Who you once Were || Volume One|| RuthTheNerd

Chapter Six- Running with the Wind

Nadia faintly remembered all the times she'd run through the wet grass in her family's backyard. Overgrown weeds attempted to push her to the ground, and mud made the soft blanket of green very slippery. Even then, she pursued.

Now, while she was holding Yuki's hand, jumping over trash bags and dodging bullets, she felt like all of the tripping and sliding and screaming fate had put her through hadn't been enough, or even close enough, to prepare her for this moment.

She heard another zip go by as Lola ducked, barely missing one of the bullets. Yuki was faring well on her own, even in the dress she was wearing. Lola seemed to be doing well, fishing out her holoscreen and jotting a quick message down while simultaneously pulling trash bags out of the way, clearing the road for Nadia and Yuki to focus on dodging bullets, which the attacker was running out of.

Nadia glanced back and saw that the blue-hoodied figure was now on high speed, getting dangerously close. She felt a prick at her back, but her jacket was enough to stop the dart from piercing her skin. 

Yuki stopped running, turning around and facing the speeding hoverbike. Before Nadia could pick Yuki up and keep her running, maybe provide her with a scolding along the way, the girl pulled off her jacket and threw it at the attacker's face. They flailed around, moving their bike around as they tried to take off the jacket. Lola yanked the two girls into an alleyway and pressed one pale hand against each of their mouths.

The sound of whirring and a few silent curses were heard as the hoverbike zoomed past the alleyway.

Nadia examined every one. "Is anyone hurt?"

Lola checked her unscathed arms, still clutching her holophone. "We're all fine. What's important is that we got away."

Yuki was trembling. "Lola, I think I remember. I remember it all now."

Lola nodded. "Good, Yuki. It'll be easier for all of us if we know everything we can. I myself still don't recognize that person..." She began muttering to herself, filling the alleyway with echoes before Nadia snapped her out of it.

"I believe you still owe me half an explanation," said Nadia. She was still frustrated and confused. She wasn't sure if knowing half-truths was better than knowing nothing at all.

"And I'll give you that explanation when we have the time!" Lola grumbled. Nadia inhaled, trying to keep cool and understand how Lola might be feeling.

"Who...did you text?" Yuki asked, pointing to Lola's jacket pocket. She reached forward and opened one, but instead of a shiny holoscreen, a few marzipan hearts wrapped in clear plastic wrap tumbled out.

"I thought we might get hungry," Lola sheepishly said. Yuki unwrapped a heart and took a large bite.

Nadia watched as Yuki joyfully ate the heart, smiling for one of the first times. It was a relief to see Yuki happy, and Nadia felt a weird slap of nostalgia hit her. It was like she'd known this girl for her entire life.

"Lola," Nadia turned to the blonde," can you at least tell me what that person wanted? Why they're chasing us?"

Lola pulled a hand through her wavy locks. "I myself hardly know much. I know they want Yuki...and you."

Nadia gulped. The saliva felt dry and stale in her mouth. 

Her?

What did Nadia have that they wanted? And why did that result in killing her? 

"If they want me, why do they want to kill me? Human trafficking?" Nadia asked. Lola shook her head. 

"Those weren't normal bullets. They were tranquilizers. The person isn't trying to kill us, just knock us out for some time. It's most likely they're working for a bigger organization. Hoverbikes are expensive, and that one looked like a certain brand of its own," Lola muttered.

Nadia gaped at her keen observation. Lola had noticed so much that Nadia had passed...and Lola was also more agile when it came to running off. Like she had experience with this sort of thing. So how come she knew so little? Did she avoid the subject?

Nadia looked down to see Yuki studying her, a half-eaten marzipan heart in her hand. She tilted her head to the side, the strands of her hair forming a curtain, separating Lola from the scene. Just like that, they were alone.

Her warm yellow eyes jumped around Nadia's disheveled self, from her short messy hair to her ripped pants. 

"Are you okay?"

Nadia could feel her heart swell up. It sounded so truthful, so pure, for such a simple question. 

So, she decided to respond with something just as truthful.

"No. I'm confused, and I'm angry, and I'm just so scared, Yuki! I'm supposed to take care of you until I understand, but I'm just as terrified of this threat as you are."

Yuki's expression didn't change as she continued nibbling on her desert. "You do a good job of hiding all of that. But hiding isn't an answer."

Nadia didn't expect the advice, especially coming from Yuki, a girl who was mostly silent and hardly felt emotions. Maybe she was just hiding it all, too.

"Guys, I think it's safe to head back," Lola said, snapping Nadia out from her talk with Yuki. "We'll head back to the bakery and purchase hyperloop tickets."

"Without knowing who that person is?" Nadia asked. She felt sick to the stomach. They weren't going to just leave without knowing, were they? Was Lola trying to keep them safe? Because if she was, Nadia could feel less safe knowing absolutely nothing about this person.

"We'll find out, but it's more important that you guys are saf-" A loud clank sounded through the alleyway. Yuki crouched next to Nadia.

Lola raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"

"Sounded like metal clanging against something..." Nadia said. "I'll go see what it-"

Lola held up a hand. "No. I'll go see, you two stay here."

Before Nadia could argue, Lola sped past the girls and went deeper into the alley. A short and swift shwoop was heard.

"What was that?" Yuki tugged at Nadia's arm. Her yellow eyes shone and reflected off of the rusty trash cans, a putrid smell coming from them that Nadia had just noticed.

"I-I don't know...I should go check-"

Shwoop.

Nadia felt a sharp prick at her chest and felt the world slowly blacking out.