War of Judgement

Volume I - Survivors

Chapter V - On the Run

'So, that's where you are?' 

He still remembered it vividly.

The moment he checked his pocket and found that his wallet had been stolen right under his nose. It had been midnight and not a soul had been in sight on the quiet empty streets of the small, peaceful town. Yet he remembered two young children rushing past him, the older of the two bumping into him for just a moment. 

At the time he had thought nothing of it. 

That was until he found his wallet was missing. 

Many emotions had filled him following this discovery, anger and frustration the first and most natural response to being pickpocketed. Then as he went through a host of varying others, amazement had filled him also. 

There was a deftness and skill within the child's actions that had truly impressed him and he couldn't help but be curious. Nought more than a few moments later he had learned that this had been a common occurrence within this town with many others falling victim to pickpockets. 

A pandemic they called it. 

It was amusing that two children were behind this entire so-called pandemic, he often wondered how others would react to this discovery. Would they be just as amazed as he was to learn that two children were so skilled to pull this off? Or would they come down on the two with righteous fury?

He imagined from their thoughts that it would be the latter.

He seemed to be the only one truly amazed with their skill. 

So he said nothing. 

Instead, he went on his way with a new purpose in mind. 

To find those children. 

It hadn't been difficult. 

They were good pickpockets, but not very good at covering their tracks. If the police took this seriously like they soon would if the two continued like they had then it wouldn't take long for them to get caught. However, for the time being, the incident was not worth the small town's police interest. 

Yet they seemed to have enough sense to get out of town before the police decided to deal with the situation. The money they had stolen was spent on bus and train tickets as they travelled from town to town as they moved across the state of Utah and headed east. 

Both of the children had moved from town to town, stealing from the populace and leaving before things got too big ensuring the police never got involved. They had cut it close a few times, sometimes leaving prematurely but made sure to always avoid a manhunt from the police. 

Cities were also something they avoided, sticking just to small towns. 

A strange choice considering that a city would be better when it comes to going unnoticed. Pickpockets were always around especially in big cities so it would have made more sense to stick to them. Though he had to remind himself on numerous occasions that they were just children. 

 Skilled thieves, but still children. 

Often when following their trail he arrived just after they had left, hearing the town talk about the recent string of pickpocketing that had befallen them. It was always amusing but he was never losing sight of the trail they left. 

Yet it proved to him that they had potential and he wanted that by his side. 

For his dreams and goals, young and impressionable children would prove the best to raise and manipulate for his own means. With them by his side, it would be the beginning of his journey to return the dying fire and reignite the old era into a new inferno with him at the very top. 

'Though I will have to make use of the police in order to earn their trust.' He thought to himself with a smile as stepped off the bus into the newest town on the children's journey. 'And if that fails, I can always force them into submission.'

-X-

Something was very wrong. 

Darius realised that very quickly as he ducked into an alley and hid himself away out of sight. A few moments later police cars raced past, sirens blaring loudly in the early hours of the morning. 

He didn't like how active they were. 

The small town of the orphanage and its position near the centre had given Darius the perfect place to watch the way the town and others operated. One thing that was clear was in the early hours of the morning, people were tired and still half-asleep. 

Easy targets. 

Inattentive and unaware. 

It was why he was active in these times, catching people as they rushed to work.

Yet the police were also something he had watched. 

They too were just the same. 

Lazy, inattentive and entirely too unbothered. 

It was because of his experience with small towns that Darius had chosen to keep travelling through them. No town was the same but they were also entirely too similar and he liked that familiarity. With his understanding of these things, Darius quickly developed a routine as he and Alex moved from town to town. 

Today was the last day in this town before they moved on, Darius finishing his last stint of pickpocketing before collecting Alex. There they would get a bus and move on, buying food as they travelled rather than here. 

Yet something had changed. 

The police were active and searching the streets for something and when they did that, it was highly likely that they would discover him or Alex. This was something he had not expected or imagined to be the case, but it was something he had considered. 

After all, the world was filled with people and it wasn't impossible for something major to happen while visiting one of these towns. Yet the probability of that happening was something Darius had not considered very high. 

'I need to get Alex and leave now.' Darius thought to himself, peeking his head out to make sure the streets were empty before calmly walking out and acting like nothing was happening. It was nearing six o'clock and so, Darius stood in line with other people at the crossing, cars moving past as a green light showed. Then when it turned red, Darius, hidden amongst the crowd of people walked across the road and sparing only a glance at the police cards waiting for them, no different to anyone else who also looked. 

On the other side, most of the people turned right towards the town centre, but Darius kept pace with those who turned left. He kept himself central, hidden by the bodies around him before turning down another alleyway to a street on the other side. 

Just down here was where he and Alex were squatting. 

A park was on the other side, in it was a large playground with a large playground fort with numerous slides and swings attached. Inside the slides, Darius had left Alex there to sleep hidden away from the outdoors as best as possible with a sleeping bag and some food. 

But when Darius came to the edge of the alley, looking out to the park his worst fears were coming true. There, being escorted toward a police car was Alex as police officers checked the rest of the playground. 

Clenching his fist, Darius ran without a second thought. 

He rushed across the road, a driver slamming on his brakes and beeping his horn loudly as he nearly hit Darius. Yet the close brush with death did not dissuade Darius who closed in on the police. 

Though at this point, they had noticed his approach and turned. 

At that moment, Darius was upon them.

Yet it meant nothing. 

The police officers were full-grown adults of varying shapes and sizes while Darius was a thirteen-year-old boy. He was young and neither strong nor skilled enough to pose an actual threat to them. 

A single punch was all he threw towards a roundtoned police officer, though it accomplished nothing. All the officer did was treat him like the child he was and restrain him with ease no matter how much he fought back and screamed obscenities at them. 

Once more, he was about to experience hell. 

He and Alex would inevitably be returned to that hell they had escaped from once before, forced to endure the pain and suffering. 

Once more, there was nothing Darius could do to stop it. 

Once more, he was helpless and powerless. 

Unable to protect himself, let alone Alex. 

A thump of bodies made Darius go still, as he fell back, landing on the unconscious body of the officer who had been restraining him. For a moment he lay there, just gazing up at the sky in bemusement and not quite sure of what had just happened. 

He then looked around, seeing the other officers and many spectators who had watched the spectacle unfold had also fallen to the ground. 

It was a truly strange sight and one that Darius could not wrap his head around. "Are you two alright?" A man's voice asked, Darius quickly looked to see a man walking towards them wearing a lumber shirt and a dirty baseball cap, his pants possessing more than a few holes in them. 

Scrambling to his feet, Darius quickly rushed towards Alex who looked just as confused and as shocked as he felt. "Was this you?" Darius questioned standing protectively in front of Alex. 

"It was."

"How?"

The man smiled. "I possess powers." He answered, his smile growing wider. "Just like those of the heroes and villains who fought in World War 2. Back during the Age of Heroes, the Bronze Age, the First Generation. I am the beginning of a new generation, the Second Generation that will usher in a new Golden Age of Heroes."

Neither Darius nor Alex said anything, just staring at the man as he ranted, a crazed look coming across his features. He seemed to realise and cleared his throat, arms lowering from where they had initially been outstretched. 

"You stole from me, Darius." This made the young boy tense up, pushing Alex further behind him. "Though it does not bother me that you stole a bit of cash from me. Take it as my gift to you. Instead, why don't we work together, with your skills and my powers, we don't have to stick to stealing wallets from a few sleepy small-town inhabitants. We can target bigger places with much greater rewards. What do you say?"

"Not interested," Darius responded bluntly. 

The man frowned. "Why not?" 

"I only steal what I need to get feed me and my brother."

"That's a shame." The man muttered, before shrugging his shoulders and walking toward the two brothers. 

"Run!" Darius shouted, nudging Alex to turn and run. 

Yet before they could even take more than a handful of steps, the two brothers suddenly went still, their eyes glazing over. "Should have done this in the first place." The man muttered, taking off his cap to scratch his head. "Now, where too next?" 

As he hummed to himself, moving down the street, both Darius and Alex followed him. 

Silently and obediently. 

So, another chapter is done and not long after gaining freedom, the brothers quickly lose it. Now, if you would like to support me head over to patreon.com/IGG1 or you can go to the Fandom Wiki at https://judgement-day.fandom.com/wiki/Judgement_Day_Wiki. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and if you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know.