The Runaways

Chapter Fifty-Six - Stalling

Corban

"You ready to go?" Warren asked as he approached me. Everyone had just started to wake up and get ready for the day, and as excited and happy as I was I could go help Warren find his daughter and maybe even my dad, there was a pit in my stomach. How would I tell Elias, Remington, and Reece? They're all I've had for so long. As much as I like Warren and want to find my Dad. I can't just pick up and leave all of the sudden.

"Oh well actually Warren the Syndicate hideout where we'll be going to see if your daughter is is actually by where we had originally set up camp. Everyone else will be heading back that way... it's just better to travel in a group." I said as I smiled nervously at him, I was telling the truth and I also wanted more time with everyone before I left.

Warren sighed, "You're really going to make me spend more time with Remington?"

"Well I mean—"

"No it's fine your right. Traveling in a group is a lot more safer." Warren said in a disappointed tone, "I just can't stand him. I honestly don't know how you can tolerate him for so long."

I just shrugged, "When he's all you have you don't have a choice."

"Hey um. Speaking of Remington." Cleveland said as he walked closer to us and pointed to the area on the side of the small shack, "Is he okay? He's just lying in the grass..."

"Oh yeah he's fine. He probably just got drunk last night." I said.

"Oh great, look Corban if he's hungover and slows us down at all we'll be going on our own." Warren said in frustrated voice, "I know they're your friends but if you're going to be coming with us—"

"Yeah I know, here I'll go wake him up right now." I sighed as I hurried over to where Remington was, as I left I could hear Cleveland asking Warren about me coming with them. I wanted them to be quiet I didn't want anyone to know I was leaving yet. It was a sudden decision and for people I've stayed with for so long I should be the one to tell them, and I need to think of a way to tell them.

I walked over to Remington who was laying shirtless in the grass as he slept. I could see some of his tattoos he had like the snake he had that wrapped on top of his left shoulder blade where it then stretched its head down to his collar bone. Right next to it we're his dice tattoos, and then of course the flower tattoo on his left side of his rib cage. Remington has a lot of weird tattoos but the flower one really stood out to me. It had always stood out, all of his other tattoos were the typical masculine tattoos except for that one weird symbol tattoo he has on his right forearm. But the flower always seemed so... calm, compared to his other tattoos. I wonder if it was a commemoration to something or someone.

"Remington. Remington, lets go." I said as I put my arm on his shoulder and shook him awake.

He grunted at me as he started pushing my hand away tiredly. He muttered something but his voice was too quiet and muffled to hear, not to mention the fact his words all slurred together.

"Remington we have a big day ahead of us let's go. You better not be hungover." I warned.

"I'm not hungover... I'm just tired." Remington grumbled, "it's so early..."

"No it's not let's get up now, please."

"It's early for me..."

"Oh my God just get up you big baby." I groaned.

After enough pestering I finally got Remington to get his fat ass up and ready for the day. By that time everyone was packing up and about ready to start heading back to where me, Remington, Elias, and Reece had our camp set up for the last few months. Now it was time to go back to see if there was anything left of it or if the Syndicates trashes everything. Well, at least the other three and Blake would go. Once we get close to our old camp that's where I'll have to go my separate way with Warren and Cleveland. I was scared and nervous. I knew this was what I wanted but the chances of me seeing them again were slim. There was a pit in my stomach that was growing bigger and bigger from guilt.

I decided to distract myself and checked in with Warren who was talking to Elias as we were getting ready to leave. Elias was reassuring Warren he could walk on his leg okay again and that he'd be able to travel just fine. The bullet wound in Elias's leg had healed up pretty well.

"Are we all ready to go?" I asked.

"Yeah I guess. Elias says he feels better." Warren said.

"Yeah I wanna go home already. I miss my tent man." Elias groaned, "I miss doing nothing all day. Corban when we get back we should have a big bonfire like we used to. Make a really good dinner as like a treat for us for having to go through all of this."

I nervously laughed and scratched the back of my neck, "Yeah, we definitely should." I looked over my shoulder seeing Warren giving me a disappointed look. He knows I'm stalling, he knows that I don't want to tell them I'm leaving, "Alright well let's get moving. Warren and Cleveland got places to lead."

"Oh we're going now?" Remington asked as he butted in on our conversation, "I think it's best I lead, I have the best sense of direction."

Elias rolled his eyes at him, "Oh so when it took Corban ten minutes to get you up that was fine but know you want to lead us? Dude make up your mind are you going to hold us back or are you going to get us lost."

"I'm not going to get us lost. Elias I have a way better understanding of the area than you could ever dream of." Remington clapped back.

"Really?"

"Really."

As Elias and Remington started bickering Warren walked up beside me and bent down to whisper to me.

"If you want to come with me you got to tell them kid. The sooner the better." He whispered, "I'm not going to let you stall forever. I like you and I think you have potential and I would love to help you but my daughter is my first priority. If you can't be ready to leave when I need to, I can't wait up for you."