Escape

Frankie held her stomach in pain.

“You should really get that checked out.”

“It’s fine. Not risking getting caught at a hospital.”

The idea was to walk until they could hitch a ride. On their way towards Kansas, the sisters were quickly realizing just how tired and hurt they were.

“Bozo will probably be going to Kidneyland, too.”

Frankie outwardly scoffed at her big sister.

“Why are you so afraid?”

“I thought you were probably worrying about that… I just- felt like I should bring it up.”

“No, you’re right… I’m plenty worried. Even with the masks we had today… he probably noticed my hair. He won’t be able to attack us just for that, but… we’re going to stand out to him if our paths ever cross.”

“To be fair, they might not. It’s a big park, after all.

“Here’s hoping. We’re gonna get that money, Katie. You and I, alright?”

“Naturally. I’m kinda just excited to go there in the first place! Did you get any messages about the tickets?”

“Yeah.” Frankie pulled out her phone as she continued the hike. “The Kidney Foundation sent me some kind of code. If I show it at the gate, I should be able to get both of us our tickets. You’re still on the list, after all.”

“How do they know we were at Venge City?”

“There’s a registry that keeps account of riders per day, that’s standard for parks.”

“That means… Bozo has an exact list of suspects, doesn’t it?”

“Not necessarily… for example, the other villains… all of them who didn’t ride that day wouldn’t be listed. He can’t assume we’re on that list.”

“Should we dye your hair again anyway?”

“It’d be better to let it fade out… but we don’t have time for that. I dunno. If we get a chance, might be worth a shot.”

“Mhm. Maybe it’s the excitement talking, but… the more you say about it, the less fearful I get. We’re going to Kidneyland, one of the brightest places on Earth! I can’t wait.”

Determined, they kept walking down the side of the road, stopping every half hour or so for Katie to scratch some roadside theme park attraction off her bucket list. Frankie didn’t complain.

No matter where you went or which road you took, you could always hear the nearby rides, and you could almost always see someone on them, if not at least headed towards them.

The well over sixteen billion people filling this planet did so like cement in a glass bottle. Out of all those people, there were only a select few Frankie felt comfortable around. Every single other person in this world was nothing more than a noise-making obstacle.

But if she’d just keep walking, she told herself… she’d reach that wide blue plain, where not a single living soul but her and her sister would be heard, seen, felt, or smelled.

Down in the rusty depths of Bozo’s dungeon, Arsene looked up at the sparse lighting of the lamp dangling above him.

He wondered what time it was. Either way, he felt the day was over.

According to Kyrie… nobody gave in tonight. Not a single member said a peep about Frankie or Katie.

Even if they’d failed the mission… he smiled at a job well done.