Status: Engaged
Star Rust
Page Two
“I know you can help now, someone do something or I tell all of Chicago you’re here!” a man was yelling up at Ven who watched with a pointedly agitated expression on his rough features. Angering Ven was the last thing anyone would want to do in the hotel but if you didn’t know him it was a mistake often made. The man yelling couldn’t have been older than a teenager but he looked so much younger standing up against the mountain that was Ven. Adhara’s second-in-command was clearly trying to reign in his annoyance as he ran a dirty and large hand over his gruff and bearded face. The larger man let out a breath and looked down at the youthful face of his opponent as Adhara slowly made her way over, trying to catch her breath and listen in at the same time.
“Listen here you fucking punk, you think you can just threaten whoever you want to get what you want? You’re not the Red Hand and we’re not you’re every day beggar on the street so take-,” the conversation stopped when the two arguing men noticed the blonde nearing them. It was then Adhara noticed the bundle the kid had been carrying so carefully was a toddler, no older than four quivering in a cut up burlap sack and clearly sick. Adhara’s heart went out to the girl. She remembered being seven and wearing sacks for shoes unable to afford clothes or find any in the city small enough for her feet. She remembered fevers so fierce she shook for hours and tossed her meals more than she ate them. Being a child in this country wasn’t the same since the war but no one really remembered a time before the war anymore. Ven straightened and took a step back as Adhara neared the teen and the little girl with mousy brown curls that stuck to her forehead with a blanket of cold sweat glistening on her dark skin. Ven watched his commander closely. He knew all too well she would want to help, she was a gentle soul with a fierce loyalty to anyone in need especially people from Chicago. And people who looked like Maia. The mocha skin and dark hair would certainly put Adhara in the mind of her good friend and that was dangerous. Adhara had traveled all the way from Columbus, Ohio in search of Maia but they had been in Madison for longer than usual while Reo recovered from a sprained ankle. Adhara was content remaining in one location but Ven was getting restless and nervous. The longer they stayed so close to a patrol zone the closer they were to getting caught. Adhara didn’t see it that way, however, she figured the closer they were to danger the further they were from harm. After all, why would they patrol an area so close to the city for runaway Enhanced if they never had before? As long as the group remained under the radar they were nothing more than transients to the police and to the Red Hand. They just had to remain calm and stay out of trouble. Which was another reason Adhara would want to help this punk kid and toddler.
“What’s her name?” Adhara asked a bit breathless as she took a deep breath and lightly brushed a brown curl from the girl’s forehead. The little girl shuddered as if Adhara’s heated skin chilled her and at the faint touch Adhara could feel the heat radiating off the girl’s sweaty skin. The teen held onto her a bit tighter but looked at Adhara with a pleading expression on his freckled face. Clearly they weren’t related but it wouldn’t have been the first time a street kid took another orphan into their care on the streets.
“Molly,” the boy spoke and Adhara looked at Ven with an expression only Ven could read. The softest raise in her brows and her eyes cast up at him expectantly. Ven remained where he was, arching his own brows as if challenging Adhara’s decision but the blonde hardened her eyes and jerked her eyes to the left where she knew Tina to be. Ven crossed his arms and set his jaw and the two glared at each other before Ven sighed and pulled his knit cap off to scrub a hand through his buzzed hair. Ever since summer hit the area early, Ven kept his hair clipped short but kept his beard to protect his skin from the harsh winds that rolled through the city at night. He grumbled under his breath and he stomped off to find the woman who could help the little girl. Adhara smiled and absently repeated the little girl’s name as she turned to the two who had run so far for their help. “No one knows we’re here, or you. No one knows you’re here I just- I slept here once last week and ate with Tina and I just- I knew she could help.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll get Molly help,” Adhara assured putting her hand on the teen’s broad shoulder. He could have been an Enhanced if she didn’t know any better. For someone she assumed was young her was already filling a man’s boots. Almost a head taller than her and broad shoulders that dwarfed her own. He must work in the factory, she thought, with arms like those. Ven returned with a shorter woman behind him, paint caked on her cheek as she scrubbed her hands on her trousers. Ven walked right by the teen and toddler, grabbing Adhara’s arm as he strode by to gently tug her off to the side. He didn’t lower his head merely his voice, but seeing as how he was so much taller than her she had to strain to hear his deep thunderous words,
“We can’t stay here if you insist on helping everyone with our Enhancements.” Adhara lowered her eyes to their boots then up along his legs to the gun at his hip before they darted to where Tina was using her touch to absorb the illness for the child, she would later infect a pond or some kind of plant life to rid her of the infection. She transferred infection and illness she couldn’t heal it. Tina was one of the many Enhanced they had come across on their way to Illinois, a beautiful woman with confidence to back up her exquisite talents as an Enhanced. She was as gifted artistically as she was genetically and her Enhancements came in handy but only with illness. Adhara knew Tina could transfer injuries as well but she wouldn’t never purposefully give someone a wound just as she would never purposefully give someone an infection- unless they were a member of the Red Hand but then came the problem of Tina’s inability to transfer anything unless she was touching something or someone. The Enhancement was through her touch so getting her close enough to touch the Red Hand of an officer was a problem in itself. The little girl began perking up the longer Tina held onto her tiny arm and Adhara smiled as she heard the little girl giggle at something Tina told her.
“Listen here you fucking punk, you think you can just threaten whoever you want to get what you want? You’re not the Red Hand and we’re not you’re every day beggar on the street so take-,” the conversation stopped when the two arguing men noticed the blonde nearing them. It was then Adhara noticed the bundle the kid had been carrying so carefully was a toddler, no older than four quivering in a cut up burlap sack and clearly sick. Adhara’s heart went out to the girl. She remembered being seven and wearing sacks for shoes unable to afford clothes or find any in the city small enough for her feet. She remembered fevers so fierce she shook for hours and tossed her meals more than she ate them. Being a child in this country wasn’t the same since the war but no one really remembered a time before the war anymore. Ven straightened and took a step back as Adhara neared the teen and the little girl with mousy brown curls that stuck to her forehead with a blanket of cold sweat glistening on her dark skin. Ven watched his commander closely. He knew all too well she would want to help, she was a gentle soul with a fierce loyalty to anyone in need especially people from Chicago. And people who looked like Maia. The mocha skin and dark hair would certainly put Adhara in the mind of her good friend and that was dangerous. Adhara had traveled all the way from Columbus, Ohio in search of Maia but they had been in Madison for longer than usual while Reo recovered from a sprained ankle. Adhara was content remaining in one location but Ven was getting restless and nervous. The longer they stayed so close to a patrol zone the closer they were to getting caught. Adhara didn’t see it that way, however, she figured the closer they were to danger the further they were from harm. After all, why would they patrol an area so close to the city for runaway Enhanced if they never had before? As long as the group remained under the radar they were nothing more than transients to the police and to the Red Hand. They just had to remain calm and stay out of trouble. Which was another reason Adhara would want to help this punk kid and toddler.
“What’s her name?” Adhara asked a bit breathless as she took a deep breath and lightly brushed a brown curl from the girl’s forehead. The little girl shuddered as if Adhara’s heated skin chilled her and at the faint touch Adhara could feel the heat radiating off the girl’s sweaty skin. The teen held onto her a bit tighter but looked at Adhara with a pleading expression on his freckled face. Clearly they weren’t related but it wouldn’t have been the first time a street kid took another orphan into their care on the streets.
“Molly,” the boy spoke and Adhara looked at Ven with an expression only Ven could read. The softest raise in her brows and her eyes cast up at him expectantly. Ven remained where he was, arching his own brows as if challenging Adhara’s decision but the blonde hardened her eyes and jerked her eyes to the left where she knew Tina to be. Ven crossed his arms and set his jaw and the two glared at each other before Ven sighed and pulled his knit cap off to scrub a hand through his buzzed hair. Ever since summer hit the area early, Ven kept his hair clipped short but kept his beard to protect his skin from the harsh winds that rolled through the city at night. He grumbled under his breath and he stomped off to find the woman who could help the little girl. Adhara smiled and absently repeated the little girl’s name as she turned to the two who had run so far for their help. “No one knows we’re here, or you. No one knows you’re here I just- I slept here once last week and ate with Tina and I just- I knew she could help.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll get Molly help,” Adhara assured putting her hand on the teen’s broad shoulder. He could have been an Enhanced if she didn’t know any better. For someone she assumed was young her was already filling a man’s boots. Almost a head taller than her and broad shoulders that dwarfed her own. He must work in the factory, she thought, with arms like those. Ven returned with a shorter woman behind him, paint caked on her cheek as she scrubbed her hands on her trousers. Ven walked right by the teen and toddler, grabbing Adhara’s arm as he strode by to gently tug her off to the side. He didn’t lower his head merely his voice, but seeing as how he was so much taller than her she had to strain to hear his deep thunderous words,
“We can’t stay here if you insist on helping everyone with our Enhancements.” Adhara lowered her eyes to their boots then up along his legs to the gun at his hip before they darted to where Tina was using her touch to absorb the illness for the child, she would later infect a pond or some kind of plant life to rid her of the infection. She transferred infection and illness she couldn’t heal it. Tina was one of the many Enhanced they had come across on their way to Illinois, a beautiful woman with confidence to back up her exquisite talents as an Enhanced. She was as gifted artistically as she was genetically and her Enhancements came in handy but only with illness. Adhara knew Tina could transfer injuries as well but she wouldn’t never purposefully give someone a wound just as she would never purposefully give someone an infection- unless they were a member of the Red Hand but then came the problem of Tina’s inability to transfer anything unless she was touching something or someone. The Enhancement was through her touch so getting her close enough to touch the Red Hand of an officer was a problem in itself. The little girl began perking up the longer Tina held onto her tiny arm and Adhara smiled as she heard the little girl giggle at something Tina told her.