I'm walking along a main highway, hidden by trees. I reach an exit and take out my directions. It says to take the fifth exit I come across. I mark my hand with the pen so I can remember that this is the first exit I have passed.

By the time I have come to the fifth exit I see a tree lying across the road. Now this isn't the route that Weaver took, but it's the fastest way to get to Weaver. Around this time they should be waiting for the other regiments to contact them and will wait until dark before they begin the attack.

I walk onto the road and climb over the tree. It should be a little safer for me to walk on the open road now that I'm off the main highway. For the next hour I walk through the suburbs of the outskirts of the city. I look at the directions, but fold them up when I get to a more rural part of the city since it will be more dangerous. I take my gun in one hand (so I have one free to use my ability) and walk carefully under the underpass. Skitters like to sleep under these things, but luckily there are none here. It's starting to get dark and I know I have to hurry if I want to get to them in time. I speed up my walk and turn left at the next street. I follow this road for half a mile at a jog. I'm a little out of breath when I hear the purr of an engine, but I can't see a bike yet. It's only one engine; it could be anyone. I run to the side of the road and hide behind the nearest tree as the engine gets louder. I peek out as the bike rides past, but it's not a random stranger, it's Hal. I walk out from my hiding spot and shout to him to stop, but he doesn't hear me. Instead of chasing after him I do something easier. I flick my hands and his bike freezes. He lurches forward and then sits there for a second before I call out to him. He hears me loud and clear now that the engine isn't covering up my voice. He gets off the bike and takes the key from the ignition, turning the bike off and I unfreeze it. It lurches forward a few feet and then stops. I run to him and he meets me halfway.

"Laura, what are you doing here?"

"Something's happened. Rick told the skitters everything. Tom and I thought the mission might be compromised. I volunteered to warn you guys that you could be walking straight into a trap."

"But it's too late, they just left."

"Well then maybe there's still time, that is if I can borrow your bike," I say hopeful as I move to the bike.

"It takes fifteen minutes to get the spot I saw them last and they're moving," Hal informs me.

"Well then I guess I should hurry!" I shout over my shoulder to him.

"Look even if we could warn Weaver in time, they've split into four groups, so they could each take down a leg; the other masses never showed up, but they are still going to try to complete the mission," Hal informs me.

"We have to try," I say turning to face him. He looks at me and opens his mouth to speak when a metallic groan is heard. I turn to see just barely the light from a Mech in the twilight.

"Shit," I murmur.

We instantly run for cover and literally have to jump over the bushes to get hidden in time. We hear the Mech get closer when Hal is yanked backwards. He flies backward and into a tree. Then I'm grabbed by my neck by a skitter and I can feel the blood running down my neck and chest. Then I'm suddenly dropped and I struggle to regain my breath. When I hear the Mech about to fire I react and freeze everything. I blink and put my hand to my throat, trying to stop the blood. I unfreeze Hal and I call out to him. He takes on look at me and is instantly to my side. He takes off his jacket and wraps it around my neck.

"Hal?" I say painfully.

"Don't talk," he orders.

"Hal, if… if I pass out… everything will unfreeze," I warn him. He immediately understands. If I pass out from loss of blood, the skitter and Mech will unfreeze and we will probably be killed. And at the rate I'm losing blood, it probably won't be long.

Hal picks me up bridal style and runs me to the bike. Somehow he situates me in front of him and he starts the bike. We start moving and I can feel myself starting to pass out. He shakes my arm, which shakes my head since it's resting against his arm.

"Come one Laura, don't pass out on me," Hal says.

Too late.