Survival

XVII: Negotiation

(Pic is rather what Azazel looks like, but y'all can imagine him however you want)

Sylvia's POV.

I grimaced reaching up to cradle my head, which ached, only to find out my hands were tied behind my back,
"What the..." I whispered trying to open my eyes but rain was flowing down from the sky preventing me from doing so. I shook my head trying to remember what happened last time I was conscious, but all my mind was mush, the only thing that I could see in my head was small images and flashes of images, and I hated it... Why did my mind have to be cryptic?
"Ah, you're finally awake aren't ya now?" I blinked again shaking my head, I knew that accent... That's when everything from the last month or so came crashing back in, without a second thought I kicked towards the voice-hearing the conforming 'oof' that I'd hit my target. I leaned forward scrunching up my legs to bring my arms around them, I'd practiced stretching and being flexible for cases just like this. I quickly brushed the water out of my eyes standing up only to stumble back down on my bum as the wagon I was on went over a bump. Over to my right side I saw a horse neigh and run up by the wagon but the guy that I figured was the main leader from what I remembered from holding him at knifepoint held up a hand for her to leave us be,
"You are a feisty one..." He said with a deep breath resting a hand on the side of the wagon as he slowly sat up from me winding him. I just coldly glared at him trying to figure out what the best course of action was. That's when I remembered Corny and Simba and looked around frantically for them but everything was still covered in fog and I couldn't see ten feet in front of myself,
"He's fine don't worry," The man replied, clearly realizing what I was looking for,
"What about Maple and Mare? And Simba?" I questioned looking at the knot that held my hands together. I almost laughed at it, this one was simple... Once in an old store, I'd found an old book that had instructions on how to untie and tie knots and I knew much more complex ones compared to this. I laughed a little realizing how many things I knew yet so little at the same time... I guess I just had a lot of free time over the past seven years,
"The horses? We have them with us," He explained with a shrug,
"The dog?" I questioned again and he just flicked his toward the back of the open wagon (other than the rim going around it) where Simba lay motionless, or so I thought until I realized his chest was slowly rising and falling,
"He'll be up in an hour or so,"
"Why am I not dead?" I questioned absently as I did a simple motion and the rope fell to the ground with a satisfying clunk. I yawned stretching out my sore arms,
"Because you might be of some use," He picked up the rope putting it in a box at the front of the wagon. I looked around trying to observe anything useful, there was a man sitting at the front of the wagon with the reins of two horses in his hands, on either side of us I could hear hooves though I could only see the outlines of two horses with people on them on either side of the wagon, they seemed completely calm and focused, though I smiled with satisfaction seeing one of them babying their left shoulder,
"And why in the world would I help you?" I quarried raising an eyebrow at the man. I got into a comfortable position putting on a calm amused look to seem like I wasn't concerned or worried about a thing,
"I'm still not sure if you could be of use, the option of just killing you is still very possible I assure you," He grinned getting comfortable himself, resting both of his elbows on the ridge of the wagon,
"Pfft, trust me, whatever it is I can be of use," I looked at the floor of the wagon, it was mostly empty other than some tools and mettle things that I didn't understand, and of course Simba. He chuckled looking at me pointedly,
"I'm not so sure, you might be able to fight but I don't think your that smart... And I'm going to assume that you do things impulsively, without thinking everything through," Now this caused me to laugh up a storm, (though... I guess I might be a little impulsive? Yeah, you know what no, I am most definitely not impulsive,)
"Okay, Mr. I Know Everything... How's this for smart? The fact that this is a big group and you're all so calm means that your home is near here. So far, you've gotten one signal saying, I assume, that it's fine to keep going. The fact that you're so close to the Taipan's territory and not dead yet means that you have a really big gang that actually opposes them...
"Since you have a wagon with tools in it and we're so close to the Taipans border I'm also going to assume that you were spying on them or setting something up. Probably trying to take their territory or drive them out because of course who in the world would like having such a big component so close and raiding all of the places that you want to and taking the things that you need.
"And making that conclusion and the fact that you said I may be of use I am assuming that you think I might have a personal vendetta against the Taipans, if I'm not one of course, therefore I might simply willingly, with no cost or anything, help you drive them out or kill them or whatever it is you have planned..." I smirked leaning back as the guys face now held a trace of shock,
"I guess I assumed wrong..." He said slowly now watching me cautiously,
"Yes, yes you did,"
"Well, that's pretty much all I was going to tell you... Maybe even a little less," He added in a grumble, "So, what is your answer to helping us? And what is your relation to the Taipans?"
"I'm sorry but I don't tell-" I cut myself short hearing someone screaming and yelling. Without a second of hesitation, I jumped off the wagon nearly hitting the guy and doing a summersault to stop myself from getting hurt. After traveling with Corny for around a week I knew what his scream sounded like- I ran towards the scream to find someone pinning Corny to a tree. I yelled jumping up and wrapping my legs around their shoulders instantly bringing them down to the ground and pulling out the dagger that I always had in the back of my bra as they'd taken all of my others. I pressed it to his throat glowering at him as Corny smiled at seeing me, though he quickly crouched to the ground clutching his mouth and I figured his toothache was back,
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," The man I'd been talking to came running up to us, I ignored him pressing the dagger closer to the man's throat who was withering under me trying to push his face into the dirt and away from my blade. The man behind me slowly grabbed my hand trying to pull me away from his guy, but I did not appreciate the jester one bit and flung around kicking him in the gut again,
"Why was he pinning Corny down!?" I yelled now pointing the knife at him,
"I don't know," He croaked raising his hands or at least one as he used the other to clutch his gut. I scowled turning around about to fling the knife into the guy who curled up in a ball flinging his arms over his head at my jester but my action was stopped as the main man ran in front of me,
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" He yelled (again) motioning for his guy to get up with one hand and holding the other one in front of me,
"Look, I don't want to fucking help you or get involved in whatever the hell you're doing. I have things to do, and protecting Corny is one of them and he is clearly not safe here. So, if you will please excuse us I will be taking my leave with all of my supplies if you would like to make it back to your camp in one piece," My voice was low and threatening, laced with venom,
"Come on... We can work this out, Arnold what were you doing to her friend?" He questioned his companion without taking his eyes off of me as I paced back and forth flicking the knife between my fingers impatiently,
"He wouldn't shut up about his tooth aching so I was going to pull it out..." Arnold answered pressing his hand against his throat, he had been so close to getting an early ride to Death,
"See, what's so wrong with that?" The leading guy inquired. I just cursed inside my head, I hadn't been paying enough attention to realize Corny had been complaining about his tooth again,
"It's wrong because he's my guy and nobody gets to do anything to him without my permission," I answered back with a growl crossing my arms over my chest glaring pointedly at the main guy,
"Well... I will make sure everyone knows that for in the future. So, I am now asking you if we can pull his tooth for it is causing him more pain right now than if we did," He slowly explained, obviously trying very hard not to aggravate me further, but it was too late for that, I was furious. I breathed heavily through my nose pacing back and forth quickly as things raced through my head. I mean... It might be useful to get some help, seeing how big the Taipans base was and the fact that it had a wall I'm going to guess there are far more people there than I assumed... So, I guess there is a low chance of me actually being able to get Jason out and Liam if he's still alive... Yeah this is probably my best option, right? Besides, if all goes south I can just kill this guy and leave. I glanced down at Corny where he was quietly whimpering to himself,
"Hey..." I whispered kneeling down beside him, "I know you don't like the idea... But if you want the pain to stop you need to let these people pull your tooth. I promise it won't hurt that much? I had to pull one of my own tooth's when I was younger," He looked up at me cautiously,
"But I don't want to..." He whimpered. I sighed looking up at the sky and asking a silent prayer before hauling Corny to his feet,
"Look, you have two options here. One, you can let this guy or even me if you want, pull your tooth. Or two, I knock you out, you have ten seconds to decide or I choose," I explained sternly holding up both my hands and slowly putting down my fingers mouthing the numbers. Corny shifted from foot to foot glancing around. I stared at him pointedly before putting down the last finger,
"Welp, that decides it then," I shrugged walked towards him but he yelped running away from me,
"No! I don't want to!"
"Corny! Get back here!" I screamed shooting the other guys a warning glare to not go after him. He only got ten yards away before I tackled him down to the ground. He squirmed trying to get away but I hit him in the neck (only as hard as needed) and he fell limp to the ground,
"There," I said flicking my hair out of my face and getting up to my feet, "You now have my permission to take out his tooth," I said walking a couple of steps away as Arnold pulled out some wire twisters propping Corny upon his knee,
"Wait, so is his named actually Corny?" The lead guy questioned watching Arnold,
"Yeah, well I mean it's technically Cornelius, but he has me call him Corny," I explained observing all of Arnold's movements carefully,
"Hmmm... Yeah I'm definitely not calling him that so, he's now Candy Corn," He stated sternly
"What? Seriously?" I raised my eyes in astonishment,
"Yes, very seriously," He replied giving me a smirk. I sighed rolling my eyes. We both turned sharply towards Corny as he let out a scream before I think he passed out,
"Candy Corn didn't take that well I see," The guy stated and I laughed,
"Yeah, clearly," He helped me haul him up onto the wagon (though carefully as to not hurt Simba) as it would be to risky to put him back on a horse for he could fall off since he was unconscious,
"Soo... Mysterious unknown dude, what's your name and what gang are you in?"
"Names Azazel, and my gangs called Ameeregas," He gave me a cunning smirk, it took me a minute to realize just quite what he meant by "my" gang,
"Wait you're the leader?" I said in astonishment,
"Yeah," He replied simply fiddling with a piece of grass before tossing it aside,
"So, on our way back to base why don't we discuss what we're going to do to bring down the Ameeregas and what you want from helping us, assuming you choose to of course," He added at the end leaning against the side of the wagon,
"I'm looking for two people, one might be my brother and the other is a friend," I explained, I didn't plan on giving any more information than those two though,
"Oh? What are their names? I might know them, and if you want them alive you might want to tell me so that I can have my men not slaughter them," He sat up a bit,
"Jason and Liam," I squinted my eyes at Azazel as he coughed putting his hand to his mouth and looking away from me,
"Everything alright...?" I asked cautiously preparing for whatever might happen next,
"Uhm... So, you don't want either of them dead?" He asked slowly watching me closely, his eyes were clouded by emotion but I couldn't quite tell which emotion,
"No! I want them both very much alive," I said firmly glaring at him, between us Corny groaned as we went over a bump wrapping an arm around Simba,
"K... Well, I wish I could've known you wanted him sooner,"
"What do you mean? How do you know them?" I quarried leaning threateningly closer to him,
"Well, I know Liam just by name from an inside man... But Jason- My connection to him is more complicated..."
"How," I growled, my hand resting on the knife on my lap and I knew he saw the motion as he shifted in his spot,
"Well... I guess it's storytime ain't it..." He said with an airy laugh before becoming sober again, "Jason had a run-in with us a while back, or more so he worked with us, we taught him a lot and in return, he helped us with raiding parties...
"This was many years ago though when we weren't so big and didn't live here, our name wasn't even Ameeregas. But after a while when he'd learnt all he wanted to, he decided he'd prefer to go along as a loner. I don't have a personal vendetta against him, but when the Taipans went on a raiding trip and their leader, Nicole, went with them I had to take the chance to act, so I set up a raiding party of some random people I'd found.
"I didn't know it was Jason who was the one they'd brought back until after I'd already acted... For my plan to work I needed to aggravate them, and the only way I could see to do that, or more so the easiest and the best way would be to poison one of them so I hired some people and had my inside man, go raiding there and to take the new guy, or Jason, with them.
"The plan was actually for Walker to get poisoned because he's more important... But that didn't go to plan as it ended up being Jason... And the only cure for it is here... For my plan to work I can't give it to him, and my plan was a success," I stared blankly at him not quite sure what to think other than wondering whether or not he just said that Jason is dead in a cryptic way... "So," He started again, "How about we make a deal, Jason has about three or so days left by what my inside man says, so, if you help me take over the taipans I will let you and Jason and Corny and even Liam go with all of the things you came with and give you the plant Jason needs to survive, deal?" I was frozen for a moment before shaking my head roughly and letting out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. So, Jason wasn't dead, (or at least yet) thank god... I looked straight into his eyes, a kind of warning of what I'd do if he backstabbed me, and then I shook his hand and he smiled willfully. This man was most definitely not someone to trust, he was simply an acquaintance I had to use to get what I wanted and then get the hell out of it,
"So... Azazel, what's the plan?" I instantly got to the point, I wanted to get to Jason as soon as possible, not wasting time dawdling over useless things,
"Well... Sense the Taipans are now getting suspicious of a traitor my inside man can't risk doing anything... If, per say, we had someone who was rather a dimwit with a cute harmless dog... But still able to do things that wouldn't be suspicious get in..." We both looked down at Corny who was grumbling something in his unconscious state and Simba who gave a small whimper resting his head on Corny's arm,
"Oh dear lord..." This wasn't going to end well...