Episode Seven, Part 6:
The Great Escape

Sol returned the radio back into her pocket, assuring Wynn that Dreea had reached Bas safely, and he was dizzy, but he would be okay. Wynn went on to move again, not wasting any time between the news of Bas, and continuing to find the rest of his family. Sol grabbed onto his arm and pulled him back before he got too far away.

"Wait," she told him. "We're close now. We need to think of a strategy before we do anything else."

"We'll figure it out when we get there. I don't even know how big their camp is, or how easy it will be for us to get in."

"Get in? Are you serious? That's been your plan this whole time? You think that they'd let you march straight into their gates and leave with your friends?"

"Of course I didn't." Wynn sighed. "I meant that we'd find a way in. Some sort of back entrance or something."

"This isn't Basilisk, Wynn. Not every clan has a hidden entrance that I know about. Besides, they know who I am - they'll shoot me if I get too close."

"I didn't exactly plan on you being here, Sol."

"You didn't plan on anything, apparently."

"I didn't mean it like that-"

Wynn was cut off by Sol holding her hand in the air, a sudden hushing escaping her mouth.

"I meant that I thought I'd be able to-"

"Shut up, Wynn!" Sol snapped at him. She was focused on something, but he couldn't tell what - her eyes scanning the nearby area, but her body remained frozen in her observation.

A few moments passed and Wynn couldn't hold it in any longer. "What am I missing here?"

"There's a static sound somewhere. I can hear it."

Wynn rolled his eyes, mentally noting that Sol was turning crazy.

"It's probably someone from Basilisk trying to reach you on your radio. I mean, I imagine the ceremony would be starting by now."

Sol shook her head, proving to Wynnlow that her radio was silent.

"Or they could be trying to reach someone on mine..." He suggested, reaching over his shoulder for his backpack.

"But that wouldn't make any sense..." Sol trailed off, waiting for Wynn to pass her the device. "If someone was calling your radio, mine would get the signal too. And we know that it's not broken. The only way yours could be picking something up is if..."

"If what?"Wynn pushed.

Sol took hold of the device and held it close to her chest, a sigh of relief escaping her. "You took my father's radio. The master radio." She explained. "The other's only pick up calls from the Basilisk radios - think of it like only being able to contact the radios is recognized. But this one... It's able to tune into any other frequencies nearby, meaning that as well as picking up mine and Dreea's, it can also pick up any messages from-"

"Blood Riders," Wynn announced.

Sol smiled across at him. "Wynn, maybe this is our way in. Our vantage point."

"We can hear their strategy. That means we can stay a step ahead of them."

Sol fiddled with the buttons, tuning the radio until a clear voice rang through. "Riders camp is now out of sight. We'll split up after we search the woods if there's still no sign of them. I won't let them get away with my brother."

A voice that Wynn knew in a heartbeat. "Lyra, over."

///

The group finally fell down against a large ruble of rocks, leaning breathlessly against the surface as they finally took a moment to catch their breath. They had been moving non-stop for 30 minutes, ducking to hide from every foreign noise for fear of their life. Fabian was exhausted, having carried Harlow on his back for most of the way, now struggling to so much as lift his arm.

"I really...wish there had been...some kind of gym...in the Bunker." Fabian choked out between breaths. "Or that I just did more push-ups." He groaned.

Everyone was too tired to even laugh, barely a smile reaching Ares.

"So, what do we do now?" Fabian asked, turning to Ares as if he was the one to make the decisions.

He sighed, eyes scanning their territory in the dark. "If we move now, we risk the dangers of the unfamiliar environment, and being caught by Riders who we know are looking for us as we speak. But if we wait until morning, then the risk of being exposed in the day is significant, pushing us on to hide out a little longer."

"How long?" Elara asked, her voice defeated.

"Well, that's another problem on its own," Ares answered. "We'll get tired and hungry if we wait out a couple of days because I'm certain that they'll still be searching tomorrow. Not to mention the anxiety that will only increase every hour we're out here. Depending on my injury, it could be dangerous... And we have to consider that Harlow's a lot younger than us - he won't be able to tolerate the conditions as well as we can. I don't think there's one right choice, and maybe what we should be looking for is the one a little less terrible."

As Elara was about to give her input, the group fell into a collective silence, everyone tensing up - freezing in place. Then, footsteps... A voice - one they all recognized. Through the break in the trees, Martha stepped forward, alone, but with a radio held close to her lips. "Lyra, I found them. Harlow included. West of the woods. Over."

The group were instantly on their feet, backing in the opposite direction of Martha, all prepared to move in a moment's notice.

"Mom?" Ares asked. His voice wavered as the wind picked up, heavy with emotion.

"Ares... You guys need to come with me. It's not safe for any of us for you to be out here too long."

Ares looked at the ground, swallowing down what was left of his heart. He knew the consequences that were waiting for them back at Blood Riders, and the brutality alone that he didn't want to live by. But there were equal consequences to leaving, and he knew that he probably wouldn't be able to call Martha his mother anymore, or ever have back that feeling of home that had been built so securely in the Bunker for almost his entire life.

"Then go back to Riders," Ares told her. His words felt like some sort of goodbye. As if he had finally accepted that they didn't belong together anymore. As if to say 'you have to go now. I won't come back with you. You have to let me go. I am not your son any longer.'

But Martha edged forward, unable to accept the fate of her beloved children turning away from her. "Ares, I'm not asking anymore. You're coming with me."

Fabian could see how close she was getting, and worried that Ares would eventually give in to his mother, he yelled at the group to run, taking off as fast as they could.

Martha chased after them, determination hurrying her steps. It wasn't long before her hand gripped onto Elara and she pulled the young girl crashing into her, a knife held closely against her throat. Elara let out a shriek alerting the others; they stopped in their tracks, barely able to comprehend the scene in front of them.

Ares took a few seconds to respond, caught somewhere between rage and terror - both with equal holds over him. "Let her go, Mom." He demanded.

Elara struggled in her hold, failing to wriggle herself free for fear of being cut.

"Let her go!" He screamed.

"She's my daughter, Ares, and I'm your mother. I decide what's best for you. Okay? You listen to me."

Ares paused, gathering his thoughts together as he assessed the situation. He knew his mother wouldn't let go of Elara, but there was no way on earth that he would let her be taken alone. "Fabian," he called over his shoulder, his eyes not leaving his sister, "take Harlow as far west as you can. If you keep walking until tomorrow, when you get near Basilisk, you'll see some of their people outside. Tell them that you're from the Bunker Riverly opened and some of your family are inside. Wynn, Quill, Azha - they're all there."

"And you and Ell?" Fabian asked.

"I don't know," Ares replied. "Just make sure Harlow's safe, and I'll do the same for Elara. Go. Now." With his orders, Fabian disappeared into the night, Harlow holding securely on his back, silently being tainted by the horrors this new world brought his innocent eyes.

///

They had been walking for a while now; Ares was a couple steps ahead of Martha the entire time so that he couldn't try anything to get Elara free. Martha hadn't been able to reach her radio as her hands were occupied keeping Elara under her restraint, and the last call she had sent out meant that Lyra would now be in the opposite direction from them, unable to help unless by a miracle she decided to head back in the direction of Blood Riders.

"In there," Martha called ahead to Ares, nodding towards a large cave that offered them shelter from the harsh woodlands. Ares turned to face his mother, trying to challenge her decision. He knew that if they kept walking then he would have more opportunity to plan something that would get his sister free - perhaps pretending to fall against some rocks and allow time for Martha to be distracted, or even just something as simple as a water break, where Ares could strike whilst his mother was off guard.

He stepped inside the cave - the dampness filling the space with an unforgettable coldness. When he heard that the two girls were not walking in behind him, he turned on his heel, his stomach twisting as he noticed the chains now handcuffed around Elara's wrists.

"You've put your own daughter in handcuffs," Ares stated. "Mother of the year award goes to-"

"I'd put some on you if I could. I'm ashamed of who you've become since we arrived here."

"Well, the feeling's mutual." Ares spat, sitting himself down against the cave wall, his head falling in his hands. "I'd rather die than go back to that place. Do you understand?"

For the first time, Martha let her guard down a little. A noticeable shift that Elara took to her advantage, using the time to run over to where her brother rested.

Pulling his sister close to him, Ares looked up at his mother, wondering if he had finally got his point across.

"I-I understand," Martha said. "If we don't return with you, they said they'd... They would..." She couldn't say it in front of Elara, but Ares knew exactly what words were missing. A moment of sympathy for his mother. Impossible guilt residing under his skin. If they followed her back, then he'd be putting Elara in great danger, not to mention a life of violence and wickedness, and the knowledge that maybe they'd never see their family again. But if he continued resisting, and did everything he could to keep Elara safe - then both Lyra and his mother would be killed... In some cruel and tragic way, that fate was down to him, and who he chose to protect.

///

Fabian continued to run, Harlow slung across his back, the fear beating twice as loud as his heart. He had completely shut out any thought of Riders seeing his wild dash, or hearing the smashing of leaves or heaving of breath that escaped him; his sole thought was set on getting Harlow to safety. Hopefully alerting someone to the danger that Ares and Elara were in.

In the split second that it took Fabian to turn around and check that he wasn't being followed, he had crashed straight into an obstacle, instantly sending the boys falling over. It was only when he realized what had happened, that he understood he had run into someone and not something.

His eyes looked up to see a girl towering over him - one foot standing on his chest as she pointed a sword down towards his face.

"Wait!" A voice called out beside her, their hand reaching out to the weapon. By the desperation in their voice, the girl retreated, silently piecing everything together.

"B-Bas?" Fabian stuttered out, a forgotten joy dancing around his chest. He turned to Harlow on the ground beside him, gaining his attention and directing him to the older boy. The young boy's eyes lit up in the darkness, and in a moment he was in his brother's arms, being spun around in the triumph of home.

As Bas slowed himself down to rest, Fabian turned to the girl - seemingly having forgotten that she was about to pierce her sword through his chest moments ago. "Are you from Basilisk?" He gulped out, never wanting to hear 'yes' so badly in his entire life.

"Uh, sorry, this is Dreea," Bas exclaimed. "She's one of the Sovereigns at Basilisk."

"Sovereigns?" Fabian asked, then shook his head. There were more important things to establish. "Ares told me to find a girl." He searched his mind for a name. "Um, River."

"Riverly," Dreea confirmed. "She's not too far away from here. Heading east with Wynnlow as we speak."

"Wynn." Fabian exhaled in relief, but panic beat back in with his inhale. "Ares and Elara are in trouble."

"What do you mean by trouble?" Bas asked.

Fabian was hesitant to answer, knowing that Bas wouldn't be able to believe Lyra's part in the danger they were facing. "Martha and your sister," he began, "they're part of Riders now. Ares, Ell, and us two managed to get out, but they were sent after us to try and bring us back. Martha took Elara hostage. Like, knife-to-her-throat-hostage." He emphasized.

"Martha's their mother." Bas explained to Dreea, hoping it would help her comprehend the situation.

"Ares went with them and told me to bring Harlow to Basilisk. He said to tell Riverly about what was happening, thinking that she'd send someone to find them?"

Dreea confirmed Fabian's suspicions. "Lucky for you, your friend Wynnlow chose tonight of all nights to head to Blood Riders. He was going to get you guys out himself." She explained, resolving the look of confusion on Fabian's face.

"I need to let River know." She informed the boys, stepping to the side as they resumed their reunions.

"Hey Riverly, come in. You need to hear this."

Moments later, a voice replied. "Dreea. We've got something ourselves." Sol exclaimed. "Wynn took my father's radio. We can pick into all the frequencies, including the radios from Riders. It seems that Wynn's friends have managed to get out. At least two of Riders are confirmed to be on the search for them, heading for Blood Woods to find them. Wynn and I are already on our way."

"Yeah, I know," Dreea said. "Two of them found us."

"Which two?" It was a different voice calling back to her now. Clearly Wynn had taken the radio from Sol, but hearing the desperation in his voice, Dreea couldn't find it in herself to reprimand him.

"Hey, what are your names?" Dreea called out to the boys. With confirmation, she answered Wynn on the radio. "Fabian and Harlow."

There were a few moments in between her deceleration and the next call - Sol's voice being the one to ring through as Wynnlow had passed the device back to her, defeated that neither of his siblings were the ones to have been named.

"River, make sure he can't hear this," Dreea ordered.

"He can't. He wandered off ahead a little. What is it?"

Dreea sighed. "Fabian told me that Martha took them hostage. She had a knife to Elara's throat and Ares told him to run whilst he stayed with his sister. That's their mother. Wynn's mother..."

"Okay. We're getting nearer to Riders' Camp anyway. Let's just hope one of them radios their location soon so we can figure out where they are."

"Agreed," Dreea said.

"What's happening with the group at your end? I understand one of them's a kid, but I'm gonna need backup at some point. If this woman is crazy enough to put a knife up to her own daughter, then I have to wonder what she'd do to me, or to Wynnlow, if we got in her way."

"I'll radio Kodiak and get him to send some people out. Someone can take the group back to camp, and I'll meet you when we know more. Dreea, out."

///

"We're just going to have to run for it. I know the plan sucks, but she's told Lyra where we are, and two against one is a lot easier than two against two. We have more of a chance if we try now."

"But what if it doesn't work? She's scaring me, Ares. Look at what she did to your arm. What'll she do to me if I try and make a run for it but don't succeed? She held that knife up to me like I was nothing."

"Hey." Ares cut her off, he turned completely to face his sister, demanding her entire attention. "She would never hurt you."

"She hurt you."

"I know, I-" there was no denying it. The blood seaping out through his makeshift bandage. How he couldn't even look at her like she was his mother anymore. "But she won't touch you."

Ares took hold of Elara's hand - still chained up, squeezing it as if to prepare her for what he was about to ask. "I need you to promise me that you won't look back. If you get away, and I don't, you won't wait. It doesn't matter about me. Someone will come for me. But I need you safe, Ell. You won't be as long as you're around mum."

"We're going to make it out," Elara assured her brother. "Both of us. And I would always come back for you because I need you safe as well. But we're going to make it out." She repeated, her trembling words coming out through gritted teeth - a promise to herself that she would always find her way back to Ares.

"Then let's do it. Now." Ares pulled her up to her feet, the sudden movement earning attention from their mother. Martha stood up as well, blocking the exit to the cave. She tried to hide her intimidation, act as if she had no doubt or regret over what she would do to keep them inside, even if it meant unspeakable things.

Together, both Ares and Elara ran in their mother's direction, fight overpowering their fear as they battled their way to freedom. But Martha reached for something, the metal shine reflecting in the light, and as if he could predict his mother's actions, he dove in front of the knife, taking the wound for Elara. He fell to the ground crying in agony, his skin torn apart along the side of his torso. It hadn't been deep enough to rupture anything inside, but it was large and open, and the loss of blood would kill him if he wasn't careful.

Elara froze, as did Martha, the sight of her brother in such pain enough for her to go back on all her promises, ever. She took a step closer to Ares, freedom meaning nothing if he didn't get to taste it.

But his voice cried out. "No, Elara! Go." He told her. "Go! Don't look back. Go!"

It was the hardest decision of her life to leave him like that, and even if he did survive, Elara would never be able to bury the guilt. One final, fading glimpse of her brother and she ran for her life and all the others that mattered to her. 

Seven // Part Six