I
make it to the hospital, and he's gone. Zack has disappeared again. Damn him.
I
wander around the city, wondering where he went. I'm making my way through the
upper class part of the city, near the luxury high rise Fogle Towers, when I
spot someone.
Tinga.
I recognized her from the picture dear old 'dad' had in her profile. Didn't
know she was in town. Why is she here? Could she be with Max?
I
creep closer. She hasn't seen me yet, she's watching the penthouse of Fogle
Towers. I sneak behind her, and that's when she moves, her foot stopping an
inch from me. Of course, I'm ready to block it.
She
smiles at me, and it's evil. "Nice try, but you don't know who you're
dealing with."
"Tinga."
I'm still not sure she's turned, as Lydecker has assured me she is. "Do
you?"
"Brinn.
You're looking well."
"Spying
on someone?"
"Working
on retrieving my stuff," she says, still not shifting out of attack
posture.
"From
Fogle Towers?" I know who lives there, let's see what she knows.
"What's
it to you?"
"I
got a score to settle with his girlfriend."
"Really?"
She finally drops her foot. "Maybe we should work together on this one.
Wanna distract Max while I grab a few things?"
"No
prob, Big sister."
Tinga
heads off for the service entrance, while I put myself where Max can't see me.
I pull out my cel and dial. She picks up on the second ring.
"Logan,
I told you I'd call when - "
"It's
not Logan," I say in my lost kitten voice, "It's Brinn."
"Brinn?"
she whispers.
"I
need help. I escaped, but Lydecker's still after me. Please Maxie."
"Where
are you?"
I
keep her on the phone until Tinga returns, which is fairly quickly.
I
hang up. "You done?"
"Yeah,
let's go."
"Not
so fast. What do you say we take a souvenir with us?" I say pointing at
the parked Aztec that has two figures in it.
Tinga
grins. We sneak up on them. They don't see us until too late.
"Tinga?"
Bling manages before I clock him. He's out like a light.
Logan's struggling, but Tinga subdues him.
"Nighty-night,
Mr. Cale," she whispers, before knocking him out.
Point of View: LYDECKER
*****************************************
I
walk up next to you with a smile "whatcha up to Babe?" an evil grin
crosses my face. the look of shock on your face makes me laugh. "Common
Tinga, you used a payphone! my officer traced it, I expected YOU to be a little
more discreet" she's to predictable. "I knew where'd you'd be! it
doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure it out". I glance at the very
unconscious Logan. "not exactly the 'Eyes Only' I thought he'd be, so
disappointing"
Point of View:
TINGA *************************************************
I
look at Lydecker in amazement. Maybe there's something in the gummie fumes.
Calling me Babe? And approaching me...us...on a public street, even during
these chaotic times, is insane. Especially with Max upstairs, her boyfriend out
cold, and Bling...I won't think about what Brinn did to Bling. It stirs up all
kinds of conflicting emotions, never good.
My
glance takes in the look on Brinn's face. She's pretty much fed up with dear
ol' Dad as well, I can tell...the smile starts growing on my face, mirrored on
hers. "Dad" clearly isn't thinking properly. It's just him and one
other guy, the driver...and a ton of crazed Gummie-eaters between us and
backup. My eyes flicker a question to Brinn, and hers gleam an answer. I place
Cale, whom I had started to remove, back in the car and move close--too
close--to Lydecker as Brinn does a slow fade towards the driver. Smiling
seductively, I place my arms around him and press against him.
"You
know, 'discreet' was never my strong suit," I purr in his ear as Brinn
does a similar number on the driver. Now Lydecker is a bit confused and
off-balance. We haven't dealt face to face much since the deal was struck; he's
not use to Full On Tinga.
//You
can catch more flies with honey...// I think as I bring a knee firmly up to his
groin, then smash his face as he doubles over. From the corner of my eye I can
see Brinn dispatching the driver. I grab Lydecker firmly by the neck and flip
him, slamming him firmly onto the ground. He catches me on the face--why always
the face?--with a good kick. Didn't know the old man had it in him. Still, I'm
able to move with the force of most of the blow, shouldn't even leave much of a
bruise.
I
laugh out loud. "Why, //dad//," I say with heavy sarcasm. "Is
that any way to treat your kid?" He's struggling to his feet as I deliver
a few vicious kicks of my own. I check on Brinn, who's delivering what looks to
be the final blow to the driver. Distracted, I miss Lydecker's next move, which
knocks me off my feet and onto my butt. Growling, I spin, scissoring my legs
and propelling myself up and off the ground, and into him with considerable
force. He sails through the air quite nicely and lands hard, bounces and lands
bonelessly. I stand up, check the face--not too bad, about what I thought--fix
the hair, and dust myself off. Brinn is checking out the Humvee for
transportation.
"What
do you think, Sis?" she asks me.
I
look it over, smiling at her. "Nice ride...don't think they'll be using it
for a while." She grins back at me in return.
I
reach into Cale's car, grab him out of it. As I'm clearing the front seat,
Bling groans and blinks a few times, looking around and focusing on me. The
look he gives me, one of confusion, hurt and--what else? I don't know--cuts me
deep. A gauntlet of emotions runs through me, and I close my eyes briefly,
tightly. Then I open them with firm resolve, stare hard and deep into Bling's
blurred eyes. I give a small, emphatic shake of my head no, and spring away.
Brinn
is readying the back seat. She's found some rope and has already attached it to
the hand hold on the car's roof. I place Logan in the back seat, and she looks
over at the building. "Ah, sis? I think we'd better get mobile." I
look to where the elevator doors are opening, and see them open. Knowing who
had to be there, I hastily get into the front seat, start the Humvee, and roar
away, just as Max realizes that something has gone very, very wrong. I glance
in the rearview, see her worried face, full of fear, etch itself into my memory
as she chases fruitlessly behind us...
Point of View:
MAX *****************************************
I'm standing in the street. STANDING there as they take Logan away. Not just they either. No, it's my *dear* sisters. The ones I thought I could trust. I had gone to check out Logan's penthouse, to make sure that it was safe.
When I got there, the door was opened and the power was out. Could of happened in the blast, or could of happened later. There was someone in there, walking around with a flashlight. Whoever it is headed my way, and I was ready. They were just about to get a face full of motorcycle boot when I realized it's Cindy.
"Cindy!" "Damn Boo, you scared me," she cried. "Don't ever sneak up on me again," I warned her.
"I won't. Original Cindy has no desire to eat boot leather."
"Hang on, I have to give Logan the all-clear," I told her as I reached for the phone. It rang just as my hand touched it. I snatched it up. "Logan, I told you I'd call when - "
"It's not Logan," a small voice replied, "It's Brinn." "Brinn?" I whispered. "I need help. I escaped, but Lydecker's still after me. Please Maxie."
"Where are you?" I looked out the window, hoping she'd be there. She wasn't. I turned my back to the window.
"South Market," she said.
"Ok, I'll meet you at - " The phone had gone dead. I tried redial. Nothing. Damn Brinn, what had happened?
"Cindy, stay here. I'm going to send Logan and Bling up. If Brinn calls, tell her I'm on my way," I said as I headed for the door, Logan's hard drive in my hand. "Sure thing, girl."
I raced downstairs, not waiting for the elevator. When I got out to the street, Tinga and Brinn were driving away in a Humvee. Once glance at the Aztec was all I'd needed to know that they had Logan. My sisters kidnapped Logan. The only thing that hurts more is the fact that Logan was right - I should've been more careful about trusting Tinga. Bling is trying to sit up straight in the Aztec. He's been conscious for a little while, but still sluggish. I go over to him.
"Max, I'm sorry."
"No, it's not your fault, it's mine. Logan was right," I say, "I should've known she'd change." The thing that scares me most is Donald Lydecker is out cold on the street. Tinga and Brinn have struck out on their own.
Point of View:
JONDIE*****************************************
"Max..." I whisper. Zack looks at me strangely. I don't know why I expected anything compassionate from him. I stop, everything just seems to hit me at once. "She's alive???" I feel myself tear up slightly. I had never known, the last memory I had was...I looked down, when I left her...I just left her in the ice. At that moment I wanted to see her...hug her...tell her how sorry I was...but I was afraid. Emotions never went over well with me. I gave into them easily...
Zack opened his mouth but his words were cut off by the sting of something on my foot. It shocked me more than anything. The pain I could deal with. I rolled over into the shielding shadows of a building. Zack was right next to me. I looked down. Blood started to stain my shoe. Shot, but by whom...God only knows.
Zack scanned the area. I didn't...admittedly I had gotten slack with my soldier instincts...however it was by choice. I just wanted to forget everything....start over. Unfortunately my last attempts had failed. Zack motioned to me with his hands. I nodded indicating my comprehension. I stayed stationary as he moved towards the direction of where the gunshot had emerged from. As he drew nearer a car sped away...I didn't get a good look at it. Zack slowly walked back to me. His eyes indicated the simple, but uncomfortable situation at hand. Slowly he stooped down to pick me up...but I refused. He rolled his eyes and continued. I don't know why I was suddenly angered at him. I guess because I felt I had something to prove...however walking on a swollen, bleeding foot was not the best tactic.
-------------
Moments later we were in what appeared to be his temporary home. I was perched on a chair, my foot elevated. He came out of the bathroom with a cream rag, alcohol, and...I looked a way...a knife. "We need to get that out of you." I nodded. Going back to the hospital was foolish when you could take care of everything yourself. I tightened my jaw. He looked at me softly, which honestly caught me off guard, as though he was trying to apologize for the pain about to occur...I nodded and kept my eyes focused on him, it helped me suppress the urge to make some sort of sound. Nothing slipped past my lips as he dug in. 'Focus,' I thought..'just focus.'
------------
My foot was now wrapped in gauze. I stared at Zack. He was trying to make a decision...So much was at stake now. First the gummies, then the unidentified shooter, and of course..there was always Lydecker. It was apparent he felt an unsuppressed urge to get to Max. Although he had mentioned that she was in the hospital....why he didn't try to make any contact before we left...I didn't know. "Why don't you try the contact number?" He looked at me...there was something else...something was bothering him. He had seen something at the hospital...I knew that..what it was I hoped would soon be revealed to me. However currently the anxiety to see Max was overwhelming and took my mind off Zack's secret.
Point of View:
ZACK *****************************************
As I sat in my apartment with Jondie I couldn't help but think of max and the others. I desperately wanted to find them and make sure Lydecker didn't. I could tell Jondie knew something was up with me but at the time it didn't bother me. I looked at Jondie and made my decision. "Jondie, Tinga was at the hospital with Max" I looked at her and continued "there was something different about her though" I stood up and began to pace." do you think you can walk on that foot of yours?" she nodded but I could tell it bothered her. I helped her to her feet and grabbed a few things and told Jondie we were going to Logan's to wait for max there. We both walked out of my apartment and headed to Logan's.The walk over was very quiet walked at a slow pace so that she wouldn't hurt her wound anymore than it was. I looked over at her and noticed she was staring at me. "Jondie? Everything ok?"
Point of View:
KENDRA*****************************************
I'm doing some paper work to process all the people coming in. It seems like the hospital keeps getting more and more busy. It is almost time for my shift to be up when, I hear one of the doctors screaming. "What do you mean one of the patients just got up and walked away ..." I couldn't help thinking of Max and Logan. I wonder if they had anything to do with that. I continued to finish up what I was doing. I think I'm going to see if I can find Original Cindy and Sketchy, and see if they are all right. Maybe they will be at crash, or I could always check at Logan's place. With that in mind, and my shift over, I head out to see if I can find anyone.
Point of View:
LOGAN *****************************************
Why am I sleeping with cold leather under my head? And why is it moving? I'm trying to wake up enough to figure out. My head is spinning.
There are voices. "Just get through the checkpoint and then we'll figure out what to do with him." Unknown, female.
"Hopefully baby sister will be too busy patching up the other two to come after us. Unless she just decides the finish the job with Lydecker. Either way, bought us some time." Tinga. I remember.
I was in the car with Bling, and then...I was here. I knew she couldn't be trusted, no matter what Max wanted to think. I turn my raise my head, a bit. It hurts. The two are up front. I've never seen the other one, but from the perfection of her features I'm guessing it's another Manticore.
If I can only stay awake until the checkpoint, I might be able to do something. I can't forget the heightened senses of these women, so I lower my head back to the seat as slowly as I can. A mistake. The strain makes my head spin again, and throb. I'm trying to keep myself conscious. We hit a bump, my head bounces, and I feel myself slipping back into unconsciousness.
Point of View:
BRINN *****************************************
We made it through the check points, and Logan was smart enough to pretend to be unconscious, rather than try an escape. Maybe Max hadn't made a bad choice after all. He certainly was cute.
Get your head in the game, girl. This is about one thing and one thing only. Revenge. Revenge on Max and Zack for leaving me at Manticore. Revenge on Lydecker for torturing me.
Tinga's got some of the same reasons. It is a pleasure working with my big sister. Tinga and I used to be inseparable, kind of like Jondie and Max. But we weren't pushovers. There's only so much a girl can take before she fights back.
In the back of my mind, I'm wondering if we haven't pushed Max too far. Or maybe we haven't pushed far enough. That thought makes me smile. I like pushing the envelope. After all, this is about revenge on both Max AND Zack. "Hey sis," I call to Tinga who's driving through the Oregon wilderness, "We've captured Max's toy, what about Zack?"
Point of View:
JONDIE*****************************************
Zack and I were fairly silent as we walked. Silence was a typical Manticore product now....it had been installed in us somehow...when there was nothing to say...we made no effort to engage in conversation. I suppressed the pain of my foot. It was as though with each step I could feel the knife cut deeper. I tried not to concentrate on it, but the limp was fairly obvious. I felt so frustrated...Why wasn't it healing faster.
I sighed inwardly...things always changed, and apparently my DNA was not immune to this truth. Zack treated me tenderly. I looked at him intently...for a moment our eyes locked...but he quickly turned his glance away . I looked down reminded of memories that had refused to be buried. There was something about him, his strength, his hidden vulnerability that ignited something in me...
I wanted him...I always had, from the moment I first saw him...but deep down I knew he would never belong to me. This realization had been a hidden root to countless arguments. Our relationship was highly volatile...and I honestly didn't know how to change that. He made me angry, passionate, sad, and happy all at the same time.
"Are you alright?" His raspy voice broke the silence. I nodded. I didn't want him to think me weak...anything but that was acceptable. The look in his eyes revealed his disbelief. "You sure." "Positive," I snapped...my voice was cold. He looked slightly confused..I looked dead ahead at the apartment buildings. The soldier had taken over again...it always did when I didn't want to face something. We both walked along on the back streets, hopefully remaining unseen by anyone who knew what we were. The thoughts of my attacker raced through my head....it seemed the whole world was turning against us.
I was about to utter some comment when I noticed the look on Zack's face, one of relief and...excitement...it melted away quickly. He quickened his pace and I fell behind him. As I walked slowly I noticed him talking to...a girl..she was angry and apparently upset.
Point of View:
MAX *****************************************
As much as I'd like to chase after my *dear* sisters, there's a few things I have to take care of first. No1 is Bling. He's conscious, but has a nasty head wound. I wonder if it was Tinga's doing. He needs to be checked out, but with the hospitals so full, he's going to have to make do with my left over medical training from Manticore.
No2 is Cindy. I left her upstairs to go running after Brinn. She's gonna have to come with us to the cabin.
No3 is Lydecker and his companion, who have been nicely left unconscious in the street in a location that would be rather convenient for them when they wake up. These are not in any order of importance. Leaving Bling in the Aztec, I make sure Lydecker and the guard are thoroughly unconscious. After disarming them, I move them to a new location, a few streets away. Next I go back upstairs. Logan's hard drive is already in the Aztec, but this time I'm taking everything.
"What happened to Brinn?" Cindy asks when she sees me. "I'll explain later. Start unplugging stuff." With Cindy's help, Logan's entire set-up gets loaded into the Aztec. Carefully moving Bling into the passenger seat, I slide into the driver's seat. Eyes Only is going to be moved to the cabin until I'm sure it's safe to move back. And until I get Logan back from my *dear* sisters, I'm gonna have to fill in for him.
Point of View:
ORIGINAL CINDY*********************************
I love my boo to death, and I'd do anything for her, but damn! This right here, this is some screwed up sh*t. First, these Herbal Gummies are screwing up everyone. Now roller boy has up and gotten himself kidnapped, home girl is running around grabbing computer equipment like she's been popping those freaky @ss gummies, and some dude is laying on a couch with a busted open head. Just another chapter to add to the never-ending story of my life.
Max is throwing various things at me and telling me to hold them. "Boo, why are we taking all this stuff? Shouldn't we be more worried about getting your man back?" I asked, silently asking for more information than what I already knew. "Yeah, we are getting him back, and this is how." Max said darkly.
Point of View:
TINGA *****************************************
I look over at Brinn. Her suggestion is tempting, but if I never see that blonde poster child for ROTC again, it'll be too soon. Besides, two beatings and a near death experience is enough for me, for now. At least in one 24 hour period. "No," I say, finally. "It's more trouble than it's worth. And we're going to have enough to do, dealing with Cale, and Max, and dear old dad, who isn't going to be too pleased when he wakes up..."
I can't help it. A grin spreads on my face. I've wanted to do that for a long, long time - knock Lydecker on his @ss. My grin is mirrored on Brinn's face. She enjoyed it mightily, too. And now we're independent girls. But that's not the easiest thing to be. "So," I ask. "Where we going to go?"
Point of View:
BRINN *****************************************
"So," Tinga asks. "Where we going to go?" Considering that we're heading for towards Oregon border, and Canada is way too obvious, I reply, "Oregon, preferably Portland or some other city, unless you've got a better idea."
She doesn't, not at the moment anyway, so she returns to driving. Logan's behaving quite nicely, staying unconscious and all. I wish Lydecker would behave like that, but I bet right about now he's waking up on Sis' doorstep, mad as a bull. Max.
'You asked her not to let you die,' a little voice in the back of my head reminds me, 'You can't blame her for doing what you asked.' I'm not about to let a little guilt get in my way, so I shove that voice down into the darkest recesses of my mind. I'm not doing this to get back at Max for leaving me at Manticore. I'm doing this for me. I'm sick of following orders, from Lydecker and from Zack. And I'm sick of it always being about Max. Figures that the two men (if you can call them that) in my life are consumed by her, so to rebel against that, I kidnap the third guy who is consumed by her.
And Max is going to be rabidly angry about this. She'll take it personally, and go after us with a vengeance. I hope she doesn't catch up to us.
