Author's note: Err...really short. My apologies. I will try to make up for it with the chapter after it.
"Where do we stay, Timothy?" John asked, wrapping his arms around the other boy. Timothy had just shivered, and John could not blame him. The night was cold, and the speed they were traveling caused the wind to rush at them, freezing them all the more. Timothy rested his head on John's shoulder.
"I don't know, John. Where could we?"
"Suppose, then, Timothy -"
"-We stay in the chair tonight, John," Timothy finished for him. He nodded. "It'll do for tonight, I suppose. Best to keep the money for as long as we can."
"Indeed, Timothy," John was almost always prepared, and this situation was no different. He pulled his suitcase out from the storage area under the chair, pulling a blanket out. He draped it around Timothy. "There…to protect you from the cold."
"And you, too," Timothy said, snuggling up to John and sharing as much of the blanket as he could.
"Perhaps now would be a good time to stop the chair, Timothy?"
"Indeed, John…" Timothy pressed the button on the arm of the chair closest to him. The chair slowed, then came to an immediate standstill. "Goodnight, John."
"Goodnight, Timothy," John said in response, allowing the other boy to burrow his face into his shirt, using him as a pillow. John sighed. There was an elation in holding the person he loved most, but there was also a deep fear.
What would they do? Where did they have to go?
They only had a little bit of money. John had three other outfits, and Timothy had none. They had no applicable job skills that could get them anything other than a local McDonald's or other fast food joint. John gave an involuntary shudder. He hated those kinds of places. He found the very idea of working there degrading.
He had to come up with a plan, and soon. He slid from underneath Timothy's grip, being careful not to wake the other boy. Timothy whimpered in his sleep, and John smirked a bit, before leaning over and giving him a quick kiss. "I'll be back, Timothy. I promise…"
The sun broke through the clouds, making the day unusually hot for mid October. Timothy groaned and stretched, kicking the blanket off of himself, reaching over to give John a good morning hug.
Except that John wasn't there.
He felt a panic start in his stomach and rise up to his chest, making it hard to breath. Frantically, he looked around. "John? This is not funny, John. Where are you?"
"Relax," John swung himself up onto the seat of the chair, almost beaming at Timothy. Timothy was thrown off a bit. Had he ever seen John smile like that? He thought back. Not since he was ten… Timothy realized. "I've got a plan."
Timothy stifled a yawn. "For what?"
"How to make a living out here."
"And what might that plan involve, John?"
John pulled a slip of paper from his pocket. "Someone called. …'Father'."
"Father? As in …father of a son, John?"
"Yes, Timothy," John nodded, cupping his chin in his hand, thinking carefully. "Apparently he is paying good money for those willing to help him with his…conquest."
"And what would that be? Taking over the world?"
"Not exactly…" John said slowly.
"Then…?"
"He wishes," John said, looking away. "For children to be entirely suppressed. He's actually a few years younger than us, but well financed. He'll pay a lot of money for engineers at this point. What do you think, Timothy?"
"Sounds like a shot, John."
