On the Run 19

 

Moira was stunned. She had Eric's results back, from his psi- screening. His head was a mess. Evidence of memory suppression, tampering. Subliminal programming, maybe even memory implantation. Amazing that the psi- creature hadn't fucked him up even more. But who could have done this? And what about Anna's results? No, she'd come back clean. 

Moira sat back, pondering. She really needed to get him out of here. But would he be safer in deep space? And why him? 

Unless...

Had they gotten to him? It would explain the deep tampering, the suppression. And who better to have as a mole in Moira's team? A bomb waiting to go off. 

And... it would explain Andreas. 

If the other side suspected Eric as a time agent, who better to send after him than his old friend. 

*******

They were at a noodle bar somewhere around the forty- third level. It was a nice night, a good night to be out and about. Anna was nervous, not sure they should be doing this- but Eric wanted noodles. And they were leaving in two days. 

The neon and the ever present traffic- it did feel good to be out. The place was hopping- sky cars kept arriving for takeout orders, and there was a place across the way- an abyss of forty- three levels- that looked good as well. Patios overlooking the drop, a neon dragon flickering on and off. 

Anna tried to listen to what he was saying, but she was enjoying the ambience so much. Eric seemed to realize this and dug more noodles out of his container. The night wind, the open air stalls, sky traffic... he loved this district at night. So many lights too... the holidays were approaching. 

Later when dessert was over they boarded their sky car, sorry to leave the bustling district. Eric was so full he could hardly function. As they joined the traffic lane he settled back contentedly, allowing traffic to pass as they re- entered the Corporate Sector. They passed a floating street vendor as his comm unit crackled. 

"Is this Eric?"

"It is," he replied, puzzled. 

"Dive right and thirty degrees. Do it now."

"What in...?"

"Do it now. Don't hesitate. You and Anna are in peril. Dive NOW."

Eric dove. 

Anna shrieked as the wind howled past them- a good thing she was strapped in. 

"Eric- what the...?"

Red beams of light flashed where they had just been. 

"Now turn left. Rise... sharp rise. Punch it!"

Eric gunned it. 

Anna could see pursuit now. Two, maybe three. 

"Straight on. Quicker. Okay... when you see the bridge ahead, duck under it. At the last minute. Then dive sharply." 

"Who is this?"

"Keep this channel clear."

Eric complied as Anna fired behind them. Energy beams lit up the night as the neon lit bridge appeared ahead. Their pursuers were gaining. 

"Eric..."

He nodded. It was going to be close. Their pursuers were almost upon them when he reached the bridge. 

"Now."

Eric dove under the bridge as onlookers screamed and ran for cover. He almost clipped the bridge, and Anna was firing, and then he passed underneath and saw someone on a spur, holding a sniper rifle. Not firing at him, but at the pursuers. Someone fell out of one of the pursuing craft and it crashed into the bridge, exploding. A second passenger fell screaming to their doom. 

"Two left. Do as I say. Right now and raise up. Okay, decelerate and dive."

Eric did so as Anna kept firing. Her shot bounced off one of the craft. 

 The pursuers had recovered and were screaming back, shooting now. Red energy bursts scored the skycar and Anna ducked. 

"You're in a free zone. 5 seconds until I have visual. Rise now sharply and... see the skyrise to your right? Bank toward it." 

Who was this?

The skyrise came up fast and there were other cars here. Anna ducked as a beam hit them. 

"Two seconds. Now. Decelerate and take a hard turn to the right."

Eric did, and he could see the horrified look on someone's face as he almost rammed them. There was an explosion behind them and one of the pursuers was gone. 

"Now, fast and straight. Weave a bit. Careful, there's a building." Eric actually heard a chuckle as he almost flew into a skyrise. "Okay, hard left and head for that concourse." 

"There are people there." 

"They are your screen."

Eric headed that way but didn't want to endanger innocents. 

"Now, dive sharply to the right and duck under that awning. In three, two... now."

Eric did so just as someone leaped onto his skycar. Body armor, masked with yellow orbs where the eyes would be. Anna unloaded her weapon and the assassin fell, tumbling into a crowded food court. At the same time an explosion behind them heralded the end of the final pursuer. 

"Congratulations... you're alive." 

*******

Andreas roused himself from his data feed. He had a call. 

"What?"

"We had an incident, sir. As you directed, field assets deployed and stopped an operation directed at targets. All units terminated." 

"Good work, Corporal."