Chapter 10 – Escape the City
Mr. Quaid guides his son down to the lock up. Desmond walks behind the door and spins around. He watches the door slide and lock up. Mr. Quaid sighs and looks at the two guards.
"Go to Colonel Gates. I got this here." Major Quaid orders
The two soldiers nod.
(Same time)
"Yes Sir."
The two soldiers run off and Desmond sighs hard.
Back with Colonel Gates…
He talks over his phone in his office.
"I want the Dragon here. Not tonight! Now! Also, I want as many A.M.P. Suits we have fully loaded. That's right. I want them packed enough fire power. Scorpions too."
Back in the lock up…
Desmond sighs hard and walks to the door.
"Dad. Dad!"
Mr. Quaid turns his head around and looks at his son through the door.
"Let me out. Come on."
Mr. Quaid looks back straight.
"I can't Desmond. Your in a lot of trouble right now."
"No. I'm not in trouble. The Na'vi are! There all going to die because of me!"
My Dad looks back at me.
"Dad. I'm the only one that can help them right now."
"How?' Mr. Quaid turns all the way around and looks at his son, 'You can't get back in your Avatar. How are you going to help them now?"
Desmond gulps.
"I have to get them to them in person."
Mr. Quaid blinks and realizes.
"Go to them? Out there? No way Desmond!"
"Dad, Dad!"
Mr. Quaid turns back around.
"I'm sorry Desmond. I can't let you leave here."
"But Dad, Gates is wrong about them. They don't want to fight us. Well…now they do but they never wanted to start a fight with us!"
"Then what do they want?"
"A place to live. That's all. We leave them alone they'll leave us alone. That's all."
"Your certain about this?" Mr. Quaid asks turning his head around
"More then ever."
Mr. Quaid blinks. Desmond looks down.
"All you have to do is open this door. I can get to them Dad. I can. And just maybe, I can get them to leave. They trust me,' Desmond thinks and realizes what happened right before he was popped out of his Avatar, 'I think. But, they have no chance at all if Gates sends more men to them tonight."
Mr. Quaid sighs.
"That's not their only problem."
Desmond blinks.
"What then?"
Mr. Quaid turns back around. He rubs his head.
"Remember Gate's bombs?"
Desmond nods.
"Yeah. Don't remind me. Where are they placed? Maybe I can…"
"You can't Desmond. There…everywhere over there."
Desmond sighs.
"Oh shit."
"But besides. Your not getting out. I have orders to keep you here."
Desmond slowly raises his head.
"Dad. Please."
Mr. Quaid gulps.
"Please let me out. I can save these people. I really can. But I need your help. Mom would help me…why can't you?"
Mr. Quaid flinches. Desmond lowers his head and suddenly the door opens. Desmond lifts up his head and steps out. He looks at his Dad.
"Dad?"
"I'll give you a five minute head start." Mr. Quaid explains
Desmond looks down the hallway and back at his Dad.
"Otherwise they'll know I helped you get out."
Desmond nods.
"Thanks dad."
Desmond runs and out of the lock up. Mr. Quaid leans against the wall and sighs hard.
"I sure hope your right Desmond."
Back with Desmond…
Desmond runs past a set of double doors and looks at the stairway door leading down. He sprints towards it and quickly jumps down the stairs. He reaches the bottom level and opens the door slowly. He sees the outside and looks around. He quietly moves behind some containers. He peeks around them and sees Gates walking past a lot of A.M.P. Suits. He sees them all and shakes his head.
"This just keeps getting better and better."
Desmond looks around the other corner and notices Military Vehicles parked. He bites his lip.
"I'm going to need a car to get out there."
I can't run to them, it's like forty miles. Desmond looks both ways and quietly sneaks his way to the trucks. Gates finishes inspecting the A.M.P. Suits and starts walking back the same way he came. Desmond comes up to one of the trucks. He opens the door and hops in. He looks around and finds the keys and starts it. He puts the truck in drive and drives out of the base as…unnoticed as possible. Desmond's Avatar sunglasses slip out of his jacket and falls on the ground. He reaches down trying to grab them looking away from where he's driving. Desmond finds them and suddenly slams on the breaks. Gates looks inside the truck and sees Desmond. Desmond sees Gates.
"Gates?"
"DESMOND!"
Suddenly the alarm raises and all the soldiers in the area see. Gates yells.
"He's right here! DESMOND QUAID IS TRYING TO ESCAPE!"
Gates pulls out his gun and points it at Desmond.
"Get out Desmond! Or I will shoot you!"
Desmond gulps and revs the engine. Gates tilts his head knowing Desmond won't move. Desmond slams on the gas and hits Gates. He falls on the ground and soldiers help him up. He orders his men to shoot at Desmond.
"Fire!"
The soldiers aim and shoot at Desmond. Desmond slams on the pedal and crashes through the entrance to the base. Gates and some soldiers run up to the entrance.
"Lock the gates leaving the city."
"Yes Sir." Soldier says radioing the call
Desmond turns the wheel on the bridge to the gates leaving the city but slams on the brakes. He sees the gates becoming locked. Gates also orders some soldiers to grab more trucks and chase down Desmond. Desmond looks back and sees more trucks chasing after him. Desmond turns the wheel and heads into the city being chased by soldiers. Gates grabs a soldier near him.
"Get the A.M.P. Suits ready and get them near the gates. Now!"
The soldier looks back and fourth.
"Why? We have him on the run Sir. He can't get out of here."
Gates looks serious at the soldier.
"He's going to drive around the city and end up right back here. This is his only exit to get out of here. And when he comes back here, will ALL be ready. So go!"
The soldier nods and runs off. Back with Desmond, he drives through the city like a maniac trying to avoid cars and the military at the same time. He turns hard left and drives down a one way street. A military vehicle comes along side Desmond and slams into him. Desmond looks and does the same thing. The two drives look at each other and Desmond looks up ahead. He points and the soldier sees he's about to crash into a car. He slams on the breaks but to late. Desmond swerves and sees a traffic jam up ahead. He slows down and drives on the sidewalk. He slams on the horn as people get out of his way. The other military vehicles try and get through the traffic jam as well. Desmond gets in front of the jam and slams on the gas. He looks back and sees he lost a few cars. Desmond looks up ahead and sees that construction crew workers building in a new light pole. Desmond suddenly gets a little idea and hits the gas. The construction crew see Desmond coming right at them. Desmond aims for the forklift that's holding the pole up and crashes into it. It drops as Desmond passes it right up. Desmond looks back and sees the military vehicles coming right at it but the light pole is very thick and wide that the drivers swerve and flip over. Desmond laughs and yells back.
"I HOPE YOUR MILITARY INSURED!"
The trucks flip over and stop chasing after Desmond. Desmond looks back up ahead and turns around.
"Back to the gates!"
Desmond drives through a short alley and heads back to the gates. He gets on the bridge and doesn't see any military personnel by. He smiles and turns the wheel leading to the gates. But suddenly, a military truck slams right in the back of Desmond's car and Desmond spins around making his back face the gates. Desmond shakes his head and looks around. He sees he's spun around and looks back behind him. He sees several A.M.P. Suits guarding the gates leading out. And also sees Gates standing right in front of them all. Desmond shakes his head and grows a serious look. Gates smiles holding his gun.
"If he comes, shoot! And don't stop shooting until it's stopped moving!" Gates orders
The A.M.P. Suits cock their big guns and Desmond sighs.
"Oh great…"
Desmond gulps and looks into the distance.
"If I give up…there dead. But if I drive towards them…I'm dead."
Desmond gulps and Gates sees the truck not moving. Desmond slides the gears in reverse. He slams on the pedal and starts going in reverse. Gates points his gun at the truck.
"FIRE!"
The A.M.P. Suits start firing at Desmond. Desmond covers himself from the gun fire as the truck gets shot to pieces. Desmond turns the wheel and slams right into a A.M.P Suit switch makes the guy loose his grip of his gun and shoots at the gate. Desmond quickly shifts gear and crashes right through the gate the A.M.P Suit shot at. Gates quickly runs out and shoots at Desmond.
"AHHH!"
Desmond drives through the rainforest and disappears. Gates slams his gun into the ground.
"Damn it!"
Desmond drives as quickly as possible through the forest. He watches out for stuff that's in his way and avoids hitting anything at all. Desmond breathes heavily and tries to take off his jacket. He looks away from the road for a second and up ahead of him, a Dire Horse is in front of him. Desmond looks and gasps.
"OH SHIT!"
Desmond swerves and dodges the Dire Horse but drives right off the road he was on and down a steep hill.
"AHH!"
The truck swerves and begins to roll down the hill in circles. Desmond tries to remain in one place as the world around him spins. The truck finally meets the bottom and the truck, upside stays perfectly still. Then suddenly, the driver's side door gets kicked open. Desmond continues to kick it and climbs out. He crawls out and falls to the ground. He catches his breath as he slowly turns his body around. He gulps and pushes himself up. He looks at the truck that's completely destroyed. He looks up at the hill he rolled down of. He shakes his head.
"What the HELL was that?"
Desmond shakes his head and catches his breath. He touches certain parts of his body and sees if he's injured.
"Nothing's broken…"
He touches his crotch.
"Oh thank God."
He touches his neck and face and smiles.
"Nothing's broken…"
He touches his head and feels a sharp pain.
"AH!"
He touches the back of his head softly and looks at his hand. A small smudge of blood is on his hand.
"Oh…great."
Desmond shuts his eyes really hard and starts to loose his balance.
"Okay…now I'm hurting."
Desmond shakes his head and starts to walk in the direction where he thinks the Na'vi are.
"Come on Desmond. You got to make it…"
Desmond starts barely walking in the one direction he heads. And hopes its the direction he needs to go.
About twenty minutes later….
Desmond starts breathing heavily. He's sweating a lot from the wound on his head. He coughs and looks around.
"Water…I need water…"
He sniffs and looks around. He suddenly remembers what Tali taught him.
"My awareness…"
Desmond closes his eyes and hears the noises around him. He tilts his head and points in the direction of where he thinks a river is flowing. He quickly runs in the direction and sees it. He smiles happily and jumps down towards it.
"Thank God!"
He kneels down and takes big gulps from his hand. Sip after sip and Desmond sighs hard. He breathes heavily and looks up. He gulps hard and looks down. He sees his reflection from the water. He closes his eyes and shakes his head.
"It's good to see a familiar face…"
Desmond gulps and stands up. He stretches his arms and looks back down in the water. He sees the trees from the high vantage. He sees something moving and looks closer. He tilts his head and sees a clear image of a Na'vi Warrior pointing an arrow at him. He quickly spins around and puts his hands up.
"Don't SHOOT!"
The Na'vi Warrior fires and Desmond jumps out of the way. He shakes his head and looks at the arrow. Desmond looks up.
"I'M ON YOUR SIDE!"
Suddenly another arrow gets shot at him and Desmond runs for it. The Na'vi, from the trees chase after Desmond. Desmond jumps over a tree and looks back and forward.
"If I'm not getting shot at by my own people I'm getting shot at by the Na'vi!"
Desmond slides and runs in another direction. The Na'vi try and keep up with Desmond. Desmond spins around and runs backwards.
"Tali! If your there! Don't shoot!"
Behind Desmond, a large branch sticks out of the ground with Desmond in the same direction.
"It's me! DESMOND!"
Desmond hits the branch and falls backwards down another hill. He rolls hitting trees, grass and small rocks. He finally reaches the bottom and hits the ground hard. Desmond tries to move and crawl but he's too weak to move. He breathes slowly and looks forward. He sees a blue foot in front of him and passes out.