Wanted

Chapter 1
Homes passed by quickly as a fourteen year old boy ran through the street. He had a few hotdogs tucked under his arm and a bagel in his mouth. His ripped up backpack dropped a few cans as he ran. The soldiers were hot on his tail. He maneuvered around people and buildings and animals better than the soldiers could. He was born and raised on the streets. He knew all the hiding places, the shortcuts, the dead ends. The soldiers didn’t though. When he saw that they were struggling to keep up, he took his chance and charged forward. The men were out of breath. He lead them to an alley where he knew was a secret entrance. Of course, he got there way before them and jumped though the cameo hole.

“Where’d he go?” He heard one of the soldiers asked.

“Dunno.” Replied the other. “C’mon, I’m getting hungry. Let’s get outta here.”

“Fine.”

He heard heavy footsteps as they walked away. He took the risk to peak out. There wasn’t anyone in the alley so he decided to head for his home. As he ran down the side walk, he shoved the hotdogs into his backpack praying that they wouldn’t fall out. He glanced down at his shoes. He had worn the same converse shoes everyday for the past year. Luckily they were holding together.

“Hey, Zander!” Someone called from behind him. “You headin’ to HQ?”

“Yeah.” He said. “What’s up Chris?”

“Eh, not much. Business has been slow… if you know what I mean.”

“Me too.” Zander said rolling his eyes.

“Zander, I got a few boys who wants to join our group. Ya think Darren will let ‘em?”

“I bet.” Zander nodded. “We need more boys.”

“Cool!” Chris stepped into a small building and led three boys out. “S’okay. C’mon out.”

“Names and age?” Zander asked them getting straight to the point.

“I’m Frank, and I’m fourteen.”

“M-Marty… thirteen.”

“Harry. Thirteen… and a half.”

Zander motioned them all forward. “Okay, you can come … I’m only second in command though. I can’t tell you if you’re in or out. All I can do is recommend.” He looked around quickly. “Let’s go.” They ran ahead. They ran for about three blocks and then turned to enter a wrecked building.

“Welcome back!”

“Oh, hey Billy.” Zander waved.

“Who’re the newbies?” Another, named Jared asked.

‘We’re gonna take ‘em to Darren. They wanna join.” Chris answered.

“Cool, we needed more boys.” A short, blonde boy named Isaiah, laughed.

“That’s what I said.” Zander replied. He walked the three boys to a small room in the corner labeled “OFFICE”, and knocked on the door.

“Enter.” A burly voice came from inside. Zander led the boys in to the room.

“Darren, these guys wanna be in our group. This is Frank, Marty, and Harry.” He said motioning to each of the boys.
“And they’re real good on the field.” Chris added.

Darren stood up. He was 6’ tall, bigger than any of the other boys in the “gang”. He walked straight up to Frank, who was barely a foot smaller. “Ya wanna join?”

“Yessir.” Frank said straightly.

“Then forget the ‘yessirs’ and stuff. You’re in.”

He looked over at Marty who like Isaiah was way shorter than him. “So, whatcha good at.”

“T-technology, pick pocketing…”

“You say technology?” Darren interrupted.

“y-yeah.”

“You’re in! We need someone who knows tech enough to kill security cams and such!”

“How about you.” Darren said standing in front of Harry. “Why do you do?”

“I’m good at forgery.” Harry suggested.

“Prove it.” Darren said motioning for Chris to write his name on a piece of paper. Harry looked at the signature for a minute and then made an exact copy. Darren, totally amazed, gasped. “You are in, definitely in!”

Zander started to walk out, but then stopped short. “Hey, it’s nightfall. Everyone should be back by now. It’s curfew for day people. Where are Danny, Mathias, and Derek?

“We’re home!” Derek called from the door.

“SHHHHHHHHH!” Everyone looked at him.

“Oops. Sorry.” Derek said his cheeks burning.

Mathias ran over to Billy. “Hey bro!”

“How’d you do?” Billy asked climbing onto his fifteen year old brother’s back.
“We did okay.” Mathias answered. “Couldn’t have done it without Danny.”

Danny just shrugged and started unloading the backpacks that the three of them and Zander had had on their backs.

“Boys!” Darren called. “Quiet down, I’ve got some news… Cody has been taken prisoner by the Array. We need our newest people to help on this mission.”

“Alright.” Jared sighed. “Let’s touch basics.” He looked at Harry, Marty, and Frank. “The Asset do not like boys from kids to teens, they’re for some reason okay with girls… but of course you already know this. They will snatch away boys when they reach age six and keep them locked up until they are twenty-one. We are the Insurrection. We steal to eat, eat to live. Our parents would give us to the Asset because of solemn duty, but we have survived, we have escaped. We cannot go back to them. They have betrayed us. But…”

“Okay!” Billy said, “We get it. What’s the plan to get Cody free?”

Jared blushed. “Oh yeah, sorry. Okay, since Darren is the tallest he will be our decoy. He will dress as an Asset soldier, and take Marty, and Zander. You guys will pretend to be prisoners. If all goes well though you won’t be thrown in a cell. Got it?”

Marty and Zander nodded. “Ok, when you find Cody, have Marty produce some kind of electrical link to my minicomputer, and we’ll go. In my group we’ll have Danny, Isaiah, Frank, and Harry. The rest of you can hold down the fort.”

“When you get into costume,” He added looking at Darren, “Look at the name plate. Tell Marty what it says. Marty, when he tells you, find a release document using this minicomputer,” he handed it to Marty, “And link it to my mini. From there, I’ll show it to Harry, who will write up a release for Cody.”

“Let’s go.” Zander said. “There’s no time to lose!”

 

Chapter 2
As the first morning light spread across the horizon, Darren led the group of boys as they ran down the side walk, each boy making sure there was no soldier on the road. Quicker than anyone could imagine, they were standing a few feet away from the largest building in the city. “Okay guys, here comes a soldier now. I suggest “silent takedown”. Zander, you been practicing?”
“Yep.” Zander said smiling.
“Did you by any chance get that off of Batman: Arkham City?” Marty asked.
“Best game ever made.” Darren nodded.
“And you can do it?” He asked Zander.
“Yeah, not perfectly. It gets the job done though.”
As Darren and Marty hid in a shed, Zander crouched down ready for any soldier that came his way. He didn’t have to wait long. He took the man down easily, and dragged him into the shed. Darren quickly took off the man’s uniform, exchanging their clothes. Zander tied the soldier’s hands behind his back with a conveniently found rope. The uniform fit Darren perfectly as he looked for identification.
“Ah-ha.” He smiled. “Henry Witcher.” Marty quickly found a release document signed by the man.
“I’m sending it to Jared.”
“Alright,” Darren sighed fumbling in the pockets. “There should be cuffs in here somewhere.”
“How about here, Sherlock.” Zander laughed, pointing at Darren’s hip. Darren gave him a dirty look and cuffed him and Marty. They walked out slowly, hoping that they wouldn’t seem suspicious to passersby.
An elder lady walked straight up to them. “You got more o’ them hooligans!” She smiled. “Good job lad.”
“Thank you.” Darren replied quickly.
She looked at Zander and Marty, who tried to look as bad as they could without overdoing it.
“Please ma’am.” Zander said. “We didn’t do anything wrong. We’re just kids, trying to live.”
“Shut up, you rascal.” She said slapping him. “This is more than you deserve.”
“Excuse me, ma’am, but I have to get these two to the prison, so if you’ll…”
“Hold on.” She said, scribbling something on a piece of paper, “Take this to your commanding officer.”
“Yes ma’am.”
As they got out of the older woman’s ear shot, Marty asked “What’s it say?”
“It says: ‘To the Commanding Officer: Please be sure to give Witcher something a little extra. He deserves it after catching two miscreants and being so polite to citizens. Signed Lady Gray.’” Darren read. “Oh no.”
“What?” Zander asked.
“The Commanding Officer… He’s my dad.” Darren said shakily.
“Wait. The Commanding Officer, Roman Aries?” Marty asked.
“Yeah. How’d you know his name?”
“I… uh… I don’t really like to talk about it.” He sighed. “But, when I was six, I was taken from my mom and dad, put in there, and made to work on tech stuff.”
“Is that where you learned everything?” Zander asked surprised.
“Yes. If I didn’t know how to do something, they showed me once, and then after that…” He stopped. They were at the door.
“Let’s just find Cody, and get outta here.” Darren said. A soldier saluted Darren as he walked through the door. Another came up and told him:
“I can take those two off your hands.”
“Nah, I’ve got them.” He waved. He walked through the second door. “Marty.” He whispered. “How do we get to the cells?”
Marty tried to answer but it came out so shakily that he had to repeat it twice. “D-d-d-down the h-h-h-hall and to the… the left.”
As they walked down the rows of cells they watched as the boys cowered in fear. Zander tried to show them it was okay, but only a few of them understood. Suddenly Marty stopped. “Keep going.” Darren growled. “What is it?” He whispered.
“Tha-that’s my brother.” He whispered back pointing to a tall dark figure in a cell that was in front of them.
As they got closer, he looked up. “Marty?” He asked barely above a whisper. Marty gave him a small nod to tell him he was okay. Suddenly, he called out. “Let him go!” He rammed up against the bars.
“Calm down.” Darren growled at him.
“Why don’t you make me?” He said crossing his arms.
“Carter, just listen to him.” Marty pleaded.
Carter looked at Marty sadly and then backed away from the bars. As they walked farther down, Zander spotted someone he knew. “Roger?”
The boy looked up. “Zander! They caught you too?”
Zander nodded as Darren motioned silence. An officer walked up to them. “Hey, you. State you’re business.”
“Well, I’m trying to find cells to put these two… er… scamps in.” Darren explained.
“There’s two over there.” The man said pointing to the end of the hall. “Do you need me to accompany you?”
“No.” Darren said quickly. “I mean… no, I’d like to teach these two a lesson.”
The man shrugged and walked off. “Whew. That was close.” Zander whispered.
“Yeah, a little too close.” Marty agreed.
“Marty, do you copy?” Marty looked down to his pocket where his minicomputer was vibrating. Darren grabbed it and held it close to Marty.
“Yeah, I copy.” He replied in a whisper, “something wrong?”
“We’re completely surrounded. You need to get outta there. Abort the mission…” Suddenly they heard static.
“Jared?” Marty asked wildly. “Hello, you still there? Jared?”
“We should get outta here.” Darren said uncuffing Marty and Zander.
“FREEZE!” Someone yelled. All three boys swiveled around to see the commanding officer, Roman Aries, walking down the hall.
“Should we run?” Marty asked.
“No. They’ll shoot us down before we even go a yard.” Zander shook his head.
As Roman Aries came closer Darren tried to hide his face. “Darren?” He heard his father ask. “Is that you?” He gulped and nodded. He watched as his father’s frown turned to an evil smile. “And Marty.” He looked down at the boy. “It’s been a while, now, hasn’t it?” Marty just shook.
He walked all three boys down to the end of the hall. “Here are your new homes.” He said as he shoved them each in their own cell.
When he left Marty began to cry. “Not again, not again.”
Zander tried to encourage him. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out. Now listen to me. I might not be a techie like you and Jared, but I know a few things. The locks on these doors are magnetically sealed. Now, I don’t know what that computer of yours does, but if…”
He stopped as a group of soldiers strode down the hall. With them were the rest of the boys that were in the group. As they were all pushed into their own cells, Zander tried to communicate with Marty. The boys watched as the men left. Suddenly, a soldier stepped up in front of Zander. Zander jumped. “Hey, you wanna get outta here?” The soldier asked.
“Well duh.” Zander said nodding.
“Good.” The soldier smiled.
“Huh?”
“I’m gonna bust you guys out of here!” he whispered.
“We don’t need help from an Asset soldier.” Darren spoke crossly.
“If you don’t trust me, you can just stay locked up while I free everyone else.” The soldier shrugged.
“How can I trust you? How can anyone?” Darren put in.
“Good question. But I’ve got a better answer… My name is Cameron Holt. Zander jerked at hearing his last name. “Zander’s my little brother.” He paused. “And I’ve missed him. I don’t want him to go through the same thing I did.”
“Okay, say I trust you.” Darren said slowly. “When are you bustin’ us out?”
“Tonight.” Cameron answered. “Ya know, when I was twelve, I was in the Insurrection. Actually… I founded it.” He smiled as Darren stood there, agape.

Chapter 3
As the night crept over the prison, Cameron talked to Marty. “Okay, you ready?” He nodded as he controlled the cameras from his minicomputer. “Okay, make it look like everyone’s where they’re supposed to be.” Marty saluted as he made the proper changes.
“We are a ‘go’.” Marty smiled. “They won’t hear or see anything out of the ordinary.”
“Alright!” Cameron smiled giving Marty a high five. Cameron started unlocking cells. Some of the boys were so astonished; they paused before they ran out of their cell. Others just plain ran out. “Okay! Stay together people.” He looked at Darren. “You’re the leader of the Insurrection, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then help me out here!”
“Okay.” He stood in front of Cameron. “Alright you guys. I want you all to stand in a straight line. We are going to divide you into groups of five. I’ll let Cameron led us all. I’ll lead group A. Zander, you’ve got group B. Mathias, group C. and…”
“Guys!” Someone called from the group.
“Cody?” Isaiah asked loudly.
“Cody Marx, reporting for duty!” He smiled standing before Darren.
“Welcome back.” Billy smiled.
“Okay guys listen up.” Darren called again. Group D will be lead by Chris, and the last group, by Frank. Okay the first four will go with me, and so on.
The boys quickly split into five groups. Cameron took Frank’s group first.
“So,” Frank said as they ran, “what’re all you guys’ names?”
“I’m Damian.” A dark haired, ten year old replied.
“I’m Wesley.” A fifteen year old kid with glasses said. “And this is Trevor.” He motioned to the hooded fifteen year old running beside him.
“And you know me!” Cody said smiling.
“Cut the chatter guys.” Cameron said. “Let’s just get outta this place.”
As they exited the building, Cameron whispered to Frank. “You gotta find a safe place for these guys. We’ll find you.” With that he ran back into the building.
***********
“Marty, what’re you doing?!” Zander called as Marty ran down the hall in the opposite direction.
“I’ll go after him.” Darren called. “You get these guys out!”
Suddenly, Cameron came around the corner. “Okay… next group.”
“Alright.” Zander replied taking command. “Isaiah, Toby, Roger, Jason… you’re with Chris. Mathias, your group is Billy, Micah, Jon, and Oliver. Cameron, take Darren’s group Harry, Carter, Derek, and Myles. I’ll take the last group with Danny, Jared, Julian, and Antonio.”
“I can’t leave without Marty!” Carter said.
“C’mon.” Cameron yelled, pushing him.
“Okay guys.” Zander said looking at the remaining boys, “Do you all know how to use a gun?”
“’Course, all ya gotta do is pull a trigger.” Toby laughed.
“And you gotta know how to aim, and cock it.” Julian added. “What kind of guns will we be using?”
“Whatever they got here.” Zander shrugged. “Lemme see… Mathias’ group, stay here and tell Cam where we went. Let’s go you guys.”
The ten kids ran silently through the building. Suddenly Julian stopped.
“What’d ya stop for?” Toby asked.
Julian pointed up at a sign. “Weapons anyone?” They all bolted into the gun room.
“Whoa.” Roger gasped. “I’ve never seen this many guns!”
“Anyone a weapon specialist?” Zander asked.
“I am!” Julian said. “We probably want the silent but deadly 6724s. And maybe that modified Bazooka for when we get out. For you though…” Julian looked at Toby, “Should we even give you a gun?”
“We’ll need all the fire power we can get.” Jason said quickly. “Let him have a… um… less deadly one.”
Julian nodded and gave a 453 to Toby. “Everyone. Listen up.” Jared called. “We are going into battle. This may go down like the French Revolution. If anyone knows their ancient history… they all died. No one in this group will think any less of you if you want to join Mathias’ group and get outta here. Those who will stay… step forward.”
No one backed down. Zander smiled. “We need a plan.”
“I’ve got one.” Danny spoke for the first time. As everyone looked at him in amazement he told his idea. “I can sneak through to the vents. I can signal you guys with this.” He pulled out a flashlight. “One for the all clear, two for an obstacle, and three for the leader.”
***********
“Marty!” Darren yelled for the fifth time. “Stop!”
“No!” He yelled back. “I know where the Overlord is!”
“Wait!” Darren called as he slowed.
“No!” Marty called again. “I’m gonna end this!” Marty’s heart pounded hard as he ran down the halls and through doors. Suddenly he stopped. Darren ran into him.
“Ah, so…” Overlord Kieran hissed. “You escaped.” She walked closer to the two boys. “What are you going to do now?” She asked smirking. Marty just frowned and plunged a dagger into her throat.
Darren stood for a minute, amazed that this short, nerdy kid would have the guts to stab the Overlord, who (mind you) had been ruling for over 50 years, in her own palace.
Marty breathed deeply as Kieran’s body collapsed on the floor. He stared at what he had just done and started to sway. Darren grabbed him before he hit the ground. “I did it.” Marty whispered. “We’re free.”
Without warning, the Commanding Officer Roman Aries, and a few men darted in. Two of the men froze when they saw their leader dead on the ground.
“Who did this?” Roman Aries practically yelled.
Marty, feeling better from his short pass out, quickly stood up. He walked straight over to Aries and said “I did.”
Roman took out his standard 496, a pistol of sorts, and aimed it at the small boy.
“Dad, don’t!” Darren yelled. Aries looked up to see Darren running towards him. Marty ducked as Darren tackled his father. The gun was ripped from his hand by one of his own men.
“What the heck are you doing?!” He yelled.
“These kids are brave. Commendable. This woman hurt us significantly.” The man said looking at Kieran’s corpse. “But now she’s dead, and we are free.”
The rest of the men and Marty nodded their heads.
“Leave us.” Aries said. He threw Darren off and stood. “I’d like to talk to my son.”
The men nodded and helped Marty drag the corpse out.

Chapter 4
“Ready guys?” Julian asked. All the boys nodded. “Hey, chief!” Julian looked at Zander. “You wanna lead the charge?”
He nodded. “CHARGE!” The boys yelled and ran through the halls.
“Turn on fully auto!” Julian yelled. A few men came into the hall with only the standard and were taken back to see kids with fully loaded and fully auto 6724s. They were taken down by Julian, quicker than a blink of an eye. “Who says a girl can’t fight a war?”
“They can’t.” Isaiah chided.
Julian looked at him, annoyed. “Listen pal, I know how to use a gun, I know what gun is which, I know which gun is best. Heck, I just took down five dudes in two seconds!”
“Yeah but you’re a guy!”
“You sure?” Julian laughed as they ran ahead.
“How come you’re here then?” Isaiah asked catching up.
“Mistaken for a guy.” Julian shrugged.
“Hush up.” Jared waved silence as they rounded the corner. The kids ran deeper into the prison.
“Whoa.” Zander whispered.
“Is it just me,” Jason gasped, “or is a whole new building?”
“Looks like a palace.” Roger added.
Antonio gasped. “This must be where Overlord Kieran lives.” He said, his Spanish accent clear.
Suddenly more soldiers came around. Julian raised her gun.
“Wait!” someone yelled. Marty stepped out from behind them.
“Marty!” Isaiah yelled. “You’re alive!”
“I am.” Marty said. “But the Overlord is not.”
“Huh?” All the kids asked in unison.
“I… uh…”
“He killed her!” One of the soldiers said, smiling.
“Marty!” Julian yelled. “You’re a hero!” Marty just blushed.
“Hold on.” He paused adjusting his glasses. “You’re a girl!” He gasped looking at Julian. “But how….”
“I know right!” Isaiah laughed. “The Asset is brainless.”
“C’mon guys.” Zander said interrupting. “Let’s go get Darren.”
“Wait for me!” Danny called jumping down out of a vent.
“You know what?” Julian said as they ran through the palace.
“What?” Zander asked.
“You’re great.” She said. “And you know what else?”
“What?” Marty piped in.
She looked at him. “You’re really smart.”
“Hey! What about me?” Toby asked.
Julian laughed. “You’re really funny.”
***********
“Dad, listen.” Darren started as Marty and the soldiers left. “I don’t want to fight you, or join you in taking over this. I’m not Luke Skywalker and you aren’t Darth Vader.”
“No you’re right.” Roman Aries sighed. “I’m better.” He lunged at his son. Darren moved away quickly. Aries crashed to the floor.
“Dad, I ain’t gonna fight you.” He said again.
“You fight or you die.” His dad spat. He ran at Darren again. This time Darren wasn’t ready. 350 pounds of pure muscle slammed into him. He let out a grunt as fell to the ground. Roman pulled a dagger from his boot and pointed it at his son’s neck.
“Die, or join.” He huffed.
Darren looked at him angrily. “I’d rather die!”
Roman smirked as he lifted the knife over his head.
Darren closed his eyes and called out “Insurrection!”
Out of nowhere, kids stated dropping down from multiple vents in the room. “Drop the knife.” Julian commanded, pointing her 6724 at his head. Roman disregarded the order and plunged the knife at Darren. BANG! Roger’s gun rocked back. Roman Aries jerked before falling on top of Darren. The knife rolled safely from his hand. Blood started to gush from the bullet wound in his head.
“C’mon.” Zander motioned. “Let’s get this off of Darren.” The kids lifted 350 pounds of dead weight off their leader.
“Thanks guys.” Darren said looking at everyone.
“And girl.” Isaiah added laughing.
“Huh?”
“Long story.” Zander explained. “Tell ya later.”
“Why did you guys come back for me?” Darren asked slowly.
“Because you’re our leader.” Chris said.
“And…” Julian added. “Rule of thumb: Never leave anyone behind.”
As they walked through the prison they met up with Mathias’ group and let Cameron lead them outside.
“Zander.” Cameron called as everyone started ran to the hide out.
Zander stopped. “Yeah?”
“You are a great little bro, you know that?”
“I guess.”
“Not a guess.” Cameron said quickly. “You led those kids to victory and then saved your leader, who without him, you could have become the leader. That’s incredible. And I couldn’t ask for a better brother.”
“Enough with the mushy stuff.” Zander said, even though secretly he enjoyed it.
Cameron just laughed. “Let’s catch up with the others!” he said.
“Race ya!” Zander called as he started to run.
“Hey! No fair!” Cameron called running after his little brother for the first time in years.

__END__