Atticus had completely demolished the room he was staying in, looking around at his mess he could only shake his head numbly, the walls all had at least several new holes in them, his knuckles were bruised and bloody from doing that but he didn't care. The bed completely overturned with the blankets and pillows tossed into the bathroom along with the poor nightstand. The TV on the floor glass smashed all over the floor from where it had shattered on impact. Bringing his hands to his head, he only pulled at his hair. His hair no longer in a ponytail, instead it was out on his shoulders as he continued to yank and pull harshly at his own hair.
He probably would have just continued to stand there in his own self-pity if it wasn't for his phone going off in his pocket. Swallowing hard, he took it out and looked at the ID. It was his children... With a shaky breath, he answered it in a fake cheery voice that in all honesty just made him sick.
"Hey, Sweetheart."
He listened to Sofi practically whine on the other side of the phone, clearly missing him, he could hear Jason and Lucy in the background clearly having some sort of conflict with one another, he ignored that as he listened to Sofi.
"Miss Daddy! Miss Daddy!" Sofi cried loudly, he could hear her sniffling on the other side and Atticus sighed out.
"Sweetie, I miss you too." Atticus comforted her leaning against the wall, phone cradled between his neck and cheek as he rubbed his bleeding knuckles.
"Hey, Dadicus! When are you coming back?!" Lucy demanded over the phone her voice cracking halfway through her sentence, Atticus sighed softly,
"I don't know, Kiddo, a lot of stuff happened today...Probably in a few days..." He told her softly, he could feel her frown over the phone.
"...Just come home soon...We all miss you, Ms. Cathy is nice, but she's not you." Lucy mumbled softly and just like that the line went dead and Atticus put hands to his face before slowly sliding down the wall. Sobbing softly he just shook his head as he whimpered against his palms. Feeling his face scrunch up, he couldn't stop the sob that left his mouth loudly, muffled by his hands.
"Get...CONTROL OF YOURSELF!" He yelled at himself as he suddenly slapped his own face. His face actually stung from his slap but he didn't care. With an angry growl and a shaky hand, he clenched his hands into fists tightly. Getting up from, he needed to go for a walk. Getting out of his room, he shut the door behind him, pocketing the door key as he did so. Almost instantly Damian's head poked his head out of his room, the two of them locked eyes for a moment, there was something different about Damian as he stared Atticus in the eyes.
Damian then leaned against the door frame and smirked oddly. One arm draped over his head in a cocky way as he put his other hand on his hip, almost like he trying to seduce Atticus. His bright blue hair covering his eyes slightly as he cheekily spoke a question,
"Going somewhere?"
"A walk, is that fine by you?" Atticus defensively asked, he then narrowed his eyes at Damian as Damian let out a low almost scary chuckle.
"You're an adult. I'm not going to tell you what to do. Just know we leave first thing in the morning." Damian responded slyly as he turned to go back into the room.
"Wait...How's Ben?" Atticus question and Damian didn't even turn around, he just chuckled lowly again.
"Fine. In the bathroom cleaning his arm. Hasn't spoken a word." Damian paused suddenly and Atticus could just see the smirk growing on his face as he spoke the next line, "I think you really scared him. Then again...You ARE a vampire. I'm sure you just made him realize the truth about your kind."
Atticus only stood there in shock as Damian shut the door in his face without another word.
"W-WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" Atticus finally roared out he was got ready to kick the door in, ready to demand why Damian suddenly got so brave, just because he held back at the Greenblooms doesn't mean he'll hold back now, he wasn't in the mood for that. However, something stopped him as he stared furiously at the door in front of him, breathing heavily, Atticus gritted his teeth before just turning away from the door. Clenching his fists at his side, he just went down the stairs towards the lobby.
Sitting behind the desk was a dark skinned woman with long black hair tied up into a ponytail. The woman smiled at Atticus as he came down the steps. Walking up to her, he leaned against the counter and let out a low sigh as he hung his head.
"Any taverns around here?" He asked with a headshake, he needed alcohol today was one hell of a day and he just wanted to forget it. The woman only raised and eyebrow at him and chuckled sweetly,
"Well, I don't know about taverns, sweetheart, but here, in the twenty-first century, we have Pubs." She responded, her smile never leaving her mouth as she leaned against the desk.
"Yes, of course, where's the nearest pub, sweetie?"
"There's one just down the road. Go straight, you can't miss it." She grinned at him, her eyes oddly hard as she pulled back and walked away from him.
"Thank you."
Turning to the door, he left the motel silently. The door shut behind him as he walked down the sidewalk, she was right as he could see the pub just a thousand feet ahead from the motel. Feeling the cold night wind hit his face, he cringed a bit before adjusting his jacket so the collar covered the lower half of his face. Getting closer to the pub, Atticus could see people outside of the pub. They seemed to be having a smoke outside and chatting with one another. Walking up to them, they seemed to tone down their talking as they looked at him, there was one older woman, she couldn't be older than sixty as she stood there, cigarette in her hand, beside her, were two males, one around her age, and the other younger, no older than Ben it seemed. All of them had smokes as they stared at him like he was going to attack them. They all looked at each other in silence as Atticus paused and looked at the three people. Shuffling slightly, he pulled his jacket away from his mouth to speak,
"...Do any of you think I could borrow a smoke?"
There was a moment of silence before the younger one of the three pulled out his carton and handed him one.
"Thanks." Atticus smiled softly as he took it gently, the man then lit the cigarette now in Atticus's mouth. "Thanks again, mate." Atticus breathed out as he inhaled deeply. "Ohhh that feels good..." He breathed out just as deep almost like he was in ecstasy.
"Haven't had one in a while, eh?" The older male asked Atticus could hear a slight French accent in his voice. Looking at the man, he saw his hair was depleting and almost completely white. His nose was hooked and crooked, his eyes a rather pretty shade of green.
"...Had to quit. Got children to raise, but...Today was...Horrid." Atticus breathed out softly with a disapproving headshake, some more smoke leaving his mouth as he coughed slightly.
"Well, just be happy you weren't up at the university, heard they had a nasty break in earlier today, a guard had to go to the hospital because someone hit him over the head with some sort of weapon." The woman just shook her head as she puffed on her smoke and then looked at Atticus. Atticus gave nothing away, he didn't jump, he didn't widen his eyes, he just stood there and shook his head, bringing the cigarette to his mouth he just mumbled out in response,
"Pity."
Ben tossed the cell phone, he had stolen from Damian, up and down in his good palm. He looked over at the bathroom door, Damian was in there, door closed, he wasn't showering, that wasn't good. He'll be out any moment now probably wondering why Ben had his phone in the first place, however, Ben was waiting, waiting for a specific text message to pop up. He felt his heart pound in his chest as he waited. Breathing out heavily, he kept his eyes on the door, waiting for Damian to pop out.
Damian had told him that Atticus left for the night, and even given Ben a rather unsettling smile before vanishing into the bathroom. Ben had to find Atticus, and quick.
Feeling the phone vibrate, he looked at the text quickly,
Now.
Getting up, Ben stayed silent as he slowly tipped toed towards the room door. His heart roared in his ears as his blood turned cold, slowly, ever so slowly, he got closer and closer towards the door, grabbing the knob, he slowly turned it and opened the door. Seeing the hallway, he held his breath and silently shut it behind him. The phone vibrated in his hand once more and he looked at the phone,
Hurry. Run.
He did just that, rushing as fast as he could, he had the stairs in his sight. When he was halfway down the stairs he could hear a door slam shut in the distance and he jumped down the last three steps, careful of his arm as he stumbled a bit. Getting the first floor, he rushed past the desk, where nobody was at, thankfully. Pushing the door open, Ben did a hard right, the car was out of the picture right now. Now it was time to hide. Getting to the back of the motel Ben groaned out when he looked at the fence, if he had both of his arms, then it'd be fine, but with his injury, he couldn't climb up. Looking around frantically. He could only groan and run towards the side of the motel. He saw his break, a hole in the fence. The problem? The hole wasn't that wide and it was on the bottom.
The phone vibrated and Ben looked at the newest message,
Do it, or he'll catch you.
"Dammit..." Ben groaned out softly. Getting onto his knees, he held his bad arm close as he slowly shimmied through the hole in the fence, His bad arm suddenly got scratched by a piece of metal sticking out. Gritting his teeth, he breathed heavily as he stifled his groan of intense pain. Slowly he continued to shimmy through the hole. He didn't realize until it was too late, that there was a ditch behind the fence. Once over half of him was through he went tumbling down the ditch. Unable to stop his cries this time, he rolled and tumbled down until he suddenly stopped in a puddle of water.
"...Ow..." Ben whimpered as he clutched his injured arm and held it close to his stomach. The phone vibrated next to him, looking at the phone, he could see the words,
Stay. Keep down.
Shifting so he was down in the mud below, he saw flashlight's suddenly come around and he could see figures moving around the back of the motel.
"Beeeen!" Damian called out he didn't sound concerned in the slightest, more like he just wanted to find him. Shutting his eyes, Ben swallowed hard as he shifted so there was no more damage to his arm as it was.
"Benny! Come out!"
The flashlights slowly vanished and he silently moved around in the mud. Standing up he grabbed the phone and looked at it seeing a new message, he sighed,
Keep going.
Ben clutched his arm and then slowly walked through the mud, he needed to find Atticus, and fast. Their lives literally depended on it.
"EY!" Atticus cheered with the rest of the bar patrons as he started to chug down his Guinness beer as fast as he could. Once he finished he slammed the cup down and cheer once more. Everyone cheer once more to him.
"Wow, fifth beer down. How are you still standing, Buddy?" The old man asked Atticus. Atticus chuckled as he wobbled a bit.
"I'll never tell~" Atticus spoke in a singsong voice.
"Give the guy another one, on me." The old woman told the bartender, who turned out to be the young man from the group, nodded and filled up Atticus's cup once more. Atticus, being slightly gone, grabbed the cup and spoke up,
"Thank ye, laddie!" Atticus smiled as he proceeded to chug once more.
"Whoa, impressive Irish accident you got there, mate. How long did it take you to practice that?" The bartender asked once Atticus finished. Slamming the cup down once more, Atticus wiped his mouth with his arm.
"Bah! I am Irish!" Atticus proudly stated as he grabbed the bowl of pretzels and started to shove them into his mouth at a fast rate. Consuming handful after handful of pretzels.
"Really?...But you sounded British."
"Long story, laddie," Atticus responded with a mouthful of pretzels. "Urg. I need better food than this. What do you have to eat?" Atticus asked and the man slightly jumped a bit.
"Errr. Well, we did have pretzels, but you just ate them all...So...Let's see we have some candy bars here for a pound and for eight pounds we have a small pizza I could microwave-"
"Yes! That! All of that! And another beer!" Atticus slammed his money down on the bar and man just took what he needed and got Atticus what he ordered. The man laid three candy bars in front of Atticus, a mars bar, a crunchie, and a double decker. Atticus instantly started to tear into the chocolate bar, almost eating the wrapper with it.
"Wow...You are hungry aren't you?" The older man questioned with a chuckle.
"Aye! Starving." Atticus quickly told him as he tossed the half chewed wrapper into the trash. Grabbing his beer, he started to down it at a fast rate, before the bartender put the pizza in front of him. It was really just a small pizza, just a personal pan cut into four tiny slices, and he did not hesitate to shove those slices into his mouth.
"I've never had pizza before. It's so good." He spoke as he quickly ate.
"You never had pizza?! You need to have a real slice of the pie, not just this stuff I cooked up in the microwave."
"Bah! It's still good!"
"How come you've never had pizza? You said you had children."
"...I can't remember why!" Atticus barked out laughing loudly.
"ORRICK!"
Atticus whipped his head to the door where Ben was. Ben stood there breathing heavily, covered head and toe in mud.
"Benny! My friend! Guys! That's Ben! Hey, Ben!" Atticus happily cheered as Ben angrily stormed up to Atticus still breathing heavily as he forced Atticus to look him in the eye.
"Oh my god...Don't tell me you're drunk."
"I'm not, laddie, yer drunk!" Atticus quickly accused and Ben facepalmed so loud Atticus could hear the slap.
"We have to go, mate!" Ben yelled out as Atticus continued to stuff his face with pizza. Groaning out, Ben grabbed Atticus by his arm and pulled as hard as he could with his one good hand, the others in the pub just stared at him as he did so. Atticus lost his balance and fell face first on the floor.
"We have to go, Orrick! Get up!" Ben yelled out in a panic he seemed oddly close to tears. Atticus still just laid there tears in his own as Ben urged him to get up frantically.
"I'm sorry..." Atticus slowly mustered out as he still sat there, his eyes turned to Ben's shoulder that was now caked in mud like the rest of him. "I'm so sorry."
"We can talk about this later! Atticus, Please. I need you right now."
"I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you, right now." Ben softly spoke as he hugged Atticus around his middle. Atticus blinked and gently patted Ben's head. "...Crap..." Ben suddenly spoke up as he pulled away from Atticus and looked at a phone in his hand.
"I'm not here!" Ben suddenly and quickly yelled out as he suddenly bolted towards the bar counter.
"Hey you can't-" The bartender started but Ben cut him off.
"I'm not here, please!" Atticus watched as Ben crouched behind the bar, now hidden from sight. Just then, the door opened once more, revealing Damian. Atticus only stood there, unsure of what to do as Damian approached him.
"Whew, you spell like the bar," Damian commented slyly.
"I...I..." Atticus couldn't think straight as he rubbed his temples, sitting back down, he gazed over the counter to see Ben huddled in the corner, hand clamped over his mouth, he looked scared of Damian. Odd, He never looked scared of Damian before.
"Hey. Where's Ben? He ran off." Damian demanded as he crossed his arms.
"Dunno." Atticus slurred slightly as he continued to sit there unmoving. His eyes focused on the other candy bars in front of him. "Are you nervous?" He questioned suddenly.
"Of course I am! I can't find him!"
"Mars bar?" He offered Damian, who just slapped it out of his hands. Atticus only looked down at the candy bar slightly then back at Damian.
"Ben."
Atticus just stared at the discarded Mars bar once more before narrowing his eyes slightly. Since when did Damian ever refuse food? Especially a treat like that?
"Hey! Drunken moron! Where is Ben?!" Damian demanded once more crossing his arm impatiently. Again, when did he get so brave?
Atticus looked at Damian, Damian more or less seemed to move from side to side, that might of just been his intoxication, though. Atticus shook his head before squeezing his eyes tightly.
"Useless! Alright!" With no warning, Damian grabbed a barstool and stood up on it, he then let out a loud whistle causing everyone else at the bar to look at him.
"I'm looking for a guy! He's no older than me! He has black curly hair, blue eyes, and pale skin! His shoulder is currently in a makeshift sling, he's my friend and he's injured! Has anybody seen him?!" Damian demanded loudly. There was a low murmur amongst the patrons. Damian looked amongst the crowd, even turning to the older lady and man.
'Don't turn around...' Atticus unconsciously though as he looked down at Ben who's eyes were now wide as Damian was so close to finding his not so good hiding spot.
Atticus brought the remainder of his beer up to his lips and drank the rest of it.
Ben's afraid of Damian.
Damian refused the candy bar.
"Don't trust the blue haired one...He's not what he seems..."
"Ok...But here's all that lead up to me being attacked them, Ben, had already mentioned you, you tracked him down at school and told him about the quest you wanted him to go on. I suddenly come into the picture two days before you want to take him away and I get lead into a trap. This 'attacker' that isn't you mentions Ben as I'm on the verge of blacking out. This attacker looks like you and sounds like you, but it's not you, what? Do you have a twin?"
Atticus heard his own voice echo in his head as he sat there silently looking at his empty beer.
"This attacker looks like you and sounds like you, but it's not you, what? Do you have a twin?"
Looking up at Damian, he narrowed his eyes.
"NO ONE?! I KNOW SOMEONE MUST OF SAW HIM!"
"Do you have a twin?"
"A twin?"
A TWIN!
Everything slowly clicking at once in Atticus's mind, his eyes widened, Damian's hair always been a fizzy faded blue, his hair was now bright blue and straight. Atticus then suddenly brought his foot out and kicked the chair 'Damian' was standing on from under him, causing Damian to fall flat on his face on the hard floor below. With a loud grunt, Damian brought his head up, nose bleeding, lip busted. As he laid there in shock.
"YOU BASTARD!" Atticus suddenly roared as he stood up and gave the imposter a good kick in the ribs. Causing him to cry out. Picking him up by the back of his shirt, Atticus pinned him by the bar, one arm twisted behind his back, causing Damian to cry out once more.
"Where is he?! Where is the real Damian!?" Atticus drunkenly demanded as the patrons all backed away from him. Ben shakily stood and the imposter growled.
"I AM DAMIAN! YOU SOCIOPATH! SOMEBODY GET HIM OFF OF ME!"
Atticus grabbed Damian by his hair and smashed his face into the bar, causing Ben to back up in shock.
"Where is Damian!?" Atticus demanded once more. The imposter slowly spat out a string of blood from his mouth.
"I...Am-"
Again, a smash into the bar for the faker, this time twice in a row.
"Where?!"
There was a strangled cough from the other, as more blood and even a tooth left his mouth.
"I won't tell you a damn thing, you bloodsucker!"
"Atticus, that's enough..." Ben whispered out, but, being drunk and slightly vengeful, Atticus didn't listen as he suddenly took his knife out of his pocket and stabbed the bar next to the imposter's face.
"I'll get you to talk!"
"Somebody call the coppers!" Atticus heard the old woman, who was just chatting it up beside him, yell out frantically as she seemed to be in hysterics now whole bar seemed to be as everyone turned and ran out, even the bartender himself. The imposter just laughed loudly at Atticus as he yelled out,
"Do you worst! Show them! Show them the monster you truly are! You pretend to be civilized but you can only hold that façade for so long. You crave blood, that's all your kind do! Why do you think I never freed Kuriana, I wanted to see how much blood you truly could spill."
Atticus growled and raised his knife, ready to stab the imposter in the back of the neck, but Ben spoke up loudly,
"Atticus! Please-"
"SHUT UP!" Atticus roared at Ben who jumped at that and then he teared up.
"Please...Don't...You caught him..." He sniffled loudly. "You caught him." With a shaky hand, Ben grabbed Atticus's cold hand. "You're not a monster...Please don't do this..." Ben begged as he kept his grip on Atticus's hand. Atticus felt his face fall from its previous angry state. Ben shook horribly as he sobbed out.
"Don't kill him..."
"...I..." Atticus let go of the imposter and he fell to the ground with a loud 'thump' who slowly groaned as he clutched his face. Atticus looked down at the imposter and then crossed his arms.
"Alright, ye, bastard! stand up!" Atticus grabbed him and forced his back against the bar. Looking at his face, Atticus saw that he had broken his nose at least twice, his lips were puffed up and bleeding as well as his nose, his eyes both blacken and swollen. Without another word, Atticus fished through the imposter's pockets before finding what he wanted, car keys. With that, he pushed the other into the bar. "You're on your own. C'mon Ben."
Ben skittishly skirted around the bar as he stood a good foot away from Atticus.
"Atticus, you can't drive, you're drunk!"
"We'll be fine! Let's just go." Atticus insisted as he grabbed Ben by his good arm and started to lead his friend towards the door. Ben looked over his shoulder at the fake Damian, the man just on the floor by the bar. The two of them locked eyes, fake Damian just chuckled evilly causing Atticus and him to stop.
"What's so funny?!" Atticus demanded loudly and fake Damian just smiled, showing his bloody missing and chipped teeth.
"Go on...Leave...By I'm sure your dragon will love that."
"...My dragon is dead." Atticus seethed out. Fake Damian looked him in the eyes, his green eyes seem to bore into Atticus's own eyes before he tsked bitterly,
"Not yours...His..." His eyes then turned to Ben, who turned paler almost instantly.
"W-What?" Ben whispered in shocked.
"...Firedrake, right? That's his name...We already have him. Oh, and your family as well. You two go on, run back to the Greenblooms...You're just going to find an empty house. Thank goodness, Oliver was with them too, made the grab a little easier. They'll be dead by morning. You'll never find them...Not without me." The fake Damian chuckled again, blood pooling freely from his mouth as he did so, dripping down his shirt and onto the floor. Atticus licked his lips a bit before he backed away quickly. He was still drunk and the thought of having actual human blood made him even more starving than he was before.
"You bastard!" Ben yelled out as he was now ready to attack, but Atticus grabbed him.
"He's joking, he has to be!" Atticus urged Ben back with him.
"Look at that phone, see what 'info-guy' has to say. If you think I'm lying." Fake Damian chuckled weakly. Ben did just that, bringing the phone back he saw that he had several missed text messages from Info-guy, the one helping him all along.
Reading them in order he saw this,
Took him long enough.
He has to stop.
...
I'm sorry.
I was going to tell you once you were safe.
I can lead you to them. Do not trust him.
Ben let out a shaky breath before bringing the back of his hand up to his nose and sniffling out.
"...Why?" Was all Ben could ask. "...I understand if you wanted me! BUT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GET THEM INVOLVED!" He finally roared out in anger. Fake Damian rocked his head back in an eerie laugh as he shook his head.
"Oh, but we did. Especially the dragon. Firedrake is going to face the fate that Kuriana did, maybe even worse."
"Why!? What do you have to prove by harming him!?"
"That dragons not only exist, but we want to know every type of dragon there is! Their functions, organs, every possible thing you can dream of...It wasn't that hard getting Firedrake either, in case you were wondering...I'd be wary around Info-guy."
Instantly the phone started buzzing in Ben's hands.
It happened before I met Damian!
I didn't know!
...I'm sorry. I want to help. I really do...You can't trust him! You just can't!
"You're at a crossroad, arentcha? So, Dragon rider...The choice is yours. Me or Him. Pick your poison wisely." Fake Damian spat out bitterly.
Ben looked at the phone then back to fake Damian, before narrowing his eyes.
"Let's go, Atti. I'll drive."
"Ye don't know how to drive."
"I'll learn. It's better than having you drive us into a tree. Oh." Ben then stormed up to fake Damian and punched him in the face, knocking him out instantly. "Lets get a move on shall we?"
Atticus looked back at the unconscious imposter, before turning back to Ben who now walked past him, snatching the keys out of Atticus's hands as he did so.
"You sure you made the right choice?" Atticus asked as Ben retreated towards the door.
"Positive. I trust Info-guy more than...Josh Newlands over there." Ben snarled out as he stormed out the door. Atticus just shrugged and followed Ben, Ben now how the phone to his ear.
"You owe me one hell of an explanation right now, you bastard!" Ben snarled out as he walked down the sidewalk.
"I know." A monotone digital deep male voice spoke on the other line.
"I'm putting a lot of trust in you. If you screw me over. I'll hunt you down myself. Do you hear me? Why did you tell them how to find Firedrake? How do you even know of Firedrake!? HOW DID THEY FIND FIREDRAKE?! HE'S IN THE MOUNTAINS!" Ben yelled out at the phone.
"...I can't reveal that yet. You'll lose all trust in me the moment I do. Just listen to me. I am on your side here. Completely. I can say, they found him because he wasn't in the mountains at the time. They found him at night flying around the mountain, probably to stretch his wings."
"How did they know it was him?"
"Because I told them."
"...Dammit...I hope I picked my right poison."
"Benjamin. You didn't pick the poison. You picked an antidote. If I wasn't on your side. I wouldn't have warned you of Josh, I wouldn't have helped you escape. Please. Just think of that. Now, I can't stay on for long. They'll find me...I truly am sorry. For now, just get to the car, I'll keep you posted from there."
With that Info-guy hung up and Ben just stared blankly at the phone as Atticus drunkenly approached him.
"Just who are you?"
"I think I'm going to be sick..." Atticus mumbled as he held his stomach.
"This whole thing is giving me a headache-" Hearing Atticus lurch, Ben only sighed and shook his head as his friend proceeded to vomit up all of the food and beer he ingested on the sidewalk.
"Can't stomach real food, huh?"
"...Oh right...That's why I could never enjoy...Pizza..." Atticus mumbled as he suddenly put his hands on his knees and vomited once more. Ben sighed. There was no way in hell they were going to save everyone tonight. Not with Atticus like the way he was.
"Alright. C'mon lets just get to the car and get to a safer place for you to rest up." Ben urged as he grabbed Atticus's cold hand and lead him away. Atticus looked ahead at Ben as they walked back towards the motel parking lot. Atticus felt an odd warmth slowly overtake his normally cold body as they walked. Getting to the car, Ben unlocked it and in they went. Atticus was forced into the backseat by Ben who just sighed.
"If you vomit, stick your head out the window like a dog. Please." Was all Ben said as he put the keys in the car's ignition and turned, the car revved to life and he smiled. To himself, that wasn't so hard. He pushed on the gas and instantly the car revved in place and the tires squealed.
"Urg! Take the damn thing out of park!" Atticus cried out as he laid in the backseat holding his stomach.
"Oh, I knew that."
"No, you didn't."
Ben looked at the lever and pulled it down or he tried to but it didn't budge. He looked down at it, PRNDL he only stared at the stick like it was some strange alien object.
"Oh for the love of...Ben apply the break and pull the...the...PRNDL down!" Atticus frustratedly yelled at Ben who just jumped and did as he was told. Putting the stick in drive, he pushed the gas and instantly Atticus yelled.
"NO! REVERSE, BEN! NOT FORWARD!"
Feeling the tires hit the curb leading to the motel. Atticus instantly shot up. As Ben stomped on the break.
"That's it, you'll get us caught with your driving alone. Get to the passenger's side." Atticus demanded and Ben instantly smacked his friend away from him.
"I'm new at this and you're drunk! I cannot have you drive. Lay down and shut up!" Ben growled in response as he put the car in reverse. Slowly he backed off of the curb, cringing as the car bounced a bit downwards.
"Alright, now, just put it in drive and turn the wheel so you can drive out of the parking lot," Atticus instructed as he groaned out like he was going to vomit once more. Ben did as he was told and slowly pulled out of the parking lot the best he could. He did hit the curb out of the parking lot, but aside from that, they were now on the road.
"Alright...Where are we hiding?" Atticus questioned as he gagged but nothing came out.
"The woods. We get far enough away they won't find us there for the night...God, I hope we aren't too late." Ben mumbled the last part as he drive slowly through the deserted road. Atticus kept blacking in and out of reality, that made him a little happy that Ben was driving because he'd probably wind up killing him otherwise.
Atticus was pretty sure he blacked out for a good while because when he opened his eyes once more, they were no longer on the road but in the woods. Ben already had the car off and was now resting in the driver's seat, head against the window as he slept. Atticus slowly sat up and looked down at Ben as his friend slept peacefully. Atticus then slowly laid back down and rested his head on the seat below him. It smelt of cigarette smoke and old chocolate, not really a pleasant smell, but he'd take what he could get for now.
Damian could only stare at the corner of his room and mumble slightly to himself as he rocked numbly back and forth. Licking his dry mouth, Damian shut his eyes harshly and then quickly reopened like what he was seeing wasn't real, but it was.
Feeling the wall on his back, Damian jumped at the sound of the door opening, as if he was on fire, he got to his bare feet and charged at the person in his room. The chain tied to his jacket stopped him just a few feet before the door. Breathing out heavily, Damian struggled against the jacket that strapped his arms in a crisscross fashion making his arms stationary as he struggled against the chain.
"I can't believe you thought you could get away with disrupting my work." A deep male voice sounded as the man came into view of the doorway.
He had striking blue eyes that looked like they could pop out even in the darkness, his hair was a crisp gray with only his roots showing his original brown hair color. He was old that part Damian knew by the wrinkles that crinkled around the corner of his eyes and mouth, his chin had stubble gray hair that only made Damian realized the guy has not shaved or bathed for a very long time.
"Where's the big strong tough boy talk now? Hm?" The man asked as he smiled at Damian, showing yellow teeth that were clearly rotting in some places.
"Sorry, it took me a minute, through but the smell you having following you around took my breath away." Damian finally spat out at the man.
"Damian...Damian...Damian...Or..Should I really call you Ivan? Because that is your name after all. What you thought changing your name and dying your hair was going to stop me from finding you? After all...It is your twin I have at my disposal."
"Oh bite me. Ben and Atticus will see through Josh in a second! I would snap my fingers to show you what I mean, but uh...You get the picture." Damian mumbled as he fought against the straightjacket once more.
"...Will they? I mean...Atticus may be the smart one of the group, but, that little show he put on today shows he's really not thinking straight, and Ben? Please. Even if he could tell the difference between you and Josh, he can't fight, not with that arm. Thanks for showing me how powerful that dragon's fire truly was, by the way...Speaking of dragons...I must be off. Issiah is being tested today and well...So is Firedrake." The man smirked as he started to slowly back away.
"YOU HURT EITHER OF THOSE DRAGONS I WILL PERSONALLY PUT YOUR HEAD ON A PIKE!" Damian couldn't help but scream out. All the man did was just shut the door, leaving Damian alone again in the room he was locked in.
Screaming out loudly, he struggled against the jacket once more, he had to get out if it was the last thing he did!