Don’t be frightened little one, Maria whispered to Jackie.
When he was satisfied there was no one out there hiding, he walked back to his motorcycle and tossed the weapon to its owner.
“Where to now?”
“You said tire tracks went down that road, we go down that road, but first,” he said, pointing to the VW van, “Bonnie and Clyde that van.”
To the sound of crazed laughing the family heard a long loud stream of automatic weapons fire that lasted for what seemed like an eternity. The laughing continued when the firing stopped, and was soon drowned out by the sound of twenty motorcycles starting up.
Having been driving with the widows open, Layla stopped the Mustang when they heard the long steady rhythm of weapons firing in the distance. “Are they ok?” she asked.
“Yes, they’re ok,” Denise smiled. “Oh oh.”
“Let me guess, they’re coming this way.”
“Good guess.”
“Guess?” Myla asked.
“To form an opinion without having sufficient evidence to support it,” Denise said.
“I understand.”
The sound of roaring motorcycle engines could be heard in the distance.
“Time to go Supergirl.”
“Yep.”
Chapter 60
Visible
The noisy parade of motorcycles came to a stop where one of their friends stood next to his bike.
“Tony, what do you have?”
“The tire tracks end here,” Tony said.
“End there? Did they vanish into thin air?” The lead biker walked over to see what he meant.
“They don’t go off in any direction, see, they end here.”
“Did they tell you exactly what we are dealing with when they hired us?”
“Three women. Find them. Bring them back alive if possible. No harm is to come to the small blonde. The others are expendable.”
“Three women, from America, alone in the remote reaches of Mexico. Accidents happen.”
One of the bikers Tony had sent on ahead came speeding back. “Tony, Eduardo, come. We found something.”
“The rest of you, stay here,” Eduardo shouted. “Turn those engines off and keep your eyes and ears open.”
He and Tony followed their friend up the road about a mile and stopped.
“Look, out there, do you see anything?”
Tony and Eduardo shielded the sun from their eyes and looked west.
“There, there, do you see it?” he shouted, pointing far down the valley in the distance.
Eduardo took out a powerful pair of binoculars and scanned in that direction. “Sammy, you have the eyes of an eagle.” He could not only see the trail of dust left in the wake of the Mustang, he could see the car.
“What do you have Eduardo?” Tony asked.
“We found them,” he said, handing the binoculars to him. “Sammy, go back and get the others. Tell them to get over here quick.”
“Three lost American chicks hey? We can see you,” Tony laughed.
“Are we going to be able to follow them?”
“We’re on bikes. Wherever that car can go, we can go and faster.”
Eduardo pulled out an elaborate satellite phone and dialed a number. The roar of the approaching bikes forced him to wait to make the call. “Can’t you see I’m on the phone? Shut those fucking engines off.”
An American answered the phone. “Eduardo, you have news for me?”
“Si. We found them. They won’t get far now that we know where they are.”
“Remember, no harm must come to the small blonde. If she is harmed it will go very badly for you and any others responsible. These people are hideous serious.”
“Send a chopper. We may need one. You’ve never been in these mountains. There is a million places to hide, but not in a car.”
“We’ve had one on the way there since you called earlier. They should be very close to where you are by now. Get your exact position and send it to me and I will have them contact you with an E.T.A.”
Layla stopped the car again to listen. They could hear the roar of motorcycle engines and weapons fire. “They are closer,” she said.
“Yes. Myla, how long does it take to destroy this car and send that signal?”
“It will self destruct in one minute once activated.”
“Really? You think we’ve reached that point?”
“Not yet, but we’re almost there,” Denise said, pointing to a mountain to the right.
“Our last stand?”
“Let’s make them come UP to us.”
“Always a good idea to take the high ground.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, I heard it in a movie or two,” Layla laughed.
“Myla, how big a blast will it be?”
“We will need to be shielded from it since we cannot get far enough away in one minute if out in the open to avoid injury.”
“Mountain climbing time Supergirl.”
“Never a dull moment,” Layla said as she steered the Mustang towards the Last Stand.
Chapter 61
White Flag
The Mustang climbed to the top of the mountain effortlessly. Denise had been in contact with Mari and Nola regarding their situation and position. If you are not here soon, we are going to have to fight.
Denise. Blow the Mustang as soon as you can so we can pinpoint your location.
I will let you know when we do.
We must be very close.
I know.
“This looks perfect. Myla thinks we will have enough time to get over there,” Layla said, pointing to a place where the ridge narrowed
“I need the binoculars,” Denise said.
Layla dug them out of a backpack and handed them to Denise.
“Holy crap,” she said, noticing multiple dust wakes from the motorcycles as they sped towards their position. “They haven’t started to climb yet, they’re still traveling through the valley.”
“Let’s get all our stuff over there fast,” Layla said.
They unloaded the trunk and back seat of the Mustang and left it all where they would ride out the demise of their car.
“Come on, it’s not going to take them long to get here,” Denise said.
They rushed back to the car where Denise again used the binoculars. “Well, well, well, someone wants to talk,” she said, looking at Eduardo and another waving a white flag tied to the end of an assault rifle. “What do you think?” Denise asked, handing the binoculars to Layla.
“I think they got here a lot faster than I expected they would. They’ll need to travel the rest of the way on foot, it’s too steep. Let’s see what IT has to say.”
“Myla stay here and prep the Mustang to blow. Stay out of sight.”
“Yes.”
Denise and Layla made themselves visible to Eduardo. “What do you want?” Layla shouted.
“Right to the point, I like that,” Eduardo shouted. He started to advance towards them.
“Don’t come any closer, I won’t warn you again,” Layla shouted.
“Get to the point, or get off my mountain,” Denise said.
“You’re mountain?”
“It is now.”
“We only want the blonde girl you took. Send her to us and we will let you leave in peace, let you live.”
“No.”
“You cannot leave this place. You are surrounded and more of us are on the way. Your situation is pretty hopeless.”
“I don’t see it that way at all,” Denise shouted.
“If I were you I would thank whatever god you pray to that I am being so nice,” Eduardo said, even though he had no intention of letting them live if they returned Myla.
“I have a counter offer for YOU,” Layla shouted.
“And what is that?”
“Take yourself and your sleazy friends back to whatever hole you crawled out of while you can. If you don’t, you will all die here today.”
Myla, are you ready?
Yes Denise. As soon as you get back here I can activate it.
We are on our way.
“This conversation is ended. Leave or die,” Denise shouted, noticing Eduardo on a phone when she did.
Layla saw the puffs of smoke from the corner of her eye and raised her force field, but not in time to block all the rounds from the burst of an automatic weapon. One of the bullets found its target grazing Denise’s left shoulder knocking her to the ground. “MOTHER FUCKER,” Layla shouted to the sound of more weapons firing from below. She focused a pulse at the spot she saw the shots come from. It blew the rocks and whoever was hiding behind them into oblivion. “Are you ok?” she asked looking down at Denise.
“No, it fucking hurts like hell.”
“Can you move?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t get up yet.”
Layla lifted more than a dozen rocks and sent them flying into an advancing group of bikers to the right of where Eduardo was standing with blinding speed. They passed right through most of them splattering body parts to the sound of their screams.
“Come on,” she said, helping Denise up. Bullets bounced in every direction off the shield she had raised until they were out of the line of fire.
“What the fuck is that?” Layla asked.
“It sounds like a helicopter.
“Fuck.”
Chapter 62
Mustang’s End
Myla walked from the Mustang and got under Layla’s protective shield. “Denise, you are hurt.”
“I think I’ll make it. Has the countdown begun?”
“Yes.”
They sprinted to the spot where their things were.
“Layla, remove the shield,” Denise said.
Layla did and Denise called to Mari.
Mari.
Denise.
Countdown has begun. Watch for it. We need to get out of here, and fast. Now they are coming at us from the air.
We are ready.
“Ok baby raise it again, just in case.” Denise said. She could now see the approaching helicopter coming from the north.
“Do not worry,” Myla said. “It is too close and will not survive the blast.”
“WHOOOMPH!” The sound was loud even with their ears covered, as the Mustang self-destructed in a huge explosion. Rocks and pieces of trees flew in every direction. Denise watched, as the helicopter appeared to stop in mid air for a brief moment before tumbling to the ground nose first where it exploded, undoubtedly killing all on board.
“Are we in danger of radiation?” Layla asked.
“Yes. But if we make it back to the Tyrine we will be fine,” Myla said.
Layla crept up to the edge of the ridge they were behind to have a look. “A baby mushroom cloud,” she laughed. “Oh shit, some of them made it to the top. Stay down.” She lifted a large boulder and sent it rolling at the lead six bikers with such velocity it knocked them over like bowling pins.
“What is that?” Denise shouted.
“Uh-oh. Hand me the binoculars,” Layla said.
Myla handed them to her.
“That my dear is two more helicopters coming at us from the south, and fast.”
Denise sat there looking up at the sky as Myla put pressure on her wound. How did she put it exactly? she thought.
“Honey we have less than a minute. Gunfire sprayed the shield protecting them, coming from an area on their side of the ridge.
You have your mind spirit back. It is the fools on bikes that should be worried, Denise remembered.
“Layla. Lower the shield and raise it again on you and Myla.”
“What?”
“Trust me.”
“No.”
“Lower it now.”
Layla did as she asked.
TURN YOUR WEAPONS ON EACH OTHER AND FIRE, she screamed at all the bikers she could see.
Bullets stopped zipping by them when she did. There was a lull in the firing before all hell broke loose. The sound of dozens of automatic weapons firing did not last long, as the bikers turned their weapons on each other and fired.
“I need to get you back under here now, they are almost here,” Layla shouted.
“Make it so Supergirl,” Denise groaned.
Layla saw the look of anguish on her face before she saw the rapidly forming pool of blood.
Chapter 63
Flying
“NOOOOOOOOO,” Layla screamed as she tore herself from the image of Denise lying on the ground bleeding to death. She ripped a towel she’d taken from one of the hotels they stayed in out of a backpack and handed it to Myla. “Keep pressure on the wound.”
Myla looked as though she knew exactly what to do without being told.
“Try to keep her conscious,” Layla cried, tears pouring from her eyes.
“Yes.”
Layla stood up and looked at the two helicopters that were almost upon them. She poised herself to smash them into oblivion when suddenly one, two, six, shuttlecraft appeared out of nowhere. The two above the helicopters took them in tow and swiftly deposited them into the side of a neighboring mountain.
Mari’s shuttle hovered above them. When the ramp opened Aren and two other crewmembers they had never met rushed to their side to help them on board.
“Father,” Myla said, embracing Aren.
Father? Denise thought before she slipped into unconsciousness.
“She is dying father, we must hurry.”
Quickly, they carried Denise into the shuttle with Layla and Myla still applying pressure to her wounds.
The shuttle accelerated straight up with lightning speed. In moments the sky was black and filled with stars, as the image of the Tyrine grew rapidly larger on the screen over Mari.
Chapter 64
Dreaming
Denise could see her reflection in the water between two large black circles.
“What’s down there Denise?” Brenda asked.
“I don’t know Brenda but I can see me down there.”
“Really? Where?”
“Come here and look.”
Brenda got on her hands and knees and moved her head closer to Denise’s head until they were touching.
“Hey, I can see me and you down there.”
“It’s our reflection.”
“Look, I’m waving to us,” Brenda giggled, watching the reflection of her hand waving.
“Denise, where are you honey?” It was her mother calling.
She stood up and ran to the corner. “Here I am mom.”
“Come home honey, lunch is ready.”
Ok, be right there.”
She ran back over to where Brenda was now standing. “I have to go home for lunch.”
“Wait a minute, what’s that?” Brenda asked hearing a sound building beneath them.
“I’m not sure.”
“Maybe it’s a dragon. Maybe you woke it up when you yelled to your mom.”
The sound continued to build in intensity. “Nope, it’s not a dragon.” Denise stood above it looking down.
It was now a ripping, screaming sound that was so loud they would not have been able to hear each other speak. The dress she was wearing was blown up into her face. “That smell. Brenda I know what it is.”
“What is it Denise?”
Suddenly she was in the Student Center at Southern Illinois University. “I know this is going to sound crazy, but around the corner from the first house I lived in, on Milwaukee Avenue some of the sidewalks had metal gratings on them over the subway system. It smelled just like that, like the smell the trains would force up out of the tubes when they came roaring by.”
“Is it a good smell or a bad smell?”
“I’ve always loved that smell, but only from the time when I was young. It’s changed. Now I really don’t like the smell of the subway in Chicago.”
“It came from the Chicago Subway,” Layla laughed.
“It came from the Chicago S
ubway,” Denise said softly.
“She’s coming around,” Layla said.
“Yeah, that’s right, it came from the Chicago Subway,” Denise said.
“Hey baby,” Layla said when she saw Denise’s eyes open and focus on her face.
“It came from the Chicago Subway,” Denise smiled.
“I know, I was there with you.”
She turned her head to see Myla’s face smiling down at her.
“Am I dreaming? I still smell the subway.”
“No baby. We did it, and that smell would be Myla still expelling toxins from our world.”
“You are on the Tyrine and safe,” Myla said.
“How long?”
“Two days. You’ll make a full recovery. They wanted you to rest so they sedated you,” Layla smiled.
“Two days?”
“Yes, and Myla hasn’t left your side.”
“Father? Did I dream that too?”
“No. Aren is my father.”
“And Nola?”
“My mother.”
The door opened and Mari came in. “How’s the patient doing?” she asked.
“I’m still here, unless this is all a dream.”
“It’s no dream,” Mari smiled.
“Has anyone checked up on Maria and Anna?” Denise asked.
“We have. They all live and are unharmed.”
“Sweet.”
“We collected the medallions from them and left a gift,” Mari said.
“A gift?”
Mari activated a screen on the wall to reveal a very futuristic new home that looked like it was made of metal, and next to the riddled white VW Bus was a brand new VW Bus.
“Wow. The VW Bus sure has changed hasn’t it?” Denise laughed.
“It sure has. Does it hurt to laugh?”
“No, not at all, why?”
“Oh nothing other than you were shot, twice.”
“How did all that go?”
“One of your organs was damaged beyond repair, your spleen. Our surgeon cloned another and replaced it. He says it will last much longer than the original,” Myla smiled.
“So, how large is the scar? You won’t find me attractive any more,” Denise sighed gazing into Layla’s eyes.
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