Metal Man

Chapter 14: I am my automaton

The first thing Jade saw was a hand, marred with scars, clamp over Hugo's mouth. His fogged eyes widened, he dropped his cane, and he struggled as hard as he could. Lissy was next, a hand around her neck, and managed to get it off just before a leg swooped under hers and knocked her to the ground, where she lay, senseless. 

Oliver started to run out of the clearing, but ran straight into a lieutenant. Jade was last, and punched and kicked as hard as she could, but the lieutenant held on. They emerged, pushing Jade farther forward, in a huge circle, with no way out. Crow was left in the center, looking stunned.

One lieutenant stepped out of the circle, with a tattoo snaking along his face. He smiled. "Hello, Crow. That is what your name, isn't it?" Crow said nothing, his face contorted in fury and distress. "I understand you are the leader of this little group of yours, so we have something in common. I have come to speak to you, to make an offer. As you can no doubt see, your friends are captured, with no way out. They are at the mercy of my men.

"So now my deal. You either come back with us underground, where you will be fed and cared for and alive, or you will watch your accomplices die, until finally your own life will be taken from you."

Jade fought her way out of the lieutenants grasp long enough to gasp, "No, Crow!" She saw the others eyes alight in agreement. Crow looked around desperately at them. "I can't lose you all." he said.

"Yes, you can!" Lissy growled before the man twisting her arms behind her back slapped a hand over her mouth.

"But I can't go down there and condemn you." Crow said firmly. He paused, then spread his arms out and stretched them to either side of his body. "Take me. Take me, but don't take them."

"I'm sorry," said the tattooed man, his mouth stretching into a smile. "But there's a deal. It's one way or the other. Go with your friends to be safe, or be dead."

Crow looked in turn at Hugo, who was smiling knowingly, Lissy, who was struggling violently while shaking her head, Oliver, who had his eyes closed as an acceptance to whichever way his decision, and finally at Jade.

His eyes begged her to help him make the decision, and Jade was surprised. He was the leader of this strange but content group, but she could help. She could escape from the catacombs, and wouldn't want everybody to die. Let them take us, she mouthed to him, just as the man holding her covered her mouth.

"I'm sorry," he said outwardly to the group. "I'll go with you." he said to the man, who widened his smiled even more.

"No!" Lissy shrieked, "No!" They began to be dragged away, out of the clearing, out of the forest, and into the city.

When they reached the sidewalk, they were let go, but quickly surrounded by the lieutenants in a walking circle. The minute they were together, Lissy started hitting Crow, who suffered silently. She didn't need to say any words, her anger was showed enough. At last, she stopped, and her eyes took on a deadened glaze.

"Look," Jade whispered. Heads turned to her. "I can get us out of there," she said, praying she was right. "I've done it before." Their mouths dropped. Lissy's eyes sparked.

"What?" she murmured angrily. "It's not possible."

"It is," Jade contradicted. She felt a pang of guilt, but shook it away. "My name is actually Jade. I escaped with a girl named Rosemarie, who's back there now. And I can get us out of the catacombs a second time."