The Bounty Hunter's Trilogy: Chosen By Fate

Chapter 18. Back to Reality, I Guess

Lacy sat up front with me to keep me awake during the long drive, and by nine o'clock, we were less than ten minutes away. I stopped at a red light and banged on the metal divider between the front and back of the truck.

"Everybody wake up. We're almost there."

A small, disheveled head of hair poked through the little window in the metal and Marcus rubbed his eyes.

"Where is it?"

"You can't see it yet. I'm going to be driving for just a few more minutes, and then you will see it, okay?"

Marcus gasped in what I could only assume was excitement. "Bevy, wake up!" He shouted as he went back.

Lacy shook her head, smiling. "He's been cooped up for too long. He has too much energy for one little boy."

I laughed, hearing him chattering excitedly about us almost being there. "I can't say I blame him." I looked back to see Beverly leaning her head on Chad's chest with his arm around her shoulders as he quietly talked to wake her up. The sight made me feel... defensive. She doesn't know him. Why is she so cuddly with him? I turned back around, my fists so tight on the steering wheel that my knuckles were whiter than the snow outside.

The light turned green and I drove down the nearest back road, where Lacy began giving me directions. Apparently that was where the confusing part started. The drive through the mountain was a blur of sudden turns and near misses with stray Bounties trying to get into the Base. We had to dispose of all of them before we could keep going, but luckily all of them were weak from being lost in the maze for so long. Finally, we broke free of the tree line and we saw the building. I saw a few guards pacing outside of the main entrances and one of them looked our way, then ran inside.

"They've seen us," Lacy said, sitting up. "It's show time, everybody."

I pulled into the garage, that was currently open for us, and parked before jumping out and getting in the back to help Henry get Beverly out, but Chad was already helping him, making me grit my teeth together. I picked up Marcus, and Lacy's injury was already being looked at by an infirmary member. They took Beverly and Stan inside immediately, however, due to their obviously malnourished and abused states. One of the guards looked at me as I stood with Marcus, who clung to me when he feared being taken.

I shook my head at the guard. "He's okay. I'll bring him down, just go focus on them." With a shrug, he turned to follow the two gurneys and help them inside. Chad, Henry, Travis, and I all took a deep breath and felt some relief. "Okay Marcus, how about we-."

"DANIEL AIDEN MCINTYRE!" I flinched at the angry shouting of my name and turned around to see a furious Audrey marching towards me as well as a heavily pregnant woman can. Did I just get middle-named by somebody who wasn't even my parent?

"Audrey, I can-." I heard the slap before I felt it. My cheek stung and Marcus hugged me tight, whimpering in fear.

"You failed, just like I said you would, you idiot! Where are they?"

"They-."

"Did you even find the island? Or did you just give up because you realized how idiotic your plan was?" Audrey was so close to me at this point that she was nearly touching me. I could feel her breath on my neck and in my face every time she yelled something else at me. But my back was pressed against the truck. I was stuck, like a cornered rabbit, facing a fox who looked ready for dinner. But I did my best to keep my tone low for Marcus' sake.

"Yes, we found the island, and-."

"Where is Lacy? And who are they?" Travis went over beside her, making her take a step back from me.