Returning to Adlington

Sunday, 8 March 2099

Diggs ended up leaving the Guard House with a few secretaries; apparently he was needed at one of the Markets. Bruno didn't care; he had other things to worry about. Valinoti was already in the lobby with a key in his hand.

"You spoke with Carth?" he asked, swinging the key around.

"Yeah. She said Julius knew about her being pregnant. Said that's why he wanted to Execute her."

Valinoti grimaced. "Why would he do that?"

"I dunno. Wait, where's Anzalone?" Bruno asked.

"He and Nelson went back to R Nine to get Meghan," Valinoti said. "Before Lee and them show up."

"Who the hell is Nelson?" Bruno whispered, making sure the secretaries weren't listening in on their conversation.

"Oh, my bad," Valinoti chuckled. "He's the other Sergeant Guard and Ria's boyfriend. I had to tell him or else he wouldn't have given me the key."

"He's okay with us driving to Adlington with an unconscious Assassin in the trunk?"

"Yup. He used to live in Belington. Hates how the Cities fight."

"Good, let's go!" Bruno said, heading for the Guard House doors.

"Wow, where are you going?" Val asked. "Elevator is over here."

Bruno didn't know what his friend was talking about. Then again, Schmidt had said something about the Heart of Espington opening up when the Guard heard about the Grizzly attack. Was the elevator going to take them underground?

Bruno entered as Val held the doors open.

"Ready?" the Sergeant Guard asked.

"For taking a Humvee to drive to Adlington with an Assassin that wants to kill Anzalone, a boy who really isn't supposed to be in Espington? No. I'm not ready."

Valinoti didn't answer. He simply pressed a button in the elevator that had a silver H engraved. Bruno didn't understand what the letter meant, but decided not to ask.

. . .

Diggs was with two secretaries in the Jewels Market. The secretaries were speaking with Roxy and Thora Talbot, the Markets Bosses. Heather was sitting behind the counter, polishing some diamond rings. She knew the secretaries needed some follow-up paperwork, Diggs was just there for security purposes.

Heather noticed Diggs' mobile glowing. He was getting a call.

"Sir, your mobile is ringing," Heather said.

"Oh! I can never hear this stupid thing! Thank you!" the Guard walked over to the front door and started speaking into the mobile.

Heather didn't want to eavesdrop, but she was working a nine-hour shift and she was insanely bored. The secretaries were still talking to Roxy and Thora, and not many customers were showing up because the whole failed Execution made everyone stay home. Heather had to listen, but all she could hear was a woman speaking to Diggs. The woman sounded like Heather's friend, Klaudine. Was it Klaudine?

But before she could think, the Guard was running out the door.

. . .

Diggs barged into the Guard House, earning himself a bunch of stares from all the sitting secretaries and roaming Guard.

"Where did Rich Bruno and Tyler Anzalone and Tim Valinoti go?"

"Tyler Anzalone left a while ago but Bruno and Sergeant Guard Four-Oh-Oh just went down to the Hangar," one of the secretaries said.

Diggs didn't respond to the secretary; he bolted to the elevator, clicking the down button repeatedly until the doors opened.

. . .

Valinoti had to sign a yellow form that was on a podium near one of the Humvees; he had lied to Cradock saying that he needed to go to Adlington to see if the twenty new Miners were safe. Bruno wasn't paying attention to that, though. He was too busy looking at the massive underground facility that held dozens of automobiles, copters, and even a small aircraft. Val had mentioned that this place was called the Hangar, and it was located directly under the Heart's eagle statue.

"We have to take the Vehicle Vator," Valinoti said.

"The what?" Bruno turned to his friend, who had just place the yellow form back on the podium.

"An elevator to bring the automobiles aboveground," Valinoti explained. "It either takes us up to the Heart, or right outside the Eastern Gate and Alley."

"Then we'll drive to South and meet Nelson, right?" Bruno asked.

Valinoti nodded. Together, the boys hopped into the Humvee. With the key, Valinoti started the engine and drove directly into the Vehicle Vator.

"After this, it's just gonna be the Pines between us and Adlington," Valinoti mentioned.

Bruno swallowed hard at the thought of re-entering the Pines. The Grizzly attack was traumatizing enough and having to hurt the poor mother was even worse. Bruno truly hoped that the Varmint was okay and that the boys wouldn't run into any other creatures on their way.

The Vehicle Vator doors closed, just as Diggs entered the Hangar.

. . .

The Guard ran straight to the podium, where the Humvee had been parked. Diggs snatched the yellow form and read it intently.

*Tim Valinoti, Humvee Eight-Eighty-B for the City of Adlington, approval from Shad Cradock*

Diggs went to put down the paper; he had overreacted, thought Valinoti stole the automobile. Then, as quickly as he put down the paper, Diggs picked it back up. He flipped to the second page, to the "Passengers" section.

Valinoti didn't write down any passengers! Wasn't Bruno with him? I bet Cradock didn't know this! Violation Sixteen F of the ECC Handbook: All passengers must be approved and accounted for!

Diggs rolled the yellow form into a scroll, and darted back to the elevators, making the Hangar silent once again.

Sunday, 8 March 2099, 11:56AM

The Vehicle Vator rose, and through the sunroof of the Humvee, Bruno could see two sliding doors open in the ceiling. Wait, is that the ceiling or...or...

Sun shined through the windows, blinding Bruno for a second. He adjusted his eyes and noticed that the Humvee was outside now, a few yards from the Eastern Gate and Alley. Bruno looked over his open window. The two sliding doors were from the ground. Valinoti drove off the platform and that was when the Vehicle Vator descended and the sliding doors shut.

"Now that's cool," Bruno said.

"Here," Valinoti said. "Hold this."

Before Bruno knew what landed on him, he had a huge black bag weapons on his lap. Valinoti focused back on the trail ahead of him and drove.

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"Put it by your feet," Valinoti said. "We're gonna need it later in Adlington if the Piners are still a threat."

The only time Bruno used a weapon was back in the Pines when he and Rina faced the Grizzly with Jago, Sayer, and Cradock. The thought of Bruno holding a handgun or an Obsidian for the first time, made him weary. The Humvee vibrated the entire trip down the eastern side of Espington.

"Text Anzalone," Valinoti said. "They need to be at the South Gate and Alley with Meghan before we get there."

Bruno clicked on his mobile and started texting Anzalone; hopefully he and that Nelson guy figured out a way to carry Meghan out of Espington without the Guard thinking anything was fishy.

"We don't have to worry," Valinoti said. "Siegfried and Leech are manning Watchtowers Three and Four. They know I am picking Anzalone and Nelson up but they don't know about Meghan."

Bruno had never heard of Leech or Siegfried; he thought their last names were unusual; though so were names like Jago, Sayer, Diggs and many of the Vikings back in Adlington.

"Does Cradock know we're leaving Espington?" Bruno asked.

"Since I'm a Sergeant Guard, I don't have to ask him for permission," Valinoti answered. "I just have to fill out the Vehicle Form and then do a follow-up report. I━"

Valinoti stopped speaking, drove silently, as if he just remembered something extremely important.

"Val, what's wrong?" Bruno asked.

"I may have forgotten to write down your name on the Passenger section of the Vehicle Form," Valinoti admitted.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Only if someone notices and tells Cradock. Then I'm in trouble."

Bruno thought about which people knew about them leaving. The only person Bruno told was Carth and she was imprisoned. Her cellmate, Chrissy, may have heard, but she, too, was imprisoned and would not have any knowledge of Bruno's plan, let alone the Vehicle Form. Diggs was with them at the Guard House, but he had left with two secretaries to take care of some Marketing business. Lee. Cariddi, and Schmidt were at the Inns One Buffet and they had a two-hour wait. Bruno believed that they were safe...for now.

. . .

Anzalone and Nelson stood at the South Gate and Alley with a large suitcase. Bruno didn't know why they had a suitcase with them and he couldn't see Meghan. Valinoti parked the Humvee right near the barred Gate. Guard Leech and Siegfried stood at the tops of Watchtowers Three and Four; they nodded when making eye contact with Valinoti.

"Where is Meghan?" Bruno asked.

"Schmidt was in R Nine," Anzalone said. "Said he wanted to show Cariddi his pebble collection. He was surprised to see me."

"You didn't answer the question."

"She's in here," Nelson said, pointing at the suitcase. He was about an inch taller than Bruno, with pale skin and light-brown hair. "We couldn't walk her out of the room with your friend watching."

"We're wasting time," Valinoti said. "It's already twelve-thirty. The Piners attacked more than an hour ago."

"Then speed there," Anzalone ordered, he and Nelson placing the suitcase in the trunk.

Bruno and the guys entered the Humvee and Valinoti floored the vehicle straight down the dirt road.

Leech and Siegfried waved them goodbye.

Colton Espington had been running around the suite before tripping and scraping his right knee. The little boy had cried while cupping his leg, Leta trying to comfort him but to no avail. Rina appeared from her bedroom with a teddy bear.

"Colton, here's Esteban," Rina waved the brown, stuffed animal. "You left him on my bed."

"I don't want him!" Colton wailed. "I want Daddy!"

"Sweetie, he's in his office on the phone with the Mayor of North Espington."

"I want Daddy!" Colton continued crying.

The office door in the far corner of the suite flung open and Sir Espington bolted out, straight for his son.

"Daddy's here, Son, don't worry," Julius said. "Rina, give me Esteban and Colton's inhaler."

Rina gave the stuffed animal to her father and Leta was the one who handed the inhaler over to the President.

"Easy, Colton, easy," Sir Espington said, rubbing his son's back. "Take a breath."

For some reason, Colton calmed down a bit when his father was in the room. He was still crying, though, with his bloody knee. Luckily, the little boy was able to take the cap off his inhaler and suck in a wad of air.

"Now let's take care of your booboo," Sir Espington added, looking at his son's knee.

Leta and Rina watched as the President placed his thumb onto Colton's bloody scrape. The little boy let out a small yelp, gripped Esteban tightly. Julius rubbed his son's back while healing the wound with his Gift.

Within the next minute, the scrape was gone, replaced by fresh, pink skin. Colton stood up, wiped his tears, and started jumping up and down. He started laughing, hugging his father and wiggling his right leg.

"C'mon, Colt," Rina said. "Let's go finish the puzzle!"

Together, the two ran back into Rina's room. Leta walked up to Sir Espington; she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Do you need━"

Diggs the Guard barged into the Penthouse Suite, two Guard standing right behind him with their Obsidians strapped around their backs.

"Guard Oh-Ninety-Nine here with some, uh, news," Diggs said, his sweat noticeable on his forehead and neck.

"What's the problem?" Julius asked, tucking his necklace under his shirt. Once again, the object that hung from Sir Espington's necklace was hidden by the fabric.

"Newly titled Sergeant Guard Four Hundred has taken a Humvee out of Espington soil," Diggs answered.

"That's allowed."

"Yes, but I believe Boss Gatherer Rich Bruno tagged along," Diggs added, "and Guard Four Hundred did not put that on the Vehicle Form."

At this time, Rina appeared out of her room but not enough to be seen.

"Seems like a minor slip-up," Julius replied. "Do we know why Valinoti took the Humvee and are we positive Bruno left with him?"

Diggs started to sweat more. Leta and the other Guard, along with Sir Espington, were staring him down intently. Diggs never wanted to rat Valinoti and Bruno out, but this was his job and Katrina had called him explaining that she thought the R9 gang was up to something.

"The Vehicle Form states that Guard Four Hundred is taking the Humvee to Adlington to check up on the twenty new Miners entering Espington this evening."

"Then, nothing is wrong," Julius followed. "Unless Bruno is with them then there is no violation. Bruno wouldn't go with him, he's probably got other things to do."

Diggs knew Bruno was with Valinoti, but he needed to prove it. The secretaries at the Guard House only saw him leave with the Sergeant Guard to the Hangar only. Maybe Bruno turned back and went home or went to complete some errands.

Whatever the answer was, Diggs was going to find out. Rina walked back into her room with a worried look on her face.

Anzalone had unzipped the suitcase two minutes into the ride. Meghan was awake now; her hair was damp from perspiration and the bump on the back of her head was noticeable when she turned around. The Assassin had a piece of tape over her mouth and around her wrists. Her sword was obviously confiscated as were her many hidden knives and daggers. Valinoti was speeding down the dirt road, making his way toward the Pines.

"So, you used to live in Belington, the Farming City?" Bruno asked Nelson.

"Yeah, I moved here about three years ago," the Guard said. "I was recruited by ESH's Ruckus Racing team."

"Ruckus Racing?" Bruno repeated.

"It's a Five-K race in the Pines," Nelson explained. "Islington has the best team, but Espington isn't that bad."

Bruno never heard of the sport Ruckus Racing; it seemed dangerous being that it was located in the Pines, but something about the title intrigued Bruno. Adlington only offered football, soccer, and kickball at ASH. Maybe he'd consider the new sport if he had time....

The Humvee entered the Pines and, immediately, the sunlight halved. The temperature dropped about five degrees and Bruno already felt vulnerable again. He didn't want to come face-to-snout with a Grizzly again.

Bruno remembered the Nurses explaining that Henry Hodge, the Head Surgeon, once saw a Serpent and a Red-Tailed. If Bruno wasn't mistaken, he believed that those animals were a snake of some kind and a hawk respectively. He definitely did not want to see those creatures in the Pines. There was another threat in the forest: the Piners. Bruno never really learned about the mysterious forest-dwellers back in Adlington. Lee was the first person to explain what Piners were to Bruno. Days later, the Piners attacked Bruno and the Guard back at the Elmray Mountains (though Bruno didn't see any of the attackers). He prayed that the Humvee would make it to Adlington in one piece.

. . .

Valinoti sped through the path in the Pines. The Humvee's tires crushed the sticks that were in the way and easily drove over the hills and rooted logs. The side of the vehicle was caked in mud, but Val didn't seem to mind one bit.

Bruno noticed how many of the trees were snapped. Instantly, he thought that this was the place where he and Rina had run from the mama Grizzly. However, Bruno quickly denied that thought because there was no road where they had run; the automobiles had driven the Guard, ECC, and Faulkner past the road and someplace deep within the Pines. Bruno realized that some sort of Varmint had passed through this part of the woods and hoped it wouldn't make a second appearance.

"Be there in ten minutes," Valinoti said.

"Mmm!" Meghan mumbled under the duct tape.

"Be quiet," Anzalone said. Then, the silver-haired boy decided to continue. "You are my best friend and I know you wouldn't kill me."

"Uh, Tyler, she kinda did, though," Bruno stated.

"Only because her mom was on her mind," Anzalone retorted. "The other day, I went up to the Penthouse Suite to Assassinate Julius. I noticed him playing with his son and automatically couldn't kill him. I'm not a killer and neither is Meghan."

The Assassin didn't mumble a single word; she just looked down at the bottom of the suitcase.

"Do you think we're too late?" Anzalone asked.

"Hard to say," Valinoti said. "But I see smoke in the distance and it's white."

Nelson started to take out the weapons from the bag; it was a bag full of Obsidians and taser-batons. "Dammit, no handguns."

"Where's your handgun?" Bruno asked Nelson.

"Today I was only equipped with a taser-baton and spray," the Guard said. "Valinoti doesn't get a handgun until he completes a full week of Sergeant Guard."

"If I even make a week," the boy muttered.

"Look," Anzalone pointed ahead.

It was the Adlington Wall.

Valinoti parked the Humvee in front of the Wall. The barricade was constructed by stones and handmade cement. No Vikings stood guard at the entrance, which concerned Bruno. Nelson and Anzalone held Meghan after exiting the vehicle. She looked annoyed with the tape over her mouth and wrists. Valinoti held her weapons, which probably aggravated her even more.

Bruno held the Obsidian in one hand as he slowly pushed the Adlington Gate open with the other; the boys and Meghan stood right behind him.

. . .

The City of Adlington really wasn't a city; it was more of a town or village. The homes were shacks or bungalows made by either stone or hand-constructed wood. The buildings, or at least what Adlington considered as buildings, were just shacks twice the size of the homes. Sir Adlington's house was around three to four shacks stacked together, still just as dilapidated as all the other structures. The City didn't have asphalt roads, just dirt trails and pebbled lots; the dozens of carriages and the seven Mako trucks the residents owned were perfect for the unpaved streets. Adlington was known for its City Animal, the Ox, and their abundance of coal..that was pretty much it.

But the City was barely recognizable. Many of the stone homes were reduced to rubble and the wooden shacks were burnt to ash, white smoke rising from the remains. Bruno noticed two Mako trucks, wheels punctured by arrows and glass shattered. Almost all of the carriages were dismembered or charred from Piner-set fires. Anzalone gasped when he saw the first body.

It was a man. Half his body lay in grass, the other half was on the dirt trail.

There were six arrows sticking out of his back.

"Brent Mccoy," Valinoti said. "He was a Miner."

Bruno didn't know what he felt more upset about: the fact that Brent was murdered by Piners or that he had no idea who Brent was.

"Where is everyone?" Nelson asked.

The Guard had a point. There was not a single living soul where Bruno could see. A few more lifeless bodies lay on the ground: two more males, one female. All three of the residents had arrows protruding from their corpses.

"Morris and Ross," Valinoti noticed the men. "Two Vikings."

Bruno remembered Espen mentioning a Viking named Ross; he was the dorky Viking that could charge Faulkner's mobile via solar panels.

Now he was dead, lying on the grass with an arrow sticking from his neck and back. Bruno turned his attention to the woman and he gasped when he recognized the pale face. However, Anzalone was the first to react.

"That's Teacher Mabel," the silver-haired boy said, his voice wobbly from sadness. "She was my primary class teacher with Meghan."

The tied Assassin was already crying; the piece of duct tape blew in and out from her sobs and heaves. Bruno knew Teacher Mabel; he always said good morning to the older lady when he dropped Jack off to class.

"We should bury━"

There was a distinct sound coming from down the dirt trail, like several pairs of footsteps. Bruno, Valinoti, and Anzalone darted behind a scorched Mako. Nelson was the closest to Meghan so he picked the Assassin up over his shoulder and ran behind the nearest carriage.

Bruno peered around the tire trying to get a glance at the dirt trail and the people that were advancing along it. Nelson and Meghan knelt in front of the three boys, closer to the trail but completely hidden by the carriage.

A group of masked men, around five or six, walked down the trail. Each man wore rugged fabrics that looked as if they were made purely from the Pines. Leaves, branches, and moss covered the stranger's bodies completely; tree bark veiled the men's backs, chests, shins, and arms like armor. They all wore moss-covered helmets, probably stolen from one or more Cities. A quiver, stocked to the max with arrows, rested on each man's back along with a single, wooden bow. Bruno was staring at a group of Piners.

He watched as the men walked over Brent's body, one Piner pulling out the six arrows from the Miner's back. Bruno wondered if these were the only group that attacked Adlington and, if so, how did they destroy a whole Viking-filled City? All of the Piners had thick biceps and toned legs (what did you expect when you spent your entire life in a forest?). The Piners were making their way toward the Wall's Gate having retrieved all the arrows from the corpses. Bruno looked back at Nelson. The Guard was watching the Piners intently while gripping his Obsidian. Bruno almost forgot about his and quickly flicked the safety to OFF.

Meghan the Assassin was fidgeting a bit next to Nelson. Her wrists wriggled around behind her back, wearing out the duct tape.

Bruno realized that Meghan was trying to break free.

He wanted to tell Nelson, but the Piners were still making their way to the Gate. One Piner in particular was cleaning off his arrows with an Adlington washcloth. The purple and gold fabric, Adlington's colors, were the only shades that stood out in the group of killers. Bruno needed to get Nelson's attention or else Meghan was going to do something.

That was when the one Piner shouted to his friends. He pointed to the ground, back at Ross the dead Viking.

Although, Ross was not dead. He was stirring, starting to moan a bit.

The one Piner, who had been cleaning his arrow, readied it with his bow. He was aiming for Ross' head.

Bruno turned to his friends: Anzalone and Val were looking down at the ground away from the gruesome act that was about to proceed. Meghan was moving a bit faster, but Nelson was too focused on the Piner and Ross. Bruno saw the girl moving her jaw around and around, sliding the duct tape under her bottom lip so she could be able to speak...or shout. But would she? She was just as much a target as the boys were.

But what Meghan did next was completely outrageous and stupid.

The Assassin jumped to her feet and screamed at the top of her lungs. "HELP ME! HELP ME! I've been kidnapped!"

The Piners turned their attention directly at Meghan, ignoring Ross completely. Nelson had gotten up to grab the Assassin, which was a terrible mistake. Bruno knew that the Piners didn't care that Meghan was kidnapped because they were all readying their bow and arrows. That was when Bruno acted quickly. He jumped out from behind the Mako truck and fired his Obsidian without aim. The golden beam of light struck the ground in front of the Piners. Soil and chunks of grass flew in the air along with smoke that smelled like lawnmower.

"Run!" Bruno shouted.

Valinoti and Anzalone did not hesitate. They ran down another dirt trail, hopping over pieces of wood and stone. Bruno followed his friends, Nelson right behind him.

Meghan had run another way.

"She slipped from my grip after you fired your weapon," the Guard shouted as they ran.

"Not important now," Bruno replied. "Just keep running."

And the four boys did, down a second dirt trail that led further into downtown Adlington. Bruno knew this place as his "Heart of Adlington." Many of the cafes, stores, and shops were built in this area. Unfortunately, barely any of the structures were standing now.

The first arrow whizzed past Bruno's and then Nelson's ear.

"How'd they catch up?" the Guard shouted.

"They're trained; they're fast!" Anzalone yelled at the front of the group.

The boys turned a corner, making their way to the end of Downtown Adlington. Luckily, more of the buildings here were intact and unscathed. Bruno actually saw a few living residents hiding in their shacks, peering through their windows to check if the coast was clear (which it definitely was not).

"Stay in your homes!" Stay in your━"

Bruno bumped into Anzalone's back; the silver-haired boy had stopped completely in his tracks. Valinoti was staring ahead too, aware of the situation. Nelson held his gun, but didn't know if he needed to use it. The Sergeant Guard was obviously confused.

Bruno looked ahead and, standing a few yards away, was Sir Adlington, Espen Fontenot, and a bloody Ake the Head Viking. Meghan was standing next to the three men. They all stared at Anzalone in particular.

"If the Piners don't kill him," Sir Maximus Adlington started. "I sure will!"