Black-Market Taboo

chapter iii

-------- Chapter Three

Gwen's POV

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     I instinctively moved quickly, jerking the chain with me and thus causing everyone else attached to the metal locks to follow suit behind me. While the utterly annoying men and women who had captured us flocked and yelled at each other to get a hold of me, I yanked the cuffs off and sprinted into the forest, dragging a sauntering Loretta, Clyde, Cornelius, Morris and Derrick with me. There was no way I was getting captured. Not today.

     Glancing over my shoulder for a split second to check that the four of them were still following me at a close enough distance, I weaved through the thicket of trees and green until I heard the men shouting not too far behind us. They were coming, I thought. But I was not letting them murder my friends.

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     If there was one thing I was good at, it was running; running away from vaults, running away from home, running through the sectors- but the other five of them? Not so much. They were considerably agile and they were skilled some what, but if I'd learned something the the past year or so we've been friends, it's that they can't sprint fast enough.

     However, they were masters of everything other than athleticism. Example being, disguise. They could completely reform themselves into other people and live their lives gracefully, without having anyone after them, without having to see their faces plastered on the Wanted posts set up throughout each sector. 

     Sure, if they were caught they were bound to some punishment; a couple or so years in the cellars and multiple interrogations. . But knowing Aramilla, she wouldn't execute them until she found me. Because they were the only ones who knew the truth about our Black Market and our vault break-ins, and they just simply could not be murdered. 

     And when they found me.. If those pathetic soldiers found me, I wouldn't let them kill any one of my friends, even if it meant dying. So the plan was to let my friends run free- to let them leave me. Because if they were caught with me, we'd all be killed on the spot. 

     They had to go in opposite directions. I knew they were skilled enough to master another identity. I knew they weren't going to die.

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     I came to an abrupt stop, causing each of them to scramble into each other and hiss at me in infuriation. "What are you doing, Gwen?! We have to get out of here!" Clyde whispered, yanking me up to my feet. Him and Cornelius broke off their cuffs before assisting Loretta, Morris and Derrick with theirs. I could tell they were all infuriated with me.

     "I'll follow, I'm just going to stall to buy you guys more time. Trust me, I won't get killed, you understand? Clyde, take them and run. You know what to do from there. Don't give yourself up, disguise yourselves." I groaned in pain, gesturing towards the rusting bridges of Slayor. The nearly white sun rose behind the towering silhouettes of the buildings, illuminating the sky. "Clyde, don't refuse. I promise I'll follow."

     "You promise?" There was a wary look in his eyes.

     "I-I promise," I sputtered out finally. And the five of them got to their feet, taking off toward the bustling streets of Slayor. I guess that was just one promise I had to break. 

     Once the five of them were far enough, I found our captors approaching quickly, which meant I had to make a run for it. I wasn't going to stall, like I'd told Clyde, I was going to run as far as I could, knowing that after today, there'd be my face plastered on millions of Wanted Posts throughout the entire Chronxia. And by tomorrow, Loretta would know that I'd have broken my promise.