Getting the tattoo wasn't as painful as Elias thought it would be, but his arm was sore.
When Elsa dropped him off at his house he went to shower and then start on dinner. When his parents pulled into the driveway he had managed to finish cooking the vegetables and hamburgers. He had just started to make dessert when the front door opened.
"Hey sweetness." his mom sighed. "It smells lovely. Is that hamburgers?"
His dad chuckled and scooped Elias off his feet. "I swear it's like you can read my mind. How was school, sport?"
"It was good." Elias beamed. "I saw D today."
His mom blinked. "Elsa? Elsa Daely? What was she doing?"
"What do you mean? She said that you told her to come get me and we hung out at the park." Elias said as his dad put him down. "You didn't say that?"
His parents exchange and look and Elias frowns, realizing he is missing something.
"What is it?"
His mom swallowed and crouched in front of him. "What was she wearing? What was she driving?"
"Mom what's going on?" Elias said, starting to panic.
Elias took a step back from his parents and looked between them. Suddenly everything started clinking into place.
His mom goes out less often.
His parents have longer shifts.
No word from Elsa until now. No calls. Nothing.
"She's on the run, isn't she?" Elias whispered. "She's the fugitive the government is after."
His father tried to take a step toward him but Elias receded closer to the door.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Elias whispered.
"Elias, this is-"
Elias interrupted, shouting, "Why didn't you tell me?"
Before either of his parents could answer, he burst through the front door. He ran down the street, ignoring Levi when he called him. Elias wasn't sure where he was going, his only thought was getting away. Far away.
....
Elsa felt bad about lying to Elias, but it had been necessary. She knew about his abilities and would do anything to protect him.
Elsa pulled into an abandoned train station. Ranger and a teen were outside smoking and talking. Elsa parked and climbed out.
"How'd it go?" Ranger asked, puffing out smoke. "Was it really that bad?"
"It went. Will you keep your end of the deal?" Elsa demands.
This man was the only way for Elias to stay alive and keep his abilities a secret. Elsa licked her lips while she waited for the man's reply.
"Yes, I will. He's probably the last of his kind." Ranger whispered. "I'll guard him with my life."
Elsa tossed a black device and a bag at Ranger. "The device will let you know where he is. The bag contains your payment."
Ranger nods. "Toby."
Toby pulled out a gun and handed it to her. Elsa bit her lip and whispered and apology to Elias and his family.
"When you find him, tell him everything," Elsa said, tears falling. "Everything I told you. Tell him, he deserves to know."
Ranger nods. "I understand."
Elsa put a finger over the trigger and held the gun to her head. She bit back a sob. "I'm sorry Eli."
Then she pulled the trigger.
//
Toby flinched as Elsa flopped backward to the ground. He glanced over at Ranger.
"What are we going to do with the body?"
"Nothing."
Toby pushed from the wall, throwing his cigarette on the ground. He approached Elsa and took the gun.
"What is it that you're not telling me?"
Ranger puffed out some smoke and shuffled to stand next to him. Toby folds his arms. "Who is this kid and why is he so important?"
"Because he's like us. He's a dreamwalker."
Before Toby could answer, Ranger walked over to Elsa's body and reached into her pocket. He pulled out car keys and grinned back at Toby. "You driving?"
....
Elias wasn't sure how long he'd been running, but his chest was burning and his legs were ready to give out. He stopped to study his surroundings.
Elias was in downtown Phoenix where all the shops were closing for the night and families were finishing up some last-minute errands. Elias spotted the park across the street and sighed. He zipped up his jacket and pulled his hood over his head as he crossed the street to the park.
He walked around until he found the perfect spot to rest. But he wasn't alone.
A dark figure a few feet away was leaning against a tree. Elias got the feeling he was being watched, but he ignored it and closed his eyes.
Elias opened his eyes and jumped to his feet. He was in a small room with a long metal table and chairs. His eyes flick toward the door where he heard many voices.
Elias panicked and tried to look for somewhere to hide but the room was bare. When the door was opened Elias shrunk back in the corner and watched as the group of men with wolf ears enter. They were all tall, muscular, and very intimidating.
Elias swallowed a cry of surprise when he finally realized where he was.
He was no longer in his faction. He'd crossed the border to the Ravenous Wolves faction.
How did he get here?
"So how do you think this will improve our situation?" a man asked. "We've already lost so many of our kind after the Four-Year War."
The biggest wolfman snorts. "Do you think I did not consider that, Stix?"
Stix swallowed. "Of course, sire. Forgive me."
A young boy sitting beside Stix spoke up, "How will we be successful in this task, father? Won't the Phoenix faction know that we're coming?"
"I believe what Yuri is saying, is won't the dream walkers know?" said another man.
"I thought the factions killed them all." Stix said.
The leader hummed thoughtfully. "Well, we'll have to ask the Nightblade Warriors to assist in that, hm?"
Elias's mouth dropped open.
"We're killing off the rest of the freaks, then killing the leader of Phoenix?" a blonde asked. "I'm ready to see some blood fly."
The leader chuckled. "As am I Lu, but patience, my friend. Yuri, you will accompany the warriors when they head to Phoenix."
Yuri blinked in surprise and opened his mouth to protest, but his father snapped. "It's time you start pulling your own weight around here."
Elias felt like throwing up. These monsters plan to start the Four-Year War again and his faction is going down first.