I Am A Flyer

II: Family

Awareness came slowly, drifting in by bits and pieces until he gradually was able to hear a deep, vibrating rumble. Before he opened his eyes, he recognized that he lay on a soft, spongy material, and that the rumbling sound seemed to come from below his current bed. Am I even on a bed. . .? Cos beds aren't supposed to be making noises.

His coal-black eyes opened warily, and he lifted himself into an awkward sitting position, propping himself up with his hands. From there, he was able to recognize that he was in some kind of land vehicle – one that had all the back windows blacked out so he couldn't see through them. He peered forward, looking out the front windshield. A straight, gray rad stretched on for miles through barren land. There were no other signs of life.

Suil. . .Iern! They were lying on the ground! What was this? Why was he in a car, and where was he being taken? What happened?!

Jett finally turned his attention to the driver, half expecting to see a flyer. After all, flyers had surrounded the past several months of his life, and they had brought all kinds of weird situations upon him. The man driving the car bore no wing spikes, however, forcing Jett to throw that idea out the window. So, who was he?

Was he a Kairg? Surely no one from Troit would try to kidnap him unless it was a strange test by the Elders. . . Jett was growing less and less sure of what was going on, and his calm state of mind began to waver. Still, the driver was at least part of a military unit, since he wore a strange, silvery-blue armor that Jett had never seen before.

Completely smooth, it seemed to writhe like it was alive every time a direct beam of sunlight caught it. It melded seamlessly into the man's clothing, which was the same color. The clothing was a cross between the loose trousers and jacket of a soldier, and the thick, formfitting suit of a flyer.

Jett leaned forward. "Who are you?"

The man glanced up, his reflection catching in the car's rear view mirror. Jett glimpsed silver glasses with black lenses covering the man's eyes before the driver resumed watching the road. He did not answer Jett's question.

Pressing his lips together, Jett stared at the driver. Was this guy friend or foe? He had to know what was going on! So he tried another question.

"Did you kidnap me?"

". . .yes." The strange man stared at the road.

Jett blinked, startled by the man's ready answer. "Why?"

"Someone wants to meet you."

"Meet me?" Now this was getting interesting. "Who?"

"You will see."

"You won't tell me?"

"No."

"Why? What's going on?"

"You will see."

Jett nearly growled in frustration. "Are you from Troit?"

". . .no."

"The Kairg, then?"

"Of sorts."

Of sorts? What kind of an answer was that? "Is that a yes?"

The driver looked in the mirror again, this time taking a moment to merely look at Jett. Jett stared back, determined to have his answers. He wanted to know whether he should relax, go with the flow, or start trying to escape.

"If you wish to see it that way," the man finally responded.

Jett's reaction was to narrow his eyes, and drop his hand to his hip to . . . find that his sword was missing, along with all of his other weapons. He'd been stripped of all but his flyer suit. Now what should I do. . .?! He went still, mind going blank. I've been taken by the Kairg! Just like Iern! Wait. . .