Chapter 3: Flee or Die

Harry woke to his wife shaking him. She had fear in her eyes.

"Harry... someone is outside." She whispered.

"Stay here. If I don't come back, call the authorities."

She nodded. He reached under the mattress and pulled out a semi-automatic shotgun. He loaded it and went downstairs. He stood in front of the door, thinking a minute, and he realized if he could hit a clay pigeon he could hit a man. He opened the door with the gun pointing out. He pushed a button on the side of the weapon and a tactical light flashed on.

He moved the gun around, scanning his front lawn, the light on the gun shining on the wet grass as he went along. Suddenly he raised the gun to his face and put his finger on the trigger. The man was blinded by the light, shielding his face.

He spoke, " Hey buddy, easy there, I only need one moment of your time."

Harry glared at him, " What the hell do you think your doing, it is 2:00 AM and you scared my wife. I am not talking to you. Get off my property before I shoot you."

"Okay, okay, easy there." The man flashed his ONI badge. Harry sighed,

"Shit, ONI, always trying to blame you for something. Right this way."

The lights turned on as Harry ordered them to, and they sat down in the kitchen as the table popped out of the floor.

"Okay," Harry asked, " What do you want?" Harry had his shotgun under the table and still pointing at the ONI agent sitting across the table.

The man looked at him, " You're a New Wave Computer Trade Chief right? Well that ship was one of yours, one you gave it's itinerary to?"

Harry responded irritably, " Yeah, and your point?"

"That ship that hit our scientist, well also accidently carried something of ours. The ship never came back, and our sensors read that the Covenant got it. Do you know where it was headed?"

Harry quickly snapped, " No, why don't you check our records instead of bugging the staff?"

The man nodded, " Sorry for the trouble, thank you for your time."

"Yeah, yeah..." Harry kept the gun tracking the agent as he walked out the door. Than suddenly there was a muzzle flash from the road, and Harry fell clutching his leg. The agent screamed,

" Mack, you where only supposed to provide over-watch! You fool you shot him."

The man emerged from the bushes, he was dressed in ONI combat gear, black jump suit, 20mm soft target rifle, and combat helm with night vision sights.

"Let me see if I got him." The man named Mack laughed, then added, " I was ordered to kill him."

Mack approached Harry, and Harry quickly reached for his gun, but Mack kicked it away from him.

" So Harry... ready to die?"

The other agent spoke, " Mack, he has a wife upstairs, don't."

"It is what I get paid for Alex." Mack said as he pushed the barrel of the gun into Harry's chest.

The other agent (Alex) pulled out a pistol from his suite. He aimed the red dot right on Mack's forehead. " I can not let you do that Mack. Not all of us listen to Black Leader, you know he is heartless and insane!"

Mack nodded than said, "He pays the bills. Shoot me. You do not have the guts."

Mack pulled the trigger, and the distinct "click" was heard.

" Damn!" Mack yelled, "Stupid thing jammed! Alex give me your gun."

Alex yelled, "No! Leave him be."

Mack muttered to himself and pulled a knife out from his belt, " I guess I will just have to gut him them."

Alex muttered, " You sick little shit, you will rot in hell." He fired his gun and Mack fell motionless on the ground, with one bullet hole going through his helmet.

" I guess..." Mack whispered, " You did have the guts..." then he died.

" What have I done... what have I done!" Alex sobbed, than put the gun to his head, and muttered to Harry, " Leave now. They will come to get us and find us dead. They will kill you." He shot the pistol and fell down dead.

Harry's wife came out with the baby. " I heard gun shots so I... I panicked."

" It is okay honey. We have to go."

She gasped, " But your leg..."

Harry interrupted her, " My leg is fine! We have to go now. Grab my wallet and your purse and lets go. Put the baby in the back of the car."

"Why Harry?" she asked than she screamed as she tripped over the dead body of Alex.

" That is why. Go, now!"

Sarah ran into the house and emerged with the wallet and purse. Harry was already in the driver's seat, and the baby was automatically buckled in the car seat. The car was slick and a dark blue. It was flat and it started by voice activation. Harry ordered the car to start up, than felt the sensors on his seat attach to the back of his head. A computerized voice chirped,

" You are out of an auto-pilot zone, sensors adjusting for human pilot." The seat belts automatically buckled in as the control panel on the dash board gave frequent travel routes that Harry had driven. It also could display maps, broadcast weather, and play music. The steering wheel un-locked with a metallic thump and Harry was speeding down the driveway into the night sky.