Jolene kept struggling to fight off the men as they raise a hand holding a piece of wood towards her face. One hit strong enough to knock her out. She clenched her eyes shut to prepare for an impact and wish she stays conscious after it.
"Don't even think about it!"
All of them was immediately caught by the roaring shout.
Jolene slightly opened her eyes and saw the one who shouted, it was Kiel. Running towards them with the most furious face. He was running like his life depended on it, the man holding Jolene was not able to react or even prepare when Kiel's foot landed on his face. He did not stop on one but he started kicking everyone near them. His feet is almost buried on everyone's faces quickly.
When everyone's down, Jolene halted him down, "Kiel, youre bleeding." is what she can only say.
"Jolene." Kiel's face turned soft, "Are you hurt? I saw what happened."
She shook her head assuringly, "No I'm fine, thanks to you."
"I'm hurt, if you're asking who is." Owen groaned at the side.
"Let me help you big guy." Alana suddenly came from outside and offered her hand to Owen.
"Ah, Alana, such an angel." Owen swooned in which made the curve on Alana's lips wider.
"How about the guys outside?" Kiel asked Alana.
"All down. Well, a few of them ran away to get more backup so they are most likely on their way now." Alana reported.
"We better get going." Jolene said, "Let's go at the back door!" then they all rushed to it. It led them near the ruins of the back of the factory. They immediately took cover when they saw a bunch of men approach the front of the kitchen.
"We need to make a run." Kiel told them in a low volume, "Head straight to where the trucks are parked, that's our ticket out."
Three of them nodded to what Kiel said, they were all bracing themselves, waiting to run as soon as everyone is focused inside the kitchen.
after a few while, the last of them finally made it at the doorstep of the kitchen.
"Now!" Alana whispered as she ran as fast as she can. Jolene, Kiel, and Owen mindlessly followed and ran quickly but also quiet enough not to make a fuss.
It felt like the longest sprint for all of them, with their hearts pounding, and some bruises. They made it to the trucks. But before they can actually touch the closest one, they stopped as they saw Arch, Sky, and Tito waiting there.
The four of them did not know what to do. At this point they are not sure whether they are still a friend or not. The serious expressions on their faces tell the latter.
"We're mad at you too, Owen." the first one that spoke in all of them was Sky, "This place had been good for all of us."
"Now that it's gone, you wanted to get away with it?" Tito jumped up to the discussion.
"They literally wanted to kill me!" Owen replied.
"And the three of you, why would you want to help him? He's... different." Arch added.
"Not very different as it seem." Alana answered back as she removed her shades, placing it in her pocket. Sky, Arch, and Tito was appalled at her red eyes, but Alana expected the reaction.
"Owen is just like us." Jolene says, she tried to activate her ability again, there was a faint glimmer of silver, almost unnoticeable, and then gone. "Dammit." she cussed in frustration. Kiel saw it but he does not even know how to activate his ability so they really can't prove much.
"But I'm just like you guys too." Owen finally spoke, "We've been the best of friends, I know that you all know I do not mean any harm. So help me out, please." the last thing that he would want to happen is for his friends to turn on their back at him too.
Arch, Sky, and Tito looked at each other, as if they had made up their mind to something. Sky sighed, "We know that, but we are still pretty mad about the factory..."
"But we won't let others hurt you, best that you be gone." Tito added. Arch tossed the truck key at Owen. "Use that small truck, for all of you."
"Quickly, before they get here." Tito said. They moved aside as they let the four ride inside the truck. Owen was in the driver's seat. He started the truck and glanced once more to his friends.
"We'll see each other again someday." Arch told him.
After hearing that, Owen could not help himself but to cry. He manouvered the vehicle with a heavy heart and headed towards the gate. It automatically opened and closed as soon as they are out. Owen's tears are blurry while driving, good thing that the road is empty. His eyes kept on staring at the side mirror where the gate of the factory can still be seen.
"Hey man, do you want me to take over driving?" Kiel offered as he notices Owen's constant sniffing and wiping of tears.
"Do you know how to drive?" Owen asked.
"Not really, but you can tell me how." Kiel admitted.
"I know how to drive! I mean, I know what the buttons are for. Not that I've already driven at all." Jolene spoke at behind at the back seat.
"No, it's alright. I can manage." Owen assured them.
Alana's attention was caught by the sliding window in between the parcel area and the driver's. She peeked and noticed that the door at the back of the truck was slightly opened.
"Hmm, that's odd." Alana whispered.
"What is?" Jolene asked. Her gaze also diverted to where Alana had been looking.
"The door, it's open." she told Jolene.
Jolene slid the window open, the window is quite wide that they can easily move half of their body in between. "Oh yeah, it is," she confirmed.
"It was closed when we left the factory," Alana told her.
"Surprise!"
both Jolene and Alana gasped in shock as Alana suddenly gets pulled by hand towards the other side of the truck.
"Alana!" Jolene panicked. Kiel and Owen also saw Alana get pulled on the other side but Owen had to immediately focus back on his driving. Jolene tried to jump on the other side too but Kiel stopped her, "No stay here! I'll go get her!"
Meanwhile, Alana got surprised as she was pulled on the other side, and then slammed on the wall of the truck. A man with a devilish smirk was pinning her.
"Hello there, Alana." his voice was teasing but has a sinister tone to it. It was even scarier for her when she saw his glimmering red eyes.
"Who are you!" she angrily shouted, she had never seen this man before. Not in her village, nor in the factory. He has long hair and ears decorated in several piercings. The man smiled wider, she knew he can see her fear towards him.
Before the guy could even answer, Kiel pushed him away from Alana. They fell to the ground. Kiel tried to hold him back, keeping him on the ground but the man was strong. He rolled him over and now Kiel is the one pinned on the floor, "Oh hi, if it isn't the hot guy." the man commented while closely facing him as if toying him.
"You think you can take both of us down?" Alana shoulder-locked him. He made a few choking noises before he chuckled. "Hell... yes, without... a... doubt." then he flipped Alana and slammed her on the floor. Alana groaned in pain as she held her back.
The man stood up, fixed his hair for a bit, "The name is Duerre, fellas." He waited up as the two were able to stand up.
"Now, shall we have a decent fight?" he challenged. Alana and Kiel attacked him both at once.
"What is happening Jolene?" Owen could hardly focus on driving. "Should we stop?"
"No we haven't gone that far from the factory, we might get caught by them." Jolene reminded. She was watching Kiel and Alana fight the mysterious attacker.
But then she heard a noise from above the truck. She thought it might be from the fight that is going on but something is telling her otherwise. She moved in front of the truck, beside Owen. She filled her lungs with air, "Owen, no matter what, keep driving okay." she said as she opened the window and go out from there.
"Hey, Jolene! What are you... oh come on I thought we are safe now." Owen sighed to himself in frustration.
Jolene carefully managed to climb up to the roof where she saw a man quietly sitting at the end part of the truck. The man looks almost the same as her age, he was just watching her struggle on climbing up to the roof, unimpressed.
She walked towards him carefully, trying to balance herself on a moving vehicle.
"Took you long enough to climb and walk over here." the man commented, still not moving from where he's seated.
"Who are you? Are you with the man attacking my friends?" Jolene ignored his comments.
"He's just playing, don't worry." he said, "You can also sit down and join me wait for them."
"What?"
"Sit."
Jolene doesn't know why, but she sat.
"Who are you?" Jolene asked him again.
This time the man looked at her, he has plain uninterested eyes, with a headband in his forehead, "Forty-six."
"Forty-six what?"
"That's my name."
"Who names their child Forty-six?"
"Who names their child Jolene?"
Jolene wants to be offended, but she was more curious, "You know my name?"
"Don't act special, we know all of you."
"Who is the 'we'?"
"You'll know soon." he knocked on the truck before he stood up, "We're leaving. Next time I see you, climber, I'm gonna kill you and your friends," he noted.
"Good luck with that. Next time, I'd make the odds not exactly in your favor." she threatened back.
Forty-six scoffed, "You mean, with your abilities?" his expression changed as he curved a little smile. "Let me teach you something about you. You don't exactly make the odds, you wish for it to bend in your favor. Right now, I can tell best if you focus on manipulating people's free will. When you're good at it, then you can try with manipulating coincidences."
"Coincidences?"
"For example, what are the odds of another truck coming on the opposite side of the road as our getaway vehicle?" then Jolene noticed something about him that made her blood turn cold.
His eyes were also lighting in silver.
"You..." she uttered. "Did you control me to sit down?"
Forty-six shrugged, "You think I'd bother? It was all you." just then a truck came at the opposite side of the road, "Oh, here's our getaway truck." then he jumped to the other truck. His friend also swung to it. "I'm kidding! I totally did make you sit down!" Forty-six shouted as the vehicle goes farther. Jolene silently watched them go to the opposite route.