Follow The Current

Chapter 22

Kin and Tanya walked around the town and Kin couldn't help but noticed that there was no other advertisements for the talent show. Nor was there any decorations. "Something doesn't feel right," Tanya said as she looked about. Kin nodded, "If there was a talent show as big as what that woman was claiming, then you would think the island would have more excitement to it." Tanya looked around and noticed something in one of the alley entrances, shining from the light of the sun. She walked over to it with Kin following her. She picked it up and saw that they were Lance's glasses, with blood splatter on the lenses. "Let's get back to the ship," Kin said and she nodded. They rushed back and once on the ship, they saw obvious signs of a struggle on the upper deck, blood on the floor. "I'm beginning to think this talent show was a trap," Tanya said. Kin nodded, "I believe you're right." They prepared to save their crew members, then went around the island to try and find anyone left uncaptured. 

Trish panted, leaning against the alley wall, blood sliding from her left shoulder. Damn Marine bastards, she thought. Her and Brian had caught up with Igiel and Pince, and decided to go get a drink when a group of Marines ambushed them. As the guys began to fall one by one, they told her to run, to warn the others. She hated it, but she was greatly outnumbered and out skilled. So she ran to try and find the others. No luck though, the wound in her shoulder slowing her down. 

"Trish!" a female voice said behind her. She spun around and saw Trish and Kin approaching her. "You two need to run," Trish told them. "Marines are capturing us." Tanya nodded, "We know. We found Lance's glasses and we got to the ship and found Laya and Sunny had a fight as well." "That's almost everyone," Trish whispered in realization, knowing Murris had been with Lance. "They already caught Brian, Pince, and Igiel." "We need to rescue them," Kin stated. Trish shook her head, "These Marines are different. They're the task force, created to take us out.  If we had our crew together, we could take them no problem, but alone, we're no match for them. Especially since I'm already injured." Suddenly Marines were on either side of the alley. Trish thought fast, and grabbed Kin and Tanya. "If you don't back away, I will kill these innocent islanders," Trish yelled out. She then whispered, "Keep your marks covered. You don't have posters so they don't know about you. Run. Live a good life." Tears were streaming down Tanya's face. "Trish," she whispered. Trish let sparks run on the outsides of her hands to give the appearance she would go through with it. Kin looked down at the ground, swallowing hard. He clenched his fists and jaw, a plan forming in his mind.

One of the marines was able to shoot Trish in her leg, causing her to cry out and let them go. Before Tanya could say or do anything, Kin was grabbing her, holding her against him, trying to press himself into the wall of the alley as much as possible. Tanya struggled slightly, watching in horror as they injected something into Trish, knocking her out. "That's all of them. Let's prepare for the show," one of the Marines said with a chuckle. One of the bigger Marines picked Trish up, and threw her over his shoulder. Once they were out of sight, Kin released Tanya. She went to punch him, but he caught her fist. "I hate myself, believe me. But we weren't going to be able to save the others, if we didn't let them take her," Kin told her. "We're not like Pince," Tanya reminded him. "We can't turn into shadows and follow them." "No, but you have heightened senses that allow you to see the smallest drops of blood on the ground. I just wasn't expecting them to shoot her in the leg," Kin said while pointing to the blood trail. Tanya nodded, "Let's go."   

Lux woke up, founding himself chained in the town square. He raised his head and looked from both sides, seeing everyone except Tanya and Kin chained up on either side of him. He barely remembered what happened. He and Dio had gone to find a newspaper to update themselves with current events when he had been caught off guard, immediately being injected with something. From the looks of his other crew mates, they had the chance to put up a fight. 

Slowly the rest of them began to wake up. "Are they still looking for Kin and Tanya," Brian whispered. "No," Trish whispered. "I saw them before I was captured. I played it off like they were some islanders that I was holding hostage. I pray they took the chance I bought them to run away." Lux nodded, but no one said anything after that as the Marines approached. 

"Welcome Shadow Pirates to your execution," one of them declared. "It was rather easy rounding you all up." "That's because you caught us off guard like a fucking coward," Pince said. The man pressed a button on a remote, and suddenly Pince's chains were shocking him. "Pince!" Igiel yelled out. Pince panted once the shocking was released. 

"It doesn't matter how we did it," the man said with a smirk. "We still won in the end. However, I was a little disappointed with the lack of blood shed from some of you." He said then unraveled a whip. "I'm gonna change that before we get to the main part of the show. Starting with your captain." 

Lux was prepared to take the hit from the whip. What he wasn't prepared for was Kin to run out and take the hit him self, across his torso. The women gasped in horror. "Damn it Kin, I told you to run," Trish yelled, tears now sliding down her face. Kin looked at the Marine, "No one whips my crew." "You're nothing but a kid," the Marine said. He then readied his whip, "But if you want to play pirate, I'll treat you like one." He let his whip fly again. "Kin get out of the way," Lux yelled out. Instead Kin raised his arm and let it wrap around his arm. He gripped it in his hand, "I'm The Kid, get it right." He then pulled the Marine towards him, his free hand raised. He caught the Marine by the head and slammed him on to the ground, an explosion releasing from his palm, killing the Marine. Kin released the whip from his arm, "Hey Inventor, you're not just gonna leave me to deal with these Marines alone are you?" "Of course not Kid," Tanya said from a rooftop, rifle in hand. The rifle had been modified. "Let's see if they like this?" She lined up her shot as the Marines began to split into two groups, one after her, the other after Kin. She fired two shots at the groups. The rifle released little balls landed in the center of the groups before exploding, sending debris and marines every where. 

Not all of the Marines were killed though. One managed to get his hands on the remote that affected his crew mate's chains. He turned on all of them and they began to get the shocking of a lifetime. Kin ran at him but the man ran away like a coward. Tanya and Kin quickly tried to get them out of their chains. "Kin, blow the fuse boxes, on the back side," Tanya instructed. Kin went around and did just that. One by one, he used his ability to make the boxes explode, causing the shocking of his crew mates to cease. They got them out of their chains and saw they were all unconscious. "Any inventions to get them back to the ship that doesn't involve me breaking my back," Kin asked her. She gave him a sympathetic look, "Afraid not." Kin sighed, "Wonderful."

It took him a while for him to get everyone back to the ship while Tanya began to gather the medical supplies. Tanya then watched in slight amazement as Kin began to take care of  all the wounds the crew had, not bothering with his own. It was sunrise the next day when he finished and sat down to rest. Tanya then grabbed the kit, "Your turn." Kin looked down at the wound. The blood had stopped a while ago but he knew if he didn't do anything, it would get infected. She began to clean and stitch it up. Her stitching skills weren't phenomenal, but they'll do well enough.

"Let's get some rest," Tanya said to Kin. "We'll camp out here incase anymore Marines want to show up," Kin said with a nod. They cleaned up the upper deck before laying out on the benches. Tanya looked over at Kin, who had his arms behind his head, looking up at the stars. "That was pretty brave of you to take that hit," Tanya said to him. "I would do it for any of you," Kin told her. "Those scars are worth carrying."

She rolled on to her back to look up at the sky. They killed today, and neither of them regret it because their family was home safe and sound.