Chapter 2: Brad's Logic
~*~
Bit Cloud ducked into the cellar and collapsed behind a stack of crates panting. Flicking sandy blonde hair away from his vivid green eyes Bit scanned the area. It was to dark to see much of anything and he took this as a good sign, if it was too dark for him to see then it would be the same for others. And after that little incident up in the bar it would probably be best to avoid being seen for awhile.
Bit almost jumped out of his skin when he heard the cellar door open. For a split second he saw the silhouette of a lean male body standing in the doorway. It definitely wasn't the owner of the bar or any of his employees; Bit gulped and ducked back behind the crates. For a minute he considered moving to find better cover, at the last moment he realized that any movement would most likely give him away at this point. Not that staying perfectly still would stop his beating heart, which he was certain the intruder could hear. To compensate Bit tried to breathe as quietly as possible, it didn't work.
The stranger moved towards the stack of crates and Bit's heart broke the record for most beats per minute. "Come out Bit Cloud, I know you're behind those crates," said an unthreatening though slightly unnerving voice that Bit had never heard before. Shakily Bit crawled out from behind the crates and stood up to face the stranger.
"Who are you?" asked Bit in a whisper trying to sound commanding or at least threatening and failing at both. It didn't really matter any way because the stranger just ignored him; he seemed to be concentrating on the noise coming from the bar upstairs.
"Is there still a back way out of this cellar?" asked the stranger lowering his voice.
"Aren't you going to answer my question?" asked Bit a little put out.
"No, we need to get out of here while we can. Now about that back door…"
"Hey I asked you first! And what do you mean by 'we'?"
"You don't listen do you," said the stranger sounding annoyed and a little amused.
"You know, a lot of people say that."
Whoever it was snorted. "Would you listen if I told you that in a few minutes some guys are going to arrive who desperately want to capture and or kill you? And I doubt they'll be willing to talk about it over drinks."
"Well why didn't you say so instead of wasting all that time arguing? Let's go," said Bit heading off towards the cellar's other door. The stranger made an odd guttural noise but decided against commenting as he followed the younger boy to the exit.
There wasn't much light in the alley they came out in and much to Bit's disappointment he couldn't get a better look at the guy who had followed him into the cellar of his favorite bar. He of course realized that he should probably slip away while the stranger was looking around and spend the rest of the night and maybe the next day laying low but something, curiosity probably, kept him from running off.
"Hey, you weren't really serious about anyone wanting to kill me back there were you?" asked Bit jokingly.
"Actually I was," came the short reply. Bit's jaw went slack for a moment but he slammed it shut.
"What!?! Why would anyone want to kill me? I mean the people back in the bar might be a little annoyed but I haven't been causing that much trouble lately!"
The stranger made a sound of disbelief. Bit scowled into the dark and strained his eyes and ears trying to figure out just what the man was so worried about. He didn't have to wander long though. There was a loud crash coming from the direction of the bar followed by the echo of officious voices.
"Took 'em long enough," muttered the stranger as he grabbed Bit's arm and dragged the boy down the alley. "Come on, I left my zoid just out of town." Bit dug his heels down and grabbed the corner of a wall forcing the stranger to halt.
"Did you say zoid? How'd you get past the Draft forces? Everyone with a zoid either has to work for them or give up their zoid! You don't work for the Draft do you?" asked Bit going into a fighting stance he'd learned somewhere. A moment or two passed and the only answer he got was the sound of a light chuckle floating out of the dark.
"Don't worry, I'm no more fond of the Draft organization than you are." With that the stranger started off towards the edge of town knowing Bit would follow. Curiosity wouldn't let the boy leave now.
By the time they reached the spot where the stranger had left his zoid the near full moon was high in the sky and Bit could see clearly for the first time. "So," he said breaking the almost uncomfortable silence between them. "You gonna tell me who you are or should I just run for it?"
"Name's Brad Hunter," said Brad heading over to the copse of trees where he'd left the Command Wolf.
"Bit Cloud, but you can call me Bit," said Bit cheerfully. "Of course you already knew that, don't ask me how. Could you tell me why I suddenly have a bunch of guys out to kill me?" Now that he was out of town and able to see his 'sort of, well not really, kidnapper' he was beginning to feel ready for an adventure.
"I have no idea why the Draft is after you, I don't know or care what they're intentions are," replied Brad as he examined the Command Wolf for damage. Bit's eyes were locked on the Wolf as well; it had been awhile since he'd seen a zoid like this, especially one not painted in Draft colors.
"You said it, I never thought I'd miss the regular old Backdraft. They just wanted to dominate zoid battles, I'm not sure what the Draft wants but it's not good. Well what the Backdraft wanted wasn't good either but you get my point."
"I do?"
"Can you tell me what you want with me?"
"All I know is that I'm going to be well paid for turning you over to the Commission."
"The Commission!?! What would they want with a small time dealer on the black market? They gotta know that I'm shut down as it is what with the ban on zoid battles."
The Command Wolf laid down and the cockpit opened. Brad turned to the former dealer. "I don't know what the Commission wants with you either, I'm just the delivery boy."
Bit glanced around feeling nervous again. "Do I have to decide whether or not I want to go with you right now?"
"No. You don't have to decide anything," replied Brad. Bit breathed a sigh of relief. "You don't have a choice."
"Oh well that makes things simple doesn't it," muttered Bit feeling annoyed and manipulated. "So we're leaving right now?"
"Again we don't have a choice, not after that little stunt you pulled back there at that bar."
"Hey, I'm not giving out refunds just because the government was overthrown, that's their own bad luck." Brad shook his head and climbed into the cockpit of the Command Wolf.
"Climb in," called Brad from the inside. "If you stay here somebody's going to kill you more likely sooner than later. So you might as well just come with me."
"Can't argue with that logic," muttered Bit as he scrambled in after Brad. The cockpit snapped shut and the Command Wolf rose to its feet.
"Is it going to be this cramped the whole way?" asked Bit as he squirmed to get comfortable. Brad sighed; this was going to be a long trip.
~*~
"Ma'am, we've picked up a non Draft zoid heading east," reported a nervous soldier.
"Excellent, that must be them. Have my guards give pursuit immediately," replied a cloaked woman.
"Right away," replied the soldier more than happy to get away from the woman and her obnoxious high-pitched voice.
Renee Altimarie grinned wickedly. She'd finally have her chance to prove herself to the Draft. Bit Cloud, whatever special abilities he may have, was as good as caught.