Once Again

Chapter Sixteen - Break Away

Break Away

The Alpha camp was smaller than the Raiders', but it was well organized and hidden, and the hostile looks the others were giving them sent nervous tingles down Echo's back. The camp was in between three small buildings - one reduced to rubble, another nearly roofless, and the third still standing. They had many things inside, and their camp was often dark and hidden.

The Raiders were marched through the camp and to a dirty back corner with a couple of dumpsters. There, the one in the lead had them each inspected and took away anything of value or usefulness, including Noise's jacket and Braken's hoodie, scarf, and mask. The boy suddenly seemed a lot smaller without them, and he quickly hugged himself and tried to angle his bare back away from them, as if he was hiding something. Echo noticed a nasty collection of scars on his right shoulder, seeming as though some animal had tried to tear it off. Braken caught him staring and rubbed the scars, shielding them from view. He couldn't hide the others, pale pink lines covering his entire chest and stomach. The one that caught his attention, however, was a jagged, discolored mark on his neck, usually covered by his scarf.

Nothing was taken from Echo. They found the star in his pocket, but they didn't know what it was, so they left it there. Echo felt horrible. It wasn't fair that everything had been taken from Braken, and they had barely even touched him.

"Life isn't fair," Braken mumbled, not to complain, but to comment on Echo's thoughts. Then he winced and rubbed his temples as if he had a headache.

"Stay quiet and don't move," one of the Alphas ordered.

"What's wrong?" Echo asked his friend.

"Too loud ..." Braken moaned, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I said stay quiet," the Alpha repeated.

"I'm sorry -"

"Shut up, you idiot," Noise hissed. "You're only going to make it worse -"

Before he even finished his sentence, the Alpha threw a punch that slammed across his jaw with a sickening crack. Noise staggered to the side, caught off guard, and the Alpha kicked him hard in the stomach, bringing him to his knees. He moved to hit him again, but the Raider threw himself forward, tackling the Alpha's legs. They tumbled across the ground, the fist fight a blur of rage, and then another Alpha grabbed Echo and shoved him down on his stomach, crushing a boot into his back to pin him in place and smashing his face in the dirt. The Shifter wiggled a little until he felt a heavy bat tap against his head.

"Don't move," the second Alpha ordered. "Stand down, prisoner, or I'll bash his head in."

He tapped the bat against Echo's skull again and chuckled. Echo's heart leapt into his throat and he held perfectly still, knowing it wouldn't make a difference.

Noise just glanced up. "Kill him, for all I care," he said, throwing the other Alpha off of him.

"As you wish," the second said.

He raised the bat and Echo screamed, "Please, no! I'll do anything! Noise! Noise, stop!"

He heard a whoosh and quickly covered his head with his arms, and then the sound was followed by a horrible thunk. Echo flinched, but then both the Alpha and the bat fell to the ground beside him, an ominous puddle of blood spreading across the ground from under him. Echo flipped over and scrambled to his feet and saw Braken there, wide-eyed and white as a ghost.

"Oops," he whispered.

The fist fight between Noise and the first Alpha had ended, but now, the enemy climbed to his feet, kicking Noise away and marching toward them. Echo backed up and glanced behind the furious Alpha, noticing Noise crumpled on the ground, his face bloodied and already bruising. He was breathing hard, and his right wrist looked like it was broken. He seemed as if he wanted to stand up and keep fighting, but every time he tried, he just made a weak sound of pain and collapsed back down. His eyes were furious and Echo swallowed nervously. If this Alpha could beat Noise, what chance did they have?