Cherish Red ✔️

Chapter Four

~ Runaways ~

"Let's go, Red."

Mr. Henderson looked down at her with dark eyes. He had a plan, and he wasn't going to wait for some distraught thing to finish mourning someone she didn't truly love. At the same time, he realized Red was probably going to be crying and talking to herself the whole time. Henderson sighed, and picked her up like a baby, as Red was still in fetal position.

"We can't stay here forever."

Red and her eyes glared at him. He sighed. She wasn't going to let this go. She wasn't going to come with him. But it's not like she had a choice.

"Look, Red; we're leaving," Mr. Henderson repeated. He forcefully held her pale hand. "Jixi would've wanted you to 'escape' and get out of here."

"You killed her!" Red suddenly screamed. "And it's your fault! You murdered all FOUR of them in cold blood! Why would I come with you now?"

"It's your fault too," Henderson said with a relaxed expression. "Now let's go. When we leave, we'll both be in trouble."

"Why? Why should I come with you, out of all people?" Red hissed. She hunched her shoulders. "You're probably just going to test on me privately! Why... why do you wanna take me?"

"That will be explained later, Red."

Mr. Henderson started dragging Red with him towards the doorway. Before he left, he took out a radio and into it he said "Hey, Jones; dispose of the four bodies in the basement, will you? We can't leave them here. They'll turn on us."

"Roger that," The man on the other end replied. "I'll be right there, sir."

"Thank you."

He turned it off and shoved it in his other pocket. Red and Henderson left the room, and turned right. They continuously walked straight until a fire exit door approached. Red gazed out the window; the sky had lightened up, but was now a dark shade of navy. Sparkling stars glimmered in the moonlight. It's the first time she ever saw 'outside'.

"What do you think?" Mr. Henderson asked.

"U-um... it's nice."

"Nice?"

"Yeah. It's kind of dark though."

"That's the point: we're going to leave here without a trace. Everyone think we'll have gone missing or killed by another thing, but we'll actually be... well..."

His voice trailed off, and turned into inaudible mumbling.

"What did you say? I didn't... hear you that time."

"Nothing. None of your business."

"I have a question."

"What?" Henderson said. He wanted to get out of there as quick as possible before the sun came up. He gave a nod of his head and dashed out the door, with Red almost tripping over her own feet. "Bah, just ask."

"Why are you acting so... well... more care-able now?"

"Care-able? I don't think that's a-"

"Heard one of your idiots say it. It's probably a word-"

"Well, I guess I have a soft spot. There, satisfied?" Henderson answered.

"Soft spot? Pft, yeah right!" Red laughed. She raised a brow. "You? Having a soft spot? I don't think so. You did kill four people a few minu-"

"CREATURES," He said, an eye twitching. "Or things. Just because I have one soft spot, does not mean that you get the right to be called a human or humanoid."

"Um, ouch. Okay then."

An awkward silence. Red broke it.

"So... how long until we get to wherever we're going...?"

"Call me whatever you want," Mr. Henderson sighed. He took out his phone. Five hours left according to Google Maps. Not enough time to get away without being identified. "I... I need to come up with a new plan."

"New plan?" Red asked. "Like, what kind of plan... father?"

"What did you say!?"

"I said, what kind of plan, Dad?"

Mr. Henderson stopped. He craned his neck to look down at Red - one of the shortest fourteen year olds he'd ever seen. He raised another brow.

"Why did you call me dad? Or father? I didn't make-"

"Yeah, ya did!" Red exclaimed. "Remember in the lab? You know, when you saw me trying to get out of all of that ink stuff or whatever? I... then you tried to shoot me..?"

"I... yes. I remember," Henderson said quietly. "So I guess that does technically make me your fucking dad."

"Yeah. I'm not exactly the happiest either, but hey. I exist. Someone's gotta do it."

"Well, when you put it that way, it makes you sound like a chore."

"Aren't I though?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..."

She paused and sighed.

"Never mind. Go on with your plan."

He closed his eyes and continued walking. Henderson glanced at his phone. He wasn't doing himself any good by trying to talk to his monster of a "daughter". He needed to keep moving, no matter what-

"Agh!"

Mr. Henderson turned around to see that Red had hopped onto his back like a horse. She wanted to be piggybacked. He sighed: better then listening to some creature complain about walking and how much longer it'd be.

"Alright fine, you can ride on my back. Just make sure next time you give me a warning, alright?"

"Ride? On your back? Wait, what?" Red seemed baffled. "No, no! I was trying find a way to attack you. I-"

"Attack me?"

"Yeah...?"

He sighed.

"Idiot."

Red frowned as Mr. Henderson kept watching his phone and looking around. She still didn't want to leave, but it was too late to take action or anything. She also didn't like the feeling of trusting her friend's killer. But what Red did like was "riding" on this man's back. It was kind of fun.

Henderson clenched his fists and whispered "There could be spies. For the governments. Watching ME. They just haven't done anything yet - they're waiting to arrest me at my own ho-"

"Look who's talking to them self now," Red mumbled. "You realize I got nine eyes, like everywhere. Right? I can just look for you."

"Yes!" He exclaimed. Without looking at her, Henderson said "That will be your job. It'll pass the time too. You can't even fight them if you want. Just leave me out of it, and you're okay."

"Um, okay!" She replied.

Maybe I should take a nap, Red thought. The seven other eyes will take care of things, right? And Dad can fight. I'm too tired to do that shit.

But she was also wary of her "dad". He could kill her or throw her away anytime. But he seemed sincere about her being "okay". Red just didn't understand what that meant entirely. He also mentioned earlier that she was useful, right? So maybe it will be okay and she won't die.

As all of these thoughts swarmed in her head, Red quickly fell into a deep slumber on her father's back.