Callidus Rising | Complete ✔️ | Book 1

32: Quarantine

I hesitate as I look at him for moment.

"I-I don't know."

He nods and turns to look at the rising sun crafting the sky into a brilliant blood red. He switches the Floater off of auto and takes control once again.

I turn to watch the the way the sun rises, scaring all the darkness away. We sit there for a while in silence and I shuffle my hands until something hit me.

"Why did you destroy the chip from your patch?"

He responds, still facing front:

"Because our friend Monty could track us using his own. That's how he found my location back at his 'base'."

I nod.

"Won't that mean that if we get stranded out here, there's no help?"

"That... Thats correct."

I nod again as a dark feeling sinks in my gut. We both sit quietly again for a few moments before James seeks to break the silence.

"Look at that sunrise," he says quietly.

I look up from my entangled fingers and gaze out again. The dark red has changed, vivid oranges, pinks, and purples streak the sky like spilled dye.

"It's beautiful."

I turn to look at him as he says it, and he's not looking at the sunrise.

He's looking at me.

I feel a warm sensation creeping up my cheeks.

For a few hours, we just make small talk and ate on some much needed Ready-Seal meals.

It turns out that we would be to the Super Train soon, and then we would be heading to the Revolution HQ.

When James told me that, I was a bit unsure, but I know that I trust him.

When we get there, the feeling in my gut grows to dread and I wonder what would happen here.

"This place was one of the most busy areas in this entire province because of the train..."

James trails off as he slows the Floater to a hover and looks around the area.

The only thing that I can see is a huge black building with three white stars outlined in red forming the shape of a triangle. The Nation's symbol. I grit my teeth and try to relax as he begins to slowly advance.

In only a few moments, our Floater is suddenly jolted and a huge red message flashes across the windshield of the Floater.

YOU ARE ENTERING A QUARANTINE ZONE.

The first message vanishes and a new one replaces it.

BY ORDER OF THE TRIFECTA, DO NOT PROCEED.

The Floater starts moving downward as James rapidly pulls up on the altitude control.

YOU WILL BE GROUNDED. DO NOT PROCEED.

James' jaw tenses as he shoves the sphere on the dash forward and pulls up on the control.
"Screw your Trifecta," he growls through his teeth.

Words begin to come through the speaker in the vehicle:

"Ten, nine, eight,"

James grabs my arm and pulls me to look at him. "When this goes down, run. As fast as you can to those white doors," he says as he gestures at the black building with the Nation insignia.

"Seven, six, five,"

I nod and brace myself for a rough landing. I calm my breathing as I close my eyes. I am met with a familiar face.

"You've got this Dulces."

"Four, three, two, one,"

It is gone before I can even understand, and we smack into the pavement.

"Go."

I leap out as the door drifts upwards like those of an angry dragon as smoke billows from the nose of the Floater.

I land on both of my legs, my right one attempting to give out as I feel the barely scabbed area tear.

I exhale and push off, running at full capacity, taking the pain in doses like overused medication as I ran.

Behind me, I hear a grunt as James kicks a sprinting Victim into the sizzling ground.

I run even harder and he catches up to me and grabs me. He pulls me up into a bridal style carry and the doors slide open when we approach. Inside, the lights flicker on, exposing abandoned ID and Travel stations casting long menacing shadows on the gray and white floor.

Outside, I hear a familiar cry of war, and wince. James ran to the nearest station and presses his hand against the thin sheet of what resembles glass as he looks straight into the camera.

"James, we apologiz-apologize for the incovien-ienance. You seem to have-ha have an unlisted guest with y-y-you. W-would you like to-to resta-"

I look up at him and pull out of his grasp.

"I got this," I say as I limp over to the entry way to the train.

I look back at him as the front door slides open.

"You get that."

~~~~~~~~~~

There we go again! My writer's block has vanished today guys, so here you gooooo! Another one. Ooooh I cannot wait for you all to find out what's going to happpeennnnn it's so crazy!!!!!! Love you all!!!!
Thank you so much!!♥️♥️