Awkward silence was shared between the two. With the hood of the cloak still over her head, she rubbed the side of her neck, turning to Jared.
'Maybe I should have left him unconscious.'
Sounds of paper started to turn as notes were being taken. Jared slowly turned to see that Yidhra's black journal was open in her hands.
" You know, you're free to leave. You don't have to stay here. Your town is behind you. "
Taking a sip of her soup, she looked down at her book with Ore appearing by her side.
' So there's five Elders who I can make contact with: Nichole, Charles, Joshua, Ezekiel, and Feather. If I manage to find Big Sis Melly, then getting a meeting should be easy enough.'
Strands of her black, stringy hair, slowly showed from her hood as she stood up from the ground. Making eye contact with the kid, sweat dripped down the child's face as he shifted closer to the tree.
"If you're that scared, then why didn't you leave?"
Wiping the dirt off her face and standing at 5'7, she glanced at the kid once more before getting more soup.
' What a strange kid.'
With her eyes looking into the cold pan of soup, the child's voice finally played. " Are you really that journalist on the news?"
As she gripped the ladle, Yidhra paused.
"Did the news about that already come out?... Guess I have less time for the mission than I first thought."
With a slight sigh, the journalist took another scoop of her soup, placing it into her bowl. "Well, if you already heard the news then that's even more of a reason for you to start running."
"The name is Jared."
' Why is this kid still talking to me? Does he think this is a game?'
"Ok? You understand that this isn't some elaborate prank, right? You need to get home, now."
" I'm thirteen." Jared continued.
"Didn't think I asked?" quipped Yidhra.
"And I'm auditioning to be your apprentice."
'Ok, maybe my blood cells really were poisonous.'
" I think you need to see a doctor, maybe even a Transcriber. I think your brain is actually damaged." Taking a seat and opening her journal, Yidhra continued to look through her notes.
' If Black Treasury are the ones setting the stage, then I need to limit my involvement. Getting put on their hit list alongside the Union would be death.'
" Today was our family gathering," said Jared.
"What is he going on about now?" mocked Yidhra. 'Is he still going on with his interview?'
Yidhra looked up.
" Well more like a once a year event. Members of our family come together and indoctrinate their kids into the family." explained Jared.
' Is he describing a yearly core awakening ceremony? If I remember correctly, kids part of a specific family would spend most of their early years understanding and learning the basic concepts of their family till it's programmed in the subconscious. Then they do some ritual to awaken it.'
Jared slowly got up from the dirt, making his way toward the Journalist. Light cyan light flickered in his eyes in long intervals.
" Those guys must have known we were there. There has to be something more going on. Everything turned out too good for them." contemplated Jared.
' Ok, his brain is fried… But… maybe he is not wrong about that train of thought.' thought Yidhra.
Inches away, his breathing became heavy as he stood in the center. Sweat quickly started to produce as his skin color became lighter and more pale.
Yidhra eye's snapped behind.
" I want to know. I-mHHM"
Jumping from her seat, she tackled Jared.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Flashes of light filled the air behind them as more shots flowed through the air, indenting the tree behind the kid.
Footsteps quickly ran toward them.
Covering the child's mouth with her hand, they waited in the nearby bush as conversation quickly became audible.
1." WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING AT! AMMO ISN'T CHEAP."
2." You didn't hear that?"
3." Soup feels cold to me."
1." Did you forget our orders?!"
Three pairs of legs appeared. With her hand over the kid's mouth and one over her own, The journalist found herself craving to breathe. Despite the turmoil, to Jared, everything else ceased to matter as he gazed into Yidhra's finally revealed face. Hair was black, highlighted with a salmon like color only at its tips, covering her face marked with cuts and dirt.
'Shit! Should I leave? What about the information they could have…'
She watched as the three moved around, talking to each other, as one seemed to be looking for them.
1." We're the first ones here. Now that the barrier is down our only goal is to get to the hideout."
2." What type of guild member are you?! Who follows everything in the books? You must be new to the guild."
' Crap! Can I really outrun them with this kid? And if I do get away, would they be able to piece together who I am? ' Thought Yidhra.
1."Ugh, there is no point trying to reason with you. Samil, pick up the bullet shells."
"Already on it."
'Those were bullets?! This has to be deeper than what I have already gathered. If they resorted to breaking the Anti-Arms Agreement between guilds then…'
Yidhra turned to look at Jared, whose breathing seemed to have steadied.
'I just need more information. I'm a little too deep now to turn back.'