Chapter Nine

Rushing through the woods, Remy nearly flies passed Yukiko his arms pulling him, Henry, and Lilith away from the brush as the hurried sounds of boots followed them relentlessly. Before she could say anything, she is plucked from the ground and into he trees where silence quickly overtook them.

Below several men with rifles cautiously walked underneath, raising flashlights all around in their wild search. Some shouting as they drew closer to the tree they sat patiently within.

"The Will is all you must accept! Then you shall be free to walk among us as brothers and sisters!" One yelled just below them a smile upon his face as another yells the same.

"When the hell where we going to realize we entered a cult town?" Katie half-heartedly hisses into Lucy's ear. Which she quickly silences.

Disappearing through the brush they all wait for an agonizingly long time before a hooded kid runs below their tree and holds his hand over his mouth.

"I hope you all can hear me. Come to the place we meet I must speak to you all." Pulling their hood down for a send Alex points frantically.

"That's the kid from the convenience store." His voice is muffled by his mother's hand as the kid pulls their hood back up. Rushing away without another word as another group of hunters run after his retreating form.

Cautiously they make their way down from the branches, nearly huddled in a tight ball as they listen out for any nearby hunters.

"Why would that kid be helping us?" Katie questions, placing a hand back to her ear trying and failing to rub the drying blood from her hair.

"I don't know…" Lucy is quick to respond, moving from the huddle to get a better look around. "We must stay hidden and cautious until we find my husband. Once we find him, we are getting out of here as fast as we possibly can."

"So, mission find Ring Master and get out of Looney Town is a go." Everyone agrees as they make their way out of the woods and to the border of the town. The large sign with the words 'Welcome to Prophet' scream out in golden letters like an invitation.

Slipping behind the buildings the clouds mass the moons light as Remy scales the roofs. Keeping low against the tiles of each as he passes Milo's mask strapped tightly to the side of his head. Yukiko stays close to the walls eyeing the small crawl spaces as they jump fences and walls to get to the convenience store. Which thankfully comes into view, the only problem being the two townsfolk that walk the main street before it.

"What are we going to do mama?"

Before she could respond both men are flipped upside down and flung into the nearest wall a very angry Remy dropping down beside the double doors. Knocking they all quickly rush over as the door opens.

"Thank the gods you all made it. Follow me and keep your voices to a silent whisper till I say."

"Who are you? Why are you helping us?" The kid locks the doors behind them as soon as they all are inside.

"Not here." He waves for them to follow. "The backroom is a better place." Reluctantly they follow prepared for anything as they reach the open storage room door. The owner stands there his back to them as he sorts through boxes. The kids' eyes widen for a second.

"Morris is that you boy? Come- " He turns stopping dead when his eyes land upon them. Wide and fearful for only a moment as anger is quick to replace it. "What in the hell are you doing with them?!"

"Uh… well." Morris stumbled behind his words before a soft voice ring through the room, hands clasp his ears muffling the voice as his boss slowly sways from left to right. Looking over to his right Henry holds Lilith up a bit as she sings softly. Confused he looks back towards his boss who collapses against the boxes. "Wow…"

"Yes, now to business. Where is my husband?" Lucy pulls her hands away from his ear's urgency slipping from her words.

"That's going to be the hard part…"

"How so?" Katie questions, leaning back against some of the boxes with a raised brow.

"This town will stop at nothing to try and get you. The courthouse is possibly where they are keeping your husband and I know for a fact Hewett Lockhart will do anything to keep you all here." Morris explains rubbing his eyes as he paces the room.

"So, how are we going to get there?"

"I didn't really think I would get this far…"

---

Pulling at the restraints once more pain shoots its way up his arms. The soft murmuring of voices giving him a headache as he tries once more.

"Would you all be so kind as to SHUT UP!" Rico shouts the murmuring cutting off before the sound of the scrapping metal reaches his ears. "Ah, so someone has finally come to join the party."

"You have a smart mouth for someone that seems to be as human as me. Why then do you hang around freaks?" A cloaked man steps out from the shadows waving a hand as he speaks. "How is it you keep them in line?"

"You think I'm keeping them in line? Boy you have the wrong person. I may be the Ring Master, but my wife is watching them all as though they are her own." Rico shakes his head, "We are a family and once they realize something is wrong, they will stop at nothing to get me back."

"Are you so sure?" With that, he removes a small vile from his sleeve the contents sway and twist. "Your friend here would disagree."

Shock makes its way to his face as the figure places the vial onto a small table that two other matching figures place and rush from the room neither daring to look their way.

"You hurt them, and I swear to you I will kill you with my bare hands!" Glaring up at the man, he turns and makes his way out of the room. Curses falling behind him as the door seals tight.

Once it does, Rico looks to the vial. The inky substance inside barely moves as he lowers his head in thought.

"Well get out of her Milo… one way or the other…"