Caught (The Runners) (2 page)

“I think it’s time to tell you guys about
Kappa.” Felix said, as he pushed his plate away.

Adam cringed at the name. “Who are they, and
why are they doing this?” He asked.

“Well, we aren’t entirely sure of their end
game-”

“Well, no duh Captain Obvious!” Twi stated
sarcastically.

“You know what,” Eve - which was the name
that Fifteen chose for herself – began. “Why do you always have to
be a jerk?”

“I’ve always been like this. Get used to
it.”

“Ladies,” Nick said holding up his hands. “I
don’t wanna have to keep breaking up fights between you two!”

With that, Twi stood up from her chair
angrily, toppling it over, and stomped up stairs. A bang of a door
slamming echoed down the hall.

Fifteen’s face was red. After all that she’s
been through, she thought she would get a break, but no. She has to
deal with Twi. She’ll get a break when she dies.

“Now that’s taken care of,” Felix said.
“Let’s continue.”

As I said earlier, we are not sure why Kappa
is doing what they are doing. What we are supposed to do is try and
bring Kappa down. We have been trying to come up with a plan to do
this for a while, but nothing has ever worked.”

“Why don’t you go to the government about
this? Like, the President or something?” Eve asked.

“That’s just it. They are the government, or
at least, a part of the government.”

Adam felt like he just got punched in the
stomach. He thought he could trust the government. They were the
ones who he looked to for direction. They were the ones who decided
what was best for the American people. How is turning
sixteen-year-olds into murders helping America?

“Where are they at?” Adam asked, his face
flushing with anger. “WHERE ARE THEY?! I want to-” He began looking
for words to say, but he ended up making a series of noises. Words
couldn’t describe what he felt. His eyes blurred with tears.

He felt his arm around his shoulders. He
looked up as he blinked tears out of his eyes. Eve was sitting next
to him. It was her turn to comfort him.

Chapter Five

A
dam was staring at the ceiling. The moon was shining through
the blinds, making the room look strange, and empty.

He could not believe this. He was no longer
running from Kappa and their minions, but he still felt worn out.
The anxiety that he was experiencing was unreal. His palms were
sweaty, and it felt like there was a hundred pound weight on his
chest.

His door creaked open, and he shot up.

“Uh, hi.” Nick said as he
peaked around the door. Adam glanced at the clock beside his bed,
and it read
3:13
.

“Nick, what are you doing?”

“I was just seeing if you wanted to talk. I
figured you weren’t asleep yet. I couldn’t sleep for days after I
got here.”

Adam motioned Nick to sit down on his bed.
They sat there in awkward silence.

“So,” Adam said awkwardly.

“I just wanted to say to back off. Twi is
mine.” Nick said so fast, it took a moment for Adam to realize what
he said.

“Oh, wait. What? Dude, she’s all yours.” Adam
said putting his arms up in surrender.

“Oh, okay.” Nick said standing up. “That’s
all.” And he rushed out of the room.

At that moment, Adam realized that he was
never going to figure Nick out.

Adam walked down the stairs, and was greeted
by Felix. “You’ve got a phone call.” He said, and handed him the
phone.

Adam took the phone, wondering who would be
calling him. “Hello Who is this?”

“Hello,
Adam.”

Hate exploded within
him.
Marcus.
“I
hate you.”
“Ah, these feelings are normal. I do have complete control over
you.”

Adam hated the way his voice sounded like he
never took anything seriously. “You’ll never control me. Ever.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be so confident.” He
chuckled. “I’ve got you right where I want you. You think you’re
free, but you’re still mine, and you always will be!”
Adam heard screaming coming through the receiver – the screams of
his little sister.

“No! No! I hate you! I’m going to find you,
and I’m going to kill you!”

“Adam?” Said a little girl. “Adam, it’s me!
Your sister!”
Adam couldn’t say anything. His throat closed up on him. He could
not breathe, or talk.
“This place is scary. They took me away from Mommy and Daddy. There
aren’t very good cooks here.”

Adam forced a chuckle. That was his little
sister, always worrying about food.

“Adam, say something!”

Adam began to cry, but he fought the tears.
“I’m sorry. I’m so, so, sorry!” He said in a hoarse whisper.

“For what?” She asked.

“I can’t-” He fought the tears some more. He
couldn’t bear to say it. “I-I can’t remember your name!”

Silence.

“What?” She said as her voice cracked. “Why
can’t you?”

“I don’t know!” He collapsed to the
floor.

“He can’t remember my name! My brother can’t
remember my name!” She began bawling.

Adams throat was raw, he wanted to curl up
and die. He would have, if it weren’t for the little girl on the
other side of the phone.

“
He can’t remember my
name!” She said through her tears. “My own brother can’t remember
my own
name!
”

The phone clicked off, and
Adam lay there at the foot of the stairs, wanting to fall asleep,
and not wake up.
I can’t. I must fight
for…
He remembered that he didn’t know her
name. This time, he did not fight the tears.

Chapter Six

A
dam woke up on the couch. Eve was sitting across from him,
with red eyes. He could tell that she had been crying,
too.

“I couldn’t remember his name.” She said when
she saw that Adam was awake. “I talked to him, but I couldn’t
remember his name.”

Adam knew that she must have experienced the
same thing that she did. He walked over to her, and gave her a hug.
They both proceeded to cry.

“Look at me.” Adam said, as they let go of
each other. “I’ve cried more in the past few days then I’ve ever
cried in my life!”

They both began laughing, but stopped when
Felix walked in, with a grim look on his face.

“Hey man, what’s wrong?” Adam asked.

“I’m so sorry.” He said hoarsely. Adam then
realized that he had been crying. “I tried to tell them not to, but
they made me.”

“Felix,” Eve said. Her face looked more
worried with each passing second. “What are you talking about?”

“You first.” He said, pointing at Eve. Then,
he walked over to her, and grabbed her arm.

Adam found his arm reaching for the one that
Felix did not have a hold on. “What is going on?” He asked
sternly.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” He told Eve,
completely ignoring Adam. “I just have to show you something.”

“No!” Adam said. His voice was getting
louder, as he stood. “She’s not going anywhere.”

“Adam,” Eve said as she turned to look at
him. “I don’t think we have a choice. I’ll be okay.” Shook Felix’s
hand off her arm, but Adam would let go. Finally, he realized that
he didn’t have a choice, and he let go.

“Now,” Felix said. “Follow me.”

Eve and Felix left the room.

Adam was shaking.
What if she never came back? What if Felix went
to kill her, and I just let her go?
Adam
shook these thought out of his head, but they all came flooding
back when he heard Eve’s piercing scream.

He jumped out of his seat and ran towards the
screaming. He busted through the door, and saw Eve laying on the
ground screaming, and Felix standing over her. Adam grabbed him by
his shirt, and threw him against the wall. He felt the satisfying
feeling of his fist connecting with Felix’s face. Once, twice, the
third time, Eve grabbed his arm.

“Stop!” Eve screamed. “Adam stop! It’s not
him! Felix didn’t do anything!”

Adam stopped, and turned to look at Eve. “Are
you okay?” He asked. “Did he hurt you?” But Eve didn’t answer. She
pointed at the computer screen that was sitting on a desk in the
room.

On it was a picture of a man. He was about
forty-five, and had red hair. Then, he saw a bullet hole in the
man’s chest.

“Daddy!” Eve said. Adam could barely
understand what she was saying, because she was in hysterics.
“Daddy’s dead!”

Then, Adam noticed a woman lying next to
Eve’s dad. She too, was dead. She was skinny, the bones in her face
were protruding more than normal; she missing patches of hair, and
her face was bruised and scared. Nevertheless, however bruised,
bloody, and skinny she was, Adam could always recognize the face of
his mother.

Book Three Coming Fall 2011

Learn more about Logan Rutherford at:
http://existentialbacon.wordpress.com