Loyalty: Book 4 Ch. 7

Chapter Seven

I allowed the boat to drift to the bank. It rocked a bit once it hit the bank, but we managed to stay in. I watched in the windows of the house; it was relatively small, a simple place for people with simple needs. Wouldn't have to be too big, even with a dragon in there.

I was the first to step out, making my way to the door. There were plenty of squelching sounds from the mud on the ground, and the sounds of wildlife made it all the more eerie.

I brushed aside the Spanish moss hanging down from the trees over shadowing the porch. This was followed by a couple of hard knocks on the wooden door, and a few seconds of waiting. After those few seconds, the sound of a shotgun being loaded came from within. "If you're a friendly, say so. Otherwise, you're breakfast," said a man's voice.

"Rio sent us out here. We're looking for Alex and Snowsong."

Footsteps came to the door, and the old hinges squeaked as the door swung open. There stood a werewolf with a double barrel 12-gauge in hand. "Come on in then."

I let Sarah in, and went in after, shutting the door behind me. I formed an aura sphere to give a little bit of light until the hybrid lit a fire. He turned back to us, studying us both. "Name's Alex. The dragon over there is Snowsong. She's not exactly from around these parts."

Looking at Snowsong, I realized Alex was right; Snowsong should've been in a colder environment, not the humid wetlands of Louisiana. After all, she was an ice dragon. "So what's she doing here?"

"It's not like temperature actually affects her," Alex commented. "Now, go to sleep, because I did not feel like getting up in the middle of the night to let you guys in." With that, he walked to what I guessed to be his room.

"Nice guy."

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---April 27, 2064---
---0717 hours---

I woke up not long after Alex and Sarah had. What woke me up? Gunshots. Lots of them. Alex and Sarah were hunched against the wall beneath a window, occasionally peeking over to take a few shots.

"I'm guessing Kinuvi found us?!"

"You'd be right!!" Alex shouted.

"They shouldn't have been able to!!"

"Well they did!!"

Ignoring the shouting between Alex and Sarah, I found suitable cover, and set up my M14. I could see where the gunshots were coming from through the scope, but I couldn't actually see the Kinuvi. I started firing wherever I could see shots being fired, praying I wasn't missing my mark.

A shot flew by, very nearly going through my head. I ducked down behind the cover, I'd found, and just in time to see that we'd been flanked by them, and I finally saw what we were up against for the first time.

They were tall and wiry, pale with black eyes, devoid of any emotion. Creatures made to kill without remorse. On instinct, I threw an Aura Sphere at the closest one, and threw my knife at a second. Alex turned, and shot the group with his twelve gauge, clearing them out.

"We need to leave!!" I shouted.

"Sounds like a plan!! But where to?!" Alex questioned.

"We could try Rio's place!! He's the closest ally!!"

"All for Rio's?!"

"Don't need to ask me twice!! Wait, where's Snowsong?!" I yelled. Suddenly, the dragon landed just outside.

"Come on, I'd prefer to stay in one piece!!" Snowsong rushed. We all climbed on her back, firing a final few rounds to the Kinuvi as we flew off.

"Head for Rio's place, Snowsong."

"Got it." We were all silent for a few minutes. If I had to guess, the same thought was going through everyone's head: how did they find us? We weren't followed, so someone we've met must've told them. That narrows it down to three. I was beginning to suspect that possibility, but I didn't want to speak my mind about it.

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We landed in the backyard only a half hour later. Rio walked out, confused by our presence. "Back so soon?"

"We just got attacked by Kinuvi on the bayous," I commented.

"What? Kinuvi on the bayous? How did they find you?"

"They shouldn't have, but they did." I found myself doubting Rio. After we had been told to go find Alex and Snowsong, we got attacked. I was even doubting Magnus and Ms. Moreno. I would even go so far to say that I had my doubts about Sarah as well.

"Then you need to get moving, and quick."

"Where to?"

"Only one other place to go," Sarah commented. "South America. After that, it gets even harder."

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I found myself unable to sleep that night. I felt as though I couldn't trust anyone anymore. I merely sat on the roof, just looking across the cityscape.

"Most people prefer to sleep, and usually inside at that," said a voice from behind. I turned to see Sarah.

"Can't sleep."

"Because you don't trust anyone, including me, and I can understand that."

"Do you?" I asked with an edge in my voice.

"I know that you saw something in me. You're not sure what, but you saw something. There is something I'm hiding, but I can't trust anyone with that secret. Only Magnus."

"Why not I?"

"I've only known you for a few days."

"True," I replied. I found myself easing up all of a sudden. "But I feel like anyone that's helped us so far could've told the Kinuvi where we were going."

"Of course you do. It's natural."

"Is it?"

"You don't trust other people because you don't trust yourself."

"I trust myself."

"You haven't trusted yourself for seven years."

As soon as I heard "seven years" come out of her mouth, a sadness came over me. I remembered vividly those events, the same that caused me to leave the orphanage.

She must've seen it, because she asked, "Want to tell me about it?"

I flinched. I only knew for a few days, so I felt that the reason she wouldn't reveal her past was applicable here as well. "Maybe some other time."

"If I had to guess, when I finally reveal my past?"

"You'd be correct."

"Understandable. Well, at least try to get some sleep. I know you're worried. You think we've been betrayed. But trust me in this: everything Loyalty does is to help you. Even if it doesn't seem like it, that's how it is."

I pondered that point. Was she right? Perhaps she was. I left the orphanage because of the mistake I made. Sometimes, I wondered why I even did; I spent so many nights in the cold, so many nights in the rain. But at the same time, it helped me to deal with my problem.

After another hour, I felt ready to sleep.

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I woke to a surprisingly peaceful morning. Maybe it was because I finally had peace of mind, however temporary. The house was quiet, but I knew that this peace would be very short lived.

I went to wake up Sarah, but she was already awake, along with Alex and Snowsong. "'Bout time you got up," Alex commented.

"Rough night."

"Anyways," Sarah started, "we need to get going. Kinuvi could be here anytime, and we don't want to be here when that happens."

"Agreed."

"Well, let's get going then," Snowsong urged. We climbed on her back, she spread her wings, and we took off. It wasn't as bad as when Peach took off, but there was a definite jolt.

We leveled out after a few seconds. Looking all around, I could see the landscape below, including the bayous and the river. There were clear signs of Kinuvi activity in the bayous, and we were lucky they weren't paying attention to us.

Alex emitted a low growl. "Alex..." Snowsong warned.

"This is the second time they've pulled this s*** on us."

"It's not your fault, and don't think about blaming Finn and Sarah."

"Hmph."

We were silent all the way to South America.

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---May 3, 2064---
---Air above Amazonian rainforest---

Unlike Peach, Snowsong was a more casual flyer. Even then, we were still there much faster than we could've been on foot. The Amazon was just below us, the river, weaving through the forest.

Already, I could sense a powerful presence below. "I think I know where we're landing. Go in just above the water."

"Why should she listen to you?" Alex questioned.

"I can listen to him if I want. I trust him," Snowsong retorted. She looked back at me. "Don't let him get to you. He's just slow to trust."

"Am not!"

"Really?" She dipped to just above the water. I scanned the trees, looking for anything out of the ordinary, just as we'd done with Alex and Snowsong. This time, however, it was different; out of the ordinary found me.

While we were still moving, I was tackled off of Snowsong's back, Sarah being knocked off as well into the river. I landed on my back on the riverside, but was quickly pinned down by what looked to be a two-legged Panther.

"Get off me!"

"What're you doing here imposter?" he questioned.

"Looking for someone! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to save a friend from the river!"

In response, he put me in a chokehold. "Not if I can help it."

I brought my elbow to his side, loosening his grip on my neck. I quickly threw him aside, and dived into the river. Sarah was struggling to get to the surface, and piranhas were closing in on her.

I wrapped my arm around her, and used my aura to boost us out of the water. As soon as we were out, the Panther was back on me.

"Nice trick. I'll have to watch for that."

I smiled. "That's not the only thing you'll have to watch for."

Snowsong spotted us on the riverside, and lowered her head, giving Alex a clear shot. I heard the boom of his twelve gauge, but I underestimated the Panther; he put his clawed hand up, and a barrier formed, blocking the shot.

"You'll have to watch for that," he retorted. He was about to punch me, but he stopped; a look of recognition came over his face. "That gun. Where did you get that gun?" He questioned, gesturing to the M14 strapped on my back.

"It was given to me."

"Who? Who gave it to you?!"

"You don't know her."

"Who was it?!"

"Ms. Moreno. I was in her orphanage."

He released me. He stood up, looking at me in disbelief. "Finn...it's you...you're still alive."

"Should I know you?"

"You wouldn't remember me. My name is Gwenladon."

I looked him up and down. He was a little over six foot, was of a heavy, muscular build, and had piercing red eyes. "You called me imposter...why?"

"You look just like your father. The last time I saw you, you were still human."

"Wait...I was human?"

"Yeah. What, Moreno never told you? Well, correction, Bowman."

"Bowman?" I quickly remembered the name tape on the very uniform I was wearing I stripped off the body armor, looking at the name tape. "This was her's?"

"No, that uniform was your father's."

"Wait...what're you saying?"

"She never told you?" I shook my head. "On the receiver of that EBR, there's a symbol. It's quite a bit like the birthmark that's probably on the back of your neck. That was the symbol your father lived by. But not just that; Ms. Moreno is actually Mrs. Bowman. She's your mother."