Moonscape hurtled past the shuttle as it sped through the clear fiberglass tube that arched over the magnetic levitation highway running through the heart of New London.
“We can’t go back.”
“Why not?” asked Alexandra.
Wraith, the bald bounty hunter Alexandra had hired to help them escape from XLS headquarters, glanced at the flashing lights on the shuttle’s dashboard. “They’re coming after us! We’re gonna have company soon!”
Hector stared at her. “Why are you doing this?”
“You didn’t answer my question,” she said.
“We can’t go back. Not now. We need somewhere to hide. Somewhere I can think. I have to find a way to keep you safe and somehow stop the XLS.”
Wraith swore. “They’re gaining ground fast! We need to get off this highway! Now!”
“The Subdivision is the safest place you’re going to find.”
“You don’t understand. They’ll lock us up. I’m not sanctioned to be here. I deserted them. I risked everything to get to you. We can’t go back.”
She paused. “What if we had something to offer them? A bargaining chip.”
“Like what?”
Ping! Ping! Two bullets ricocheted off the shuttle’s back bumper. Wraith shouted through grit teeth. “Figure it out!”
Alexandra ducked and glanced out the back window. Three heavily armed XLS shuttles roared up behind them.
She leaned closer to Hector. “Information. Key XLS targets and the location of their molecular teleportation machines.”
Hector’s eyes darted to the pursuing shuttles. He frowned, but nodded. “Maybe. I’ll contact a friend of mine. He might be able to help.”
One of the XLS shuttles giving chase inched up alongside them. Wraith reached for his pistol. Fired two shots, and then ducked as bullets pounded the side of the shuttle. His maneuver caused their shuttle to swerve. The back end swung wide and ground into the fiberglass side wall.
“Take the next exit!” shouted Alexandra.
Wraith cranked the control stick to the side. The shuttle careened off the highway and onto the exit ramp.
“If you can’t get us into the Subdivision,” said Alexandra, “we’re going to die here.”
