Don't Call Me A Hero

Chapter 17

“Take care of her, Charlie,” I said as they led me away. Maria shook her head wildly as she started forward. I could see her begin to shift before Charlie’s arms wrapped around her. She struggled against his hold and I gave him a small smile before I faced forward. I could handle whatever they were going to do to me as long as no one else got hurt. I kept strong and held my head high until I saw Peter’s unconscious form sprawled out on the lawn. I stepped toward him but the strong man’s hand was immediately on mine and yanking me back on track. I glared back at him as I looked back at Peter, desperately searching for movement or any sign of life. 

Please be alive, Peter.

“Move,” he ordered and tightened his grip on my arm. He held me firmly but not tight enough to hurt me. I tilted my head as we moved forward. For a kidnapper, he was being far too kind. He pulled me down the steps and toward the back of a dark minivan. The woman was pulling the back door open and Arthur was heading toward the driver’s door. I glared at his back as I was led forward. 

“Knock him out,” she ordered as we walked up to her, “we can’t have him using his abilities.”

The man simply nodded as she walked toward the front of the van. I winced as he yanked my arms behind my back and tied them together with rope that scratched against my exposed wrists. I could feel his hand brushing against my tattooed arm almost like he was tracing over them. 

What the hell?

“Come on,” he spoke softly as he helped me into the tight trunk space of the minivan. He looked down at me for a moment as I laid down on my side before he slowly pulled the back door closed. I frowned as the van rumbled to life and I heard the clicking of the locks. I twisted onto my back as the minivan lurched forward sharply before speeding forward. 

I laid there as the van twisted and turned and hit every pothole there was in the lower district, numbly thinking about what could be coming. One part of me was strangely content. Hopefully I was being taken to wherever Amanda was and I could finally attempt to save her. The other part of me was sad. I had thought that I had a life to live but, perhaps, I always knew I wouldn’t be able to.

I yelped as my head slammed into the side of the van after a particularly sharp turn. I glared at the roof of the van and turned my attention toward the door. Even though I was tied up, I could still blast that door open. I took a deep breath as I pushed myself away from the door. I braced myself as the van slowed down and I leaned back as I tried to figure out why. The van shook slightly and I could hear a loud horn some distance away.

We were stopped at the train tracks. They were taking me into another district.

“Come on, Alex,” I muttered and froze. The back door of the minivan scrunched up from the sides and flew off the back of the van. I scrambled back, mostly out of shake until I saw Charlie. He reached in and grabbed my legs, pulling me out just as Kendra placed her foot on the back bumper of the van. I could hear them talking inside but they didn’t have the chance to get out. Kendra kicked out, sending the van screeching forward. Charlie caught me before I could faceplant and I watched in awe when I realized where the van had ended up.

It was sitting on the train tracks. 

I jumped as the train slammed into it, the horrific sound of metal crashing on metal shaking through my entire body. I watched in horrified wonder as the train carried the van, a scrunched up version of its former self, out of view. I stood there for a solid two minutes, just staring at the point they disappeared into. I frowned as I slowly turned toward my friend. 

“You good?” Charlie asked with his hands resting on my shoulders. He turned me around and grabbed my arms. 

“Fine,” I said, my voice shaking, as he cut me out of my restraints.

“So, you just have super strength?” I asked as Kendra turned back to look at me.

“Yes,” she shrugged, “it comes in handy.” 

“Okay,” I nodded, “that’s cool.”

“We need to go,” Peter spoke up from behind us, “we don’t want to stay in one place for too long.” 

He was standing next to a large SUV that looked like it had seen better days. I resisted the urge to ask where he got it and headed toward it. Maria was sitting in the front passenger’s seat and Peter climbed into the driver’s seat. I ended up squished between Charlie and Kendra, which basically felt like being shoved between a rock and a cement wall. 

“Where are we headed?” Maria asked, twisting around in her seat to look back at us. I opened my mouth to speak but the sound of Kendra’s phone ringing cut me off. I watched as she pulled it out and put it up to her ear without saying any form of greeting. She seemed to listen for a moment before hanging up without so much as a goodbye. 

“I’m not sure,” Peter said, “any ideas?” 

“The docks,” Kendra spoke up.

“What?” we all asked in unison. 

“There’s a restaurant on a boat,” she explained, “it’ll take you out a ways to have dinner on the water. They’d be pretty desperate if they wanted to attack something so public. It’ll give us time to figure out a game plan.”

“Who’s paying for this boat restaurant?” Peter asked.

“My dad,” Kendra said with a giggle and pulled out a credit card.

Peter chuckled as he drove forward. I leaned back in the seat and sighed as I let my head fall back against it. I closed my eyes and let my breathing slow. I could feel myself dozing off as we drove through the empty streets of the lower district. As my eyes slowly closed, I saw her with her bloody bandages over her eyes. I jolted awake and clenched my fists. Charlie raised an eyebrow at me and I shook my head. 

I was okay.

Everything was okay.

Everything was most definitely not okay.

“Park here,” Kendra said as we pulled into a quiet dock yard. There were several boats tied to the dock but all looked a little worse for wear except for the large one at the end. It looked more like a pirate ship from those old movies than something from the modern world. It’s dark sails waved soundlessly in the wind. I watched for a moment as the sea hit against the hull before following Kendra out of the vehicle. 

“That’s it?” Maria asked as she looked over at her.

“Yes,” she said, “doesn’t it look fun?”

“Yes,” I answered honestly.

“Good,” Peter asked.

“Ugh,” Maria complained as we started toward it, “it smells like rotten fish here.”

“Well,” I said with a smile as I stepped onto the dock. The wood creaked and moved under my feet as I hurried toward the large ship, “most of these boats seem pretty rotten. How long do you think it's been since anyone actually rode one of these?” 

“Okay, but doesn’t this seem a little strange?” Maria asked, “there’s just a random pirate ship at the lower docks? Who even uses those anymore?”

“It’s for the experience,” Kendra said, “it moves every week to different parts of the city and it just so happens to be here this week.”

“So, it’s an experience?” Charlie asked. 

“Yes,” she nodded, “the staff is even dressed like pirates!”

“So, it's for kids?” I asked. Kendra chuckled and pushed past me. There was a staff member standing right beside the walkway that would lead them onto the boat. He was, in fact, dressed as a pirate. He wore an eyepatch and a large red coat. He smiled at us as we drew near but his face looked mean.

Like a pirate!

“Hello, we want to eat aboard your ship. Got room for…” she paused as she turned to look at us. She pointed to each of us and counted us one by one before turning toward him, “...five?”

“Of course,” he bowed and gestured for us to go aboard, “please enjoy your ride with us and watch your pockets! We are always searching for gold!”

“So definitely for kids,” Maria commented and rolled her eyes. There was a small group of college kids standing in a circle at the far end of the deck. There actually wasn’t a child on board from what we could see. There were several crew members walking around and preparing the ship. The captain was standing at the upper deck, his hand on the wheel as he stared down at us from under a large pirate hat. 

“Arg,” one of them spoke up as soon as the boat began to move slightly, “dinner is below deck. Please make your way down so that we can start serving yer appetizers.” 

The group of college kids let out a loud cheer before hurrying toward the staircase that led below. Maria and I shared an eye roll before we all followed after. The bottom deck was bigger than I had expected. There were around twenty tables spaced out and there were still several doors leading elsewhere. Candles and lanterns left the room in a warm glow. 

“This is actually nice,” Maria grumbled as we found a table with five chairs. 

“Yes,” Kendra said as she sat down beside her, “and it isn’t even packed tonight. So, let’s plan.”

“Why are you part of the plan?” she retorted.

“What do you mean?” Kendra asked, “I deserve to be part of it.”

“You don’t-” 

“Maria, cool it,” Charlie muttered before clearing his throat, “I think we should eat first. I can’t do much productive thinking on an empty stomach.”

“Fine,” she grumbled.

“Well, hey there,” I jumped as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I glanced back and, as much as I tried, couldn’t fight the smile that spread across my face. I stood up just as Owen pulled me into a hug. I patted his back awkwardly and I could feel my cheeks reddening as he pulled away just enough to look me in the face.

“Hey,” I said, stupidly. 

“Hey,” he said with a wide smile on his face, “where’d you go?”

“Uh,” I glanced back at the group before clearing my throat, “I decided to stay with some family. I thought I’d be a little safe and it keeps you out of harm's way so…”

“Yeah, but now I’m stuck by myself,” he grumbled and sighed as he grinned, “but we should hang out sometime, okay? You have my number, right?”

I opened my mouth before he waved my response away. He pulled a pen out of his pocket and grabbed my hand. He scribbled out his number on the palm of my hand before his friends called out for him. He rolled his eyes as he glanced back at them before turning his attention back to me. 

“Sorry,” he shrugged, “um, but call me, okay?” 

“Okay…” I muttered as he hurried back toward his friends. I turned back toward the group and groaned as I saw the huge smiles plastered on everyone’s faces but Peter’s. 

“Your cute roommate, huh?” Maria giggled, “I wonder what he sees in you.”

“Shut up,” I rolled my eyes as I plopped back down on my seat. I ignored everyone’s eyes as a waiter, obviously dressed as a pirate, came to take our number. I glanced over at Owen’s table and smiled at his laughing face. 

I could pretend, at least for now, that there was a chance.