"You're giving up everything," I say to Ace as he makes another sharp turn around a tall building. We're starting to get into more inhabited areas. He pulls up so that he is over the rails for the pods, but his speed doesn't slow. His direction is east.
"I know," Ace replies quietly.
"Why?" I ask.
He doesn't take his eyes off the terrain in front of him. His absolute focus is needed to keep from crashing, but I sense he's dying to look over at me. The change is on his face and in his body. He's surprisingly emotional.
"You need my help," he says.
"I'm not worth it," I say. "Stop the lift and get out. Tell them that I did something to you to force your help...lie...whatever. You can still get out of this. It's not too late."
"It was too late for me the minute I saw you," Ace replies. "I just didn't realize it until five minutes ago."
He forces the lift into a turn I wouldn't have been able to manage and maneuvers us into the sky gracefully. I look back and see that the other lifts are far behind us. They're racing to catch up, but they are not as swift as Ace. The facility is burning orange and red. Black smoke darkens the sky. The adult facility is also burning. I wonder where the fire is coming from in that building. I figure I'll never find out.
I look at the side of Ace's face in surprise. I can rationalize that he likes me, perhaps has a hero complex about rescuing me from my fate in the facility, but I can't understand so much dedication. He's not just doing something forbidden. He's turning his back on his family, his life, his city, and his work. He's turning himself into a traitor for me. It doesn't make any sense. I'm just a girl who wants to be left alone and be free to live life my way. I'm nothing special.
"I don't understand," I tell him.
"It's not complicated," he says.
"But why me? Why have I changed things? You've seen plenty of girls go through the facility. You've helped a lot of people. You do good work. You could continue to do that work. Why now? What's different?"
"I don't know why you," Ace says. "But I know it is you, and there's nothing I can do to change that. And if you stay in the city, they'll kill you. I can't stand around and do nothing. I can't do the smart thing and get you killed. This is the only way. I had to act, so I did. Quit trying to analyze it."
His words silence me. I feel stunned, confused, and slightly unworthy, but I know he's right. He's made his choice, just like I made mine when I decided to stop letting the government bully me. I started the fight, and he's willing to end it with me. I'm grateful for his help and concern.
"Now, tell me exactly what happened," he says.
I tell him my story. He seems surprised by some of the things, pensive at others, and utterly calm through out the entirety of the story. I wonder if flying lifts has made him so calm or if it's simply his personality. It dims my anger, and the story makes me realize that I have just lived through a one-of-a-kind moment.
"You beat the game," he says when I finish.
"I noticed," I say.
"No one has ever beaten the game," he says.
"I got that impression," I say.
"You must have found a way into the main computer...a backdoor into it or something," Ace decides. "I don't know how, but it makes sense. How do you feel?"
"Sort of..." I search for the right way to put it.
"Overly aggressive?" Ace asks.
"Yes," I say. "When I was fighting my way out of the facility...It's hard to calm down. But I don't know how all this new information got into my brain. I don't understand. Even if I found a backdoor, the data shouldn't just be there like it is."
"What's brainwashing but a visual kick to the brain?" Ace asks.
"But I thought I wasn't susceptible," I say.
"Everyone's susceptible to a certain degree," Ace says. "Being less susceptible than most doesn't mean you're completely immune."
"I guess it doesn't really matter," I say. "It doesn't help anything."
"Maybe," he replies thoughtfully.
He looks down and his eyes widen. His reaction is immediate. He banks to the left and I grab the harness instinctively. A missile soars past us. The missile makes a slow u-turn and heads straight for us again. Ace dodges at the last second and the missile whistles past us.
"Heat-seeker," Ace tells me. "This is gonna be rough."
"Seven feet long, titanium shell, designed by General Abernathy twenty years ago. Nano-tipped warhead with enough explosive power to destroy the lift with one hit," I say, the words spilling out of my mouth before I can stop them.
Ace tilts the lift to the right again as the missile roars past. "Yes, thank you," he says tightly.
"Get close to the wall," I say. "The heat from the rooms inside will draw the missile to it."
"People live in there," Ace says.
"Only near the guard towers," I reply.
He smiles sheepishly as he realizes I have a point. "Oh."
He swoops low, then pulls up hard, and we race the length of the wall. I'm pushed back in my seat at the speed. The missile races after us. The specifications and engineering history run through my head. It's not helpful. It just tells me the odds aren't great. Our trick isn't going to work. I close my eyes and then hear an explosion. It rocks the lift, but we're still alive. The missile has hit the wall.
I whoop with excitement and Ace laughs. He continues to race up the wall. He's tense and wound-up, but the love is clear on his face. He loves to fly. He's where he belongs. And I am about to take his world from him. The second we're over the wall, he will never fly another lift.
The wall is very tall. Even going as fast as the lift will allow, it takes us two minutes to get to the top. More lifts have closed in on us. The dragonfly is painted on the sides. It's Ace's unit. They're willing to kill him for his choice, their past together be damned. They do not like traitors.
One of the lifts fires another missile. Ace dodges it, then we're over the top of the wall. Soldiers are along the wall, as well as heavy equipment that all have purposes in war. I recognize all of the weapons. Missile launchers, machine guns, nano-warheads that are similar to the ones used to destroy camp, nano-firebombs, which creates fire that increases in intensity when water is splashed on it. There are a lot of things to keep people out. There are less defenses to keep people in.
We're over the wall. It's so strange. I didn't think we would make it. The city is actually behind us. My weeks of wishing have come true. The water sparkles in the distance. The ocean. It seems so strange. I've never seen so much water in one place before. It looks wild and chaotic. The power of it is untamable and fierce. I instantly love it. Dark clouds are on the horizon. A storm is approaching.
Ace keeps the lift low and heads directly for the clouds. Explosions and gunfire follow us as we race across the forested land. The lifts continue to fire missiles at us. They are willing to follow us wherever we go. We dodge, weave, and outmaneuver them, but they're closing in. The missiles can follow us everywhere. We have to find a way to trick them, if tricking them is even possible.
"We can't make it," I say.
"Yes we can," Ace says firmly.
"You should take Max and jump. I'll get you close to the water, and then I'll lead them away," I offer.
"I go where you go," Ace says. His eyes brighten with an idea. "In fact, I think we should all jump."
"They'll see us without a proper distraction," I say. "They're too close."
"Not if we're in that," he says, pointing at the storm.
It's stupid, dangerous, and most likely doomed to get us both killed.
"Okay," I agree.
"There's a raft in the back of the lift. Go get it," Ace says.
I unfasten my harness and have to grab the seat as he makes a quick dodge to the right. I regain my feet and open the door that separates me from the back. I see the two doors on the sides that characterize the military lifts, a row of seats and very little else. Weapons are along the walls. The lift has not seen a lot of battle
. It still looks shiny and new. At least it does on the inside. The exterior has seen a lot of battle in the past twenty minutes.
I grab two pistols, knowing we might need them, then I open a metal box. A small square of black fabric is inside. It fits into the palm of my hand. The lift rattles with another explosion. It's two missiles crashing into each other. I duck as bullets fly through the lift and over my head. The holes are big. It won't take too many direct hits to bring us down. I sit back down in the co-pilot's chair.
"Got it," I say. "And these." I hold up one of the pistols, then I tuck it into his jacket. He nods but keeps his eyes on the horizon. Alarms are blaring out warnings. It's taking all of his strength to keep us on course. His muscles ripple with the effort.
A gust of wind hits us. The clouds are closing in. They're fifty feet in front of us. Now two. The black and grey surrounds the lift suddenly, and we're thrown around violently as a new gust of wind hits us. We won't survive long in the storm. The lift is not built for such winds.
"We need to be quick," Ace says as he fights for control.
"I know," I reply.
"No hesitation," he tells me.
"I'm not scared," I reply.
He smiles at me. "Good."
He flicks a couple of switches to engage the auto-pilot and then picks Max up. He carries him through the door to the back and opens the side door by slapping a button with the palm of his hand. The door opens with a hiss and the wind immediately tries to knock us down. I keep my feet with effort and grit my teeth as I fight the wind. I muscle my way over to the door and look down. The water is close, but it still feels like a long way to fall. It's going to hurt. The lift continues to rattle and shake. More gunfire hits the back and sides. The engines are starting to make strange noises. They don't have long. Without Ace at the seat, the other lifts have an easier time hitting us, even though the pilots are firing blind.
Ace smiles at me in encouragement, his handsome face lighting up with his emotion, and then he jumps. Max falls with him. There is no hesitation or fear in Ace's face. I don't know if it's a lie for my benefit or if he's genuinely not afraid. I like his fearlessness. I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and jump after him.
The wind is a roar. It drives out all thoughts, all reason. It swallows me whole. I'm lost in the sound for what feels like forever. Then the world around me explodes with pain. I've hit the water. It's not a soft landing. I realize in that split second the flaw of the plan. I'm not much of a swimmer.
I claw my way up to the surface. The raft is in my hand. I clutch it desperately. I can't lose it. It's our only chance at survival. A wave crashes over my head, sending me back down. I fight to find the surface again. I need to deploy the raft. I open my hand and touch the center of the box twice. A small button appears. I press it and the fabric expands. Three seconds later, I am looking at a raft big enough for five people. Another wave pushes me away from the raft. I fight to reach it again, but the waves are stronger. I'm drifting away from it.
Then a hand grabs my shirt. I'm pulled back to the raft by the same firm grip. I climb over the side and help Ace lift Max over the edge. Ace climbs on last. His RFA jacket is missing, though he has his pistol tucked into his pants, his clothes are soaked, and his hair is plastered to his head. He keeps his hands on my hips once I've helped him over and looks at me seriously, searching for injuries from the fall. My only thought as I look at him is shock. He's willing to give up everything in order to help me survive. He's reached the point of no return. I don't have long to focus on the emotions, particularly the uncertainty such a sacrifice causes in me.
There is a BOOM, followed by a roar. The sky lights up momentarily as the missiles finally catch up to the lift. Bits of metal land around us. Ace's body tenses and his grip on me tightens. I think it is because of the destruction of the lift.
"Don't fly back this way," he mutters, his eyes searching the sky. I sense his protectiveness and urgency.
He means the other lifts. He's afraid of them spotting us while we are so exposed. Two pistols are not enough to keep the RFA off our backs. I know they won't see us in the storm, but I momentarily share his fear. Neither of us want to be captured. They won't be gentle on us. Ace and I freeze as we hear the sound of the lifts flying past, but they're hidden by the clouds. The sound fades as the pilots search for dry land before the storm hits the city.
I move away from Ace and focus on keeping the raft from tipping over in the waves. Ace moves next to me and we work together to stay afloat. Despite the waves pummeling us and the intensity of the storm, I'm at peace. The anger and almost mechanical rage is gone from my mind. Ace has calmed me.
I look down at Max as we work to keep our raft on top of the waves. The water hits his face and neck in a constant stream. The waves that occasionally break over the edge of the raft wash over him without him responding to the movement. I'm afraid of what I'll find in him when he wakes up, but I'm also relieved. We did it. We're free. I have my brother back. My fight of weeks has finally given me the ultimate reward.
Ace will help me figure out how to deal with Max. He'll make sure that I get through the coming days, weeks, and months. We'll work through whatever comes our way together. We no longer have to hide. The relief is overwhelming.
If only we can make it through the storm.
We are slowly pushed inland with the waves. It feels like days. I know it's only hours. Ace and I fight to keep the raft steady and the worst of the waves from carrying Max off. It takes a great deal of work, and is exhausting. We keep getting pummeled by the water. We don't talk. The roar of the storm and the violence of the water takes our words from us. We're still in survival mode. We need to get to shore. It's our only thought.
The current pulls us south, away from the city and the dangers it holds. Finally, miraculously, we see land again. The sand-covered shore is getting battered by the waves, but it's solid ground we can actually see. Ace points to it and yells at me that we need to paddle. I reach over the edge of the boat and use my arm to point us in the proper direction. He does the same on the opposite side of the boat. The waves are our biggest ally. They're eager to crash into shore and tear into everything in sight. They push us forward.
We hit the breakers and the fight becomes a tug of war. The oceans pushes us forward then pulls us back. Land is so close. I can almost feel it. But we're trapped by the currents. We've stopped moving forward.
Ace rolls out of the raft and starts tugging on the straps. His strong strokes guide us across the breakers. I jump out and help him. My hand turns numb from my grip on the strap, but I'm determined. I can't let Max float away.
The sandy ground starts all at once. It's soggy, unstable and gives way when I step on it, but it makes moving forward easier. A large wave crashes into us and we are all thrown forward. We hit the beach. The rain continues to lash against us. It stings my skin. Lightning crackles in the air above us. It hits a tree in front of us, causing it to explode with a thunderous detonation. The two halves fall to the ground. I am so numb and shell-shocked from the escape that I can only watch the tree burn in detached wonder. It barely even registers that I've come close to being hit by the lightning. It's a surreal moment I will remember forever. I help Ace pull the raft away from the waves, then we collapse on the beach, panting and coughing.
It's a relief to be on solid ground again. My body moves as if I'm still rocking on the waves. I wonder if the rocking will ever go away. It's not nearly as important as getting off the sandy shore. It's too exposed. The waves are too violent. We need to get to the forest and find shelter. I'll feel safer when I know the RFA can't spot us from the sky. The city has disappeared from view, but I don't trust them to leave it at our lift exploding. They'll be back when the weather clears. They'll want to make sure of us.
"We need to go," I tell Ace.
He doesn't need to be told; he's already in motion. It will take more than a storm and an exploding lift to stop him from surviving. He's stronger than a
ll the things we have faced so far. He will not look back and regret his choices. He's fully committed to the next step. He's strong enough for the days ahead of us.
I have no idea what's in store for us. I don't know what to do now that I'm free. I didn't think I'd make it so far. I don't know where to go or how to survive next, but I know we'll figure it out. I suddenly have faith in our combined talents. I have faith in his calm and intelligence and in my skills. We'll survive. We have to.
The new brain that knows so much about the city runs over the history and details. It tells me that the city might find a way to call me back to it eventually. I hope I'm wrong, but I know that my new knowledge comes at a steep price. It makes me a liability to the city. It means I can be used to expose its weaknesses if anyone ever found out. My new brain also tells me that I have done the impossible. It runs down the facts as I help Ace pick up Max and then pull the raft into the woods after them.
Number of people to beat the game: one. Number of people to stage a successful escape attempt from the facility in the fifty-three years it has been operational: one. Number of people to outrun the entire RFA within the city walls: two. Number of people who have made it over the wall without getting killed or caught: three.
Number of people to survive as wanted fugitives on the outside: yet to be seen.
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