This World is Outrageous { BOOK 2 }

Chapter 12--Bay

Chapter 12

Bay

I hate hearing my name spoken by such gruff voices. It makes my skin crawl.

I freeze and find myself wishing that Calyx would have added in a rule about not confronting the fugitives to her list of "do's and don'ts" given at the meeting. But she obviously didn't so that rule never came into play. That would've made our lives too easy. If that rule were to ever have happened, then we wouldn't be in this situation. Really, is that too much to ask? Just one thing of good news could have been so perfect. But who am I kidding? Even if this demand was given, the Jotunn probably would've violated it anyways.

That's how I go about facing my foes in a slow and steady manner. Slow and steady wins the race, isn't that how the saying goes? Mostly, when I deal with the Jotunn, thinking fast rather than slow is actually a smart idea. But what do I know? I am not Willow, so I obviously am not as smart as she is. Maybe she can help us with this situation.

"Willow!" I shout into the air. No response comes. Either she has turned off her earpiece again, is ignoring us, or literally caught up with tailing Calyx. Maybe she even got caught by Calyx. There's no telling.

Casper draws out his pulsar but falls short as he gets stopped by a gun barrel pressing against my temple. I yelp in shock. Seriously? I thought there is a "no kill zone" going on here. I thought we had some sort of verbal agreement after the meeting Calyx held. Appar-ently these Warriors don't listen to their orders.

It's difficult to look at three the Warriors surrounding us in the face. Not only because a gun appears to be slammed to the side of my face but because of their lack of helmets. I hate seeing the damage that has been done to them. How painful of a death they must have died. Surely these deaths weren't immediate, "putting them out of their misery" kind of deaths. It's evident from their faces, from the damage spread across them that their deaths were long and drawn out. It makes me feel sick. What's wrong with our society? Who in their right mind would do something like this?

"Casper," I say cautiously, "lower the gun."

He looks at me before slowly placing it down on the ground.

I have to hope and pray that these Jotunn won't go against orders. Surely they would listen to Calyx and spare our lives. Why am I so important to them? What am I? I am only human as far as I'm concerned. But if I am human then why do I crave violence—why do I like killing and holding a weapon? That isn't overly human is it? Humans are afraid of such things, but I love it. Not only do I not fit the mold of the people in New York, but I don't fit the mold for any given person left alive in Exitium.

I am different, and that scares me.

I silently cry out to Ridge in hopes that he will get us out of this. But he freezes to the spot as he gawks at one Jotunn in particular.

That's when I spot a familiar looking Jotunn Warrior. Isabel—the woman from Morgantown. The w- oman that appears to be in her forties. As I look at her I can't help but realize she looks fairly similar to Ridge.

Oh. Of course.

I slowly look between Ridge and Isabel. They have the same eyes, same nose, almost the exact same, dark-brown hair and several matching freckles across their cheeks.

"Ridge." I speak softly. For once I call him by his real name.

Casper looks where I am looking before he glances between Isabel and Ridge. His face falls, seeming to catch onto the similarities.