Conquer

Chapter 31:

Jed nodded as he turned to Max, who had one hand free.

I looked around the large, bus-like vehicle. All of the Conquerors seemed to be in the same postition that I had started in.

"I've got him, go help Allyana," I told Jed as I approached him. He nodded in response.

I walked to Max, removing the bag from his head first. He squinted his eyes and blinked them repeatedly.

"Hey," I said dumbly.

"Hey you. How's your head, I heard that hit," Max replied with a light sorrow.

"Yeah. I'm all good, my wrists hurt," I replied, motioning to my wrists. Max frowned as I freed his hands from the rope. He stood slowly, grabbing my face gently with his left hand.

"That looks bad," he said with a saddened expression.

"It's fine-" I was interrupted.

Something loud erupted the bus and sent the whole thing rattling. Everyone instantly ducked their heads.

I crouched next to Max. I looked around, trying to track down the sorce.

A screaming shout came from outside the bus, "Listen up children! We mean no harm! Exit the bus slowly! One by one, Jordyn first! Then Maximus, Jedediah and then Allyana! Do it now or we will come into the bus and drag you out!"

"We?" I asked to no one in particular.

I got an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. I knew instantly that something wasn't right.

"We should listen. I don't want anyone getting hurt," I said as I winked as Max.

"I agree," Jed said in the distance. Jed gave me a look. It was a look that I understood very clearly, as oddly as it seemed.

The bus was rigged. They knew our every movement.

"Stall-" Jed tried to say.

"I know," I interrupted.

I slowly stood, walking to the front of the bus slowly. I took my time, giving some for the Conquerors to come up with a plan.

I approached the door to exit the bus. The doors were glass, however, I could not see what was on the other side of the doors.

I opened the bus doors slowly as it filled the air with a low creak. I stepped down the few steps that led to the ground.

As I exited the bus, I spotted people in the distance.

"Put your hands up!" one of them shouted. I slowly raised my hands into the air.

The air around me was hot and humid. It immediately sent sticky sweat rolling down my forehead.

I continued walking forward slowly, not looking back at the bus.

"Jordyn, get on your knees!" another voice commanded. I listened.

I got on my knees slowly, hands still in the air.

Think, Jordyn, think.

I heard Max begin to exit the bus. "Jordyn! Move!" he shouted. I instantly rolled to the side, not knowing, and not questioning his plan.

And then I heard the sound. A sound of a gun. There were multiple, everywhere, in all directions.

I turned to look at Max. Max was on the floor, dodging bullets that I had hoped came from the Conquerors somehow.

"You should have listened kid," someone said from behind me. I turned to see the man that was on the bus.

I watched in shock as the bullets stopped. The man had began pulling Max by his hair back into the bus.

I snapped out of my short haze. "Maximus!" I screamed. I ran towards the man.

He dropped Max, speaking to me, "Plan is back on track!"

I stopped running as the man pulled out a silver cylinder.

Suddenly he'd attacked me, knocking me to the floor once more.

I look to Max immediately, who was calling Jed and some others out of the bus. But there was no point. The people in the distance were charging in our direction.

"Get on the bus-" I tried screaming.The man placed his hand on my mouth however, keeping me from calling out.

The other strangers had approached us, pointing guns and dragging Conquerors into the bus. The Conquerors were fighting back, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Lights out kid," the man spat in my face. I struggled to escape his grip but I couldn't. I grunted and tried to yell, but the man's hand remained over my mouth.

I watched as the man gripped the silver cylinder tighter. The man raised it above his head, bring it down onto my head in one quick move.

The man hit the right side of my head with so much force that everything grew black instantly.

I felt his weight remove itself from my body as I rolled onto my stomach. Pain exploded and radiated from my head. I placed my hand to my head, feeling blood and raising bump.

I looked around as time itself had slowed down. I spotted Max. Everything was still blury and had a gray tint.

Max was yelling something at me along with Jed as they were dragged in the bus by men. The two of them thrashed in the strangers arms, screaming and yelling something that was inaudible through my ears.

I tried to stand, using my arms to slowly push me upwards. I immediately fell down again, hitting the side of my head on the ground.

I looked back to my friends whom were fully in the bus.

I rolled onto my back, watching as the bus began driving away.

Wait.

I watched as the bus began to drive away.

I felt abandoned and lost. My head was raging with pain. I was confused I knew that I would not have long before I blacked out. I looked around me, finally taking a look around me.

I realized that it wasn't the blow to my head that made everything seem dark, everything was actually dark. The sun was up and shining brightly but the environment was dark.

I placed my head on the floor. Closing my eyes.

Think. Stay awake.

I couldn't.

I lied and wondered if hope was still worth fighting for at this point.

Then I remembered my friend's deaths. I remembered the pain. I remembered what the Outsiders took from me.

I was ready for war.

THE END OF BOOK 1