The Creeps (Sequel to The Weirdos)

50

Snow paced outside the infirmary while Books worked with Roderick. He was supposed to be getting ready for another facility raid, but he was worried. Would Books be able to fix the albino? Or would Roderick come out worse than when he went in? He was so afraid...

"Hey, Snow. You ready?"
"Huh? Oh, Nicholas. Um..."

Snow looked back at the infirmary door. Nicholas watched him with his big brown eyes and frowned.

"It'll be alright. You have to trust him."

Snow looked at Nicholas again.

"I know, it's just hard. There was a person who looked just like Books but it wasn't really him in there. And he betrayed us in the worst way possible at the time. It's hard to trust him again so easily."

Nicholas nodded.

"I get it. But, Snow... We've got a mission to prepare for. So... Are you ready?"

Snow looked at the door again and sighed.

"Yeah."

He left the hallway and went with Nicholas into the weapons room. They grabbed hand-guns equipped with the soundwave weapon and began putting together their packs for the trip. When it was done, they headed back out of the room and into the hall. The whole facility was such a confusing maze-like design that kept getting added to day by day. Snow had learned it purely by time and experience. Outside, they were traveling down a dirt road toward the mountains, but inside, they were simply going down an LED lit hallway. Upon reaching the mountains, they climbed into a Jeep and another mutant kid pulled a lever that began lifting the platform to the surface. When they reached the top, Nicholas started the Jeep and looked at Snow to make sure he was buckled in before driving out of the mountains and into the city. They were headed to the airport. They had already taken down all the facilities they could in the area. And now it was time to expand their points of attack. They knew where Freak was and Snow was going to get him.

"You nervous?"

Snow looked at Nicholas.
"Of course. Are you stupid?"

Nicholas laughed at the question.

"Little bit, I guess. Especially when you compare my brain to Books'. He's definitely the mastermind in these operations. We're just his pawns."

Snow felt a chill go through him. They were just pawns... Books was the mastermind... What if he betrayed them again? Snow stared out at the desert until it gave way to crops and that gave into homes and eventually the city came into view.

"What gives Freak his name?"

Snow looked at Nicholas.

"He gave himself the name. It was better than calling him Demon, you know? You'll see when we save him. He has a sweet, innocent soul. He is pretty young and innocent, still. If you get my drift."

"Yeah, I got you. I think Books said he matured into his powers earlier than most. Because his parents weren't nice."

"That's an understatement..."
Snow mumbled.

~

They arrived at the airport and showed off their passports and boarding tickets. Snow wasn't sure how Books did it, but when their bags went through the X-Ray machine, the guns went undetected. They were eventually seated on the plane and Nicholas looked at him.

"Ever flown before, Snow?"

He looked at Nicholas.

"Nope."

Nicholas winced.

"You'll be fine. Don't stress it too much."

Snow huffed a breath and looked down the aisle of the plane, having nothing better to do at that point until they took off. He saw a lot of normal looking people, some with children or infants. It seemed like it'd be a pretty calm, quiet flight. His eyes skipped over a man in all black holding a messenger bag to his chest, then his eyes returned. That man made him nervous. Something was off about him and the way he held that bag.

"Nicholas."

Snow bumped his arm with his elbow, then gestured with his head at the man. Nicholas looked at him and frowned.

"Just keep your eye on him, alright?"

Nicholas whispered. Snow nodded. This was going to be a mess, wasn't it?