Being Different

Hasty Decisions

A/N: And we're back!!! Where do you think Ilya and Mara are taking their son to?

Observer's POV

A very distraught Dante was being ushered hastily out of the infirmary compound by his parents...

"Why did you do that???!!! Mama, Papa...I don't understand...I..." Dante was being shoved by his parents through the auto-lock doors which somehow had been mysteriously unlocked to their favour.

"Hurry Dante...no time to lose. We must get out of here. We must leave immediately before anything else happens..." Mara tugged at her son, who was much too strong for her to handle.

"I'm not budging until you both tell me what the hell is going on!!!" Dante yelled, as they made a clear crossing to a seemingly abandoned vehicle with a key conveniently left inside the ignition, once they cut a path across the lawn to the West Gate of the compound.

"They must be kept safe, and for this purpose, we have decided to leave them..." Ilya tried to explain.

"Safe from what??? What are you hiding from me?" Dante held onto his parents' forearms, rendering them temporarily immobile as his eyes darkened.

"There are others wishing to seek us out. Others wishing to perhaps cause harm to us all or do something we're not sure of..." Mara nodded, goading Dante into getting inside the vehicle, as Ilya took to the wheel.

"Why? I need to know, please..." Dante pleaded, tears forming in his eyes, knowing that this could be the very last time he would see Damien...ever again.

"Because we are not of this earth...nor of this time..." She cut him short.

Dante was dumbfounded, as he sat there in a stupor while his father revved the engine. He slowly backed the car out from its' parked position, heading straight for the West Gate's entrance which was heavily guarded since Darius' announcement.

"I'm sorry, sir. We've been ordered to lock all entrances and exits down for the time-being. Please turn around and go back..." The young corporal motioned for them to double back, while his comrade dialled a secret code, alerting the operatives that they had found the missing family.

Ilya, acting nonchalant, stared intensely into the eyes of the young man, commanding him to switch the code, allowing them to leave the premises. The young man's fingers trembled, as he slowly punched in the code, unlocking the gate.

As the heavy titanium gates swung slowly open, his colleague ran out of the booth, only to be tasered unconscious by Mara, while Dante sat, glued to his seat, staring disbelievingly at his parents and what they had just done.

Mara jumped back in and shouted "GO!!! GO!!! GO!!!" As the engine roared to life, thrusting the vehicle forward before the gate could close again. A jeep gave chase before the gate closed in on them.

Back at the infirmary, Damien awoke, slightly groggy as he writhed upon the bed, still entranced by the faint smells of his beloved's presence upon them.

"Where's Dante, dad?" He rubbed his eyes, running his hand through the tussled locks of his hair.

"He's gone, son" Darius broke the sad news to him.

"Gone? What do you mean, gone?" Damien bolted upright, bewildered and confused as his eyes darted around the room.

"What happened? I don't understand..." He broke off, as Bron came bounding back in.

"They've been spotted heading towards the West Gate!" He yelled, as he continued to listen in on his com-link.

"Get over there!!!" Darius yelled, as Damien struggled to his feet, demanding to go with Bron.

"Damien..." Darius shouted, but he knew he had to let his son go. At least Bron was with him and could take care of him, just in case.

As Bron drove like a maniac on the roads leading up to the control center, where the West Gate was situated, they both spotted the vehicle. A very quick Mara, tasered the young corporal guarding the gate, while his comrade was being mentally manipulated into punching in the release code for the outer-lock.

The Gate groaned as the lock code was punched in, shaking the timer mechanism awake as it swung slowly open, just enough for the car to pass through. It then began to close, as Bron gunned the engine in an effort to slip through.

But it was too late, as the gigantic gate sealed shut once more.

Damien slammed his fists on the dash board, angered by the fact that they could not keep up with them. As the gate closed, he heard Dante's voice in his head, saying... "I'm so sorry...I love you...remember me..." making the young man weep in angst, as Bron wrapped an arm around his sibling in an effort to comfort the sad young man.

The Andreascus continued to drive aimlessly, carefully avoiding the highways, opting for dirt roads and less travelled pathways, just in case there was a search party out looking for them. Ilya's stomach began to grumble. It had been a couple of hours since they last ate, having enjoyed Alma's feast before their escape.

He suggested a small diner after they saw a few along the way. At least, by the way they were dressed, they would naturally blend in with the rest of the people in the area.

"We need some cash...." He stated, keeping the engine idle as he casually sauntered up to an ATM machine, at the nearest local bank.

Dante's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets, as he watched his father simply lay a hand upon the side of the machine, and soon, a tumultuous amount of cash came spitting out of the slot, which Ilya pocketed quickly, in order to avoid suspicion. It was a lazy time in the late afternoon, when there were not many people about, which was good for them.

Satisfied with the amount he had withdrawn, he slid back in, behind the driver's seat, switching on the engine as they drove a little further into the town, looking for an inconspicuous spot to park the car.

"I guess this looks like a good enough spot. What do you think, Mara?" He consulted his wife.

"Perfect, dear. No one will think of looking for a car around here" She smiled softly at him, stroking the back of his head.

Dante could do nothing but sigh inwardly, pondering the fate they had in store for him. Having just absorbed such startling information about who he was, shocked the living daylights out of the young man, even more so, now that he had been separated from his life partner.

Moodily, he got out of the car, following his parents into the small diner, where they chose a quiet booth, situated at the back, away from prying eyes.

Perusing the menu, they ordered a good-sized meal, one that would fill them considerably, owing to the long drive they had in front of them...

But to where?

A/N: And the chase is on!!! Will Damien catch up to his beloved Dante?