Year 6 (First Draft) #Wattys2016

-Chapter 3-

I wake to a loud crashing noise coming from the dumpster that the young woman and her baby had been seated on. I almost gasp when I see two Government Agents searching the perimeter of the dumpster. One points to me, and my heartbeat leaps into my throat.

  “Did you see a young woman here?” A deep-voiced Agent asks.

  “She had a young child with her,” The other Agent adds.

  I shake my head, hoping I look convincing. If the Governments after that poor women, then her and her baby are going to Confinement.

  I hear a gasp coming from my right, and the see the woman standing there, staring at the two Government Agents. Every part of my body is screaming at her, urging her to run.

  She just stands there jack-jawed, clutching her baby to her chest.

  “Ma’am,” The deep-voiced Agent says, his voice menacing. “We need you to come with us.”

  The woman just shakes her head, then she turns around and breaks into a run. The Agents are on her within seconds. She screams, as one of the Agents rips her baby from her arms, setting the wailing infant in a box not ten feet away from me. My mind races, trying to think of what is best for me to do. Risk me neck helping her, or running as far away as possible. I know the answer, but I just don’t think I can do that. Running away will just leave me feeling guilty.

  When the woman struggles, reaching towards the box, the man jerks his knee up, connecting with her stomach. She gasps for air, coughing. In that moment, I make a split-second decision and lunge towards them, catching one of the Agents by surprise. I hop onto his back, throwing my arms around his thick neck. He gags, but that’s it. He doesn’t seem to care that I am attacking him, I am the least of his worries.

  The other Agent pushes the woman to the ground, kicking at her, telling her to stop screaming, or he won’t stop. She lets out an ear-piercing scream, one that chills my bones, even in the seventy degree weather. Finally the woman stills, most likely unconscious, her chest still rising and falling.

  Both Agents turn towards me, grabbing something from their pockets. They push a button and a spark of pure blue electricity appears. A Taser. I’ve seen them before, and I know what they can do. Every part of me cringes at the thought. I should’ve ran.

  I try to pull away when the Agent I had jumped on, grabs my arm, yanking me toward him and the other Agent. I try to retaliate but he just throws a punch at my jaw. I let out a scream, hoping someone will hear me, and come help. Nobody appears though, and all my hope fizzles into nothing.

  “Should’ve minded your own business,” The deep-voiced Agent says, a sneer curling his lips.

  Just as he presses the button again, I hear a shout from behind the two Agents, and suddenly they are yanked away, thrown to the ground. They already appear to be unconscious by the time they hit the alley floor.

  I fall backwards, shocked. Three boys stand at the feet of the Agents, black masks covering their faces. I don’t know whether to be afraid of them, or thankful that they came when they did.

  “I hate Agents,” One of the strangers says, stepping forward, pulling something out of one of the Agent’s backs. A dart? Yes, a small gray dart. “But that one was absolutely right. You should’ve minded your own business.”

  The boy steps forward, holding the dart out to me.

  “Poisin darts. They’ll wake up in a couple of hours… maybe,” The boy says, his voice indifferent.

  “What about the woman?” I ask, pointing to her slumped figure. One of the other boys runs to her, putting his finger under her nose. He just shakes his head. She’s dead, and all because she wanted her baby back.

  “I’m gonna say she’s a nonissue sweetie,” The boy in front of me says. His nonchalance about the whole thing is making me sick. A woman just died, and he’s calling it a “nonissue”?

  “Who are you guys anyway?” I ask, trying for my own tone of indifference.

  The boy in front of me smiles, reaching up to remove his mask.

  “Ta-da!” He says, removing the mask. I barely have time to process his face before he answers my question. “I am Kane Porter, and these are my buddies, Felix, and Tom. We lost Charlie to the stupid Feds, but we have a plan to get him back. Don’t look so scared sweetheart, I’m starting to get the feeling you don’t want us around anymore.”

  I take a step back. Kane Porter. How ironic. Hours ago I was searching high and low for him, and now, here he is, not three feet in front of me.

  My LR-5 vibrates, and I pull it out.

  NEWS: KANE PORTER--- SPOTTED--- BACK ALLEY OFF OF PINE STREET--- NEW ASSOCIATE--- YOUNG GIRL--- ABOUT 5’5--- REWARD STILL AT $2,000--- KANE PORTER---

  I shove the LR-5 back into my pocket, cursing under my breath.

  “The way I see it,” The boy- Kane- says, stepping round one of the Agent’s heads. “You are now just as wanted by the Government as my buddies here. So you can either tag along, or, try and face the Feds alone. Oh, but we already know how well that’d work out.”

  He points towards the two Agents. I get what he’s saying.

  I turn around, grabbing for the box that has the wailing baby in it. I can’t leave the poor thing here.

  “Oh no,” Kane says. “No way, no how. We don’t take in little kids, okay?”

  “The baby comes, or I go and tell every Agent this side of town where you are. They wouldn’t have any clue it was me described in the news.”

  “We’d be long gone.”

  “Oh. I don’t think so,” I say reaching for the one of the Tasers lying on the ground.

A/N Thoughts on Kane so far? What about Felisha? I hope you guys are enjoying this story. The chapters will be longer, but I'm just starting with this story. Thank you so much for getting this story up to #83 in Science Fiction, that's incredible! :D