Heartless

Chapter 25

I left the farmhouse and followed the road. I didn't exactly have a plan for where I was going, but I knew I needed to leave. I went into the nearest town.

"Excuse me," I said to an older man. "I was... On a hiking trip and I got separated from my group. We were planning on making our way to New York City. How far will the bus take me?"

"It will take you as far as Roscoe. You'll have to find another bus to get the rest of the way."

"Oh, thank you!" I bought a bus ticket and waited for it to arrive. When it did, I climbed on and took a seat. Before the bus took off, a blur sped past me. It picked me up and carried me off the bus. Instead of screaming like any other person would do, I just sighed and let it happen. I was carried into the woods and a flash of red knocked me out.

I woke up with my legs tied to a metal chair. My arms were just resting at my sides. I sighed. "You didn't tie my arms. You know I could untie myself and run at any minute."

"Oh, I know you could," Ultron said, appearing from the shadows. "But you won't."

I shook my arms and felt the absence of my knives. "At least your little minions were smart enough to disarm me. Why am I here?"

"I would have thought you'd have figured it out."

"Well, there's torturing me for information, holding me for ransom, torturing and killing me because you want to wipe out human existence," I said, counting the options off on my fingers. "Take your pick."

Ultron laughed. "Well, you're certainly smarter than you seem. And yet, you didn't come up with the reason I have you here."

"Alright, then what is it?"

"I want you to join me."

I scoffed. "Never. And no amount of mind probing or torture is going to make me. And looking into my brain won't help because up here," I tapped my temple. "95% song lyrics. I'm not helpful for information." Suddenly, my breathing became shallow and I felt like my chest was collapsing. I started breathing heavier. "Water, please," I said, panting.

"Get her water," Ultron told the boy. He sped away and came back with a bottle.

I drank it slowly and felt my breathing return to normal. "And that, my friends, is why I'm not helpful."

"What was that?" The girl asked.

"A panic attack. I spend most of my time trying to control the attacks so any useful information is forgotten."

"Look," Ultron said. "I'll make you a deal. Join me, and you can live."

"Hmm, let me think about tha- no."

"You," he said, pointing to the girl.

I smirked. "You think having her show me my deepest fear is going to change anything? I've already lived my biggest fears.y parents, 18 years worth. Getting close to someone just to lose them, already happened."

"Ahh, but those aren't your biggest fears."

"You mean not being a true Avenger? It's not a fear so much as a known fact. I'm not a true avenger. But I still won't join you, Ultron. So go ahead, kill me."

"Do you really have no regard for your own life?"

"I'm a nihilist. I believe in nothing, not even existence. So, death doesn't intimidate me."

"If you don't believe in anything, why won't you join me?"

"Because I refuse to betray my friends."

"Are they really your friends though? I mean, if you ran away from them, are they really your friends?"

I looked down at my hands. They were shaking. I clenched my fists to stop it. I heard Ultron laugh.

"I won't." I felt a cold, metallic slap against my cheek. I flinched slightly. "I refuse, Ultron. You can beat me within an inch of my life, and I'd still refuse." Another slap.

"Why are you refusing? It's not like they're worried about you. It's not like they'll come looking for you.