Try Learn Destroy (Book One- Try)

FOUR- Don't Tell Harlem

“We need to go soon. It will get dark in a few hours. We have to make a large gap in distance so neither the Hord or Harlem can catch us up.” Hawk presses. I nod standing.

“The Hord?” I ask.

“The Hord.” Hawk confirms. “An organisation, headed by a warped minded psychopath trying to maintain the life of a beast that was reborn over a hundred years ago. It’s on its last legs according to legend. As soon as word spread that the Freud was reborn, men and women lay down their lives to try and destroy it. The Hord are defending the satanic abomination while the Resistance stand to rid the world of it.” Hawk explains.

“Oh, what do you have to do with it?” I ask.

“My family is well known in Hord territory. The Hughes clan, we’re known for being the most consistent band of siblings, climbing the ranks. Harlem is only two ranks above Raven and I’m only one rank above Raven.” Hawk explains.

“So Maroon as you called him, wants to widen the gap between the Hughes family members?” I ask. Hawk nods. “And where are we going to go then?” I ask.

“Karichuri Peaks.” Hawk replies.

“Didn’t Maroon speak of Karichuri?” I ask. Hawk nods again.

“The Karichuri Peaks Reserve is the safest place on Resistance soil. It’s where we train the newbies.” Hawk shrugs.

“How is it safe?” I ask, surely if there is a war going on, soldiers are always daring to step onto another man’s land.

“Its central territory, located up in the mountains.” Hawk replies, lightly tugging on my wrist.

“Okay, I trust you. Let’s get out of here before Harlem twigs on what’s going on.” I encourage, Hawk appears to have raised an eyebrow. “Sorry.” I blush.

“I know Darcy, Harlem doesn’t scare me.” Hawk boldly announces with a smile.

He encourages me to walk beside him while we travel in the direction of Karichuri Peaks. It gets darker so much quicker here. I fear that Harlem will find us out here. Is Hawk really not intimidated by his older brother? What will he do to me if we were to meet? I shudder, thinking back to the legends which were branded into my brain at a tender age. Hawk takes the shudder the wrong way, assuming I’m shivering and delves into his own bag, producing a pale blue woollen sweater with the name Nancy written on the label. I wonder if she’s his sister. The material is so warm and soft; it fits like a glove over my own oversized sweater.

“Cute.” Hawk admires. I blush and grin.

“Thanks.” I reply.

“The pale blue makes your golden eyes stand out, you look really pretty.” He compliments.

“Thanks.” I reply, looking up, the sky is getting very dark, several stars glisten above us. Hawk pauses, hastily turning eastward toward the smell of charred embers. He makes no effort to hide that we are approaching; it makes me feel uneasy, especially as we are trying to stay hidden. Hawk barges through bushes to face a campsite.

“Raven.” Hawk grins. I blink, how can he tell? “Raven, I know you can hear me, come out.” Hawk teases. Obeying his brother’s orders, the black haired kid from the mall walks closer to his brother from the shadows in which he was lurking. “Raven, only you can burn soup on an open flame.”

“Oh go away Hawk; it’s hard to cook on a flame.” Raven grins, playfully shoving his brother aside.

“I can do it!” cheers a green haired kid who appears to be no older than thirteen; he’s dangling from a tree by his ankles.

“Teeh, who else is here since you said that Raven wasn’t here when we spoke earlier?” Hawk asks.

“Me, Raven, Teeh and Harlem. Don’t worry though, he’s off to find a decent owl to fry with the cremated soup.” Laughs the rusty haired boy. Hawk’s face brightens as he goes to embrace his friends. I smile, watching the scene unfold from a safe distance. Did my face ever light up like that when I saw Cyrus? No, I really shouldn’t think of him or I’ll be even more regretful about leaving my home. I blink, maybe Karichuri is home, and maybe that’s what they call my home! I continue to stand, smiling at the thought that Hawk could be taking me home until Teeh, the green haired kid looks up at me.

“Darcy or Nancy?” he asks somewhat rudely. I shrug off his way of speaking.

“Darcy, the girl who shoots with lead fingers.” I reply. Teeh gulps, Raven laughs at the child’s discomfort. “Who’s Nancy?” I ask.

“Nancy was a girl from the inside too, that’s her jumper. She manipulated even the highest ranking people here to get information, which she sold to the Hord for a great wad of cash.” Raven explains.

“Where is she now?” I ask.

“Working with the Hord, producing the next generation of soldiers ready to protect that animal. It makes me sick.” Raven spits.

“Why did you tell her that? Did you even consider that she could be carrying feeders? Please tell me she was scanned! Please!” shouts nobody other than Hawk’s older brother, Harlem Hughes. I hear the group gulp as Harlem rants on. I study the oldest of the Hughes brothers. Unlike Hawk and his friends, Harlem does not wear dark glasses to obscure his eyes. His eyes are one hundred per cent black. His skin is an eerie shade of white which compliments his bright crimson choppy haircut which flicks out from his forehead; it then meets at his chin. The red also allows the yellow star emblem that Hawk wears on a chain, tattooed on Harlem’s forehead stand out greatly. Harlem appears to be leaner than his brothers, Raven appearing to be the bulkiest. Harlem looks to be at least twenty five years old. His cold hard eyes meet my own causing me to become rigid and cautious.

“Harlem, she’s been with Hawk since she left the bubble, don’t you think he scanned her?” Raven defends.

“Raven, it’s fine. Darcy is on our side. She found the locket and since then we have found a Latin dictionary. Darcy is skilful; in fact she knocked out an assailant with a book.” Hawk exclaims, pride apparent in his tone.

Harlem begins sarcastic applause and then shoves Hawk into a tree, holding him off of the ground by his shirt.

“Don’t you remember Nancy? Don’t you remember what Nancy did to us? She was skilful, at lying, she had claimed to have found that locket but really she was just a fraud.” Harlem hisses.

“I trust her.” Hawk squirms.

“That girl. That girl has messed with your head. You need to focus, focus on the plan and your mission.” Harlem commands.

“Why don’t you threaten me? Hawk has done nothing!” I snap. Hawk is dangling, jaw gaping. The other boys look to be intrigued but Raven glances away at odd intervals.

“You know what?” Harlem asks, turning to face me, dropping his younger brother onto the ground. “You look like Nancy. You sound like Nancy. You might as well be Nancy! And her greatest asset was her deception. And if you do to Hawk what she did to us. I. Will. End. You.” threatens Harlem, utterly furious.

“You don’t trust me?” I comment.

“I don’t trust anyone.” Harlem replies.

“It was you!” I gasp.  Harlem freezes.