Chapter 1: Patrol
I guess I was alone. My family had moved over and over again. Now that he had taken over the world, I guess I was a bit on my own. I took part in a movement to help drive him away, or at least protect the ones we loved. We all knew it, that we couldn't drive him away. His army was to powerful. I guess he was too powerful by himself. At least we had a fighting shot to make sure he didn't take our loved ones. While my family had moved to a safer location, I told them I would take part in this movement. It was mostly just us kids, a few adults here and there, but we were an outside movement.
Our group was charged with taking care of outsides threats. The adults protected the safe locations where the main core of free people were held. He didn't attack there often unless he needed another 'slave' or unless he thought we were doing something wrong. Or even if it pleased him. The adults helped there.
Although most of the adults helped out there, I was with some kids down here. I mean, I'm only 24, but I'll refer to myself as a kid around here, just to connect with the others.
We were in charge of protecting the outside world. Mostly we were nomads, but we made our rounds in specific locations. My squadron was placed upon the outside of Colorado. From the Colorado Springs area up to Denver. It was a large area to cover, but Denver was the safe zone and that's where my family was. Occasionally we went to the mountains if the need was called for by the other squads.
It was a fairly calm day. We'd had a few stray warriors come this way, but they were no threat and we hid from them, like usual. They glided past, not even bothering to look for us. Normally, if they saw any of our patrol, the caped warriors would 'toy around' with us. They'd shoot a few stray bolts, or loose a few arrows just to watch us run. Sometimes when we fought back, we lost a good soldier, but otherwise we learned to keep our heads down.
Our squad, the Raven Girls, was a small squad, just the four of us that covered so many miles. Our schedule was to get some more people down to our sector in the next week. If only we could hold out that long. The Storm Chasers were in a surplus in the mountains. They had sent a few girls down the canyon to help aid us.
The four of us used to have names. We long since abandoned any hope of true names ever since the enemies had used them against us. It was now down to to us. Today was a casual day. I clutched the sleek bow against my chest, letting the energy from its wood be absorbed by my mind. Only now, I could hope for peace until the other showed up. Shade came up to me.
"Are you ready to cross the plains? We need to get to the middle of the territory to meet up with the others, then we'll ride down to Parker to take a look out for supplies while the others go down to here to keep watch." Shade's dark hair swept around her thin shoulders. The gun that hung by her side looked menacing. Mine was lost in the last raid. We were going to look for another, or if needed, take one from our emergency stash.
"When are we leaving?" I responded, never moving my eyes from the empty buildings of Colorado Springs. The plains simply had a road that wove through the dancing grass that had pushed through the cracks in the once busy highway. Now we used the road to travel, or if we had seen to much activity, we would have to take the long way.
"In an hour. Echo's itching to go already." At the mention at the fellow member, I looked over my shoulder to see the tall girl pace around in the back. She was reading a map, making sure our extra routes were safe.
"I'll be ready. Let's just get started now. It might be helpful to arrive slightly early, just to scout out and make sure Parker is still safe." I suggested. Shade bobbed her head before turning to Echo.
"Echo, what do you say we take to Parker? Horses or car?" Shade called to her. Echo skipped over to us. The giant gun on her back dwarfed her, but she wielded it with deadly accuracy.
"When are we meeting them again?" Shade called. I sat down on a rock, slinging my bow over my shoulder, slightly jostling the arrows in the quiver on my back.
"Two days. I would expect them to get there in three, but it's always good to be early." Echo and Shade came to my side, pushing them map to me.
"So we'll take the horses?" I guess. Echo nodded to me. We normally kept horses in each major point. It wasn't the fastest mode of transport, but it helped.
Cars were faster for easy get away moments, or for getting to a point quickly. The downside was that they were loud and easily noticeable. A few years ago when there was an invasion in Denver, six of us had to get the car and drive to help out. That was the good times when there were twelve of us on the team. Three were taken, presumed dead. The other five went to other squads or back to their families that needed them. We lost a good number of kids then. Now it was quieter, but also lonely.
Horses were good for crossing long distances and were not as loud. They weren't the fastest, but also good if we needed to split up. Although they were not as easily spotted, they needed rest breaks as well.
"Let's saddle up." Echo called. As the four of us walked to our horses, I called out to my black mustang. She whinnied and I heard the familiar sounds of her hooves clipping against the pavement. I saw her dark head appear around a corner, followed by the other three horses. They greeted us as familiar friends as we saddled up, each of us giving them loving strokes on their nose.
"Chaos, you call the shot." Shade called to me from her saddle. The third girl, Rampage was silent, but always had something on her brain. The three of them stared at me. Rampage earned her code name after a brutal assault from some shooters. She managed to single handedly hold them off in a fury filled rampage after she watched one of her friends be taken.
"Let's go!" I called. Sitting tall in the saddle, I felt the familiar gait of my horse return. I'd found her in an abandoned stable. After some tender love and care, she'd become my horse. Now she stays in whatever watch point we need her to.
The other three followed behind me. This road was worn but all too reminiscent. I could almost hear the tires that had once squealed and complained against the pavement. Now the long gaits of each horse were the only noises.
By midafternoon, we had reached the plains in record time. The clear day and the early time that we had left Colorado Springs had given us a head start. We found the stream to let our horses drink from before sitting underneath the tree that we always met at.
"Three hours of hard riding before arriving at the outskirts of Parker." Rampage commented quietly. The gentle breeze had brushed her hair from her face. Mine was tied in a ponytail to keep it out of my face while riding.
"We have time. Let's not worry about the time to much." I cheered them up. Echo stood watch on the hill overlooking the tree. She held her gun down, but nodded to me. It was my time to take watch. Shade checked her watch. We had another ten minutes on break.
I stretched and yawned lazily as I sat upon the hill. The army could be upon us any minute, or it could be just a lone ranger trying to stir up trouble. They hadn't had a formal attack in months. The clock was just ticking down until the next one.
The mountains to the west reminded me of the days my family would spend skiing. Swooshing powder and cold nights were only memories now. We would return to my hometown of Parker tonight.
The grass swirled over the plains. If they were going to attack, it would be a perfect day to do it, so we must keep vigilance. They could be on foot, or they could be on their hover crafts. The road out in the distance would attract their attention, so we'd have to stay away from it. Echo had planned a path and Rampage had scouted some of it. We were prepared.
I looked out upon the empty horizon in the noon sun. Out in the distance, where Colorado Springs had just disappeared, seemed to be some commotion. Something, so faint and barely visible, seemed to move in the sky. It moved in such a familiar pattern though.
"Guys, get up, out in the south over the Springs, I think there's a ranger riding a hover." I warned them. At once, all three of them sprang up. This was the usual routine. If you see something, distance yourself at least fifty miles!
"Let's ride out further. Take a few miles off the road." Shade told me. Handing me the reigns to my horse, I hopped on and followed Echo's lead. She had the entire area memorized, I was convinced of it!
We went as fast as we could, just to distance ourselves. Finally, I checked behind us to see. There were no specks in the distance. I called out to the others. We slowed for a moment.
They turned to me as I talked. But I halted midsentence as I saw two hover crafts zooming ahead from the north. They were coming in close and they had us in their sights. But we had a plan. The other turned around. We had only seconds.
"Two rangers spotted, both flying. Rampage take the east, Shade and Echo, take west, I'll take south. Everyone, Roundabout at the Burrow, no stops by at least night. After that, meet at the Nest." I called out to them. They nodded before sprinting off. The two rangers looked confused, but I had not time to ponder that. I turned tail around and booked it off.
Now, all the Raven Girls knew what I could do, but I didn't ever show it to the enemy unless in dire situations and that wasn't now. I couldn't reveal my secret. So I had to run to make sure they didn't ever find out.
My mustang was panting but still galloping. I took hill by the road, just off it. I had just a glance to see if the rangers had split up, but both were staring straight at me and closing the distance. I was in trouble if I didn't lose them soon. I had one last shot.
I ducked behind a hill and halted my horse. Hopping off, I slapped her side. She knew where to go. We had gone through it enough. She ran to the hills, going to the Nest. She'd be there by the next morning and the others would find her. It was a risky move, but I had to do it in order to not be captured. I took off, ducking into the grass, but kept moving. I saw a rover go over to investigate where the horse was going. But it wasn't long before I heard the familiar whirl as it turned around in frustration.
I hid in an outcropping of rocks, ducking beneath the boulders. The whirls slowly disappeared behind the hills to the east. I got up, knowing they would look to the hills, so I would take the road.
Although my legs burned for a break, I kept walking to the road, stretching slightly. I was on the road for a good ten minutes before I heard the whirl again. I took off sprinting, just glancing behind me to see a horrifying sight.
Four rangers on hovers with five rangers running on land. I might outrun the rangers on land, but not the ones with hovers. This was what they were looking for. It was a formal raid for more of whatever the cruel ruler needed the captives for. We thought it would be for the strong adults in the city, but no, it was the exposed children in the fields.
So I kept running.
They were closing in on me. I rolled to duck out of an arrow. The hovers were just over my head. I leaped to the side, into a ditch. The aircrafts were fast, but slow to turn. I shot out into the fields, into the open flat plains. The running men in their gold and green uniforms kept up. Finally, I had to admit I was outnumbered.
The hovers encircled me, but the runners kept coming. Evil smirks lined their faces. I bared my teeth at them, showing them I wouldn't easily be taken. Whipping out my bow, I shot one of them, the one slightly to slow to move. It struck him in the leg, taking him to the ground. The others shot more arrows, but I was agile and dodged them. The hover crafts lowered down, releasing nets over my struggling form. The sprinting two miles had taken it out of me.
They descended to knock me to the earth, but I wouldn't be taken so easily. I waited until all the men had their hands on the nets to close my eyes and let the fury build up.
Electricity pulsed through me and opening my clawed hands, I let the bolts of lightning flow through me to strike each of the men. But I was too weak, too weak to kill. I knocked many off their feet, a few unconscious, but I was left dazed after the amount of energy I used. There was none left. So as they dragged me in the net, I slowly drifted to an unfit sleep.