Crusade ~ World from Ashes {Complete}

6

We didn't stay at the house that they were using to help me recover after rescuing me. Once Jace, Zak, and Tristan were healed up of the worst of their wounds, they packed up their things and we left. I wasn't sure where we were headed and I don't think they really knew either. Even so, I didn't mind that we had left that house behind. The bodies of the creatures were a cold enough reminder of where I came from and what was running through my veins.

Thankfully, Ryker didn't ask me much about Crusade. Kilia took another blood sample though right before we left though. I was sure she wanted to test it and see what it was exactly. Her words about curing all three of us still rang in my mind and I was only slightly comforted by it. With the appearance of one of the scientists, I had slipped back into silence and fear. Ryker seemed pissed off about it, but I ignored him for the most part. The nightmares were sure to resurface again too. I cringed in the seat of the hummer.

Zakiriya was driving, Jace in the passenger seat with Ryker and I in the back. Valkyrie, Tristan and Kilia were in another car and behind them followed a whole line of vehicles. It looked like a pretty bad ass convoy. I was also convinced that it was the entire gang that had been picked up and moved from wherever they were from before. I never really asked, though I was always curious. I suppose I just didn't know how to ask the strange question.

"Where to now, Ryker?" Zak asked, glancing in the rearview mirror.

I was surprised that he was asking Ryker. Tristan was their leader, wasn't he? So why would they all be looking to Ryker for most of the directions and decisions. Or did I have my facts wrong? I wasn't sure. I stayed silent though as I glanced over to Ryker and waited for his answer.

"North. Keep going down this road. One of the guys said he saw it marked on a building out here."

It? What does that mean? What is he talking about?

"God. That fucking bastard. He thinks he smart," Jace growled from in front of me.

"He is smart, that's the problem," Ryker snapped back.

"I can't wait to get back home."

Zak smiled as he drove, "I'm sure Garret and the others are lonely without us."

"Whatever. They're probably having a party because we're gone."

"No, only because you're not there."

"The hell does that mean?!" Jace snapped at Zak, turning in the seat to give him what I assumed was a cold, angry glare.

Zak only laughed, "And there it is."

"Shut up."

I took a breath and probably shocked the entire car with my soft voice, "Where are you from?"

"A really, really faraway place," Jace grumbled.

I frowned a little. Well that certainly hadn't answered my question at all. I didn't press him though. However, it seemed that Zak also thought that was a pretty shitty answer and spoke up instead.

"About six days east, a place that was called Aurora. Not that cities and states matter much anymore."

"That's... really far."

"Exactly what I said," Jace sighed heavily as he gazed out the window of the hummer.

The cab of the car went silent for a long while and I resigned myself to staring out the window. At some point I fell asleep and was awoken by the car's movement slowing down. Ryker was leaned forward between the passenger and driver seat, his gaze narrowed as he eyed whatever it was we were driving up to. Pulling my head up from the side of the door that I'd been using as a makeshift pillow, I looked out to see what he was staring at too.