Words Unsaid

Five

Caleb panted as he looked around. They were surrounded by the mercenaries. His hope fell as he looked for a chance to escape but saw none. A vibration through the ground caused him to glance left. There lay Sara whose face looked so pale Caleb thought she was dead.

“Sara!” He called as he rushed to her side. Picking up her limp body, he turned to their attackers who seemed content to watch. “What do you want from us?”

The one mercenary stepped forward. He appeared to be the leader even though all the mercenaries looked the same. They were all dressed in black army fatigues and wore helmets to match.

The mercenary tapped the side of his helmet. Caleb narrowed his eyes, trying to bypass the protection the helmet gave the mercenary’s thoughts.

“Can’t get through, can you?” The mercenary’s gruff voice rang throughout the brush. “It must make you feel powerless to not be able to read our thoughts. Almost make you,” his lip curled, “human.”

“What do you want?” Caleb gritted his teeth in apprehension. He knew what happened to caught mind readers. He didn’t want that to happen to Sara. Get a hold of yourself! Caleb changed his grip on the girl’s limp body, feeling a slight tremor course through it.

The mercenary chuckled.

“You think your kind is so powerful just because you have something we don’t. Now that we have these helmets,” he gestured to his head. “You are nothing.”

“We are humans just like you. Why do you believe that your people are better than ours? We are all of the same race.” Caleb looked to the others surrounding him. “Or does the High Order deceive you?”

“Your government gives us money. In return, we give them mind readers, dead or alive. It is your choice.” The mercenary stepped closer to Caleb while fingering his g*n.

“How do I know you won’t kill us if I concede?” Caleb looked at the g*n the man held. His heart rate soared as he thought of the possible outcomes. None of them looked good for him and Sara. Sara shifted ever so slightly in his arms and muttered something under her breath.

The mercenary shrugged. “You don’t.” He waved his men forward to bind their captives. Caleb tensed at first, wanting to fight but soon relented. He could not fight them and escape. Not when he had a limp person in his arms.

The one mercenary took Sara from his arms as two others kicked Caleb’s legs out from under him. They crossed his arms behind his back. The mercenaries began to tie his arms when Caleb felt it.

It was like a ripple in the mind. It was slight enough that the mercenaries didn’t notice it but he did. A spark of hope rose in Caleb as he felt another ripple. This time, the mercenaries felt it.

“Hey, did you feel that?” The mercenaries whispered among themselves quietly. Caleb couldn’t hear what they were saying but their tension gave away their fear. They continued to whisper among each other until the tension was at an all-time high.

“We should kill them!” One yelled the rest were quick to agree.

“We don’t need them alive, their corpses would be enough.” Another piped up, pointing his g*n at Caleb. Caleb felt a bead of cold sweat run down his back.

Was this where I die? Is this the end of the line for me? He mentally shook himself as another ripple ran through. This ripple was stronger than the other two and put the mercenaries into a frenzy.

“I thought these helmets protected us from their attacks!” One cried out.

“They do, so shut up!” The leader yelled at his group. “Are you fighters or feeble? Don’t let the mind-stuff worry you. We have a job to do and a bounty to collect!” The mercenaries quieted down but still cast worried glances at Caleb.

The leader gestured at the one still holding Sara. “Take her, she is the one we’re after. Leave the man. Something will come and take care of him.”

Caleb struggled against his bonds but could not break free. They had taken his weapons and his arms were secured behind his back. He berated himself for being so foolish earlier that day. If only I hadn’t stabbed her so deeply, we wouldn’t be in this situation.

The group began to pass by Caleb, leaving the way they had entered. The mercenary holding Sara began to leave when her eyes fluttered open.