Page 30 of Shadow's Chosen

"How good is your aim while moving?" Nezka asked as he backed the motorcycle several feet, positioning it out of the garage.

Elise gazed at the back of his head with a frown. "Accurate enough, depending on speed and how far away the target is. Why?"

"Have your gun ready. You're going to need to watch our back." The bike began to pick up speed as Nezka drove out of the garage toward the gate.

Eleven

Nezka knew they would come for them. He'd been around enough criminals and conmen to know every word of a deal could be twisted to work for their benefit. The leader of this pack of car thieves would let him leave their compound, but once he was outside it, they would follow.

Maybe if he was alone and had no time to lose, he would fight them, take them down slowly, one by one. He was tempted after seeing what they had done to Elise. But he knew now fighting them was a fool's idea. So, he would run until they could follow no farther. Which, by what he gathered after tracking them, was about a mile out to the north end till they hit a dried-out chasm that had once been a river. From there, judging by their route, the gang's territory ended. All he had to do was cross over into what was supposedly another's territory, and they would be safe. For a little while, at least.

Nezka built up speed as he skidded around a corner and took off down the road. It wasn't long till they heard the roar of other vehicles behind them. Elise clung to him tightly with one arm as she took up her gun in the other.

"Aim for their tires," Nezka said as he turned quickly down another road. Taking the bike was a risky choice, making Elise vulnerable at her back, but it could get them through areas the cars might not be able to go. If he could lose them in time, it would be worth the exposure.

They flew down one street after the other, the screen on the dash helping Nezka navigate the maze of roads, looking for alternative routes. The gang knew the streets better and likely knew all the secret passages, but it was all he could do to try to lose them.

Nezka drove straight on, swerving past abandoned vehicles and other obstacles along the road. Something bright zapped by and crackled beside him. Another zap, and Nezka saw the sparks of electricity dance across the road. Elise let off a few rounds in response, and Nezka knew the pack was close behind them. "Hold on," he called and felt her grip tighten around his waist as he took a sudden sharp turn down an alleyway, too narrow for the cars to follow.

He exited off onto a different road parallel to the one before and continued on to the river-chasm. From the dashboard rear-view screen, he saw a pair of two-wheelers like his own shoot through the alley and race toward them. Elise shot at them, hitting the front tire of one two-wheeler, making it skid off the road and into a nearby building. The second didn't halt but sped up, closing in. It fell beside them, swerving closer, trying to hit them. Elise shot at the driver, but the sparks of yellow light did nothing to his armor. She went for the wheels instead, only for the driver to put on his brakes, causing her to miss. He drove beside them and tried to hit them again, but Nezka was prepared this time. He waited for another blockade in the road then kicked his leg out and pushed the other two-wheeler away, causing it to smash right into a large sign made of a slab of metal.

At the end of the road, Nezka could see the river-chasm and a bridge. He could also see several vehicles already there, waiting to block his way. Baring his teeth in a low growl, he quickly turned down another road before the bridge, racing east till the road connected to another, bringing them alongside the chasm. Vehicles followed behind, and more bullets and bursts of electricity whirled past to try and stop him. As another bridge came into view ahead, Nezka could see it was empty of vehicles but that a portion of it was broken off. Missing.

It would have to do.

At the crossroad, Nezka turned tightly onto the bridge just as a group of cars met him down one street. He straightened out then picked up speed, forcing the two-wheeler to its limit. Ahead, he saw the broken section, but he didn't stop. He thought he heard his name being called, but he refused to look back or to slow. He heard more shots pop off and the sounds of vehicles screeching to a halt as he jumped the bridge.

He felt Elise's arms wrap around his midsection in a tight grip as they fell. Her shout of surprise cut in his ear. The two-wheeler landed and hopped, jolting them across the other side. As soon as the wheels touched firmly on the ground, Nezka hit on the brakes, skidding the two-wheeler around into a half circle, blowing up dust and smoke from the tires. As the air cleared, Nezka got a good look at the other side and smiled. The cars had stopped, and the pack spilled out onto the bridge to howl with rage. A few shot off a couple rounds which didn't quite reach, but Nezka wasn't taking any chances. He turned around and drove off, putting distance between him and the chasm.

Elise, though still pressed closely against him, loosened her grip, her gun still firm in her hand, waiting, perhaps, for more danger to come. Nezka didn't stop until he felt her tap his side, wanting off. He searched around for a safe place, turning down a narrow road, through a low tunnel.

Out the other side, a large, nearly windowless building came into view, its sides made of some smooth stone with several levels of glass at the top. Nezka slowed considerably as he drove around a circular courtyard with a twisted statue at the center then up a wide ramp to the blown out doors of the building. He slipped inside, into considerable darkness, into a wide foyer with a high open doorway. Past that was a long passage with a high, open ceiling, the glass roof shattered. To each side were several floors of crumbling balconies above. Nezka slowed to a near walking speed as he passed another twisted statue at the middle, one covered nearly head to foot in some odd plant. At the end of the long passage, glass lifts hung, stuck on various floors. But by the bent metal and broken glass, they were no longer in working order. Someone had come through here at some point and tore the building apart. Nezka could even see the marks from explosive damage and bullet fire on the walls and floors. It might not be empty, but it looked it, and he saw no signs of others or any recent damage.

It would have to do for now.

He stopped the two-wheeler beside a lone stairway beside the lifts. He turned the vehicle off, and Elise released her grip on him. She stumbled as she got up to stand, and Nezka caught the blood on her leg, staining her white suit a dull red.

"You’re hit." Nezka got off the two-wheeler to examine her.

She shook her head at him. "It's from a bite." When he gave her a concerned glare, she continued with, "From a fight with a particularly large drogin. They tried to patch me up so I wouldn't bleed out, but they clearly did a shit job."

She looked pale. Her eyes were dark, lip cut, and face slightly swollen on one side. She looked like she was about to pass out as she hunched over, her eyes blinking slowly. "When's the last time you ate or drank?" Nezka asked, taking the bag off her shoulders to look inside. She didn't protest, though she looked ready to.

"A half a day or so, I think," she said hesitantly. As in she wasn't sure.

Nezka rifled through the bag. Only one food pack remained. The clothes were gone. Somehow, miraculously, her canteen had been spared, but it was empty.

"What happened to you?" she asked. Her eyes flitted over his face with what he thought might actually be a smidge of concern. He couldn't help smiling.

"That's a question with many answers."

She touched at her face, and he frowned. There was blood on her hand too.

"Let's start climbing. I want higher ground before we assess the damage," he said, throwing her bag over his shoulder.

She nodded her head at him and holstered her gun as they started for the stairs. Nezka halted only a few feet up to turn back to her, watching as she limped her way up to follow him. He hadn't noticed before how badly beaten she really was, but at the time, his focus had only been on getting them away. Now he could see she was in great need of help. He knew, however, what her answer would be if he even asked. But watching her struggle up the flights of stairs would be tortuous. Deciding quickly, he descended the fews steps back to her and bent forward, grabbing hold of her hips and swinging her up over his other shoulder.

"What the hell are you doing?" she cried, her legs flailing, trying to kick him.

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