Flight
Author's Note: Just so you know, there's not too much action in this chapter, mostly dialog. Also, I thought I would set the story in San Francisco, since that's where the big freeway chase took place in Reloaded.
Anyway, a super BIG "thank you" to Cecilia, who saved me from making a huge error in the plot that would've spoiled the whole story--Thanks, girlfriend, I owe ya!!
Disclaimer: As always, I don't own the Matrix or the characters from the movies, blah blah blah.
After Persephone drove out of the parking garage, she dialed a number on her cell phone."It's me. Yes, I found her in time, she's okay for now." She paused for a moment as she listened to what the caller was saying, before she continued.
"I think the safest place for Bronwyn would be at my place. If you take the rear entrance, we should be able to meet without my husband knowing. I'll see you there soon," she said before hanging up. Persephone looked over at Bronwyn. "I apologize for that, but you'll be safe if you come with me. I'm meeting some people at my chateau very soon."
Bronwyn nodded in agreement. "How did you find me? And how did you know Smith would be there as well?" she asked.
Persephone hesitated before replying. "I got a call from The Oracle and she told me where I could find you and head Smith off before he got to you. I almost didn't make it in time."
"So you know the Oracle too?"
"Everyone knows the Oracle," Persephone said, as if it was common knowledge. "I've learned that when she gets a vision, it's always best to listen to listen to what she has to say. I don't think she's ever been wrong. At least with me, she hasn't been."
Bronwyn didn't say anything. Her mind and body were still trying to deal with what had almost happened in the garage with Smith, and she shivered.
Persephone saw the other woman's reaction out of the corner of her eye. "Don't worry; we'll figure out something. With any luck, you'll be free of Smith soon enough."
How could she be so sure, Bronwyn wondered. Part of her wanted desperately to believe Persephone, but she couldn't afford to hope for anything, just yet. It was too soon, and things could still go wrong.
The car pulled into the underground parking lot at "La Verite" the up-scale and very popular restaurant that she co-owned with her husband, The Merovingian. It wasn't long before Bronwyn was lying in a luxurious bed with blankets around her to keep her warm. Persephone answered the knock on the bedroom door and Bronwyn saw the Oracle and her companion Seraph enter the room before Persephone closed and locked the door.
Without preamble, the Oracle said, "Bronwyn, after what occurred this afternoon, I think you'll agree that the best and safest thing for you to do right now would be to leave this city. Do you have somewhere you can go or someone who can help you?"
Bronwyn thought for a long moment. "I think so. I have a friend who owes me a big favor and who might be able to help. Is there a phone I can use?" she asked Persephone.
"Yes, of course," she replied and handed Bronwyn the phone that had been next to the bed.
"It's an old phone number, but I think I can still get through to Mickey," said Bronwyn as she dialed a number.
"Mickey? It's me."
"Ronnie? What happened to you, babe? It's like you disappeared off the face of the map," said a deep male voice on the other end of the line.
"Listen Mickey, please. I need a favor. A big one."
"Hmm. Well, I do owe you for coming through for me that time. I would've done some serious jail time if hadn't been for you, stepping in and taking care of the cops the way you did. What do you need?"
"Hey, who knows how to handle the police better than a cop's daughter, right? Seriously though, Mickey, I need to get out of San Francisco as soon as possible and I need a safe place to stay afterward."
"Legal trouble?" Mickey asked.
"No, no trouble with the police this time. A federal agent who is a complete psycho, actually."
"Somebody bothering you?" he asked, concerned.
"Something like that, Mickey. I'll tell you everything when I see you."
"OK, I can be up there in a few hours. Where should I meet you?"
"So you'll be coming?"
"Of course," he chuckled, "anything for my favorite girl."
Bronwyn smiled to herself at his compliment. Still the same old Mickey, she thought. "What is the address of this place?" she asked Persephone. She gave her the address and Bronwyn related it to him.
"The parking garage would be the best place to meet. There's hardly anyone there at this time of day." Persephone said.
"Yeah, I got it," said Mickey. "I'll be there in about 4 hours. Bye, babe."
"Bye," said Bronwyn, hanging up the phone.
"Where will you be going?" asked Seraph.
Bronwyn hesitated to reply. "Maybe the less you know the safer you will be, from Smith anyway."
"She's right" said Persephone, decisively. "But can you trust these people? And who are they?"
"Mickey is the chapter president of "The Diablos," one of the biggest biker gangs in Southern California. If anyone can help me, they can. As well, they can keep me safe from Smith."
She noticed their dubious looks at her statement. "Let me put it this way: when two rival bike chapters are at war with one another, the Mafia, not the police, tries to negotiate a truce between them and keep the peace. No sane person would want to mess with them, believe me."
Persephone reached into her purse and thrust a large roll of banknotes into Bronwyn's hand. "Take this. In case you need it."
"But I can't repay you," Bronwyn said, her eyes shimmering with gratitude and unshed tears.
"You can repay me by raising this child with a good, kind man and being happy in your new life. If you need more, you know where I am," Persephone said with a smile.
"What about your husband? Won't he know about this? About what you've done?"
Persephone laughed. "We have more money that we could ever spend. He won't miss it, trust me."
"What if Smith asks him where Bronwyn has gone?" the Oracle asked.
"I will say to him beforehand that if he gives Smith any information, I will divorce him and take him for everything he has. He loves money more than anything. He will not tell Smith where you are, I promise." She checked her watch. "You should get ready, I think."
"But what about my apartment and all my things?" asked Bronwyn.
"Don't worry about that," the Oracle said, "we'll take care of everything."
"You've all been so kind to me. I can't possibly thank you enough."
"We understand completely, Bronwyn," said the Oracle, "Your life and the life of your baby is at stake. You have to leave. Everyone here knows that Smith is relentless. Should he find out about the baby, he will never give up looking for you."
"You should get something to eat before you go," said Persephone. "Let's go to the restaurant. I'll get the kitchen to make us all something to eat. I don't know about anyone else, but I could really use something to drink," she stated, opening the bedroom door and leading the way.
When it was time for Bronwyn to leave, Persephone accompanied Bronwyn to the garage. Soon afterwards, a sleek, blue Mercedes sedan drove up to where the two women stood. The driver's door opened and the driver got out. He was of medium height; an attractive, strongly built man dressed in a polo shirt and expensive designer trousers. For her part, Persephone liked what she saw.
"Mickey, you haven't gone legit, have you? Where's your bike?" said Bronwyn with a wide smile.
"Legit? Me? Never! I still have the bike, though, I just wanted to pick you up in style," Mickey answered, with a grin. He went over to Bronwyn and hugged her. "Hey, girl, good to see you again." He noticed Persephone's glance. "What? Were you expecting me to wear black leather and be covered in tattoos?"
She blushed and nodded. "Something like that. I'm sorry."
He laughed, and it was a pleasant sound to her ears. "Don't be. Some of us do dress that way, but not me. I'm a little too old to be wearing leather pants at my age. Besides, I'm the president of these bunch of clowns. Someone has to show those bozos how to dress."
Grinning, Bronwyn playfully punched him in the arm and it was clear to Persephone that Bronwyn was in good hands with this man. Her intuition about him was that he cared a great deal for her petite friend, and that he would take care of her and keep her safe.
The passenger in the car got out and was hugged by Bronwyn in turn. He was bigger than Mickey and larger than any man Persephone had ever seen. He was well over six feet tall, with a belly that extended over the waist of his jeans. Some people might see him as fat, but Bronwyn knew better. He was 275 pounds of good, solid muscle, but a gentle giant to his closest friends one of which he considered Bronwyn to be.
"Good to see you, Bear," Bronwyn said, with a smile.
"Back at ya, babe."
"Would you gentlemen like something to eat? Or drink, perhaps?" asked Persephone, looking at each of the men, her gaze lingering the longest on Mickey.
"No thanks, ma'am" he said, putting his arm around Bronwyn's shoulders and winked at her. "I think we should we get this little lady back to where she belongs, safe and sound, the quicker the better. Let's go, Ronnie. He moved his hand to the small of her back and guided her into the backseat of the car, closing the door after her.
Bronwyn waved goodbye to Persephone. The car left the garage, and as it disappeared from sight, Persephone couldn't say how she knew, but she had the feeling that she would never see Bronwyn alive again. She turned around and sadly got in the elevator and took it back upstairs to where the Oracle and Seraph were waiting for her.
In the car, Bronwyn related everything that had happened between herself and Smith.
"So you think this Smith guy will hurt you and the baby?" asked Mickey.
"If he knew about it, he might. He's insane and obsessed. And dangerous. Very dangerous." Bronwyn stressed the word "dangerous" so that they would get the point.
"Jesus, Ronnie, if this guy is so weird, why did you sleep with him?"
"He didn't give me a choice in the matter, Bear. Like I already told you, he raped me, and he would've done it again today if that woman you just saw me with hadn't helped me escape from him". That son of a bitch, she thought.
"He won't find you, Ronnie. And if he does, he'll have to go through us first," said Mickey.
"All of us. Starting with me," promised Bear.
"Don't underestimate this man, guys. He is a real bad-ass motherfucker. You don't want to mess with him, believe me."
"What does he look like?" asked Mickey.
"About 6'2," blue eyes, black suit, black tie with a silver tie clip. Reddish brown hair. Always carries a fully loaded Desert Eagle. Slender build, around 180 pounds, early to mid forties, I guess." She sighed. "I just want to be able to raise my baby in peace, as far as possible from its father. In order to get away from him today, I had to leave everything I own behind, except what I've got on."
She fingered the Egyptian silk scarf she still had around her neck and sighed. All of my nicer clothes and jewelry I had to leave behind. Crap, she cursed. If I could've at least been able to take my jewelry, I would have been able to get some money for it. Damn you Smith, she thought, haven't you screwed up my life enough? Well, at least I'm free of you now. Good riddance.
"Don't worry, babe," said Mickey, "we'll take care of you. Stretch out in the backseat and try to get some sleep if you can."
It didn't take long for her to fall asleep.
Bear looked at her sleeping form for a long time. When he spoke, Mickey could hear the concern for her in his voice.
"Poor little thing. On the run from some fucking psycho Fed, no less. Jeez."
"Tell all the members about this guy, the prospects too. Everybody, and I mean everybody, has to keep an eye out for him. In case he comes looking for her, we gotta know who he is." (A/N: "prospects" refers to potential members of the chapter who are earmarked to receive full membership in due course.)
"She shouldn't have left us, Mickey."
"She had good reason, remember? Anyway, she's back where she belongs. Don't worry, Bear, if anyone can keep her safe, it's us. Wake her up, will ya, we're almost home."