"Bard!" Robin called to me as he fended off attacks from Flame Man of Megaman fame...or something. I was still shaking the cobwebs out. A tree had damn near fell on me. "Snap out of it! He's getting away with the communicator!"
I jumped to my feet and looked around. The guy was running through the forest towards the dirt road. I set my feet and ran after him. I got a running start, hopped off the rusty old car and jumped into the thick of the woods. The villain cast a glance over his shoulder at me and doubles his pace. He rounded a huge tree, rustling. I was right on his trail-
WHAP!
A branch recoiled and smacked me in the teeth. I came up spitting pine needles.
"Sonuva-!"
I heard the roar of a motorcycle and, through the foliage, dust being thrown into the air. Well...he wasn't the only one with a steel horse. I ran, jumped through a bush and into the saddle of my Harley. I slammed my boot down on the ignition. My back tire threw up dust, skidded to the side and finally got traction.
VROOOM!
I was off. The denim villain had a good head start on me, but it didn't matter. Even if his bike was faster than mine, I knew I could catch up with him. This wasn't a highway. I'd spent a good deal of my life riding through the backwoods. I wagered this guy hadn't.
I was right. He was flying, but he was taking it easy on the curves. Soon enough, I pulled my motorcycle in besides his.
"Hey, you!" I yelled over the whooshing air. "License and registration!"
His answer was sharply turning his bike to the left and ramming into me. Sparks flew as the bodies of our bikes met. My Harley wobbled underneath me and sent me off the dirt road. With no other choice, I turned it hard to the side and skidded to the stop just in front of a big oak.
I gritted my teeth.
You ain't getting away that easy, son!
I revved my bike and went in pursuit again. He looked back as I made my way back at him again. He held out his hand and, in a blue flash, held a very large pistol.
What the-?
BLAM!
I jerked my Harley to the right and dirt from the shot flew up where I'd been. I glared and kicked my bike into a higher gear. I reached down to my waist and pulled out a pistol of my own.
My trusty laser pistol.
ZAP!
He looked back just as I took aim and ducked just in time for the shot to go over his head.
I was on him now. I revved the engine and pulled up beside him. Michael...the girl had called him that...pointed his pistol at me at point blank range.
"!"
BLAM!
I dodged and the shot went over my shoulder. In the same motion, I hugged my bike and rammed it into his. But Michael was ready. He rammed right back and, our bikes locked, we sparked down the dirt road.
"Hey!" He yelled. "Your momma's butt-hole wrote you a letter. It said 'Come home soon'!"
I frowned.
"You got a letter, too, pissant! It's to confirm your five o clock appointment for the woodshed!"
I slammed my hand down on his wrist and the gun fell on the blurring ground...only to appear in his other hand. He aimed at me again-
BLAM!
I unlocked my bike from his and swerved away to dodge. But as I did, I reached out and grabbed a branch from a speeding tree. I drove back in and shoved it into the spokes of his front wheel.
FWOOSH!
His bike flew up into the air, flipping over and over. I started to slow down when he landed...not crashed...on his tires.
Holy-!
While he was still fighting to get control of the bike, I rammed into him again. Unprepared, he was sent off the narrow road into the woods. I turned and followed him.
TH-TH-TH-TH-TH-THWAP!
Branches from trees and bushes smacked against us as we sped through the woods. A thick, low branch blurred at us. As I watched in amazement, Hull stood on his bike, jumped and vaulted off the branch as his motorcycle went under it. He flipped and landed back on it.
It was my turn, and I sure as hell won't trying that. I slid as far to the side as possible and gripped the body of my Harley.
TWOOSH!
I cleared the branch and got back into position just in time to see the flash where Michael conjured up a blade. He hit a mound of dirt and, while airborne, he sliced off a branch and flung it backwards at me just as I was hitting the ramp.
I can do that, too, buddy!
I turned my bike sharply to the side just as I went airborne. I held out my arm, hummed and held an ice sword in my hand. I held on to the sideways bike with one hand as the branch barreled at me. My eyes narrowed. I swung.
SLASSH!
The ice sword sheared the branch and rained down bark and shavings. I dropped the sword, grabbed the handlebars with both hands and jerked hard to the side. I lined my bike up just as I hit the ground again.
I took in a deep breath. Taking a hand off the bike, I reached into my pocked and brought out a pocket watch. I flicked it open and stole a glance at it.
Four forty five.
I put it away and gripped the handlebars with renewed conviction.
Plenty of time.
VROOOOM!
