Invincible Heart: The John Baker Chronicles: A Permutation Archives Division (The Permutation Archives Book 1)

by Bryan Tann

  “Oh the bike is ready,” Ruckus replied. “I put the good tires on a few hours ago, painted it up good and proper and reinforced the frame. Even got you some good sturdy saddle bags on it,” Ruckus said dismissively as he looked through his notes.

  “Alright then. So we’re going to be leaving tomorrow,” John replied.

  “John, if we search…”

  “Karen, we need to get the hell out of here. Period. We need to get to the East Coast,” John said intently.

  “How about this, why don’t we make a copy of some of his notes and I will give it a look over while you guys are on the road and if I get any information I will let you know?” Ruckus asked.

  “That will do well, I suppose,” John replied. “Be careful though. If you get outside help…”

  “Kid, I think I know how to be covert and what to do and what not to do. I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you have,” Ruckus said sharply standing up from the table taking the notebook with him heading downstairs.

  “I know,” John shouted after him. “Thank you.”

  “Blow me, junior,” Ruckus replied as he went down the stairs.

  John smirked lightly shaking his head.

  “He seems to care about you an awful lot,” Karen said warmly.

  “Yeah. I don’t know why,” John replied. “I’m a monster.”

  “You’re not a monster, John. Hell, you stopping what they tried to force you to do proves that you’re not a monster,” Karen disagreed.

  “It was because of Queen that I didn’t do what they wanted me to do. If it weren’t for her I would be just like those Nano Squad bastards,” John grumbled.

  “Are you going to stop this ‘woe is me” pity party bullshit?” Karen asked irritably.

  “Excuse me?” John asked incredulously.

  “You’re excused!” Karen replied sharply. “John, you are not a monster. You have a conscience. The fact that you are aware of what you could be and do all that you can to not be that way? That shows humanity. So stop shitting on yourself and just accept the fact that you’re a good person and that you can save a lot of people’s lives by stopping that egomaniacal son of a bitch!” Karen snapped.

  “Karen, I…” John began.

  “No. No more bullshit, John. If I have to hear your self-loathing all the way to South Carolina I may have to just kill you myself,” she snapped, bringing a grin to John’s face.

  “You think you have the stones for it?” he smirked.

  “You may be indestructible, but I will kick you in the balls and send them into your fucking lungs,” she snapped.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he replied with a chuckle. “Make sure you get some sleep, we’re leaving at first light.”

  “That’s what I figured,” she replied. “Ruckus gave me a list of places that will be friendly to us. You see we got you some new clothes and everything. The saddle bags are all packed with our things.”

  “Good. We have a long way to go,” John said finishing his coffee. “And something tells me it won’t be an easy trip.”

  “Well that’s quite obvious,” Karen replied. “The Nano Squad will be up and about probably in the next few days and they will be after us.”

  “I know,” John replied.

  “So what are you going to do about them?”

  “What do you think?” John asked, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “I’m going to kill every single one of them.”

  26

  “Alright so just follow the list I gave you, and do your best to stay out of the big cities if you can help it,” Ruckus replied hours later. He released a loud yawn as he scratched the graying hairs on his broad chest.

  “Got it, old man. Thanks,” John replied mounting the custom rebuilt black and red Harley Davidson Road King. He wore the same jeans, boots, and T-shirt that he’d put on earlier and a black leather jacket.

  Karen released a loud yawn as she mounted the bike behind John, strapping on the black motorcycle helmet she grabbed from the workbench. She was dressed similar to John.

  “Now you two remember your cover?” Ruckus asked cautiously.

  “Yes. He’s Dean Hendricksen and I’m Anna Hendricksen. We are doing a cross country bike ride,” Karen began.

  “I’m a mechanic and Anna here,” John gestured to her with his thumb sarcastically, “is a dental hygienist.”

  “Good. Now your IDs are legit, so are the tags and stickers and everything, so if they run the plates you will be alright.” Ruckus nodded to them. “I’ll keep going through the notes to see what I can find out. Only use the burner phones. They’re old fashioned, but they still work wonders in staying off of the radar.”

  John nodded, patting the piece of plastic and glass in his pocket.

  “And for fuck’s sake, do your best to keep a low profile, boy, and I mean that,” Ruckus growled, another yawn escaping him. “That includes wearing the helmets that you so conveniently ignored on the workbench.” Ruckus tossed the helmet to John and he strapped it on rolling his eyes.

  “Now let’s get you out of here so I can get back to bed. I’m tired and I have a business to run!”

  When John started the motorcycle, the engine roared and rumbled to life as though it were a living being awakening from a long, peaceful slumber.

  “Nothing like American muscle.” Ruckus chuckled walking from the garage down the path toward the exit gate. He took the key from his keyring and unlocked the padlock and pulled the gate open.

  “I’ll call you two kids in a few days if I find something out,” Ruckus said. “You stay safe and take care of each other.”

  “We will,” John said. “Thanks, Ruckus. For everything.”

  “You’re welcome. Don’t go talking like this is the last time we will see each other. I’ll lock eyes on you again one day. Now get the hell out of here.” Ruckus slapped him on the back then put a gentle hand on Karen’s shoulder. “Good luck, kids.”

  John reeved up the motorcycle again and drove off into the night. The rumble shook Ruckus’ heart inside of his chest as it went by.

  “Kid did a damn good job on that sumbitch. Sounds almost as good as when I built it back in the day.”

  “Are they ready yet, Tee?” Matheson asked hours later as he sat behind his desk in what used to be David Newton and Nobu Tee’s joined office. Matheson sat behind Newton’s old desk while Tee sat at his. The two were alone, Nobu Tee continued to scan over paperwork.

  “Not yet. The booster they were given was rather extensive. The Nano Hive needs to accept the boosters and it takes a little bit of time, it varies. Remember, Commander, that this is still very new,” Nobu Tee replied.

  “Yeah I remember, we need to get Baker and we need to get him yesterday,” Matheson growled. “The specials that are out there aren’t finding him.”

  “He is quite good at covering his tracks and staying hidden. He was trained well,” Tee replied.

  “Yeah. A little too fucking well,” Matheson said coldly.

  “Have your men been able to pinpoint the tracker that was on Dr. Denton?” Tee asked.

  “She dumped it,” Matheson said simply.

  “She is a traitor then.”

  “Yeah, Doc, she is,” Matheson said, a small smile on his face.

  “You had a feeling that this would happen. Didn’t you, Korvin?”

  “Yeah I had that feeling. It’s okay though, I have contingencies in place in case that would happen.” Matheson smirked.

  “What kind of contingencies?” Tee asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

  “Let’s just say she won’t know what hit her, that’s for damn sure.” Matheson laughed coldly.

  “If she has become a treasonous bitch, then she deserves whatever is coming to her. I never liked her you know?” Nobu Tee said. “David had such a soft spot for her. I believe it is because he never had any children or any family. He took a liking to her when he was recruiting interns.”

  “You hated that huh, Nobu?” Matheson asked standing up from hi
s desk.

  “I did. A medical school drop-out as a nurse was foolish. I believe that she is the reason for the subject being free.”

  “We’re on the same page then, Doctor,” Matheson replied leaning over Tee’s desk.

  “I suppose we are, Commander,” Doctor Tee replied. He leaned forward and locked lips with Matheson, sharing a passionate embrace. When they broke off, Tee looked to him with a hard expression. “Get them, Korvin.”

  “I will. Don’t you worry about that,” Matheson replied. “We’re going to send some more soldiers, and some specials out there. There’s supposed to be a good tracker among them that maybe useful. Do you have a rough idea of how long it will be for the Nanos?”

  “I do not know. It maybe in an hour, it could be a few days. It shouldn’t be longer than a few days. Is that a good enough time frame?” Nobu asked nipping Matheson’s lip.

  “I suppose it will have to do, Nobu,” Matheson replied. “I will see you tonight. I have work to do.”

  “I will be in the lab for a while anyway, so I will let you know when I’m out,” he replied.

  “Sounds good. Push comes to shove, Drake can handle all of the important shit. I do need to start racking out more.” Matheson smirked. “When we catch this shit bag and finish him off, things are going to be looking just sweet.”

  “I have to go.” Tee planted another kiss on Matheson’s lips and stood up leaving the office.

  When his phone started to ring, Matheson let out a loud sigh making his way back to his desk. “Matheson.”

  “Sir, do you want us to activate Code Sanitize?” Drake asked on the other end of the line.

  “Hold off,” Matheson said sharply. “Let’s have a little bit of fun first, Drake. Besides we do not have a solid location as of yet. Do we?”

  “That’s a negative, sir. We aren’t in range.”

  “Which means they are on the move.”

  “Probably hopped on another train, sir?” Drake asked.

  “Probably. Where did her signal last ping hot?”

  “A place in Idaho called…” Matheson could hear the shuffling of papers over the phone and could just imagine the organized chaos that was taking place on his second-in-command’s desk. “Ruckus’ Junkyard, sir. I looked him up. This Ruckus character, Anthony Bryan Brown USMC retired.”

  “How’s his jacket?” Matheson asked.

  “Clean. Some bullshit insubordination slaps on the wrist nothing more. He led some serious shit in the past against underground resistance, this is before President King took over office. He also had some service overseas as well. He’s decorated. Master Sergeant.”

  “Okay. Well we aren’t going to bust the balls of a brother, Drake. We don’t do that at all.”

  “Of course not, sir.”

  “Send a small squad through. Find out what he knows and then leave him alone. Got it?”

  “Yes, sir,” Drake replied hanging up the phone.

  As they drove through the Idaho landscape, John let a smile spread across his face. The freedom of riding on the open road made him feel alive.

  “Is it as good as running?” Queen asked with a chuckle in her tone, feeling the joy that his endorphins sent through him.

  “In a lot of ways its better. Don’t have to use up as much and it is just…relaxing.”

  “Then we should do this all the time when we travel.”

  “You like the way it feels too?”

  “I love the way it makes you feel.”

  John chuckled lightly, as he rode on. Karen’s arms wrapped around his waist he rolled his shoulder ever so slightly.

  “John, I was just thinking,” Karen called over the sound of the road.

  “About what?”

  “We need to change our appearance. So if they do start releasing pictures of us, we cannot be identified easily.”

  “That’s a good idea. One of Ruckus’ buddies on the list can adjust the driver’s license pictures and shoot the pictures to some of his other buddies to change them in the system,” he replied.

  “I could do it too,” Queen replied sounded insulted.

  “I know you could. When we are able to get to a computer after we do this, I’ll jack in so you can do whatever needs to be done. I promise. I’m just placating.”

  “I can’t change my appearance. Anything I do the nanobytes will fix,” John replied.

  “That’s not necessarily so,” Queen replied.

  “What do you mean?”

  “We cannot change you to look like someone else. However we could maybe alter how you look.”

  “Alter me how?”

  “Hair color. Longer hair. Shorter hair. Beard. I might be able to make you look older or younger based on what I think you would look like. I can help you a little. You will just be you.”

  “Okay. That works. Thank you.”

  “So what do we do about you, John?” she asked.

  “Queen will take care of it. We will stop at one of the stores on the list and take care of what is needed for you and go from there.”

  “Sounds like a good plan to me,” she replied. “My God this is amazing!” she screamed loudly as the wind flew into her face.

  “Yeah. I like the feeling. It’s freedom. A whole lot of freedom,” he said with a small smile.

  Hours later John felt Karen patting him on the shoulder.

  “John, we’re not too far away from Paw-Paw’s. That’s one of the places on Ruckus’ list.”

  “’Paw-Paw’s’? Okay,” John replied reeving up the engine sending them faster down the road.

  The small convenience store had a classic general store feel to it as the exterior looked to be all wooden, none of the coldness that steel or concrete had to offer. The giant sign ‘Paw-Paw’s’ was written in brown, cursive lettering over a yellow background.

  John parked the bike, put the kickstand down, and shut the engine off. Karen got off the bike and let out a groan weakly.

  “Wow my butt is killing me!” she sighed as she stretched out.

  “You’ll be fine. Soon as you get used to the riding it won’t bother you so much,” John replied pulling off his helmet, setting it on the handle bar while Karen did the same.

  “Easy for you to say. Your body doesn’t necessarily go through the same crap that mine does,” she said bitterly as they entered the store.

  The little old man sat behind the counter reading a magazine with ‘Natural Busty Bitches’ on the cover.

  “You Paw-Paw?” John asked.

  “Depends on whose asking,” the old man muttered not pulling his eyes up from the magazine. “You want gas just tell me what pump you’re on,” he muttered.

  “A mutual friend sent us,” John replied.

  “Yeah and who might that be? I ain’t got any friends that I want to mention or be reminded of so just tell me how much you want on a pump and get the hell out of my store,” the old man said angrily keeping his eyes on the pictures in the magazine.

  “Ruckus sent us,” Karen said stepping forward past John knowing that the testosterone was going to turn into a shouting match.

  “That fat black bastard sent you? The hell does he want?” Paw-Paw asked irritably finally putting down his magazine. When he set eyes on Karen, he let out a whistle. “Aren’t you a pretty one?” He looked to John, his eyes narrowed. “You look like a cum stain.”

  “Fuck you,” John muttered trying to keep his anger at bay.

  “Ruckus said that you could help us,” Karen replied stepping forward as best she could to keep herself between Paw-Paw and John.

  “And why would he tell you some bullshit like that?”

  “Because he gave us a list of friends of his that would help us out,” Karen said giving him a gentle, seductive smile.

  “Did he now?” Paw-Paw said with a grin. “Well hell,” the old man said licking his lips. “I suppose you can go ahead and just fill up and…grab what you need,” Paw-Paw replied.

  His wide, toothless smile sent an obfus
cated shiver down her spine as a playful wink caused his oversized tongue to massage his cracked lips.

  “Thank you, Paw-Paw,” Karen replied with a small smile looking to John. “Go pump the gas. I’ll get everything else. Okay?”

  “Yeah I guess,” John growled angrily. “Horny old prick.”

  “And then some,” the old man muttered as he pressed buttons on the register.

  Karen grabbed a nearby shopping basket and walked the aisles. After grabbing the materials she needed she took them to the counter.

  “That all you’re getting, darlin’?” he asked looking to her closely.

  “Yes, that’s all. Just the gloves, the dye and that’s it,” she said.

  “Alright,” Paw-Paw began to bag her things and handed them off to her.

  “There you go. You be good now and keep that dickhole under control before someone kicks his nuts through his throat,” Paw-Paw muttered.

  “I will. He’s a little difficult to deal with sometimes, but he’s a sweet guy.”

  “Yeah I guess,” the old man muttered picking up his porno magazine. “Be careful out there. Word around the campfire is that you all may have some company coming.”

  “Oh?” she asked.

  “I guess. Whatever you guys want to be bothered with doing. But yeah there could be company coming. Just make sure it doesn’t come into my shop.”

  “I’m sorry, who are you again?” Ruckus asked urgently looking to the man standing before him.

  “I’m sorry, Sergeant, my name is Special Agent Elias Colt. I am a special consultant-slash-liaison with the Justice Department for Fuji-O’Hara Industries.” The younger looking man smiled to Ruckus widely. His perfectly white, toothy smile and cheerful politeness brought irritation to Ruckus’ face.

  His jet black hair was slicked back, with nothing out of place. He wore a plain black suit with a white shirt and black tie with spit shined black dress shoes. His skin had a gentle tan that looked fresh, as though he had just gotten off of a beach and whatever burn had healed.