by Alex Siegel
Mia furrowed her brow. "You realize if we're caught together, it might ruin everything."
"I'll be very careful." Diana blinked her eyes like a sad, little girl.
"OK," Stony said. "You win. Now eat, and I want to see you polish off that plate. It could be your last meal for a while."
Everybody stopped talking so they could focus on eating. Even though Stony had the most food by far, he finished first. He settled back to enjoy his bottle of beer.
Diana was nibbling at the remains of her meal with a distant look in her eyes.
"What's wrong now?" he said.
"Thinking about Orcus," she said. "I'm not happy about the idea of spending time with him again. The nightmare is getting frighteningly real."
"What was your relationship like?"
"He was a harsh master, but he did take care of me. He made sure my basic needs were always met. When he whipped me, he didn't leave marks, and he never hit me in the face. He kept me beautiful."
"Like a show dog," Mia said.
"I suppose," Diana said. "The punishments always had a purpose though. They were instructive. I got whipped because I was too slow or not paying attention. I failed to meet a goal. He set very high standards for all his slaves. We had to be strong, disciplined, obedient, and smart. We had to learn the rituals and chants perfectly. I once spent a whole week with a forty-pound weight chained to my ankles just because I couldn't pronounce a passage properly. I still had to do all my chores."
Stony grimaced.
"What if I can't handle being with him again? What if I crack? Can I just kill him?"
"That will make finding Pomona and the kidnapped kids a lot harder," he said, "but if that's your best option, I suppose you have to take it. Do you think you can kill him?"
"Not with my bare hands," she said. "He's incredibly strong and tough. When he turns into a bear, he's very hard to stop. He could break my neck with one swipe of his claws. I would need a huge gun, but I probably won't have one when the time comes." She sighed.
Everybody finished their meal. They snuck out a side gate and walked to the car. Stony and Mia sat up front, and Diana sat in back but kept her head down.
"What's the shopping list?" Mia said.
"Cheap clothes and a backpack first," Diana said. "A Goodwill store will do nicely. They like cash. Then I need to buy small tools for hotwiring vehicles."
"A hardware store," Stony said.
"Yes. Finally, I need a motorcycle helmet, one that covers my face completely."
"You're going to ride a motorcycle out of here?"
"That's the plan," she said. "It will be like the old days. I was a badass biker chick as a teenager."
Stony smiled.
* * *
"Here," Diana said. "This will do."
Stony pulled over and let her out. She stepped onto the sidewalk carrying a backpack in one hand and a motorcycle helmet in the other. Recent purchases filled the green cloth backpack to capacity. She had bought several sets of clothes in various styles so she could change costumes at will. A toolbox full of small tools was jammed into the backpack. She also had a flashlight and a camouflage tarp in case she needed to hide in the woods.
Diana just needed a motorcycle now. Stony watched her walk into a five-story parking garage in downtown Birmingham. She was about to do a different kind of shopping.
"OK," Mia said in an exasperated tone. "I admit it."
Stony looked at her. "What?"
"I kind of like her."
He smiled.
She wagged a finger at him. "But don't get any ideas, buster. I don't want to see the two of you getting chummy. Maintain a respectful, professional distance."
"You're beautiful when you're jealous." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
After just a few minutes, Stony heard the roar of a motorcycle starting. Diana rode out of the garage on a classic Harley-Davidson a moment later. The sweet ride was all chrome and black paint. A little rust and a few scratches showed that the bike had seen plenty of miles. Diana was wearing her helmet with the tinted visor down, and her backpack was on her back.
"That was quick," Mia said.
"Those old Harleys are easy to hotwire," Stony said.
He followed Diana through Birmingham. She handled the heavy bike beautifully with smooth gear shifts and crisp turns. After riding several blocks, she turned into an alley. He stopped at the entrance to the alley and looked in. He saw her stash the Harley by a dumpster, and she placed her backpack and helmet inside the dumpster.
She ran to Stony and sat in the backseat of the car. "I'm ready to start the party. Take me back to the stolen pickup truck."
He drove her across town to a parking garage near the restaurant. She jumped out and ran into the garage.
"Stay way back," Mia said. "We absolutely don't want to be associated with this."
"Of course," Stony said.
The rusty, white pickup truck left the garage at high speed. The old engine roared and the tires squealed when Diana made a hard turn.
Stony drove at a normal speed and quickly lost sight of Diana. Mia was using the tracking app in her phone, and she guided him through a series of turns. He eventually saw the pickup truck again. A police car had pulled over Diana, likely for reckless driving. He parked across the street and down the block where he could clearly see the action.
Half a minute passed. Stony could see Diana sitting in the pickup truck. She was wearing a gray hoodie with the hood covering her shaved head.
An African-American officer stepped out of the police car. He aimed a pistol at Diana and screamed something. Stony could tell he was scared by the way his gun shook.
Diana calmly stepped out of the pickup truck. She knelt on the street and put her hands behind her head. She looked like she was surrendering peacefully.
"What is that girl up to?" Mia said.
"I don't know," Stony said. "This part of the plan was sketchy."
"She's not good at sharing her thoughts."
"Considering the life she has led, that's not a surprise."
The cop pulled out a set of handcuffs with his free hand. He walked around behind Diana, holstered his gun, and grabbed her wrist.
She responded with an athletic maneuver which made Stony gasp in admiration. She hopped to her feet and performed a standing backflip. She landed behind the cop, and now she was holding his wrists. She kicked the back of his legs. He sprawled forward, hitting the street face-first. She wrenched his arms around and used his own cuffs on him. Finally, she snatched his gun and radio from his belt.
"Beautiful," Mia said.
"The cop was stupid," Stony said. "He should've waited for backup."
"He didn't think a lone woman could kick his ass so easily."
Diana ran to the police car. The engine was already running. She climbed in and sped off, leaving a cloud of tire smoke in her wake.
"I hope she realizes cop cars always have trackers in them," Mia said.
"She only needs to reach the motorcycle," Stony said.
Instead of driving towards the alley where Diana had stashed the Harley, he went to her planned escape route. She intended to use Interstate 20, the most direct way to Houston. He took the nearest onramp onto the highway, drove a couple of miles, and then parked on the shoulder. He turned on his emergency flashers.
"Where is she?" Stony said.
Mia looked at her phone. "Right where she should be. Give her a few minutes."
He sighed anxiously. He hated waiting for other people to do their job. He much preferred to be the guy doing the job.
A few minutes later, Diana roared by on the motorcycle. She gave the horn a cheerful toot as she passed. She had changed her clothes, and with the helmet covering her face, she wouldn't be recognized. Stony watched for signs of pursuit, but the highway traffic appeared normal.
He merged into traffic. "On the road again...," he sang.
* * *
Stony turned into an establish
ment named simply, "Bikes and Beer." The biker bar was an outpost in the middle of Louisiana swampland. It stood within sight of the highway, and he expected all its customers were thirsty travelers. Half the vehicles in the parking lot were motorcycles. Small groups of admirers stood around the nicest bikes.
Stony pointed at the bike Diana had stolen. "She's definitely here."
"Let's get out," Mia said. "I need to stretch my legs anyway."
The lot was nearly full, and he had to park in an inconvenient corner. When he got out, warm, humid air made him feel like he had walked into a shower room. Night had fallen, and the bar was the only source of light. He smelled a mix of cigarette and marijuana smoke.
"It's a party," Mia said.
Stony nodded. A rowdy crowd was drinking and dancing while country music played through loudspeakers. The men were wearing leather and denim, and the clothing hung loosely on their fat bodies. The women favored shorts and tank-tops, but many were as overweight as the men. The bar had a roof but no exterior walls. The patrons were essentially outdoors but didn't seem to mind. The floor was just a concrete pad.
Diana stepped out of the crowd. "Hey, guys."
She was holding a big bottle of water with one hand while her other arm cradled her helmet.
"Why did you stop here?" Stony said.
"I was thirsty and had to pee. I've been riding that damned motorcycle for six hours. It really needs a tune-up. I think the shaking loosened my teeth."
He nodded. "A drink and a piss sounds good to me, too. We'll take a fifteen-minute break and then hit the road again. We need to reach Houston while it's still dark."
"And just to be safe," Mia said, "pretend like you don't know us. We've come this far. Let's not screw it up now."
Diana nodded and walked off.
Stony and Mia sought out the toilets. They were in a separate shed in back, and he could smell them as he approached. He went through a door marked "DOODS," and she used a door marked "BEETCHES."
The horror show inside the restroom froze Stony for an instant. The toilet had no seat. It was just a rusty steel bowl with a hole at the bottom. The toilet paper roll was empty, but somebody had helpfully written "need more toilet paper" on the wall. There wasn't a sink, but a garden hose hanging on the wall probably served the same purpose. The hose also seemed to be the only way to flush the toilet. I've been in prisons with nicer facilities than this, he thought.
Fortunately, he only needed to urinate. He did so, washed his hands with the hose over the toilet, and left.
Mia came out a moment later. "Wow," she said, "that was impressively unpleasant."
They went to the bar and asked for non-alcoholic drinks. The bartender gave them a funny look. His eyes focused on the bandage over Mia's ear. After some discussion, Stony and Mia settled for bottled water.
The rough crowd made him feel self-conscious. He was wearing a yellow pull-over shirt, brown slacks, and tennis shoes. The outfit was intended to be completely uninteresting, but among bikers, he looked like a geeky tourist. Mia was dressed like a soccer mom.
She abruptly turned around and slugged a guy in the jaw. Stony heard the thump over the loud music, like a baseball bat striking meat. The guy collapsed to the floor.
"What was that?" Stony said.
"He pinched my butt!" Mia said.
The victim of her rage was rubbing his jaw. His eyes weren't pointed in exactly the same direction. He tried to get up but fell back down.
He had friends though. Three big men in leather jackets glared at Stony and Mia with open hostility.
"Hey," Stony said, "none of us came here for a fight. Your buddy got a lesson in manners, and let's leave it at that."
"What are you drinking?" one of the bikers said.
He had a long, black beard. A black skull cap covered just the top of his head, and long hair hung out the sides.
"Water," Stony said. "We have a lot of driving to do."
The biker scowled. He didn't like that answer.
Stony noticed Diana looking at him from across the bar. He made a dismissive gesture with his hand. She nodded and left.
The man on the ground finally stood up, but he was still wobbly. He tried to slap Mia. She grabbed his arm and performed a perfect hip throw. He flipped over and landed hard on the unforgiving concrete.
"Can you please stop beating him up?" Stony said.
Mia smiled apologetically. "Sorry. It's a reflex. He's lucky I didn't break his arm."
The other three bikers moved forward with obviously hostile intentions.
Stony raised his hands. "Guys! We don't want to start a brawl in the middle of a crowded bar. Let's do this somewhere else."
He and Mia left the crowd and walked to an open, grassy area a short distance away. He was glad to get away from the loud, obnoxious music. The darkness soothed him. He preferred fighting at night.
Diana rode off on her motorcycle.
The three angry bikers followed Stony and Mia, but so did a big group of other people. They were obviously looking forward to some violent entertainment.
Stony took a big drink from his water bottle while he sized up the opposition. They looked like ordinary tough guys. They weren't carrying any weapons openly, but a few were probably hidden under their clothes.
Stony and Mia faced the bikers at a distance of several paces. An excited audience formed a circle around them.
"Go ahead and fight them," Stony said to Mia. "I'll just watch."
"You're not going to help?"
"You started this, so you should finish it."
She rolled her eyes at him. "You're such a gentleman, but that's OK. It's more fun for me this way."
Mia launched herself at the bikers. She took down one with a flying kick while he still had a startled expression on his face. The next man tried to punch her. She dove under his clumsy swing and rammed her fist into his groin. His eyes crossed, and he folded over.
Stony grimaced sympathetically.
Mia squared up against her third and final opponent.
"You have the option of running away now," she said.
The biker drew a knife instead and waved it menacingly.
Bad mistake, Stony thought.
Mia feinted, causing her opponent to swing his knife through the air. She stepped inside his attack and planted her elbow in his chest. She grabbed the arm holding the knife and wrenched it around, dislocating the shoulder. She took the knife from his limp fingers. Finally and with an artistic flourish, she stabbed the man in the hamstring.
"That will teach you to pull a knife on an innocent, harmless woman," she said.
Stony heard a suspicious movement behind him. He turned around in time to see a man preparing to swing a baseball bat. Stony raised his arm and hardened his skin, creating a shield. The bat bounced off his forearm harmlessly. Stony dropped his fist onto the man's clavicle, crushing the bone.
Stony grabbed the baseball bat. "You're lucky all these other people are here, or I'd ram this up your ass, starting with the thick end." He tossed the bat into the trees.
"Darling," Mia said, "we should go. Lots of driving to do."
He nodded.
They walked off, and nobody tried to stop them.
* * *
Stony parked at the Cambridge Street entrance to the Houston Zoo. There wasn't a real parking lot at that entrance, but a paved area in front of the gate worked as well. The zoo was closed, so nobody cared if he parked illegally.
According to his watch, the time was 4:30 AM. Perfect, he thought.
He stepped out of the car and stretched his stiff arms and back. The endless drive from Washington, D.C. was finally at an end. Mia came around the car. She swung her head from side to side until her neck popped.
Diana's stolen motorcycle was parked in the same area, but Stony didn't see her at first. A hiss drew his attention to some trees on the left. He walked over and found her sitting high in the branches.
"What are you doing up there?" he said
.
"Just mentally preparing," she said. "High places help me relax."
"Well, come down. As soon as the others get here, you'll have to go."
"We're already here," a new voice said.
Stony turned and saw two black silhouettes emerge from the shadows. Black and gray camouflage covered Brian and Veronica from head to toe. Porous cloth even concealed their faces, making them almost invisible at night.
"Nice work," Veronica said. "You got Diana here in one piece and created just the right amount of trouble along the way."
"Diana deserves most of the credit," Stony said. "She's a real trooper."
Diana climbed down the tree using her claws for extra grip. She landed silently on the ground.
"Go out there and make some noise," he told her.
She pressed her lips together. "Could I have a friendly hug first?" she said after a long hesitation.
"Why?"
"I could be dead before the sun comes up... or worse. I don't know what Orcus will do to me when he sees me again. I'm scared."
Stony looked at Mia. She thought for a moment and then nodded.
He wrapped his arms around Diana and pulled her close. He was careful not to touch her in inappropriate places.
She put her head against his shoulder. "That's nice. Nobody has hugged me in years."
He gave her half a minute of comfort and then released her. "Now go. Make us proud. We'll look for you near the big cats' exhibit."
She climbed back onto her motorcycle, started the engine, and drove off.
Stony looked at Brian. "Where are our toys?"
Brian went back into the shadows and emerged holding a black duffle bag. He placed it on the pavement with a clank.
Stony and Mia quickly changed into black camouflage outfits just like Brian and Veronica. The duffle bag also held weapons, radios, night vision goggles, and other gear, but everything was painted matte black. It was like working with solid chunks of darkness.
When Stony and Mia were ready for battle, they put their old clothes in the car. He drove the car around the corner and parked it in the lot for a hospital. He ran back to the zoo entrance.
"Ready to go," he said. "Two teams of two. Stay in radio contact. Our job is to observe. If we're lucky, we'll see Orcus, but don't engage unless absolutely necessary. The most important thing is to not let him know we're here. Keep in mind that there are lions, tigers, and bears in the zoo, and he can control them. We're in hostile territory."