(No worries! Sorry mine is very late.)
Without saying a word, he gave a nod. His lips thinned out while his hands slightly trembled, holding onto the handle for the kit. He waited till Nym left before he began to treat his bruises and whatever else that needed care.
Rael took a moment to relax before starting to treat himself. He took his shirt off and threw it to the right side of the bed. Staring down at his badly bruised chest, he slowly buried his face into his hands. For a few minutes, he just stood there while taking a few deep breaths. Dropping his hands down, he went back working on treating them.
There wasn't much he could do except for putting on some ointment, taking pain relievers, and applying some bandages, but it would have to do for now. At the least he won't have to look at them first thing whenever he takes his shirt off again. He put everything back into the first aid kit then put on his shirt. Glancing down at his watch, he checked the time as a long sigh drew out from his lips.
(That's alright!)
Wanting Rael to have time to take care of himself, Nym took her time with a load of things, walking slightly slower than she normally would, taking care to check her surroundings before unlocking and loading the car, even doing a very quick check underneath the car for anyone or anything waiting to hurt them. Thankfully there was nothing, though it did mean her job took shorter than she liked. She sighed when she realized she would have to disturb Rael's privacy and go back up to the room, but she turned on her heel and went to do so anyway. She glanced around as she walked, taking in the sights of the country. Soon she wouldn't be able to. The border of Outhila looked much like Bajhe, but the further they would get into the country -if they did- the more the looks would change. Just like every country.
Shaking her head from her wandering thoughts, she got back to the door to their room. Knocking first, she called out softly, "I'm coming in Rael," She unlocked the door but took a few moments to open it, giving Rael time to prepare for her coming back in, "Just have to grab the other load, then everything should be packed in and we should be ready to go."
As the next couple moments passed by, Rael sat down on the edge of the bed. His mind went over the plans for today, along with possible scenarios that could possibly happen. While he cannot predict the future, he still overthought every possible detail that could think of. The itinerary for today was pretty straight forward. When making the plan, he tried avoiding any major highways that lead to any big cities or towns, especially ones that are practically built around military bases. Then are the roads with soldiers checking every car before letting them go, which he also did his best in avoiding while planning. Unless the government added a few more stations, then they should be good to go.
Hearing the knock at the door startled him. He jumped up then turned to face the door. A second after, he heard Nym's voice. "Okay," He said back. Quickly, he adjusted his shirt before looking back at her. Rael took the first aid kit then walked over to her. "It's alright, I'll take it over to the car."
Nym stepped only a few steps into the room, instinctively scanning the room even if she didn't need to. "Do we need to check out before we leave?" She asked, looking up at him once she was satisfied that they hadn't left anything behind. "Also, who's driving?" If she was given the chance, Nym would gladly drive, at least until they got to a temporary stop. Rael clearly needed time to rest, and driving would keep him from doing so.
Leaning against the wall near the door, she waited for an answer. They needed to leave soon, both to stay on track, and to keep from staying in the same spot for too long.
Right….Checking out. Rael took a deep breath then slowly nodded in response. Turning in her direction, he held out the car keys. "I can go check us out and you can start the car," He offered. "It shouldn't take too long for me. I'll be back in a few minutes or so."
Fixing the baseball cap on his head, he took out the room key then headed over to the checkout. On the way there, he noticed two people passing by tipping his cap, he kept on walking forward till he reached the door.
Rael kept his eyes straight forward. He did his best to act normal, hoping that no one would detect him being suspicious all while hiding himself. Setting the key down on the desk, he slid it over to the lady and walked right out.
"Are you ready to go?" He asked as he ambled over to Nym. "The weather seems fine right now. We should be on schedule too."
(I'm so so sorry about the late response…I didn't realize my response didn't go through when I initially did)
Nym took the keys without complaint, starting the car as he walked off. She watched him through the rearview mirror as long as she could, admitting to herself that she cared about what would happen to him if someone found out who he was. She settled into the driver's seat, mostly just to sit down again, keeping the door open so the fresh morning air could circulate through the car.
"I'm ready whenever you are. We should get going anyway, we've been in the same spot for too long." She was relieved to see him again as he came back, though she didn't move from where she sat. "I'll drive for now, if you're alright with that. You need some more time to rest. At least for your mind to rest, even if there's not much more to do for your injuries." Nym looked up at him as she spoke, looking about as calm as she could in the situation they were in.
(It's alright. I appreciate the response.)
A small gap between his lips formed. He hesitated for a second. The urge to argue and get the keys was strong, yet he knew it was for the best. Relaxing his jaw, a long exhale left him as he looked around. His left hand rested on top of where his bruises are. There's nothing else he could do besides sitting and relaxing, especially if anyone were to find them.
Rael opened the door to the passenger seat then got in. After putting on his seat belt, he looked over at Nym. He gave her a nod. "Alright. Drive for as long as you can. I can switch with you whenever; don't feel burdened or anything."
She smiled slightly when he didn't kick her out of the driver's seat and settled in before he could change his mind. Nym bucked and waited for him to do the same before she backed out and made the way onto the road. "I will. In the mean time, get some rest." Glancing down at the gagues, she noticed they didn't have much gas left. If they were going to get far, they needed to get some more. But there was enough to get them at least another half an hour away from the city. Putting more distance between them and the people chasing them sounded like a good idea.
She settled into driving only a few minutes after they had left the motel, relaxing in the monotonous action. It had been years since she had last been able to drive without it being part of some excersize or training, and she was ready to soak up every moment of it.
"I will do my best," Rael said in a quiet tone. Not a surprise that he immediately was thinking of driving instead. The idea just jumped back into his train of thought. Yet, in the corner of his eye, he noticed how Nym had a small smile on her face. The sight of it is what made him calm a little, putting whatever anxiety was rising within him to rest. Maybe he will be relax in the time that she is driving. Maybe it is possible.
Whatever relaxing means, he is pretty sure that he is not doing it. Sadly his mind was too wired for him to close his eyes. After a few minutes of shutting his eyes, they would quickly open before he tried again. Then he could not really recline into the seat or slouch down. It felt unnatural to him, not to mention the fact that any small movement was still giving him a little bit of pain. Eventually he just decided to look out the side window, watching the things as the car drove by them. Every now and then he would glance over at Nym to see if she was alright before going back to staring out the window again.
(Not sure how up to the idea you are, but maybe we could have them encounter some of their pursuers when they stop for gas? Either something that is an actual fight or maybe they just see them and get the hell out with some information that they are being followed?)
Driving calmed Nym's worried mind, and she didn't notice the time passing. It was only when she glanced at the gas gauge that she realized how far they had driven. There was barely anything left in the tank. Looking over at Rael, she let him know quickly, "Sorry to bother you, but we need more fuel. Do you know the closest place to stop?"
She didn't want to bother him, considering he looked like he was still trying to relax even after so long. But they needed gas. Before they ended up stranded on the road with an empty fuel tank.
There were exits every so often, but Nym didn't know the country well enough to guess where they could stop. She recognized city names, and occasionally saw signs that were written in Outhilian. It was a strange pang that reminded her of home, of a time that the countries had gotten along well enough to need signs in both languages. That time was long past now, but it reminded her heavily of why she was in Bajhe and why she needed to leave.
(I'm totally down for that! What if they see the pursuers, try to leave, and then end up in a car chase where they have to change plans then maybe wind up in some random village? I do love the idea of them potentially getting into a fight.)
Rael glanced over at her. Leaning over, he took a look at the gas gage. Sitting back into his seat, he waved her off. "Don't worry, you're not bothering me," He reassured. "If something is wrong or you need me, just let me know."
They had already passed an exit that would've taken them to a gas station in a few kilometers, but there was still enough gas to take them to the next. His eyes flickered straight ahead, watching for the upcoming road signs.
"Take a right at the next sign for Juro. It should be coming up soon," He said. "Then within a couple miles after that there should be a gas station. Juro is a small town village so there shouldn't be a worry of soliders walking around."
Even after all of this time, he did not relax. He couldn't. Maybe if he lives on after all of this he could learn to, but for now, he has to focus on the current matter at hand. They've got to get out of here, and they're gonna need a full tank of gas in order to do so.
(Perfect! Then that'll be the plan!)
Nym nodded, following his directions. At the sign, she dutifully turned right, and on they continued on a new road. Juro came into view a few minutes later. Nym figured he had been a little lenient with calling it a village. They passed several homes and shops before the gas station came into view, and there were enough others in sight to call it a town easily.
She parked the car next to one of the gas pumps, shutting it off before glancing over at Rael with a hint of a smile, "Am I filling it up? Or are you going to?" She toyed with the keys in her hand, waiting for an answer. After a moment, she sighed, tossing him the keys, "Actually, you can fill up. I need to pee. I'll be back here in just a few minutes." She wasted no time in unbuckling and getting out, shooting Rael an assuring smile as she stretched out her legs, deciding a few more moments before going in couldn't hurt.
Whenever was the last time he was in Juro, it surely isn't the one he remembers. Or maybe he had gotten it confused with another place. Either way, he went back to staring out the window and occasionally looking at Nym to see if she was okay.
Rael's mind just wandered off a little while before they arrived at a gas station. It is not really something that happens in his own control. His eyes scanned the place, looking at the sign for gas prices, at other cars, and inside the gas station. It took him a while to snap back to reality until the keys landed in his lap.
Looking down at them for a second, he glimpsed over at Nym. "Okay," He said, "Be safe." Picking up the keys, he got out of the car. The first few seconds standing he spent stretching before going to the other side to start filling up the gas tank.
She kept her head down as she walked into the convenience store that was connected to the gas station, thankful that there weren't many people around. Pushing the door open, she didn't dare look towards the worker, finding the sign to the bathroom and heading straight there. She dealt with her business quickly, then used the extra free time to check her appearance in the bathroom mirror. In her opinion, she didn't look horrible, especially or the situation. Nym pushed a few stray hairs out of her face, then headed out of the bathroom.
At first, she was going to head straight back to the car, but soon after, the food and drinks that were on display caught her eye. Browsing the selection didn't seem like it would be too bad of an idea…Nym wandered down one asle with no real purpose than to see what there was. In the background, she could hear faint music playing through the store and the hum from the coolers of drinks, but nothing else.
Rael did everything in his power to act normal. Long ago he learned from some government officials that it is always the ones who keep looking over their shoulder who get caught with something. So here he is, leaning against the car with his hand on the gas pump. His eyes stared forward at the screen, watching as the numbers went up. Tension rested in his feet. His mind fixated on the sound of his heart thumping. Despite the soreness from his chest, he remained calm and relaxed.
The gas station was not busy; far from it actually. There were only two other cars getting gas while another two were parked in front of the convivence store. From where he stood, he really could not tell where the owners of these cars were nor could he tell who else was in the convivence store. His foot began to lightly tap as he heard the gas pump make a ding sound. With caution he removed the pump from the car and paid for the gas; they should able to get further now with a full tank.
His movement as he dragged his feet to the driver's side were strained. Quickly, he glimpsed over at the entrance to the convivence store. A suspicious feeling ached in his stomach. Shivers ran down his spine. Rael yawned as he got into the driver's seat. He put the key in the ignition then swiftly turned it.
(Did we decide if it was just seeing the enemy pop up or if it was an actual fight that's going to break out?)
Nym grabbed a bag of some chips, mostly because she needed something to eat to pass the time. Digging in her pockets, she pulled out some loose change she had nabbed from somewhere and counted out just enough to cover the cost. Satisfied, she walked up to the counter, setting the chips up and watching as the person behind the counter rang them up. They told her the total, and she handed out the change. Unsurprisingly, they raised an eyebrow and started to count out the change on their own.
Waiting for the person to do their job, she looked around and spotted a small, silent television behind the counter, set to some news station. It caught her eye just enough to look at it, and at that moment, a picture of Rael and herself appeared on the screen. Rael's picture had to be from when he was active on the front lines, as he looked cold as steel and was dressed in a wicked uniform. Hers on the other hand was the picture they had taken when they had caught her. Black eye and a murderous glint, she looked all the part of the criminal she was sure they were painting her to be.
The cashier finished with the change and handed her a small receipt before following her gaze to the television. It took them but a moment to put the picture on screen and Nym's face together, and their eyes widened in recognition. Nym glanced up at them, pulled a tight lipped smile and didn't say a word, just grabbed her chips and hurried as fast as she could to the door. Behind her she heard the cashier yelling, but she didn't stop to listen, shoving open the door and starting towards Rael's car.
(I was assuming that an actual fight breaks out then they manage to escape from the gas station. Are we going for that?)
The engine hummed softly. His hand flopped onto the steering wheel. Every now and then, his chin would turn to the left, looking for any sign of Nym leaving the convenience store. He gazed down at his watch. Only a decent amount of time had passed, although they should go now as soon as possible.
He will only go in if she does not come out in a few minutes. Nothing should happen though. They both are great at what they know and if anything happens, they have each other; they may have a good chance to get out of any trouble when it presents itself.
In the corner of his eye, Nym was bolting out of the store. The sight was so sudden that he tried to turn his head. Rael felt his hand reaching down to the gun in his pocket.
(Works for me)
The cashier made an appearance out the door when Nym was no more than a few steps towards the car, brandishing a hand gun and shouting loudly about stopping a fugitive.
She didn't fully turn to look at him, though she heard the words and glanced over her shoulder just in time to see the cashier aiming the gun at her. Before she could fully think, she was darting to the side. A shot rang out, and where she had previously been a bullet pinged the ground and shot forward, barely missing Nym as she cut back toward the car. "Go, go!" She shouted to Rael, motioning for him to get ready to leave.
The cashier's shouts seemed to have sparked another one of the customers to look into what was happening, and they watched with wide eyes as she jumped and practically slid across the hood of Rael's car in an attempt to get to the passenger side door faster.
Shouting was murmured due to being in the car. They were loud enough for him to feel it from where he sat. Tension added to the worry building up inside of him. The sudden sight of the cashier with a gun lead to his hand pulling his gun out. With his left index finger, he pressed on a button to let the window slowly roll down. The small creak was big enough for him to aim and shoot if needed.
Watching Nym, he shoved the gun into the cup holder where he caught a glimpse of a silver lighter. Rolling the window up, he muttered a few curses; it was the least he could do for himself right then and there. If they had enough time, he would have at least shot a window or one of the CCTV cameras. Maybe even the cashier's foot; all Bajhe soldiers are taught to aim low so then they can get a better opportunity to aim high.
But he does not have that opportunity now, except to get the hell out of there. Rael leaned over to open the passenger's side before witnessing Nym slide over the hood of the car. "What the-" In all honesty, he is sure whether he is more shocked or impressed. Both, maybe, both is good. "Shut door and hold on tight!" He shouted.
Another gunshot rang out as she landed on the ground on the other side of the car, close enough to Nym's head that she swore it nicked her hair. But she didn't let it stop her, moving in autopilot as she jumped into the car and closed the door. Instinctively, she reached for the gun he had tossed in the cupholder and braced for Rael to floor it, barely noticing how badly her hands were shaking from the encounter.
Even as a spy, she was far from used to being shot at for simply buying chips. The cashier had ran forward since she had gotten into the car, waving the gun around as they raced for the hood of the car. She couldn't tell if they were trying to stop them from leaving or simply looking for a better shot, and frankly she didn't care as she raised the gun on her own and watched the cashier through the sight. While she didn't want to shoot them, the adrenaline coursing through her was more than enough for her to forget her own morals if the cashier decided to shoot again. At this range, they wouldn't miss.
A witness running towards the hood, it must be their lucky day. The moment Nym had shut the door, he put the car into reverse then swiftly looked back to see if anyone was there. It's just them for now. They have no time to spare. Rael put his right arm over Nym then rammed his foot on the gas pedal. Once they were back far enough, he quickly shifted the gear into drive again. The cashier will most likely make a move unless…… Slamming his foot on the gas pedal, the car dashed forward enough for the person to stumble back onto the ground. He only waited a second or so to confirm he wouldn't be running over the cashier before making the car bolt out of the gas station and back onto the highway.
That is going to come back and bite them when they least expect it. As they were starting to get further and further away from the gas station, he did everything in his power to push that fact to the back of his head. The witnesses, CCTVs, the license plate, the model of the car….He tried to push it all to back of his mind so that he could keep driving. Once they were on the road, he made the car slow down. They probably burned so much gas, but he doesn't care about that. They will fix it. He can fix it.
In the corner of his eye, he took a glimpse of Nym. Puffing out his chest, he sighed deeply. Rael sat his hand over both of hers, squeezing them gently. "Breathe," He whispered. "Eat your chips too, honey. No one can outrun crazy cashiers or Bajhe soldiers on an empty stomach."
Nym didn't drop the gun from her grip until they were on the road, her hands shaking the entire time. She tossed the weapon back in the cupholder and rested her head back against the back of the seat, letting out a shaky sigh and not speaking. Her eyes closed as she did so and for a moment, she just sat in silence, thinking over what happened.
Her disappearance had been on the news. Rael had been as well. And the cashier had tried killing her because of it. Even that didn't bother her. It was the idea that she had been prepared to -had planned on- killing the cashier. That was the part that horrified her. She was a spy, and though she had taken lives before, she didn't want to do it again. Especially not the life of an innocent cashier who was determined to protect their store and their country.
She felt Rael's hand over hers, and she slowly opened her eyes to look at him. She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly at his words, nodding without speaking. Nym grabbed the bag of chips from where they had somehow landed on the floor, and yet she hesitated to open them.
"We're all over the news." Nym said, her voice shaking slightly as she stared at the chips, "They have a picture of you. And one of me. We won't be able to stop anywhere if the country is looking for us, not without changing our appearance. There'll be more people on our tail."
The news. Of course it would be broadcasted on the news eventually; he just thought that because of his family and prestige they would have kept it quiet for a bit longer. Government controls every aspect of media anyhow so he's really not that surprised. In fact, Rael has never felt more apathetic about something in his own case. Well, he believes himself to be right now at least.
He shook his head. "It'll be easier for you, my dear, not me, but I'll be more than happy to dye my hair red if that's what you want," He sighed. "The government is looking for us, not the sixty-three year old lady who owns a bed and breakfast we'll be heading to in a fairly remote village where have of it is empty because most of the men are fighting."
Her hand feels stiff underneath his. Despite the rigidity, he felt it shake at the same time. Momentarily, he decided to let it go, but only to help open the bag of chips. As if it were second nature, his hand returned to hers. "Worse comes to worse, they'll get me and you'll have to go on your own. I don't want half of my life's efforts be in vain, so you will escape safe and sound. It's not a promise, it's an order." Facing her for a second, he winked. "Or, I'll just kill anyone who tried to step on us."
Nym couldn't help but let out a short laugh at the idea of Rael dyeing his hair red. It was almost comical, to imagine him with anything but black hair. If he dyed it the right color red, they could pass as something like siblings, which made it even stranger.
"But people will be looking for us…I'm sure there's a reward for helping them find us."
Gently, she slipped one of her hands away from his, taking a chip from the bag. She was still far from relaxing, and she wouldn't let her guard down until they were well away from the town, but at the very least eating would keep her doing nothing but worrying.
Still, not even eating a chip kept her from breaking into the weakest smile at his words. Internally, she knew there was no way in hell she was letting him get caught for her sake. He had traveled with her, and she was going to make sure he made it across the border with her to something closer to safety. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that and that we can make it there without trouble."
A smile swept across his face at the sound of her laugh. While it was brief, it felt so relieving to hear. Making her laugh is a greater service to her and the world more than he cold ever had done in the military. And after that episode at the gas station, he wants to do the best he can to make her feel better. Distractions like that can be detrimental to the plan, to the goal. And yet, they to take every single one with them, holding it tightly as a reminder with every step they take.
Rael said nothing. He did not want to entertain the fact about the government having a reward. Anything he could say is just old news for the both of them. Bajhe is first in everything, as people always say, from military to all the inhumane things they do behind closed doors. Even if you don't know the details of the tyranny, you can still make a pretty good guess on what's happening. The thing is though, they are both witnesses to it; Rael is just the one who has to atone for his sins of being a perpetrator in it all.
His hand was gripping the wheel to the point where his knuckles were turning white. The moment his eyes flickered upon them, he loosened it. There were a cars spotted amongst the lanes on the road. He put on the signal then went into one of the faster lanes. "You will…." He muttered underneath his breath. At the realization of his words, he blinked, then assured, "We will make it."
