Thunder cracked in the clouds, lightning striking the horizon ahead and reflecting off Axton's bike. The matte black frame absorbs the bright flash, giving it a cold, menacing gleam.
The bike wasn't a vehicle; it was a beast of black steel. It sat low and heavy on the sand, a brutal, reinforced cage of matte black armour. The engine snarled to life, a deep, guttural roar that felt more like a beast's challenge than a machine's sound. Its wheels were armoured with thick, studded tires, capable of crushing rock and chewing through sand. The wide, twin exhaust pipes looked more like cannons than a way to vent smoke. It was built for war, not for travel—a perfect hunting machine for a man who moved and fought like a beast himself.
When they accelerated, the bike didn't hum, it roared as it sped so fast that the dunes passed them in a flash.
Ren sat behind Axton as they raced the weather, his face lowered behind Axton since he wasn't offered a helmet, and his arms tightly wrapped around Axton's strong waist. Not because he wanted to, but because he'd fall off the speeding bike if he let go.
"Ugh!" Ren grunted as they suddenly bumped over a log, his hips felt like they had shifted again. Ren wished he could just cry out like a baby; it hurt, it hurt like hell.
He gritted his teeth in pain and shut his eyes to prevent the dust from finding home in them. With how fast Axton was going, they were sure to win against the weather.
"Take my gun," Axton suddenly ordered.
Ren frowned, "Gun-oh!" He gasped as Axton suddenly grabbed his hand and brought it over to his thigh, pressing it over the holster.
"Two Beast-bounds ahead, make sure you don't miss," Axton instructed and accelerated the bike, moving them at incredible speed.
Ren's shaky finger drew the gun from Axton's holster and forced his eyes up. Focusing ahead, he saw the Beast-bound running toward them in a frenzied manner.
Fear engulfed him, not even from the Beast-bounds, but from Axton's tone when he asked him not to miss a shot.
He feared he might miss and end up getting punished for it. He tried to focus on them but the dust just won't let him, biting harshly into his eyes.
Ren clenched his jaw, determined. He forced his eyes open and took a glance at the shadows of the creatures in front; then, he aimed, shooting them down in two clean shots.
"Good," Axton said and bent his bike as he took a corner through the dunes, away from the dead Beast-bounds.
Ren raised his face and realised that Axton had taken another route, and this seemed to be the right way.
'Why did he take the wrong path in the first place?' He pondered.
He could tell that the way Axton was going before was filled with Beast-bounds... what was he trying to do by going there?
The engine revved loudly, and exhaust vented as they sped toward the high silver gates of Faction12.
Once again, Ren never thought that those formidable gates could ever bring him safety, but as they got closer to it, relief washed over his body.
He had arrived faster, gotten away from the Beast-bounds, and won against the weather—all because Axton had rescued him.
Ren frowned. Axton wouldn't have come out just for him knowing the high risks of getting burnt by the black rain.
His thoughts were disturbed when he heard that synthesised voice that traumatised his life when it exposed his true identity to the soldiers.
"Welcome back, Captain Conan," The artificial voice spoke as Axton drove into the sliding gates.
Ren watched in awe as Axton easily drove his bike through a sleek, bright passage, bringing them out right in front of that silvery, tall building.
'So the gate can open easily without having to answer a series of questions and going through disarming scans,' Ren frowned.
The bike stopped, and before Ren could even get off, he felt two hands grab his elbows and pull him off the bike.
"Take him to the captain's office," Rhys commanded from the side.
Ren was confused, his forehead creasing with a tight frown.
'I just arrived with the captain, why are they treating me like some criminal again?'
The captain in question said nothing.
Axton simply removed his helmet and placed it on top of his bike; and, without glancing at Ren, walked into the building.
'Devil,' Ren glared at Axton's retreating figure.
"Take him in," Rhys ordered, staring up at the sky.
Ren groaned painfully as they pushed him forward; his hips might have popped back in place, but it still hurt to walk, not to mention being dragged the way he was, "I can walk." He said and tried to free his hands from the soldiers but they grabbed him tighter.
"Just walk," One of the soldiers said beside him.
"Keal?" Rhys called as they dragged Ren into the building.
The soldier who had just spoken to Ren halted and answered.
"Yes, Lieutenant," Kael answered.
"Take Ren to meet the Captain. Come with me, Knox," Rhys said.
Ren sighed in relief as one of the soldiers released his hand and went over to Rhys, leaving just him and Kael.
He knew that the dragging wasn't going to be that harsh anymore.
"Move," Kael said, tugging Ren's arm.
Ren obeyed, turning his face from left to right to take a proper look at the large hall he'd been dragged through the other day.
He saw the door ahead and immediately realised that it was behind it that Axton had shot him, almost killing him if not for his miraculous regeneration.
"This way," Kael dragged Ren away from the door he was staring at, pulling him toward an elevator.
Ren grunted, glancing at the soldier's face.
'A blonde,' He thought quietly as they entered the elevator.
Once inside, Kael released Ren's hand and moved to the side of the elevator.
Ren slowly pressed his back against the wall, closing his eyes to catch his breath. He could hear the storm happening outside, and this time, he really had Axton to thank for saving him.
"I was once human, too," Kael's quiet voice rang out.
Ren's brow knitted in serious confusion.
The last thing he expected was to be spoken to; and, even if he was to be spoken to, he expected a command, a condescending speech, or even a plain insult. He never thought someone inside these Faction 12 walls could ever speak normally to him.
"Um..." Ren cleared his throat, "You're still human... just a survivor." He spoke cautiously.
"I'm Kael," Keal introduced, extending his hand to Ren.
Ren blinked, suspicion engulfing his mind.
Why was Kael being nice after dragging him so roughly out there?
Was this a setup?
Ren was never trusting a single soul out here. Trust a person at your own risk.
He stared at Kael's hand and reluctantly shook it, "I'm Renault." He told Kael, his eyes taking in Kael's clean face.
Compared to him, Kael was clean, healthy. His brown eyes were a warm contrast to his blonde hair, giving him an almost homey look but the soldier's uniform he wore told anyone that he was anything but homely.
"Nice to meet you, Ren. I can call you Ren, right?" Kael asked calmly.
Ren stared harder at Kael's face. For a second, he saw a glint of mischievousness flash in his eyes, but he doubted he had seen right.
"Yes, Ren is just fine," Ren replied.
"The secret to surviving in Faction12 is never saying 'no' to the captain. Only Yes, yes, and yes. Are we clear?" Kael asked.
Ren slowly nodded, "Yes." He said, a slight smile could be detected in his tone.
The elevator opened and Ren once again recalled that this passageway led to Axton's office... where he had killed Cypher.
"I'll have to hold you," Kael said and held Ren's elbow, leading him out of the elevator.
Ren nodded, complying with Kael.
As they walked toward the opaque door, Ren noticed how Kael didn't drag him this time. Kael simply held him, almost like two friends taking a walk to the principal's office.
But Ren wasn't an idiot, he knew better than to get close to anyone. He used himself as an example, betraying his Faction and doing a double agent job.
That was their world, everyone had to be selfish and deceitful to survive. Letting your guard down for a second could be the end of you.
They reached the opaque door and Kael gently knocked twice on it, "Captain, may I bring in your hostage?" Kael spoke in a detached tone.
Ren sighed quietly, his shoulders slacking in disappointment.
'So much for being friends.'
"Bring him in," Axton's magnetic voice answered from behind the door.
Kael didn't glance at Ren for a second and immediately opened the door, taking him into the dimly lit office.
Ren felt a chill run down his spine as he entered the office; remembering how easily Axton had shot Cypher made his bones shiver.
He would always keep in mind how unpredictable Axton was and never let his guard down.
"Here he is, Captain," Kael bowed his head as he reached the front of Axton's desk.
"Leave us," Axton ordered.
"Yes, Captain," Kael bowed his head one last time and left the office.
Ren held his hands together in front of him as Kael abandoned him with Axton. Slowly, he glanced up at Axton.
This time, he wasn't standing in front of his desk, he was sitting behind it in an intimidating pose; his eyes sharp as he gazed at Ren.
"Report," Axton said, raising a gentle brow at Ren.
Ren closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them.
"Why did you rescue me?" He blurted out, his mind immediately reeling with one thousand ways Axton could kill him in the next second.