The Tag Bearer

Chapter 9 - A Frightening Occurence

I struggled against my ties, feeling the vehicle start up and begin to move. I needed a way to get to Matthew and free Alfredo, but the truck rumbled on and I was still stuck to the seat in which I'd been forcefully plonked onto. I swayed at every turn and lurched with the vehicle at every pothole in the most uncomfortable fashion. The fabric of the mask was too thick to see through, and it was getting harder and harder to breathe with the mounting heat. No one uttered a word, although occasionally a radio crackled to life.

I continued to work my wrists out of the strong hold in an awkward shuffle. "Come on Ellie," I muttered to myself, working harder at the bonds hoping that they would loosen up enough for me to slip my wrists out.

"What's the status of her?" an Officer said over my thoughts. I stopped, my ears perking up like a dog about to retrieve a rabbit. If he looked back now and saw my wrists half out of the hold...

"Her physical status seems perfect, but her emotional status is harder to tell," another replied.

I let out the air I'd been holding in. Damn right it is! I didn't know what the hell was going on, so of course my emotional state was a ticking time bomb. I had always been an edgy person, but something about being driven to an unknown fate made that churning feeling in my gut work away at my anxiety levels more fiercely. 

"He wants her in perfect condition."

I froze. Who wanted me in perfect condition?

"Well we can't promise anything, now can we?"

"K47, you know what happens if we don't deliver?"

He scoffed and never replied, instead shuffling back in his seat to make himself more comfortable.

"Where are we going?" I tried to ask over their bickering. A sudden power deep inside me had taken over my mouth, and I wasn't sure I liked it. I wanted there to be an opportunity to escape so badly, but not if it only led me down the road of certain death. This was all one big mistake. One frighteningly big mistake. 

Stuff it! "Where are we?" I demanded, throwing myself as far forward as I could. "What did you do with Matthew?"

"We know of no Matt, darlin'," one of them laughed.

"The heat must be getting to her," the voice of K47 initiated as I imagined him pointing to his head like I was crazy as he laughed with the other unknown Officer. 

Asking questions was useless, just like Matthew. I cursed myself for ever having let him pressure me into going with him. I should've stayed in my quarters where it was safe. Rage turned my cheeks a beetroot red and I suddenly hated him all over again. He was the reason I was here in this mess in the first place. 

"I am Ellie Young, and you will tell where we are!" I commanded, frightened at the strength that irrupted from my own voice as I struggled furiously against the ties. 

They both laughed. "Relax sweetie. We'll pretend you said nothin'."

At that moment, a particularly large pothole sent me flying back into my seat, bashing the back of my head into the side of the metal tray behind me. They both snickered loudly as I swore and tried to shake the pain aching from the egg forming on my head. I raged, making my hands perform their duty faster, although I don't think it helped much.

We travelled in silence, and I felt their eyes boring into my head like I was a wanted fugitive. The ride eventually smoothed out and I no longer had the sensation that the driver was intentionally hitting each pothole. We must have reached smooth asphalt – a rare commodity in this new world. If I stopped to listen closely, I noticed the radios had gone quiet. No longer did they crackle to life and the only thing that now broke the silence in the vehicle was the panting of the Officers like they were dogs in the heat.

The truck slowly rolled to a halt, the breaks screaming under the pressure and the sounds of men yelling orders reached my ears. Machinery clanked and whirred all around me like a scene from inside a factory full of clockwork, clogs and loud machinery equipment.

Where was I? Where had they taken me?

Panic bubbled beneath my skin; I had no time to gather up my senses. I frantically started breathing as they grabbed me and shoved me out of the truck. They led me blindfolded along the asphalt, pulling at my arms whenever they tried to dodge something obstructing their path.

Their pace quickened, my short legs barely able to keep up and my head so light I swear this was all a dream. They ushered me up a set of stairs before their pace abruptly stopped and I nearly face-planted into the ground. I was glad they had a firm grip on me.

"Take off her mask," a gruff voice ordered.

On his command the bag obstructing my view was ripped off like a grand revealing of a trophy. An uncomfortable blast of heat hit my exposed face, not helping to alleviate the sweat that had gathered on my brow from the bag.

I glanced around, my eyes focusing on a man standing squarely before me, fresh Officers either side of him like personal bodyguards. Their black uniforms vastly contrasted his light grey camouflage uniform, and he had a twisted French moustache that sent shivers down my spine. His face was lined with a grim expression, causing his worry lines to crease further. I scanned him, noticing a little pin with wings sitting proudly above his left breast. Sergeant Hill was sewn on his right breast as though it were an afterthought.

My stomach dropped.

"Run from the man named Sergeant Hill."

My eyes widened and I began struggling against the Officer's grip. Matthew would be dead before the day was out. I would be dead along with him. The book would be found. Shit!  "Where's Matt? What have you done with him?" 

He began to chuckle, rocking back on his heels slightly and casting his eyes on the penetrating blue sky.

"We've been waiting a long time for you," he said, still chuckling as his gaze returned back to me in a threatening, overbearing nature. "Take her to the West Wing, we leave for the new city tomorrow."