Part 7
Lydecker threw his phone down angrily. If he needed something to be done-well, he sure couldn't count on these clowns to do it. He'd have to do it himself. His kids had managed to escape him many times. He thought about this with a smirk. He had taught them well, that's for sure. Who was he to blame them for using their power against him? He was after all, the one who told them how to evade capture in the first place.
Always have a strategy.
Be prepared to execute that strategy.
Always think on all angles.
Be prepared to leave or modify the strategy as necessary. Never stay by the same rules.
It was this last rule that had propelled them all into a whole other ball game. He had realized what they were doing. They might not have a strategy, unless one counted "run and don't get caught", but they did revise whatever they did have. And it had worked on many occasions.
He chuckled slightly. He started thinking about Max. Among them, she had the most spirit. She was the freethinker. Normally, he would've considered it a liability to any team he had, but this was different. She thought for herself and had never let anyone tell her what to do. Who cares if you're taught everything on earth, but you can't think of ways to use it?
He turned on his computer and sat down. His cell phone rang.
"Sir?" The man on the other line said.
"Yes."
"We have a lead on the subject." He said.
***
"You've got some good friends, Max." Byrn said as they walked down the street. The wind had started to blow once more and the frosty night air seemed to pierce their senses.
Byrn brushed her hair from her face and a man walking past them stumbled into her. He mumbled a sorry and continued walking.
"You think?" Max asked, smiling.
Byrn nodded. "I can tell. They wouldn't leave you for anything. Trust me. It was like that with me and Ash."
"So was Ash-"
Byrn shook her head. "I met her after I escaped. It was still early, I was sure that Lydecker still had the troops on red alert. I needed a place to crash and Ash's mother-she was the kindest woman. She let me in. no questions asked. I was this strange girl with a barcode and freaky DNA and she just let me in. And I met Ash and we became friends."
"When did you tell her about Manticore?"
"A few months after that. We were walking down the street one night, the three of us. It wasn't supposed to be that late, we were held by the sector police. I hate them. When we were finally going home, someone tried to rob us. No big deal, I could take them. But Ash's mother got caught in the crossfire."
"I'm sorry." Max said. She regretted asking any questions in the first place.
"Don't be. I'm tired of people being sorry. It happened, I'm past it. But I kicked that guy's ass good and Ash saw it all. She was scared at first, but we were better after that.'
Byrn smiled a bit as she said the last line.
They reached their bikes, parked end to end, and they both got on.
"You know where to go?" Max asked her, wondering if she should accompany the girl. In case she decided against Logan's place and attempted to split down…
Byrn nodded. "I know where it is.' She said. Max nodded reluctantly. 'Don't worry. I won't leave."
Max nodded again and revved up her engine. As they parted ways, Byrn thought of Kessa, the other escapee. She knew she was living in Los Angeles. They hadn't talked in a few months. They tried to keep in contact as much as possible, but it just wasn't possible as long as Lydecker had his guard dogs sniffing around.
Byrn rode through the streets, heading toward Logan's place.
Suddenly, there was a screeching behind her. She looked behind her and her eyes widened. The signature Lydecker hummer was plowing full speed behind her. She turned back around and another one was rounding the corner. She turned her motorcycle to the left and managed to avoid hitting it. She jumped up to the sidewalk and rode past the two facing vehicles into the alley.
Which was a mistake, of course. The alley had to be a dead end. And it was narrow and dark, perfect for someone to hide in, waiting for her.
As she reached the end, she turned off her engine and turned her bike around to face the entrance. She could see the end of the hummer, and shouts. If she needed to, she would run right through them.
***
The cold wind had unfortunately, blown in the opposite direction that Max was going. She thought she was going to be thrown off her bike because of the wind. She stopped at a corner to pick up some things for her and Kendra. She walked into the small store, and nodded to the small elderly woman standing behind the counter. Outside, there was a loud noise of a car going very fast. Max darted outside in time to see a large hummer barrel down the road at top speed, ignoring man and animal as it held troops.
"Damn." She mumbled as she ran out of the store and jumped onto her bike.
***
Byrn's ears perked as she picked up a humming noise. It got closer and closer but she couldn't pick up where it came from.
She cried out as the wall behind her unexpectedly crumbled. Bricks and plaster rained down on her. One brick hit her in the shoulder.
"Dammit!" She yelled as she tried to turn on her motorcycle. No such luck. She tried it again and again.
"Come on, baby." She coaxed through clenched teeth.
In front of her, she could see the Hummer in front of the alley, waiting for her.
Her bike finally came to life and she prepared to make a run for it. She raced through the debris into the street. She heard gunshots and a shout. Lydecker.
"Go after her, but I want her alive!" He shouted to the troops, hitting their guns.
Byrn took this moment to weave through the Seattle roads, going in and out of alleyways.
"She's going north west." One soldier said to Lydecker.
"Good, move in. Remember, I want her alive." He spoke into the walkie-talkie.
Byrn passed the park and started to turn the corner. A hummer blocked her path and she counted at least eight men getting out of the truck. She turned and the tires squealed as she tried to go back into the other direction. No luck. Another hummer had appeared and blocked her path.
"How many of you guys are there?" She shouted at them before turning her bike again and bursting through the alley. She knew Seattle well enough to know that this one led to another street. They would probably know where she is once she reached the end of the alley.
Before she reached the end, she made a sharp left and entered a narrow path, where she soon ended up at a junkyard. Well, it was a junkyard. Now it was a living space for many people, most who have fallen asleep by then. The hummer would wake them up and they would scatter, leaving the soldiers confused.
Byrn parked her bike in a safe location where Lydecker's men wouldn't look.
She reached for the door to look outside to make sure she wasn't followed, but it suddenly opened on it's own.
She jumped back surprised, as Max walked in.
"What are you doing here?" She whispered.
"I saw the hummers." She said. "There are a lot of them."
"Yeah, I know." Byrn looked around her. "They'll be looking around soon."
"Not if you don't lead them to you." Max whispered.
Byrn frowned. "What?"
"Give me your jacket." She said.
Byrn complied confusingly as Max took it and lifted the bottom lining. There, embedded into the lining, was a small square device. One singular light emitted from it, and it was now blinking.
"A tracking signal." Byrn said. "And I didn't even know it."
"Don't worry about it. This one's different from the ones Lydecker used on us when we were young. They're smaller and they're definitely a lot quieter."
"So let's chuck it and split." Byrn advised. Max nodded and Byrn took out a knife. When she had dislodged the square from her jacket, she put the jacket back on.
"We need to kill two birds with one stone." Max said, opening the door and nodding towards the hummer, which was now rolling slowly, patrolling down the streets. It passed by the alley. .
Byrn nodded.
They separated as Byrn walked to the fire escape and jumped up. She caught the bottom rung and pulled herself up, making her way towards the roof, she looked back down at Max who made a hand motion. Byrn nodded and continued to climb.
Max crossed the street quietly and walked through the alley.
She crept along the side of the building until she reached the door. It was old and the paint was chipping. She looked up and saw the 'Lorie and Sons Garage' sign before pulling her hand back and slamming the lock into the door. The wood splintered loudly as she entered.
She unlocked the garage doors and waited for the hummer to pass the alley again.
Across the street, on the roof, Byrn stood at the edge of the building. Her eyes shifted and they zoomed in on the truck, now doubling back.
When it passed, she picked up a large stone from the ground and heaved it at the soldiers. It clattered noisily against the truck, knocking the headlight off.
They looked up angrily and shouted. Some raised their weapons.
Byrn dived down as a hail of gunfire flew past her. She hoped that Max was done.
When it had stopped raining bullets, Byrn heard the thumping of boots against gravel and water.
"Up there!" One of them said. Byrn took in a deep breath and got up. She looked to her left, her right, and in front of her. She peered over the ledge and saw two men standing guard. She rolled her eyes as one of them lit a cigarette.
"Hey, do any of you have a light?" She shouted down.
They looked up, and upon seeing their subject, raised their weapons. But it was too late. Byrn glided down and kicked one of them in the chest. He went down before he even realized that he had dropped his cigarette.
The other one attempted hand-to-hand combat, but it was futile. She pushed him against the brick wall and punched him out. She smiled and waved a goodbye to the slumped mass.
She picked up the man's cigarette.
She looked behind her at the truck, now empty.
***
A hand clamped down on her shoulder.
"Max." She hissed, as the girl waved her into the alley.
As Byrn vanished into the shadows, she threw the cigarette into the truck.
Max watched her do it and shrugged.
They ran for a little while before doubling back for their bikes.
***
"She's stopped at Jackson."
Lydecker nodded and held the walkie-talkie up to his mouth.
"She's hiding, flush her out." He said.
The leader shut his walkie-talkie off and pointed into the dilapidated building. They burst inside, weapons ready.
"What the-"
They found bodies. Tons of them. Their entire Beta unit, unconscious inside.
The leader held up his radio with a shaky hand. "Sir?"
Lydecker responded.
There was a earsplitting blast from outside and the troop of soldiers rushed out to see two female riders explode from the side passageway and ride down the road.
The leader shakily held his radio up again.
"We lost them."
Lydecker threw his phone down angrily. If he needed something to be done-well, he sure couldn't count on these clowns to do it. He'd have to do it himself. His kids had managed to escape him many times. He thought about this with a smirk. He had taught them well, that's for sure. Who was he to blame them for using their power against him? He was after all, the one who told them how to evade capture in the first place.
Always have a strategy.
Be prepared to execute that strategy.
Always think on all angles.
Be prepared to leave or modify the strategy as necessary. Never stay by the same rules.
It was this last rule that had propelled them all into a whole other ball game. He had realized what they were doing. They might not have a strategy, unless one counted "run and don't get caught", but they did revise whatever they did have. And it had worked on many occasions.
He chuckled slightly. He started thinking about Max. Among them, she had the most spirit. She was the freethinker. Normally, he would've considered it a liability to any team he had, but this was different. She thought for herself and had never let anyone tell her what to do. Who cares if you're taught everything on earth, but you can't think of ways to use it?
He turned on his computer and sat down. His cell phone rang.
"Sir?" The man on the other line said.
"Yes."
"We have a lead on the subject." He said.
***
"You've got some good friends, Max." Byrn said as they walked down the street. The wind had started to blow once more and the frosty night air seemed to pierce their senses.
Byrn brushed her hair from her face and a man walking past them stumbled into her. He mumbled a sorry and continued walking.
"You think?" Max asked, smiling.
Byrn nodded. "I can tell. They wouldn't leave you for anything. Trust me. It was like that with me and Ash."
"So was Ash-"
Byrn shook her head. "I met her after I escaped. It was still early, I was sure that Lydecker still had the troops on red alert. I needed a place to crash and Ash's mother-she was the kindest woman. She let me in. no questions asked. I was this strange girl with a barcode and freaky DNA and she just let me in. And I met Ash and we became friends."
"When did you tell her about Manticore?"
"A few months after that. We were walking down the street one night, the three of us. It wasn't supposed to be that late, we were held by the sector police. I hate them. When we were finally going home, someone tried to rob us. No big deal, I could take them. But Ash's mother got caught in the crossfire."
"I'm sorry." Max said. She regretted asking any questions in the first place.
"Don't be. I'm tired of people being sorry. It happened, I'm past it. But I kicked that guy's ass good and Ash saw it all. She was scared at first, but we were better after that.'
Byrn smiled a bit as she said the last line.
They reached their bikes, parked end to end, and they both got on.
"You know where to go?" Max asked her, wondering if she should accompany the girl. In case she decided against Logan's place and attempted to split down…
Byrn nodded. "I know where it is.' She said. Max nodded reluctantly. 'Don't worry. I won't leave."
Max nodded again and revved up her engine. As they parted ways, Byrn thought of Kessa, the other escapee. She knew she was living in Los Angeles. They hadn't talked in a few months. They tried to keep in contact as much as possible, but it just wasn't possible as long as Lydecker had his guard dogs sniffing around.
Byrn rode through the streets, heading toward Logan's place.
Suddenly, there was a screeching behind her. She looked behind her and her eyes widened. The signature Lydecker hummer was plowing full speed behind her. She turned back around and another one was rounding the corner. She turned her motorcycle to the left and managed to avoid hitting it. She jumped up to the sidewalk and rode past the two facing vehicles into the alley.
Which was a mistake, of course. The alley had to be a dead end. And it was narrow and dark, perfect for someone to hide in, waiting for her.
As she reached the end, she turned off her engine and turned her bike around to face the entrance. She could see the end of the hummer, and shouts. If she needed to, she would run right through them.
***
The cold wind had unfortunately, blown in the opposite direction that Max was going. She thought she was going to be thrown off her bike because of the wind. She stopped at a corner to pick up some things for her and Kendra. She walked into the small store, and nodded to the small elderly woman standing behind the counter. Outside, there was a loud noise of a car going very fast. Max darted outside in time to see a large hummer barrel down the road at top speed, ignoring man and animal as it held troops.
"Damn." She mumbled as she ran out of the store and jumped onto her bike.
***
Byrn's ears perked as she picked up a humming noise. It got closer and closer but she couldn't pick up where it came from.
She cried out as the wall behind her unexpectedly crumbled. Bricks and plaster rained down on her. One brick hit her in the shoulder.
"Dammit!" She yelled as she tried to turn on her motorcycle. No such luck. She tried it again and again.
"Come on, baby." She coaxed through clenched teeth.
In front of her, she could see the Hummer in front of the alley, waiting for her.
Her bike finally came to life and she prepared to make a run for it. She raced through the debris into the street. She heard gunshots and a shout. Lydecker.
"Go after her, but I want her alive!" He shouted to the troops, hitting their guns.
Byrn took this moment to weave through the Seattle roads, going in and out of alleyways.
"She's going north west." One soldier said to Lydecker.
"Good, move in. Remember, I want her alive." He spoke into the walkie-talkie.
Byrn passed the park and started to turn the corner. A hummer blocked her path and she counted at least eight men getting out of the truck. She turned and the tires squealed as she tried to go back into the other direction. No luck. Another hummer had appeared and blocked her path.
"How many of you guys are there?" She shouted at them before turning her bike again and bursting through the alley. She knew Seattle well enough to know that this one led to another street. They would probably know where she is once she reached the end of the alley.
Before she reached the end, she made a sharp left and entered a narrow path, where she soon ended up at a junkyard. Well, it was a junkyard. Now it was a living space for many people, most who have fallen asleep by then. The hummer would wake them up and they would scatter, leaving the soldiers confused.
Byrn parked her bike in a safe location where Lydecker's men wouldn't look.
She reached for the door to look outside to make sure she wasn't followed, but it suddenly opened on it's own.
She jumped back surprised, as Max walked in.
"What are you doing here?" She whispered.
"I saw the hummers." She said. "There are a lot of them."
"Yeah, I know." Byrn looked around her. "They'll be looking around soon."
"Not if you don't lead them to you." Max whispered.
Byrn frowned. "What?"
"Give me your jacket." She said.
Byrn complied confusingly as Max took it and lifted the bottom lining. There, embedded into the lining, was a small square device. One singular light emitted from it, and it was now blinking.
"A tracking signal." Byrn said. "And I didn't even know it."
"Don't worry about it. This one's different from the ones Lydecker used on us when we were young. They're smaller and they're definitely a lot quieter."
"So let's chuck it and split." Byrn advised. Max nodded and Byrn took out a knife. When she had dislodged the square from her jacket, she put the jacket back on.
"We need to kill two birds with one stone." Max said, opening the door and nodding towards the hummer, which was now rolling slowly, patrolling down the streets. It passed by the alley. .
Byrn nodded.
They separated as Byrn walked to the fire escape and jumped up. She caught the bottom rung and pulled herself up, making her way towards the roof, she looked back down at Max who made a hand motion. Byrn nodded and continued to climb.
Max crossed the street quietly and walked through the alley.
She crept along the side of the building until she reached the door. It was old and the paint was chipping. She looked up and saw the 'Lorie and Sons Garage' sign before pulling her hand back and slamming the lock into the door. The wood splintered loudly as she entered.
She unlocked the garage doors and waited for the hummer to pass the alley again.
Across the street, on the roof, Byrn stood at the edge of the building. Her eyes shifted and they zoomed in on the truck, now doubling back.
When it passed, she picked up a large stone from the ground and heaved it at the soldiers. It clattered noisily against the truck, knocking the headlight off.
They looked up angrily and shouted. Some raised their weapons.
Byrn dived down as a hail of gunfire flew past her. She hoped that Max was done.
When it had stopped raining bullets, Byrn heard the thumping of boots against gravel and water.
"Up there!" One of them said. Byrn took in a deep breath and got up. She looked to her left, her right, and in front of her. She peered over the ledge and saw two men standing guard. She rolled her eyes as one of them lit a cigarette.
"Hey, do any of you have a light?" She shouted down.
They looked up, and upon seeing their subject, raised their weapons. But it was too late. Byrn glided down and kicked one of them in the chest. He went down before he even realized that he had dropped his cigarette.
The other one attempted hand-to-hand combat, but it was futile. She pushed him against the brick wall and punched him out. She smiled and waved a goodbye to the slumped mass.
She picked up the man's cigarette.
She looked behind her at the truck, now empty.
***
A hand clamped down on her shoulder.
"Max." She hissed, as the girl waved her into the alley.
As Byrn vanished into the shadows, she threw the cigarette into the truck.
Max watched her do it and shrugged.
They ran for a little while before doubling back for their bikes.
***
"She's stopped at Jackson."
Lydecker nodded and held the walkie-talkie up to his mouth.
"She's hiding, flush her out." He said.
The leader shut his walkie-talkie off and pointed into the dilapidated building. They burst inside, weapons ready.
"What the-"
They found bodies. Tons of them. Their entire Beta unit, unconscious inside.
The leader held up his radio with a shaky hand. "Sir?"
Lydecker responded.
There was a earsplitting blast from outside and the troop of soldiers rushed out to see two female riders explode from the side passageway and ride down the road.
The leader shakily held his radio up again.
"We lost them."