mma had been awake for hours staring at the tv screen and occasionally looking back down at him who was hunched over her in her lap asleep.
There was a knock at the door and a voice behind it.
“It’s Doctor Bentley, can I come in?”
“Yeah” she said weakly
When the door pushed open it woke Adonis, he pushed himself from the bed while the pretty Doctor entered the room, asking questions with a cup of water and her medication in separate hands.
“Good morning, I know it’s only the first day but tell me what’s been going on so far”
“Well, I know I should feel pain but this medication you have me on helps with that and I’m really glad I’m not just suffering here with nothing to do”
“You know, if you need a service for baths that’s something we can provide or a chaplains service to help you pass the time”
“A bath does sound nice, but I’m sure he will help with that when I need him to .”
Instead of being able to hold her hand he held her thigh and looked at the doctor.
“When can she eat something? “He asked
The doctor handed him the medication and kindly said.
“I was just about to bring it, and if you need i can fetch you a little something as well?”
Adonis put a hand on his stomach and felt relief at the thought of some hot food.
“You look like you could eat, so I’ll be back. Make sure she takes those for her pain “
The doctor left them so Adonis could give her medication. Pushing the capsules gently into her mouth, she put her lips to the cup of water and drank until she had enough to swallow the pills.
“ do you think you can give me a bath Later?”
“Yeah, that’s fine
“Kissing her forehead. he took the remote and started looking for something to watch with her before breakfast showed up.
Despite not being able to really do much with each other they did keep each-other laughing. Adonis feared that if she stayed here long enough there was a risk of the decline of her mental health, they both had worked too hard for that.
A checkerboard was sat on top of her legs, she would tell Adonis where to move her and he would. This was their second game, Adonis had won the first, but this was looking like she was about to king herself and eliminate all his pawns. She did and she laughed at her victory against him.
“we’re an even match for each other”
“No, you just happened to score against me, I bet if we played again, I could show you that “
Adonis smiled, excited by the idea, and started to rearrange the board.
“It’s time…” It said
His hands froze holding the pieces and glanced back at the clock, the afternoon was closing in. Looking back towards her he said.
“We have to clean up, there’s something I have to do “
She looked a little sad, but she replied without giving him too much grief.
“Just kiss me before you leave “
He leaned over her and gave her the best kiss he could.
On his bike now, he drove to the meeting spot, Jordan’s keep. Just outside of the interstate. while the sun sat barely above the hills and the trees. The temperature dropping, and the amount of oncoming traffic coming back from the interstate was expected but it didn’t slow him down. he pushed on. until he reached the old street sign pointing west for prayer circle and north for Jordan’s keep.
making his way around the forested and almost overgrown path. To an-opening of miles of short wheat stalks. And orange and blue skies. Parking off center to the entrance. He wanted to see them coming.
Hours had passed and night already settled. it looked like no one would show. Adonis punched at the small keyboard on his phone, replying to Mom. But a little while later a man emerged from the forested lips of the entrance. Turning on his bike lights blinding the lonely priest.
“They send a sheep into the mouth of hell “
Adonis got off his bike and made his way towards the priest with his dagger in hand.
The priest raised his hand dismissing any necessity for the weapon.
“Please, everything you have done this far is plenty. I come to speak on their behalf “
“I don’t want to hear from you, where are they !?”
“They tell me to say, leave or you put your fiancé that is in the hospital at risk “
Shocked, by the omniscience of this order. the creature reminded him to not look phased.
“They have what we need, if they give it to us. We can both go on our way.”
“There are no demands from you or your creature, we know you both and what you have come for and we cannot allow you to take it”
Adonis watched the priest turn around and head back the way he came into the dark of the forest
“They don’t make demands of us, get him!” The creature growled
Adonis took his bike and sped past the priest. he had to make sure she was safe.
In his rear mirror he watched the priest get inside a dark vehicle on the side of the road. its red taillights like a demon in the night. Suddenly, Adonis was overcome with another idea. Clenching the breaks once he was over the hill. There was no way he was letting them go. They posed an even greater threat vanishing back wherever they came from.
“You abandon this mission you abandon your future …”
In his right mirror, the van had begun to take off. Adonis thought twice about his next action. How can you protect her if you let them leave? Don’t let them go, just figure out where there going and what they’re capable of.
Adonis switched off his headlights and turned his bike around quickly. Following their taillights. As long as there continued to be an absence of traffic, Adonis had concealment and continued behind them for miles.
Headlights flashed behind him. before he could turn his head, his bike was already under the van. and he rolled over top the windshield, and off the top side of the vehicle. tumbling to the asphalt.
landing on his side an unbearable pain surged through his
back and shoulder. a stream of blood hung from his lip. In his daze the ground seemed to get further and further away. The moment they threw him in the back of the van was when he realized what had happened.
He could hear voices all around him over the rumbling vehicle, but he could see nothing. The driver door and passenger shut, and the van was moving again.
His body jolted, his shoulder repairing itself from the wreck.
“When they take you out, pretend you are still injured and do nothing else.”
Adonis laid there and closed his eyes. refusing to think about what would come next and instead thought about how he had already failed. worried in a paralyzed state about her safety. I should have gone back.
The breaks squealed and the vehicles weight rocked back and forth. The back doors opened, and two men hauled him out.
leftover glass from his hair sprinkled on the metallic van
floor.
Keeping his head low, he refused to use his legs. They bagged his head, and zip tied his hands before continuing. There grip under his arms was uncomfortable, and by it he could tell they were strong. The grass under his shins disappeared and soon , he could feel the stone steps they descended, tap against his toes. The cool air turned to warm air .they were inside somewhere he could only assume they had brought him to the very place where they operated. They dragged-him for a long time, throughout the journey Adonis heard more than their footsteps and voices, laughter even and metal cages closing and food. He could smell something brewing, men cheering, celebrating.
Both men dragging him reached out with their other hand for something. he could feel the movement, they stopped briefly and proceeded. This was the first time they let him fall to his own knees. A loud thud behind him, doors.
“Take the blind off”
Adonis slowly lifted his head, and the bag was pulled off. he was in some kind of cathedral. But the walls weren’t ordinary. They curved; they were bolted together like a huge metallic bunker. They had brought him before the stairs leading to the altar where a cross hung, strung from eye hooks.
“Jonathan, and Jonas, go take leave . you’ve done a great job “
The doors behind him opened and shut, staring eye to eye with a man dressed in a fitted blue and black suit. He looked very well taken care of and postured, healthy skin and hair, and slim.
“You are no ordinary criminal; you harbor something we’ve needed for hundreds of years.
“But what I want to really know is if you are willing to make a deal
“I set the terms, “Adonis said
He smiled and sat down on the blue runner decorating the wood staircase.
“Do you know where you are right now?…”
“Of course, you don’t. They bagged you in here, so I’ll tell you”.
With a brief pause he leaned forward and shouted at Adonis.
“You are in my house!”
Adonis held his stare and listened to what he had to say.
“Comply in giving us the translation to the stone that you are looking for and we can give you back to the street “
Adonis looked away from his gaze and thought about a counter-negotiation.
“Where is it?”
The Dragonai leader stood and attempted to light a cigarette in his mouth. he flicked the lighter several times until it took light.
“It's on its way. It will be here in days and until then …you will remain here “
Adonis watched him take off back the way he came in. Adonis turned his body abruptly to stop him.
“wait”
The Dragonai stopped and looked down at Adonis waiting for a response.
“What is your name”
The man hesitated but offered it. “Zachariah, fourth generation Appointed by the three holy ones to lead this sect”
“I need something before the tablet comes “
“What, there is nothing so possibly important that you cannot wait until then”
“On Friday I’m due to be back at the queen facility in New York, If I don’t attend they will be looking for me “
“Then they won’t find you”
Adonis raised his voice.
“You don’t understand, I am state property and at the back of my head is a transmitter that gives off my location”
Zachariah forced Adonis’s head down and moved his hair aside. concentrating on the back of his neck. A red light blinked slowly once… then again only a few seconds later.
Zachariah sighed and let Adonis lift his head back up. Zachariah tossed the cigarette and pulled out his sidearm and held it to Adonis’s temple.
“You don’t make demands from me, but you're lucky I’m desperate and I’m willing to revise our deal, you ready?”
Adonis didn’t blink and instead stared back into the Dragonai’s eyes, those hazel red eyes.
“Everyone and I mean every single person that you love will be dead. and I’ll take you back here and torture you for the rest of your life, until you give me what I want. keep you hanging from a thread for the rest of your days…. I can wipe you from everything! you will be pronounced dead to the world. Give you just enough to stay alive and cover every square inch of your body with pain, if you go against this deal”
Zachariah held out his hand and added
“I have this city by the collar, so I’ll know everything. I’m confident I can find a lost dog if need be”
Adonis shook his hand and Zachariah frowned, noticing something off about him and spoke.
“They hit you with their van, didn’t they? “
Adonis didn’t reply and let Zachariah comb through his hair looking for wounds anywhere on his body they might be.
“Your strange Adonis “
A bag made its way over his face, and he was lifted up and out of the room. he didn’t resist and let them drag him out to the van. It was a long ride back on the cold floor. When they arrived, they cut his hands free and threw him into a ditch with the bag over his head.
it was Friday morning already and he had to be back at the
facility by the afternoon. His phone was destroyed, and his bike was somewhere up the road, mangled beyond recognition. Adonis knew the way to the nearest payphone where he would call his mother to bring him back home.
