Page 4 of Hansen

“Because without me, you don’t have anything.Come on.Get in the van.”

Orion crossed his massive arms over his bulging chest and shook his head.“I’m not getting into that van, and I’m not going anywhere with you.Where the fuck were you when I was wounded and almost died?Perseus took care of me, just like he always does.”

Evan had no idea what Orion was talking about, but it was interesting, almost like he was watching TV.God, it had been so long since he’d watched anything.He couldn’t believe how many episodes of his favorite series he’d missed.And what if it had been canceled?He’d survived the labs and the hunters, but he wasn’t sure he’d survive that.

“How did you get wounded?Were you helping one of these animals?”the hunter asked.He shook Evan, making his teeth rattle.If he wasn’t currently stuck with the man’s arm around his throat, Evan would turn and glare at him.He wasn’t a rag doll, dammit.

“You know the rules,” the hunter continued.“If you’re wounded, you take care of yourself, or you die.”

Evan had been in contact with enough hunters to know that was what they did.They didn’t care about each other.There was no sense of found family or camaraderie.Hell, most of the time, it looks like they hated each other.Evan had seen a hunter kill another hunter because of a look.These people were nuts, and he really wished the hunter holding him would let him go.

“Get in the van,” the hunter barked.

Orion looked back at the bakery, but it didn’t look like anyone would come out, and Orion’s father was losing his patience.

“Now!”he yelled, making Evan jump.Did he really have to scream in Evan’s ear?

Orion raised his hands in surrender.Evan felt a pang of guilt and sadness.The man had never done anything to him.It looked like he’d cared that Evan was hurt earlier, although that feeling was probably long gone now that he knew that Evan had been baiting him out of the bakery.It would’ve been nice to have a friend, but Evan had lost his best friend a long time ago.

He wasn’t going down that road.He’d tortured himself with thoughts of Davey for years, and he’d promised himself that he would stop.He was sure that Davey had come back for him, and he could only imagine how Davey had felt when he’d found out that Evan was gone.Evan knew his friend, so he was sure that Davey had blamed himself.He hoped he’d stopped, eventually.He hoped that Davey had built a life for himself and that he was happy.Evan couldn’t be, and he didn’t know anything about Davey’s life, but he could allow himself to dream that his best friend had made it even though he hadn’t.

Orion finally moved toward the van.Evan’s stomach dropped, even though he’d known this was how things would go.Maybe if Orion had been able to run without getting shot, he would have done so, but he couldn’t.It was clear that his father would kill him rather than allow him to escape.

The hunter dragged Evan toward the van and pushed him into the back.Evan curled up behind the passenger seat, wondering what Orion would do.He wasn’t surprised when Orion climbed into the van, or when the hunter grinned at both of them.

“You two be good in here,” he said before slamming the van door shut.

Evan didn’t want to be anywhere near him, which meant he had to get away from the passenger seat.He quickly did so, relieved when he managed to do it as the hunter walked around the vehicle.He was wary of Orion, but if he had to choose between him and the hunter, he knew who he’d trust more.Besides, Orion was visibly trying to make himself look smaller, maybe so he wouldn’t scare Evan.It was sweet.

“Is he the one who gave you that bruise?”Orion asked softly.

Evan licked his lips and nodded.The hunter wasn’t the only one who’d hurt Evan, but Evan didn’t think that Orion wanted his life story.Besides, it wasn’t a lie.Orion’s fatherhadhurt him.

“My father’s going to hurt me.I don’t want you to think it’s your fault.It doesn’t matter that he used you to get me out of the bakery.You have nothing to do with this, and it’s all on his shoulders, all right?”

Evan was stunned by how easily Orion seemed to have forgiven him for baiting him out of the bakery.He wasn’t sure how the hunter could be his father because Orion was so different from him.He was sweet and gentle, even though he was big.

Maybe Evan was wrong, but he didn’t think so.He didn’t think that Orion could hurt a fly.Hell, he was trying to reassure Evan, even though it was kind of Evan’s fault that he was here.He wouldn’t have left the safety of his bakery if Evan hadn’t knocked on his door.

Evan nodded, but before he could say anything, Orion’s father climbed into the driver’s seat and turned on the engine.Evan pressed his lips together.He still didn’t know what the fuck was happening, but whatever it was, he didn’t like it.

“We’re going to make a few stops,” the hunter said.“You two are going to be good and not get anyone’s attention because if you do, I’ll kill both of you and come back for Perseus.Got it, Orion?”

It was a nice name, and it fit Orion.Evan wondered if the two of them could’ve been friends if the circumstances had been different.He missed having a friend.

Evan tried finding a more comfortable position, but he didn’t think that was possible in the van.His legs hurt from the last beating he’d taken.It would take a while to heal, and in the meantime, he had to deal with the pain.

He caught Orion watching him a few times as they drove, but he didn’t say anything.He didn’t dare as long as Orion’s father was there with them.

Eventually, the hunter parked the van.He didn’t say anything as he climbed out and locked the doors, leaving Orion and Evan on their own.The silence between them was heavy, and while Evan wanted to break it, he didn’t know how.What was he supposed to do?He could apologize, but Orion had already said that he didn’t blame Evan for what happened.He could ask questions, but even though he wanted to know about Orion, none of this would last.Orion would die, Evan would go back to his cage, and after that, to one of the facilities.That was his life.

There was no way out of it, not for him.

“What happened to your leg?”Orion suddenly asked.

Evan blinked.He hadn’t realized that Orion had noticed something was wrong with his leg.“I’m fine.”There was no reason for Orion to worry about Evan.

“I don’t think you are.There’s a bruise on your face, and I noticed you were limping.”

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