Chapter 10: Giving the slip
"I think I should introduce him" said Michael. "This is Lustrous; he is a sentient being from another world."
"What's he doing here?" coughed Lucy.
"We will have time for courtesies later" said Lustrous looking at the blue lights over his shoulder. "Right now we need to get the three of you away from here."
"How can we do that?" asked Bruno. "There's cops all over, we can't leave without being spotted."
"Don't worry, all we need is a vehicle." Lustrous looked across the destroyed car park and pointed over to a large forklift sat next to another building. "This should help you." He placed out his hand and their helmets appeared before them in their hands.
"You will need to shield your faces; I will also provide you with directions using the coms unit inside the helmet. Now go, time is of the essence."
Wasting no time they all strapped on their helmets, both Michael and Bruno carried Lucy into the seat of the forklift, with Bruno taking the wheel. Bruno turned the ignition key and the engine sparked into life with a loud bellow. Slowly pressing his foot to the accelerator Bruno edged the forklift forward towards a nearby road.
Now you must get the attention of the police.
"Huh, where is that voice coming from?" said Lucy sheepishly.
I am communicating through your mind, but don't worry I will cause you no harm.
"My god he's in my head" she said in a panicky tone.
Just drive your vehicle into that police car up ahead.
"Are you crazy?" shouted Bruno.
Just do it, or the plan won't work. Bruno groaned as he pressed down on the accelerator.
"No Bruno, don't do it" pleaded Lucy. Bruno kept his foot firmly on the floor of the forklift.
Meanwhile within the police car, two of the officers were relaxing while looking out at a road junction. One was scoffing down a burger while the over was holding onto a scanner watching passing cars. The burger munching cop spotted something in the rear-view mirror.
"Say John?"
"What is it Phil?"
"How fast is that guy going?"
"Huh, I don't see anyone."
"The guy in the rear view."
The cop with the scanner put his head of the window and noticed the forklift barrelling down towards them. Bruno honked on the horn as he edged closer; he pulled a lever in the cab causing the forks to lower. The cop suddenly panicked as he leapt out of the car as the other cop did the same after realising it was on a collision course. The prongs forced their way under the car and began to push it down the stretch of road scrapping the bumper on the ground setting the dark road alight with sparks. The violent impact shook the whole cab causing Lucy to bang her head on the roof. Bruno swerved to one side causing the car to roll over on one side. It crashed down on the ground rolling several time before it came to stop.
"Ouch dammit" shouted Lucy. "Don't ever do that again Bruno." She said glaring at him.
"You think that got their attention?" asked Michael.
Bruno stopped the forklift and looked out the window, he saw the slim cop running up to him while the fatter one was trotting along behind, both shouting and making gestures. Lucy then threw out a bright object from the window that hit the slim cop in the head, stopping him in his tracks as he held onto his head in pain.
"Go, go" shouted Lucy. Bruno rammed his foot on accelerator as the wheels span in a cloud of smoke.
"What was that you threw just now?" asked Bruno.
"It was my calling card you could say, you must have seen it after chasing me for so long." She replied holding up a chrome double D.
"Uh" said Bruno hesitantly. "Don't you think…your advertising a bit much?"
"What?" said Lucy. Bruno looked down slightly at her. "Bruno!"
"Just drive Bruno" said Michael. "This plan won't work if you keep chatting you have to keep up the speed or they'll catch us."
"Yeah Bruno" added Lucy as she folded her arms and turned her head. "This thing is slower than trying to get Bruno in the mood." Both Bruno and Michael looked at her as she showed no response. "What?"
Bruno shook his head and continued to carry on driving. Meanwhile as the slim cop was staggering to his feet, his partner pulled the radio on his uniform close to his mouth and began to speak.
"Come in Officer Byron, do you read me? Over"
"Roger, I read you, over" he replied. "What's the situation?"
"We have a code 12, we were just attacked by someone in a yellow industrial forklift heading east. Over."
"I copy, sending support. Any idea who it is? Over." The officer knelt down and picked up the chrome double D and turned it slightly in his hand.
"It's her, the death dancer."
"I see" replied Byron. "It's seems she turned her attention away from petty thugs and gone on a rampage. Issue all units a red alert, I don't want any casualties. Over and out."
"Calling all units, calling all units. Highly aggressive fugitive on the loose, proceed with extreme caution. Suspect was last seen heading east in a yellow industrial forklift, all units converge on the target."
A flurry of sirens rang out in the city as they all headed in their direction. Michael with his head out the window looked on to see multiple police cars appear from behind as Bruno raised the prongs of the forklift. The flashing lights bouncing of the nearby buildings like the Northern lights as Michael sat back down in his seat.
"Well we got their attention, now what?" asked Michael.
"We keep driving" replied Bruno. "I am not letting them take you away from me Lucy."
"Bruno" she said softly.
A light flashed inside Bruno's helmet with an arrow pointing left, he turned sharply running up the curb and knocking over a lamp post. The police cars skidded around the corner flicking out the rear in a scream of screeching tyres. The light in his helmet flashed again pointing right as he made another sharp turn. The pursuit cars swiftly followed except for one which ploughed into a nearby stand of bottles. As they entered a strait away, the cars slowly edged closer.
"They gaining on us" said Michael worryingly.
"Bruno let me take over and you two get out of here" pleaded Lucy.
"No I am not leaving you." Replied Bruno forcefully.
"But if they see your driving you could be in serious trouble, I put myself in harm's way and I don't want you to get caught up in this as well."
"They won't see us" he said confidently. "Michael you still got the emp?"
"Yeah, why?" replied Michael with his head still out of the window.
"Shoot them."
"What?"
"Just do it!"
Michael placed out his hand and a blue ball of energy shot out from his palm, the bolt narrowly missed one of the cars as it swerved to one side and backed up.
"Shots fired, repeat shots fired" said one of the officers as Michael continued to launch one shot after another keeping the cars at bay. Suddenly one shot hit one of the cars in the front, the sudden impact cause bolts of electricity to race around its body as the lights went out.
"I can't see!" shouted one of the officers.
The headlights of the car blacked out in the dark street. With no street lights, he was driving blind and unable to see a thing. Every now and then he would catch a brief glimpse of the forklift from the other police cars headlights. Bruno made another turn as all of the cars followed. With the driver of one of the cars blind, he careered into the stair well of a subway station with a loud crash of crumpled metal and shattering glass.
Michael fired a few more shots as each car evaded, as he tried to fire another shot, nothing happened as a red light flashed inside his helmet. He sat back down in the cab, frustrated and nervous.
"Great, I'm out of energy" he groaned. The pursuit cars began to get closer as a helicopter shone its light in front of them from a distance away.
"They're catching up, do something" said Lucy worryingly. Bruno grunted and gripped the steering wheel tighter with frustration with his foot practically welded to the pedal.
"I'm thinking" he groaned. Michael sat there for a moment thinking things through; he suddenly climbed out of the window and clambered on top of the cab.
"What are you doing, get back in here were its safe!" shouted Lucy.
"Sit tight I have an idea. He lied down on the roof of the cab and looked in through the window. "You got knife Lucy?"
As Lucy reached into her pocket she shuffled closer to the window she knocked a lever, the end of the forklift began to extend very slowly as it was pointing in the air. She pulled out a pocket knife and handed it to Michael. He looked up to see the helicopter coming in closer and he covered his head soon as he saw the arm extending to the sky.
"This is the CCPD" said a voice through the speaker of the helicopter. "You will pull over now or…" he stopped suddenly as he noticed the arm extending. "Too low, pull up, pull up."
The helicopter slowly began to rise as it tried to turn away, it was too late. The prongs of the forklift tore through the tail of the helicopter causing it to spin wildly in the air as it began to fall. It fell over the top of them lading in front of the pursuit cars. It crashed into two as another two slipped past and continued to case them.
"Ouch. I'd sure hate to be those guys right about now" said Bruno as Lucy held on to her head shaking nervously.
"How did I get myself into this mess" she muttered.
Michael slowly began to make his way towards the back of the forklift while staying low. He looked on to see the remains of the helicopter in flames burning away in the distance. It took his mind back to a memory, all he could see were flames surrounding him whilst he was trapped inside a burning building, in an opening he saw the figure of Judgement Dragon letting out a roar as the roof of the building began to cave in, he froze as the cars began to edge closer.
"Hey Michael!" shouted Bruno, Michael sudden snapped out of his frozen state. "If you're going to do something now is a good time."
Michael began to make his way over to a panel on the back of the forklift; he forced his hand at one of the edges and ripped off the panel. He threw it in the road as one of the cars swerved to one side while another car joined to give chase. Michael took the knife and began to saw through a thick cable as the cars began to draw closer.
"They're getting closer!" shouted Lucy while holding her head out of the window.
"I'm trying"
"Whatever you're doing, do it now kid!" shouted Bruno.
"I told you before, don't call me kid."
"JUST DO IT!" shouted Bruno and Lucy.
Michael ripped the knife through the cable causing fluid to spew out over the road. As Michael watched the cars slide from side to side uncontrollably the arm began to lower, but the arm still remain extended, stretching out in front of the cab. Bruno made another turn to the right, the extended forklift arm ripped through a set of glass windows, the force from the turn caused the struts to deploy. Michael climbed his way back into the cab as Lucy shuffled over.
"What did you do?" asked Bruno.
"I cut the line to the hydraulics; that should keep them at bay."
"Nice thinking, but now we're in trouble" said Bruno pointing in front of him. "The arms down so now we can't see.
"Don't worry, just follow the directions from Lustrous and we will be fine."
They continued to drive through the night, with the roaring engines of the police cars following closely behind. As one of the cars came along side Bruno thrusted the wheel to the right causing the forklift to slam the car of the road, its span violently until it fell out of sight. With the last car still following relentlessly they made another turn, and open road with the moonlight dancing in the ocean. Moving right up against the side of the road, the strut of the forklift began to rip through a wooden fence panel by panel. As the last car grew closer to them, Bruno suddenly slammed on the breaks as Michael leapt out. He ran up to the car as it stopped to turn around and punched the officer driving, knocking him out cold.
"Ok, I think we're good now, we can start the next phase" said Michael as He climbed inside the police car.
"I'll be there in a sec" shouted Bruno, he then looked over towards Lucy. "You ok to drive this thing?" she shuffled over to the driver seat clutching one arm; she placed both hands on the steering wheel and pressed her foot down on the accelerator. She hissed slightly.
"I can only just about manage it. We have to end this quickly."
Bruno nodded as he rushed over and climber into the passenger side of the police car, Lucy began to drive the forklift away as the Michael started up the engine. The two of them began to advance onwards; all the while an ominous figure was vigilant from a roof top.
"Huh" he sniggered. "It seems I will have to take more extreme measures in order to deal with this troublesome pest." He slowly made his way towards the city with his darkly colour cloak in the stiff breeze.
He dropped down to the ground and spotted something. The ominous figure could see the small girl from before, lit up with lights she was working away on a vintage locomotive. Her ice blue hair bound back by a crimson headband in two loops, she was wearing a light blue and white dress, held up by two icicle like straps. Her arms covered in long blue gloves with silver streaks from her finger tips with a similar style of knee high boots.
The young girl had a diagram in one had with a spanner in the other, her pale blue eyes covered with a visor while she was busy working away inside the cab of the western style locomotive. She stopped as she heard the sound of the figure approaching, the figure reached out his hand and streams of flux energy began to burst forth. It wrapped around the locomotive like a spider's web before it faded into its body. He walked up to the young girl as she looked on, climbing up the steps he threw her out of the cab. The wheels of the locomotive lit up with the burning yellow flames of flux as the chimney stack started bellowing smoke.
It began to advance slowly, filled with anger the young girl jumped on the back of the locomotive as it began to leave the rails and start moving along the nearby road. The figure pulled down a cord and the locomotive let out powerful whistle.
"I've always want to do that" he chuckled.
Meanwhile on the open road Bruno picked up a com's device from inside the car and began to speak into it as Michael stayed close to Lucy as she struggled to keep her foot flat on the pedal.
"Come in Officer Byron."
"This is Byron Mestol here, what's the situation?"
"This is Officers Michael and Bruno reporting, we are currently in pursuit of the death dancer, she's heading east on the outskirts of the city. She is in possession of a heavy vehicle and has already taken out several units."
"I copy, sending reinforcements, take extreme care and don't lose her."
"Don't worry; this thing is so slow there no way…"
Soon they heard the sounds of sirens following behind them; the flashing blue lights could be seen pulsing away in the rear view mirror. Michael groaned slightly as he pulled up alongside Lucy. They looked at each other momentarily. Lucy slammed the wheel to one side trying to knock Michael of the road; he promptly avoided it by hitting the breaks.
"This girl is crazy" shouted Bruno while still holding the coms device. "We can't get close without being put at risk. We'll keep on her tail; you got a visual of where we are?"
"Roger that, we can see where you going clear as day here, just don't lose her." Byron put the coms device down as Bruno snapped his fingers.
"Perfect, now we just have to keep following her for the plan to work."
They continued to race through the night as they constantly kept close to the rear of the forklift but never making any rash moves. The cars behind them were keeping up but only just. Michael suddenly spotted a bright light behind the cars; a whistle rang out from behind them as the vintage locomotive shoved the cars aside causing them to explode. The locomotive chugged its way alongside Michael as the figure stood up to the cab door with the locomotives fiery wheels spinning wildly.
"You may have stopped me from summoning the banisher" said the figure. "But don't think I'm about to let you escape with your life."
The locomotive slowed down and tried to ram the car, Michael began to swerve left and right as the figure continued to assault them. Getting on one side he tried to edge closer to them with the sound of the spinning wheels booming in Michael's ears. The figure began to laugh maniacally as he continued to assault them while charging down the open stretch of road.
Michael took a sudden turn and briefed a sigh of relief as he saw the locomotive rush past. They began to slow down thinking it was over, the locomotive suddenly burst its way through a building and began to chase them again. Lucy meanwhile looked behind her to see if they were still there, all she saw was open road with no sign of Michael or the other police cars.
"What?" she said slamming her fist on the wheel. "Where did they go?"
"You must hurry Lucy, Bruno and Michael are in danger" said Lustrous from within her head.
"Ok I'll…" she put her foot down on the accelerator but immediately removed it from the pain. "Ah…I…I can't do it, it hurts too much."
"In which case." The wheels of the forklift burst into a violent rush of yellow flames as the arm raised and retraced clearing her view. "Try it now."
"What how?"
"Use your thoughts, if you can will it, you can make it."
"My thoughts, but what do you…"
"Just do it"
"Ok"
Lucy closed her eyes and clenched her fists, her concentration firmly displayed on her brow, slowly but surely the forklift began to move. She began to get giddy with joy but still confused slightly. She soon set aside her confusion and the forklift span its wheels violently as it turned around and began to head toward Bruno and Michael who were still attempting to evade the rampaging locomotive.
With every attempt made by the figure and every time Michael avoided the attack the figures laughter began to grow immensely.
"Oh please do continue to evade my attacks, I want to savour this moment before I end your life. With you out of the way we will finally be able to achieve our ultimate goal, then nothing can stop us, NOTHING!"
He began to ring out a loud shriek of laughter as he continued to assault the two of them one attack after another. His ego got the better of him, as he became blinded by his arrogance he failed to notice the small girl from before climbing her way into cab from the other side.
"Dammit, that was close!" shouted Bruno. "We can't keep evading him like this e need to do something."
"But what!" replied Michael. "If only we could slow him down we may be able to stop him."
"Arg, dammit we got to find Lucy again, we have to be with her for the plan to work, where is she; we could really use her help right now."
Just then they became distracted as they heard the figure cry out with frustration. Looking over to one side they notice the locomotive was slowing down, as Michael looked in the rear view mirror he could see the figure grappling with someone. The small girl had jumped on his back and was now pounding the diagram in her hand over the guy's head. Meanwhile Lucy had managed to catch up with them, seeing them in sight the forklift began accelerate forward. She became struck with confusion at the sight of the locomotive on the road driving close to Bruno.
"What the?" she gasped. "Bruno, what the hell is going on?" she said down the coms unit.
"This weird guy is driving it, I don't know how but I think he was the one controlling you earlier."
"There was a guy controlling me?"
"Now's not the time for this" shouted Michael. "Just try and deal with this guy Lucy, this car can't take a hit from that thing without falling apart."
"Right" she replied as she began get closer.
Once lined up she slammed the prongs of the forklift into the rear of the locomotive, the impact caused the figure to fall over and the girl to fall out of the cab door, she was left hanging on the very edge of the cab door as the figure slowly got up and walked over to her.
"What?" gasped Lucy "What is she doing here." Lucy began to edge the forklift closer to the side of the locomotive. "Chloe what are you doing, I thought I told you to go home!"
"I'm sorry; I just had to finish my work on Doris."
Lucy slammed the forklift into the locomotive as she saw the figure approached Chloe, the impact caused him to fall backwards while Chloe lost her grip with one hand, she tried to regain her grip but continued to slip from the ledge. She began to panic.
"Help!" she shouted.
"Chloe you have to jump, jump now" shouted Lucy as she held her hand out of the window.
Chloe pushed herself from the cab and reached out her hand towards Lucy, she grabbed hold of her hand and slowly pulled her in as the continued to speed along the road while the figure was now getting to his feet.
"Meddlesome child, I will make you regret that!" he roared.
The locomotive slammed into the forklift with the fiery wheels grinding against each other. All Bruno and Michael could do was watch as the continued to drive forward, the locomotive began to push the forklift across the road. Chloe screamed with fear as Lucy forced the forklift into the locomotive trying to push it away. Michael who had his eyes on the action behind him suddenly noticed the brick wall in front of him and swerved down the next road, the figure saw his chance and gave another forceful slam into the forklift before he turned around to follow him.
Both Lucy and Chloe screamed as the forklift ploughed into the wall, the figure chuckled slightly as he then accelerated the locomotive towards Michael and Bruno, seeing himself lined up the locomotive's chimney stack shot a burst of yellow flames as it suddenly made a beeline for the car trying to shunt them off the road.
"YOU'RE MINE!" shouted the figure as he roared towards them with the locomotive furiously chugging along at a frightening speed. He began to laugh maniacally as he drew closer.
Both Bruno and Michael closed the eyes and tightened their muscles, bracing themselves for the worst. All of a sudden a horn rang out catching their attention, Michael looked in the rear view mirror as the forklift burst out from a wall and rammed the prongs into the side of the locomotive lifting it off the ground as the forklift continued to drive on. Michael immediately turned the car around and followed Lucy in the forklift as they headed towards the edge of a cliff.
The figure looked out to one side to see the edge approaching fast; he turned over to stare at Lucy in the cab with Chloe hugging her tightly.
"Fool, you'll kill us all!" he snarled.
"That's the idea" she replied with a slight chuckle.
"I'm scared Lucy" said Chloe as she gripped Lucy tighter.
"It will be alright, just don't let go."
"You will regret the day you crossed paths with Lucifer Imorses. I WILL be back!" he suddenly vanished in a flash of light.
The two machines drove of the cliff with the locomotive giving off one final whistle as it remained impaled by the prongs of the forklift. The two plunged down and crashed into the jagged rocks below with an almighty explosion of yellow flames and shrapnel. Michael stopped the car just at the cliff edge and rushed out looking down at the wreckage as Bruno slowly walked forward holding his coms device to his mouth.
"Come in Byron" he said softly. He gave a slight sigh.
"I copy, what's the situation?" replied Byron.
"Suspect… is deceased. She drove off the cliff and the vehicle exploded on contact with the ground. It's over."
"Roger, report back to HQ, a salvage squad will be sent in due time to examine the wreckage. Over and out."
The coms fell silent as a chill wind rushed through the air, both Bruno and Michael stood on the edge of the cliff looking out at the ocean to see the tip of the sun beginning to rise behind the wall of smoke and flames. Bruno clenched his fist slightly.
"Lucy…please…be ok."