13

"Daddy? Can you play with me?" Elias whispered. He looked up at his dad, tugging on his sleeve.

Elias was five, clutching his favorite stuffed bear to his chest.

"I can't son. Your mother and I are very busy." his dad ruffled his hair."Maybe another time."

Elias looked up to see Yuri towering over him while he lay on the ground. One of his arms was broken and bleeding and his wounded leg was worse than before. His clothes were torn.

Blood caked his hair and face.

Then Yuri was picked up off the ground and slammed into the cell bars. "Elias?"

Toby?

Elias blinked up at him as he gathered him up in his arms. Toby was about to leave when two familiar voices startled them.

"Aw. What a sweet reunion." Christin snarled. "Such a shame I have to kill you both."

Allen sighed. "How adorable."

Christina and Allen both pulled out weapons and stepped into the cell. They started circling and Elias could feel Toby's heart racing.

A steady thump.

"Christina..there's something on your face," Allen said, suddenly. 

"What?" Christina dropped her blades. "Where? Did I get it?"

Allen shook his head. "Here."

Elias watched him wipe under her nose with his index finger, a moment later Christina's eyes fluttered shut and she slumped to the ground.

"Get away from them!" Levi shouted. "Or my new friends will not hesitate to shoot."

The girl and boy standing on either side of him were holding bows, each had an arrow cocked in it ready to fire.

"Wait," Elias rasped. "Don't...he's helping us."

Toby gawped at Levi. "Your leg..."

"It was that old woman. Miss Betty. It's like I never got stabbed. But you.." Levi sent a dark look at Allen. "Weren't you just partaking in beating my friend up? Why would you help us?"

Elias studied Allen, trying o gauge his reaction to the question. His face was blank. 

"Are you going to stand around, or are you going to get out of here?" Allen snapped.

A groan started Elias. Yuri pulled himself up and grabbed one of Christina's blades, swinging it around. 

The girl standing beside Levi fired an arrow that landed in his chest. Yuri slumped to the ground.

Levi swallowed. "Yeah. The guy is right. We got to go."

.....

Paul gave Four a look when they pulled in front of a tattoo shop. But before Paul could ask anything, Four had already climbed out and was waiting for him.

Paul got out and joined him. "Why would my son come here?"

"I guess we'll find out."

The two men make their way to the shop. Paul opened the door and choked on the smell of smoke. Pictures and drawings of tattoos covered every inch of the walls.

One drawing in particular caught his attention. It was the initials of his son E.A.B.

Four stepped further into the building, eyebrows curled. "Start looking around."

"I wouldn't do that." came a voice. "I won't hesitate to fill you with bullets. Mow, state the reason you're here or leave."

A spinning chair turned to reveal a short, skinny woman with a bob cut that had green streaks in it. In her lap was a small black gun.

Four scowled. "You're Stacie, I presume."

"I am. Who are you?"

"Four. This is Paul Bates, Elias's father." Four said he squinted his eyes, studying her.

Paul stared too, studying her facial expressions, but she turned away. "Ok. So?"

"My son is missing, and we believe he was here a few days ago. His name is Elias, and he has sandy hair and beautiful blue-green eyes." Paul snapped, causing Stacie to jump. "It is important that he be found and brought back home. If you've seen him or heard anything I need to know."

Stacie licked her lips. 

"My wife is going mad with worry. Where is he? Where is my son?" Paul sighed, and sat in a chair. "Please...just tell me where he is."

"I've never heard of him I swear." Stacie rose to her feet and patted Paul sympathetically on the shoulder. "But I hope you find him soon."

Suddenly Stacie whirled around and shot Four. He choked before falling to the ground, unmoving. Blood began pouring from a wound. 

Paul gawped. "Wha-"

"Don't sit there! We need to go!" Stacie yanked him to his feet, pushing him toward the door. "Go get the car started, I'll be there in a sec."

Not wanting to anger the woman anymore, Paul did as he was told.

He started the car and a moment later Stacie joined him, tossing papers in the backseat. She tossed a gun at Paul and then tucked one in her pants. 

"Set course for the Pit."