Max looked up on the street to the window where Logan sat, looking out at the city. She really would miss the guy, and who knew what he'd do to himself if she didn't come back. Still, he couldn't stop her from going back-even though she did feel somewhat guilty about it. Logan's shadow disappeared from the window, and Max finally turned away and slung one leg over the seat of her bike. She took a deep breath and making a cloud around her mouth. Night was just beginning to arrive. A quick mental calculation told Max that it would be about five or four hours before total blackness.
Carefully, she balanced the bike and pushed off, starting the engine up slowly and then pushing the gas pedal all the way down, sending the engine screaming. Don't wait up for me Logan, she thought and laughed. Time to rock n' roll.
Logan watched from his window above as Max hopped on her bike. He was worried about her and didn't like the fact she was leaving-again. How could she be so foolish to risk her life for him? Him. Although Logan certainly would never admit it, he disliked Zack and everything about the guy. Zack was the punky little kid on the street that sold drugs in Logan's mind. Still, he could never tell Max what he felt about Zack, because that would mean losing her forever. Or have I already lost her? Don't be an idiot Logan, he told himself, she hasn't gone anywhere. Nothing's happened.
Upon hearing the piercing cry of the bike's engine, he turned back to the window and watched as the clouds of exhaust swallowed Max. As she pushed onwards, the clouds eventually spit her back out into the dusty sky. Come home Max, he prayed, come home.
Max swooped around the curvy roads that Logan had marked out for her on the map. She didn't have the map anymore, for it had blown out of her hand during a jump over a ditch. But, no matter, she had instantly memorized the directions to the old building.
A tight knot had formed in her stomach and her hands were becoming sweaty inside their gloves. Behind her tinted glasses, her eyes were squinted, carefully examining every corner of the thick forest she traveled through. If she wasn't careful, Lydecker could easily snatch her up.
She wasn't afraid of Lydecker. He was a human and could be disposed of easily enough if needed to be. If he tried to harm her or the others, it would become permanent lights-out. Yet, Max still felt the need for fear. It was one thing to be dragged to Manticore, unwillingly. It was a whole other to willingly accept Manticore with open arms and let herself go back when she knew the risks. Well, if I know the risks, why didn't Zack think about them? No answer came to her through the whipping wind.
Approximately a half an hour later, Max arrived at the Manticore base. The building was how she remembered it and it brought back far too vivid of memories.
She had been to this building only once, due to the fact it was outside the Wyoming base. Yet, Lydecker believed that if his little soldiers were going to get good training in unfamiliar areas, there should be other places besides the main body in Wyoming. So, he had brought them to this building and taken them out into the thick forest. The very forest where, about ten years earlier, she had killed a man. And, not too long ago, where Ben had died with the ghosts of his victims. A lump formed instantly in her throat as she realized how much blood had truly been spread. Max furiously shook her head and tried to rid her mind of the deteriorating memories.
Max rested the bike back in the woods and covered it up where only she would be able to see it. Then, she turned and ran, heading right for the wire coiled fence. Once she had enough speed, she threw herself in the air and landed on the opposite side of the fence, resting on her haunches. Perfect, she thought with mild satisfaction. A quick scan told her which direction she should head in.
Immediately she began to run on the bare ground towards the building in the distance. Suddenly a voice rang out. "There she is! Get 'er!" Max glanced behind her and felt the knot in her stomach twist even tighter. She picked up speed, her legs flexing quickly and easily in long strides.
Out of nowhere, there was a whizzing sound by Max's head. She stiffened and picked up the pace. Just as she was ready to scale up the side of the brick building, another body slammed into her, dazing Max. She tasted the acrid flavor of dirt as she hit the ground on her stomach. The other person was turning Max over to fully see Max's face.
Max twisted and shot one leg out, making contact with something soft. The person grunted, but kept at it until Max was efficiently flipped on her back. Usually, Max would've had no problem defeating an enemy like this, but the opponent was rather skilled, and Max was out of training. Max's mind was screaming directions to her at far too rapid a pace. She didn't understand and became confused by gun firing. A blow struck her in the head and she wavered, letting her guard down. The next thing she knew, she was pinned on her back with the person kneeling above her.
A couple of Lydecker's usual black soldiers came running by. "We saw-" one of them began, pointing behind him. "Oh, I'm sorry, commander, I did not realize that you already had the prisoner detained."
"Go," the other person replied. The voice was gravelly due to Max's disorientation, therefore making it hard to tell if the person was male or female. The men slowly filed away. Once the men were out of sight, the person backed off Max a little, and reached into a pack that was attached to their hip. In the pale moonlight, Max was able to see the face for the first time.
Brin.
