Chapter 9

"How in the world did you manage to persuade Jason to let you go?"

"I just stood my ground and refused to go anywhere until he let me come with you." Red could see that a large level of pride emitted from those words.

"I knew you could do it. I only didn't think that you would leave him this soon."

"Well, if I'm going to became someone who helps people might as well start with you. You need to get to Atlas to get answers and it would be better to travel with someone than alone."

"And Jason told you to stay with me for the time being, didn't he?"

Cassie immediately hunched her shoulders and her hands were pointed towards the floor. She became slightly nervous and embarrassed, she also wondered how did he figure it out so fast. "Yeah, you are right he did." Red simply laughed at her response.

"That's some serious firepower you have there. Your grandfathers?

The blonde raised her head to look at him "No my moms. They were hers once and now they are mine.

"Did you give Travis the money for transport?"

"Yes, I did."

"Good, now we just wait." The young blonde took a seat next to her new companion and waited.

About twenty minutes later Travis came into the inn and shouted "Alright, everybody who has paid to leave this place come to the transport trucks at the town center. If anyone is late, we are leaving without them."

"I guess its time for us to go," said Cassie. People quickly left the small inn and went towards their only means of getting to safety. Once they reached the center Travis told the people to split into two groups, ten people in one truck and ten in the other. Red and Cassie went to their truck when out of nowhere a strange orange-haired woman appeared on top of the truck and shouted "Hi everyone, my name is Odessa and I will be your driver for the duration of your journey! Rum rum." Red and Cassie looked at each other and then the strange girl again in confusion. After that a voice came from the left side of the truck "There no need to worry people, my sister is a bit wild but she is a skilled driver and we will get you to Atlas in one piece." Red recognized him as the man he spoke at the inn.

"Well, this is going to be an interesting journey," Red whispered to Cassie.

"Alexander, Odessa stop screwing around and get those people on the truck. We need to get to Atlas before dark." Travis said with a commanding voice.

"Sure thing boss." Alexander looked at the gathered group of men, women and children and spotted the two friends who were kinda sticking out of the crowd. He instantly recognized the man with the oni mask but he did not remember seeing the blond with him earlier so he smirked and approached the duo.

"Hello my name is Alexander and I will be the one protecting you during this dangerous trip. So there is nothing for you to worry about my lady." he took Cassie's hand a gently kissed her. She was a bit surprised by the black-haired man's action, her face turned a shade of red because this has never happened to her before. Red disliked the man since they meat, he also remembered that Jason would probably want her as far away from guys like him as possible.

"Watch it, pal! I sagest that you watch your manners around new people."

"Oh forgive me, sir, I did not know you two were together. My sincerest apologies two both of you. I will take my leave now." He turned his back and walked back to the door of the truck with a mischievous smile on his face.

Red looked at Cassie who was as stiff as a rock "You alright?"

"Y-Yeah, it's just… that this is the first time something like this has ever happened to me."

"What would Jason do if he had been here?"

"He would have probably killed him."

"You really did not go out much, did you?"

She was ashamed to tell the truth but she did not want to lie to Red "No, not really."

"Don't worry about him, if you don't like it just don't pay much attention to it."

"Yeah sure." she said with a hint of red still being on her face.

"Let's get going people!" Odessa shouted from the top of the truck.

When all of the travelers entered the back of the trucks the transports were on the way to Atlas.

Travis and his truck were in front with Odessa and Alexander right behind him. The road was bumpy so the travel wasn't the most comfortable. Red could see that beside them in the truck were elderly, women, and children. One pair cough his eye, a mother with a small girl sitting next to her. They were faunus, cat faunus to be precise. A feeling of hate came over him for some unknown reason. It was pure hatred for someone but he did not know who, he could have also sworn that he heard a voice in his head saying something before it all came to an abrupt end when they all were flung to the front of the truck. Red and Cassie quickly pulled themselves together and ran out of the vehicle to see what going on. They were met by Alexander who told them that the part of the road collapsed under the front and that there was no need to worry. Travis stopped his truck immediately and went to see the situation.

"And I thought that this trip was going to run smoothly."

"Its no problem boss just get some cable and you can use your truck to pull us out. It's not like Grimm are going to come out of the ground."

As he said those wolds the ground started to tremble and soon a large number of centipede Grimm started appearing out of the ground.

"You had to say it! You just had to say it!" Odessa screamed at her brother. "Next time keep your big mouth shut!"

"Everybody stay in the trucks!" Red told the people as he pulled out his sword and charged at the nearest Grimm. Cassie took out her revolvers at started shooting at Grimm that were coming behind Red's back. Odessa was once again on the top of the transport but this time with her bow in hand and shooting at any Grimm she saw, while her Travis was on the ground trying to protect his transport.

"Alexander stop standing around and do something!" Travis barked at him.

"And to think that I thought that this trip was going to be boring." Alexander pulled off his black glows to revile two cybernetic hands, he pulled up his sleeves and two blades came out of his arms.

"Lets dance, shall we?" and with that, he joined the fray.