The Caravan

[Mobius]

(Haha,no problem!Ideas,huh?)


Marley began to carefully wrap the gauze around Donovan's torso,keeping it tight,but not unbearable or restricting.She knew that Krane wouldn't let him out of whatever it was he wanted him to do just because he was injured.Especially when it he considered it his fault that he was like that anyways.The only time you were allowed off of work was when you were really sick or immobilized for some reason.That happened to her a time or two.Once,she had an allergic reaction to some sort of nut she consumed during dinner,not realizing it was even there.Marley's terribly allergic to any sort of nut or product made with them.Let's just say she wasn't too hot for a while.Then she managed to break her ankle when she got caught in between a scuffle between two feuding slaves.They were near the stairs and,well,it's pretty obvious what happened next.However,the moment you can work again you're back on the job.Even if you're not one hundred percent.For some reason,she was pretty sure even if Donovan was out of it,Krane would still force him to work.


As she continued to wrap Donovan up,Marley answered his question,"I don't even have to think about it,really.Well,the mind communication part.I have to focus on what I want to lift or move,but with practice I think I could do that instantly,too." Soon she was ready to fasten the gauze on,having brought it up as high as where the wound on his side went just to be safe.She found a pin and pinned it before leaning back on her hands and sighing quietly.Glad it's over and he's alright, she thought as she glanced at him,thinking on the second part of the question.


With another sigh,Marley answered that part,"Yes...he doesn't see it as a threat.He finds my communicating through minds amusing,but really can't be bothered with...playing around with it,I guess.He's too busy for that." Then she paused for a minute and looked towards the tall bookcase Krane had in the room."It's a good thing,too,because without it I would be stuck when it came to getting things off of high places...the others aren't exactly...helpful with each other," she paused again before adding,"You're lucky I'm the one who walked in on you.I would bet any money I had that anybody else would have walked out and let him mutilate you." That was the most talking,this entire excursion,she had done in a long time and it worried her slightly.To take her mind off of it,she brought down a book from the top of the bookshelf.The item was surrounded in a faint glow until she took it in her hands,now sitting in a pretzel formation,and "let go of it" with her mind.Carefully,she leaves through a few pages,not actually reading the book.She had to be careful because if Krane walked in and caught her with one of his books without his permission she would get a beating for it.

 

[kindaemissary]

(None of my ideas were concrete, just passing thoughts, and I don't think I remember any of them now. It was a crazy day, lemme tell ya that.)


Donovan listened to Marley talk about her experiences with her abilities, and Donovan tried to remember a couple times when he had to use his power for one reason or another. When he was younger, he was often scared by the sight of lightning. He wasn't bothered to much by the crumbling crash of thunder, but seeing the flash across the sky in slender little lines made him very upset. He would clench his eyes and hide under his covers, invisible as if the lightning couldn't see him, and shivered incessantly until one of his parents pulled him from his stupor. They would bring him to their bedroom and calm him down until he became visible once again, and they let him sleep with them for the rest of the night.


He didn't have many problems growing up. They were a close-knit family, and that was probably why Donovan took it so badly when his parents were taken from him. He had spent his entire life being surrounded by these two people, and after a slick second they were gone. It was terrifying, and Donovan went into a rampage. He went absolutely crazy. Since he was only thirteen at the time, it was easy to subdue him, but for weeks he wouldn't show himself. It was easy to have an upper hand because no one could see him, but after he was too worn out to continue hiding himself, he received the beating of a lifetime. Krane was one thing, but he was older now. His body had developed. Back then, he was short and small, and having both of your legs broken by angry old men was something that scarred him for life. They cracked the fingers one by one in his left hand, and broke two toes on his right foot. Donovan didn't believe that anything Krane ever did would compare to that moment of petrification. He thought he was going to die, and he wished that he had.


"Krane's an animal," Donovan said after a moment of listening to what he thought about Marley's powers. "He buys slaves because of their abilities and then tries to play with them? Sounds like a childlike thing to do, if you ask me." He looked down at the gauze that Marley had wrapped around his torso and made sure that it was tight enough to have an impact. It seemed fine, and after a second of breathing Donovan glanced back up towards her. "Thanks for helping. I believe you when you say another person might have not done the same thing. I don't know if I would have." He watched her bring the book down from the shelf to her arms and he couldn't help but stare in amazements. "My power takes a lot out of my body, and I haven't used it for a couple months so I don't know how well I could even make it work." He frowned and looked down at his hands. "If I used it for too long, I would get really sick and weak for a long time before my body healed. It wasn't a fun process. That's probably why it's been so long since I've used it."


Donovan knew there were other factors, like not wanting to be made into a show, but they weren't as important as his health. If there was a knife to his throat he'd most likely do anything no matter what it was. He'd kill himself before he'd let anyone else kill him. He hoped that nothing ever came to that, but he definitely wouldn't go out of his way to make something easier for someone else.


"How long have you been here?" Donovan asked, and he was genuinely curious. He had never been in a home for more than a month, so he wondered how long this girl had been here. She seemed like she could put up with more BS than him. He didn't take crap from anyone, so he wondered how long Marley had been putting up with Krane.

 

[Mobius]

(Haha,I know how that goes.Today was the worst day yet...stupid cold.)


Marley thought about her experiences with Krane.She had been there serving him for about four years.When she had been ripped away from her mother,she had been put into an auction fairly quickly due to how she acted.She was devastated and put up no fight,the perfect slave for some rich butt who didn't want to put the work into training a slave.Krane had paid in the five figures for her,showing off to the other high class people at that auction,proving he was "superior" to them all.He had tried to get a little fight out of her,but couldn't so he let her be for a while.She went about the little duties she had been given,hoping to not be noticed,however Krane wouldn't leave her alone forever.He eventually began calling on her and,at first,required her to speak to him with her power should she have to.He would have her hand him things with it,too,but that was only for a short while.He didn't hang on a slave's power.Once he seen it in action,he normally forgot about it unless he was really bored or was really interested in it.


Krane had chosen to use Marley a lot for his own requests catering to his own desires or needs because she peeked a curiosity in him.He could not tick her off and she seemed locked into a state of quiet sadness that he couldn't quite pick in to.She seemed like a mystery to him and she knew it.However,she would never let him understand why she was the way she was and if it could possibly be in her power she would make sure he never would.It was too personal for him to know.Her mother was the only person she had there for her and being taken from her was too heavy of a blow to her.She was too afraid of losing it if she had to talk about it,anyways.If she lost it,she might not be able to pick herself back up.With what she was required to do,she couldn't afford that.


"Not really,I just chose that wording..." Marley said softly,chuckling a little."He likes to see what we can do,but usually gets bored after a while," she added a moment later before returning the book to its place,maintaining her position on the floor.At his next statement,she smiled a bit and joked,"Now I'm really glad it wasn't me in your shoes." She wondered if he would have helped her had the tables been turned.She shivered at the thought of him not at least stopping Krane from mutilating her.Well,at least that wasn't a scenario she had to live with.


When Donovan told Marley explained his power more,she listened curiously.Giving a nod,she said,"I kinda thought that...it has to be hard on your body..." Then she registered his next question and sighed quietly,looking at the ground and messing with her fingers.She replied somewhat quietly,"Four years now?Yeah..." She definitely didn't sound thrilled and she didn't look it either.She did look like the fact of it kind of bugged her.

 

[kindaemissary]

(Sorry for the delay. I've been working a lot lately and just got done with class for the day.)


Marley talked with ease and it was nice for Donovan to see that maybe, just maybe, Krane wasn't so much of a terrible person after all. there was no doubt that he had something evil pressing on all sides of him, but if Marley wasn't entirely afraid of him to the point of exhaustion there might be a possibility to he had a good soul. Good was probably pushing it, but it might not be too terrible. There could still be a chance that Krane might have been misunderstood or took a wrong path, and for now, Donovan was going to try not to hate him too much. As long as he wasn't using his slaves like Donovan had witnessed before, there was no real reason to hate him. At least not yet.


"It's physically exhausting," Donovan agreed, and he reached down to touch the gauze fastened to his side. With all of the anger he felt since being in this house, there might be more going on than he realized. Krane attacked him without warning and all Donovan had to do was mouth off a little bit. Maybe it wasn't as safe here as he thought. "Besides getting sick, sometimes I would get migraines and would have to stay in a dark room until it stopped. Most of my previous owners realized that with the migraines I was useless, so they let me wait it out. Then again, I was younger when that happened. I'm an adult now, and I don't know if Krane would take that as an excuse. He doesn't seem like the generous type."


He realized how long it had been for Marley since she had been somewhere else and how sad it was that she probably thought of this fortress as home. "That's a long time to trapped in one place," he said. "Four years? How old are you?"

 

[Mobius]

(No problem!)


Marley began to wonder about the other places Donovan had been.She had only been owned by two people total and both of them lived in Anthem.However,her long time master had lived in the suburbs in a small little house that was rather cozy.Least to say adjusting to the mansion she had to call home in the service of Krane was rather difficult.She got lost many times and had to be for it,whether it be by Krane or the strict staff that he actually paid.They had as little regard to the slaves as Krane did,believe it or not.Because she had only been owned by two people,she really hadn't seen to many different places.She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.Being sold many times seemed to stressful.The auction ring freaked her out too much to ever want to go back!Granted,there were other ways to sell a slave,but every single one Krane sold seemed headed for the auction.He thought he could get even more money than he wanted for them that way.


"That's rough,I know...I get really bad headaches that often affect my comprehension..." Marley said,elaborating on the earlier fact.Then she sighed and looked down at her lap again,"But don't expect any sympathy from Krane.The exact words he'll give you are 'real with it'.If you can't,you get punished for it." The thought caused her to shiver.Balking towards your work was something Krane punished severly.Since that first punishment she tried really hard to not exhaust her power.Most of the time she could get away with not using it,but when she had to talk,couldn't reach something,or needed an extra arm she would have no choice but to use it.For some reason,she found talking to Donovan somewhat easy.It was probably due to the fact that she remembered the feeling of isolation she had gotten from the other skates when she first arrived.It was hard to deal with and she thought that maybe she didn't want him to feel it like she had.


At Donovan's next statement,Marley sighed and nodded,looking down once again."Yeah,and Krane is only my second master..." She told him,getting the guts to look at him again after she spoke.Then she answered his next question,"Eighteen." It seemed like eons from the time she was separated from her mother to then.It gave her a pang of loneliness and she shifted awkwardly for a moment.

 

[kindaemissary]

"From what I've seen of him, any obviously I haven't seen much, he's worthless. Krane? He's nothing. He gets off pretending to be better than everyone and making people feel bad for things they can't change and to me, that's what makes someone a monster." Donovan sighed and shook his head, wondering what kind of crap this man had gone through in his life that would make him so evil and cruel for no reason, and he couldn't think of anything. Donovan was abused since he was young and it hadn't stopped him from trying to be a decent person. It hadn't stopped him from fighting for his freedom and knowing that all of these slavery was going to come back and hit these people in the face someday. "Everything I've seen since I was first put up for auction has been evil people doing evil things, and Krane's at the top of that list."


Donovan scratched at his head and pulled his hand from his scalp to his face where he rested his palm against his forehead. "You're eighteen? And you've been here for four years? That's crazy. I mean, it's probably better than being thrown between house to house for the last six years." He cleared his throat and scooted back so he could lean against the wall. "Have you ever thought about leaving? Saying "screw Krane" and just going and leaving all of this behind?"

 

[Mobius]

Marley shrugged and sighed quietly."He's let the money and fame get to his head.Every single person in Anthem,aside from people like you and me obviously,own some sort of tech designed by his company.He reaps in thousands and thousands a day judging by some of the write ups I happen to catch a glance at.He's corrupted and doesn't care for anybody else because making money is all that matters to him," she told him somewhat grimly.The thought of it made her sick,but she could see how it could be easy to lose control when you have an unlimited budget.She wondered if she would lose it like he did if she had a hand in such a profitable pot of gold like Krane's bank account.She said then that she wouldn't,but she knew that the situation could easily be different should she be in a place like her master was.She would hope she wouldn't become cruel.Even though she isn't a social butterfly she did care for others...even if she tried to keep it a secret even to herself.


Marley visibly tensed at what Donovan said next.Of course she thought of that.Everybody thought of that once and awhile.Even back with her former master,who usually treated her kindly,she thought things like that.She wondered what freedom felt like.She dreamt about it every night,but she couldn't afford to think of that.She seen first hand Krane's rage and she didn't want to be the receiver of that rage."Of course I have..." She breathed in a near whisper,just in case Krane was listening in,but if he hadn't come wondering why she hadn't told him the status of his new slave by now he was probably preoccupied with something else."But...but I can't afford to think like that," she added almost breathlessly,her gaze on the floor in front of her pretzel crossed legs the entire conversation.

 

[kindaemissary]

Donovan listened to Marley go on about how she thought of Krane, and he felt so bad for her because he didn't know how to help. The only solution he ever had was to run away from his problems - turn around and pretend that their existence never came to be in the first place. The world was turning out to be a more terrible place as each day progressed forward and he had no idea how he was going to be able to help her. He wanted to, since she had helped him, but the odds were never going to be in his favor. To date, he had never made it a mile out from property lines and before he sold off to the next owner, he was beaten to a pulp. Sometimes worse. He didn't want any person to leave this kind of life, and even though he had only known Marley for mere minutes, he felt that she was the last person that deserved to live like this. He had met all sorts of people since he was first put on the market, and not one of them had half the heart that she did. He definitely didn't.


"You can afford to dream," he countered, and he looked up from his hands to her face. "Your life here isn't going to get any better. You're going to live like this until you die, and you won't get treated the way humans deserve to even then." He frowned and glanced around Krane's office. The decor was extravagant but didn't have a theme to it. He had been in a home once before where he was owned by a pair of sisters. They had much more taste than Krane did, but Krane didn't seem to know about anything aside from being cruel, and even then he was mediocre. "Just because you were brought into this doesn't mean you deserve to live like this. I have heard rumors - mostly when I was downtown awaiting auction - that there's a place where people like us aren't slaves. It sounded crazy, but after I heard some stories, it seemed real. I believe it. I believe there is place where we're not slaves and we're free. One of these girls I talked to said she knew a friend who was headed there and supposedly made it. I want to get there. I don't want to live like this with the time I have left."

 

[Mobius]

Marley sighed quietly to herself,the topic always seemed to be a hard one for her to think about because it just seemed so out of reach.Back when she was still with her mother she never would have thought about it.She was honestly happy back then.Somebody was there for her no matter what and she wasn't alone.Now,though?You'd be lucky to get help if you were dying and the person next to you had the cure.With Krane's iron fist held over her head,it just seemed impossible to be able to come up with an escape plan,let alone a successful one.Then when she would be caught...she didn't want to think about how she would be if she came out of it,if she was even alive.She wasn't even sure what he would do since nobody tried it while she was around that she could recall right then,unless she was just forgetting in the worries of the moment.However,she knew that what happened to Donovan would be considered merciful.


When Donovan started to speak again,Marley kept her eyes on the ground in front of her."Yeah,it's called the afterlife..." She muttered under her breath,almost positive a place like that could not exist.It seemed like the whole world was against people like her and him.Where in that terrible world would there be space for a safe heaven for them?It seemed impossible,but a small flicker of hope that there could be such a place burned inside of her.So,naturally,that brought along questions."What did they say about it...?" She questioned skepitcally as she finally turned her hazel gaze back to him.She definitely looked warily of the idea,but his earlier words of dying in this situation,Krane grasping into possession of her life,frightened the heck out of her.

 

[kindaemissary]

Anderson watched Marley and saw her eyes dance at the possibility of some sort of human salvation. He wasn't too sure about what happened after death, and for right now he didn't care. The only thing that mattered to him was getting through this existence in one piece with some semblance of happiness. This was the only life he knew and he didn't want it to pass by him on the hope that something else existed beyond him. He was alive for now, and that was what he needed to focus on.


He sucked in a shallow breath and shrugged his shoulders, wishing he had more information to offer. "From what I've heard," he started, "there are people there developing their abilities and bettering themselves because they know that they are not an abomination. I heard that there's other people there too, without powers, helping them. They want to start an uprising. They want to put an end to the slavery and make the rest of the humans realize that we have much more power than they do." He look around the room and hoped that Krane didn't come back anytime soon.


"I've tried to escape before but it has never worked out, but I have to keep trying. If there's a chance that I can get out of this Hell then I am going to do whatever I can to at least try. I don't want to be stuck here, and I don't think anyone else does either." He knew that it was a long shot that he would even make it, but he had to give it his best. If he didn't get there, at least he had done everything he could in hopes of doing so. He didn't want to lead the life of a slave and he would not stay here to take Krane's beatings any longer than he had to. "I have to try," he told Marley. "If there's even a sliver of a chance that I can get out of here I'm going to try to the best of my ability to do so. I can't live like this; not anymore."

 

[Mobius]

He's crazy... Marley thought as she looked back at the ground,listening to him speak and taking in the information.She hung on his words from before.Do I really want to go through life like this?Do I want to die without a sense that I made something of myself? She asked herself as she began to twidle with her fingers,wishing she had one of those stress balls Krane so often used.Even if Donovan was crazy,he made a point and had a fire,an inspirational fire,inside of him that made her think that there was a chance that she could change things around.Perhaps she could free herself from this mixed up life and live in peace of mind.Her thoughts were her true enemy.They were an enemy that brought her down every waking second of her life.They were thoughts the Pures wanted her to think,thoughts that would douse out any flame of hope,of the fact that there was a chance that her life could be different...that perhaps she could make others' lives different,too.


The tables could be turned and everybody who wasn't oblivious like Krane or people without a real power in the matter knew it.Souls burned for change,for the tables to be turned.Secretly,hers did as well.She wanted a different life,she wanted to have freedom,even if it was just a little bit.But what could happen to her if she failed...no,those were the thoughts that the Pures wanted her to think,they kept her in line and kept her from doing anything reckless,yet she wasn't sure she wanted to listen to that pessimistic voice in her head that had controlled her for so long.Still,it was a fearful thing and was this really the time?Plus,it was more of a risk for Donovan than it was for her.Krane liked her and she knew that he might not be able to kill her.He would come pretty dang close to it,but he couldn't bring himself to kill his favorite slave.Donovan,however...he had already had enough of the boy.He would know that he was the reason Marley tried to get out,he would think he corrupted his favorite Corrupt's mind.She knew that the chances of him surviving the agonizing torture Krane would put him through were slimmer than a camel fitting through a keyhole.


"But Donovan...wouldn't you rather die a natural death than die at the hands of Krane or any other one of these sorry excuses for people?" Marley asked him,looking back at him with a raised eyebrow.She definitely was skeptical and it showed,but there was a glint...a dangerous glint in her eye.A glint of reckless abandonment,a glint of a will.He had struck something inside of her when he lit that compelling match and as much as she wanted to find sanity and reason in the matter,the desire had a mind of its own and fought against her reasoning.She couldn't decide which side she wanted to win...

 

[kindaemissary]

Donovan knew it made sense to stay in the security of Anthem and never test anything, but he couldn't live that way. "I would rather get killed by someone trying to keep me here than die here in my sleep. I want freedom no matter what the cost, and I won't give up until I achieve it." He knew that she had a right to be wary - he knew that she had been taught to think a certain way from the moment she was born. He didn't judge her . He understood that they had different ideas for different reasons, but he wanted to let her know that the safety she felt now wouldn't always last."


"I am never going to give in," he admitted after a moment. "Even if I have to stay here for the rest of my miserable life, Krane will never get the better of me. He will never beat me, and the longer I'm here he'll realize that. I will not give in to him no matter what happens, and that's why I'll never be safe here. The only chance I have of living a real life is to get out of this as soon as possible and hope that the rumors I've heard are true. If they are, I have a shot. If not, I'm still not staying here."


He knew it was risky. It had been all the times he tried it before. Marley wasn't a stupid person so he figured that she knew he was speaking the truth. He wanted her to know that this wasn't going to last, even if it seemed like Krane wasn't a monster yet. He was going to be in the end, and that was why Donovan needed Marley to know that on the inside, Krane was always going to be evil and wasn't going to change.


Clearing his throat, Donovan leaned up more against the wall. His abdomen wasn't hurting too much anymore, but he knew if he moved it too much he'd suffer immensely. "I don't want to shatter your view of things, but he doesn't care about you. None of these people do. The only person that cares about you is you, and you're the one that has to live with yourself. I'm the only person who's looking out for me, and that's why I know that I have to get out of here whenever I get the chance. You don't have to agree with me, but it's something I have to do."

 

[Mobius]

Marley kept her gaze on him as he spoke again.Once again,his words hit her like a ton of bricks.He was right.Nobody cared about her...now.Her mother had cared about her.Or,she thought she did...when it came down to it,though,did the woman really care?If it meant her life or her daughter's what would she have done?Thag was just silly,of course her mother cared about her.It was different than a situation with a Pure or other Corrupt.This was family,her only family,she was thinking about!Her mother loved her more than anything...yet she couldn't stop what happened.It was true,though,that no Pure cared about her.She could die a slow,painful death and they wouldn't care.Some might even love to watch it.As much as she trusted him,her former master didn't care about her either.He didn't care to try and keep them together,the one thing she wanted.She never would have asked for anything else in life and would have been more obedient than any other Corrupt in the world.Yet,here she was,parted from the only person she really cared about.


"Careful," Marley told him gently,not wanting him to move too much and aggravate his wounds when he didn't need to.She looked down after that,continuing to think about things.They were rumors.Ever single one.Not one was sound enough to be considered a truth.Could she risk being killed over a rumor that could have been started by some desperate slave's fantasy?It could all be a hoax to get the Corrupt's to attempt escape,maybe even uprise,and that worried her.She knew she could muster the courage to attempt an escape without worries,mostly,if this safe haven was a sound fact,but it wasn't and it kept her silent for some time.


"I...you'll need help to get out of here...just because you can turn invisible doesn't mean you'll get away.Krane is rich and somewhat paranoid when it comes to stuff like this.He has every type of power detector know to man as well as guards quadruple the size of you.However,he does not have my smarts and the guards know Krane trusts me and is more lenient with me.I can easily get us out,right under their noses," Marley paused to chuckle for a moment,her initial grim mood turning somewhat devious for a moment,"But,you have to promise to help me whenever I need it and in any way I need it.You can tell I'm not confident in the fact that we'll make it,so knowing I have some support behind me will help me with this..."

 

[kindaemissary]

Donovan couldn't help but smile at her and let it sink in that she wanted this almost as much as he did. They would risk the chance of getting caught - they couldn't not - but once they got out of Anthem their journey would be much easier. With both of their abilities, they would have an unfair advantage, but Donovan didn't have time to care. "I will not abandon you," he assured her with a smile, and he reached out to rest his hand on her wrist. "If you help me get out of here, I will owe you more than I can offer. I will not leave you behind."


If they left at nightfall, either this day or the next, they would have a fair chance of making it out of the city. With the darkness on their side, they would be able to make it a great distance. "I will need to practice using my power for a little bit at least," he admitted. "Since I haven't used it such a long time, I don't know how long I can control it. Once we get out of the house, if I'm touching you I should be able to turn you invisible as well. I haven't tried it on a person since before I was taken, but it should still work."


He smiled while looking down at his hands, eyes pinched together in disbelief. If they were going to do this, it was going to have to be fast. If they wasted too much time, Krane might plan something else. It was still midday so they had hours before they could try anything, and Donovan didn't know what to expect from his current and hopefully last owner.


The city would be chaotic once Krane realized that they were missing. All kinds of people would be looking for them, and not because Krane would be worried. He'd want a fair chance of ending their puny worthless lives and gettings rid of them to the best of his ability. They would be dead the moment they got caught, so it would be best if they left when no one was expecting anything of them, primarily Marley. "Is there a time in the day where you don't have to do anything? Or certain hours when Krane's asleep and the house is mostly dead? I don't want to go into this blindly. We need a plan."

 

[Mobius]

When Donivan placed his hand on her wrist,Marley flinched a little.Whenever somebody laid a hand on her,it wasn't for comforting reasons like this action was for.She learned quick,which meant she didn't go through too many punishments,but whenever she did they were horrible.The staff and slaves weren't kind either and she couldn't even remember how many times she gotten the back hand for not doing something and they took to much of a liking to Krane in that area.Maybe it was because everybody knew Krane liked her.She didn't know why they would get mad at her for that,since she really didn't get off much better than the others.She got the same rations,same amount of sleep,same small box-like room in the slave quarters.The only reason she could see is that he was a little less...vicious with her,but not much.


However,Marley welcomed the touch and looked at him,a small smile coming to her lips as she gave him a nod."Okay,I'm going to hold you to it..." She told him softly before chuckling slightly,looking towards the door of the room,wondering what was occupying Krane all of that time.Who knows,he might've forgotten and she wouldn't be surprised if he did.All the while,a plan was surfacing in her head.Spying a piece of paper and pen,she brought it over to herself and rested the paper on the ground.She took the pen in her hand and leaned over the paper slightly,thinking.


"We shouldn't do it tonight...Krane would be too suspicious and with him like he is with you already it'd be best to give him a night to cool down..." Marley said as she started to draw out the floor plan of the ground floor of the mansion."He has guards stationed outside every window in the slave quarters and two at each exit.There is an office not too far from the main entrance that the head guard stays in,running the monitors and alarms," she explained as she circled or drew a filled in bubble at each point."We'll have to go at night.Master normally goes to bed at midnight since he's up late with business stuff all of the time," she continued,making a note of that at the top of the paper.


"For slaves to go out after lights out,which is eleven,they need approval from the head guard...I've got it!" Marley exclaimed quietly,not wanting any unnecessary ears to hear her."You work on strengthening your invisibility whenever you can today and tomorrow.I'll convince Krane to let you stay in my quarters so I can 'monitor your wounds',thus giving us a nonsuspicious reason to be together.When midnight tomorrow comes,you'll go invisible and follow me.Stay away from the doors and windows,they'll sense your power signature and alert the guards.I'll go and tell the head guard that Krane wants me to pick up something from his business's headquarters that some mo-mo forgot to deliver.They'll give me clearance,since any slave needs it to go out after dark,and right after you'll rush out.They'll silence the alarm by the door in case for some reason I decide to use my power as I cross it.I'll come out after you and once we're downtown you can give your power a break.Okay?" Marley hoped he would agree with that plan since it was the only one she had.


"Do you know in what direction we should go?" Marley asked,figuring they would need to know what direction to head towards once they got past that phase.They probably would need to think more during the next day,but at least it was a starting point.

 

[kindaemissary]

Donovan watched Marley's hands as they moved across the paper and nodded every now and then to make sure that she knew he was following along. The idea seemed fairly basic, and he understood what was expected of him. She would be able to get clearance to leave the premise, and for obvious reasons he would not. He'd need to make sure he was at the right place at the right time and to follow Marley's timing perfectly. If there were no problems with them leaving, the rest of their journey would most likely be a breeze. The only thing that Donovan was worried about being insurmountable was leaving the property, but with Marley's expertise they would likely come across no problems.


He wondered if he could trust her, and even though there was a high chance that she was going to have this entire thing backfire on him, he had to put what little faith he had into her. They knew each other for a matter of minutes and she seemed to have good intentions, but he knew that if all of this blew up in their faces that he was going to be the one in trouble. She'd tell Krane that he forced her to help him and was going to kidnap her away and everything would fall onto Donovan's shoulders. With the odds dramatically against him, he had to try. If he didn't work towards this goal with her then he'd be done for either way. With this plan, he'd still a fighting chance.


"From what I've heard, we'll need to head West. It will be a long journey, and we should plan accordingly. I can carry out the supplies we need on my person and it will become invisible." He looked down to the sketch of Krane's mansion and knew that this had to work. They had one shot at this, and if it failed, they were very much screwed.


Anthem was an estimated 1oo miles from where this salvation lay, but for now Donovan would have to keep a few things to himself. If she was planning on turning on him and giving information to Krane, he wanted it to be so insignificant that the monster couldn't get anything from it even if he exhausted all possible resources. As they got further away, or once Marley proved that she was on his side, he would tell her more. Not until then; not a second too soon. If he was going down, he wanted to make sure that he wasn't the only one taking the fall.


"I am trusting you on this," he said, and he turned his neck to look her straight in the eyes. "If you betray me and I live through whatever is thrown at me, you should know that you'll never be safe again. I will find you." He tapped the paper between them and nodded twice. "If you are truly on my side you've gained a powerful ally. I won't abandon you unless I have reason to doubt your honesty, and if that time does come, you will wish you never have left this place."

 

[Mobius]

This would have to work.It just had to.It would be their only shot,which made Marley rather nervous since she was the one who came out with it and would be the one to blame,most likely,if the plan failed.Krane should be none the wiser of the entire thing and neither should the guards,unless somebody overheard them which she highly doubted.Krane,surprisingly,did not keep any cameras in places he thought things suspicious could not go on,such as his personal quarters like the library,his bedroom,office,etc.There was no way they could be heard or seen unless somebody was spying on them and nobody would be.Knowing Krane,he had ordered enough wine to get himself drunk and he would not be bothering them.If that was the case,then it would be easy to convince him to let Donovan stay with her for the night.Then they could elaborate on their plan to the point where nothing would be missed come the time to initiate it.


Every so often,Marley glanced at Donovan,wanting to make sure he was picking up on everything she was saying.He would need to know each location as well to prevent from an unnecessary mistake.If the alarm was set off or he caused a sound that the guards could pick up on,then they were done for before they even set foot out of the mansion.She knew where everything was.Probably every single line in the sparkling floor,every single tint in the shining accents on the doors and windows.Especially the location of every camera and alarm,which she had clearly marked on the paper so Donovan would have the chance to learn it as well.Her worries about him learning the placement of all of the things to worry about in the mansion went away for a minute when he mentioned they would have to head West.That meant one thing and that one thing did not bring her any sort of comfort.


"There's a safe haven for us...West?" Marley questioned somewhat hesitantly.She'd heard stories of the treacheries that lay in that direction.Especially of a place known as Death Valley.However,all of those stories that she heard were from Pures attempting to freak out the young Corrupts to keep them from wondering about what lie in the "so unfit for life" area beyond Anthem,which was basically considered the last safe place for human life to occupy,aside from a few smaller towns that consisted of people willing to risk it all to expand the territory back to what it used to be,even if it seemed impossible to breach Death Valley."Well..." She said as she cleared her throat,"At least we won't have much trouble from any Pures once we get out of the city boundaries." That was the only benefit.However,she could see why the Corrupts would risk the "dangers",which might not even exist,of the place.The strange radiation that caused their powers to surface still existed there,or at least she heard.That could just be another rumor of the stories,changed by the Corrupts to take the fear out of the place and to encourage escapes such as the one she and this guy that she barely knew were about the go on.


Those stories had meant nothing to Marley,even when she was little.She wasn't freaked out,but couldn't technically be considered mystified.She had been curious,yes,but that was when she was little and had reasons to dream and come up with things to make her happy.Now she had no reason to be fascinated by things that she considered childhood fantasies,while it should technically not be enjoyed like fantasies,but since she did enjoy it she could put it in something like that.It was more like a campfire story designed to be freaky,in a cheesy way,yet enjoyable and fun.She was always a little different as a kid..."On the topic of supplies...late tonight we can sneak into the kitchen and take the leftovers.They'll just be thrown away.We'll need more than just food though...will you be able to carry it all?I have an old sack that I don't remember how I got my hands on...we can shove at least the food in there," she said as she looked at him,setting the pen down by the paper.


When Donovan suddenly changed his tune as far as the subject of this rather intense conversation,Marley's eyes widened.The look in his eyes showed her that he wasn't joking.However,she quickly changed her gaze as well,showing him that she meant what she said as well."Krane isn't smart enough to use his slaves to spy on each other..." She started,sighing and shaking her head slightly."Even if he did,I would not butcher my people...if there really is a place like what you're talking about and there are people there,Corrupts,I wouldn't tell Krane that.Serving my people seems more important than serving my master," she told him,her tone as serious as his."I might be obedient to him...but it's to save my own skin in the end.So,this is to benefit me and I wouldn't destroy my chances to get away from this..." She added,raising one eyebrow,not planning on lowering it until she got a response from him.

 

[kindaemissary]

[ooc| this post is a little wonky and short but man writer's block is hitting me hard.]


As their eye contact remained steady and locked, Donovan knew that Marley wasn't lying. The way her body posture looked insulted wasn't something someone could easily fake. He would have to trust her, and if turned out that she was playing him after all, well that was going to be his own fault for believing in someone that he didn't know. There were chances he was going to have to take as he made his way out of Anthem and this was just going to be one of them.


"I believe you," Donovan said after she explained herself. If she was going to betray him later, then it would be a bad fall out, but for now he had to take her word as the truth. It was the only thing that he had, and leaving was going to be even more difficult without her. Practically impossible. "I didn't mean to sound so attacking," he admitted, "but I wanted to let you know that I am serious about this. I don't want any hiccups, and if you're dedicated to making this work, then I'll be dedicated to you." He smiled in all seriousness and tapped his fingers against the paper between them. "I'll study this," he said. "And I'll work on getting my ability back to a better state. If we're not leaving tonight, I should be fine."

 

[Mobius]

(Tis okay .)


Marley understood him being wary of her,she honestly did,but for some strange reason it made her feel insecure.If he questioned her on that what else would he question her on?She knew she was taking it way too far,but she couldn't help but wonder...He would be able to trust her once he seen her devotion,right?He had to,because it was true.She wouldn't put somebody else in danger no matter what Krane would do to her.Even if she was bad at being personable most of the time.This guy got lucky that he somehow managed to catch the other side of her,because the entire situation with his injuries could have gone way different and she might not have been so friendly on the topic of running off.She might have just written it off as absurd and stormed out without another word.However,she just felt different...safe,maybe,and she felt a little more considering towards things.


"Alright,because one little slip and we're done for...I'd have done it tonight,but I want to give Krane the time to cool down over this whole spiel so in case we fail..." Marley said as she got to her feet,shaking her head at the last part."Nevermind that...um,I'll go tell Krane I'm done now and get permission for you to stay in my room tonight now...I wouldn't be here when I'm done.Krane might still want a go at you..." Then she sighed and headed to the door,looking over her shoulder at him,"If I can work my magic and he's drunk like I think he'll be,I might be able to get you the day off and you could stick around me...i-i-if you want," the last part came out awkwardly and her cheeks turned slightly pink in embarrassment,her hand suddenly death clutching the doorknob.

 

[kindaemissary]

Donovan smile towards her as she gathered herself and stood from the ground. He knew that there was a chance of them failing, but he needed to take that chance, and he was glad that Marley wanted to take that chance with him. "Do whatever you need to in order to make this work," he said, and he used his arms to pull himself off of the ground. He'd be sore for a while, but he could feel himself getting better. If might have been better to be shot by Krane instead of stabbed, but he would make do. Donovan wasn't going to complain. They'd be out of there soon.


"I'll wait for you outside if that's a better idea," he offered. "I haven't been anywhere in the house except for being dragged up the stairs, so I wouldn't know how to get there if you told me." He winced once he finally got himself to stand up straight, and he placed one hand on the wall and the other on his concealed wound. "I'm very grateful for your help in this. Without it, I'd probably be dead in a week."

 

[Mobius]

Marley gave him a nod,planning on doing just that.Hopefully she was right...if Krane wasn't himself,to put it that way,he would agree to a lot of things that he might not have or at least agree to things easier.However,he might not be and getting him to give in to what she asked would be a lot harder.She didn't think that he would be utterly apposed to the request,since he wouldn't put much thought in it and he normally took her for her word.Really,he never had a reason not to trust what she said.It was almost weird trying to deceive him,but it would be worth it in the end.Maybe he wouldn't care that two of his highly replaceable slaves ran off.Yeah,right...it could have been a slave he paid a dollar for and he would exhaust all of his resources on finding the person.Just so they wouldn't get the better of him.Hopefully they would get far enough away before Krane noticed their absence and sent a search out.


"That sounds good to me," Marley said,sounding a little more relieved than what she wanted to.She really didn't want to go in there without knowing somebody was there just in case.Krane was highly unstable when loaded on his alcohol and he was definitely one to down a few bottles of wine in one sitting if he wanted to,so if her prediction was right he would be a very hard person to keep in balance."Just wait by the door," she added before giving a nod to his finale statement,"It wasn't a problem,really...I'm glad I could help." Then she opened the door and started out towards Krane's massive room which he called his library.

 

[kindaemissary]

Donovan nodded to her and moved to stand by the door as she entered the Krane's library and shut the door behind her. He hoped that she had the capabilities to do what she said she was going to do, but he had no reason to doubt her. And true enough, he still had no reason to trust her. If he was meant to leave this place and get out of all of this, then he would. With or without her help, and right now it was looking like he was going to have it. Marley was putting enough faith in him to run off into the world unknown just to get away from this place, and that was saying something. This place was so terrible that someone who had been here for years was going to escape from it. The world they lived in was a mess.


Waiting by the door was boring, but it wasn't as bad as getting stabbed in the chest. Donovan tried not to move his torso too much because if he did he would definitely need stitches by the end of the night and he didn't want that. He tapped his foot against the ground and wondered if he'd be given more clothes while they were still here. The shirt and pants he was wearing were barely scraps sewn together to create some semblance of clothing, and it would be a big plus if they had more than out pair of clothes to take with them when they left.

 

[Mobius]

Marley felt like she was holding her breath as she gingerly shut the door,trying to make as little noise as she possibly could.The simple "click" sound the door made caused Krane,who was sitting in a large and very comfortable looking chair,look over his shoulder.Don't appear nervous... She told herself as she looked towards the ground near Krane,knowing better than to make eye contact.With that action,she caught a glimpse of the small,round-shaped side table situated by the chair.He'd gone through nearly two bottles of what looked to be very expensive wine.She just hoped he'd be dead enough to the world off of wine so this would go smoothly.


"Well?How'd he come out?" Krane asked as he swiveled the chair so he was facing her.He had an opened book resting on his lap,one hand grasping it and the other holding a wine glass.He had an eyebrow raised slightly and didn't seem to want to wait too long for an answer to his question."Well...he'll survive," Marley replied in a rather emotionless voice.Feeling like she should butter him up,she then put on a slight smirk and added,"You got him pretty good,Master." This caused the sadistic man to snicker,while resting the glass on the cluttered table."Good.I don't want him to forget that feeling," he commented,his tone somewhat amused and somewhat angry.That didn't make his black haired slave any more comfortable than she always was and she gave a somewhat shaky chuckle in reply.


"If they get infected,he's a goner...that's why I would like to ask you something,master," Marley steadied herself and began what she hoped to be an easy convincing.She took a few steps into the room since she had stood somewhat close to the door just in case she needed a quick escape.Krane gave a slightly drunken smirk to her and raised an eyebrow,not finding a suspicious part inside him to his most trusted slave wanting to ask him a question."And what might that be?If it's asking for some of my wine,this is too good of a year to waste," he chuckled slightly afterwards,picking up the glass and taking a long sip of its contents.Marley forced a laugh,realizing the joking side was coming out due to his buddy alcohol."Oh,master,you know I wouldn't ask you to spare some of your best wine on me," she waved her hand in a dismissive way,chuckling afterwards.I hope I'm a good actress, she thought,not finding her performance convincing,but Krane seemed to find it amusing if not entertaining."It pertains to that slave you cut in to..." She added a little more seriously and somewhat slowly.Krane's expression seemed to drop and he became almost annoyed.Not good for her.


Marley ran a finger inside the collar of her shirt and tugged on it slightly,feeling hot all of a sudden."As I mentioned,if those gashes get infected,he's done for...I didn't stitch it since I had no means to," oh,how she hated lying...but he didn't know the slaves had a rather stuffed up first-aid kit,"so I was hoping he would be able to stay in my quarters at least for tonight so I can monitor them...?" Krane didn't seem to happy about it and he grunted,waving her proposal off with a shake of his hand.He spun the chair around and stared at the wall made up of bookshelves."Why would I care if they get infected?It would be what he deserved,anyways.He probably would've been that way,dead,to begin with had you not come in with this delicious glass," he saidbcoldly,slurring some of his words.Marley sighed quietly to herself before putting on her act again,sauntering over to the side table.She carefully reached for his glass while holding the wine bottle and managed to take it from him without an argument.Then she carefully filled it back up and brought it to his lips,where he took a hold of it himself and sucked some of the liquid out.He looked confused,but entertained still."Because,master,if they get infected and he dies...well,he won't get a chance to disobey you again.Why would you want that,you ask?Because then you would be able to have another go at it," she answered,giving a smirk and setting the bottle back on the side table.


Krane pondered.He pondered with his clouded mind for some time.He tapped his index finger on his lips,looking at the ground mostly,but occasionally glancing at Marley,the glass,or the bottle."Very well," he finally answered,looking her straight in the eyes."But keep him under control.Do what you have to...but leave the killing blow to me." The last statement brought out a maniacal snicker,which was affected greatly by his condition.Mar forced herself to laugh with him,however she felt sick for doing it."Get him what he needs as well..." He added before turning his attention to his book.Markey took this as a signal to leave and she nodded,giving a half bow."Of course,master.Thank you,master," she said as she started towards the door,hurrying in a quiet way since she knew he couldn't see her.


Exiting that room felt like a breath of fresh air and Marley took in a deep breath of it.She looked over at Donovan as she leaned against the wall nearby and nodded before beginning to massage her temples."I have another rule...should we get the chance to,no drinking," she mumbled quietly,rolling her eyes.Oh,he had sounded stupid,but she knew he could've acted much more stupid than he had.For that,she was grateful.