(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."
She gave a slight nod at his assurance, slowly shifting her hand so that she was gently holding his.
"When we do make it to Outhila -because we're going to make it- what are you going to do?" Nym glanced at him, pulling another chip from the bag to nibble at, "If you could do anything, what would you want to do?"
Getting to the border was their first step, certainly, but after that…there was a whole world of possibilities. Nym knew the Outhilian government would be far from welcoming to an enemy soldier, but if he crossed the border as a refugee, he would be greeted much more warmly. Her own plans for what to do were simple enough; get her information to her superiors, then resign from the service and find somewhere to go away from the chaos and death. Rael's plans though, she had no idea if they would align with hers.
She glanced out the window next to him as she asked, watching the scenery pass by. Soon she could imagine the rocky mountains that separated the countries, but until then…it was a long way off.
Rael looked down at their hands. The left corner of his lips curved up into a faint smile as he went back to looking at the road. His sudden happiness was interrupted with her question.
What would he do when they get there? He has heard news about some escaping to Outhila, but all of it is used for propaganda purposes. Still, he knows that officials, soliders, like him get put on trial, locked up for the rest of their lives, then die. Even if that is going to be his life, he still wants to help them even if he is given shame posthumously. Of course if somehow they are miraculously generous and kind to him, he could always do what he had dreamed of before sacrificing it to war.
"I don't know, aren't they just going to put me in prison or give me the death penalty? At this point, I kind of deserve it." He bit his bottom lip in thought. Minutes passed by as he was silent. He was unsure whether or not to tell her what he really wanted to do, then again, he is here with her now; and he does trust her.
"Well, I probably would help your government the best I can with information. Maybe ask your government to see if they have my brother; he's not a solider or anything, just a doctor, but he disappeared awhile ago. Then going to college is the next one; I want to become a professor and also a writer. See my sister, meet my sister-in-law and their son. Then settle down somewhere peaceful and have a family of my own." He smiled before realizing. "Sorry if I carried on too much. Dreams are addicting, it's what helps soldiers carry on in the living hell they are in."
"I know you might have told me, but what are you going to do then?"
Nym shook her head. "Don't apologize, dreams are what people live for."
There was a fair chance that when the got to the border, Rael would be arrested, and Nym wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Though she was going to do her damn best to keep it from happening. If she could get a message out to her contact about Rael… Silently she closed her eyes. It would be a long shot, but she wanted to give him the best chance of living out his dreams as she could.
"Hm? Oh," She opened her eyes and snapped back to the present, a hesitant smile passing over her face, "I want to get away from it all. I want to see my sister and brother, and meet my nephew, but then I want to disappear. Resign from the service, and either travel or find somewhere secluded for some time. Eventually I plan to come back, but I need a break first."
She shrugged, looking out at the road ahead, "It's a stretch, but that's my dream."
Rael briefly glimpsed over at her with a smile then returned his gaze back to the road. "Very insightful and inspiring of you to say."
Are dreams what he really lives for? At this point, other than the goal of getting Nym to the border, he does not have much else. Well, realistically he probably shouldn't. All he can hope for is spending the rest of his life in prison in atonement. Couldn't that be his dream instead? He wishes it was.
Maybe his dream could be her. Not living through hers or just getting her to the border, but living to see Nym go on to accomplish her dreams, even if they get separated.
"It is definitely something worth living for, and for all what you gone through already too," He nodded. "I am sure you will achieve it all."
"You will too," She assured him, leaning her head back against the seat.
Nym couldn't help but think of what Rael would have dreamed if he wasn't stuck helping her. Would he stay in the service? Do like she dreamed and get away from it all? No matter what he would've done, there was no way he could go back to that. A shot of guilt pulled through her. She had uprooted his entire life and what he was dreaming now was simply what he could with the situation at hand.
Still, she didn't ask on it any further, letting silence drift between them for several minutes before asking. "Where's our next stop?" It didn't matter to her, but it was something to talk about to calm the ride down after the chaos at the gas station.
Soldiers always have the fear of what will happen next, even if they have accepted their fate. Rael knows he is a coward for this, but he always pushes the fact towards the back of his head; he doesn't want to admit it. Will he? Only when the time is right. He's not going to blame Nym if he gets thrown into a torture cell. He won't even blame himself to be honest. And to go further, he probably would have died if he stayed back wearing that pathetic uniform.
But that's all hypothetical and it's all in his head. "Hm?" His eyes darted over to get a glimpse of Nym. Facing forward, he bit the inside of his cheek. The image of the map and their plans appeared in his mind. "I think before our final stop for today….there's just one at a small village to get lunch and stretch our legs…We can make another stop before our last one…I don't mind."
Nym shook her head, eyes trained on the road ahead of them. "The fewer stops the better, we should get some distance between us and everything that happened." The chaos from before was still fresh in her mind and she knew there were people now on their trail if the cashier had called in their appearance. Whoever they sent after the two of them, she was certain they would be trained just as good as herself and Rael were trained, possibly even better when it came to tracking them down on their trip.
She trailed off into silence and let things grow quiet, turning over the thought of how to hide from their pursuers. Changing their appearance would help as well as switching the car or ditching it entirely. Other than that, there wasn't much else to do. Changing their path would simply mean it would take them longer to get out of the country, leaving that option off the table as well as the option of asking someone else for help. They could trust no one but the two of them and her correspondences, though she hadn't had access to them since she had been sent into the country.
"Right…Right." What Nym said is most definitely true. They need to get as far from that mess as possible. Rael knows that it won't be over when they do create that distance. It will follow them until they reach the border; it may follow both of them till the end. The only way to make things better is to adapt to this wonderful new addition to their plans. All he can guess now is that there chances of getting caught has raised; they have a tail on them now.
A feeling pinned against his chest. He wasn't sure if it was from yesterday or not. It made his chest tight, causing his heart to feel like there isn't enough space to keep beating. Everything is warm. Rael did his best to breathe, trying to ignore it along with the other thoughts running around in his head. He can't have anything stop from getting to the final stop for today. Looking far ahead, he forced his hands to relax on the steering wheel. His foot followed, slowly relaxing its weight against the gas pedal.
