Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Humanity: Torn Between Loving It and Hating It ❯ Betrayal ( Chapter 19 )

The sandy hills whipped by along with small creatures and the wind. He had been thinking it over for at least two hours after his twin and the priest had left. Knives kept his foot on the gas as he watched for any curving of the tracks he was following.

"Why the hell am I doing this?" Knives growled to himself in utter confusion of his uncharacteristicness. He had sneaked out of window after he had made up his mind, not wanting Milly or Meryl bombarding him with their questions.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment, tormented by all his own questions. Why was he doing this? Kale was just a human. A disgusting piece of trash that should have been tossed out with the rest of the garbage after she was born. So why was he still willing to . . . help? To actually rescue her?

Knives pounded a fist on the steering wheel in frustration. He was Millions Knives, a plant born with free will. He was a superior being! He was not supposed to be acting like this. Humans were nothing but monsters that used his bothers' and sisters' life forces to survive. They did not deserve to live!

The pale-blonde let out a rough sigh and watched for the tracks. When he looked up, a large deserted-looking warehouse came into view over the horizon. He skidded to a halt next two other vehicles. One was Wolfwood's motorcycle, obviously his and his brother's transportation here. The other was Kane's.

Knives hopped over the car door and looked around cautiously. He saw no security cameras or guards. Only the eerie silence that surrounded the property except for the howls of wind that whipped about.

He pulled out his raven-black revolver and opened it up to check for bullets. Then he dug out some loose bullets from his jean pockets and counted them before placing them back. After reassuring himself that no one was around, Knives walked up to the white door that was partially open and slipped in, his gun grasped tightly in his right hand with his finger on the trigger.

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Kale was huddled in a corner of a large, trashed room. Boxes and crates were scattered everywhere. She heard the scratching of tiny feet and she squeezed her shut. Rats. She loathed rats. There were ugly, hairy, and down right foul. A small, humorless smile crossed her lips. Knives probably considered her a rat then.

She had been tossed into this room after they had arrived. The man still unknown to her had removed her bonds and told her to stay put or she would regret it when he came back.

Her wrists and ankles were rubbed raw and had been bleeding slightly from the steel cords. Her body was stiff after riding there in an awkward position and her face stung, no doubt bruising, after being slapped by the kidnapper.

She needed to find a way to escape. She wasn't sure if anyone had awakened from the blast of the horn or not. Kale shivered, wondering what was going to happen next.

Ignoring the man's threat, she stood up. She wasn't going to stick around any longer. She had been there for more than an hour and her nerves were about to bust from the rising anxiety and paranoia.

Kale trudged around nervously, her gaze jerking back and forth every time she heard creak or moan. She paused a few feet from the door she had been tossed through.

Her hand, shaking from fear and lack of warmth in the room, hovered above the doorknob when it was suddenly flung open. Kale shrieked and fell back on her bottom. She winced in pain and looked up through one eye.

Instead of seeing the familiar bulky form, much to Kale's relief, two tall figures stepped into what light was emitted from the slime-covered windows. Kale wanted to cry for joy when Vash ran over and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Kale! We found you! Are you okay?" Vash asked frantically, tears of joy brimming his eyes. Kale nodded and looked over the outlaw's shoulder. Wolfwood was scanning their surroundings before looking her over. Suddenly another shadowy figure walked into the room.

"Kane!" Kale cried in shock and relief. Kane ran over and pulled her sister from Vash's arms and into her own.

"What happened?!" Kane shouted, holding her wrists tenderly in her hands then looking at her feet. Kale waved it off and stood up quickly.

"Forget about me. I'm fine. Let's just get out of here, please?! I don't want to be in this horrid place any longer than I need to be," Kale said, walking toward the door. After looking around once more, they followed her, weapons out and ready for any surprise attacks.

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Knives walked silently through the dark, mold covered halls, trying to see where he was going. He was starting to wonder if there was a light switch anywhere. He had already stubbed his toe twice and rammed his knee into some railing that he had not noticed at all before.

He suddenly heard hurried footfalls coming in his direction. He frowned and lifted his gun, his finger tightening on the trigger.

"Ack! Knives? No, wait! Don't shoot!" the familiar whiny voice of his twin erupted from the darkness. Knives narrowed his eyes and watched as Vash, Wolfwood, and the female twins emerge. Letting out a sigh, he lowered his gun halfway.

When Kale stepped into his line of vision, he saw clearly enough the cuts and bruises one her body. She was shivering from the cold no less. It was obvious because all she wore were her skimpy nightclothes.

His icy gaze switched to Kane. She was glaring at him for some odd reason, probably for having pointed his weapon at them without figuring out who it was. She walked past him and started in the direction he had come from, which was where the entrance was.

"C'mon. Let's get out of here!" she called over her shoulder. They all followed after her with him and Kale in the back. Knives felt the woman's gaze on him. After a few moments, he locked their eyes in a glare.

"What is it?" he grunted, not in the mood to really talk. He knew after this he would have to explain himself, but he refused to do it now. He wasn't in a very kind mood. He wanted to face the kidnapper and shoot him dead before leaving. He was sure he would feel much better afterwards.

"N-nothing," Kale shook out, crossing her arms over her chest tightly. "I was just curious as to why you are here."

"When I figure out an answer, I'll let your know," he stated truthfully. He honestly didn't know why had come either. Saving her could be considered an answer, but he'd never tell her that even if he had to. His pride just didn't allow such things. What the real question was why he wanted to rescue her.

Up front, Kane took a turn to another hallway. Vash and Wolfwood were following her without thought along with Kale, but Knives paused. He never came from that hall.

"You're going to wrong way," he shouted, narrowing his eyes. Kane stopped and glanced over at him.

"It's a shortcut! C'mon, you're stalling us," she said. Knives became suspicious.

"How do you know your way around, human? I remember where I came from and going down that hall is not in my memory bank!" Kale stopped a few feet in front of Knives, not sure whether to follow her sister or the man that hated her from head to toe.

"Maybe because I took up a job here? Why does it matter?" Kane hissed, glaring at him. Knives wanted to say more but Kane rounded the corner followed by a reluctant Vash then Wolfwood. Kale gave him a look that was torn between believing him and her own sibling.

With a sigh she turned and trudged after the group. Knives stood there alone, a scowl placed on his flawless, pale features. He scoffed and started after them mumbling, "Ignorant morons" under his breath.

The small group walked on for a while, taking different turns, going up and down stairways, and walking through numerous rooms. Knives was about to explode. He was going to put Kane in her place, force her to admit that they were lost, when heavy footfalls sounded from behind them.

He turned around only to have the butt of a gun slam mercilessly against his head. He grunted in pain and stumbled back. He went to lift his gun and shoot his attacker, but it was quickly knocked from his grasp and he was shoved backwards.

"Knives!" Kale cried, running to him without much thought. When she tried to help him up, he just pushed her back and away from him. Kale glared at the bulky shadowy figures and one of them suddenly lit a lantern, the golden light engulfing them all.

A gasp escaped Kale's lips when the man holding the lantern was Todd. She knew his voice had sounded familiar, but she was too busy wondering what was going on to pay much attention to it.

Wolfwood was about to pull his gun from the hostler that was strapped to his thigh when a man behind Todd pointed a gun at Kale's forehead.

"Watch it, pal," he said in a raspy voice. "Toss your weapons over here. Now! Or the bitch gets a bullet lodged in her brain." Reluctantly all the weapons, guns and blades alike, were tossed at the men's feet. Only Knives's gun lay ignored and forlorn in the shadows.

"Very nice," Todd commented, chuckling. He nodded to the men behind him and Kale saw the same evil cords of steel in each of their grasps. They walked past him and toward them, ready to bound them and prevent them from escaping.

Needless to say, Knives didn't go along with it like everyone else did. He knocked away every man they came within his personal space, threatening and cursing at them.

Finally, Todd came up and bashed the butt of his shotgun against the back of the Plant's head, causing him to become disorientated, which gave the men enough time to tie his wrists together and his arms behind his back then his ankles together.

Kale watched as none of them made a move on Kane. She just stood there and watched. Dread overcame Kale's angry suspicion as her twin sister made her way past the men and picked up her daggers.

"Kane, what the hell is going on?!" she shouted. Kane tossed her head back and laughed.

"You're so stupid, Kale. Are you still trying to figuring it everything out?" Kale's dark eyes widened in horror and disbelief.

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Ah, well, this kinda sucked for a cliffhanger. Chpt 20 is gunna be the end, k? ^^ Jus to give you guys some info. Laterz!