The Metaphorical Key Book II- Forge the Path

Chapter VI

No, no, no, please no, gods no.

Both of them turned around, their eyes wide and shoulders taught like deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming vehicle.

"You're not Cas."

Aiden figured that the matter-of-fact, deadpan way the young man standing in the doorway spoke would've been funny in nearly any other situation, but certainly not this one.

Both Aiden and Pollux made brief eye contact with each other, mouths agape, before bolting for the window. Pollux still clutched the other half of Curtis' file in his hands for dear life - so tightly that the paper crumpled in on itself.

Aiden grasped the window ledge, hoisting himself up to the windowsill before reaching over and grasping Pollux's free hand.

His joints screamed in protest, but he had no time. Only a couple of seconds had passed since that door had been flung open, but time seemed to be moving in slow motion as the young man who'd bolted in tried to pull both Pollux and Aiden back to the floor.

But Pollux managed to kick his assailant in the face, and although he was the enemy, Aiden couldn't help but wince at the tell-tale crack of a broken nose as Pollux's boot connected with the man's face.

The sudden loss of weight that Aiden was pulling on sent him crashing off the windowsill, and although Pollux tumbled out just behind him, and the fall wasn't far, Aiden's left leg folded beneath him and he was suddenly acutely aware of the pain that'd been there since his first break-in.

Clearly, he'd damaged something, and so he stumbled back up, standing on his right leg and tentatively trying to put weight on his left one.

But pain flared like needles shooting into his foot and leg, and he hissed out a shaky breath.

Pollux's arm suddenly draped over his neck, and using his friend as a support, they tried to get away, but even as red and black spots splattered his vision, he could see the man who'd discovered them approaching him with two pairs of handcuffs.

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Aiden slumped over as he and Pollux were pushed towards some truck or something. He wasn't sure, he was shaky and his vision blurred and his leg hurt so damn much.

"Stop shuffling your feet and move."

"I can't."

"Well, why not?"

Aiden bit his lip before glancing at the man speaking to him.

"I uh, I think I might've sprained it."

"We'll fix that later. Just move along."

Aiden swallowed, not wanting to argue with the armed soldier escorting them to - a prison? Their deaths? He wasn't sure, and was even less sure if he wanted to know.

They stumbled into the back. Their hands were released, but just as Aiden moved to make a break for it, the door was shut behind them and there was a click of a lock.

They were plunged into darkness, and Aiden shook out his aching hands.

He couldn't see Pollux, or anybody, really, in the darkness, but he tried to talk to his friend nonetheless.

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so, sorry that I landed you in this mess. I never should've gone in the first place."

There was a brief silence.