Freerunner

Chapter 26

I was sat between Dante and Drifter in the back. The seatbelt only went around my waist so I put it on. Dante stuck his hand under the driver's seat and pulled a black plastic box out from underneath it. He opened the lid to reveal several gas masks. One by one, he handed them out to each of us. I stared at the multitude of straps on mine whilst the others put them on with no effort. Even Wings had no trouble, despite doing it one-handed to avoid moving his shoulder. Once everyone had theirs on, Wings started up the vehicle and drove speedily away.

I stared out the windscreen at the landscape. It was still a vast wasteland of dust but nothing that seemed to be toxic. I started to think maybe Prince was too lazy to run all the way. The ground wasn't bumpy but the car jolted enough times for me to believe it could have been. I peered into the front seat. Wings appeared to be struggling to drive with just his right hand. Prince seemed to notice too. "Come on Wings, even I can still drive decently with one hand," he groaned. His voice was muffled through the mask. Wings twisted his mouth into a snarl. "Yeah, but that's because when you drive one-handed, you use your dominant hand," he snapped. I sat there confused for a moment but then remembered back on the ship when he was writing in that notebook. He was using his left hand. Wings glanced up at the mirror above his head. "Dogs, help Pinks with her gas mask. She doesn't know how to put it on," he said. Dante looked over at me. "Huh. I would've thought you knew how through your secret recruit training," he laughed. I scowled. I couldn't see his expression behind the mask but if he was smiling before, he wasn't now. He took the mask out of my lap and held it in front of my face. "Here," he said, holding the straps away. I turned my head away defiantly. He sighed. "Rose, come on. Quit being stubborn." Wings kept looking back anxiously through the mirror. The vehicle slowed slightly. Prince suddenly punched Wings in the arm. Wings cried out, swerving dangerously. "Don't slow down, you idiot! I'm not prolonging our exposure just because someone doesn't know how to put on a mask!" He shouted. Wings continued to wince in pain as he sped up to his original speed.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who wants me dead," I said monotonously. "Rose, please," Dante said more urgently. I brought my legs up to my chest, placing my forehead on my knees. "Rose," he whined. Prince stuck his head around his seat. "Just leave her Dogs. If she wants to kill herself, let her. She's more trouble than she's worth, which is practically nothing. I don't need disloyal subordinates," he said flatly. "If you really want to keep her- and no offense Pinks but I don't see why he would- you're gonna have to use force." Dante clenched his fists. "Will you shut up? She's a human being, not some animal," he retorted. Prince just shrugged and sat normally. I snorted. "I don't see why you should say that now; you had no aversions to dragging me here against my will." He looked down at me again. "Rose..." he said sadly.

"We're approaching the site. I can't slow down or stop here, Dogs. You'd better get her sorted out quick," Wings called out, almost inaudible behind his mask. Dante held the mask out again, closer to my face this time. I just dismissed him by turning away. He sighed, defeated. "Drifter, please," he mumbled. Drifter looked up at the mirror. "Go ahead," Wings said. Instantly, Drifter hit my knees, triggering my reflex to kick. My legs shot out and Drifter held them down. I brought my arms up to my face but Drifter just pushed them against my chest. In a last attempt to evade the mask, I tucked my head into my left shoulder. "Just let me die! I don't want to be here anymore so just let me die!" I cried. Dante tried to press the mask onto my face. I thrashed about, throwing off his attempt. "I can't secure it properly unless she stops moving," he said to Drifter. Drifter shook his head frantically. "He says he can't do anything because he might break her neck," Wings translated, looking through the mirror.

My heart skipped a beat. A small, sadistic smile grew on my face. "Well, isn't that unfortunate?" I laughed. I felt Dante's hopeless stare behind me. "I give up then," he said. There was a clicking sound and a mask dropped at my feet. I gasped and turned around. "Don't-" I began but my voice was muffled by the mask that was shoved onto my face. By the time I realised what had happened, it was too late. Dante pulled me into his chest and fitted the straps around my head. As he clipped them into place, I pushed away. I fumbled with the buckles, trying to rip it off as he picked up his mask and put it back on. I had found the clips but couldn't figure out how to undo them. Dante grabbed my wrists. "You're terrified of the thought of people dying yet you will go to all lengths to take your own life," he growled. I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. He let go and sat back in his seat. I closed my eye. It wasn't fair. How did he still have that effect on me? There was no way I could still love him.