Artificial Willpower

Only Option

Art by the spectacular _sleepy.moth_ on Instagram!

Also little plug, there's some art haven't been able to share here yet. You can find all that on Instagram, juicebox_n_oreos, then go to the highlights.

--

"He's not dead! He faked his death once already. You would have seen them get out if you all had just waited a little while!" Pitch spat over the phone.

"We didn't want to be seen near the scene", J insisted on the other line. "That could be bad for both of us. It wasn't a clean swerve though. It looked like they really might have lost control at the high speeds"

Pitches hand tightened on his steering wheel. The car wasn't even on, he was just in there to take the call. He was trying to keep his expressions of anger subtle and under the radar to everyone outside of the car.

At this point, the cabin was surrounded with yellow caution tape, investigators, and squads.

"You realize they're probably on the run again, and getting further and further away, don't you?" Pitch snapped.

"If they made it"

"You haven't met Illinois. He's crafty, with survival skills you wouldn't believe. He disappeared the first time after convincing everyone he died in some mountains overseas. And Daniel Jones is a literal weapon. They made it, thanks to your mistake"

"Look, we're doing our best over here. I don't think anyone has the experience needed for this whole thing. I'm sorry we messed up, but we can't undo that. F just called in to make an anonymous tip about seeing a car drive over the bridge. Maybe you guys can find some evidence in there. For now, we're gonna keep looking for him"

"Fine" Pitch muttered through grit teeth, before hanging up. It made his blood boil. They had been so close. All they would have needed to do was wait a few minutes.

Instead, the two were probably on the move again, further and further. Harder to pinpoint. Dr. Pitch took a breath in an attempt to calm himself. This was a setback, but it wasn't the end.

Shortly after the phone call, a worker from a gas station walking distance away from the river reported a missing car.

A notice would be sent out to the police to alert higher-ups if they saw the license plate. It was better than nothing, Doctor Pitch thought bitterly.

He would still find them, and he would make sure they regretted it all before he ended this whole thing once and for all.

—

A little into the drive, Yancy had fallen asleep. Illinois was pretty tired himself, but wanted to get as far as possible before they pulled over. They had been driving for a few hours, but they weren't even close to the halfway point.

Illinois yawned and struggled to keep his eyes on the road ahead. Just a few more hours, he told himself. He could do that, right? He had been awake for longer, before. Granted, typically it was after not doing too much, but still.

It was dark out, but it was hard to see the stars over the highway. The road was too busy, and the cities were too close. He'd miss his little home where the stars were usually so bright.

When he was hiding in the mountains, even the milky way was visible. He missed that. It was almost like a vacation, despite the fact that it was all just to fake his death.

He was yanked out of his thoughts by red and blue flashing lights right behind them, followed by a police siren.

Illinois' heart dropped to his stomach, as he looked in the rearview mirror. The cop car was tailing them. Of course, the car was probably reported as stolen.