Chapter 2

I must have walked about aimlessly for at least an hour. The twilight city was awash with the sounds of sirens, gunshots, explosions and screams – they were getting quieter as I was moving further away. I was so exhausted I just wanted to sleep.

"Bio-terrorist!" a woman screeched from behind.

I turned and held my hands up as if to surrender to show her I meant no harm but she had already fled. These clothes were doing me no favours – bright orange prison attire screamed 'bio-terrorist' it was then that I spotted a washing line and came to the conclusion that petty theft was better than scaring the shit out of anyone I came across. I quickly got changed into the jeans, t-shirt and hoody, that were a little too big for me, in a nearby alleyway and discarded the orange jumpsuit into a skip. It was then that I spotted a small name printed on the right side of the chest of the prison suit– I felt stupid for having not noticed it earlier. It read 'A. Miles' – it meant nothing to me but there was a good chance that it was my name.

I walked on and as I did I noticed that each camera I passed followed my direction, I lifted my hood over my head, at first I thought I was being paranoid but by camera number four I knew it wasn't coincidence – someone was watching me. Surely I was the least interesting 'bio-terrorist' to be watching right now? That's even if I was one of them – I still had no idea what my power was. I approached camera number five and halted, as did the camera.

"Why the hell are you watching me?" I yelled, I quickly scanned the pavement with my eyes, knelt down and picked up the nearest rock and bulls eye –right in the lens. It cracked and I felt somewhat satisfied - momentarily anyway. I knelt down again and remained there with the camera fixed on me – I didn't care any more I just wanted to sleep.

After several minutes of feeling sorry for myself, I spotted a hotel opposite. I couldn't just stay for free but where else could I go? I'd do the dishes if I had to - given the circumstances and the current Armageddon I hoped that they would take pity on me. I pulled myself up and strolled over, I could hear the camera rotating behind me, in what was probably my direction.

"Hello?" The lobby was cluttered with paper and potted plants were strewn about, mud everywhere. No one to be seen. "Hello?" I called louder this time, but it was no use there was no one here – that wasn't necessarily a bad thing, I approached the lobby desk and leapt over it helping myself to a key card – room 1008 was probably as good as any. I looked around one more time and left for my newly acquired room.

The elevator doors closed and I waited for my floor, I caught a glimpse of the elevator camera – surely my stalker couldn't see me now? Just in case - I gave the camera the finger and exited when the doors opened.

Room 1008 – I scanned the card and the door opened, I was so grateful. The room was nothing special but when I collapsed onto the bed it felt like the greatest comfort I'd had in a long time – just how long had I been sleeping on that hard mattress in that prison – Cardun Cay I think Delsin Rowe called it – I didn't dwell on my thoughts, my head hit the pillow and I was sound asleep.

The next thing I knew - there was a huge crash and the room quaked violently – what now?! I resisted waking but then another crash and a small explosion – I think it came from directly below. My eyes snapped open and I rushed to my feet. The room was filled with smoke and I began to cough uncontrollably, I threw the door open to be forced back by plumes of smoke - I wasn't going that way! I slammed the door shut and scanned the room in a panic – arm covering my nose and mouth - the only way out was the windows, it was only when I approached them that I remembered I was on the 10th floor. I hesitated for only a moment and pulled myself through – standing on the narrow ledge outside. I looked down – big mistake! There was a car that was ablaze embedded into the building a few floors below.

"Oh my god!" screamed a woman watching my ordeal from across the street and I looked down again – Goddamit, there was trails of neon light everywhere – what the hell?!

There was no way for me to get down, what was I gonna do?! I clung onto the glass behind me for dear life but the only way to go was down – I wasn't about to jump to my death! A small crowd had gathered now – I could see some of them shamelessly recording me on their phones, others shouting and screaming at me, I didn't listen - I couldn't listen, my heartbeat thudded in my ears. The building shook, it was coming down, it shook again I clasped the window frame desperately – it shook one more time and it was all over.

My spine made contact with the solid tarmac road below and I thought it might be the last sound I'd ever hear but then I opened my eyes. I was winded, a little dazed but alive … and relatively OK. I sat up. My audience seemed just as shocked as I was as I got to my feet.

"He must be one of them!" a woman wailed in horror.

They scampered off in different directions before I had the chance to explain myself but what could I have said? That fall should have killed me, at the very least shattered every bone in my body and here I was – not a scratch on me. It was too early to celebrate my escape from death, however, a large winged – I wanted to say 'angel', swooped directly in front of me – an angel?! Just when this couldn't have gotten any crazier – maybe I had died?

"Thou hast been summoned," the angel grabbed me and before I knew it I was up high again, clinging on with everything I had.