I Ain't Your Dog

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They ran and ran, down side streets, back alleys, everywhere! It seemed that there was at least one person on their asses. Donovan couldn't take much more of this. He was out of bullets. Boomer would probably have his hide for wasting bullets if he was still alive. They had to do something! It looked like they were more worried about Leolin than Donovan. So, what could he do to keep his brother safe? Definitely not this. It wasn't going to work.
They had to split up. But, by the looks of it, Leolin would NOT let go of his only sibling, no matter what the cost. The night was turning into the Ninth Gate of Hell. It was twisting that direction really fucking fast.
Donovan's mind was screaming at his body which was exhausted. He couldn't slow down, not yet. They kept powering through corridors and out into a major street. Then, the idea hit him!
“TAXI!” He waved one down. Donovan literally threw his twin in and dove in himself. “Drive, just fucking drive! I'll pay ya what I got, okay?”
“You said it, kid. Where to?”
“Outta the city! Now!” The cab driver smirked and headed into traffic. Donovan knew, he just knew that the cars would show up around them. It would mean a sabotage for them all. “Just get us over the Brooklyn Bridge and we'll call it good, kay?”
“Sure thing.” He didn't question it and drove faster, seeing the scared looks on both of the boy's faces. Black cars and sedans started to follow and follow closely. Aw hell. This wasn't a good idea at all. Elliot really wanted them back, probably just Leolin. He looked at his brother sucking on his thumb, tears in his eyes. There was no time to comfort, at all. Not at this moment.
“Go faster, dipshit!”
“I can't go any faster, kid.”
“Look, if I said we got someone on our ass because they wanna kill me, what'd ya say?”
“...all right.” He drove faster. What'dya know...there were nice people in the world. Or maybe someone scared shitless. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that they got the fuck out of there. The bridge, he saw the bridge! They were going onto it! Thank the fucking Lord!
It wasn't long before black cars followed very closely, losing the heavy vehicles for smaller ones. Donovan's stomach churned. What was going to happen now? What was going to happen if they were caught. Cab driver man drove even faster, not caring as he sped across the bridge, darting in and out of traffic. It scared Leolin, it relieved Donovan.
“If anyone asked, Kid, you had a gun to my head!”
“Oh yeah, I know. Ya ain't getting any cash for this.”
“Who the fuck cares...” He swerved into a parking space and both twins scurried out of the car and into an alleyway. Donovan didn't look back as the black Mercedes swarmed around the yellow vehicle. He didn't want to look back. He just pulled his brother along. Not thanking the man, though it probably wasn't needed. It served as a distraction as they moved through a decent neighborhood. It was full of apartments. It didn't matter one fucking bit about that. The rain stopped just long enough for them to get down the streets and towards a subway. They had to get to a damn subway!
Climbing down the stairs, a rush of people passed them by. Donovan and Leolin were knocked about. When they got up to the ticket booth, the request was accepted to board, with the fee. The teenager dug through his pants pockets. Then he scrambled through the bag he was carrying...nothing. No money. Then, it hit him...
That rush of people...he was just pick pocketed. “FUUUCK! MOVE WE GOTTA GO NOW!” He was pissed off and scared at the same time as he ripped the bag back onto his back and gripped Leolin's hand and ran out of the only exit he could have had.
Now, they were trapped. Just like dogs. Just like what they didn't want to be. Leolin didn't understand what just happened, it was written on his face.
“Someone stole...our money...” His mouth dropped, tears formed in his eyes. What were they going to do now? Donovan looked around him...what could be done? Leolin was burbling and trembling while his twin was thinking clearly. They couldn't run forever. They would be found just sitting there...and if they have just one target and not the other...
They had to split up. That's all there was to it. But where? When? Voices, they were coming and here the brothers were, standing in front of the entrance to the subway system. “Run.”
Leolin ran along side his twin, both in sync, both quick to react with their hands held together tightly. It was a horrifyingly real nightmare. They were going to be either gunned down or trapped and caged. It couldn't happen. Donovan would NOT let it happen. Not after all of this! There had to be fucking something! Somewhere!
Guns, more guns...bullets zooming passed their heads. It was four in the damn morning! Someone would see this, right? They just had to keep running. Damn it all! What the fuck could they do? Donovan's ear was grazed as they turned the corner to another street and barreled down it. He led Leolin and Leolin gave Donovan the determination to continue. It was for him! It was for them! Freedom.
If they couldn't be free, he was going to give them one hell of a fight. That was for damn sure. When could they split up? When...it had to be soon! The footsteps seem to die down for the time being as they rushed onward, towards a sleepy street of homes. Wait, why was the chasing starting to stop? Donovan soon found out...a cop car.
“Leolin, slow down...” He whispered and tugged on his twin's hand. “We get a break if he just passes us by.” Which, the idiot did. They walked like it was a calm, cool thing. Policemen weren't the people to run to, they could be bought by money, especially Elliot's money. Even Leolin seemed to understand that. Donovan looked back as the car drove away and started off once more with his brother in tow. Damn this was a rich neighborhood. He could barely look as the scenery passed them by.
There still was no gunshots, no shouts, nothing. No black cars passing, anything. What the hell was this? Maybe this was one of the places that was off limits to fighting and wars. It seemed to be rich enough for it.
Suited Donovan fucking fine. It meant more running time for them! Leolin started to trip. He had to be tired by this point. Both teenagers gasped for breath as they stopped for just a second.
“We...we gotta...gotta keep going.”
“...ngh.” He scrambled to his brother and hugged and cried. It was like all the hope was draining from him. Donovan hugged his twin and sighed.
“All right...shh. It'll be okay, honest.” How it was going to be okay was a different story. “We gotta split up, ya see?” Leolin mewled in protest as Donovan pulled him close to a corner wall to a nice apartment. “Look, I'll find ya, I know this city, okay? I just wanna keep you safe.”
Leolin didn't want to agree as he clung to his twin. It was so hard to make this work. Neither brother wanted to part with each other. That bond that was shared grew stronger with each passing trial of this escape.
“When I say we split, ya gotta do it, okay?”
“Ah...” He had tears rolling down his cheeks. Donovan hugged him closer and then pulled away.
“We had our break...let's go.” Leolin agreed readily and both started to run again. It wasn't that far that they were met with men on either side of the street. Rosencroft's men.
The chances of them actually making it out of this were slim to begin with, but there was an alleyway. “C'MON!” Donovan called and led his brother down it. When they were far enough ahead, he rounded a corner. “We gotta split up.” He pushed Leolin to a pile of garbage bags and covered him and climbed a fence.
The footsteps, the voices, all of them followed Donovan like sheep as he climbed over a fence and into another road. Rain started to fall as he kept running through back alleys and corridors. That gave him the edge he needed. Bullets still flew, but he moved so erratically without his brother that it was hard to pinpoint him. It was the advantage of not having the twin there.
Donovan was not an easy target as he climbed another high, wooden fence and scrambled away in the slick of the early morning.
Light was becoming easier to spot, even with all the clouds in the sky. He gasped for air as he kept moving, retracing his steps to find his brother. It was harder than it looked. Donovan wasn't being followed but he wasn't exactly in the best of situations. Exhaustion was kicking in. He couldn't run anymore.
How far was he from his twin? Looking around, he shivered and sneezed. Fuck. He couldn't get sick, not now. Not with Leolin needing him. As he remembered further and stepped backwards towards where his brother would be. He rounded the corner in time to see someone carrying his brother.
An older guy, keen eyed and muscular. He looked like the type that would be in a bar fight. He heard the man's voice and balled his fists and followed as much as he could without being noticed. Leolin clung to the man shivering, Donovan saw that.
“I'll get you cleaned up. Come on.” That voice, it was kind and deep...looks must've been deceiving as he followed the strange man up into an apartment and up towards the stairs. Apartment 673, huh? All right, that's the number he needed to remember.
“There he is!” Oh Hell...not now! Donovan could do nothing but run as fast as he could, back through a maze of winding back routes. The men couldn't keep up with him. He could run like a bitch when he had to.
Diving into a pile of rags behind a building, he covered himself in order to not be seen. It was so dangerous, he had to cover his tracks enough to not be seen. Donovan just hoped Leolin would be all right...

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Author's Notes:

Okay, well...what's going on here, huh? I'm grinning. You'll see.

Keep reviewing! I love reading your words!

~ Aeronaut