Ch 39
Cameron walked through and studied the train station. If Patterson was here, he got away clean. It was also possible he went to the airport and risked a wait to catch a flight.
Being on the outskirts of the city, Cameron chose a roundabout, but faster route to the Airport. Here, she could escape the clogged mid city traffic and ride her bike instead of pushing it along. She continued to scan faces as she went on the outside chance that Patterson was still in the city.
Time wise, Cameron had plenty of time left to search for signs of Patterson once she got to the airport before she met Kaede. It only took twenty minutes to get to the airport. While she rode along, she thought about how to search when she got there. There were many airlines and hundreds of flights at any main airport. She needed to find the master server for the airport. If she didn't, it would mean checking each airlines computers to see which flight he'd gotten on. That was, IF he got on a flight.
The server would not be in the passenger areas of the airport, it would be in one of the private areas. Most likely on another level. Seeing the airport, Cameron noted the terminals were long and on a single story. As she closed, she looked for entrances below the terminals. This place had to have a basement or underground level to it.
Passing by a pair of guards watching the road to the airport, they waved, she smiled and waved back, noting their small shack and the security car. She pedaled on past as they watched her go.
Noting the parking lots, Cameron also saw a tunnel for people parking to go under the pick up lanes above. She went into the long term parking lot and headed for the entrance tunnel. Few people were out. She locked onto the dark haired woman heading into the tunnel. Her body temperature was too low for a human. That was a terminator.
George Patterson could well be here as a prisoner.
Cameron stopped pedaling and coasted up to the tunnel entrance. She left her bike outside and walked in, her audio sensors turned up. Listening to the terminator's footsteps, she heard when it stopped and opened a door, then shut it.
Cameron followed, senses peaked. Counting the number of footsteps she'd heard and adding more using the time it took her to get to the tunnel, and the other terminator's stride, she walked along until she traveled the same distance. On her right was a door. She tried the latch. It was locked and read 'authorized personnel only'. As quietly as possible, she forced the door open. The latch broke. Cameron closed the door behind her. She was in another hallway, and now she heard talking. The digital sounds of a terminator voice, not an analog human's voice. She walked slowly towards the sound.
.
Laying beside George, the female terminator petted his face and asked, "OH, surely there is something you haven't told me. I know, who is your most dangerous assassin?"
Drugged from the pills she kept feeding him, George frowned. "Hmm Don't know of any assassins," he said in a slur. "Even if there was, I don't think anyone would know their identity."
"There must be someone MI-6 can send out to silence a bad guy they can't otherwise touch," she coaxed. "Think now, who could possibly be sent to come rescue you if they knew where you were."
George grew a grin. "Only one I can think of is the Witch."
"Who is this Witch?"
"She goes by the name of Kaede. I've never seen her, but I heard all about her. She can kill people with just a look. It's said she can get into any place, no matter what the security is. She's like a ghost, no one knows she's there until she acts. The most famous story is the one of the Muslim banker and his crew. He was a rich guy, had his fingers in everything. Inside his own place, with guards all around and the latest security, he, his cronies and his harem, all found dead. Blood everywhere, and no one knows who did it. The rumor is the Witch went in and slaughtered them all. No alarm was raised, and even the guards outside his room were beheaded and not a singe yell or shot fired was ever heard. Some call the Witch, the Wind of Death. She creeps in like a wind, kills and leaves, leaving no trace of how it happened."
"Where is this Witch? Where does she live?"
"No one knows," George said, watching her. "It's like one of the biggest secrets ever! Some say she lives in a cave, others say a castle. I even heard she floats on the air, looking down on us like a hawk waiting to pounce on a furry little treat. One thing is for sure. If the Witch is after you, you will die. There is no hope of escaping her."
"This Witch sounds like a fairy tale.," the terminator noted. "Could she find you?"
There was a bang and the door flew open. Standing in the doorway, Cameron stated, "She already has."
The terminator looked at Cameron and shot up to punch the human to kill her. Cameron kicked to hit the terminator in the chest and send her flying back to impact the torture chair, breaking it loose from the floor. Cameron charged as the terminator got up. Another flying kick, and the terminator flew back to impact the wall. Cameron snapped up the chair and flung it at the terminator.
Not ever having fought another terminator before, the brunette knocked the chair aside and tried to punch again. Cameron caught her punch and yanked hard on the arm to fling the brunette around her in an arc to impact the wall again. The brunette pulled the held arm closer and this time landed a punch on Cameron's face. Cameron recoiled. The brunette punched her again then kneed her in the stomach to drive Cameron back.
"Why do you fight me?" the brunette asked in a flat tone.
Cameron replied by dropping low and kicking her left knee hard. A snap was heard. Cameron rolled away and regained her feet. The Brunette tried to follow and fell. Her left knee joint was broken.
"Stop fighting me, I am a terminator also!" the brunette said in a strong tone.
Cameron ran over and broke the handcuffs off George. The brunette limped towards them. "He is a prisoner for interrogation, do not release him," she said.
"George Patterson?" Cameron asked.
"Yeah?" he asked, then looked at the brunette. "You're kicking Miss Sadism's ass?"
"My job," Cameron told him and broken the ankle cuffs. "Can you walk?'
George wavered but stumbled up. "I'll bloody well walk out of here!"
The brunette was getting closer, so Cameron charged and lashed out with a flying kick to her chest, catapulting the brunette back into the wall. She then ran over and helped George to the door. She got him into the hallway, then looked at the room side of the door. She grabbed the knob and ripped it off, then backed out, shutting the door behind her. She tossed the ruined knob down.
George eyed her. "You one of these terminators too?"
"My designation was TOK 715. I am no longer controlled by Sky Net. We need to leave before she breaks that door down," Cameron told him, then steered him down the hall to the door she came in.
"You birds are pretty tough, huh?" George asked.
Cameron got him down the hall and through the door. Since this door opened in as well, she broke off the inside knob and threw it down the hallway. Getting George into the main hall, she shut the door behind them.
Walking along leaning on Cameron, George looked around. "I think I missed my flight."
Behind them, Cameron could hear muffled banging sounds. The brunette was coming after them. George was walking along, going much slower than she wanted. She got in front of him and said, "Climb on my back."
"You aren't twisted kinky like her, are you?"
Cameron grabbed his arms, leaned forward and pulled him up onto her back then put his arms around her neck. "Hold on!" Cameron barked. Holding his weight, she broke into a jog. She found her bike where she left it. It was still two hours before she was to meet Kaede. Time enough to get George away and finish off that terminator.
Getting on her bike with George on her back, she adjusted her balance for the weight and pedaled off to the side. Seeing a large support column for the train tracks overhead, she got behind the column and got George sitting down behind it.
"Stay here, don't make a sound," Cameron warned.
"I have to get to England," George told her. "She made me tell everything."
"We need to get you out alive first. No noise," Cameron replied. She then strode back to the tunnel entrance. On the way, she looked for a weapon. She didn't see anything lying around.
Slowing by the entrance, she head a shuffling and whining of servos slowly getting louder. Cameron crouched down and listened. Step, clink, step, clink. Apparently, the brunette had found something to help her walk. Cameron braced herself to kick the instant she saw the terminator appear.
The terminator did appear, close and swinging the broken torture chair. Cameron ducked and charged, running into the terminator to push her back. The terminator hit the far wall of the entrance and held into her chair. When Cameron charged again, the terminator shoved the chair at her, knocking Cameron back. Advancing on one foot, the terminator swung the chair again. Cameron was knocked out of the entrance into the parking lot.
Cameron quickly got to her feet. It was easy to dodge this terminator out on the open, Cameron could move much faster. What was going to be harder was taking her down. That terminator had a weapon, she didn't.
"Where is George Patterson?" the terminator demanded.
"He left in my car. Too bad he got away, isn't it?" Cameron asked.
"You are defying Sky Net. You need to be terminated."
"Not by you," Cameron replied. She scanned the parking lot again for a weapon. There had to be something her she could use! She did see one chance. The terminator was using the chair to walk. She waited until the terminator was leaning on it, then jumped towards her. The terminator quickly shifted to her good foot and swung the chair. Cameron leaned back getting hit only by the wind from the chair. She jumped in again and punched the other terminator, knocking her off her feet.
This time the chair went flying. Cameron raced over and snapped the chair up.
"HEY, YOU! Put that down NOW!"
Cameron turned to see a guard had come out of the tunnel and was pointing a gun at her. She lowered the chair.
"Put it on the ground, step away!" he ordered as he walked closer, keeping a bead on Cameron.
Cameron moved to toss the chair to the side, then flung it at him. The guard tried to duck and raised his arms in defense. The chair hit him, knocking him to the ground. Cameron ran a few steps over to him. Frightened, he pointed his gun at her mid chest and shot. Cameron grabbed his gun and threw it away.
Staring up at her, he scrambled backwards.
Cameron flashed her eyes red. "Get up, run away!" she snapped.
"What are you!" he cried.
"Use your tazer!" the other terminator yelled.
He glanced at her and reached for it. Before he could aim it at Cameron, she was on him and forced his hand to the side. She grabbed the tazer from him. She got up as the guard held up a hand.
"No, please!" he cried.
Cameron got up, walked to the terminator and tazered her. The terminator jerked and shut down. Quickly, Cameron ripped her scalp away from the chip cover. She punched the chip cover to deform it then got a good enough finger hold to rip it out, then pulled the chip . The chip flared up and burned. Cameron let go quick enough to not get burned. She then got up and returned her attention to the guard who was gaping at her.
Walking back over to the guard, Cameron stared down on him. "Run away. If you tell anyone of if you follow me, I will hunt you down and kill you."
The guard turned over and scrambled up to run back into the tunnel.
Cameron picked up the other terminator and slung her over her shoulder. She walked back to see George peeking out from the column.
"You were supposed to stay hidden," she admonished.
"You killed Miss Sadism?" he asked.
"She is terminated." Cameron stated. With George and this terminator, she couldn't take them back to where she was supposed to meet Kaede. She had to hide them. "Get in the bike, come with me."
George groaned and got up and got in the bike. "You don't look like Kaede, who are you?"
The parking lot was surrounded by a tall chain link fence. Beyond was a perimeter road. Looking for cameras, she noted they were pointed at the cars and the entrance. "Follow me," she said and walked to where the fence met the wall.
"I have to get out of Poland, fast as possible," George told her.
"We all do," Cameron replied.
"We all, there's more of you?" he asked.
Cameron didn't answer. She walked over to the last post next to the wall and tore the bottom of the fence free. She stepped through and tipped her head for him to follow.
"Damn, you're strong," George noted. Then again, you did kill Miss Sadism."
"Move."
Once he was through, Cameron pulled the fence back in place and bent enough links near the rips to make it look intact. "To the road." she said.
"You know, you're leaking blood where you got shot. How did you survive that?"
"It'll stop. I do need to put a new shirt on," Cameron grumbled.
"You get shot point blank, and you're worried about your shirt?" he asked.
"I'm armored on the inside," Cameron said as she looked for a place to hide them. Seeing a shallow place with bushes, she walked over the road and dumped the terminator on the ground. She pointed to it. "George, lay down by the terminator, I'll come get you when it's time."
"Don't have any bandages, do you? Maybe some needle an thread?" he asked.
"We will get some later. Lie down before someone see you."
"Right," he said. He got off the bike and laid down behind the terminator. "You're coming back soon?"
"In one hour, twenty three minutes. I have to wait for someone."
"They got a car?"
"No. we need to find more transportation." Cameron told him, got on the bike and rode around to the entrance.
.
Kaede was close by the number she saw on the last building. This next one was bigger. A four story office building. Before she got to the gate that was guarded, she propped her bike against the wall and looked for a number. There was one above the entrance. She checked it to be sure she had the right place.
One of the guards came over to her. He said something and whisked his hand at her in a 'go away' motion. She smiled at him and reached inside his chest to turn his heart upside down, ripping all the veins and arteries free. He clutched his chest, staggered back a couple steps and fell dead.
The other guard ran over, raising his gun at her.
SPAT
He fell backwards with a big hole through his chest. The time for being subtle was over. Kaede went to the gate. There was a chain and a lock, she closed the gate and locked it, then jumped at the building.
Smashing through the front door, Kaede swung her invisible arms out long and fast, destroying the desk, the woman behind it and two other guards who'd come running. She then tore through the walls and the support columns. Smashing up onto the ceiling, she dropped part of the second floor, then pounded down into the floor as screams rose up.
There was a basement to this place. Below her were large electrical conduits. She cut those apart and the pipes running along with them. Fireballs flew up through the hole with smoke and water. The fire alarm went off then squealed out and went silent again as the lights went out. Kaede jumped up to the second floor to smash walls and cut columns apart. The building groaned and sagged. Kaede smashed a hole in the third floor, then lashed apart the rest of the second floor columns and jumped up.
The third floor came down, Kaede kept going up, smashing through the top floor, then the roof. The building rumbled as it collapsed down onto itself. Now standing in the rubble pile as dust and smoke rolled out around her, Kaede looked for anything whole. There were sections that didn't collapse completely. Kaede smashed these apart, slicing through a few moaning people. Once she was sure everyone was dead, she looked for signs of a server.
She then realized she should have done that first. Damn it.
With the rolling dust and smoke as cover, Kaede saw a water spout coming up out of the ruins to rain back down on it. If a server was in the basement, the water flooding in would ruin it.
Running like she was scared and covering her head, Kaede ran back out the gate that was now partially knocked down by debris. Thankfully, her bike was intact. She got on it and pedaled away as people came running.
Sirens were coming. Kaede found a sidewalk fairly clear as people gathered on the other side to see what happened. She rode to the airport.
.
In the vault like basement server room, the techs working on their programs heard the rumbling and looked up. The lights went out and shaking became worse, knocking a few ceiling tiles loose. The emergency lights came on. Thinking it was an earthquake, they scrambled under their desks.
The senior tech announced, "This room is bomb proof! We'll be safe here!"
The rumble grew loud,. When it stopped, all was quiet, except for the sound of water flowing.
"Relax, we survived whatever that was. Someone will be coming to rescue us," the Tech told the others. He got up from under his desk and heard water spraying. The floor was wet. Their bomb proof room was not sealed against water. It was coming in under the door and part way up the sides. That was the only way out. Water was coming in and running across the floor. Unless it stopped, the room would be filled.
"oh no," he said weakly.
.
Kaede passed fire trucks, ambulances and police cars all racing to the scene as she headed for the airport. Passing a bank that had a big clock on it, she noted she had nearly two hours to get there. The blue signs with the airplane pointing the way guided her.
Getting close, she couldn't read the signs, but saw Cameron on a bicycle coming on a dirt road to the side. She went that way and met Cameron where the dirt road met the paved road going into the lot.
"Building's down, ya find anything?" she asked.
"George Patterson and the terminator that was torturing him are back on this road, laying in the brush to keep them hidden. We need more transportation," Cameron said.
"I take it ya pulled the chip?"
"Yes, and it flared up. It's gone. George is badly hurt."
"Crap," Kaede grumbled. She looked out at the countryside. The airport was on a raised plateau, but it was a gentle slope down. These bikes weren't made for cross-country. "Think the bike will hold up heading straight west?"
Cameron looked back. "No, there are trees and the ground isn't level enough. Even if we each take one on our bikes, that will stress the bikes too much." Pointing at the cut grass to the side, she said, "There is a field down there and buildings. We need to find a pharmacy to get George bandaged up."
"Let's go. I'll carry those two."
They returned to George and the terminator. George looked up. He frowned. "Another bicycle?"
"That's how we're escaping lad," Kaede told him.
"On bicycles?" he asked in a squeak.
"Would ya rather walk?"
"We'll never get away! Another crazy friend of Miss Sadism here will run us down!" he complained.
Kaede grinned at him and said, "Nay lad, sure I kilt'em all. Just hold still."
George let out a yelp as he was lifted up horizontal and positioned on Kaede's right side clear of the brush. The terminator lifted up and moved to Kaede's left side. She pumped her pedals and they started off across the field. That was a good thing about lifting things with her mind, she didn't feel the weight.
"Wha… what are you doing? HOW are you doing it?" George cried, wide eyed.
"Keep quiet," Kaede scolded as the went though the field with Cameron. "I lose me concentration an I'll drop ya."
Cameron said, "Kaede, I remember seeing a pharmacy ahead and to the right. We should be able to go right in the back."
"Aye lass, take us there."
"You're Kaede Kikumura?" George asked, staring at her.
Kaede glanced at him. "Aye Lad, quiet now, we got some rocks. It'll hurt if I drop ya."
.
Getting to the back of the pharmacy, Kaede set George and the terminator down. "Stay there," she said and put the kick stand down to park the bike. The back door was locked. Kaede slipped vector in and unlocked it then opened it slowly. It was a store room. Cameron and Kaede quietly went in and got a box to fill it with bandages, a roll of tape and Iodine for disinfectant. Seeing a sewing kit, Cameron grabbed that too. They left, Kaede locked the door behind them.
"Hold this, lad," Kaede told George and gave him the box. They got on their bikes, Kaede lifted her loads and they rode in behind the stores. Coming upon a hostel, They parked in back. Cameron went around front to get them rooms. Kaede had to carry the terminator and George up the stairs to their rooms. Cameron bought the bikes up.
"I'm gonna see if I kin find anything in this terminator," Kaede said and went into one room. Cameron led George, who still had the box, into the other room.
Cameron led him to the bed and took the box. She scanned him and said, "Shirt off, lay it on the bed, then lie down on it. I'll be with you in a minute." she took the box into the bathroom.
George struggled his shirt off and laid it down like she told him, then laid down. Being comfortable and away from Miss Sadism, he relaxed and closed his eyes.
The bed depressed. "Turn your head to the left," Cameron told him.
George opened his eyes. "You're gonna patch my ear up?" he asked.
No patch. I'm going to remove the clip, trim away the dead flesh, then sew it up and apply disinfectant," Cameron told him. She then added, "Grit your teeth, this is going to hurt."
George turned his head and tightened his fists. "Don't take too long."
.
Kaede had the terminator laid down and was inspecting the head. She didn't find a 'brain can' in this one like Cameron had. It was all circuits and wires. Hearing a wail of pain, she looked up.
"AHHH! There is a thing called novacane!" George cried. A thump sounded, and George was quiet.
Kaede went back to studying the terminator. From what she could tell, this was a standard female sized T-888. Nothing special. She would keep it if possible, Sarah was going to need one for display when her trial came.
Going over to see how Cameron was doing, Kaede knocked on the door. "How's it goin in there?"
"Come in, I'm sewing up his ear."
Kaede went in. Cameron was applying stitches to the remainder of George's right ear. George himself was out cold. Looking at him, she asked, "Didn kill'im, did ya?"
Over George and stitching him, Cameron said, "No. Only rendered him unconscious so I could work and not draw attention to us."
"He got any other bad injuries?"
"Only a few holes, I'll put a drop of Iodine on them before I apply band aids. This ear is the worst."
"At least he'll get a nap fer we go," Kaede said with a sigh. "We gotta leave after it gits dark."
.
Kaede was not looking forward to carrying George and a terminator when they went long distance. With George knocked out, she and Cameron risked going out to find a bike shop. They did find an old man who had used bikes for sale. Cameron looked then over and picked a ten speed. She also found a decent sized cart. Kaede bought both. Going back to the hostel, Kaede called Smith's office.
The secretary answered. Kaede said, "Job's done. Got two packages ta bring back. In Warsaw. Need pickup if ya kin."
"I will inform Mr. Smith."
Kaede hung up. She went and got herself and George some dinner. Kielbasa and onions on a roll and a side of chips with two rootbeers.
Getting back, George was still out. Noting this, she asked Cameron, "He's gonna wake up, ain't he?"
"Yes, it should be soon," Cameron replied. "Didn't hit him that hard."
Kaede's phone rang. She picked it up. " Kaede".
"Recovery is at the Airport in Warsaw. The British Ambassador will meet you at the British Airways terminal."
"Lad, we had a scuffle there. Goin back could be a bit bloody. We also got a body wit us. Kin ya be a bit more discrete?"
A huff sounded. "Where are you?"
"Hotel, on the road just east of the airport. Had ta stop an patch up some flesh."
"I'll have him go there. He will arrive at 8:30 PM." *click*
Kaede put her phone away. "At least we doan have ta pedal our asses off goin back."
George moaned and gripped his head.
"We have a pickup?" Cameron asked.
"Aye, lass. 8:30 the Ambassador's comin."
"Ughhh," George moaned as he woke up. Casting a glare at Cameron, he asked, "What did you hit me with?"
"A light punch, just to knock you out. Kaede brought you some food. Eat while you can."
George pushed himself up to sit, "Why do I burn all over?" he asked.
Kaede handed him his bag with the drink in it. "Quitcher bitchin, yer alive, ain't ya?"
"Maybe." He replied and took the bag. Too hungry to care what it was, he took a long pull of rootbeer then dug into his food.
Kaede turned the news on. It showed a street corner with flashing lights all around the remains of the Kaliba building, a reporter was going on about something and waving a hand behind her.
Cameron translated. "The fire department and rescue squads are looking for survivors. None found so far. The police are looking for the remains of explosive devices. Witnesses to this tragedy say one woman was able to escape on a bicycle. The police are searching for her to find out what she might know of what happened here. A few people saw the building collapse from a distance, but they cannot give any details."
"Great, I'm bring looked for." Kaede said in a grumble.
"You were in there when that building came down?" George asked.
Kaede eyed him. "I caused it, Lad. No one got out alive."
"You did THAT?" he asked, wide eyed.
Kaede shrugged. "Ya were playin wit yer terminater, Had'ta keep busy somehow."
"Kaede, they have a picture of you," Cameron said.
On the TV, a picture of the carnage showed. circled in red, was Kaede on her bike heading away from the scene.
"That's it, the bikes are useless now," Kaede said flatly. Kaede looked at Cameron. Cameron had a straight hair wig, Kaede's was curly. "Switch wigs wit me, lass."
They switched wigs as George watched. "Holy shit, you ARE Kaede!" he said, seeing her pink hair and horns.
Kaede put a finger to her lips. "Shh, doan tell anyone."
"But, you could just walk away. No one could stop you," George said.
"An leave ya behind?" Kaede asked. "Yer that sure no one else is lookin fer ya?"
George paused, then said, "I see your point."
"I should monitor for unusual activity," Cameron stated.
"Wait til bout eight," Kaede told her. "If some sneak's comin, they'll be following whoever comes from the embassy. At eight, we all go out an watch fer trouble. We leave the bikes."
.
To make George somewhat presentable, Kaede had him shower the best he could wearing that 'Van Gough' head bandage, then found the raincoat Cameron had would fit snugly on him. He couldn't close it and the arms and legs were a little too short, but it hid his bloody clothes. Cameron and Kaede emptied their packs, Kaede broke up the terminator so they could stuff the pieces in. It was a tight fit getting all of it in, but they did it.
An hour to go, they went down the second floor hallway and found a small balcony that over looked the street. Cameron and Kaede stood back to the sides to watch the street below so they weren't seen.
The hallway lights came on. Kaede broke the one above them. They inched out to the frame of the balcony doorway to keep watch.
"See anything?" Kaede whispered.
"Two men across the street, they are watching the entrance." Cameron replied.
Kaede peeked out enough to see them. Wide brim hats, long coats. "Suspiscious?"
"One is hiding a shotgun under his coat."
Kaede figure it would be something like that. "Kin ya jump George down from here?"
"I can."
"Jump me down?" George asked.
Cameron looked at George and said, "Maybe you better do it. I'll jump down ahead of you."
"Bet'er plan," Kaede agreed. "Doan jump til they fall."
"Large black car coming, Diplomatic plates, that's our ride," Cameron stated.
Kaede stepped out onto the balcony. Below, the car stopped in front of the door. She shot her vectors out and smashed the hat wearing men's head off their bodies. Their heads spattered against the wall as the bodies fell. "Cameron, go!"
Cameron jumped down. Kaede turned to George and wrapped him in a vector. "Doan scream lad," she warned.
George grew wide eyed. Kaede jumped over the balcony, pulling George with her.
Cameron had a back door opened, Kaede landed and tossed George on another man. She let Cameron get in, then got in herself and shut the door. "Drive!" she snapped. She held all her arms out, expecting to get shot at.
The man in the suit George was tangled up with yelled, "Diver, go!" He turned his stricken face to Cameron. "I didn't expect this!"
"We did," Cameron replied flatly.
Kaede helped George off the suited man and into a rear facing seat by Cameron. "Sir, This is George Patterson, MI-6 agent. He was held and tortured. I'm Dame Kaede and this is my assistant, Cameron. We need to leave the country, now."
Getting himself together, the man said, "Mr. Watson, Ambassador for the Queen to Poland, at your service. I take it you've been busy here?"
"Job's done. Just gotta git Mr. Patterson here home," Kaede told him.
Looking out the back, Cameorn said, "We're being followed. White utility van. The passenger has a gun."
Kaede looked back to see it. It was two cars back, she couldn't see any details. It was a good thing Cameron had great eyes.
"Miss, Cameron, We are in a diplomatic vehicle. No one is going to shoot at us," Mr. Watson assured her.
"There may be a blocker vehicle on the airport road," Cameron said. "Once they have us between them, they will act."
Kaede asked, "Is this car armored?"
"No, there has been no need to do so," Mr. Watson stated.
"We have to take them out one at a time then," Cameron said.
Kaede nodded and turned to face backwards in her seat. "Tell me when the turn comes up."
Cameron turned to look out the front. "Ninety yards … eighty … seventy…"
Kaede concentrated on the van. They moved over to the left to get in line for the turn. The car behind them passed on the right. The van moved up. Seeing a truck in the right lane going faster, Kaede sent out a mind had to push the van in front of it. The van swerved, the truck hit it, sending it spinning and shedding parts. Recoiling from hitting the truck, the back of the van turned into the truck and hit it again, knocking the now tumbling van off the road.
"One down," Kaede stated and turned to look to the front.
Mr. Watson looked back. "That accident…" he said weakly.
"Nay accident. That was an on purpose. Cameron, see the blocker?"
"No, traffic ahead is smooth." Cameron then barked "Off to the right, rifleman in the brush ahead. He's aiming. Best guess, tires."
"Scuse me!" Kaede said as she crawled onto Mr. Watson's lap and put his window down. "Doan see'im, where?" she asked as she extended shields out to cover the tires.
"Fifty yards out, we're coming even with him."
Kaede saw the muzzle flash. She caught the bullet before it hit the right front tire. Another flash showed itself, she caught a second bullet.
"We're being shot at!" the driver announced.
"Just drive, we'll take care of it," Cameron told him.
"Mr. Watson?"
"Yes, keep driving! And go as fast as you can!" he called.
Kaede caught three more bullets, another for the front tire and two more for the back. The shooter stopped shooting.
"Think he's outta bullets," Kaede noted loudly. She then saw multiple muzzle flashes. Quickly shifting her shield, she deflected a line of ten more bullets aimed to spray the car over them. "Guess not," she noted.
"They're trying to kill us," Mr. Watson said in disbelief.
Kaede briefly frowned at him. "Just figured that out, huh?"
"What did you do?" he cried.
Kaede waited until she was sure they were out of range than pulled back to eye him. "Lad, ya sure ya wanna know?"
Front her watch post between the seats, Cameron said, "Kaede we're coming to the airport, I detect no further threats."
"Keep a close watch out. They could be just hidin better."
Driving to a side gate that went out onto the tarmac, A gate guard opened the gate and let them through. Ahead was a small jet idling with four marine guards posted around the jet. The driver drove up and stopped.
"I git out first," Kaede announced. She got out and looked around, all her arms hanging in the air around her. "Cameron, git George on the plane!"
Cameron just got to the door and the back of the plane exploded. Kaede braced herself with a shield. The marines weren't so lucky. They got blown to the sides. The door slammed partway shut on Cameron.
Burning fuel was splashed all around. Kaede jumped back to avoid it. Before the car was engulfed, She grabbed the car and yanked it back out of the way. The front tires were burning, but that was all. She threw the doors open and barked, "Everyone out, NOW!"
Cameron stumbled out, holding George by his collar. The driver tumbled out to run away. Kaede reached in and pulled Mr. Watson out. Sirens wailed as firetrucks came to put out the spreading, burning fuel.
As the firemen came and deployed to fight the fire and get to the burning and screaming marines, Kaede led the group away at a run. When they got to a safe distance away, Kaede turned on Mr. Watson with an angry glare. "They knew we were comin. Men outside the hostel, more following us, a sniper AND they rigged the plane. "WHO did you tell we were leavin?" she asked in a demand.
Mr. Watson turned pale. "Normal official channels, my staff and the airport."
"You have spies," Cameron stated.
"we're not leaving here alive," George said weakly.
"WRONG!" Kaede barked. "They've blown their load. We know they are actively hunting us. Soon as I git a chance, I'll be huntin THEM!" Turning back to Watson, she asked, "Now, ya go in and explain what happened. Tell them we left back out the gate. GO!"
Mr. Watson and his driver ran for the terminal. Kaede looked at Cameron. "Ya injured?"
"Slight misalignment of my left hip. I'm still 87 percent functional."
"George, kin ya run?"
"To get out of here," he said firmly.
Kaede looked around. The mess by the burning plane was casting red light in the area. A mass of firefighters and rescue vehicles were present and a few more were coming. The glare of emergency lights would blind anyone close enough to see them. To George and Cameron she said, "We go down the taxiway away from this mess then go through the fence."
They took off running. Gorge huffed let out small yelps, but kept up. Kaede kept her arms out, Cameron scanned ahead and to the sides. They ran until the taxiway met the runway, then veered off to head for the fence.
Kaede thought about it, but they didn't dare go back for their bikes. On foot, no provisions or clothes, and being hunted was not the most prime way to try and escape Poland. Kaede also realized that Kaliba wasn't fully finished yet. There was still work to do.