Paradise Hacked (First Circle Club Book 2) (18 page)

"That was kind of fun," Alfred said.

Virgil smiled slightly. "Just get us to our destination."

He looked back. The blockade worked to his advantage now because it stopped other police cars from following. He knew the respite was temporary though.

Alfred made a few more turns until he reached Lower Wacker Drive. The road went below the regular surface streets and provided access to the basements of many buildings. Driving on Lower Wacker was a lot like driving through a tunnel. Concrete pillars supported riveted steel beams. Soot and grime stained every surface.

Virgil heard sirens coming from multiple directions, and the sounds echoed from the hard walls.

Alfred slammed on the brakes in front of a red door. The car squealed to a stop.

"Get out!" Virgil said.

"I refuse to participate," Kyle said.

Virgil didn't have time to fool around. He used his special gaze at full power, inflicting profound terror on Kyle. The captain blanched as he experienced what it felt like to be condemned to the fires of Hell.

"I don't want to hurt you," Virgil growled, "but I
will
. Move!"

Kyle opened the door and stumbled out. Virgil followed him out the same side. Virgil held a gun aimed at Kyle's head just to make sure he didn't have any second thoughts.

Police cars were approaching from multiple directions.

Alfred tried the red door, but it was obviously locked. He struggled to force the handle to turn anyway. Virgil came over and added his own strength to the effort while keeping one eye on Kyle. The handle broke off. Alfred fished out a few bits of metal and finally opened the door.

The police were arriving by this time. Squad cars squealed to a stop, and officers stepped out. They crouched behind their cars with their guns aimed at Virgil and Alfred.

"Freeze!" one cop yelled.

"Move!" Virgil yelled.

Alfred ran through the doorway. Virgil grabbed Kyle by the back of the neck and pushed him hard enough to make him stumble. Kyle followed Alfred, and Virgil brought up the rear.

They were in a narrow basement hallway. Black mildew had grown on yellow walls. Buzzing fluorescent fixtures cast weak bluish light.

"Where are you taking me?" Kyle said.

"Someplace we can talk," Virgil said.

Kyle sniffed the air. "It stinks in here."

"The smell will get worse. Run!"

Virgil knew the police would follow. He unclipped a flash-bang grenade from his belt and tossed it over his shoulder.

* * *

"According to the police reports, the fugitives have left the command vehicle, sir," the console operator said. "The police are pursuing them in some kind of basement in the northern part of downtown."

Colonel Knox grunted. "OK. Tell all the operatives in Chinatown to get there as quick as possible and help with the search."

"Yes, sir." The operator relayed the order over the radio.

"Now what's happening with the female subjects? Captain Bernard is in charge of that assignment, right? Let me talk to him."

The operator made contact and then handed a lightweight headset to Knox.

Knox slipped it over his head. "Bernard, are you there?"

A deep male voice answered. "Yes, sir."

"What's your status?"

"The subjects have parked at a truck stop, but they don't seem to be doing much. They're just talking in their car. We're observing with binoculars."

"You have a clear line of sight?" Knox said.

"Yes, sir. We see all three females. A black one, a Chinese one, and a brunette."

Knox decided he was done being soft. He had already lost two aliens and Captain Kyle.

"Approach cautiously and capture them," Knox said. "If they resist, you are authorized to use force."

"Yes, sir," Bernard said.

"And be careful. They may be unusually strong and quick. Don't get sloppy just because they look like women."

"Acknowledged, sir. We will treat them like serious threats."

* * *

"Why are you being so nasty?" Sara said.

"Why are you being so stupid?" Lisa shot back.

"Nobody is following us!"

"How do you know? Have you ever been pursued by mysterious federal agents before?"

"No," Sara said. "Of course not. Have you?"

"Well, no, but that means neither of us know what to expect. It's better to be safe."

"By committing grand theft auto?"

"You just got that from a video game," Lisa said dismissively.

She looked through the front windshield. The car was parked in the lot of a huge gas station. One set of pumps serviced cars, and another set serviced semi-trailer trucks. Signs on the convenience store advertised cheap beer, energy drinks, and showers for truckers. Even though dawn wouldn't come for hours, vehicles were stopping regularly for low-priced gas. A highway onramp was close by.

Sara looked towards the back seat. "What's your opinion, Mei? You're the one we're trying to protect."

Mei had woken up, but her eyelids were half-closed.

"Don't get me involved," she said defensively.

Lisa snorted. "You're totally involved whether you like it or not. I'm going, and you can't stop me."

"Go ahead and steal a car," Sara said. "See if we get in it."

Lisa gritted her teeth. As her anger and frustration grew, the hellfire in her gut burned hotter.

She got out of the car and slammed the door hard. Then she kicked the door, leaving a big dent. As an afterthought, she stripped off all of her weapons that couldn't be concealed. She left them with Sara.

Lisa decided to follow her plan regardless of Sara's lack of cooperation. Lisa looked at the cars and trucks at the gas pumps. She was waiting for somebody to run into the convenience store but leave the engine running. After a few minutes, she grew impatient and decided on a more aggressive tactic.

A blue Ford SUV pulled up to one of the gas pumps. A big guy wearing a leather jacket and jeans got out. His beer gut hung over his belt. He dropped his car keys into his jacket pocket and headed for the store.

Perfect,
Lisa thought.

She walked quickly towards the man, wobbling as if drunk. She intentionally bumped into him just as he was entering the store. Her left hand snatched his car keys.

"Sorry," she slurred. "Didn't see you."

"Are you blind?" he said angrily.

She shook her head. "Just a little buzzed."

The man gave her a rude shove, brushing her breast at the same time. Then he went into the store.

Lisa jogged over to the SUV, opened the door, and peeked inside. Crushed cans, fast food wrappers, cigarette butts, plastic bottles, and even a few wadded up parking tickets littered the interior. She wrinkled her nose in disgust even though she couldn't smell normal odors.

Despite the mess, the SUV would satisfy her needs. She waved to Sara and Mei.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?" the owner of the SUV yelled.

Lisa looked over. He was running out of the convenience store with a beet-red face. She decided to back off rather than get into a fight. She tried to walk away.

He ran over and grabbed her arm roughly. "You were trying to steal something."

She didn't like how he was touching her. She spun around and kicked him in the back of the head with her heel. He stayed upright for just a moment. Then he wobbled, dropped to his knees, and fell on his face.

"Not exactly how I planned it," Lisa murmured, "but good enough."

Sara and Mei were still sitting in the blue Altima. Lisa ran over to encourage them to get out. She still intended to steal the SUV.

"Come on, guys!" she yelled. "Let's get out of here! Sara, bring my guns."

Sara and Mei still didn't move.

Lisa opened the back door. "I'm giving you an order," she barked at Mei. "Let's go!"

Mei looked past Lisa and said, "Oh, no!"

Lisa turned around. Three green Humvees had pulled into the parking lot. Soldiers were standing with the upper parts of their bodies sticking out through sunroofs. They were carrying machine guns aimed directly at Lisa. The Humvees moved to a position that blocked easy escape.

Lisa made an instant decision.

She handed the car keys to Sara. "Drive behind the store and hide inside."

"You'll get shot," Sara said fearfully.

"Just a little. I'll find you after I'm done dealing with these assholes. Get ready."

Sara shifted to the driver's seat and started the engine.

"Turn off the car!" one of the gunners yelled. "Get out with your hands up! We are authorized to shoot!"

Other soldiers were stepping out of the Hummers with assault rifles in hand. It looked like Lisa had about a dozen opponents. All were heavily armed.

"Now!" she said.

Sara slammed the car into gear and pulled away, making the tires squeal.

The soldiers aimed their rifles at the car. Lisa had to give them something else to focus on. She pulled a pistol from under her jacket, and started shooting the soldiers in the chests. Their body armor would keep them alive, but she knew from her days as a police officer that the impacts would still be very painful.

Suddenly, all the gun barrels were pointed at her. She took off running as the soldiers cut loose with automatic gunfire. Muzzle flashes created a strobe effect, and the noise was ferocious.

Lisa moved like the wind, dodging and weaving as she ran, but she still took a few hits. She headed for the gas pumps.

"Cease fire!" a soldier screamed.

The shooting stopped. Lisa crouched behind a gas pump with a smile on her face.
Can't shoot me now without blowing up the place.

She checked her injuries. Wounds in her legs and chest were leaking black goo, but none were serious. They would heal in a few minutes.

Lisa looked over at the convenience store. Sara had followed orders and had driven around to the back side. Lisa couldn't see the car, but she hoped Sara and Mei were safe.

* * *

Sara barged through a back door.

"Come on!" she yelled. "Hurry up!"

Mei caught up to Sara. "We have to hide!" the young woman cried.

Sara looked around. She was in the section of the building where the bathrooms and showers were located. Green tiles covered the floors, and exposure to moisture had caused the paint on the walls to bubble.

"We need to scout the place first," Sara said. "It won't take long. Come on."

Sara ran. She passed through a section with vending and video poker machines. She came to the convenience store, which filled about half the building. The goods on display included candy, gum, jerky, flashlights, motor oil, and windshield fluid.

All the customers were crouched down at the back of the store, as far from the windows as possible. No doubt the sound of automatic gunfire had sent them scrambling for safety. The clerks were missing entirely.

Sara risked a peek out the front window. Lisa was using a gas pump as cover. Soldiers were circling around with the obvious intention of capturing her.

This will end very badly,
Sara thought. She couldn't imagine any scenario where Lisa would let herself get caught, and if pushed, she was capable of insane violence.

Sara turned around and found Mei standing there. The girl had a terrified expression.

"Now we can hide. Come on." Sara ran off.

* * *

Lisa turned her head from side to side. Six guys were cautiously approaching from six different directions. They had beefy bodies, and their movements were as smooth as glass. She realized she might've bitten off more than she could chew.

An officer with the insignia of a captain stood back from the others. He was clearly in charge.

He pointed towards the convenience store. "The rest of you, get the other two. Hurry. The police will be here any second."

Five men ran to the store.

Lisa bit her lip. She couldn't help Sara and Mei until she dealt with her own situation. Lisa had to win this fight quickly.

Her opponents were moving too slowly. She encouraged them to move faster by dropping her gun and raising her hands.

"You got me, guys," she said. "I give up."

All six rushed in at once. As soon as a man got close enough, she dropped down and kicked his knee, breaking it backwards. She dived between another man's legs and punched him in the groin.

Lisa sprang into the air and tried to kick a third man in the face. He was a little quicker than she expected, and her foot whiffed. He came in hard with an elbow to her kidney, or rather, the place where a kidney would normally be. She punched his face hard enough to knock him back.

Strong hands grabbed her from behind. She thrashed and twisted, but the collective strength of her opponents was enough to overpower her.

Enough screwing around,
she thought.

She desperately grabbed a flash-bang grenade from a soldier's vest. She pulled the pin with her teeth, but held onto the grenade. She silently counted down.

The soldiers noticed the grenade. Most backed away, but one man tried to rip the grenade out of Lisa's hand. She clutched it tighter and smiled at him. After a few seconds, he gave up.

Flash-bang grenades produced a burst of flame in addition to light and sound. She didn't want to damage her hand, so she tossed the grenade into the air at the last second.

The grenade explosion was incredibly loud and bright. The soldiers staggered around with their eyes rolling in their heads and their hands over their ears. The effects on Lisa were much milder.

She grabbed her gun off the ground. She had to disable the men before she could leave. She considered shooting them in the head, but that seemed too cruel. She had a soft spot for American soldiers. They were just doing their duty. She fired at their legs instead, popping off quick shots until she ran out of bullets.

She ran towards the convenience store. The sound of automatic gunfire surprised her, and a couple of bullets hit her back. The windows of the store exploded into shards. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the captain switching magazines on his rifle. In all the excitement, she had forgotten about him.