out of the bounds that held her together. " Hold on my dear." She heard his raspy voice but also couldn't really get what was happening in the first place. " You're not my dad, you can't be." The man didn't have to say anything as it had obviously hurt his feelings but after so many years of betrayal, he understood when he didn't want to. " You're still my daughter in my eyes." He wasn't just sad but in his voice, he sounded defeated. " How could you say that when you've never been there for me? I came to help reality and myself, not you. " Rakel was already up from the ground looking at her own father in disgust before looking at Austin as he looked very pale. Austin looked horrible enough to fall over and blackout as she knew that blast probably hurt him. " Hey, You alright? what happened?" He was shaken up as Rakel grabbed his gun pulling him with her to sit down. " Bodies, blood, the screams, I heard the screams before it went off. Scared screams." He stared blankly as he even remembered everything else from before even the kills he had to make. Her hand laid on his back as for comforting wasn't her biggest flex. She was never good with words she usually stood by herself and away from people. She knew the change when he chose his fate as well as the strength when he'd do anything he didn't want to do.

Austin felt drained and powerless and nothing seemed right in him at the moment as he knew he stepped into a conversation that was meant to have answered but with the atmosphere around him he didn't know if he really cared or not. " It's scary to kill when sometimes it might not be necessary. I've been in these situations and I never liked it. You want to talk about it I'm right here." Rakel spoke to him as her father stood watching hearing the conversation he wasn't a part of as he searched his surroundings as if they weren't alone. He didn't like the life that he had at least not now. He hated that his only daughter hated him but what was his excuse, he never wanted them to hurt her. He didn't know of the outcome when he put his own life ahead of hers even though everything he had done said so much more than just what he built and traded or sent off even to the men that would threaten him. The same men that were here now weren't just threatening him but his daughter as well but he never knew she would do something so stupid that would get herself killed or worse. He never heard from her not once in 7 years and it bothered him to see her with someone he didn't even know as he choked about what had happened.

" Pathetic. " He said it more under his breath but not intently as she heard him before Austin just couldn't hear anything other than the screams that seemed to haunt him even when his eyes were open. He still saw the face as Rakel got up from right next to him as turned her entire attention to her so-called father figure. " If this is pathetic to you then maybe you should look at yourself there's always been only Harper and now I don't even have her and She didn't know me but him; he knows me better than anybody; even you. If you want to speak to me then just say you're sorry. Like I would even need that from you!" Rakel was already fed up with her father before returning back to Austin and speaking to him as he pulled at his hair with his hands before he closed his eyes tightly as only a few tears streamed down his face; Only her father just didn't understand as he himself wanted nothing more than wish that the man had shot him as he felt like a failure. He looked back at the light-up wall with all the hieroglyphics as the stonework only intrigued him before he traced his hand as Austin and Rakel both stood ready for whatever was next.

Vern stood grabbing with his nails that scratched that stonework before pushing the one piece back into place. Nothing clicked or made the wall move as Rakel stood facing him as he pushed against more of the symbols and drawings before Rakel let out a high-pitched scream. Turning he noticed Austin leaning over the hole in the floor right above the stairs where they were sitting. " What happened?" He asked running before leaning down at what seemed to be an endless black hole. " I'm Fine. I landed on my back but I'm fine. " Vern signed in relief Austin didn't hesitate as he grabbed his gun swinging it as laid over his back instead of his front. Austin didn't give Vern a second look or speak to him before pulling his legs into the darkness that he barely had to see as he pushed himself further into the hole and down below as he didn't even make a noise. He landed squatting before he stood up completely looking back up as he bent down grabbing his knees. " Austin? Did he push you? I swear If any-"

" He didn't do anything, Don't worry. I haven't even spoken to him. " Rakel saw the pure look on his face as she only pulled away and not just out of reach for him but she mentally she wanted to help only if he really didn't want it there was nothing she could do but hope for the best. " I'll Stay up here, I can't make that jump." Rakel rolled her eyes thinking only of how old he really was. He could he just probably was just making another excuse yet again. " There's a ladder down here. " She pulled it up against the hole as Vern only looked down as if he wasn't pleased with it. Rakel went into the other room as Austin followed closely behind as Vern climbed down the ladder hopeful that his daughter would forget about the past and like him because she was his daughter. He still remembered his little girl at 6 wanting to do everything for herself as he didn't want her to hurt herself. If only he knew where he went wrong, he'd try to rewrite what he had done wrong. Vern didn't even get to follow after them as he only wanted to sit down and relax, he hadn't been himself for a while and he hated when the bad guys had dragged him everywhere. They should've killed him when he tried to escape as he killed several of his men. If anything they had tortured him and upon that he was used as if he wasn't human at all, and just because he was a jones. He was tired, and his daughter didn't even see that.

Austin on the other hand hadn't just followed Rakel but he was hit with a different atmosphere as the color of the room was more alive than the last room. " Stairs over there. Come on." Rakel swung her hand in the air as she said it but Austin wasn't sure if he could take much more as he wanted to sleep, instead, it was well past 11 and they still kept going. " What are we trying to find anyways?" She wasn't sure of what to say as she went through the paper that filled the table she wasn't just curious but confused. " 1403." The only thing she knew about that really happened in 1403 was the battle of Shrewsbury. It was the first battle that was on American soil and not just that the King of England defeated Percy of Northumberland. Austin looked around but didn't see anything that was even interesting to him when Vern caught up with them Austin just leaned against the wall as only a part of it opened Vern stared out in shock pointing as Austin fell through the blue light that surrounded the door. " Ah!" Austin screamed but only before realizing that he wasn't falling to his death. " Not okay. It's not." He breathed out shakingly as Rakel wasn't the one standing above him lending a helping hand. Austin wasn't sure what had really happened but Rakel was suddenly very intrigued with the random door that lead to a mountain with an off-road that led towards the mountain only Rakel wasn't sure what in the world was going on as she never dealt with a matter like this before. Rakel was even more confused as she didn't really understand after she stood in the grass in front of a run-down city. " Where are we?"

" Not sure." They walked into the ruins as Rakel looked at everything that didn't seem right nothing at the moment was going great before Vern stuttered about a break. " Let's sleep for a few hours and then get back to it." It was daylight instead of midnight from where they were and not only that Rakel knew that they weren't exactly safe. Rakel argued with Austin but after she saw that he really didn't want to sleep and that he wasn't okay with seeing the things he had dealt with she gave in. " Don't sleep or we're all dead." She warned him but it wasn't her fault she said it the way she did; it was true in every way and she hated that thought. The weird part of it was she knew they could all sleep knowing they were safe, considering she didn't know where they were at least that part was just a lie. Every nightmare that happened before only haunted her in her wake, she only pretended to sleep.

* Everything was too bright and the noise was a little too loud, she felt like she couldn't hear anything over the nature around her. Hearing the bickering she only freaked out more as the two boys came to probably finish what they had started. Moving was painful yet it was the only thing she could do as she needed to get away from them. She forced herself to stand as she leaned against the tree that helped too much and even though she'd rather crumple she ran towards the river that she didn't know would drop. By the time she had done that she wasn't just soaked but her dignity was definitely gone as well as the life that she had. She wanted to kill them and do horrible things and that is what went on in her mind. Taking shelter in an abandoned home that seemed well-kept shocked her but not too much. She wasn't well aware of her surroundings as someone from behind attached her hitting her head hard she blacked out instantly. What happened after she awoke she didn't want to remember but it haunted her very being. He tortured her and that's what made her who she was. Rakel wished he had killed her then again she thought that's what he did when he plunged the knife into her stomach. Everything happened too fast and she came out several times but then she blacked out again. When she was fully awake four days later she noticed the bandage and the aroma that clouded her mind. Lavender with smoke wood. She hadn't smelled that in a while and it didn't remind her of anything other than her late grandfather who was already dead. " Maybe we should kill her, if she's the so-called thing from Indy we don't need it." It was all she needed and that was when she ran. She changed her name even though there wasn't much to change she moved and kept moving. *

Rakel awoke from her sleep wondering what time it was as she could tell that Austin was fighting to stay awake. " Hey. You look dead. " She sat next to him as she only looked out at the view ahead of her at the lights from the town as the green hills only seemed to barely calm her down. " How'd you sleep?" She didn't want to answer as she didn't need to know that he wanted to sleep but he didn't want to. " If you want you can sleep right here and I'll take watch." She was surprised he didn't argue as he only rested his head against the tree root that she knew would bug him later. She grabbed the blanket and tossed it over his body as she watched him snuggle with it as he seemed rather tense than relaxed. She found herself looking at the stars as she hummed something that was stuck in her head and she too felt like the weight of the world was falling on her.

* Confused and scared she questioned why they talked about Her great-grandfather as if they knew her. Why would they think of her as a threat? She started thinking as she knew that her past was more than likely going to haunt her like it seemed to do just thinking about what could possibly lie ahead and not just for her but for Austin.

The next morning she didn't get it as they all had gone their separate ways after she said she was trying to find an old friend, that is if she still lived there. She walked through some neighborhoods as she wasn't sure what she was seeing. Fainted lines showed throughout the one neighborhood as if something weird happened. She followed until she heard the running footsteps. She heard the familiar voice as the cussing rang through the crowds as the voice ran down her spine and to her feet as she seemed planted. She didn't have to turn around to know the guy meant her as he ran for her as she only made a face before running anywhere else that wasn't recognizable. She didn't care if it was rude she pushed people so she could get through but not once did she like it. The guy didn't just chase her but he tackled her after she ran into an alley. " Get off me!" He only snickered as his face wasn't as bad as before if anything he was cuter than the last time. " Oh, you know you like it." He smiled his devilish smile and although her back was hurting only by a little she smiled up at him. " Get off." She went serious after and Jaren wasn't aware of her situation as he only listen shortly after daydreaming. " Wait you need what? I don't even know where that's at." Rakel talked to him while Austin had his own trouble.

" I'm going to kill you!" He didn't understand what was so wrong he never got caught stealing food before but this time was different as the guy didn't give him a choice more than one guy hit him as his ribs were already crying from the pain. " Stop, I didn't mean it." It was more of a stutter as the 3 guys that he wasn't even sure of pulled him by his hoodie that he had put on earlier. Coughing and choking weren't the way he wanted to die but they didn't seem to care and neither did the different colored people around him. The people acted the same as they only kept doing the same things without giving a second look. " The warehouse?" He barely heard the guy on his left speaking as they seemed to be in agreement about something. He breathed only a little as they dragged his body like it was nothing. " He heard metal clanking as he didn't like the noise of something that smashed into something else that was metal. It got dark quicker than he thought as the gray door was shut automatically before 2 of the boys laughed like what they were going to do was funny.

" Get it." It was a command as the same guy that had dragged him pulled his hoodie harder as it didn't just choke him but he could've sworn his eyes rolled into the back of his head before he felt something around his neck. What they were doing wasn't entirely automatic as they had the jerk at the rope for it to work. The only thing that seemed to drag him back to reality was the thought that he had been through too much to die like this. Barley's breathing grabbed at the rope as his feet barely touched the ground before he gave his last strength and jumped as high as he could grabbing at the rope that tightly hung around his neck as he pushed harder down than necessary. Seeing the Paddlewheel he couldn't thank God yet although he tried his fingers were cramping but he only thought of the life he could be missing as he pushed off of it but not with enough force. " The hell is this guy!" One of the guys scared just wide eyes stared as if it wasn't possible for anyone to do such a thing as the other two just wanted him dead like usual. " I've killed worse guys like you. I've killed men that only thought of themselves but ya'll like I'd go out like that. " Austin still tried to breathe and by the time he had the rope that he was merely choking on off he was staring them down as if they didn't like the pure devil that seemed to come out of him.

The look in his eyes alone helped with the way he felt and that feeling was death. Austin needed a good night's rest and one where he could wake up and it all was just a bad nightmare he wouldn't be able to shake. " I've heard them begging, you want to know what that sounded like? " Austin didn't know why he was acting the way he was but at the same time, he had just snapped. The blood was already sketched into his mind like a flood of color as the screams haunted him even in broad daylight. " They're screams were another as their blood lay on my clothes and hands. I wonder if that would be the same if I did what I did to them?" It wasn't mainly a question however all three guys were terrified and if what he said wasn't scary it was the way he cocked his head to the side as he smiled before walking toward them that made them scream like little girls, running at the closed door. Austin only laughed and not in an evil way but in a way that still scared them half to death. One wore dark pants and two others wore blue jeans as one had already pissed himself. " Open the door you freak!" The goon that dragged him through the road yelled as both doors swung wide. They were home free as they ran in terror as Austin was only glad about his work. " Well done. Something actually scares them." He looked and smelled like a dog before he left looking back at the success he made as his hand found his throat where the rope mark he knew would stay.