Chapter 19 18 Miles Out

Max

April 22nd, 2014

3:27 PM

18 Miles From Arcadia Bay

7 Eleven Gas Station

We're off to Portland. Eighteen miles from Arcadia Bay and over to the Quantic Solution Expo event we go. Chloe and I take the truck down to Highway 26 to get to Portland and stop for gas on the way there. Joyce and David had took their own car to travel to Portland with us. Rachel and Frank took the caravan. Warren had taken the bus with all the other Blackwell kids.

The two of us stop for gas at a 7 Eleven gas station. Chloe parks the truck next to a pump to fill it up with gas. I wait outside by the truck while Chloe fills her up. Thinking about what we'll do tonight at the Chrysalis headquarters.

From the day in the bathroom up until this point, it was ironic how much us two have gotten involved in for the last six months. From the dark room to the storm to the shooting to Neo-Chrysalis to now. Of course, I was never there when Chloe and Rachel incriminated Prescott at the foundry overrun by the terrorist, but I was there when they made that storm happen. Boy have I had the adventure of a lifetime with Chloe.

When her and I were just sweet and innocent little children, before William passed, we always thought we'd have the greatest adventure of our lives as the Arcadia Bay pirates. We've already had our share of adventure already. A dangerous one at that. But never did I imagine it would be as dangerous as hanging from a truck with a crane driving on bridge like Indiana Jones. It was a shame Rachel got most of the action with Chloe instead of me. I'm still the star of this story no matter what. That will never change ever. I know it wouldn't.

I couldn't believe Chloe, Rachel, and everyone else agreed to this. It's as if everyone I've ever known has respected me for being the infamous time traveling super-girl in town, they all automatically concurred to this heist we were going to throw ourselves. Didn't matter. I've made a lot of friends over the past six months just to receive all the respect I could get. Not because I'm a superhero, but because people respect for all the good I've done in town. Even if it was fraudulent at times when came to using my rewind, I'm still a respectable person regardless. I'll be sure to tell that one to Rachel who had her mind-tricking powers to do the talking. Just like how I use my rewind to do the talking, as well.

"Chloe," I speak to her while she pumps the gas in her truck.

"What?" she responds.

"You really don't need to be a part this," I tell her. "Maybe you should let myself, Rachel, and the others deal with this?"

"Excuse me? Is that the sound the sound of Super-Max bailing on me again?"

"No, Chloe. It is the sound of Super-Max protecting Wonder-Chlo."

"Protecting me from what? Dying again? How many times do we need to talk about this? I know it's weird for us now having to save me all the time, but it's been how long since I last died? Six months and one-hundred in ninety-five days? Come on, Max. Rachel and I barely survived a suicide mission to bring down Prescott and Neo-Chrysalis from their misconduct to scapegoat yourself and now you want to bail me out of this mission you made us attend to?"

"I'm just saying, Chloe. By now you must be sick and tired of all these dangerous adventures we have together and I just want to keep you alive without having to rewind."

"Well I've already said yes to this heist and no one else is stopping me. Not even Rachel had to use her rewind to keep me alive. Though she used it to keep Warren alive back at the foundry. Sometimes it's not always my life that's at steak. Hell, my life wasn't even at steak when making that uneasy decision you made months ago. We're just lucky to have stuck with that decision at the time being when we had thought it was your havoc that you created. When in hindsight, we were more at each others throats with terrorist than a twister."

"You're right. We really were. But that's besides the point, Chloe. It isn't just about losing you. It's also about losing others too. Somehow this heist thing of ours could be more than we bargained for. I can feel it. I don't even know what I feel anymore."

By some coincidence, Frank's RV arrives at the gas station too. We see the mobile vehicle park next to a pump for gas. The Amberbowers couple step out of the RV and Frank sticks a pump into his tank. Rachel sees us getting gas and runs over to our refueling pump.

"Max! Chloe! I'm glad I caught you," she says.

"What's the hurry, Rachel?" asks Chloe. "Something happened?"

"No, I just need you to hold on to these supplies," she says. "Come take a look."

Rachel gets out some things we need for our heist so we could take them with us. First she gives us some earpieces to communicate with each other. Then some pistols, silencers, and tranquilizers to clear some guards out of the way. Then she gives another unique tool that had been one of Warren's toys to prove useful during the mission.

"And finally, the spider drone Warren said he had," said Rachel handing it over. "He gave it to me before we left. It's got a camera attachment to it and remote control to commandeer it. Better yet it also has taser device to knock out guards."

"Why is Warren's remote control a Nintendo DS console?" I ask.

"He said he uses his old DS to view the camera device's screening when controlling it," explained Rachel. "It also controls the taser too. Warren should be able to explain how to use it more when we get. I gave him a com piece too before he left on the bus. This should be everything we need."

"You said earlier that you would provide sniper support across from the building," reminded Chloe. "How's that going to happen?"

"Like I said before," said Rachel. "Frank and I are gonna find a building across from the Chrysalis tower and provide sniper support from up there. Whenever the two of you are in trouble on the upper floors when you make your way over to the project, I'll be on the other side with Frank picking off some guards if I can. It's that simple."

"When did you learn how to snipe anyways, Rachel?" I ask. "I never asked."

"I've seen her shoot some bottles out of the air and pick off a few guards during our missions together at the Prescott Estate and the bunker," said Chloe. "Don't underestimate her. She's way stronger than she looks."

"Just put all that stuff somewhere hidden," said Rachel. "David told me Joyce doesn't know about this. This is gonna be quick. It's gonna be clean. And best of all, it's gonna be quiet. Good luck out there. And may the force be with you. Always."

Rachel gives us a happily grin, pats us on the shoulder, and walks back to the RV. I turn to Chloe with more confidence between us now than before we were given the supplies. I had to stop fearing for Chloe's life. The force was with us all.

"Well, Chloe, this is it," I say. "If you're really on board with this, so am I. We'll be giving ourselves a night to remember for."

"I'm gonna pay for the gas," she said. "Be sure to put all that stuff in the truck where no one will find it."

Note: Well I only have one day of school left before I could start writing more again. I was going to post this over the weekend until I had a long weekend to deal with. Had to finish up on my finals, got my Playstation account banned and had to create a new one (Don't even ask how it felt!), and I saw Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. And now I've just posted this chapter today as a result.

I understand these chapters may be getting shorter now, but sometimes I just don't feel like writing more. If I feel like I need to write more, I will. If not, I should be able to just write a single chapter and post it in one day.

Until next time, stay cool and golden.