TRENCH

Rebel Red - Chapter Six

The sun hung high in the sky, looking down as the Banditos traveled tightly together following the horse train.

Despite the environment being cold most of the time, the sun had been warming, causing what small patches of ice and snow to melt into puddles and mud.

Clancy was on the lead horse for the entire chain behind him. He looked carefully, and so did his horse. Zipporah, his wing woman, had been also riding on horseback. She was watching the group from behind, making sure that nobody fell away from the course.

Delroy looked around as the sparse vegetation seemed to wither from the small amount of time under the sun. He looked to Valorie, but could only sigh. There was something wrenching his stomach the wrong way and he hated not knowing what it was.

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The guards and brought a limping David in carefully to Nico. When he reached Nico's presence, that's when the guards forgot their mannerisms, throwing David to the ground and on his knees. All he did, was let out a hiss of pain from his leg. David refused to look Nico in the eye.

"It's been a while since I've seen you, David," Nicolas stated. "The other Bishops as well."

"I don't want problems," David said, finally looking up. "I promise to stay around this time."

Nico scoffed. "That's what you promised me last time," he began to pace around David. "You're going to have to prove your loyalty to your faith if you don't want to end up back at the asylum, Mahlah."

David drew an unsteady breath, he didn't bother to chase Nico to look at him so his eyes were straight forward and looking hard at the stand in front of him.

"What will prove myself to you?" David asked. The words tasted bitter with hesitance.

Nico let out a lowly cackle before coming back to David's front. He looked down at him, and though his face was mostly obscured, David could see a twisted grin.

"I know that the citizens don't just disappear," Nicolas started. "But I do know that there is more than just one way out of the city."

David pursed his lips and looked with a glare. He didn't say anything.

"So as the leader of the Banditos-"

"Ex-leader of the Banditos," David corrected. "They think I'm dead."

When David said that, he regretted it. With Nico having that knowledge, who knows what he could accomplish with it.

"As the ex-leader of the Banditos, I suspect that you know exactly where the Dema folk are escaping from," Nico continued. "To prove your loyalty, you are going to tell me where that leak in the tank is."

David's gaze softened, but his thoughts raced. He swallowed hard, only to find that his throat was desert dry.

He looked back to Nicolas with a frown on his face. "You can't do this," he said, voice crackling like static.

"David, I can assure to you that this is the best thing you could ever do for your people," Nico said. "All I am trying to do is help them believe again."

David felt his eyes burning. "You can't do this!" He yelled as the tears streamed down his face. He looked to the floor, hiding. "My sons..."

"If you tell me how they're getting out, I will grant immunity to you and your loved ones," Nicolas bargained. "All you have to do for their freedom is to tell me how the Banditos travel from their campout into the city."

David thought about it, tears still streaming from his face.

Finally, he looked up to Nicolas and frowned when he said it. "I... I'll tell you."