Gone Again: World Hoppers {book two}

Specimen

The researchers refused to leave. "Grab the kids and get outside. I'll find you. Stay in a group." Noan continued to stand between them and the kids.

They lost the battle. Naomi and Ollie just couldn't be moved and none of them were about to leave without them so they barricaded themselves in the bedroom. They broke it down with ease and they were ushered into vans.

"Cas-" Cas shoved the man holding him and bolted, Natalie tried to do the same. She shoved the man who promptly grabbed her arm, forced it against her back and led her forward.

Cas stopped at Ollie's side, he was looking around, tears streaming down his face. "Cas?" He mumbled, Cas nodded, grabbing at his hands as he was pushed away. "I'm going with him!" He yelled, grabbing onto the man, "I'm- I'm going with him! Please-!" The researcher paid him no mind, he stuffed a bandanna in his mouth and led him forward.

None of them could hear each other. They could see each other just fine but glass walls separated them from each other. Even the kids were left to be by themselves. The vans turned out to be more bus-like, four were missing. Naomi, Ollie, Noan, and Honic.

Dj sat against the glass. She was at the front of the bus and able to see everyone. Blue and Natalie we're trying to talk, so we're Atti and June, York, Ryan, and Cas as well. She pressed her hands against the glass, it shifted slightly. "Hey Natalie!" Natalie turned, "There's a- woah!" The glass began to turn, nearly hitting them both. "Here stand back, I'm dropping it." She waited until it was almost level with the ground before dropping it. She jumped on top of it and walked over to Natalie. "Good work-" "I can't get everyone Natalie." Natalie nodded, "It'll just take some time, I understand it's-" "I'll pass out Natalie-"

"I guess it's up to you then," Dj looked at her, wide-eyed and afraid. "Choose who you want to take with you and go," Natalie stared down at Blue, his hand outstretched toward her. "Move out of the York-" York slid under the gap with ease, "Step back, I'll kick it down and-" The car pulled to a stop, everyone was thrown forward.

York, Natalie, and Dj landed in a heap against the wall. The doors to the back of the bus were thrown open, several of the researchers filed in and the glass lifted and the doors shut. "Seems we got something real special here, c'mere girl-" Ryan, in his subtle, unnoticed way of things made his way to them. What they could only assume was the man in charge, an assumption made by the black stripes down the length of his left sleeve, something the others didn't have,  moved forward.

"Alright, grab the others, intimate containment protocol WHC. The first to be grabbed was Cas, he was then pushed against the wall where cuffs promptly attached him to a bar that had protruded from the wall. "You four, I can only assume, are going to be problems? Correct?" There wasn't a response. Dj brushed her hand against Natalie who even then shyed away from the touch, Dj moved onto York who seemed come up with a similar idea. Dj focused on her and York began to feel gravity releasing her.

She lept into the air and took hold of the ceiling. She reached for her knife and held it above the leader. He laughed and in one swift move had her by the arm, she swung but another researcher grabbed her other arm. "That's enough of that." The knife was ripped from her hands. Ryan, Natalie, and Dj were all that were left, the kids had already been cuffed.

"Stay back," Ryan had his own knife now, "Which one of you dimwits didn't do a weapons check?" He sighed as York was dragged toward the wall and focused his attention back to Ryan. "Alright but the knife down, Ryan."

Ryan's mind did what could only be described as backflips, had anyone said his name yet? Did he already know about them? But the way he said it.... he rose to his feet. "Michel Hicks, medical professional. You study anomaly's in animals and humans, you're also a monster child abuser." Michael laughed, "Someone remembers me awful well, though I don't know about that last bit. I treated you as kindly as I'd treated my own children,"

Ryan had a mix of emotion going on in his brain. Half of him wanted to run, get away as fast as possible, that's what seven year old Ryan would've done. Eighteen year old Ryan was different, eighteen year old Ryan was cold. Distant. And most importantly, stronger and more knowledgeable and on top of all of that, older Ryan had friends.

"You disappeared before I could finish my research-" Ryan hadn't even realized he'd moved closer until he was grabbing his hand and twisting it. He dropped the knife with a curse. "Now, with your combined energies I've found you all-" He pushed him aside and knelt down in front of Dj, "Plus something new." He laughed quietly and stood back up, "Not to mention those odd little beings, what did they say they were?" He thought for a moment before he shrugged, "Whatever they are, they're magnificent. I cannot wait to get their hands on them, speaking of which, neither can my little prodigy. Bea darling," He looked into he small collection of researchers, a younger girl stepped out, she was maybe in her early twenties.

Ryan didn't recognize her immediately but when he did he nearly doubled over. "Hello Ryan, it's been a while." "Hey! Quit what you're doing to him!" Bea grinned and plopped down in front of York instead, "Get over it girlie," she hissed, "Bea, you-" Bea strutted across the floor, NatLie lunged and brought her to the ground. Michael ripped them from each other, Natalie and Dj were contained.

The doors opened and they hopped out but Bea pulled Michael aside before they could shut, "Grab Ryan," Michael said quietly, Ryan didn't fight.

"So Ryan, how's it been all these years?" Ryan was in the passengers seat of Bea's car, hands tied together beneath his knees, Bea knew his tricks. "It's been okay," he mumbled, Bea nodded, "Always so quiet, you didn't use to be this way remember? You used to talk to me and then," she sighed, "You left me Ry," Ryan stayed quiet, "How bout' some food Ry? Huh? You hungry? You certainly don't look as thin as you used to," Silence. Bea stared at him, barely paying attention to the road.

"I assume Michael will start right where he left off, and with these new specimens he'll have even more to work with!" She beamed, it made him sick. "Maybe he'll even let me help, and if you're good he may have you on as an assistant too!"

He gagged once, Bea didn't take notice. He threw up in the floorboard. She cursed and pulled over to the side of the interstate, drawing out her phone. "I'm going to need to meet you there Michael," there was some talk on the other line before she responded, "Ryan threw up in the floor and I'm not driving hours with vomit- Okay good. I'll see you soon."