Runaway: Quest for truth - Vol. 2

Di Kasey Infinita

For weeks after Adonis' capture, Zack has been scouting the entire state of New York by himself. When he fails to find anything, he joins his new friends and sets off on a series of quests, meeting new allies and making new enemies along the way. The Resistance ends up discovering much more than they expected, such as the Hunters' plans, Zack's true abilities, and who they can trust.

• Lingua: Italiano
• Editore: Youcanprint
• Data di uscita: 28 feb 2023
• ISBN: 9791221447088

Anteprima del libro

Chapter

One

You can’t just keep wandering off on your own, you know.

Watch me.

It’s been more than a month, don’t you think if he was out there we would’ve found him?

You can’t stop me. 

Guess who’s baaack? Yeah, it’s your good ol’ Zack, and for those of you who might have forgotten what the heck is going on here, here’s a quick recap.

In one week, I’d learned that I had supernatural abilities, and happened to have the most rare kind in the world (lucky me). Of course, that meant that people were trying to get their hands on me – rather, my powers. After a battle with a group called the Hunters, my childhood best friend Adonis had been taken hostage, while we had taken their leader Lincoln, who once was one of us, the Resistance.

Flash-forward to now. Adonis had been captured the first week of June, and now we were in the middle of July. I’d just come back to the team’s base after a day of looking for Adonis and was having an argument with Ava, a pretty, yet short, twenty-year-old woman. After Adonis’ capture, I’d been running off to look for him on my own almost every waking hour. Of course I never found anything, but that wasn’t going to stop me from trying. I might have at least been able to find some clues.

But Ava wasn’t on board with it. Being the newest addition to their team, I didn’t have experience when it came to, well, anything. I couldn’t blame her, but I had to start doing things on my own at some point. Plus, this was Adonis we were talking about. I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing while the Hunters were doing who knows what to him.

Ava sighed. I know you’re worried, Zack. We all are. But you really should go with someone else, just for backup.

I crossed my arms. Just because she was beautiful, stronger and older than me didn’t mean she got to tell me what to do. If you’re sending everyone else out, then who’s left to come with me? You?

She shrugged. I wouldn’t have a problem with it. I’ve already gone out multiple times. But there are new kids here. I need to stay here and train them.

Yeah, right.

You could always ask Gwen, Ava suggested. She cares a lot about her friends, and this whole situation is really bothering her. She’d feel a lot better if she had something to do.

Gwen was a cute little girl who happened to be a Druid. I wouldn’t mind having her along, but I was doing just fine on my own. I’d come to realize that when I was alone I could figure things out better.

Then again, if I said that to Ava’s face, she’d probably say, like how you helped in the battle last month?

I roast myself on a daily basis. I didn’t need to hear those negative thoughts coming out of someone else’s mouth, too.

Isn’t there a way you guys can track him? I asked for the millionth time.

Matt’s been trying. Ava leaned against the window and closed her eyes. We can’t sense his energy signature anywhere.

I sighed out of frustration. Is there anyone here who you can send with me then? Someone who can do something?

Ava pursed her lips. Let’s see…Karter and Iris went off on their own. They said they’re looking for Adonis, but who knows what those two are really doing. We call them Double Trouble for a reason. Matt and Elijah took one of the newbies, Tyler, and they’re teaching him some stuff while scouting for clues. I’ve got no idea where Gwen ran off to, but the majority of our team is out right now, split up into groups of two or three. As for us at the base, it’s just me and you, and Dan.

Great. Now everything went from bad to worse.

I had a good relationship with the guys. Matt didn’t have a problem helping me at first. He was very patient and willing to explain even the simplest things to me, and on the whole he’s a pretty cool dude. Karter, looking past the fact that he kicked me off a building, was actually nice to me. He never really insulted me, and didn’t make fun of me for being, well, me. I’d spoken to Elijah more since Adonis was taken, and after my initial shock upon finding out he’d been alive for thousands of years (long story), we’d started down the road towards becoming friends.

Despite acting like and having the name of one, Dan was not a boy. And trust me, it wasn’t her gender that concerned me. It was her attitude.

Let’s pretend our first meeting never happened. Let’s pretend Dan didn’t pick me up, slam me against a wall and hold a gun to my head before punching me unconscious. Even then, I would’ve been wary of her and hesitant to be around her.

She was rash and impulsive, rude and snarky. Most people were afraid to speak to her, mainly because she shut them down before they could even say ‘hi’. I won’t lie; I felt kind of bad for her, because she’d clearly gone through a lot, but Daniela Elizabeth Summers was one of the last people I wanted to be around. And, of course, no matter where I turned, she was right in front of me.

I didn’t hate her, don’t get me wrong, but I did hate what I was about to ask. Where is Dan?

Down in the dungeons. Ava’s shoulders slumped. I doubt she ever left.

I was tempted to ask if Dan was the one locked up, but I doubted Ava would appreciate the joke. 

She must’ve seen the look on my face. It’d be good for her if you went down there, she added. Try and get her out. Away from…him.

Like I mentioned earlier, the Resistance captured the Hunters’ leader, Lincoln Volt. He and Dan apparently went way back, but the fact that she was spending so much time with the enemy was concerning. It also didn’t make it any easier for me to trust her.

But maybe Ava was right. I always tried to help people in need, even though most times it didn’t really work. Now I had the chance to do something small, but it wasn’t going to be the easiest task.

I left Ava and went down the stairs from the shed to our ‘central base’, as Gwen liked to call it. Finding my way through the seemingly endless labyrinth, I soon stood in the middle of the training arena. I could tell many people had been there because dozens of sets of footprints marked the sand. There were also new scorch marks on the walls, which had to be from the newbie Tyler. During our first meeting, Matt had stopped him from messing around with his ability and almost lighting himself on fire.

At the corner of the room was a trapdoor, which led down to the dungeons. Karter had once told me nobody had ever been locked up in there, so Lincoln would be their first occupant. I

doubted that was something he could be proud of.

As I descended even further underground, I realized I had no idea where to look for Dan, because I’d never been in the dungeons before. I never really cared to go down there, and most of the time I was out looking for Adonis, anyway.

The dungeons were just like medieval ones, with tall ceilings and stone walls. Torches were placed in their holders, flickering and threatening to blow out, even though there was no wind. As though it wasn’t creepy enough already down there.

Rows and rows of cells lined the left wall, and all of them were empty. At the end of the hall, though, I could see a silhouette. The person was standing way too close to a cell, arms crossed and head bowed. They were having a conversation with somebody inside. I made my way toward them.

The girl outside the cell looked up at me as I got closer. What are you doing here?

I hadn’t seen Dan in the past month or so, but her hair had grown out a bit longer, falling in messy waves and casting a shadow over her eyes, making her look even more like a wild animal. Her injuries from her fight with Lincoln seemed to have healed, thanks to Iris and Elijah. She also seemed to have gotten a bit taller, much to my dismay, but that angry look on her face was the same as ever.

Good to see you, too, I said. And I might ask you the same thing.

What, can’t she talk to an old friend, Zack?

For a second, I almost snapped, reaching through the bars and strangling this sorry excuse of a human being. It was his fault my friend was now in danger.

Lincoln was sitting on the floor, legs crossed and apparently quite comfortable in a T-shirt and jeans. His wounds from the battle had healed as well, but he had a cast on his right arm. If it were up to me, I would’ve broken the other one, too.

He still had that stupid, lopsided grin on his face and mischief twinkling in his uncovered eye. Who knew what he had been saying to his old friend to make her look so closed off.

Why are you all patched up? I demanded.

It’s a mystery, right? Lincoln agreed. Who knew Sunshine over here had such a big heart?

I turned to Dan. You should’ve let him rot in this cell.

Dan’s dark eyes held no emotion. You can’t tell me what to do.

It was almost like she’d been listening on my conversation with Ava, even though she was two floors below us. She’s annoying that way.

I’m serious, Dan, I insisted. He’s a liar and a traitor. You can’t listen to a word he says.

Traitor, Lincoln mused. Yeah, I remember when I used to live here. My mom died when I was five, and I’d been living here for the next…I don’t know, eleven years? But I can tell you, I never imagined I’d be back here at all, never mind in the dungeons.

It’s where you deserve to stay for the rest of your life, I said. What did you do to Adonis?

Me? Nothing. Lincoln stood up and stretched, still smiling. Like I said, I’m not running the show this time. The one who healed me from our final battle last year is who you should be worried about.

For a second, I wondered if he was accusing Dan. Then I realized he added last year, so that couldn’t have been her, because she was trying to kill him. At least, that’s what I hoped.

You’ve got a big mouth. Dan pulled her dagger out of its sheath. I should shut you up permanently.

Yeah, you should, Lincoln laughed. But every time you had the chance, you stopped. Strange, isn’t it? Especially since we both know you’re a heck of a lot stronger than me. So why, I wonder, are you holding back?

Because she’s not a monster like you, I said.

She’s not a monster? he considered that. That’s funny. I remember the rumors going around when she first came here. How she was found covered in blood at seven years old, and wherever she turned, more blood was bound to shed. In fact, weren’t people afraid of you because you hid behind your illusions as people died? Everyone gets hurt around you. Especially people you care about, right, Sunshine?

Dan lunged, reaching through the bars and pressing the tip of her dagger to his throat. Not another word, she warned, or I’ll mess you up so bad you’ll wish you were dead.

Lincoln shrugged, not at all concerned. It’s the truth, isn’t it? And I thought you hated liars. Aren’t you the biggest liar yourself?

Hey, I snapped. You’re a prisoner here. Know your place.

I really don’t feel like a prisoner, though. Lincoln placed his hand on top of Dan’s trembling wrist and lowered her knife from his neck. I have such good company!

Dan froze, and I could tell she was about to lose it. Then, she turned on her heel, said, Let’s go, and walked back down the hallway.

I started to follow her, and I heard Lincoln calling behind us, Aww, you won’t stay, Sunshine? But I’ll be so lonely here without you now!

Dan’s fists were clenched, and she kept muttering under her breath, I’m going to kill him. I’m going to kill him.

 Once we were back in the training arena, I couldn’t help asking, Why does he call you ‘Sunshine’?

Dan waved her hand. Has to do with a stupid story I told him when we were kids. None of your business.

Okay… I changed the topic. Did he tell you anything useful?

The blonde bent down and picked up a broken arrow shaft off from the ground. The idiot talks a lot, but says nothing. All he does is remind me of when he used to be here and how he taught me everything I know. She scowled. Arrogant brat.

I wondered again what exactly he had been telling her. Was he trying to convince her to get on his side by reminding her he was a big part of her past, or was he forcing her to the breaking point? Neither of those things sounded good.

You leave a lot now. Dan’s voice snapped me back to reality. Find anything?

I shook my head. I’ve been out every day, from morning until nightfall. There’s no trace of him or their base.

Well, duh, Dan said. They’re not just going to keep everything out in the open. Where’s Gwen?

Her sudden question caught me off-guard. Don’t know. Why?

Just asking. She made her way towards one of the benches and sat down heavily. And you? Learn how to control your freakish ability or something?

I glanced down at the ground. I’d discovered last month that my particular ability had to do with the natural elements by causing a massive earthquake. So far, the earth was all I could control, but I’d gotten better at it. If I concentrated, I could even cause a landslide without touching the earth I wanted to move. (Do not ask Matt about that one).

Sort of, I admitted. I’m getting there.

Dan was quiet for a moment before lifting her head. "What

a silence. What’d I miss?"

Ava sent everyone out in groups to look for Adonis, I explained. Right now, it’s just the three of us here.

Dan groaned. You’re just wasting time.

I scowled. What’s that supposed to mean?

Exactly what I said. You’re not going to find him. Don’t you think if he was out there, we’ll find him?

Now I was positive she’d been listening to me and Ava, which didn’t seem possible, but what other explanation was there?

You mean you spent all that time talking to Lincoln and he told you nothing. Didn’t even drop a small clue or something?

Right. Dan swung her gaze to the ceiling. I mean, there’s a way I think I could get him to talk…but who knows.

I spread my hands. We’re grasping at straws here. We have no intel on the enemy. Why won’t you do anything?

The blonde met my gaze. Oh, now it’s my fault.

Yeah, it kind of is. I was risking a shot to the head, but I didn’t care. I was exhausted. I’d been sleeping less and less, pushing myself to the edge, hoping and praying I’d find my friend, while this girl sat in the dark and couldn’t even get someone to speak. Apparently you can help us out here, but you won’t. What have you been doing for the past month?

You wanna go, punk? Dan snarled. It took me over a week to heal, and that’s including all the magical stuff I was forced to take.

Boo-hoo, I said. Aren’t you supposed to be the toughest one out of all of us?

Quit defining ‘them’ and ‘us’. I don’t do teamwork.

Then what are you even doing here?

It’s because of my mother, okay? Dan yelled. I never saw her face, but because of her I don’t get to choose where I belong. The only reason I’m here is because my dad up and died, so my mother stuck her nose where it doesn’t belong, and a stupid promise I made to a man I haven’t seen since I came here. Why do you keep coming back to me? Leave me alone!

I didn’t really know how to respond to that. Half of it made no sense to me. However, I could at least answer part of it

without completely losing my cool.

Maybe you don’t belong because you keep pushing people away, I said. And I don’t like being pushed away by anyone. That’s why I keep coming back.

That sounds like a you problem. Dan stood back up. I knew you were trouble the moment I found you in that alley.

Well, we had the same first impression of each other, at least.

I should’ve left you there to die at the hands of those two crooks.

I scrunched up my nose, trying to sound petty and bratty (it wasn’t hard). But ya didn’t.

Dan made an expression I’d never seen her make before: like she wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

You’re stupid, she said. 

Thanks. I suddenly remembered something I’d meant to ask her for a long time. Hey, when we first met…what were you and Gwen doing out there?

Funny story. Adonis contacted Gwen about an hour before we found you, she explained. He said the Hunters were closing in and he needed backup. And for him to get the guts to ask for help…anyway, Gwen went out to look for him, and I went with her.

Why? She can fend for herself well enough.

We’re a package deal. Dan crossed her arms. And you’re not in a position to talk. Are you really going out on your own to look for Adonis?

Yeah. So?

Do whatever. I don’t care. Just don’t get caught, because I don’t want to have to save two idiots instead of one.

I doubted that was her way of telling me she cared, but seeing her so subdued after exploding like that was strange. She usually ran off somewhere after an argument, but now she was cool and collected. What had happened in the time I’d been gone?

Why don’t you get out of here? I asked. It’d be cool if you popped up now, like a zombie coming back from the dead.

Yeah, she admitted, "but I have a very rare condition

called I don’t want to."

It’s not rare, I said, Thing is, I have it too, but good ol’ Ava does that thing all moms do to force you to work. You can’t stay home just because you have a fever! Back in the eighties, we went to work even if we lost both our arms, and we liked it!

For a second, Dan transformed. She wasn’t smiling, but it was close. It was an expression Gwen usually had, like she was going to start laughing at any given moment. You would’ve never been able to tell she killed people. She looked like she was having fun - not the crazy fun she had when she pointed her gun at people, but the kind you have when you mess around with a friend. Her eyes looked less like glass and had a bit of light in them.

She looked alive.

You seem dumb when you space out like that. Dan stretched her arms above her head. Well, not as dumb as you were a month ago, but still dumb.

That’s an improvement.

Don’t get cocky, Davis.

I don’t know if you’re as surprised as I am, but this was the first exchange I’d had with Dan that was enjoyable. It was almost like this conversation did both of us good: the blonde had temporarily forgotten her trouble with Lincoln, and I felt like I could relax for the first time since Adonis’ capture. Was that why Ava had sent me down here?

Seriously though, we should get out of here, I said. Maybe the others came back and have something to tell us.

They’re going to tell you they found nothing, that’s what. As she spoke, Dan threw away the broken arrow shaft and made her way towards me. But whatever. Let’s go. I don’t want Ava turning into a sixties mom instead of an eighties one.

……….

Don’t even go there.

Listen, I’m just saying–

Stop it.

We still have leftovers from Ohio. If we just–

I said no!

Iris and Karter had come back while Dan and I were downstairs and were talking to Ava. For a second I felt bad. Did every person who walked through that door start arguing with her?

Ava had been shaking her head at something Iris was saying, then turned to us as we made our way up the stairs. Hey, Dan’s alive, she smiled. Thanks, Zack.

I blinked. Thanks for what? I wanted to ask, but since she gave me such a pretty smile, I couldn’t afford to ruin the moment.

Iris waved at me. She wore a white shirt with a black skirt, thigh-high socks and black boots, which made her look like a Japanese high school student. (Technically, if she hadn’t moved, I guess she would’ve been). Good to see you. Listen, we’re putting this to vote. So far, it’s two against one in our favor. Do you think we should drop a cesium bomb on Lincoln to force the Hunters to give Adonis back? We’ve got liquid or powder, and it’d be even better if we–

Cesium is highly radioactive and can be deadly, I said. Where are you keeping it?

Down in the dungeons, Iris said. It’d be best if we just threw a bunch of water down the stairs and get it over with.

I know how he is, but Lincoln’s a human being, I protested. Keeping anybody exposed to that amount of toxic chemicals is–

Do you even know what he’s done?

Iris, what you’re saying doesn’t make any sense! Ava said. Lincoln is here. If we drop a bomb down there, we’re going to level our own headquarters!

Karter shoved his hands in his pockets. Take him out, then.

It was hard to take him seriously, because he was shorter than me, and he wore a typical punk outfit. You know, leather jacket in the summer, a white V-neck shirt and ripped jeans. Even though he was talking about killing someone with a toxic chemical, I wanted to laugh.

Oh, what, and give him the chance to escape? Ava asked.

He’s a weasel. Give him an inch and he’ll take a mile.

Come on. Iris spread her hands. Wouldn’t it be better for all of us to get rid of him? I never liked him, anyway.

No, you idiot, Dan spoke up. If you kill him, that gives the Hunters a chance to slit Adonis’ throat, too.

Okay, Karter said, then we have to be quick about it.

Right, Iris