Jaimie was tense on the wheels as he picked up pace. The adrenaline from the earlier encounter was just beginning to wane as he regained composure. Will was silent scrolling through his phone. The stranger that they captured from the streets showed signs of regaining consciousness. The destination was an apartment in the posh part of the city, which surprised him. He wondered how nefarious men like The Unlocker or whatever he was, could dwell in a location of such high surveillance. Their journey was only half way done. He couldn't believe that they got away with what they had done. If caught, his criminal record would see a handy upgrade

Will was on high alert as the stranger woke up. "Hands on your eyes and hold them shut!" he yelled with one of Jaimie's clubs from the car in his hand. The stranger did so. They had switched places as Will was more accustomed to his powers.

Will spoke to Jaimie "Hey, it's your big idea to interrogate this man. The Unlocker specifically mentioned to directly deliver the asset to him and nothing else."

Jaimie replied "I did this for myself, Not for you and definitely not for him."

"You wouldn't have survived without me" Will sneered "Look at you ... getting your butt kicked by this ancient relic" he taunted, eyeing the old man.

"Don't be such a tool. Don't you want to know what all of this is about?... This is a kidnapping... Okay, he is not a kid... but you get the point... is your savior going to accept a prison term when it comes down to it? You can stick to this mess all you want, don't drag me with you."

Jaimie added, "This could be our leverage. A way out. There has to be something we can use against him. Never go full fanboy on anyone."

Will sighed. "We need to think clearly and stay out of trouble when it comes to him. He will kill us"

Jaimie was losing patience. Opportunity had presented itself for the first time in months to get close to whatever was fueling his nightmares and the boy was not helpful.

"As far as I know the only thing that he has successfully unlocked is your inner bed-wetter. You seem to turn into a clumsy little willy when you hear that name". He realized he had crossed the line.

"I could literally kill you in seconds with the powers he gave. You'll have no idea what hit you. Maybe not, it will be your hand. Jaimie, don't fuck this up".

"Not with the sunglasses and mask you stupidly gave away. Now listen, it's my car and you play by my rules like a good little boy. We won't fuck this up. All I want is to make sense of whatever this is."

Jaimie's arm which was not on the wheels, rose steadily on its own, flipping the bird at himself.

"So much for the glasses," Will laughed. Jaimie was pissed off.

Will relented. He addressed the stranger. "Speak up while you can. What is your whole deal?"

Jaimie saw the two cars which he first thought was coincidence, but they were clearly tailing them now. The men in it had guns.

"Will, we got incoming." Jaimie shouted.

"They are out of my range. Faster. Let's get the fuck out!". Will could make out the registration plates of the tailing cars using his binoculars.

"Shit, I have seen this vehicle around in my parameters. Mom had told me that we had visit from the police. I always had a suspicion. They could be tracking my car." Will panicked. "Mom wouldn't have seen it. They could've implanted it the day they visited. Didn't know they go to these lengths just on suspicion." Two more cars joined in pursuit. "We'll get swarmed soon. Make a sharp turn and try to lose them. Quick!" Will screamed.

The stranger spoke for the first time. "Doesn't help your case that you captured a prisoner sent out for therapy after confessing to have aided a jailbreak."

Will couldn't fully comprehend it. He asked with unmistakable dread in his face, "What are you talking about?"

"You are the fucking clown here, dumbass. The fuck was going on in your numbskull when you signed up for this shit?!" Jaimie growled at Will.

Prisoner said, "It will be fine. You will be captured. I guess you two have the abilities. It is a curse. You will be led to your path of redemption. You will be cured soon. I will be gladly looking forward to meeting you in person after we are all reborn. An act of atonement for all the bad deeds we have committed". His face was smiling while he gave off the air of a person who wanted to sob endlessly.

"The old fucker is not all there. Let him be. We are still on course to where we want to go. As long as there is gas in this thing, we will reach the main road in twenty minutes... just a bit longer!" Jaimie assured Will. He added, "Good thing that this car is bland as fuck and that even grannies have it these days, once in slow moving heavy traffic, we will blend right in. And, this car has a party trick!"

Jaimie pressed a button in the car's main console and the registration plate of the vehicle on both sides flipped to reveal a new one in its place. Will raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed by the upgrade. Jaimie said in some vein glory, "These jobs are for people with guts. You panic, you lose."

"I thought for a moment that we were fucking goners. But you are right. If the cars come close, all I can say is they were asking for it," Will said with renewed enthusiasm.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Jaimie cheered him on. "Make the idiot speak and leave the rest to me."

Will brandished the club close to the prisoner's face.

Prisoner's delirium had only increased. He continued "I was once saved. I don't remember what I did. I trust my saviors when they told me that I wasn't the low life that I once was. I might have thieved and maimed and might have even abused my partner and child for pleasure. I don't remember doing it. But I was told that I was a guy who was capable of it. I was given a new life and was grateful. I was given a new job, a purpose – to serve for the good. Since then, I've been teaching my fellow inmates a path for reform – "

The main road was visible in the distance.

Will lowered the club. Prisoner gasped. Will asked, "You were talking about a prison break."

"Yes, I let him escape. A monster. Arrested for a heinous crime that I don't know of. A tactful schemer. He must've behaved so meekly and fooled everyone. Even the saviors thought he was redeemed. He was transferred to my cell. You see, I was doing good. Though my kind should not be let into the world, this cell was the closest to it. I wasn't shackled. I just got therapy periodically. The better I became for it. In times when I did not get it, I would relapse into lashing out and uttering obscenities and having nightmares of my previous life."

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"I don't have time for this," said Will with a face that showed disgust and pity.

"My cell was one for the reformed. He was sent into this. He must've known I've had abilities. I am sure of it. Every time and every night I had wished to die. Doing good gave me happiness. But I was not sure if it was me doing it. I always wondered that the real me was the low life that I had always meant to be. I wouldn't be here if not for my saviors. I'd be forever grateful. Yeah... the prison break... sorry" He wiped his tears away and continued as Will nudged.

"So, he must've found out that I might just be the tool for his bidding. The therapy did not have an effect on him. He must have had a control over his subconscious to some degree. I fear that just might be his ability. I just could stand and watch as the officers stood like puppets and opened the cell for him and offered their own vehicles to escape in"

The car was moving in traffic inch by inch as they neared the city. The tailing cars were still present in the picture from the rear-view mirror, but it was not going to be easy for them with all the distraction.

Jaimie was humming songs nervously and irritably as he kept check on the tailing cars. He had both of his ears plugged. "I can't take this anymore," he said, referring to the prisoner's wailing.

The prisoner was blanking out.

Will wondered if all of this could this could be connected to the warning he was asked by The Unlocker to be conveyed to Jaimie replied. Suspicion lingered in his mind.

"There are too many crazy people going around," Jaimie remarked. Adding, "Three-fourths done. We are still getting tailed."

"Another round of therapy or whatever he is on, is going to make the guy batshit crazy," Will tried to look away from the prisoner.

***

One of the men in the tailing cars was on the phone. "Hello, Kelly? Its Ryan. Me and my team are trailing the target in question in a cross-country trip as you wanted. They are up to something. There's a man with the boy. I guess there is a third. They have tinted windows."

"Madam, we also received a sighting report for the bounty we placed on Victor's head. These could be related. The tracker that you placed gave the coordinates which suggested the boy was around here before. It could be a complete coincidence."

"Confirm the identity of the third person without fail. We prefer not to use any force as we do not have the clearance and strictly no public disruption as we are operating on suspicion. Thank you for sticking your head out for me, Ryan." Kelly replied. "Please keep a distance and do not engage. We don't know what they can do. If that happens, remember the protocol."

"Proceed with caution. Force is our last resort. Trust me, I'd like to get clearance to authorize spike strips to be deployed on the target. I had to negotiate and convince Morell to do at least this. Take care."

"On it. We are driving them into a dead end. This should be over soon." Call ended.

***

Jaimie exclaimed, "Damn it." his voice showing panic.

Ryan and his team were closing in. Four cars entered into positions blocking the exit path.

"Each time I think that my life can't get any shittier, it always does," Jaimie sighed. "We are doomed. We'd be lucky to see a normal day not being behind bars." He resigned. He wondered what Judy might be up to and felt jealous of her clients who might be watching her dance right now.

"Don't wimp out now. We still have a chance. That's just four men. The city's systems won't be there to help them. They likely have no clearance. Placing tracker on a civilian is as illegal as it gets. All we need to do, which is the hard part, is to not get caught." Will said as he sat waiting to have a clear sight on his four potential targets.

Ryan and team got out of the car. One of the men were approaching their vehicle, with guns pointed. Will's resolve began to wane. "We are screwed Jaimie. Look at their suits. These men are streaming footage from phone likely to a private stream that police can access. This is bad. We can't be seen attacking cops. Either them or The Unlocker will kill us." Jaimie swallowed hard. He felt nauseous and his bowels were starting to trouble him.

Their eyes were unprotected. But this could be a bait. But police had no way of knowing this. Jaimie evaluated his options. He was masked but police could have already known it was him. He had no powers to speak of. He turned to see Will turn up the car music, pointing the gun at the prisoner. "I know you have the ability that we need. Do something or I will blow your head off!"

Jaimie looked impatiently at Will anticipating defeat. Prisoner said "I always wanted to die. Today is no different. Let's be reborn. We will be saved. Don't worry".

Will gritted his teeth. "Shut the fuck up and do something for fuck's sake!"

Jaimie was sweating profusely. The utter helplessness made him take a one last look at Will and Victor.

Victor started to squirm uncomfortably as the memories of his so-called past life flashed before his eyes. Vivid memories of him abusing his family flooded his head. Will could sense Victor's ability permeating to a larger radius than his can. Victor's ability affected multiple people at once. They all fell onto the ground, asleep. Will and Jaimie couldn't believe their luck. Yes, this was still some credible footage for the police. They would still be under suspicion and scrutiny. Will was happy that at least his powers didn't get outed.

"Let's go!" Jaimie exclaimed to Will as they were further away from police's trap. The destination was visible.

"Good luck that he hates himself and you brought that out. Man, I'm famished" Will sighed.

"How did you figure that he had the ability that could help us"? Jaimie enquired

"The therapy did not have an effect on the man who Victor helped escape prison. Control over the subconscious. It makes perfect sense. Victor's ability is to put people in a state of trance. Makes them susceptible to following instructions from a hypnotist. The therapy always looked like subconscious conditioning to me. "

"Victor wanted to die. Why did he get the ability to put people into a trance?"

"Why do you ask me. I'm an automobile engineer. Not a psychologist."

Jaimie laughed.

Will added, "I have a theory. There should be a limitation to what can be achieved by controlling the brain from the outside. Especially against free will. Could be that it cannot be shut down as a whole. But to be in a trance and to be forced to do things without consent is close to death in itself. Isn't it?"

***

Inspector Morell had summoned Kelly for a briefing in his cubicle.

"I know that you have great instinct and the willingness to act on it. Your polygraph idea for that menace of a man turned the case around. The footage that you gathered yesterday and the lengths you went to - some of which I do not approve - is commendable. But having said that, you tend to over-exert yourself. Your ambition is both your greatest strength and weakness. "

"What happened Morell?" she enquired. She had high regard for the man even though he isn't not sharp all the time. He had backed her, his subordinate where others in his place would have no qualms throwing people like her under the bus all the time. He was methodical and insightful. And socially awkward. And funny.

"We are suspended. It messes up my retirement plan if there is action against me. "

"What?" Kelly was shocked. She wasn't expecting awards. But this came out of the blue. "And even if we are cleared, we are off this case I'm afraid." Morell said

"That's ridiculous. They have no idea what we are dealing with. What is the reason?"

"Illegal tracking, video-taping, manhunt, misuse of authority" Morrell recounted the charges

"This is tough. We'll be lucky to continue on service"

"That was response to some illegal sorcery". Kelly was annoyed. "We are being played Morell. Isn't there something we can do? Appeal? Clarify?"

"This decision is above my purview. I am as helpless as you are"

"How do they explain four men falling off at the same time"

"Bear with this. My glass desk is expensive" Morell said before adding "Food poisoning. Beverage that they had the other day. Possible influence... "

"Fuck off with that!" she growled and left the room.

***

The Unlocker peered from his balcony to the arriving party all the while not able to suppress a smile. He left the phone on the table and went upstairs to greet them for their conquest. He felt quite content with himself, contemplating how some bridges should not be broken. Especially with the police. It has always proven to be useful to have people with or have a chance at power in your ranks just for the sole reason that your enemies don't have them on theirs. As long as you wield a power that supersedes them and have the right leverage, people have normally fallen in line.