Our Time Bomb

Chapter Twenty - Two ~ Downhill Fly

Jefferson's pov ~

My breath is short in my throat as I mount my horse, Fly. I've already communicated with a party of Gyardicans in the area, they will get to the house before I do. The problem is, I have no clue what is going on, Luna called me and she seemed to really be in trouble. All I heard from her was help and I need you.

I swallow and kick Fly in the side, "let's go buddy."

He takes off, though the poor horse is tired. I know how he feels.

What could've happened to he Luna? One nagging possibility pushes into my mind. What if the Shadow Nation had something to do with this? It could very well be...

Luna and Chris live in the house that their mother used to live with them in until she married and moved in with me.
It isn't far from my house luckily, only a couple of minutes.

The street is very dark, I've no idea who could be lurking around in the dirty alleys. For all I know, I could have Shadow Nation all around me. For once, I actually feel a little fear, generally I feel in control, I am the Captain of the Guard. I command hundreds of soldiers, I am powerful. Yet somehow I feel powerless in regards to Shadow Nation. I'm realizing that they've got the monopoly on us. They're too secretive, they know everything about us, we know nothing of them. I can't even manipulate my own wife into helping me.

Erika's words ring vividly in my mind, "Darling you are so screwed....

I clench my teeth as I come into sight of Luna's house. The door is wide open, somethings certainly wrong.

I climb off my horse and dash into the house, my hand on my sword. "Luna?"

There is dead silence.

The rug on the ground is all crumpled as through someone struggled.
I glance into the empty dark kitchen. No sign of anything abnormal. I continue down the hall, scanning every foot of the house I pass. One of the bedrooms catches my eye. It doesn't have a doorknob and the door has got gashes in it. I step inside, the breeze from the open window graces my face. I see her radio on the floor, if you could call it that now. It is crushed. I jump up at the sound of someone else in the house.

My fingers close around the halt of my sword.

"Captain? You here?" a voice calls.

I relax immediately, that is Marcus.

I pick up the radio and meet him in the hall, "Marcus, we gotta go! We have to catch them, they have Luna and Christopher."

Marcus's face is inquiring, "Who?"

"Who do you think?" I mutter.

"Shadow Nation..." He says.

"Have you brought the rest of the party with you?" I ask.

He nods, "Yes Sir, they are outside."

"Very good." I say, sweeping past him.
Sure enough, a group of perhaps a dozen or more silhouettes are framed by the moonlight outside. I inhale the crisp night air, exhilaration tops my lungs.

"Men." I say, "Tonight, we have to catch them, I've had enough of being pushed around. We are the dominating force of this planet, not Shadow Nation."

They sit straight in their saddles, "Yes Sir!"

I turn to Marcus who is among them, "Will you please go back to the Guild and come back with triple the forces that we have now? Meet us two miles south of here, I'll let you know if I come across any issues."

He nods,"Right away Sir."

My chest heaves up and down as I watch him ride off into the dimly lit night.

"Alright," I climb up onto Fly's back, "We ride North. Look for signs of recent travel. As you know, They often travel on foot."

I pat the horse's side, "Come on boy."
We take off, the rest follow behind me. I'm determined to catch them this time.

What will I do if I come across Shadow Nation tonight? I am not sure that we can manage to abduct a party of them. I will have to kill them.

Erika's smirking face flashes before my eyes, she knows something... Why doesn't she believe we can beat them? The thought plays with my courage. I imagine a fist in my mind, I punch the thought down. We will win this. I can't give up in my mind, because if I do, my purpose will fail.

I grind my teeth together and I focus on what is around me. Every sound of the forest choruses in my ears. I single out every sound and logically place it's owner in my mind. The vibrating sound is a blood beetle. The faint chirping is a ringer. There are many dangerous animals that roam this forest, however if you don't bother them, they will not pay you any attention.

I realize that we've got a disadvantage. The Shadow Nation may know exactly where we are because we are on horses. We are far from soundless.

I suddenly stop and turn around, "Men, we are going to imitate our enemy. We will continue on foot. Leave your horses in this clearing." I motion at the clearing of treeless dust and leaves.

I hop off of Fly's back and secure his reins on a gnarly branch at the edge of the clearing. I whisper in his ear, "I'll be back for you boy."

My men obey my order quickly and copy my actions.

Kyle kicks a stone that is in his chosen path as he walks over to me, "Sir, you are certain this is a good idea?"

I nod, "Yes, we will beat the Shadow Nation at their own game. We will sneak up on them. The trail we have followed is one that we didn't make. It has to lead to somewhere. We may very well be close to them. And if that is the case, we must be undetected. Make sense?"

He frowns and nods, "Yes Sir."

"Okay." I speak up to all my men, "There are too many of us to travel lightly without being seen. We will split up into three groups. My group will travel north, group two will head west, and group three will go east. Stay in contact."

Quickly, we split up. My group is about a dozen. I am hoping that it was a good idea. Moonlight filters through the trees, giving us a light. The path I've been following can barely be called a path anymore. It is getting overtaken by brush. I stop at a thicket, it stops at the ticket. I look about, we are in another clearing.

Jack, one of my men bends down and touches the dust,  "There are an unusual amount of footprints here. This is strange, where do you think we are?"

I follow him through the clearing, my eyes and ears sharp. A twisted tree with loopy branches catches my eye because for a second, I thought it was a person. It stands rather lonesome next to a hill framed by other trees. The amount of footprints is alarming. I feel like someone is watching me. You know that nervous feeling like you're being intently stared at?

Kyle is next to me now, "Sir I think we are close to their compound. Look up there, optic camera buds everywhere. They know we're here. I think we should leave."

"Are you afraid?"

"What?"  He splutters, "this isn't about being afraid. Captain, the number of us here isn't great enough, if this is their compound, they can outnumber us."

"then call the the other groups here. We aren't going to back down. Get them to hide just outside the clearing and if we are attacked, they will jump out and surprise them."

I grab my radio and call the other groups.

"this can't be the compound." I tell my men, there's barely anything here."

"Something doesn't seem right." Kyle's face is skeptical.