The Districts

CHAPTER 23

The time in which their plan for escaping the district walls is put into motion following the next week or so as they plan on where to go, where eyes won't be on them and ready packing food supplies, tools, medical supplies and other, to last them long enough until they find somewhere safe to be once reaching the other side.

There was also the discussion of what would happen to the team, once Kenny was gone from it, and who would be taking it over. It takes Kenny a while to think on who the next team leader should be, but once he figures it out his mind is set on them.

"Kyle," Kenny says, approaching him in the garage while they ready their plans, "I want you to take over as team leader."

There's a brief expression of surprise on his face before he nods with an affirmative, "Understood."

The others on the team seem to agree with Kenny's choice as well, as they continue on with preparing things.

Once the new leadership is assigned for when Kenny leaves, there's some other things he must attend to, such as dealings with his apartment, of which the only thing from it he brings is a family photo from his nightstand. And having to resign from his job, which, a bit sad on leaving it, he was glad for the time in which he had spent with it and the fond memories he would have of it. He couldn't help but give a small chuckle when the staff there said he'd always be welcomed back.

And so, after everything is finally taken care of and put together, the day of their departure finally arrives.

"Alright, I'm going to get Craig now that we're all set," Kenny tells Stan and Kyle, "you guys and the others get ready and head out."

There's a short affirmative response to that before he heads off.

Kenny makes his way down the long hall to Craig's room, for one final time. Each step echoes off its hard cold walls. He was glad to finally be able to move Craig from this place. His steps come to a slow as he nears the door. There's a moment's pause. Would they really be ready for this?

He reaches for the doorknob but never touches. His confusion only lasts the briefest of seconds until his eyes meet Craig's. And only then, when they connect, do all of his thoughts clear and he knows they're ready for anything.

"All set?" he asks.

"Yeah," Craig nods.

With that, Kenny takes Craig's hand and guides him down the hall. Their steps marching in tune with one another down it, no longer a lonesome pair of steps. They make their way to the garage and Kenny guides him to a motorcycle with luggage attached to the back of it, behind the driver's seat.

"It's just us?" Craig asks.

"My team has gone on ahead. They're going to create an opening, or rather a distraction, so that we can slip past the border and into the wildlands beyond it," Kenny explains.

"Oh."

With that Kenny gets onto the motorcycle and starts it up, Craig follows and sits behind him, carefully wrapping his arms around his waist.

"You'll need to hang on much tighter than that, with the speeds we'll be going," Kenny chuckles.

Craig's grip tightens at that, pressing his body closer to the other. Kenny starts the bike's slow take off then and heads to their destination.

As they near the border, Kenny comes to an eventual stop to look things over.

"You see that? Over there?" He asks Craig, pointing to the long stretch of wall in the distance. "That's where we're headed," he continues, once feeling Craig's weight shift to look over his shoulder, "the section we're going to is currently under construction, so we should be able to slip through it there. The only tricky part will be whether we make it pass security smoothly or not."