14.2 Capture

Aiming for the largest area of undisturbed land, you begin gently guiding the craft down. Despite the relatively clear day some minor turbulence is still felt. Landing was never your strong suit, however, you know it would be rough regardless.

"You might want to brace yourself." You warn your companion as the plane nears its destination.

You'll have to time it just right if you're to avoid any of the large pits or crevasses that have been formed. Just as you think everything is working out, some of the lights on the dash flicker. Frowning, you gently tug at the center stick only to find it locked in place. Cursing under your breath you try pulling harder to no avail.

"What's wrong?" You hear Boyd ask, his tone sharp and demanding.

"This piece of crap is jammed and we're coming in way too fast."

In an instant the man's large hand is wrapped around yours again. You wince as his grip tightens around you and he forces the mechanism back. The stick has been knocked loose again, however, there is little time to correct course. After a moment the craft roughly connects with the ground below abruptly sending you forward. Thankfully the weathered harness holds tight, preventing you from slamming into the dash. Glancing down, you see in addition to the harness is Boyd's arm pressed protectively against you. How he managed to keep from jostling about is beyond you. However, you are thankful for his unexpected aid.

Your attention is quickly diverted back to craft as it continues running forward. It's still moving much faster than you would like, especially considering the rough landscape ahead. Wincing slightly you swiftly reach out and yank the emergency brakes. A loud metallic whine pierces your ears as the likely never used system activates. Fortunately this maneuver caused the plane to slow down significantly, unfortunately it wasn't quite enough. You feel yourself lurch against Boyd's arm again as the craft partially slides down one of the large gashes that scars the area. By some miracle, the wheels catch on something, stopping the vehicle from sliding further.

Letting out a deep exhale, you feel yourself relax marginally. It wasn't the most successful of landings, yet you've made it one piece.

"Are you okay?"

You startle visibly at the sudden sound of Boyd's voice. You can tell by his tone and failure to remove his arm that he is still on edge. You give him a small nod before reaching over to shut off the now overheated engine.

"I can't believe we did it." You breath out shakily, unable to stifle the smile that's tugging at your lips.

Boyd on the other hand seems more wary than thrilled. He finally pulls away then quickly unfastens his harness. A moment later he's helping you out of yours before you both exit the craft. Looking around you see nothing but a dense forest behind you and a wide open but damaged landscape ahead.

"We did make it," He speaks somewhat tensely while also surveying the area. "But we're still miles from the nearest town."

"Then we better get a move on." You reply, unwilling to let him bring you down.

As far as you're concerned, flying was the biggest hurdle. You've roughed out in the wilderness more times than you'd like and are sure you can do it again. Not waiting for a response, you turn and begin grabbing items from the cabin. Boyd pauses for a moment before wordlessly moving to assist you. After a few minutes you're geared up and ready to go. You're about to start walking when you feel a hand wrap around your wrist. Frowning, you turn to face the stoic man.

"Take this," He says, reaching into his backpack then handing you the pistol he took all those weeks ago.

"Why are you giving this back?" You ask, unable to simply accept the seemingly kind gesture.

"We don't know who or what might be out here." He explains bluntly while adjusting the backpack he's carrying. "You might need it."

You give him a skeptical look before tucking the weapon away. Even if he only gave it to you for those reasons, it still shows he's gained some semblance of trust for you. A few minutes later you're on your way, heading towards what you hope to be civilization. The first mile passes by in silence before you finally decide to speak.

"Now that we're stuck with each other," You comment somewhat hesitant while glancing at the man in your peripherals. "We ought to get to know each other better."

"What's there to know?" He replies back seemingly disinterested in the conversation.

"Well," You begin, frowning softly as you had hoped for a more favorable response. "What did you do before all of this?"

Boyd is silent for a moment before somewhat reluctantly revealing that he had been an engineer. It seems he and James had been on the same flight when the meteor shower struck. The pilot of the craft knew of the nearby hangar and tried to use its landing strip. Unfortunately the plane never made it there and everyone else was not as lucky as the two men. After hearing the man's story you share your own with some details edited out. There's no need to worry him with tales of your past betrayals. Eventually you fall back into silence as you approach a large and apparently undamaged field.

"This is a man-made field," Boyd remarks, running his fingers along the long stocks of grass. "Keep an eye out for any houses or barns."

You nod back absentmindedly, suddenly feeling quite fatigued from the heat and long journey. You don't dare admit this to the man lest he start viewing you as a liability. Eventually you can take it no longer and motion for him to stop.

"I'll be right back," You mumble sheepishly, hoping he'll pick up on your undertone.

Boyd frowns for a moment before nodding in understanding. He motions to a large boulder off in the distance and tells you to meet up with him there when you're done. Agreeing, you quickly turn and head in the opposite direction. Your pride forces you to find somewhere out of eyesight to rest. There's a small swatch of trees to the side of the field, offering the perfect amount of coverage. After relieving yourself, you sit in the shade of one of the large trees. The heat has grown increasingly unbearable, and your stuffy clothes are doing little to help the situation. Tugging at the collar of the thick flannel you're wearing, you use your other hand to quickly unfasten some of its buttons.

You figure you'll spend another minute or two catching your breath before heading back. Just as you feel yourself begin to relax the sharp sound of a branch breaking rings out. Stiffening, you cautiously glance over your shoulder at the area behind you. Though the area is relatively sparse, there is still enough place where something could hide. You're unable to make anything out but still feel rather uneasy. Deciding it's best not to stick around, you quickly get up. Before you can take a step forward, sharp pain shoots across your left arm. A scream starts to leave your mouth before it's muffled behind a large hand. Struggling, you quickly realize someone has taken a hold of you. Twisting around, you're barely able to make out the shape of a large figure behind you. Large, dirty hands are wrapped around your face and arm.

"Got her!" You hear a gruff voice speak from behind you, sending a shiver down your spine.

Overwhelmed by the heat and fear you find yourself growing dizzy. Panic overwhelms you as you're unable to break out of the man's grasp. Additionally, your vision is growing increasingly blurry.

"Keep it together." You think to yourself, knowing that passing out will only hinder you further.

Unfortunately, the man's hand is also clamped over your nose, making it difficult to breathe. Hyperventilating, you reach up with your free arm and vainly try to pry the hand away. Ignoring your struggles, the man begins walking, pulling you back into the cover of the trees.