Hollow Veins

Chapter Nineteen; Hostages

"Aaron, what do you think you're doing," Jasper spoke as calmly as he possibly could. "Aaron, what the... what are you -" That was all she could get out. Jaden looked like he was going to rush over and kill Aaron. Ari narrowed her eyes. Aaron shook his head, "They," He gave a small cry and inhaled, "Line up, face against the wall." Alice gulped and turned to face the wall. She heard footsteps, grunts, and above all her heart pounding in her ears. Alice felt someone shoved against the was next to her. But instead of Jasper or Ren it was, "Aaron?" "I'm sorry they made me. I went outside a bit ago and they caught me and then Ren came-" A gruff voice called, "Shut up!" Someone slammed the butt of a gun into Aaron's back. He grunted in pain.

There was a scuffing and then a voice, "Turn around, slowly." They did and saw four men. Gruff, dirty faced, armed men. One had small riffle with a stubby end. One had a knife, one had a shovel and the last one held a screw driver. Jaden inhaled sharply and Alice felt a surge of anger, the one with the knife had it pressed against Ren's neck. Even worse, she felt guilt run through her. They had more numbers and weapons than these four idiots. She and Aaron had gotten their hands on a pistol and some ammo. Jasper had mentioned a "raid" on a gunsmith's shop. All in all, they had a total of five pistols, a shotgun, and several knives, though their ammunition was running low. Yet they'd gotten captured four guys who looked like they had bathed in a century. Ren's entire body was tensed. Her form squeezing in on itself. "Outside, all of you. That is unless you don't mind shortening your numbers."

They stood, pressed against a small, rusty looking house. Towns and cities were like woods, thickening the farther you went into them. Two of the men stood in front of them, along with Ren. The other two were lugging the abductie's bags. Prince, Aaron, and Ari stood in front of Jasper, Alice, and Jaden. One of the men, clearly the leader, messed around with a small radio, trying to get a connection. Jasper breathed as calmly as he could. They hadn't searched them. He had a small pistol. Three more shots, three more shots, he repeated. If he could get it out- a faint screach hit the air. Jasper wasn't sure if anyone else heard it. His scattered mind formed a plan. Jasper looked Jaden in the eye. He didn't want to put him at risk, but they needed a distraction. As quickly as he dared, he signed, "Need distraction. I have an idea. Need to be loud." Ari glanced back them, and for the first time, Jasper considered the fact that she might know ASL as well. He lightly lifted his shirt, which had been concealing the gun. Ari nodded. The men had their packs in a pile now. Ari narrowed her eyes at the one with the radio, "What exactly are you gonna do with us." He didn't look up, "Gonna sell you." He gave a strange choking sound that might have been a laugh. Ari snorted, "Sell us?" "Any of the labs are open to volunteer test subjects." She laughed, "You really think you can get seven people all the way to a safe settlement and sell us. They're so far away that we'll escape before you get a quarter of the way there." Aaron gave her a funny look and gave a slight shake of the head. The man continued twidling with the radio, "Well maybe they'll come and get you themselves." Ari barked a laugh, "You really are dumb as you look." The other men tensed. The man put the radio down and approached her slowly. He had scabs all over his cheek. His eyes were red and veins branched all over them. His whole greasy appearance basically made Ari want a shower. He smiled and his brownish teeth, though few they were, made an appearance. Then, without hesitation he smacked Ari across the face. Her vision went blurry and lights danced across her vision. She crumpled to the ground. "You don't hit a girl you-" Prince leaped at the man and slammed his fist into his stomach. The man swept his foot, and Prince went down hard on the broken overgrown road. The guy with the gun, a blonde with a choppy haircut, pointed his weapon at Prince, "Watch it, kid." The leader smiled, "Point it at the girl." He looked down at Prince, who glared right back at him. The man stomped on his stomach. Alice inhaled sharply. Ari gritted her teeth. Prince curled as the man kicked him again and again. Screams ripped through Prince's throat. Jasper gritted his teeth, and his vision blurred. He pulled his gun. A screach from a nearby Infected hit the air. Ari finally lost it. Her scream joined Prince, "STOP!!! STOP!!! HIT ME, NOT HIM!!!" The man stopped and crouched down to Prince, "Do you regret hitting me?" Prince weased, and yet his accent was still full of arrogance, "Hitting.... a defenseless girl... and... and an unarmed kid, ... all the while... pointing... pointing a gun... at them... Very... very... brave." In anger, man pulled out his screwdriver. He slammed the butt into Prince's face. This time, Prince held it in and didn't scream. But something did. Still a good distance away, crouched an Infected.