The dust clouds of the incoming sandstorm slowly settled around the area surrounding Raven's base. The wind was moving it closer and closer as Roth's truck pulled over in the Out-Town. Kathrine, the driver stayed with the engine ready if the situation was to go critical. A small pluton of about 60 people exited the back and went down the main street up until the main gate. Roth, leading the group, held Daniel by the wrists behind his back, a makeshift handgun pointed at the back of his head. Safety still on. Overthinking the whole situation, Daniel felt something different. Something new. A railroad underneath him. It was strange, yet subtle. With every step, he and everyone else moved alongside it.
"Like it was meant to be" - a thought occurred. A subtle one like the feeling itself, but worth noting.
The Out-Town where Roth's people used to live was desolate. Most of the houses made out of scrap were gone, clearly taken inside to base to serve a new purpose. What was left of a place Roth called home not so long ago was just a memory hidden in the shadows and trash that were left in a place it used to be.
Before he even noticed they stopped at the main gate.
-Raven! - Roth shouted. There were no guards at the gate. They must have died from the poisoned water. Roth's plan had worked.
-We have what you want! - he continued, as a pair of two clumsy guards climbed up above the gate.
-What do you want? - the braver one spoke up. His voice was filled with a specific type of ignorance, Roth and Daniel could easily tell that he was stupid, even from a few meters below.
-Don't you see? - the smarter one took the floor. - That's the kid!
-What kid? We have enough kids inside. Go away!
-The one from the caravan.
-The caravan? - he realized the nature of the situation. - You're the people who attacked us?! You're that stupid to come here? Give me one good reason not to shoot you right now! - he pointed at the crowd of about sixty people standing behind Roth who held Daniel just before him.
-Stop it! You dumbass. - The smarter guard took the gun away from him and leaned to the barrier behind him. He mumbled something and turned back to Roth's group.
-You may come in. - these words were a surprise. Was it that easy? Were they that desperate?
The gate opened and Roth's group slowly moved inside.
The two guards came down to greet the visitors. They didn't seem hostile at all, at least from the looks of it.
-Listen. I'm sorry for my brother. He's one of them stupid people - the smarter one said, leading them toward the center of the base.
-I can hear that. - his brother responded.
-But he can't understand that. - the smarter one whispered to Roth and Daniel.
-I'm Match, and he's Scratch. - he pulled out his hand to greet the leader. Roth in response pulled out the gun from behind Daniel's head and pointed at his head.
-Back the fuck away. - he said firmly with an almost different personality, in comparison to the one he had on when he spoke to Daniel back in their town. He really despised those people. Momentarily barrels of rifles and guns pointed at Roth. Match backed away his hand and made some distance between them.
-Whatever you say, tough guy. - he said, ordering his people to lower their weapons. Match was an interesting one, trying to break barriers with enemies so fast. He seems damn clever in comparison to his brother who walked down the street with no thoughts in his mind at all. They both had something in common and it was a huge amount of bravery.
Match led them through up until the main square, after which he and his brother disappeared into the crowd of bystanders around them. The place where they stood was the main square of the base. It was lit with bright white light that for Daniel felt almost like being on stage. About 100 people were surrounding them. They stood on the ground, on the walls, on the houses. The purple eyes of their masks glowed everywhere from behind those lights. Just in front of them, there stood the tall tower Daniel saw the night before. Looking from this perspective it seemed as if it was touching the sky itself, but the slowly thickening dust was disrupting that perspective. Just at the feet of this tower, there was a podium and on it, was something you could call a throne room. The Raven stood on it and watched in curiosity. Her mask was much more detailed, not just a gas mask painted black and purple. It seemed to imitate a raven's head, covered in black feathers and something that resembled a bird's beak.
-You've made such a hit on our caravan, and now you're coming here to negotiate? You're either stupid or really that desperate. - her voice was surprisingly warm and mature, yet still mumbled coming from behind the mask.
-We're not desperate! We... - Roth stopped for a moment. He knew what they came here to do. Purely to attack. They were already in, so all Roth needed to do was shoot the first shot, yet before that he needed to know where Rose was. Glancing over the crowd he couldn't spot her. Everyone was wearing almost the same uniform, covering their faces. Why didn't Rose come out yet? But would she even? It'd probably be risking her life. His train of thought was stopped by the impatience of The Raven.
-Maybe you... - she pointed at Roth's hostage. - Daniel... If he doesn't know why you came here maybe you do?
-How'd you know my name? - he asked in blunt shock.
-It's not that hard to forget. - she answered slowly, taking off her mask. As it was slipping over her head it revealed long wavy hair, with a single blonde strand just beside the bangs covering her forehead.
-It can't be... - he mumbled. - Maise? - it couldn't be possible, she looked to be thirty at least, twice as old as Maisie he saw a few days ago.
-Long time no see brother. - her voice wasn't mumbled anymore, and he could hear an audible resemblance.
-But how... you're... - his voice was shaking. He didn't know if it was joy or shock. She was the leader of the people he thought to be the villains here.
-I assume you've seen me only a few days ago. I haven't seen you for years. I entered the corridor about 4 years after you disappeared. The difference is it threw me into this reality a long time before you even came.
-How was Mum doing... after I left? - he asked abruptly, wanting to ease the tension rising from all the questions he had about this situation.
-She... - Maise sighted. - We'll have time to talk about it soon.
-So that's why you wanted to transport me here? You knew...
-I was told, you'd be here...
-I'm not done talking! - Roth finally spoke up. - There is only one thing I want to know.
-That being? - she turned to Roth again, with a more relaxed approach after speaking to Daniel.
-Where is Rose? - Roth shouted.
-Rose? - Maise looked down, wiggling a ring on her finger with concern. - You're her brother? - she asked, dropping the cold stone face she had worn moments before completely.
-That's none of your business. You want the kid, I want to see her first! - desperation started to fill his voice. He was standing on the edge. Daniel could feel it, as Roth's hand was shaking while he was still holding the gun behind his head.
-Rose... - she stopped for a moment. - Rose is dead.
Roth suddenly felt like his heart had stopped. A tear rounded up in his eye, vocal cords became clenched. - Bullshit. - he mumbled with anger.
-She died of water poisoning. It was only a few months ago. I'm sorry. - she said, playing with a ring on her finger. Hearing those words terrified Roth. He felt like he was losing his mind. Like there were no brakes anymore.
At that moment Daniel could feel as Roth turned his gun's safety off. In a matter of a second, he pulled it out from behind his head and aimed straight in front of him. Daniel wanted to stop him.
-Roth, don't! - he shouted, wanting to grab the gun and push it away. He was too slow. Roth pulled the trigger. They collapsed to the ground as the gunshot sound pounded in Daniel's ear. Vision shaked. Ringing pierced right through his skull like somebody had put a screwdriver into it and wiggled around. Bullet raced through the air spinning as Maise dropped to the ground with the weight of her whole body. Blood soaking through the blonde strand of hair on her head.
END OF CHAPTER