A girl and her Horse

Chapter 16- Trap

The loud thud of a heavy gait sounded over the rough ground. Alex knelt low on Jaslo's roof as she galloped through the brush, hot on the trail of something decently sized. With heavy huffs through her grille, much like any large creature after a good run, Jaslo crashed through plants at the direction of the human on her roof. It didn't take many more strides to catch up to the large buck bounding in fear away from them. Alex leaned to the right, pushing the large beast in the same direction, cutting off the buck and landing it right into the jaws of the black beast. Sliding to a stop, and with a deep growl, Jaslo quickly silenced the panicked buck as Alex sat up properly and stretched.

"Well, there's one down! You need another?" Alex asked, looking down only to wince and look away as the Blazer was in the middle of eating the freshly killed buck.

"Never mind, answer when you're finished..." The teen looked back towards where home was and sighed loudly. She was trying to ignore the feral noises below her and let her mind wander. Despite not speaking about it, the thought of Hounds still haunted her mind. It had been months, and there were no sightings of them since. Jaslo snorted and shook herself slightly, getting a yelp from Alex as she scrambled to stay upright.

"Should be good, wanna head back?" Jaslo asked with a chuckle, feeling the human sit back on a more comfortable position.

"Yeah, we've been out for awhile. Shouldn't give Watson a reason to come running out into the wilderness with a gun."

"Again... he does love doin that." Jaslo turned back towards home and picked up to a trot. Alex had learned quick to move with each stride, like a horse but much wider. She had used bits from the old horse tack to make a rein system, and some small bags for storing items on their adventures. She had started to fashion altered stirrups for added stability for when the Blazer really picked up speed, but for now it was still a rough design that would pop loose on sharp turns. Still, it worked, even for short flights. As they neared the house, something lunged by the two and Alex quickly pulled back to halt the Blazer. Jaslo didn't have to ask, as a large form started to circle them. The tightening grip on the support bar kept the beast on edge as the figure finally showed itself directly in front of the duo. It was another AutoBeast, but one of a dark blue Ford Ranger. Jaslo lifted up her front with a low growl, a warning Alex knew too well. The two beasts sounded off to each other, even clicking their teeth before the Ranger bolted off.

"He wants me to follow him," Jaslo said, just watching as the truck vanished into the landscape.

"Sounds like a trap, why would he not stay with us?" Alex crossed her arms, not impressed with the situation.

"He's scared, might be freaked out from bein hunted by the hounds as well. What's the harm in followin him?"

"Uh, maybe running right into the waiting jaws of a group of hounds?! Or maybe, whatever brought them here?!" Alex balled up her fist and thumped the roof of the Blazer.

"AH! The hell?! If he wanted to get arise out of me, he woulda gone after ya and not bothered to speak with me. I highly doubt he's part of a trap."

"Fine, follow him. But if we end up in trouble you owe me!" Jaslo huffed before walking off after the small truck, slowly picking up the pace as she trailed him. Alex clung low to the roof of the beast, not willing to take a chance on whatever they should run into. After a short while of running, they finally caught up to the Ranger, who was digging a massive hole to hide in. Alex just peeked at the truck and saw how freaked out it was, and listened as it chattered on in a feral tongue she would never understand.

"He says you freak him out," Jaslo stated before pawing at the ground and huffing at the truck.

"Why? Did Watson shoot at him?" The truck looked around frantic before whimpering and digging again.

"He says a human brought him here, but released him with a hound."

"Wait, so there's a hound after him?!"

"I'm more concerned about how a human brought him here. How long have humans known of us?" Neither got the chance to think on this as a pair of hounds flanked the group. Jaslo quickly took to the skies in a panic, but below her she watched both hounds slam their jaws onto the truck. Alex pulled on the straps, and the two took off towards home with a roar of alarm. Their call was heard, but it was too late, and they figured this out as they got closer to the property. Out front of the house were large trucks, several hounds, and several humans in heavy gear with guns aimed at the flying beast.

"Oh... fuck..." Alex pushed down on Jaslo's roof, commanding the beast to land next to the house. Guns were on target, and neither dared to move.

"Let them be!" Levi shouted. Alex looked over to see a pair of these uniformed men on either side of Deb and Levi, guns drawn at the couple, and both handcuffed against the house. The loud and slow clapping of one person drew everyone's attention towards one of the trucks. A middle aged man in a black suit walked towards them with a sinister smirk.

"So... this is the Black Dragon? The Shadow? The grand and powerful 312! Giving pony rides and killing my hounds." His voice was smooth but Jaslo stomped a tire with a snort.

"Oh! Where are my manners? My name is Simon, and my group here is dedicated to keeping the public safe. So I sadly have to ask you to come with me."

"Why should we?! Let them go and maybe we will consider going with you!" Alex screamed, not willing to back down just yet.

"Kid, please. I have no issue shooting you and your family. I really just want the beast. Which I also have no issue taking in dead." Simon put his hands into his pockets, looking at the two while still keeping a smirk.

"How did you know where I was?" Jaslo growled.

"Oh so you DO talk! Well, I will at least give you that answer. You see, it's not hard to track an animal when it's in fear and wanting to find one of its own. Using a Delta Rank beast to find an Alpha is just easy hunting."

"Come on Jas, just blast him!" Alex whispered, trying to urge the beast to attack. Jaslo, however, stood frozen and only slowly folded her wings.

"If I agree to go with, will you release them?" Jaslo asked, earning shock from the three humans she had learned to live with this whole time. Simon, stroked his chin but then shrugged his shoulders. One of the armed men left Levi's side and yanked Alex off the roof of the Blazer. Alex screamed and tried to fight back, getting pinned to the ground and handcuffed before the man was flung off by a heavy smack of Jaslo's tail. She roared out, spreading her wings in a full display. Many of the men stepped back, but Simon just stood there.

"Now you made this interesting. I will leave the couple, but the kid comes with. You seem to have a nice bond with them anyways. Don't worry, as long as you behave, 312,I will treat the girl as if she were the highest form of royalty."

"NO! Go die you ASS!" Alex squirmed and shouted, but Jaslo looked over them with fear. This man didn't fear her, he knew everything about her, and he had hounds on his side. The Blazer sighed, folding her wings again and taking a few steps towards him with her front lowered. Keeping her gaze to the ground, she submitted to him, which was only reinforced by him walking over and kicking her square in the front. Levi was more shocked by this than anyone else, and Jaslo just took the hit. Simon snapped his fingers and several of the men came over. With chains, straps, and what could only be seen as a large muzzle, they secured the beast with ease. Simon walked over and picked up Alex, throwing her over his shoulder before looking to Levi.

"Don't worry, I don't really wish to file paperwork on the death of a teen. Once I get what I need, I will return your daughter." Simon's words were so formal and dry it made Deb just start to cry. The couple was unbound as the Blazer was loaded up into a trailer. Soon, everything left, including the hounds that had just eaten the runaway Ranger. The men loaded up into the trucks, and as the vehicles drove off the hounds followed in a proper convoy.

"It was all a trap from the start," Levi finally said as Deb came to him and pressed into his side.

"They brought her here, and knew exactly how to get her." Levi let his head hang in defeat. He always felt something was wrong, and now they had lost everything. Every animal from their farm, part of their property, and now their daughter. It was all a trap from the very first moment.