by Nathan Pedde
“You did what?”
“I don’t trust the Captain. He said we should be fine and secure. Yet we’ve been rolled up like a burrito.”
“I should kick your ass for abandoning them.”
“They’re fine,” Cooley replied.
“What do we do now?” Cryslis asked.
“We are cut off from the net, and we have no idea what’s going on.”
“We need to find Sheemo.”
“Without having disguises or access to the net, I have no idea how.”
Cryslis grumbled to herself, she had gotten to use to having an edge on technology. It allowed them to do their jobs. Without using technology, Cryslis had no idea how to proceed, and she was supposed to be in charge.
“Do you intend to follow the Captain’s orders?” Cooley asked.
“Probably not,” Cryslis said. “But, I’m unsure of what path to proceed on.”
“We need to get out and patrol. Hiding in this small room is a bad idea.”
“I know, but how do we not get spotted by the enemy.”
“How’s your make up skills?” Cooley said.
“Makeup?”
“We have hidden and gotten out from their sight. For now, we are hidden.”
“So, we stay—”
“No,” Cooley interrupted. “We change our clothes. We put wigs on, change our face with makeup, prosthetics.”
“Those can be seen through with technology,” Cryslis replied.
“Possibly. If they get lucky, but with skill, we can lower the chances of being spotted.”
Cryslis stood up from the bed as she headed to the bathroom. She stripped her top off, revealing her black bra as she disappeared into the bathroom.
“So now we have a plan,” Cryslis said from the bathroom, “We get out and hit the streets and search for Sheemo?”
“The way you say it makes it seem like a needle in a haystack.”
“It is. However, it’s us doing something.”
“We may get lucky.”
Cryslis stepped out of the bathroom wearing nothing but her bra and panties.
“We could go talk to an old friend? I’m sure he will be willing to help us out.”
“Not him.”
“Why not?”
“Cause he… he…” Cooley sighed. “He and I don’t get along.”
“That’s not my fault.”
Cooley hmphed. “Fine, we better get ready to go. We have a long night ahead of us.”
Chapter Nine
Des drove the hover-scooter through the station streets in the early morning. Elsie wrapped her arms around his waist. Rain struck his arms and clothes as it poured down. Elsie hid behind him so her shirt wouldn’t show off her goods.
She would complain to him later about his lack of forethought to have some type of jacket. He knew she was correct in the matter. However, it was her decision to come along.
Des checked his watch. The time ticked near one-thirty in the morning. Once it reached three, he would have to dodge other classmates. If what Mr. Smith said was correct, then approximately two dozen classmates would be hunting for him.
“We need new disguises,” Elsie said from behind him, her voice inaudible over the hum of the scooter’s engine.
“You keep saying that,” Des said. “I’ve no idea how to do it. It’s not like there is a store that sells disguises.”
Des continued driving, he felt Elsie clench a fist on his chest. She pressed against his back, and forcing him to concentrate on other things, least his impure thoughts betray him.
Winding his way through the empty streets, no cars were on the road except for a few patrol cars, which Des stayed away from. Going to station security would be more of a hindrance than anything. If he was found by the Station Guards, more likely they would arrest him and toss him in jail.
“Shit,” Des said. “There’s Veer.”
Standing a street corner was Veer. Des was able to spot him anywhere, no matter the clothes on his back. Veer was a major thorn in his side.
“What are the chances of that?” Elsie asked.
“No idea,” Des said.
Keeping an eye on him as he drove past, the young man watched him go by. In Des’s favor was the fact Des wore a helmet, covering his face. Des was also grateful the assignment hadn’t started yet.
After Veer disappeared, Des made some random turns left and right. He had to make sure he wasn’t being followed. Des knew his paranoia was showing again. However, he couldn’t help it.
Des turned a corner onto the sector boundary road, taking the next turn off the multi-laned boulevard. After a winding drive through the station’s streets, he finally reached the Gray Sector. He avoided the freeway twisting its way around the station in a giant loop. If he had been spotted, he would have one place to run to. On the smaller streets, he had places to hide and tricks to lose any who followed.
In front of him was a large abandoned warehouse, where Susan had said that she was hiding. Des drove past the warehouse, looking into the four-story building. The building spread out over an entire city block with broken windows along the top of the building and graffiti-covered brick walls. The gang symbols of different teenage street gangs with the most interesting one, three stories up just underneath the windows.
“Should we stop?” Elsie asked.
“I’m going to circle around,” Des said. “I want to find someplace where I can get a good look inside.”
“Good idea.”
Des circled the block, driving into a smaller side street. The few streetlights created shadows along the road. Des parked the hover-scooter beside a large dumpster, shutting down the engine.
He waited in the darkness, listening to the sounds in the street. On top of the ruckus of the rain were two sets of sirens. The noise echoed across the city.
They will peel my carcass off the pavement when this is all over,Des thought.
Des shook his head, bringing his attention back to reality.
A white hover-van drove down the road. In the driver’s seat was Veer, who Des recognized despite his dark hood.
“That’s not good,” Des said.
“The Veer guy? Again?”
“Yeah,” Des said. “Either he spotted me and followed me, or he’s here for another reason.”
“I’m tempted to follow him,” Elsie said.
Des looked across the way at the warehouse and then at the white hover-van, driving down the road.
“Though tempting, I’m going to have to pass on him,” Des whispered.
“He’s probably doing something illegal.”
“Of course, he is,” Des said.
“He probably has something to do with Sheemo’s kidnapping.”
“I hope so. I want a reason to bash his face in.”
“That’s very violent.”
“The jerk deserves it.”
Elsie leaned against the wall of the building next to them, peering out across the street toward the warehouse. Des followed her eyes, watching the building as well. No lights appeared in the building, and Des couldn’t see into it from the street level. It was like the place was abandoned.
“How do we scope out the warehouse?” Elsie said.
“Simple,” Des said. “I go up.”
Des walked over to the wall and a steel drainpipe. It ran down from the roof of the nearby factory, discharging the water from the roof into the alley.
He grabbed hold of the pipe, climbing up onto the roof. The flat roof was covered in gravel with a small railing spreading around edges. He walked along the flat roof toward the side. Crouching, he looked around the for the white van.
Elsie climbed up onto the roof. “You could have helped me get up here.”
“You didn’t have to climb up here,” Des replied.
“Do you see anything?” Elsie said.
“Not yet. Keep an eye out for the white van.”
“Paranoid much?”
Des ignored her, gazing across the str
eet at the warehouse’s windows. He could see no signs of life in the warehouse.
“This is not helping,” Elsie said. “We can’t see shit. If I had a thermal camera, I could see if there was anyone in the building.”
“I see no movement in the building,” Des agreed. “I was hoping that I would see something.”
“We could go in.”
Des turned, looking at her. The rain still drummed down onto their heads. Her arms were crossed over her chest, hiding her peaches.
“I don’t like this,” Des said.
“I don’t either,” Elsie replied.
“Why would Susan head here?”
Elsie was silent for a moment, her face scrunched in thought.“Could be she was chased this way?”
“Perhaps. Wouldn’t a sane person head to the closest station guard precinct?”
Elsie scrunched her forehead. Before she could open her mouth, Veer’s white hover-van turned the corner, driving up the street. It slowed down as it neared a broad set of garage doors. The lights flashed before the garage door opened.
Des pulled his phone out of his pocket and aimed it for the garage door. He started filming as the door slid open. In the doorway were different lights and a half-dozen figures who stood around the door.
He zoomed in, scanning the people he focused on. He didn’t recognize anyone. However, one of them looked familiar. Des zoomed in on the figure, figuring the camera solely on her.
“Get off the chair and stand closer to the light,” Des said.
“What?” Elsie said.
“Not you, the figures in the abandoned warehouse.”
Veer, in his hover-van, pulled into the warehouse. The van’s lights lit up the warehouse. The woman wasn’t voluntarily sitting in the chair. She was tied to the chair.
Susan, Des thought. Shit.
The doors closed. Des stopped filming with his phone. He hid behind the solid railing, scrolling the saved video back to where he wanted it.
“Take a look at that,” Des said, showing the phone to Elsie.
“Not only is your brother kidnapped, but your babysitter too.”
“Family friend,” Des said.
“I’m teasing. What’s the plan? Do we go and get her out?”
Des pondered the question. He had counted a half-dozen teenage gangsters, all armed with makeshift weapons, stun guns, and electro-batons. He and Elsie had no weapons and no technology.
“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea,” Des said.
“We have to do something,” Elsie replied.
Down by the warehouse, the garage door slid open. The grinding metallic noise echoed in the quiet of the station. The white hover van drove out of the warehouse and into the street. Sitting in the driver’s seat was Veer.
Des aimed his phone’s camera at the van and the inside of the warehouse. He zoomed in, counting people then stopped.
The chair Susan had been tied to was empty. A few ropes hung loose to the chair.
“Is Susan in the van?” Elsie asked, looking over her shoulder.
“Perhaps,” Des said. “I don’t know why.”
Des ran for the drainpipe, climbing down would be a more significant problem than getting up. It was something he didn’t want to do when he had to follow someone.
“This isn’t going to end well,” Elsie muttered, following behind him.
“We need to move,” Des said.
Des swung his legs over the railing, grabbing the water pipe. The trek down the four stories was painful. The pipe was wet and slippery, with the metal brackets threatening to cut into his hands.
The trek down took less time than climbing up. Des’s feet hit the concrete ground, and he gave out a sigh of relief.
“You coming?” Des said as he looked up.
Elsie was halfway down the water pipe. Her tight pants showed off her curves. Des was mesmerized.
“Keep your pants on,” Elsie said, “and you better not be looking at my ass.”
Des forced himself to look away from Elsie’s curves, opting to sit on his hover-scooter. Elsie landed on the alley floor. He clicked on the engine as she jumped on the back.
“Did you see where he went?” Des asked.
“He took a right,” Elsie said.
Des left the alley and out into the empty street. He sped down the road, pushing the hover-scooter as fast as it could go.
When he got to the intersection, Veer’s white hover-van turned left onto another street. Des turned the corner at high speed, the turn threatening to throw Elsie off the back. Her hands gripped his shirt, her fingers digging into his chest.
“Careful, you fool,” Elsie said.
Ignoring the pain and her words as he gunned the engine once more. The block flew by, the buildings nothing more than a blur. Des stuck leaned into the corner.
“I said to be careful,” Elsie yelled.
Des ignored her, scanning the dark street for the van. The street Des drove his hover-scooter on was long and straight. A dozen other streets intersected the long road.
A single white hover-van, stopped at a streetlight.
Des let out a breath through his nose. Now Des had managed to catch up with Veer, he didn’t want Veer to know he was being followed.
“Are you done driving like a maniac?” Elsie yelled.
“You’re still in your seat, aren’t you?” Des said.
Des examined the hover-van. The streetlight had turned green, and the van continued down the road. Des followed. It would be evident he was following them. There was no one else on the streets.
The white van changed lanes, taking a right. In the front seat of the vehicle was Veer, he looked over at Des, a grin on his face.
The van gunned its engines and speeding off.
Des matched its speed, chasing the van. “I need to stop it.”
“In a scooter?” Elsie asked as they neared the van.
The hover-van swerved over towards Des, forcing him to slam on his brakes.
The scooter’s hovers pitched forward, slowing him down. The van lined up in front of him, two brake lights screamed red as Veer slammed on his brakes.
Des, driving too close to the white van, swerved out of the way to miss it. He hit the brakes heading for a small alleyway. Boxes and piles of garbage were strewn across the short alley. Des cocked his bike to the side, as he sideswiped a pile of plastic boxes. An empty box fell on Elsie’s head.
“Learn to drive, Des,” Elsie yelled.
Des ignored the comment, gunning the engine. As he exited the alleyway, the white van was nowhere to be seen. He followed the road, driving faster than he should.
Peering down the side streets and alleyways as he looked for the white van. With the streets empty of people, it should have been easy to find a single-vehicle.Passing another intersection, out of the corner of his eyes, the backside of a white van, turning a corner up a side street.
“Hold on,” Des said.
Des cranked the controls over, cocking him to the side. He swirled in the middle of the intersection.
“I don’t want to die,” Elsie screamed.
“We aren’t going to die,” Des muttered, straightening out the controls.
Des gunned the engine, speeding down the street after the van. He looked down at the red-lined speedometer. The factory safety settings refused to let Des go any faster.
He swerved around the corner of the street with his foot sliding along the wet pavement for support. He flew through the red light and up the road.
Parked along the side of the street was the white van with Veer inside of it. He waved at him and pointed down the road behind him.
On the street corner was an all-night diner with a pair of station guards running out of the dinner. One was talking into a radio.
“Shit,” Des said. “This is not good.”
Des gunned the engine and sped down the street.
“I hate you,” Elsie said.
“You didn’t have to come with,” Des said.
Elsie was silent, not saying a word.
“Hold on tight,” Des said.
Des swerved around the corner and down a side street. Sirens blared behind him. At that moment, he knew he had messed up. He glanced behind him, spotting the station guard-car swerved around the corner. The station guard-car didn’t have a speed limiter like his scooter.
Up ahead of Des was another side street. He recognized the area. He knew there was a small alley leading from it.
I can lose them in there,Des thought.
Des swerved up the side streets, and the station guard car disappeared. He turned down the alley. Piled around the sides were heaps of garbage and dumpsters.
He maneuvered the bike around behind a pile of garbage and shut down the bike. It hissed with steam escaping from the bike’s engine, sitting on the ground.
“What now, you idiot?” Elsie muttered.
“Keep your head down,” Des said, “let the guards go by.”
The station guard car flew by the alley like a blur.
“No time to wait,” Des said. “We need to keep moving.”
Des jumped off the bike with Elsie close behind, still wearing their helmets. They followed down the alley, maneuvering around piles of garbage and debris.
After Des ventured far enough to lose sight of the street beyond, he removed his helmet, tossing it to the side into a dumpster. Elsie did the same.
“Great idea, wise guy,” Elsie said.
“We need to keep moving away from the station guards,” Des said.
Elsie was silent for a moment before she spoke up again.
“This outing has a failure,” Elsie said.
Des turned on Elsie, “I know—”
“If we had Cryslis and Cooley-”
“I know. I’m a failure, and I fucked up.” Des strode away, leaving Elsie riveted to her spot.
“I didn’t mean—”
“I’m headed this way. Go your own way, you’re better off without me.”
Des left Elsie standing in the middle of the alley. She stood in a sheltered space where no one would see her unless they walked right up to her. He walked away, standing up on top of a box. He could see the entrance of the alley and the street beyond.
The station guard-car stopped in front of the alley. However, the two guards hadn’t left their seats. Instead, they aimed a flashlight aimed down the lane. They pointed the torch across the street where a similar alley was in the same place.