We had to get away from
the area as quickly as we possibly could so not to attract any
unwanted attention. Lucky for us the manhole that leads to Bree's
hideout was already obscure to begin with. It had been a while since
we had seen the light of day. So when we popped out in the alleyway
we had to wait a moment to adjust to the change in light intensity. I
looked around to see if we had been spotted and sure enough we had.
Two clueless looking teenagers around our age stared at us from the
enterance of the alleyway. Bree's eyes went wide and she slowly began
to advance. I grabbed her arm and yanked her down to the ground.
"
Now is not the time." I said.
" Right, I suppose you
want us just to sit real still and they will forget that we are
here."
" Exactly because if you tear them up people
will know that something has gone wrong and soon there will be
Erasers all over the place." I whispered to her. The teenagers
slowly walked away after we all sat there and stared at them.
"Now
what." Roc asked.
"We start heading south," I
said.
"But how? you two don't have wings." The way Roc
said that sounded more like an acusation than stating the obvious.
"
Well, Roc we have legs" I said tapping my old sneakers on the
pavement. It had been a while since I've worn a pair of shoes.
"I
know that but it will be alot faster if we could all fly," he
said with tension in his voice.
" Well even when I did have
wings all I could do is glide. Bree can run really fast she will be
alright. If it bugs you that much Roc, than you can carry me. I am
human now so I will be lighter." Roc didn't like the idea at
first but if he wanted to get to Gozbud quickly than he would have
too.
"Fine," he said.
"I am glad we had this
talk. I said standing up.
"PC." Bree said suddenly. Her
voice was hard but still had a hint of fear. My little pigeon
instincts were buzzing in my head as I saw Fox standing in the
entrace to the alleyway. Our strategy of standing really still
wouldn't work this time. I looked to rooftops only to discover
Erasers were perched there too. We were surrounded...
OHHHHHH. This is not
good. Uh-huh. Not good one bit. Bree, Roc and I, clustered
together,back to back. I had mixed feelings at this point. Heck I
think we all did. I never thought that Fox would be stupid enough to
appear in broad light in his wolf form. He was said to be the
smartest of the Erasers of Lab 7 apparently they were mistaken.
Suddenly Fox began to change into his human form, but I could tell he
didn't like it. But for the sake of not attracting attention he was
willing. Fox was not much older than I and it showed in his human
form. He still had yellow wolfish eyes and the sliver strip of hair.
" PC? Is that you?" He said cocking his head to one
side. Now usually I don't like to talk to the bad guys and listen to
their little monolouge but for once I was curious as to how he found
us so quickly. Once I had the answer to that question I would try
with all my power to SHUT-HIM-UP.
" Who else would it be?"
I replied .
" PC what are you doing? Let's get out of here,"
Bree whispered to me.
" Paticene..." I said between my
teeth. Then I returned my attention to Fox.
" I must have to
admit , PC your new look makes you easier on the eyes," Fox said
with a smile, his human teeth filed to a point.
"I am
suprised you don't follow my example." I retorted.
Fox
frowned." Humans are weak I only take this form sothat I don't
attract attention." I felt a monolouge was imenent.
"
How did you find me so fast?"I asked. " Why are you even
here?" Hehe. I like it when people think that they have done
something clever and they really haven't. " It just so happens
that Green Wing over there. Has tracking device implanted inside him.
Everywhere he goes all we need to do is press this button and we know
exactly where he is."
" Very clever," I muttered.
I turned my head slightly to get a look at Roc. He was scared witless
and on top of that, this new revelation seemed to be just as much of
a suprise to him as it was to me. This made things ...difficult...
"As for why I am here. PC. If I had the chance I would have
finished what I started years ago. But Rancor wants you back and I am
under orders to keep you alive." DING DING that was all the info
I needed now it was time to kick some butt.
" You two attack
the guys on the roof I'll take care of Fox. Understand?" Bree
and Roc nodded. I stared at Fox still pretending to listen while I
counted down mentally...5...4...3...2...1... " TAKE THEM OUT!"
I shouted...
Once I had said those
words. WE acted all at once. I darted at Fox with all the speed I
possessed at that moment . The look on his face was priceless as I my
foot collided with his face. Fox's head snapped back and he fell a
few feet away. I saw Bree run up the side of the building and rake
her claw like nails across one of the Eraser's faces. Next I saw Roc
spread his gigantic wings and fly up two meet two other adversaries
on the roof. Fox slowly got up. His nose was bleeding his teeth were
dyed red.
" You'll pay," he growled. " YOU'LL
PAY!" He let out a roar and instantly changed back into his wolf
form and dashed foward on all fours.
" Come and get it,"
I said. Fox lunged foward and and slammed me into the side of one of
the buildings. Normally a collision would have not knocked the wind
out of me but for some reason it did. Was my human form making me
weaker? I shut out the question this wasn't the time to question my
abilities. Fox snarled at me and paced infront of me to see what my
next move would be. I sucked up the shock that rattled my body and
got my feet. THe thought of returning to Lab 7 was unimaginable and
if I was going to be taken back there I was going back in pieces...
I darted at Fox again
this time we collided and started to wrestle each other and for some
reason I was straining just to keep myself from being forced back. I
broke away and punched Fox in the face. I cried out as he bit down on
my fist. I tried pulling awaybut his teeth did more damage. Eraser's
have strong jaws he could easily bite my hand clean off. Desperate I
tried to change my hands back into my clawed ones. THe agony was
horrendous due to my current situtation. I yelled and hooked the
inside of Fox's mouth with two of my claws and then flipped him over
and slammed him into the ground. I looked myself over my arms and
hands had changed but the rest of me had not. I stared down at Fox
who was in a daze.
" PC Come on!" Bree shouted from the
roof tops. I nodded and climbed up the wall with my claws hoping they
wouldn't revert until I reached the top. Once on the roof my arms and
hands returned to being human.
" Is everyone okay" I
asked cradling my mangled fist.
" I think so," Bree
said.
" Now what do we do? ...they are tracking us through
me." Roc asked
" Nothing, we stick with our plan."
" But what about the Erasers?"
" They have to
catch up with us first." I said. " Let's go. Bree you know
the way." She nodded and was gone in a flash. Roc reluctantly
wrapped his arms around me and took off. As we flew high above
everything I examined my hands. The bitten was gored in several
places, but still usable. The other hand was covered with large
bruises. Was this the price I had to pay...for being human? ...if you
ask me... I want my money back...
Our flight from
Charlington was a long and very boring one. I kept myself entertained
by tracking Bree on the ground. I tried not to think about what would
happen if we were cornered by Fox again. I also tried not to think of
why Lab 7 wanted me back. Now was the time to worry about Roc. Did
hide the fact that he had a tracking device on him ? Or did he even
know in the first place?
" Are you scared Roc?" I
asked.
" huh?" Roc said sounding distracted.
"
Are you scared?"
" A little. Look I am sorry about the
tracking thing. I had no idea that they would do that."
"
They usually don't put tracking devices on experiments that are
likely to die in the next hour ...its the useful ones they don't want
to to loose. I had a tracking device on me...but they took it out the
day I was supposedly ..." I instantly shut up...I didn't want to
say to much. It didn't matter where I was from or what had been done
to me all that mattered is that I stay free and everyone along with
me.
" So how are we going to find it? How are we going to
even get it out?" Roc asked knowing not to presue the issue.
"It depends on where it is in your body. But even if we
can't get it out. If you stay with Gozbud he can help you deactivate
it with out removing it." " That's good. Let's hope that
Fox and the other Erasers don't catch up with us until then." I
nodded and stared out at the horizon. The sun was setting fast and
soon I wouldn't be able to see. Fortunately a town started to appear
in the distance. Roc sighed " Finally...I'm starving." I
looked down and saw Bree slowing down and pulling off the main road
into some trees.
" Descend. I need to talk to Bree," I
said. Roc nodded and we slowly spiraled down...
Fox and the other surviving Erasers decided to stay in Charlington for one night to recuperate. They stayed in a small motel that was near the entrance to the town. There they licked their wounds and made plans. Of the group that first arrived only four were left and had not died from their wounds. Thresher was a mess, his body nearly sliced to ribbons by Bree. The other two Erasers suffered a few broken bones and had a few teeth missing from where Roc kicked them. Fox was the only eraser with minor injuries. He had a massive headache from being slammed head first into the ground and he had to spend several hours with gauze in his mouth to stop the bleeding from the two holes PC burrowed into his palette.But despite all his discomfort he had two things that gave him satisfaction. First, the knowledge that when PC was in human form, he was as weak as one...fragile with weak joints and flimsy hide. The other thing that gave Fox satisfaction was the taste of PC's blood that still lingered on his tongue...
Even though I hate the
night because I couldn't see...it had other perks...such as people
not being able to see a kid with gigantic wings spiraling down from
the sky.
" So now what?" Bree asked leaning against a
tree winded.
" We go into town and get food." I replied
" I think that is obvious. "
" Ohhhh...yes, no one
will question a person with red eyes, purple hair and a striped
coontail."
" I guess you're refering to me arn't you."
" Who else, PC ..Who else."
" Well what about
you, miss feather arms."
" Don't turn this around on
me,"Bree said.
"Why are we fighting?" Roc asked.
" Because we haven't met our quota for the month." I
said sarcastically.
" Why don't I go and get the food and
you two can stay here?"
" NO!" We both snapped.
"I am human enough that I shouldn't have to hide," Bree
said.
" Same here," I said.
" PC look behind
you...you have a tail still."
" Well I could pretend to
be a human freak and besides chicks dig the tail."
"
They do?" Roc questioned.
" Of course."
"
OH SHUT UP!" Bree snapped.
"I don't think this is
getting us anywhere...if we want to get ahead of the Erasers we need
to get food and get gone."
" Wow that is the most
intellegent thing you've said all day Roc." I said.
"
He's right," Bree said.
" Well what are we waiting for
let's go. Don't worry if there is one thing that I know about people
is that they will question what they see until they convince
themselves that they saw nothing, we will be fine." I said
reassuring Bree. She nodded but I could tell she was doubtful...
We had plenty of money
to spend,because Bree was very thrifty and only spent money when she
had too. We didn't waste anytime and entered the first convenience
store we saw, which was called Bob's Stuff Mart...Very origianl. But
Bob's Stuff Mart was loaded with food and other useless STUFF. Each
of us grabbed a basket and stocked up on anything we wanted. And when
I say anything I mean just that. The only thing we didn't put in
there was laundry detergent, other household cleaners, Cheezits, and
Dog food. Each of us paid for our food seperately of the three of us
Roc had the most. The cashier didn't give Bree or Roc a questioning
look but he did give me a twisted expression.
" Isn't it a
bit early for halloween ,son?"
" Well not really."
was all I managed to say . He shrugged and gave me, my receipt and
said goodbye to us winking at Bree. We quickly left town and headed
towards the woods that bordered the town. While Bree set up a fire me
and Roc dumped our food out on the ground and started to compare.
"
What did you get?" I asked
" Let's see...10 bottles of
Sunkist, 8 bags of M&M's, some jerky, Fruit Loops, Cap'n Crunch
and other things like that...How about you? What are these?" He
said holding up a pack of cat treats. " Sweety Meats?" Roc
looked at me quizically.
" I may look human but I am still a
cat at heart." I smiled sheepishly.
" Hmph that's not
all," Bree said finally emptying out her bag which was loaded
with bags of seeds. I stuck my tongue out at Bree. The rest of the
evening consisted of eating and idol chatter. Then after we couldn't
eat anymore. We put out the fire and went to sleep. It was the best
sleep I had,had in many days. But that would soon end...soon and this
I knew...the fur is going to hit the fan...
I watched the sun rise from the tree tops. I always wake up early even when I don't intend to, but for once I didn't feel tired or fatigued...that would come in handy soon. It was hard to scale the tree I was on without my claws but I managed. Once Roc and Bree woke up we immediately set off on our flight south. We raided two more convenience stores on the way too. It took us two more days to reach Gozbud's territory. But that is where the real journey begins...
What stood before us
was, Gozud's territory, a maze of forest and swampland a couple of
miles from the nearest town.
"This is Gozbud's territory?"
Roc asked.
"Yep...all of it, if you don't want to be found.
Gozbud's is the place to be." I said.
"Its also a good
place for you get your clothes muddy and wet. But when your being
tailed by erasers this is Sanctuary." Bree commented.
"Right.
Lead the way Bree." Bree had an awesome sense of direction, you
drop her off anywhere in the world she could find her way home. But
despite Bree's navigational skills the swamp and the woods were
foreboding. Me and Roc didn't start to worry once we both thought we
saw the same tree more than once.
" Bree?"
"
Yes, PC?"
"Do you think we are going around in
...circles."
"No. What makes you say that?" She
asked playing with the strap on her duffle bag. Of the bags that we
had left with Bree's was the only one left. Fortunately hers had all
the important items in it...a few papers related to our network, her
favorite guns, and a couple of other things. My back I left behind on
the trip, do to another run in we had with Fox on the way down.
Fortunately we didn't have to fight him that time, but we ran. I
managed to get some items that were of sentimental value and I kept
them in my pockets. Roc dumped his because it started to bother him
while he was flying.
" Bree I think I have seen that
particular tree three times," I said.
"So, are you
implying that we are lost?"
"Well...yes?"
"We
aren't. I assure you. PC I know exactly where I am going." she
said. We wondered around for another hour and then I saw that dang
tree again.
" Bree-"
"Yeah, I know I see the
tree...this swamp is messing with my radar. You two wait here...I am
going to see If I can find it myself. When I do, I'll comeback."
"Why?"
"Because I'll be able to think! Without you
pointing out the obvious." she snapped.
"Fine," I
said and then in a flash she was off.
"geez,...Bree can be a
little .."
"Yeah, she get's a bit grumpy when things don't
work out as planned. But she means well...always does." I said
settling down on a large rock. " I see." We waited for Bree
which seemed like an eternity. An hour appeared to have passed and
she still had not returned. I was becoming a little anxious and I
began to think of the worst. I used to feel this way when the
Whitecoats would take her away for tests. Roc seemed a bit tense too
and the forest and swamp seemed to be too quiet.
"That's it.
Let's go find her," I said.
"But what if she comes back
and we are not here?"
"ROC! ...Something is wrong. You can
stay if you like but, Bree isn't coming back to get us." Roc got
to his feet and followed me. We headed off in the direction she had
gone. It was easy to follow her tracks until we met up with bodies of
water. Even though we had made progress it seemed like we were
getting no where. WE took a short break.
"Where is SHE!" I
said starting to get irritated.
"Don't worry we'll find her,"
Roc said trying to reassure me. Suddenly we heard something in the
distance. When I realized what it was I bolted. The sound was a
scream...
