Part Six - Ordinary Troubles
BIGGS
The train ground to a halt, rousing me from a peaceful dream. I reached out to wake Max only to see that she was already up and consulting her trusty map.
The sound of voices reached my ears and I signalled to Max to keep quiet. We'd hidden the bikes behind some crates in case of a spot check on the carriage. We padded silently to the far end of the car and stepped into the shadows.
Just as I'd thought. The door to the car opened and flashlights swept through. "All clear!" a voice rang out. The door closed once again and footsteps faded into the night.
It was late. We'd waited until the station had gone quiet. Under cover of darkness, Max and I unloaded our bikes and made for the city limits.
It was cold and damp. The wind howled as we drove under a thunderous sky. The rain was thick, impairing our vision. An Ordinary wouldn't be able to see three feet in front of him. Luckily for us our transgenic sight gave us far better visual ability even in conditions such as these. Suddenly, the hair on my neck stood on end, my senses on high alert. Max motioned to me that she'd heard it too. The low rumble of an approaching vehicle.
I glanced over my shoulder to see a head leaning out the front window and what looked like a submachine gun being pointed in our direction. SHIT! I frantically signalled to Max 'enemy'. She nodded in understanding.
We increased speed and shot down the road, desperate to outrun them. So far so good I surmised. They seemed to be fading into the void.
We continued on for another 100 miles or so before we came to what looked like an industrial area. We pulled into the lot and stopped to get our bearings. Instinct told me we should keep moving.
"Max, I don't think its such a good idea to stop right now. Especially since we have no idea what happened to the guys tailing us. Although it would be nice to get out of the rain and get a little sleep, I just don't feel safe enough to stay here."
Max agreed. "You're right. And Biggs? Thanks again for being here. I haven't exactly been thinking so clearly these past few days. I wouldn't be able to do this alone."
"No sweat, Max. But we really should go."
I kick-started my bike and revved the engine. Max mirrored my actions and we pulled out, heading back to the highway.
Suddenly, the van from 100 miles back raced towards us and veered toward Max. She tried to avoid the vehicle but she lost control and was thrown from her bike.
The van ground to a halt. Shit! I thought, as 6 heavily armed figures emerged from the van. I could barely see Max from where I stood but I knew she was still down from the fall. I had to distract our attackers until she was able to defend herself.
"Are you lost?" I pretended to care, acting like a solicitous citizen while slowly reaching behind my back for my gun. There was no way I could hold them off for long. Come on, Max! I need you for this one I pleaded silently.
"Don't even think about it. Hands up above your head where I can see them." A large man barked at me.
This puzzled me. Familiars don't usually issue instructions. They shoot or maim. My hopes soared. Maybe, just maybe, we had the upper hand here.
Barely moving my head, I caught sight of Max crouched in position by the van. Stupid amateurs Our attackers must have thought that they knocked her out good and she was no longer a threat. I nodded at Max imperceptibly – only a transgenic would have noticed.
The man who had spoken to me moments before approached cautiously all the while keeping his firearm locked on me. At that moment Max blurred in front of two of our would-be assailants, taking them out with a series of well aimed kicks and punches. Way to go, Max! I thought as I launched myself at the guy who'd had the audacity to point his gun at me. Stupid fucking Ordinaries I couldn't help grinning.
Three down, three to go. Max and I went back to back, turning as the three remaining men circled us, knives drawn.
"Hey Max," I whispered. "Ordinaries sure are dumb. They only armed the head honcho and two thugs. The other guys get knives? How lame."
She laughed. "Let's finish this bitch." She replied, in her usual tough-ass manner. That's the spirit.
I flipped Max over my head and she in turn shot out with a roundhouse kick, swept her target's feet out from under him, and kneed him in the groin. Ouch. I almost felt sorry for the guy. I jumped, twisted and sent the other two guys sprawling in a single sweep. Grabbing up their guns, I kept them trained on the fallen men. Max stood watch over the three we'd knocked unconscious earlier, ready to take action if necessary.
"Biggs, that was fun! Wanna go another round?" she actually looked serious.
I laughed. The guys looked scared. "With these wusses? Nah." I grinned.
I heard a rustling sound. The head honcho seemed to be regaining consciousness. Max picked up the gun before he could reach it. I knew Max wouldn't use it even if meant saving her own life, but she trained it on him. What he didn't know couldn't hurt us.
"Up, all of you." I bit out in command. They rose unsteadily and huddled together. I motioned to Max that I had everything under control and signed to her. She nodded and walked toward the van. She returned a minute later with rope, cuffs and duct tape.
"So, looks like you idiots had something in mind when you brought this stuff with you?" she asked in a low tone. "You gonna let us in on the secret or do I have to beat it out of you?"
Sweating visibly, a pasty-faced man answered her. "We were supposed to restrain you and leave you here. They said they'd come pick you up."
I pushed 'Pasty' to the ground and yanked his head back by the hair, making him yelp. "Who the fuck is 'they'?" I growled. Pasty flinched.
"Some guy named White." He choked out.
"Shit, Max. We gotta get out of here NOW. Let's leave a little present for good old Ames." she threw me the rope, keeping the gun trained on them while I tied the luckless lot together and taped their mouths shut.
"We take the van." I nodded and went to load the bikes inside.
We took to the road in fury. White knew where we were and this complication troubled me more than I cared to admit.
MAX
Biggs looked on edge and he sported a deep frown. "What's wrong?" I asked, really worried. Biggs was a happy-go-lucky kind of guy most of the time so seeing him frown like that mean something was clearly bothering him.
"White's on our tail, Max. He's going to follow us. You know that as well as I do. And that son of a bitch doesn't give up easy. I'd feel much better if we had back-up, just as a precaution. You know, strength in numbers."
I just looked at him. He had a point, damn him. However, that left only one option. An option I didn't want to resort to using.
"No. I can't."
"Max, this isn't only about you anymore, dammit! It's about me too. And I'm not gonna let your problems with Alec take priority over my life!"
I felt so stupid. He was right. I couldn't let my personal conflict take precedence over our lives. So I nodded. "You're right and I'm sorry. Make the call."
Biggs looked at me a minute and smiled. "You've changed, Max."
Surprised, I looked at him in confusion. "Changed? How so?"
"In a good way. You're more open, you admit when you're wrong, you ask for help when you need it…things you never used to do."
I scoffed. "I'm losing my edge. It's weak and pathetic. I can't even look after myself anymore."
Biggs took my hand. "Max, sometimes we need to ask for help. It doesn't mean you're weak; just the opposite. Instead of being stupid and attempting something you can't possibly do alone, you're strong enough to ask for help." Biggs paused.
"Sometimes it's the difference between life and death. Knowing your friends' have got your back. How bad can that be?" he continued. "I don't feel weak or pathetic knowing I have to ask Alec for help. I know he's got me covered. And I'd do the same for him in a heartbeat."
I considered his words. "You're right. I guess I have changed. And it's not really all that bad!" I grinned at him. "Seriously, make the call. I'll deal with my feelings on my own time, I promise."
Biggs pulled out his cell and dialled. "Hey buddy." He recounted our little adventure with the thugs and our current position. I heard a muffled reply and then Biggs hung up the phone.
"He's on his way. Jake, Steve and Tanner are coming with him. They'll meet us in Olympia . If we keep moving, and everything goes to plan, we should be there by morning. If we aren't at the rendezvous point, they'll take the highway in this direction."
I settled back in my seat and closed my eyes. "If you need me for anything…"
Biggs patted my knee. "I will, Max. Just get some sleep."
TBC
Part Seven
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