Authors Note: I am so so sorry that this took so long. Things haven't been going so well for me and I couldn't seem to find the time to write. I hope this long chapter makes up for it.
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Vin paced restlessly back and forth. Where could they be? A flashlight and the fall of footsteps came into range and Vin ducked behind the boulders the best he could. A guard came into range a moment later. He stood at the river and pulled a cigarette from his uniform jacket.
Lighting the cigarette the soldier turned to face the woods he had come from and stared as if contemplating life's mysteries. Vin's impatience turned to frustration as the guard remained. After what seemed like an eternity the guard strolled away casually, tossing his half smoked cigarette into the river.
Vin sighed a breath of relief. The guard had left in the direction away from where Lexa and Paige were supposed to come from. At least that was on less worry for him, now if only his sister would appear.
~!~!
Paige's eyes filled with frustration. Lexa had stumbled once again and gone to her knees. They were taking too long. She could already tell that it was past time from them to meet Vin. She tugged Lexa to her feet taking most of the woman's weight on her arms. Stepping beside her she wrapped her arm around her companion's waist and started the slow trudge once again.
Lexa tripped again and Paige bit back a cry of anger. The thought to leave her there flew through her mind but was quickly brushed away by her conscience.
Suddenly the boulders and stream were and sight and her heart leapt with relief. Vin walked towards them quickly and she could see him carrying a small bundle. The bundle moved and a small hand broke free of the blanket confirming her hope that it was a child.
She steadied Lexa and Vin handed her the baby with a smile. One look at her face told Paige that this was indeed her child. She had her father's bright blue eyes.
Vin hugged Lexa quickly and kissed the top of her head. "It's okay little sister, we are going to get you out of here and make sure you get better. Just hang in there okay?"
His eyes filled with tears when Lexa made no response. They moved quickly to the boulders and climbed onto them Their height made the jump small by four feet. Vin was grateful for that since it looked like he was going to have to carry Lexa. He lifted her into his arms and took a deep breath. Then, trusting his transgenic instincts and gifts he flung them into the dark void over the fence. He landed on the other side in the sand, knees bent to absorb the shock. He turned to watch Paige complete the same move gracefully.
The started to move quickly knowing it would only be a matter of time before they were discovered.
~!~!
Alarms shrilled through the air and searchlights were turned on five minutes after they had escaped. The escapees struggled to put distance between them and their would be captors. Sand flew into their faces from their feet moving so fast through the dunes.
Suddenly Paige grabbed Vin's arm and stilled his movements. "Do you hear that?" She asked her blue eyes wide with barely concealed panic.
Vin concentrated a moment and nodded curtly. "Helos." He said confirming her fear. He looked around trying to find a place to hide. He spotted a thick bush in the ravine ahead and pointed. She followed him to it as he lead Lexa. Vin lifted the bottom branches and told her to slide under and protect the baby's face. Paige secured the blanket around the baby then lay down snuggling the child to her.
Vin carefully let down the branches and said "Let's see if these uniforms work huh?" He arrange Lexa on her side and carefully covered her. He knew he wouldn't fit underneath the branches with them so he scanned up the ravine and sighed in relief when he spotted a small ledge that he would fit under.
In Vin's mind eons passed as they waited for the helos to fly overhead. The sand cooled his overheated body. The aircraft flew in circles then gave up after an hour. When he felt it was finally safe, Vin retrieved Lexa and helped Paige get up.
They continued to walk.
~ ~ ~
When Paige had about given up hope they came upon a small diner called "The Roadkill Cafe".
"So what now?" She asked Vin.
"You guys stay here and I will get us a ride. We need to get as far from here as we can." He replied as he took off his jacket and ripped the sleeves from his T-shirt.
"What are you doing?"
"I need to blend in if someone sees me. This way I look a little less military."
"Uh-huh. And you haircut and shined boots scream preppy." Vin raised his eyebrows at this phrase.
"What? I took Common Verbal Usage too you know." Paige said indignately.
Vin shook his head and started across the small road
towards the cafe. Paige pulled Lexa back a ways and tried to calm
her now awake and screaming child.
~!~!~
Vin crouched behind a truck that looked like it was held together by rust and green paint. He heard the door to the cafe open and a man shout "See ya tomorrow Russ!". The door closed with a bang.
The man came into view and Vin quietly assessed his prey. From the top of his straw hat to the tips of his boots he was a cowboy and from the look of the way he was stumbling to and fro, he was a drunk cowboy.
The drunken man stumbled past the truck Vin was hiding behind, not noticing the hidden transgenic. Vin crept behind him as he passed another car and stopped at an orange truck that like the cowboy had seen better days. His prey had just inserted the key into the door's lock after many tries when Vin hit him sharply at the base of his neck.
The man went down at his feet and the transgenic looked at the pathetic man. After a moments thought he tossed the man into the bed of the truck and hoped that no one would see him.
!@!@!
Paige's breath caught as she heard a truck rumble nearer and stop. Until she heard the voice.
"Going my way?" Came Vin's sarcastic drawl.
Paige hurriedly help Lexa to the truck and Vin place her lovingly inside. Paige got in next to her cradling her child and closed the door. Vin took of in a hurry.
As he drove Vin watched Paige lean down and pick up a bottle for the child. It amazed him how naturally it seemed to come to her. Lexa's head drooped and Vin reached up to place it against his shoulder. The tension in Lexa's body relaxed fractionally.
"That's the most relaxed I have seen her in two days." Paige remarked. "It's as if she recognizes you."
"We have lived together for nearly seven years." He told her.
Paige's brow furrowed. "But I thought she and 494."
"They are together." He said easily. "You know we escaped we stayed together."
"Oh."
"Anyway we need to stop at the next town and call them. We are going to need help if we are to get out of here. Sector passes aren't easy to come by." He told her.
"Sector passes?" Confusion was written on her face.
"When the pulse happened all major cities almost shut down. There were riots and fires. Small towns were crowded with people looking to get away. The President instituted a new police force called sector police. They control how many people get in and out of the city each day. You have to have certain passes to get some parts of the city." He explained.
"Why haven't we needed them yet?" She asked.
"Because Arizona, which is where we are, doesn't have many people. When the pulse hit and the water plants shut down most of the people left. There is hardly any water here that is accessible unlike other places. No one wanted to stay. It took six years for the water plants to get repaired and up and running."
He turned off at an exit. He spotted a pay phone at the rest area and parked. "I am going to make a call. Stay in the car."
He got out and went to the phone. He pushed zero and place a collect call to Alec's phone. He tapped his hand impatiently as the voice mail came on. The operator came back on and asked if he would like to make another call. Vin thought for a moment and gave her Logan's phone number.
The older man picked up and the operator asked if he would accept the collect call. Logan told her he would and they waited for her to get off the line.
"Hello?" Logan said.
"Logan, It's Vin."
A shocked sound was issued from Logan's throat. "Vin- I-uh, you guys escaped?"
"Yeah. We are somewhere in Arizona. Near Buckeye, I think. Listen we need some help getting back and I can't get a hold of Alec."
"His phone was lost in the fight at Jampony."
"What fight?" Vin asked alarmed.
"There is time for that later. Both Max and Alec are okay. I'm staying at Joshua's due to the fact White trashed my place. I have all my lines re-routed here. Are you guys okay?"
"I'm fine but Lexa isn't doing so well. There are a few problems. Another X5 and her child escaped with us so we will need papers for her as well." Vin said turning to look at the truck.
"You guys are coming here right?" Logan asked.
"We are hoping to."
"Okay, I'll get ahold of Max and Alec and start on a plan to get you guys home. Be careful. Call in the morning okay?" Logan said.
"Okay." Vin hung up feeling better than he had moments ago. He hated asking Logan for help but it was better than nothing. He checked the wallet he had lifted from the man in the bed of the truck and was relieved to find that there was more than enough money for a hotel room.
"VIN!!!" Paige's scream floated to him. He blurred to the truck to see the man rising from the bed. Vin hit him sharply, rendering him unconscious once again.
"You brought him with us?" Paige demanded angrily.
"It was the only choice!" He replied hotly.
"How do you figure."
"Well, if I had left him there someone would see him and report it. If they report it, they know what kind of vehicle we're in and you know that they" He jerked his thumb behind him." Would have a good idea what direction we went in."
"Do you have a plan for him?"
"Yeah, when we get a room, I drive him away from it and put him in the seat, he'll think he had too much to drink and drove there." Vin said indignately.
Paige sank back against her seat and attempted to soothe the squalling infant in her arms. Vin settled back behind the wheel and began to drive once more.
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Thirty minutes later Vin pulled into a motel parking lot. Paige had fallen asleep against the door, her daughter cuddled against her, a small hand fisted in her hair. Lexa was sitting upright, eyes unseeing.
Vin shook Paige awake and motioned that he was going to try and get them a room. He walked into the office and rang the bell. His keen ears could hear moans coming from the closed door behind the counter and had to smile. A moment later amid stumbling and curses the door opened to reveal a young man not too much younger than Vin himself.
"Wh-what can I do for ya?" The boy stammered. The upside down name tag read Elden.
"I need a room with two beds." Vin told him.
Elden's shaking hands pushed a form and pen across the counter. "Eighty dollars. Room 14." A key followed the forms and Vin put it in his pocket. Quickly he filled the forms out with a fake name.
He handed the forms back. "Around the back sir." Elden told him.
"Thanks."
~!~!~!
Vin drove them around and parked in front of the
door to their room. He carried Lexa into the room and gently laid
her on the bed. Paige walked in and sighed.
"A bath. A long bath. I haven't had a bath in two years, since one of my away missions." A smile crossed her face. " I think this little girl could use one too."
Vin looked at Lexa whose face was dirty and her hair tangled. His sigh was not one full of pleasure.
"I have to go and drop the truck off. I will be back in an hour hopefully."
He left into the cold again.
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An hour and a half later he walked in and closed the door. Paige stood drying her hair. The baby dozed quietly on the bed surrounded by pillows.
"What happened?" She asked.
"I had to wait for a cop to leave the lot. I didn't want to risk it." He answered. "I'm gonna take a shower."
He went into the bathroom and closed the door. After
a brief shower he pulled on his boxers and pants. He wet a washcloth
and carried it into the bedroom. Lexa lay quietly on the bed a tangle
of hair falling across her face. He gently pushed it back to join
the rest of her hair on the pillow. He cleaned the smudges from her cheeks
and forehead watching her face for any sign of life.
'
None came.
He stroked her hair back and kissed her cheek. "Sleep sis. I called Logan and he is going to get Alec and Max to help us get home." Her cheek twitched at Alec's name. He took heart from this and lay down next to her, closing his eyes hoping for sleep.
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To Be Continued.
I know there wasn't much action in this chapter but I will have the next one up soon. Let me know what you think.