Death's Hitman

Chapter Nineteen

Dawn had barely put in an appearance and Hitman had them all up, instructing them to eat and drink, then ready themselves for another long day of travelling.

"Where will be headed to today?" Sheamus asked as he set to making bacon and eggs in a huge frying pan over the fire. Nobody questioned where he managed to materialise any of this from, just grateful to have a good breakfast. Sheamus had a lot of Fae in him and Hitman assumed he used his magic for such homely business.

"Zone Two," Hitman replied. "Once Humans have been processed in Zone One it's where they inevitably move to first."

"Why would Persephone go there?" asked Drew and Hitman indicated Hope.

"She'll be looking for her daughter while trying to stay discrete if she's moving under her own steam so we start at the beginning of the trail. A systematic search of the Human Zones first and we hope she's still only in the first few. If we discover any evidence she's being held against her will more likely to find it in Zones One through Five than anywhere else. We've been in Zone One already and there was no sign of her there; she'd have made her presence felt as I had cause to give the girl a reminder of listening to me." Hope flushed red at his comment remembering seeing Leah and defying him by going to speak to her one time friend, but the others made no comment.

"If we are to go at the pace we did yesterday you will need to allow me to carry her some of the way," Juniper said.

"She's got feet; she can walk," Hitman replied, without even looking at her. Juniper's eyes flashed with anger.

"Yesterday her feet were cut to shreds. You will not treat her with such cruelty!"

"Reckon she's mine to treat how I wish to," he replied calmly. He then looked directly at Hope. "You got any complaints girl?"

"No sir," she said, ducking her head and he nodded, satisfied.

"We'll get moving then. Wrists." He bit this out at her and she immediately complied, fully expecting him to make them tight but he didn't and as they set off he took her bag from her, shouldering it with his own. Juniper saw this and some of her anger at him died. He didn't set such a frantic pace and did at least stop several times to allow them to sit and drink some water so she knew he had listened to her whatever he might have said.

The border was shimmering in front of them by mid afternoon. Hitman paused to take out his visor, to check on their pursuers.

"The Hunters aren't far behind. They've reached the stables."

"They won't find any evidence of us there," said Sheamus. "Me and Juniper did some pretty impressive magic there for the clean up."

Hitman nodded, his eyes still hidden behind his visor.

"They're stopping to rest. Reckon if we get into the city we can find a place to stay then tomorrow begin a proper search."

"Tell you what, you all go rest and I can start a search tonight," said Sheamus. "I have little need of rest and without my woman to keep me company I don't sleep so well anyway. If I find anything I'll come get you up."

"Alright," said Hitman, after a brief pause while he considered this. Relieved they would be finding a place to stay the night, Hope found the energy to look about her as they crossed the border. Juniper had dealt with that, walking them through without any issue. Once inside Hope found herself in a small town which resembled any number of towns she had experienced in the land of the living. There was a grey road and a sandy coloured sidewalk lined with trees. Tall buildings sprang up at either side, apartment blocks and shops. It was as close to the land of the living as you could get,  but everything was tinged with a faint grey, making it shift a little, to not appear entirely real. People were going about their business, all of them alone, achingly alone and she felt this permeate her skin. A sense of grief filled her as they walked, making her steps feel heavy and lethargic. Hitman turned to scowl at her when she lagged behind him. "You need to get those feet moving, girl. We're nearly there."