Qi Lian was clearly angry, and also obviously in pain. While fighting she had aggravated her injury a bit. The pain was biting, but that didn't matter now. She slammed on the gas pedal, and was barely missing the bystanders walking about in town. In that moment Qi Lian was focused on one thing; getting Han Xin.

She couldn't believe the reckless abandon her one time friend was operating with. He had made it clear with this incident that he had no issues actually going through with the nuclear attacks. He had just bombed a building causing it to fall, most likely on a number of innocent people. And for what? All in the name of killing her? So singular was his focus on her that he was willing to kill people who had nothing to do with what Qi Lian had done?

The van was racing equally fast with her mind. Qi Lian proved to be an excellent driver, a byproduct of all of the training she had gone through as a Red Tide soldier. Unfortunately the van wasn't gaining on the SUV carrying Han Xin, even with her foot to the floor. One nice thing about electric vehicles was they could all accelerate very quickly, but unfortunately not all were created equal in terms of maximum speed.

In this moment it struck Qi Lian that Han Xin was running away from her. But why? What was making him scared enough to run? He clearly had the upper hand in their meeting in terms of numbers. And in her state there was no way Qi Lian could have finished the rest of them off, there was just too many. Qi Lian turned to the American soldier.

"How many American soldiers like you are here in Plattsburgh?" She asked.

"I don't know now, but there were 100 of us to begin with. After the building blew I imagine several are gone, they were nearly at the scene as backup when it fell." The soldier replied.

"So that is why Han is running from us. He is down on numbers." Qi Lian thought out loud.

"OK I need an explanation now!" Doctor Rathee demanded.

"Doc, now is not really the time." Clayton responded.

"Now is the time! You told us this was a Chinese program, but these soldiers don't look Chinese to me." Doctor Rathee observed.

"That I do not even have the answer for. It is just as much a shock to me as it is to you doctor." Qi Lian said, looking for an answer herself.

"Until today, we were unaware there was a Chinese program that was similar to ours. All I know is that about 18 years ago this secret program was started by the American military to create super soldiers and we are the result of that." The American soldier answered.

"This can not possibly be a coincidence. In the exact same year the American and Chinese governments both came up with a program for the development of super soldiers. Someone copied someone else." Qi Lian stated.

"I don't see how this is the appropriate time to worry about these things. I would like to focus on the pertinent issue. What are we going to do now, supposing that we do catch up to Han Xin?" Clayton asked.

"Kill him." Qi Lian replied.

"OK yeah I get that, but any ideas on how?" Clayton wondered.

"Clayton reach into my backpack please." Qi Lian ordered.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Clayton reached in and produced a homemade bomb.

"This, this is how you are going to take him out?" Clayton asked incredulous.

"You have any better ideas?" Qi Lian inquired.

Clayton sat silently. He had nothing.

"I didn't think so. We are going to figure out how to blow up Han Xin and Qi Jiguang too. We must cut off the head of the Red Tide, and those two are the only two leaders left. Qi Lee died in the previous battle." Qi Lian told Clayton.

"Wait a minute, who is Qi Jiguang and Qi Lee? You only told me about Han Xin." Clayton asked.

"Qi Lee was the second in command, Qi Jiguang the third. You killed Qi Lee with a shot to the head." Qi Lian explained.

"Oh so that was who I shot. I guess that is what made Han Xin so mad." Clayton said, shaking his head.

"We can't let Han Xin escape now. If he does he may view this as the time to release the nuclear weapons. Qi Lian stated.

"Woah, woah, wait a minute, hold on now. What is this talk of nuclear weapons? Noah Thomas asked.

"Oy yeah, I guess not everyone has been filled in on everything. You see, those Red Tide soldiers are trying to destroy the world with nuclear winter, so they can start anew as rulers. I guess they figure there are too many people in the world to take over with a few thousand soldiers. But if most of the people are dead, it is much easier. Do I have that about right Qi Lian?" Clayton replied.

"You just about nailed it Clayton." Qi Lian responded.

"Jesus, I feel like I need to call my boyfriend right now." Noah said.

"And I need to call my wife and children!" Doctor Dhruv Rathee exclaimed.

"We can't have any more panic than we already have right now. Word of this can't be leaking out." The American soldier insisted.

"What is your name soldier?" Clayton asked.

"Jeffrey Hinkle." The soldier replied.

"Nice to meet you." Clayton announced reaching out his hand.

"Nice to meet you too." Hinkle said shaking Clayton's hand.

"This van is just too slow!" Qi Lian angrily exclaimed.

Qi Lian watched as the SUV was creeping away.

"We will never catch them this way." Qi Lian declared, exasperated.

The others looked ahead in silence now. It was clear that Qi Lian was correct, they were losing ground while weaving through the streets of Plattsburgh.

"If we can just keep on them a bit longer we can at least try to figure out what direction they are heading in." Clayton said in a hopeful tone.

A few moments later the car carrying Han Xin got onto I87 heading south.

"Look they are heading South. At least we have that." Clayton observed.

"And the remainder of the Code Blue soldiers are heading this way to follow us. Maybe they will have better luck chasing the terrorists down." Jeffrey explained.

Qi Lian pulled the vehicle out onto I87 in pursuit of Han Xin. But after a few miles she pulled the van over. At this point she was unable to see Han Xin's vehicle anymore, it was too distant. Qi Lian watched as a few SUVs carrying Code Blue soldiers raced by. Then she took a moment in the silence to watch the other cars passing by. Some were carrying families, others were carrying individuals. Some passengers were young, many were old. These people appeared to be mostly carrying on their daily lives. None of them knew the danger they were likely in. This made Qi Lian feel terrible.

"There will be no turning back at this point." Qi Lian stated breaking the silence in the van.

"Here is where you get out if you don't want to participate in the raid on Han Xin." Qi Lian explained.

"But, this is my van. My family van, this is what I use to drive my family around. I don't want to participate in the raid but I am not getting out of the van either." Dhruv exclaimed.

"Your family may all die if this mission is unsuccessful." Noah observed.

"I, well, uh..., yeah I guess you are right. I am in, reluctantly." Dhruv said.

"Count me in too!" Darnell yelled excitedly.

"Pops, you can't..." Clayton started.

"I won't hear of it Clayton. I have lived a good life. Besides I want the world to be around for Nia and her generation." Darnell explained.

"I'm in too y'all. Don't know how much help I'll be, but I ain't never run from a fight and ain't plan to start now." Martin said.

"Anyone object to fighting then?" Qi Lian asked.

"Hold on right there. My dad might be fighting, but I refuse to send Nia in to a fight. We need someplace to take her." Clayton demanded.

"She can go to my house and play with my kids." Dhruv offered.

"Let's do that." Clayton said.

"All right, punch in the address Dhruv." Qi Lian requested.

Dhruv did as instructed. The car drove off in the direction of Dhruv's house.