It was boisterous and compact. The Capital had a mall the size of the Old Earth’s state of Virginia and it definitely held as many people as the former state did. But it was commercial traffic– which made it all the worse in Caedan’s eyes. He’d read about Old Earth customs, like Christmas shopping on Black Friday, and imagined this hellhole of a shopping center was Syndega’s equivalent. He titled his ballcap downward and fastened a few more buttons on his jacket– he didn’t feel as though he was hidden well enough yet. Being stuck in a traffic stop didn’t make things any easier for him. The Syndega Group had its scouts looking for fugitives reportedly in the area but told the populace it was a routine Imbirth checking station. If Caedan and the others were spotted, they’d likely be killed or risk hurting others in their escape. Caedan wasn’t exactly opposed to the idea, but Mathie and Solomon had imposed a three-strike rule– if he went out of line any more than that, the two of them would leave him to fight this battle alone.
Looking over his shoulder, Caedan saw that Solomon and Mathieu strolled slightly behind, their heads also down to avoid suspicion. Caution was fine and all, but it hardly seemed they’d be caught in such an expansive place. Or so the trio would believe if it weren’t for the highly visible sentries that eyed the crowds from above. Those damned spheres used their cameras and mobility to swiftly detect shoplifters, troublemakers, and the like. In this instance, Caedan and company would be considered a bit of both. The sentries clicking and whirring spun above their heads like accusations and Caedan waited for them to make a scene. Further ahead was a group of Syndega security agents, clad in padded black armor with their faces obscured. They claimed it was for stealth and protection from Imbirth infection, but their game was intimidation through and through.
The trio hadn’t been able to move for a full five minutes now, and things were starting to become tense. Reaching into his pocket, Caedan rolled a couple of bottle caps between his fingers. An impromptu weapon of sorts, he was debating on whether or not to go on the offensive to elude capture. Knowing what he was thinking, Mathieu bumped him slightly without making eye contact.
“Chill out, man, not now…” he whispered.
And he knew his younger brother was right, but that didn’t mean he had to like it or listen.
Caedan’s only comfort was in smelling the fresh pretzels and hearing the bell chiming at the old model train further into the mall. His parents had also told him about those though he never questioned how they’d know. On Syndega there were only scattered remnants of Old Earth– everything else was an imitation. He rationalized this as proof that humanity struggles to let things go. And he was no exception. Caedan didn’t very much like being stuck amongst crowds, but it was something he was growing more used to. Before he’d declared war against the Syndega Group he hardly found himself needing to hide from anyone but his parents after coming in drunkenly, past curfew.
Suddenly, the massive crowd began to move and the people behind them nudged and shoved each other in an increasingly violent manner. Something was happening and there was only so much time to process it as it was. As Caedan, Mathieu and Solomon stepped forward at an increasing pace, they noticed the sentries had stopped moving and were focusing on something– them. The Syndega security held their guns at the crowd and urged everyone to step aside so that they may enter. Most people complied. The ones that didn’t were shot on the spot.
The best they could do now was work their way through the mob. A simple enough task, it would seem, until a voice called out to them, saying,
“You wouldn’t be thinking of heading out already, would you, Caedan?”
The voice made him pause and ball his fists. It was King again. Anytime the three of them managed to escape him, King would find his way back to them. Solomon sighed deeply, knowing what to expect from Caedan next, shortly before the latter threw down his ball cap and yelled back,
“Alright, asshole! You want me, I’m right here!”
Mathieu jumped back in awe and looked over at Solomon. The two of them figured it was time to run. So they did.