CHAPTER TWELVE—JOYRIDE

“I’m trying to take it to the max,” John said distractedly, then he said, “Open a line with May.”

“What?” Kyle asked, shocked. “Why?”

“Well,” John said, looking at the instruments, “we’ve got four bogies on our tail and they’ll intercept us in about five minutes.”

Hells, I hope they don’t get here that fast…

“Those cop junkers? No way!”

“Not them. The fighters that just appeared on our radar seventy-three kilometers out. They’ll blow us out of the sky.” Then, still calmly, he added, “Call May.”

“Why me? Why don’t you call her?”

“I’m piloting the Corvo Onatta about to be shot out of the sky, Max. Besides, she likes you.”

“She doesn’t like me!”

“She does.”

“Seriously, you think she does?”

“I can tell.”

“Shit,” Kyle said. He punched some buttons on his wristlet and she appeared a few moments later, her mysterious characterization looking at him in mild surprise.

“Is this a secure line?” she asked.

“Yep.”

“So,” she said, businesslike, “you’re done with your job and are ready to pick up some tasks going forward on our next assignment for you?”

“Um,” Kyle said, glancing toward John. “Not exactly. Kinda need some help.”

“What can I do for you?”

“We’ve got four LC City Fighters on our radar coming in fast,” John said before he let Kyle say anything else.

There was a long pause.

Stolen story; please report.

“May?” John asked.

“You buffoons.”

“Sorry,” Kyle said. “But just this small favor and then we’ll be your monkeys on this next job. Promise.”

There was another long pause.

“Fine, but it’s going to be at least a few minutes before we can sway your situation, so you better strap in and fly like you’ve never flown before.”

“Got it,” Kyle said. “Thanks, May.”

She disconnected.

“Well she was warm,” Kyle said.

“Considering the circumstances,” John said, putting the accelerator to the floor, “I think she was downright cheerful.”

Kyle chuckled nervously.

“That’s not good,” John said.

“What is it?” Kyle asked. He turned and looked out the back viewport.

“Not going to see them doing that. But those fighters—each of them have just launched a missile.”

“Oh hells. But can’t we just land and get out of here?”

“Land where? Those cops are a ways out, but they’re still on our tail. They could catch us.”

“It’s better than getting blown out of the sky.”

John lowered their altitude, a mild sensation of vertigo shooting through him. It felt good. In fact, he thought he might have been shaking slightly. He laughed.

“You think it’s funny?”

“No,” he said. “But its hells of fun, isn’t it?”

Kyle laughed stupidly. “Shit, you’re right. Man…”

“Okay, that first missile is nearly on us,” he said, swooping in off the roads bellow and over the hills. “There’s some forest over here.”

Slowing his speed, he zipped between the trees. A beeping alarm starting singing. “That really bodes ill,” Kyle said sarcastically.

“I’ve got this.”

John swooped through the trees, nearly ramming into one. A flash of light lit the grounds in front of them as the missile exploded and caused a mild shock of turbulence.

“Not bad,” Kyle said, “but I think I should be flying.”

“No way in hells. All right, three more on us!”

He hit the accelerator.

Kyle was indignant. “Why not? I know ten times what you do about cars.”

“Because you’re a fanboy, Max,” John said. “You’d get us killed.”

“No I wouldn’t!”

John saw a darkened building under construction. “You’re more wreckless than I am. HOLD ON!”

He flew directly adjacent of the structure and then took a sharp turn at the corner and the second missile exploded.

“Wow!” Kyle screamed, glancing about through the windows. “And you call me reckless!”

“They’re target tracking missiles!”

“Two more?” Kyle asked.

“Yeah,” John said, “and I’m running out of ideas.

Wait,” Kyle said, pointing at the radar. “The other two. They’re gone.”

“What happened?”

“What do you mean ‘what happened’? Didn’t you see? You’re the driver!”

“I was busy keeping us alive, remember?”

Kyle’s wristlet pinged. He answered it. “Hey.”

“Those bogies are gone, and so are the last two missiles. We took them out for you.”

“Wow,” John mouthed, but didn’t say the words allowed.

How did she pull that off?

“Thanks, May,” Kyle said. “Now we’re yours.”

“Damn right you are,” she said. “But some things have changed, so I’ll contact you later with the new details. For now, get out of sight, and that homing beacon you’re sitting in.”

“Yeah,” John said, choosing not to speak too much. He wanted Kyle to have air time with May, as silly as that sounded to himself.

“Okay,” Kyle said. “We’re on it right now.”

“Good.”

She disconnected.