Magic Children

Chapter 3 Hwy 93 Alvarado Texas - Brigit

Every bump in the road threatens to send me off the edge of the steel bench. Then the belt around my waist and shoulders tugs me back painfully, and I'm still sitting on the steel bench in the back of the wagon. The only light comes from the bulb above us and the cracks in the roll up door. Another day, another new facility. I was causing problems at our last one. I typically do. Baby and Luna, who are similarly bound on the other side of the wagon, are with because our last facility got compromised. That is, it went up in flames. They don't know why. I do.

I want to get out Baby whines in my head. She knows I can break our cuffs and neck bolts. I have before. But if I did, I have no idea where I'd go. The guard at the back regards us, mostly me, with disdain, electric gun in hand. I'm sure that mutant transport is the short straw of jobs in this field. I'm sure jobs in this field are the short straw.

I shake my head a little at Baby. She shoves me a bit and pouts. She's terribly little so they don't have very strong cuffs on her despite her being a telepath. They have very strong cuffs on me despite me not being a telepath. I'm just telekinetic. But since that time I broke the cuffs, they've had me in big, adult ones that they have to tighten a million times to fit on my hands. And I get the neck cuff thing. Dog collar.  Luna does get a collar as well because they slightly blamed her for the last break out. She could break the cuffs if she really wanted. I'm just better at it.

There's another jolt then the wagon stops so abruptly we are all nearly thrown from our seats.

The guard looks at us, okay mostly me, suspiciously. I shake my head, innocently. That is, admittedly, what I would do if I were guilty. But I'm not. Not this time. I thought about it. But no. Nowhere to run to.

The guard radios up front, but gets no response.

They're sleeping something got them Baby starts to cry.

"Don't go out," I hiss, to the guard, two seconds before he opens the back and falls down, dead or unconscious, from what looks like a dart to the neck.

"Oh well," Luna shrugs at me. I snap off our and Baby's cuffs and collars, though I take firm hold of Baby's arm before she runs out of the wagon.

"Stay behind us," I warn her, fully expecting an actual hijacking party of well armed mafia men who were expecting money to be in the back of this armored car.

It is not.

It is a rather small man, with a stun gun. He's got stringy hair about to his chin and is dressed like—I don't know maybe this is how people dress. He's wearing a colorful button up shirt, worn pants, and wooden bracelets on both wrists.

"It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you---I'm rescuing you---or unkidnapping you, do you want to come?" he asks, gesturing for us to get out, "I'm completely human, I promise. By how fast you got those cuffs off, I'd bet at least one of you is far more dangerous than I am."

"You want to go?" Luna looks at me.

"I can crush his brain," I say, shrugging.

"You have chips!!!!" Baby tries to bolt from us and nearly tugs Luna and I off our feet as she does.

"Oh, look, found the telepath—yes I know exactly what the three of you are. I used to work in the prisons they keep you in, let's get going if you want to come," he says, motioning off the road.

"He has a big car with SNACKS!!!"

"Who are you?" Luna asks, frowning.

"He's a guy with a car and snacks—,"

"Shut up Baby—why would you rescue  us? And what's your plan to get away with it?" Luna asks.

"It's —extensive. If you like we'll do it. If not I'll drop you off at whatever family you may have," he says, "You can call me Dodger."