The work was done. The fundraising, the kissing babies and the shaking of many many hands. Artimus Reynolds leant up against the small kitchenette of his campaign office. His fate was in the hands of the public. The polls had just closed and the votes had just started being counted. He got a notification on His watch. It read. "CONCEDE YET?” He rolled his eyes. It was his political rival. Chase Benedict. He was a arrogant, chauvinistic, bully of a man who got rich because his parents were. Daddy’s money got him in the Presidential race and kept him there as he didn’t have to ask for donations. Artimus on the other hand had to claw his way there. Being an advocate for everyone was Aritmus’ angle. Where as Chase was running on the slogan of ‘Human for humans.’ Artimus shook his head. “God I hate that man.” He said aloud. “Who do we hate?” Emily said walking up to Artimus. She always had his back. If they were watching Baseball and he said he hated a pitcher from the other team then Emily would hate him for life. “Hey beautiful...how are you doing?” he said putting his arms around her and giving her a kiss. “I’m ok...stressed to the max and I desperately want you to beat Benedicts ass!” she said pulling in for another hug. He smiled. He wanted to win. But holding his wife close he realised that he had. Artimus had run a good campaign. He had his beliefs and he countered policies with one’s that he and His team thought were better. The one thing he didn’t do was fight dirty. He never delved into Benedict’s private life which by all accounts was a gold mine of affairs, drug use and shady property deals. They separated and walked out to the main office area. All the staff had left to go to the party. Artimus didn’t want to be around people right now. Emily could see it on His face. “I know you don’t want to go but how about we get some dinner then Go?” Emily said swinging their joined hands. Artimus smiled. “You always know what to say! I love you so much beautiful!” He said as they made for the door.
The party was In full swing. 200 people danced, ate and drank. Most of them were staff members who were happy the campaign was over. One staffer set up a screen so they could see how the results were going. Artimus saw this and walked over to the young lady. “I thought we weren’t having any screens.” He said. “Yeah but I just want to check.” The woman said looking a bit scared. Artimus smiled. “Yeah me too.” He said. He hugged her. “Thank you for your help. I wouldn’t be here without your hard work!” He said genuinely. That’s the one thing that Artimus had that Benedict just didn’t have. A warmth. A real human touch. A man of the people. The panel show came back from break, a middle aged white man with combed over hair greeted everyone. Statistics flew across the screen. Artimus was up across the board. 83% in some States and in California he had 95% of the vote. He was winning at the moment but he had to wait and play the long game.
The clocked ticked over to midnight. The crowd had thinned. It was exclusively those who worked on the campaign as they were emotionally invested. A tired looking black man came on the TV and said that they were crossing to Chase Benedict’s concession speech. Artimus looked puzzled. “Has he rang through and conceded?” Artimus looked around looking incredibly puzzled. That was usually the etiquette. The losing candidate would call the other person and say that the better man won and then give a ‘We tried our best’ speech. That wasn’t Chase Benedict’s style. “When did he ring to concede?” Artimus said looking around to make eye contact with his senior staff. They all shook their heads. The screen changed to a haggard looking Chase Benedict. He swayed at the podium. His tie had disappeared. The top four buttons were all undone. His eyes were bloodshot red. “First of...all I’m conceding but I don’t really want to...but those pile of coke addicted speech writers...told me to.” Chase slurred and pointed to the members of his support team. The gasps from his room showed the disappointment from his friends and family. The laughter that came from Artimus' party showed that they always knew that Chase Benedict was a shallow drunk brat who had zero substance. They knew it and now the voting public knew it. “...and another thing...that Artimus is a crook and a Liar...” Benedict put his head close to the podium and sniffed. He lifted his head back up and used his index finger to rub his nostrils. “Did he just do a line of coke live on air?” Artimus asked no one in particular. A male staffer turned around and said “Yeah he totally did!” “This is incredible.” Artimus said not being able to take his eyes off the TV. “....No no...That’s a lie...Artimus is a fantastic Avian and he will...” He said as he had a closer look at the podium. Another sniff. Another nostril rub. “I was never cut out for politics...I was told by a wealthy person to try and beat Artimus...she gave me so much cash to beat...” He didn’t get to finish his sentence as he was tackled by security. The crowd in Artimus' room booed. “I kind of wanted him to go off on everyone!” Artimus said as he looked for Emily. She was talking to a blonde woman in a red pant suit with a white blouse. She walked over to Artimus, Emily followed close behind. She held out her hand to shake his. “Congratulations Mr President...we knew you would come home strong.” She said. “Thank you so much...I’m kind of in shock!” Artimus said feeling weird for the first time. He had campaigned hard. He loved the debates, which according to the experts he won 3-0, and he loved meeting all the voters. When Benedict had conceded it still hadn’t sunk in. It was only when that woman had called him Mr President that it had hit him like a tonne of bricks. This was his new normal, for four years at least. It would take time to adjust but he knew he could do This job. He thought back to father Reynolds and all the things he used to say like “You are batting 1000 in getting through bad days” and the one that always stuck with Artimus “Hard work never goes out of style.”
The woman in the red pant suit smiled a toothy smile. She shuffled off and slipped a card inside of Artimus' coat. He grabbed it and put it on a nearby table. Emily hugged him for what felt like the thousandth time today. He didn’t care and she didn’t either. There was a large comotion at the door as reporters cameramen and people carrying other TV equipment tried to fit through the door at once. They offered congratulations and praise. They all pushed for front spot and the first interview with the first Avian President.
He sat the most powerful office in the world. He still didn’t really believe it. He had come a long way from high school nobody to President of the United States. He ran his hands through his greying hair. His tie was slack and His top two buttons were open. It had been a tough campaign. As an Avian running for president he had to walk a fine line. Don’t be too friendly with humans as it will turn Avians against you and on the flip side you can’t be seen only with Avians as it makes the humans think you are only looking after your own kind. A political razor blade. But Artimus Reynolds walked that line with style and grace. He had discovered he was an Avian at 16, now at 56 he was a role model in the Avian community. A clean cut married man whose marriage was often quoted on the internet as “Goals" wasn’t immune to the odd scandal. But what ever it was, often got dismissed as Artimus was such a good guy that the thought of him doing whatever the source said was thought to be impossible. He stood up looked out of his window. He saw the beautiful DC night sky. The sky busses chugged a long through the stars. He smiled at the memory when buses were a land based vehicle. Not since Hovrtech, whose employees had seen ‘Back to the Future 2’ way too many times, found a way to bring that technology into reality. Artimus felt the vibration in his temple. He pressed it and Emily appeared in front of him. Hand held phones had been phased out 5 years ago. The Apple iLife was the newest piece of tech.
“Hey there beautiful!” Artimus said as he smiled at her. “How are you?” She smiled too. “I’m good...I was just wondering if you have time to walk the dog before bed?” He squinted and Emily’s picture lost focus and the time became clearer. 739pm. He opened his eyes wider and she came back into focus. He nodded. “Yeah I can take Frank for a walk.” He saw a crowd behind her. She was at an art show promoting Avians artists. “How’s the turn out?” he asked while walking up the hallway to find Frank’s lead. “Its a great turn out...but there is one thing I didn’t tell you...” She said trailing off and she looked sheepish. He knew that look. He had seen it a lot over their journey together. “Remember this is a video call...what didn’t you tell me?” he said smiling. She sighed. “I’m showing a piece.” He smiled again. “Why didn’t you tell me...I should be there!” Emily blushed. “I was embarrassed...it’s the one I painted of us 40 years ago wearing the crowns.” She said. “Hey I love that one...I’m on my way.” He said straightening his tie and putting on His blue suit jacket. “I didn’t want to bother you...you are the president after all.” She said looking sad. “I don’t care if it’s the Covid 19-3 point 0 pandemic like we had a few years ago or if I’m in the middle of a state of the union address...I’ll always have time for my one and only!” He said with that election winning smile. She smiled too. “Be safe and get here soon!”
The Limousine hovered up to the gallery, it was led by a smaller black town car and it was followed by one too. 8 men in black suits popped out of the cars and hurried to the limousine. One of them opened the door and Artimus stepped out. No fanfare, no ‘Hail to the chief’ and no camera crews. Perfect he thought. He walked to the entry and the droid at the door let him and 3 secret service men in. He nodded and smiled at various patrons. He rounded a corner and he came face to face with an eight foot by eight foot canvas of a young Artimus and Emily. He looked at the crowns on their heads. They were Avian Royalty in a sense. They were leaders in the community. He smiled at the canvas. He saw Emily walk back towards him. “Hey there beautiful!” He said hugging her and he kissed her. They pulled back. “I thought your campaign manager said we had to kiss less in public?” She said with a smile on her face. “He did say that but he was trying to appeal to the single lady vote...i don’t care what he said...I will always kiss my wife in front of a painting of us!” he said kissing her again. The spark they felt back on that football field when they fought Dion the fire monster was still there. A small crowd gathered around the two of them. “Can you tell us the story behind this piece?” A female voice asked. “Sure...Artimus and I kind of liked each other when we were 16 and i walked past him one day...and I blacked out and when I woke up...this canvas was staring at me.” She said remembering that day. The memories of seeing Artimus with Kayla, Fighting Dion and holding Artimus' hand. She looked at her arms and she had Goosebumps. Then her feathers appeared. Something that she used to hide but now it was socially acceptable to show your feathers in public. Artimus felt it too. They both noticed the other person’s feathers. They both smiled and each held up their arms to show the crowd. There was applause and a few awwws. The two of them were happy. Not just on the surface happy. But they each made the other person better. The crowd wandered off to see other works.
The clock ticked over to 1130. Artimus was in his favourite bed shirt. It read ‘We are all in the same flock.’ He read a paper back That he had read 4 other times in his life. Emily walked out of the adjoining bathroom. He looked up from his book and took off his reading glasses. He stared at his wife. The First Lady. “You are so beautiful.” He said putting his book on the night stand. “Oh stop it Mr President...I’m married!” She replied smiling. Artimus got off the bed and walked over to her. He grabbed her and kissed her. “He’s a lucky man!” He said laughing before he kissed her again. The spark was forever present. They had been through so much and they had more to get through but at that exact moment life was perfect.
Clifton T Block’s fingers flew over the keyboard. The plight of the forgotten fishermen was his current investigation. Small time fishermen had been put out of business by the Mega-conglomerates, the titans of the seas. Some these small time fishermen decided to roll up to the shipyard of Watts, Goldman and Kettering, better known as WGK. The small band of determined men stood there for days. They carried signs, chanted slogans and held up a hover semi or two. Then they started disappearing. Less and less would attend the protests and their message lost forward motion as one man with a sign has far less impact on a multinational Mega-conglomerate than 150. His email pinged. He rubbed His eyes and clicked on it. It was from a burner account so he nearly dismissed it. But the heading of “Avian massacre from 40 years ago” Got his attention. The email gave him coordinates. He stared at them and winked his left eye twice. His iLife took a screen shot. He jumped out of his office chair and started packing his camping gear. The fishermen would have to wait.
Clifton T Block left his Yurt and walked up the track. He knew there was a former Avian camp out here somewhere. That’s what the email had said. He was one of the last investigative journalists. Most news outlets had droids do the investigating but not Clifton. He was always in places he shouldn’t be trying to get a story. He was the reporter who ended up on top of a Whale in the Pacific ocean to see how Greenpeace stopped the whaling boats from Japan. He pressed on. The cold wind whipped through The trees. He pulled his puffer jacket closer to him and pressed The zip button. It beeped and whirred and the zip went up by its self. He walked down a steep hill. Clifton checked his digital compass. He was at the exact spot that the anonymous sender of the Email wanted him to see. He would have the boys and girls in Tech support department have a look at it and see if they could trace it’s origin and author.
He saw the remnants of a camp. A rusted pot, a few flaps of Hessian and He couldn’t really see anything of interest. He stopped before he got to a clearing. The grass was almost head height. He walked through the grass. The wind picked up and the grass danced and swayed. The trees joined in and swayed with a swish. Clifton looked around and thought this area was truly beautiful. A rare hidden gem. His foot hit some thing metal and it clanked. He looked down with a puzzled look. He bent down and cleared the grass. He saw a mask that looked like a dragon. He bent down. He grabbed a stick and jammed it into The jaws of the Dragon. The hinges were rusted but Clifton pulled harder. The hinges groaned and relented. Clifton recoiled in horror as he saw a skull looking back at him. He scrambled back wards and vomited into the long grass. He pressed his temple and said "Dial 911.”
Within the hour the forest was swarming with Crime Scene Officers or CSOs. They had pulled up the grass around the body and were in the process of shredding the grass in the vicinity. Senior Detective Russ Morecambe looked at whatever was left of the body. Bones inside a synthetic suit with a dragon head on top. The suit was scorched in places. How did this person get all the way out here? What was the significance of the Dragon mask? All great questions that he couldn’t wait to tackle with his team. A CSO who Russ knew as Buckle because the man loved different belt buckles, today’s was big red map of Texas. Buckle walked up in full over suit and equipment bag. He made sure you Could still see the belt buckles! He picked up a bone and put it in a black tube. He walked back to his CSO hover van and set to work. He was a competent employee, one of the best, but he couldn’t keep a conversation for more than 3 seconds. Technology had advanced so much over the years. DNA tech was now so advanced that you could place a sample in a tube, like Buckle had just done, and this machine would find a match in minutes. Buckle busied himself for a few minutes. The machine beeped. Buckle ran over to the machine. The read out said “Dillion Mcgillicutty, Fire Chief of Eastview, missing for 40 years.”
Outside by the remains, Russ Morcambe poked around the bones his pen. He moved the Dragon mask. A little black feather was stuck under the mask. He got his tweezers and he put it in an evidence bag. He looked up to see Buckle running towards him. “His name is Dillion Magilicutty and he was a fire chief...hes been missing for forty years.” Buckle said out of breath. Russ smiled. “Fantastic” Russ said “Also I found this black feather, it could be from bird or it could be from an Avian.” He said handing the bag to Buckle. Buckle in turn, handed Russ the DNA printout of Dillion Magilicutty. Russ examined the printout. Buckle marched right back to the CSO van to analyse the feather. Shouts and voices called out from the CSOs operating the grass cutting equipment. “Bones!” Was the call from one CSO and “Skull!” was the call from Another. Russ’ day just got worse.
Buckle put the feather into a glass tube. It was for a special analyser for Avians feathers. Buckle popped a lid on a solution and poured it into the tube with the feather in it. He clicked the tube into place and turned it on. The centrifuge spun. After a few minutes machine beeped. The read out sat there in the printer. Buckle grabbed his water and had a sip. He causally walked to the printer. He snapped up the print out. His heart nearly stopped when he saw the name of the Avian who was the owner of the feather.
Gary Schmidt’s desk phone rang. “Yeah?” he answered in his gruff perpetually annoyed tone. It was Evangeline Latrobe. “You better nail him to the wall for this.” She said bluntly. Schmidt rolled his eyes. “I’ll do What ever the law needs me to do.” He said flatly. “Really? I didn’t think you go all good cop on me?” She said sounding legitimately shocked. “Yeah I’ve had enough of you poking your old wrinkled nose in my business.” Schmidt said trying to sound brave but also nonchalant. Silence came down the line. If you asked everyone who dealt with Evangeline and you asked them what’s the worst thing she could say. They would all say it was when she said nothing. That’s when she was thinking. Thinking hard. Thinking of ways to hurt, torture and bring pain. “Is that right?...how is your daughter these days?” She said with menace in her voice. It hit Gary hard. “No...no...you leave her out of this...” He said feeling the panic setting in. He began to sweat. “It would be a real shame if she couldn’t attend her classes at Georgetown or make her shifts at the library...it would be a real shame if someone dropped a piano on her...hang on a sec...Hey Olivier...order a piano.” She said slowly and full of menace. It was Gary’s turn to be silent. He broke the silence when he said “I’ll do What ever you want but don’t hurt her.” More silence. “Arrest him...even get him to assault you...have him shipped to Carlyle Ridge Prison ...i have friends there...” She said and clicked off the call. Gary Schmidt was firmly tucked inside Evangeline Latrobe’s pocket and he was never coming out.
Russ Morecambe drove as Gary Schmidt sat up front fidgeting and biting his nails. He was nervous. How many detectives got to question the President of the United States? And how many detectives had damning evidence that the most powerful man in the world was involved with Dillion Mcgillicutty’s murder? That’s why Gary wouldn’t stop biting his nails. Well that’s what he told Russ and other colleagues when they as why he looked like a nervous wreck. They had travelled for a few miles when Gary broke the silence. His voice was croaky and nervous. “So do you think he’s guilty?” “We haven’t even spoken to the man yet...and you are asking me that? Where’s your head at?” Russ asked turning left. Gary fidgeting increased. He looked even more nervous. “Oh...you know...just saying the evidence is...so...so...damning!” He spluttered. “Yeah I guess so...but we have to see what he says and the forensics will show if he’s lying or not.” Russ said pulling the car into the White House service entrance. He showed his badge and he was directed to an area for him to park the hover Crown Victoria.
Artimus had started his day like every other day. Early morning run, followed by a Gym session and a healthy breakfast. Emily was with him for all of it. She ran, she lifted weights and she ate with him. Their days were so busy at the moment that they had to find time to see each other. Then he checked his Emails and put on a beautiful Avian made suit. He walked down to his office. His assistant Claire ran up to him looking flustered. “Sir...There’s a problem...um...The police rang...and...” she spluttered. She pushed back her shoulder length dark hair. She clearly modelled her self after The First Lady that she had the Nickname of ‘Little Emily'. “Ok the police rang....what did they want?” Artimus asked as he rounded his desk, unbuttoned his suit jacket and sat in the highest pressure chair in the world. “They said that your DNA was found...in a forest next to a body...and some thing about a...” “Dragon.” Artimus finished her sentence for her. Memories tumbled back to him. His brain thinking through all the battles, both political and physical. Dillion. Someone had found his body. This was bad. This was potentially the death of his presidency. Artimus could hear voices getting louder down the hallway. He got from his desk. The door flung open and a man walked in. “Mr President...you are...under...” The man didn’t get to finish his sentence as he was tackled by six secret service men. Artimus stared as more police came into the room. A smaller man walked up to him. He was calmer than his colleague who was seeing the Oval office carpet close up and not on a voluntary basis. The small man said “Mr President, my name is Detective Russ Morecambe, we need to speak to you about why your DNA was found next to a dead man in a forest not too far from of Eastview.” “I understand...should I get those men off of your friend there?” Artimus asked pointing to the pile of black suits on top of the detective. The detective laughed. "Let him stew for a minute and maybe he might behave himself in future.” Russ said with a smile.
The interview was set up in a small office with no windows. Artimus sat on one side with his lawyer, Laura Christensen, next to him. Russ Morecambe and the detective who was tackled sat next to him. Gary Schmidt looked almost unhinged. He was scruffy looking and Artimus thought he looked like the kind of guy who slept in his car. Last night that been the case. Gary had put his retirement money on a horse race and had lost every thing. Gary’s wife Imelda kicked him out until he got all the money back. Russ said “Are we good to start?” Artimus and Laura nodded. “Ok Mr President...could you tell us how you knew Mr Dillion Mcgillicutty?” “Do you want the whole version or the short version?” Artimus said. “We want the truth!” Schmidt said banging his hand on the desk. Artimus was taken aback by this Schmidt character. Some thing about him didn’t feel right. It hit him. He had dealt with this before. He held on to the hunch He had. “This will all Sound like I’m a crazy person...40 years ago my birth father Callahan Black, my now wife Emily and myself were attacked at an Avian tent city.” Artimus said ringing his hands. He had barely thought of that incident over the years. "My birth mother Evangeline Latrobe and Diliion Magilicutty attacked the young Avians and massacred them...then they attacked us and...” Artimus said stopping to wipe a tear. “You killed Dillion!” Gary Schmidt butted in. “He was shooting flames out of his suit and he was trying to kill me...” Artimus said raising his voice. Gary raised his too. “So you killed him!” The belligerent detective said again. “I was defending my self...” The president said as he realised he was standing up pointing at the detectives. “I’m sorry that was a hard time...they revealed that they had killed my adoptive Father...and they killed my birth father Callahan Black.” Artimus tried to explain sitting down. He tried to regain his composure. Russ held Schmidt back and gave him a hard look. He said “We did find two small bones...each belonging to Callahan in the forest...so that checks out...still we need to know what your involvement was...” Artimus looked at Laura. She pushed her hand at the detectives meaning ‘Go on tell them.’ “Dillion was attacking me and I got a lucky shot in and hit his throat with my feathers...” Artimus said looking at his hand. “Feathers?” Russ Morecambe asked. “Feathers? Rubbish...you can’t hurt Some one with feathers!” Schmidt said. Artimus held up his hand and it became covered in feathers. He formed them into a point and held his hand out for the detectives to touch. Russ and Gary ran their hand over the feathers. They were rock hard and sharp. Artimus pulled his hand back and he shook the feathers away. He sighed. “Before I say anymore you might want to speak to my wife and see if our stories match up.” He said sitting back, the emotions of remembering that day in the forest. Russ leant forward and pressed stop on the recorder. Russ opened the door and let Laura walk past him. Schmidt was about to leave when he pushed Morecambe off of the door and slammed it shut. He turned the snib and locked the door. He pushed a caught of guard Artimus up against the wall. He pulled out a black gun. Normally security would have found it but it was made of a not metallic fibre and was as deadly as a metal gun. Artimus pushed Gary back wards. He hit the opposite wall. Frustrated Gary fired the gun. The bullet hit Artimus in the stomach. He fell back and yelled. A scream came from the other side of the door. 2 secret service men slammed into the door, trying to break it. Artimus forced himself up using the table, his white shirt quickly becoming crimson. He flexed and his feathers sealed up the bullet wound. Gary saw this and pulled out an old hand held phone. He muttered to himself as he scrolled to messages. “She said he might do that...” The phone hit the floor as Artimus dropped his shoulder into Gary’s midsection. They both flumped to the floor and the gun clattered across the room. “Get off me you feathered idiot.” Gary hurumphed as the stronger Artimus held him down. “Whose ‘She'?” Artimus asked through gritted teeth. His stomach hurt but the feathers had stemmed the bleeding. "None...of your business...” Gary said losing the will to fight back. The secret service banged the door again. Artimus made a fist and it became covered in feathers. He squeezed harder than he ever had and his hand became as hard as concrete. He held Gary’s two arms with his left hand and pushed himself up. He came down on Gary’s face with his rock hard hand. The crack was sickening. Gary went limp. Artimus shook away the rock hard hand and then the feathers. He checked for a pulse as the two secret service men crashed through the door taking it off its hinges. The door hit the desk, splatting the two men on to the door. Laura ran in and helped Artimus to his feet. Russ stuck his head In to the room. His eyes met The Presidents. “I’m so sorry sir...he is a Loose cannon....but unfortunately I’m going to arrest you on suspicion of murdering Dillion Mcgillicutty.” Artimus nodded. “But first we better get you to A hospital.”
Emily walked around the art studio glancing at her students work. One turned and stared at her with a ‘please tell me my work is good’ look. The First Lady walked up and placed her hand on the girls shoulder. “With art the only approval you need is your own.” Emily said with her trademark smile. The student smiled too. Her temple buzzed and she excused herself from the class. She pressed her temple and her assistant Kiari appeared in front of Emily’s left eye. “Hey Kiari...What can I do for you?” She said pacing the hallway. Kiari looked nervous as she said “Um...it’s Mr Reynolds he’s been shot and....” Emily couldn’t believe her ears and eyes. “He’s been shot?” she said louder than she intended. “What hospital are they taking him to?” Emily asked as her heart.
Artimus sat in the back of the ambulance. He tried to run his hand through his grey hair but the handcuff clinked and clacked against the gurney it was locked on to. He had forgotten he was hand cuffed. Emily’s assistant Kiari sent him a text saying Emily was on her way to meet him at the hospital.
The hover ambulance pulled out on to the highway and it accelerated hard. Just as the driver was about to flick on the siren, the ambulance was hit from the side. The impact sent supplies flying from the cupboards. As the driver tried to straighten the vehicle it was hit from the other side. The EMT in the back hit the wall and was knocked unconscious. Artimus was flung off of the gurney but he didn’t go far as he was still attached to it. The van was hit a third time and this time it flipped over with a huge metallic scrape and a bang. Artimus was sprawled on the floor which just a second ago was the wall of the Ambulance. He tried to get up but the gurney was wedged. He closed his eyes and pulled hard. The chain snapped with ping. He was free. He limped to the door which were now two horizontal flaps. He pushed both and the top one creaked open. He heard gun fire. Russ Morecambe was behind the bonnet of his hover crown Victoria. He was firing at someone that Artimus couldn’t see. Artimus pulled himself up and out of the Ambulance. He stopped to the floor as the top door snapped shut. He ran around the back of the ambulance and the true extent of the situation hit him. Two secret service cars where flipped on their roofs. Agents laying motionless next to the upturned cars. He ran to an alley and didn’t look back. His stomach hurt from running but His feathers did a great job of stopping the bleeding. The bullet was still in there. That felt like a job for later. He hustled as fast as he could. Sweat gathered at his hairline. He felt sick. Artimus hunched over to vomit but as he did the pain from the bullet shot through his entire body. He straightened back up and vomited anyway. He spat twice and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He pressed on at a slower more sustainable pace. He closed his eyes and called out to Emily. “Are you there beautiful...the police are after me for killing Dillion in the forest 40 years ago...I’m On the run in a back alley near ‘Eddie’s’ bar...help me please... Emily didn’t reply. He vomited again. He felt Emily calling out to him. “Artimus please be safe...go to the emergency apartment....I’ll be there soon...”
Emily ran from the hospital foyer and in to the multi storey Carpark. Because she had come from her art class and not the White House she didn’t have a secret service detail with her. He heels clicked and clacked on the hard concrete floor. She pressed the button on her keys and the orange lights flickered and died. She got into the car and threw her seat belt on. She started the car and jammed it in reverse. She was so stressed that she nearly hit a white hatch back coming past her. She Hit the brakes and the white car blasted it’s horn as it passed her. The horn bounced off the concrete walls. She was so stressed she didn’t see the black car start up and follow her out. A small SUV followed the car out too.
Russ Morcambe fired the last of his bullets at the black SUV that had causes the chaos. He knew there were two assailants but only one was showing them selves. The other must be doing a sneak attack he thought. Sure enough he noticed the man sneaking around on His left. Russ wasn’t the most athletic police officer but he ran up to a parked car and stepped up on to the car. He then launched himself at the assailant. His elbows hit the man in the head knocking him out cold. The second man saw Morecambe’s amazing attack move and decided to set up the snipers nest.
Artimus walked slowly to the apartment. His stomach was screaming. He held his thumb up to the scanner and the foyer door clicked open. He pressed the lift button and it promptly came to the ground floor. He dragged himself inside and pressed 14. The lift zipped up to his floor. He walked out and turned left. The pain was almost unbearable at this point. He limped up to the door of apartment 7 and scanned in. He shut the door behind him and made a beeline to the bath room. He took off his shirt to look at the bullet wound. His feathers were black but they were a Matted and sticky red. He made the feathers retreat and his wound looked terrible. The bullet was smallish but it was still in there and hurt immensely. He lay in the empty bath. He put the plug in the sink and turned the taps on. He let the water rise around him and he tried to wash of some of the blood. The water turned a crimson. He heard the beep of the door scanner. “EM...” He called out. “Artimus?” Emily called back as she raced into the bathroom. She came through the doorway and almost started crying as she saw him in the bath. He sat up, wincing in pain but still smiling at his beautiful wife. “ Are you ok?...I’ll get a change of clothes.” She left the room as Artimus undid his belt. Emily came back in a went into mother mode. She covered his wound, got him dressed and helped Artimus clean the bathroom. He shuffled to the kitchen and flicked on the kettle. Emily laughed. “You were just shot and bleeding in a bath tub but Coffee is life right?” She said. He smiled as he spooned in coffee grounds into a ‘Prez’ and ‘Mrs Prez' mug. “Hey coffee helped me get through the campaign!” He said putting milk into both cups. Once the water had boiled, he poured it. He stirred both coffees and carried them to Emily at dinner table. A bullet ripped through the window and hit the coffee cup in Artimus' left hand. It exploded and sent brown liquid flying into the air. The coffee cup in his right hand flew into the air too. Emily and Artimus both hit the floor. They scrambled over to each other. He pulled her close. His stomach screamed in pain again. He grimaced through the pain. Emily looked terrified.
Outside the apartment building it was a war zone. Three different forces were fighting to get to apartment 147. The police wanted to keep Artimus safe so they could take him into custody. The secret service were trying to protect the President. The third force was a new branch of the Anti Avian Brotherhood. They were thought to have been disbanded and outlawed but here They were showing their strength was almost the same as 40 years ago. Bullets flew and bodies fell. The secret service were the first to be wiped out as the Anti Avian Brotherhood hit them with an experimental technology. They fired bullets that contained an electrical charge. Once It was inside the body it would emit a charge that would shock you if you moved. The 10 secret service men weren’t dead they just couldn’t move. With a rumble and a roar, the SWAT team arrived. They piled out of the truck, boots thumping on the road. They fanned out and surrounded the apartment building. The man in charge, surveyed the situation. He pulled up his mask. His face was hard and he had seen many battles. His name was Orion Montague. He was the hard man of SWAT team. He pulled his face mask down and read outs, figures and messages. He called out to his team. “Forward!” The men and women obliged. Within minutes the Anti Avian Brotherhood were neutralized. Russ hovered up in his now busted up Crown Victoria. He approached Orion. The SWAT team leader nodded. “Are we going in?” asked Russ. He tried to walk towards the building. Orion put a giant hand on Russ’ chest, stopping him from walking. Orion gave Russ a menacing look. He looked the detective up and down, sizing him up. “We are going in, you will be waiting here.” Orion said staring a hole in to Russ until he nodded and backed off.
SWAT stormed The apartment block. Boots thumped on the carpet. Artimus heard them coming. He looked at Emily. She shrugged. “Do i fight back or do I I take my lumps...I did kill Dillion in the forest...I am guilty of that...” He said as a tear rolled down his face. She smiled a small smile. “I know...you might just have to plead self defence...which it was!” She said as the door was smashed in by Orion and his team. They pushed Emily aside and she screamed for her husband. Orion grabbed Artimus by the collar and lifted him into the air. Artimus wriggled and hit Orion’s hands and arms. His arms buckled. The SWAT team captain just stared at his hands as the other team members jumped in Artimus and dragged him outside to the van. As he ran down the stairs Orion stared at his arms. No one had ever broke his grip before. And the President was hurt too. He replayed the moment over and over again. He pressed his temple and a man came in to Orion’s vision. Neither man used a greeting. “I’ve decided to move forward with the Cybernetics.” Orion said without emotion in his voice. The man replied with “Okay...I’ll begin preparations.” And he clicked off the call.
For all the technological advances that had been made over the years, prisons seemed to have missed out. Carlisle Ridge Correctional Facility was one such prison. Set on the banks of the Carlisle river, the concrete hulk cast shadows even in the darkness. This was no movie prison of the future with glass, no bars and prisoners wearing devices on their necks. This was a concrete and steel box that struck fear into even some of the guards. The rain pelted down and the wind howled. It was a horrible night. The prison van crept it’s way up the driveway. The Press set upon The van when it stopped at the checkpoint. The driver conversed with the two gatehouse guards. Logs were checked, i’s were dotted and t's were crossed. Cameras clicked and footage was taken. Microphones were jammed at the van windows. Artimus sat on His own in the back. His hands and feet shackled. He was still wearing his blood stained shirt. He had been patched up and the bullet had been removed. The van started again as the press scrum settled down. The reporters returned to their vans to process and tell the public what they had just seen. The prison van moved slowly around the prison grounds. Two more internal gate checks and the van pulled up at the admissions block. The van door slid open and Artimus was included from the van floor and led Across the soaking wet ground into the building. Artimus tried to hustle but his legs shackles made incredibly hard. He was thankful when he went under the shelter. He was dragged into a warm office. The room was white and furnished simply. A desk, three chairs and a print on the wall with a boat sailing on the sea. A man sat behind the desk. A youngish man of 30. He was handsome and he seemed out of place in this prison. The man smiled as Artimus was led to the chair. “Artimus, I’m Davey Brown and it’s my job to get you set up here at Carlisle Ridge.” The man said. Artimus nodded. He was tired, sore and completely over it. Davey handed him a form. Artimus read it. All his details were correct. Artimus handed the form back. Davey reached under the desk and he picked up a jumpsuit. He passed the suit to Artimus. Davey pointed behind the former president to a small bathroom without a door. He shuffled to the bathroom and the guards unshackled him. They drew their guns and pointed them at him. He panicked slightly. What if Evangeline had paid these me to kill him? He thought about fighting back but thoughts of Emily kept him calm. He took off his blood stained shirt. He bagged up all his clothes. The jumpsuit was cold and it was a size too small. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He looked as if he had aged 10 years just today. Artimus walked back out to the office and the guards shackled him again. “The guards will lead you to your cell...you will be informed of the daily agenda tomorrow morning.” Davey said. Artimus nodded. The guards shuffled him away from the warm bright office, towards the darkness and gloom.
The wardens office was warm, cosy and well lit unlike the prison it over saw. He stood staring out into the yard. It was lit by several guard towers. Caldwell Graystone was a well dressed man in his fifties. He had started as a prison guard and had made his way up the chain. He had hit the jackpot landing the former president as a prisoner. He would receive no special treatment but Caldwell loved the press circus out the front off the prison. The name of the prison was on every news report and website. Some outlets had even gone back to the dark ages and had released a commemorative Newspaper, documenting Artimus’ meteoric rise and spectacular fall. This made Caldwell and Carlisle Ridge the talk of the town. He had a massive interview with the Today show booked for tomorrow morning. He looked at his Rolex. It was late and the rain was really coming down. He took one last look out the window and saw that the press vans were still there. This was going to be one of the juiciest and televised events in modern history. He smiled at the sight of the hover vans. He turned off his office lights
Artimus was led up a dark lonely hallway. Bars and concrete surrounded him. He felt like he was back in the basement of Latrobe mansion. He was clad in an orange jumpsuit with DOC 74837410 on the back. He felt he had let Emily down. She had insisted that she would help him get off without charge or a lesser sentence. He knew getting off Scott free was a pipe dream but he wouldn’t tell her that. He was shown to his cell. It contained one other inmate. A gruff looking man with tan brown skin and a salt and pepper beard. Faded tattoos of the Grim Reaper ran the Length of his Brown arms. He got off his bunk As the guards slid the metal door open. They undid Artimus’ wrist and ankle shackles. They pushed Artimus inside and slid the door shut with a bang. The lock clicked shut, making it official. Artimus Reynolds, the avian boy who was abandoned as a kid, the one who had fought in a war at 16 that most people didn’t even know about, the man who was the President of the United States just this morning, was a prisoner of Carlisle Ridge. Artimus’ cellmate looked him up and down. “They call me the Mayor around these parts.” The man said. Before Artimus could react the large man who was quicker than he looked, lunged at Artimus with a concealed shank. It was made from wood he had sharpened in the workshop when he was supposed to be making spice racks and doorstops. The first two times the shank pierced his skin it didn’t hurt that much but when the Mayor hit his bullet wound, Artimus’ legs buckled and he screamed out in pain. He fell to he floor and the world got darker, darker than Evangeline’s heart he thought. He made one last attempt to get up. The Mayor saw this and he kicked Artimus back down. The large brown man reached behind the bed and pulled out a rectangle of concrete. He said it on to his right hand and swung at the former presidents head. The crack was disgusting. The concrete block exploded on impact. Artimus saw sparks for a second and then all he saw was black. The guards heard the noise and came running. A siren went off and a blue light flashed. The cell door clanked open and six guards rushed in. Three attended to Artimus and three pinned the Mayor up against his bed. He laughed as a guard said. “3 minutes, that’s a new record for you Mr Mayor!”
Artimus woke from his bad dream. He looked around and didn’t recognise his surroundings. His head hurt and his body did too. He tried to move his arms but they were hand cuffed to the bed. They did have a length of chain on them so he could move his arms slightly. The room was bright and warm. Machines beeped and medicine pumps whirred. He took a deep breath and immediately winced as his midsection hurt so much. He reached for a glass of water as a young nurse walked in. She was clad in dark blue scrubs with bright pink sneakers. Her beautiful brown hair was tied up and secured with a blue ribbon. “Morning Artimus...how are you feeling?” She asked as she busily checked his lines and his Computer Assisted Monitor. All the read outs seemed to be ok. The nurse came back to face him. He rubbed his face. “I’m ok...for a man who was president of the United States yesterday and today I’m a prison statistic.” He forced a smile. She did too. “Sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Nora...I’ll be looking after you until later this afternoon.” “Nice to meet you Nora...” He said looking uncomfortable as he adjusted himself in the bed. “Is there anything you need?” She asked moving towards the door. “No I’m ok I just need some time to readjust my thoughts.” He said forcing that smile again. “I’m here if you need me." She said flashing a beautiful smile. As she left he closed his eyes and called out to Emily. “Emily are you there?” After a few seconds of silence she responded. “Artimus...I’ve been worried sick about you...i can feel something isn’t right...what’s happened.” Artimus smiled. They were so connected so he couldn’t hide this situation from her. He didn’t want to tell her as he knew she would worry herself sick but he had to tell her. “I was attacked the minute I walked into my cell. I was shanked and hit with concrete knuckle dusters. I’m in the infirmary as we speak.” Artimus said waiting for Emily to freak out. He didn’t have to wait long. “What the fucking hell?...are you ok? I’m getting you out off there.” She said fuming. “I’m ok just need to heal up and I’ll be out of her in a day or so...I love you.” He said trying to get her to be calm. She took a deep breath and said “I love you too...leave it with me and you will be out of there before your trial...goodbye my love.” Artimus opened his eyes and she was gone.
Emily knew getting Artimus out throughthe courts process was going to take too long and he did actually kill Dillion. So that made everything harder. She had a thought. It was a crazy thought. They could break him out. The secret service wouldn’t help but She knew that their was one man who would say yes without hesitation. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She called out to him.
The bell rang, signalling the end of the school day. Kids ran is all directions, joy spilling from them as they were released from their daily educational prison. Reed Black picked up cones and makers in the gymnasium. He stretched when he stood up. He was not 20 anymore. A career in the National Avian Football League would make anyone feel sore. He was a Award winning line-backer for the Washington EagleHawks. It had left him with pain in his legs and back. He pushed through it most days. Bending in different ways like picking up cones made his back ping. He rubbed his back and finished packing up the Gym. He flicked off the lights and locked the door. He walked down the deserted corridor and made his way to his office. Photos of himself in his playing days adorned the walls. A picture of his daughter Calli, he had named her after his adoptive father Callahan, sat on His desk. Another photo sat proudly on His desk. It was a photo of him with Artimus and Emily on their wedding day. He shuffled some papers and there was a knock at the door. He said come in. The door opened and it was the librarian Sophie. She smiled as she entered the office. Reed smiled too. “Hey Sophie how are you today?” he said putting the papers in his desk drawer. She went bright red. “Hi...Reed...i...I.. was wondering if you are attending the meeting in the library this afternoon?” she asked nervously. “Yeah I am as a matter of fact and I’ll even help set up the chairs.” He said smiling. “Oh good I was hoping you were coming....to help me set up.” She said flicking her short blonde hair and adjusting her oversized glasses. He was about to respond when he heard a voice. That familiar voice. It was Emily. “Sorry Sophie I’m getting a phone call...ill catch up with you later.” Reed said. Sophie smile and left his office. He closed his eyes. There she was. Emily. The woman was like a sister to him. They had fought side by side in so many battles. There was a reporter who tried to derail Artimus' Presidential campaign by saying Reed and Emily were lovers in secret. This made all three of them laugh. Emily and Artimus had been inseparable since they fought Dion the fire monster 40 years ago. Reed was a dedicated husband and father until his marriage had fallen apart as his wife at the time had fallen into her vices. Unfortunately those vices took hold of her. Her abuse and dependence to them ended her life 5 years ago. He had moved on and was big in the anti drugs circuit. “Emily...how are you?” As soon as he said it he felt she wasn’t ok. “Its Artimus...They found his DNA at the Avian camp...you know when he killed the guy in the...” “Dragon suit!” Reeds memory kicked in. “Yeah that’s the one..he's in Carlisle Ridge prison.” “Prison?” Reed said sounding so shocked. He couldn’t believe his ears. “Yeah prison...and He got shanked and beaten up...” Emily said bursting into tears. “Right then we have to break him out!...Calli and I will do it!” Reed said without hesitation. “I wanted to ask you but...” “No buts we are breaking him out end of story...I’ll ask Calli and get back to you...I owe you and Artimus so much over the years...it’s the least I could do.” Emily was too emotional to talk. Reed understood. He opened his eyes to see Sophie staring at him. “What was that?...it looked like” She asked. He smiled at Her. “Sit down and I’ll explain everything.” Sophie almost flew into the chair opposite Reed.
Reed had attended the meeting. But he didn’t pay any attention. All he could think an it was Artimus and Emily. And Sophie. He didn’t see that coming. She was at least 20 years younger than him but They had always gotten along. Now here she was sneaking into his thoughts when he should be planning on how to break into Carlisle Ridge prison and how to get Artimus without being caught. He wandered out of the library barely registering other teachers saying good night. He walked to his car and said “Call Calli.” A picture of a phone crossed with a camera came up in front of Reed's left eye. His beautiful daughter Calli materialised. She was in her mid twenties with long black hair. She was currently wearing a black tank top with a black leather jacket over the top. “Hey Calli baby...how are you?” he asked. She smiled. “Hey dad! I’m good...just getting ready for our gig tonight...and while I have you...what’s this I’m hearing that Uncle Artimus got arrested for some 40 year old crime and they locked him up in Carlisle Ridge?” She asked with her head turned on its side. “Yeah it’s true he is in prison...it’s also true that he killed that man...” “Dad don’t say that so loud.” She said looking around making sure no one else heard him. “I can say whatever whenever to whomever!...and I know he did it... I was there but it was self defence. He got attacked today...” “Well we gotta break him out!” Calli said cutting her father off. She was one hundred percent his daughter. No nonsense, loyal and tough as nails. Her response made him smile. “Yeah we are going to break him out...just have to get some gear and do some Recon.” He said as he started the car. “Ill gladly do it...I need a break from the band scene...they are driving me nuts.” She said.
She drove up to Carlisle Ridge prison in a van with the prison’s logo on the side. A friend had screen printed it for Her last week. She knew she would be seen. It was part of her plan to be seen. Calli stopped the van at a small bridge over the river. She got out and went to the back doors. She pulled out a box and pressed a blue button. She left it next to the bridge and drove on. A short while later she pulled the van off of the main road and on to the dirt road that was on the river side of the prison. The rocks kicked up in all directions as she hovered over the dirt road. She parked the van and Got out. As she did she clicked her stop watch on. She had a good look around. The prison had interior fences and gate. And as was standard practice they had the higher exterior fence. She saw his building, 4J, in the distance. She got out and shook the fence to see how much give it had. The chain link fence barely moved. It was actually double the normal thickness. The gaps in the wire were smaller too. This was a problem. The thickness of the wire increased the cutting time and increased their chances of getting caught. She saw a car in the distance. She had been spotted. She looked at her stop watch. It hadn’t even been a minute. She looked over to the other bank of the river and saw a security camera and a service shed with the prison logo on the fence. The car was getting closer. She looked around. This might go terribly she thought. She climbed into the back of the van and shut the door. The car hovered up and she heard only one door shut. She waited and waited. Feet crunched next to the van. The back doors handles jiggled. She was ready in the semi darkness. The lock popped open and light flooded the van. Calli threw a small black ball and with a hiss and whoosh the van filled with a thick smoke. She moved as fast as a ninja. She hit the unknown assailant with kicks and punches. He hit the wall of the van and stopped moving. The smoke cleared and she frisked his body. She found the security scan cards she was after. She stripped him and bagged up his uniform. The security cards were stuffed in the bag as well. She opened three Jerry cans that lent against the van wall. She smiled. She loved a long term plan. She clicked a charge to the wall of the van and She pressed the green button. A timer started. Calli grabbed her face mask and pulled it on. She got out of the vans back door and she ran to the rivers edge. She jumped off of the bank and hit the water just as the van exploded. She could feel the heat even under the water. She pushed on swimming as fast as she could. A second explosion made her turn around. It was the guards vehicle. She heard the sirens of the emergency services on their way to put out the vehicle fires. She swam on until she came to a bridge. She scrambled up the embankment and opened the box she had left there not even an hour before. It was a mini bike. She unfolded it and stood it up. She checked the battery. 3 hours of run time. Perfect. That would get her to her father’s house. She jumped on and started off slowly. Then she squeezed the throttle hard and the bike kicked and took off. She glanced back and the explosion site was surrounded by fire trucks. They were so spraying white foam over every thing. Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
Nora walked in to the multi storey Carpark next to the prison infirmary. She had always hated parking here as she never rely felt safe. She felt less safe today as someone had blown up two vehicles at the river side of the security fence. She walked hurriedly to her car. She had her shoulders hunched like she was walking in the rain. Her traps were tight. This didn’t help the anxiety she carried with her every day. A car squealed on another level and she jumped at the noise. She cursed. She hated how she felt. She walked around the corner constantly looking behind her. She should have paid attention to what was up ahead. She just about screamed when she saw a large man sitting on her bonnet. An older woman in a wheel chair was next to the car. “Nora...come here my dear...” The old lady said in her raspy croaky voice. Nora inched closer to her. “I hear you are looking after the Ex president...It would be a shame if some thing happened to him.” She said thumping the big man on His huge arm. He reluctantly peeled himself off of the bonnet to hand her an envelope of cash. “Just make sure no one can trace it back to me.” Evangeline said as the big man pushed her wheel chair. Nora stood there, frozen in shock that Artimus' own mother had just given her a stack of money to kill her only son. Did she say anything about This to her bosses? She walked after Evangeline and plopped the envelope on her lap. “I don’t operate like that.” Nora said as she walked off. They were the last words she ever said as the big man pulled out a silenced pistol and eliminated the problem. Nora dropped to the concrete floor. She was dead before she landed. The big man put his gun away and whisked Evangeline to her limo and they disappeared before anyone knew they were there.
Artimus walked gingerly down the hallway. The guard opened the door and led him out side into the beautiful sunshine and fresh air. The shackles were removed and he walked out into the prison garden. He was told to sweep the pavers, which he did without hesitation. After two minutes he heard a sound behind him. Before Artimus could react he was smashed over the head with a shovel. He dropped To the floor. He was on his way back to the infirmary. He woke up an hour later in a hospital bed. His head was pounding. He heard the door open. He thought it might be Nora the nurse he had yesterday. He was a little disappointed when a short wide man in baby vomit coloured scrubs came in and said “Dr said you can go.” And with that he was gone. Nora was way better he thought.
Artimus was walked back to his cell. His head had a Bandage on the back of his head. There was 3 bandages on His midsection too. He was the walking wounded. On the way there a guard asked him if he wanted some protection. He politely declined. The cell door opened and the Mayor hopped off of his bed. The door clanked shut. The guards quickly retreated. Artimus covered him self in feathers. The Mayor leapt at him with a length of metal tubing he had concealed in his jumpsuit. The brown man swung the pipe and Artimus through his fist at it. There was an almighty clang. The tube vibrated so much the mayor had to let go of it. It clanked to the floor. Both men looked at the tube which was now bent into a ‘V' shape. The Mayor was shocked. He was so over confident from getting the former president twice in two days that he hadn’t organised any of his goons as back up. Artimus stood there. He didn’t even rub his hand. It stung like hell but he wasn’t going to let the Mayor know. The Mayor got into a boxing stance. Artimus⁹ smiled. He put up his hands too. Artimus took a minute and adjusted the Mayor’s fighting stance. It had lit a fire under the gruff brown man. He threw two right hand and a straight. Artimus ducked and threw a perfect right cross and it landed on the Mayor’s salt and pepper beard. He flew backwards and hit the wall with a splat. Artimus shook his feathers away. He walked over to the Mayor. He kicked the metal bar under the bed. Artimus checked the big man’s pulse. It was there. Just barely. He got up and decided he let the Mayor sleep this one off.
Emily walked up the hallway to her classroom. The hallway was empty. She frowned. Maybe everyone was already inside. She opened the door and saw one girl sitting inside. It was Charlotte. One of the sweetest, kindest kids Emily had ever met. Her face lit up when she saw Emily. “Mrs Reynolds! I thought you weren’t coming.” Emily smiled. “I guess some people don’t like that Mr Reynolds is in prison.” Emily said giving Charlotte a hug.
Emily and Charlotte had so much fun together during the art lesson. It reminded Emily how amazing one on one teaching was. Emily was tidying up the room as her temple vibrated. The read out in front of her eye said ‘Art board.’ She sighed and pressed her temple. A posh looking woman with a disproving look on her face appeared in front of Emily's left eye. “Doris...always a pleasure.” Emily said with all the fake sincerity she could muster. “Emily as I’m sure you are aware your husband being a criminal is a bad look for the Art centre...” Doris said cutting right to the chase. Emily screwed up her nose. “I don’t think it has Any thing...” Emily started. “How many students did you have today?” Doris asked bluntly. Emily sighed. “One Doris....Just One.” She said feeling defeated. “Well there you go so that justifies my...our decision to suspend your funding until your husband isn’t a criminal anymore but...” Doris said but Emily pressed her temple and cut off the call. She called out to her iLife “Call Reed.” The line rang and Reed appeared in front of her in his workout clothes. “Hey EM...what’s up?” “I want to help with the prison job.” “You in?” Reed asked wiping sweat from his forehead. “I’m in" was her response.
Calli, Reed and Emily sat in Reed's kitchen each with a coffee in front of them. “Surely they have replaced that section of fence by now.” Emily said sipping her coffee. “I don’t think they would have...I shook that thing it was double tough...well it was before I covered it in corrosive acid. The internal fence would be brittle too.” Calli said stretching and flexing her biceps. Emily reached over and tried to squeeze it. It was rock hard. “You’ve been working hard girl.” Emily said. Calli smiled. “These are from carrying this old guy!” She said bumping Reed who smiled. “So this could end really badly for us and Artimus...you two sure you want to do this?” Reed asked. “Absolutely!” Emily and Calli said in unison.
Emily’s iLife vibrated and she answered. It was a young man who she had never seen before. He had spiky blonde hair and he wore a blue polo shirt. He said “Hello Mrs Reynolds, my name is Clyde and I think how they are treating Mr Reynolds is horrible. Im a proud Avian and I want you to know that my feathered brothers and sisters will help you in any way we can.” Clyde said. Emily’s head was spinning. “I appreciate that Clyde, I really mean that. Now approximately how many Avian brothers and sister’s are we talking?” She asked. Clyde chuckled. You name the place and I’ll have 100 thousand Avians there within a day!” He said sounding genuine. “Is Carlisle Ridge prison off limits?” Emily asked. “You thinking a break in?” he asked with no judgement in his voice. “Yeah we are...is that a problem?” She asked shrugging her shoulders. “I can’t speak for every one but I would be honoured to help such trail blazing Avians like you and Mr Reynolds...You guys are like our unofficial King and Queen!” Clyde said beaming. Emily blushed and thanked him. “I shall be in touch with the details.”
Emily and Calli walked through a tough neighbourhood. Gun shots rang out in the distance. Sirens blared as two police cruisers Hovered past them at high speeds. They turned a corner and they saw Two men heated their hands on a flaming barrel. Emily sighed. The city had thrown so much money at these lower socioeconomic areas only for them to lapse back in to poverty. They were headed to Calli's friends house to pick up a custom car. Calli looked nervous. Calli never looked nervous. Emily asked. “Are you ok beautiful?” Emily had called Calli beautiful from the moment they met when she was 10 minutes old. Calli didn’t make eye contact with Emily. “Yeah yeah I’m fine.” She said pulling her leather jacket closer to herself and walking faster. “So who Are We meeting again?” Emily asked. She knew the answer but she just wanted Calli to talk to her. Calli sighed. She knew she was being rude to Emily. “I’m sorry Em...it’s my friend Aztec...she is amazing...and I’m in love with her.” Calli still didn’t make eye contact with Emily. The older woman smiled. She put her hand on Calli’s shoulder. “Does she love you?” Calli shook her head. “Her family is a traditional middle class...They wouldn’t understand.” “But you never know...You guys could work it out long term...like me and Artimus...we got there eventually.” Emily said enthusiastically. Calli nodded. “Yeah you might be right...I know you will love her.” Calli said with a smile. Emily looked puzzled. “What do you mean?” Emily asked “You’ll see.” Calli said winking.
They walked into Aztecs garage and their eyes were drawn to a shiny black 4 door sedan. It was from the 1970s. It had wheels. That was a novelty for Calli who had only grown up with hover cars. A tall muscular dark haired woman walked out from an adjoining door. She was wearing a black tank top That showed off her strong arms and bold tattoos. Her eyes met Calli's and her face lit up. She rushed over to Calli and hugged her. Aztec lifted Calli into the air and gave her a squeeze. “Hey beautiful how are you?” “I’m alright...” Calli said with strain in her voice. Aztec put her down. “Sorry I get carried away when I’m excited!...oh my god you brought Emily Reynolds with you!” Aztec said just a little too loud. Emily smiled. “Nice to meet you!” She said as Aztec hugged her but there was no lift or squeeze. “Oh my god I’m such a huge fan....I have your face on my arm...” Aztec said feeling slightly embarrassed. Emily smiled. “Where? You gotta show me if you told me about it.” Emily said matter of factly. Aztec lifted her left arm up and on there was a tattoo of Mount Rushmore. But instead of Presidents there was faces of famous Avians. Emily and Artimus were there. Reed in his football uniform was too. The fourth was an Avian activist named Derry Davies. He was incredibly outspoken about the treatment of Avians after the battle in Eastview. He was set to speak in front of Congress but he mysteriously disappeared the night before. Aztec put her arm down. Emily was humbled. “I can’t believe someone would put my likeness on their skin.” Emily said. Calli laughed. “I told You didn’t I?” She said. Her eyes shifted to Aztecs beautiful green eyes. “I told Aunt Em here that she’d love you because her face is on your arm!” Aztec smiled. “Why don’t we all focus on the reason you two beautiful Avian women came into today?” Emily and Calli both agreed and They all walked over to the black 4 door sedan. It was a 1970 Chevy Impala. “I squeezed in everything you asked for and a few more things!” Aztec said just a little smile. Calli kicked the tires. “Does this beautiful creature only have wheels?” Aztec shook her head. “I thought I would change it up a bit. But there’s Hover button if the wheels are a bit caveman for you.” Emily sat in the driver’s seat. She was hit with a vision. She saw black. She saw an old lady in a wheel chair giving prison guards and prisoners envelopes of money. She opened her eyes and she was in the present. Aztec and Calli were staring at her. “You ok EM?” Calli asked. “Evangeline! It’s Evangeline! She’s the one behind all this.” Emily said scrambling out of the car. “Whose Evangeline?” Aztec asked looking puzzled. “It’s Artimus' mother...she’s has been trying to kill him for 40 years. If any thing bad happened she was usually behind it.” Calli said. “I can’t believe I didn’t even think of her...she’s an evil genius.” “Is there any way to stop her?” Aztec asked. Emily nodded. She thought back to the Battle of Eastview. After the dust settled and the Avians had set up a new camp. She was in camp one day and she was approached by a man who said he was once in the Anti Avian Brotherhood but had since turned his back on them. He told Emily that his life’s mission was to get revenge on Evangeline And to make her pay for killing all those Avians and for killing her own soldiers with exploding vests. Emily had always kept his contact information just in case she ever had an opportunity to help him get revenge. “I know a guy whose only goal in life is to kill Evangeline so I’’ll give him a call.”
The sun had just set and the last of the light evaporated like water on a hot day. The Chevy Impala sat near the bridge where Calli had left the electric bike when she blew up the van. Emily had just got off a call with Clyde and the busses of Avians should be arriving in a few minutes. Calli sat in the driver’s seat with Reed next to her. Emily sat in the back with Aztec next to her. Aztec wasn’t an Avian but she had always wished she was. Her whole right arm was completely covered in feather tattoos. She was sympathetic to the Avians cause and was willing to give her life for Calli and Artimus. The four of them were dressed in all black. Aztec and Calli were dressed in skin tight leather. They were wearing a new super high tech version of the Crowsuit that Lokan and Wheeler had designed 40 years ago. The crow head helmets were in the boot of the Impala. Emily’s iLife vibrated as she got a message. “We are all here.” It was from Clyde. The 4 of them popped out of the car to see busses as far as he eye could see. But it wasnt just busses. There were car loads of Avians too. And so many Avian on motor bikes. The prison wasn’t going to know what hit it. The lead busses door opened and Clyde popped his head out. All he said was “4J?” Calli called back. “Yep 4J!” He nodded and shut The bus door. Reed, Emily, Aztec and Calli hopped back in to the Chevy. Emily sat next to Reed so Calli could sit next to Aztec. She felt like she was back in junior high school when you would force your friend to sit next to their crush. The prison was about 6 minutes from here so Calli had to say what she needed to quickly. Calli turned to look at Aztec. Calli could not believe how amazing Aztec looked in that Crowsuit. “Hey...” She said tapping Aztec on her huge arm. She turned to face Calli. “I have some thing I have wanted to say for a while but ice been scared to say it. Call it the adrenaline or the fact that we might die today...but I love you and I’ve been in love with you pretty much since the day I walked past your workshop...” Calli said as her voice shook. That was the first time she had been vulnerable In front of some one she cared about. Aztec smiled and blushed. “I feel the same way.” She said as if one thousand pounds of pressure was taken off her shoulders. Calli beamed but She waited for the “But.” “Where’s the but?” Calli asked. “What but?” Aztec replied. “The but where you say you feel the same way but can’t be with me because...” Calli realised she was rambling and she was sweating profusely. Aztec inched closer and put her hand on Calli’s leather clad leg. “There’s no but.” Aztec said as she leant in to kiss Calli. The spark was instant. Emily had told her what the spark with Artimus had felt like. But Calli knew now. She had felt it all the way down to her bones. The two of them were feeling like they were the only two people on earth. Reed's voice cut through the love haze and snapped them back to reality. “We are here.” He said. The car thumped as he pulled it on to the dirt road. The dirt was flattened and there was idle construction vehicles parked on the side of the dirt road. They had learned from Calli's fact finding mission and had been proactive about it. They had started to build a fence. Even if they had built the Great Wall it wouldn’t have kept the Avians out. A little further down the road it became muddier. Reed floored It and the Impala roared and slid sideways in the mud. He smiled. He had driven like this just after the Battle of Eastview when he and Artimus would compete to see who was the better driver. It was almost always Reed. He looked in his year view mirror to Some busses follow him and others kept going. He pulled the Impala over toward the cliff above the river. The busses on the dirt path behind them kept going until the path was full of busses. Reed got out and the 3 ladies followed they heard noises and voices from the river below them. To their surprise, there were 15 boats anchored in the river. Emily waved and the people on the boats waved back. She smiled. The busses door opened and the Avians poured out. Within minutes They had the prison surrounded. Calli stepped up to the outside perimeter fence that had the chemicals splashed on to it when the van had exploded. She held out her index finger. She theatrically touched the fence and it turned to dust and fell to the floor. It set off a chain reaction that was almost beautiful. The parts of fence that the chemicals had touched all disappeared into metal filings on the ground. The Avians cheered. Calli held up her fist. “Charge!!!” The Avians roared and took off towards the secondary fence.
Artimus was asleep in his cell when the Alarm blared. The blue and red lights flashed. The guards seemed to run in panic. A voice came over the PA system and said “Beginning lock down protocol...stay where you are and follow all directions and instructions.” Artimus sat up on His top bunk. He knew the Mayor would try something. He jumped off of the bed to get the large tanned man to show his hand. Artimus' right hand was feathered up. The mayor came at him with a piece of red wood. Probably salvaged from the wood yard. Artimus calmly threw a right punch into the man’s face and he crumpled to the floor. A guard ran up to the bars of Artimus' cell. “You....” He screamed. “You are the cause of all this!” He pulled out his gun and stepped forward. Artimus frowned. “ What are you talking about?” The guard said nothing as chaos still carried on around them. Time seemed to slow down. Quicker than lightning he threw his left hand through the gap in the bars. He pulled the guard into the bars and he punched a feathered right hand at the guards face. The cell door clanged as Artimus made contact. Some thing big was happening. He had never seen this level of madness. He wanted to rip the doors off their hinges but his instinct told him to sit tight.
His eyes flickered. He caught glimpses of things in the room. The Doctors and nurses. The lights. The tray of instruments. The blue sheets soaked in blood. His blood. He tried to sit up but he was strapped in. He tried to speak but he couldn’t focus enough to get The words out. The Doctors shook their heads and one made a throat cut gesture. Orion saw it and that snapped him awake. He pulled both arms free from his restraints. He pulled out all the wires. The Doctors fled the room as security pushed past them. They were brandishing shotguns. The front security guard pointed the gun at Orion. He threw a hand at the weapon. He put his other hand on it too. He ripped the gun apart like it was fresh bread. He punched the other two guards and They flew backwards and hit the wall. He punched the wall and the plaster and bricks disappeared. He jumped out through the hole and he knew exactly where he had to go.
The younger more passionate Avians ran on ahead. Reed hung back at the car as getaway driver. Calli and Aztec kissed and then put on their Crowsuit helmets. They ran full pelt at the interior fence they jumped and both cleared the razor wire at the top easily. They looked up ahead. 4J was not far from here. The looked at the open door that many Avian brothers and sisters had already gone through. Calli pointed in the other direction. Aztec nodded. The jumped 3 more fences and smashed in a brick wall. 4 guards ran at them. 4 heads hit the ground before they could even move. They saw a mass rush of Avians chase a group of guards. Calli and Aztec walked up to cell 4J and Calli called out to Artimus. He got up off his top bunk. He saw two crow heads staring at him. He got flashbacks to Emily wearing it 40 years ago. The two Crowsuit clad figures removed their helmets. Calli smiled and Aztec nodded. Artimus smiled uncontrollably. “Calli...what are you doing here beautiful?” he said almost in shock. He had also called her beautiful from the moment he had met her, the same as Emily had.
The younger more passionate Avians ran on ahead. Reed hung back at the car as getaway driver. Calli and Aztec kissed and then put on their Crowsuit helmets. They ran full pelt at the interior fence they jumped and both cleared the razor wire at the top easily. They looked up ahead. 4J was not far from here. The looked at the open door that many Avian brothers and sisters had already gone through. Calli pointed in the other direction. Aztec nodded. The jumped 3 more fences and smashed in a brick wall. 4 guards ran at them. 4 heads hit the ground before they could even move. They saw a mass rush of Avians chase a group of guards. Calli and Aztec walked up to cell 4J and Calli called out to Artimus. He got up off his top bunk. He saw two crow heads staring at him. He got flashbacks to Emily wearing it 40 years ago. The two Crowsuit clad figures removed their helmets. Calli smiled and Aztec nodded. Artimus smiled uncontrollably. “Calli...what are you doing here beautiful?” he said almost in shock. He had also called her beautiful from the moment he had met her, the same as Emily had. “We rounded up a few friends to bust you out.” Calli said. Her eyes grew wide as a brown man with bandages on His face got up from his bed and lunged at Artimus. Before Aztec and Calli could say anything Artimus raised an elbow and smashed it in to the large man’s face. He flumped to the floor. Calli and Aztec looked at Artimus. “It’s a little game we play with each other. It’s called knockout! We are each on two wins!” Artimus said with a smile. Calli laughed. She grabbed the cell door and she pulled it back wards. It moved a little. Aztec stepped up and grabbed It too. It groaned crunched and snapped. They stepped back and threw the heavy door down with a clank. Artimus sprang out of his cell and hugged them both. Calli was so happy to hug her uncle. Aztec couldn’t believe she had her arms around one of her hero’s. Guards yelled off in the distance. The three of them ran back towards the hole in the wall that the women had smashed on their way in. They stepped over bodies, both guards and Avians. Artimus felt it in his soul. These people didn’t know him personally but had believed In him enough to give their lives to save him. The tears fell as they made their way through the hole in the wall. They were met by 10 guards with guns. Artimus stepped forward. He raised his hands in the air. All their eyes went to his hands. “Now!” He shouted. Aztec and Calli snapped on their helmets and jumped forward kicking two guards each. Artimus covered himself in feathers and flexed them so they were hard like armour. He rushed the three in front of him and drove them into the ground. They didn’t get up. Artimus grabbed one guard and bent his arm back. The guard fired his weapon into the as Artimus pounded his rock hard fists into the man’s kidneys. Calli ran up to one assailant and rested her left leg on His shoulder. He grabbed her leg with both hands. She smiled. She jumped and drove her knee into his head. Not to be out done, Aztec grabbed two by the throats and planted them on their backs with a splat. The last guard looked around at pile of guards. He looked incredibly nervous. Artimus walked up to the man and just said “Boo!” The man ran away screaming. They all high fived and kept moving towards the Impala.
Emily sat on the bonnet with Reed. They watched the chaos. Avians ran back towards the busses. Emily thought it resembled the running with the Bulls. She saw a flash of two figures in black suits followed by a tall figure in an orange jumpsuit. It was Calli, Aztec and Artimus. She leapt from the bonnet and ran to her husband. They embraced and kissed. The spark still present. They pulled back and Reed jumped in front of Emily to hug his best friend. “Hey bud...it’s good to see you!” Artimus said. “You to boss!” Reed replied. “We better get out of here.” Aztec said walking back to the Impala. The five of them piled in to the car and Reed floored it. Artimus smiled. “Just like when we were kids hey bud.” Artimus said tapping Reed on the shoulder.
Orion parked his hover car and walked up to the prison. He had stolen a thick jacket from a man who was unfortunate enough to have crossed Orion’s path. Another man was relieved of his gloves. He wasn’t ready to show off his cybernetic arms just yet. He was hopefully going to show Artimus Reynolds how they worked. Chaos reigned at Carlyle Ridge Prison. Police cars and vans were everywhere. He didn’t need his badge as every law enforcement officer knew who Orion Montague was. He looked around, studying. He said nothing to anyone. He was starting to feel sore but He pushed on. He walked up to cell 4J. He saw a feather on the floor and had he picked it up. He sniffed it. He had Artimus' scent. He loved the idea of hunting this fugitive and the criminals that broke him out. Something moved in the shadows. His hand jerked out and grabbed what ever it was. He effortlessly brought the person in to the light. It was a young Avian man. Orion smirked and punched the man so hard that his nose exploded on impact. The young man flew backwards and was dead before he hit the floor. A prison guard saw Orion kill the poor young man. Orion saw the prison guard. He ran at the man. The guard tried to run away but Orion grabbed the back of the mans head and drove it into the hard concrete. Another guard saw him and fired his gun at him. He ran back to his car and drove back to the city.
Artimus sat on the back deck of the ramshackle farm house that had been in Aztec’s family for generations. The former president sipped a beer as the others chatted strategies of survival. He would join in soon and put in his ideas but right now he just needed some thinking time to process what had happened that evening. So many Avian brothers and sisters had risked every thing to help him. Some didn’t make it home tonight. He had an amazing support network. Emily Reed and Calli were givens as they loved and respected each other. But Aztec? She didn’t have to help but her love for Calli and her respect for Artimus and Emily had made her feel and act like a super hero. He was humbled. He wondered how long they could hide out here. A week? 3 weeks? He knew that all of the law enforcement agencies would be working hard to find them. He shook the thought from his head. They would have to make the most of what they had. They had shelter, a vehicle and fertile land to grow some crops. It could have been a thousand times worse. Artimus looked up at the sky. It was always said that the stars appeared to be brighter in rural areas and Artimus had to agree. It was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. Emily opened the farmhouse’s front door with a creak and a squeak. She walked across the warped and weathered porch to her husband. She sat next to him. He turned his gaze from the beautiful sky to his beautiful wife. “Hey beautiful.” He said rubbing her leg. “Hey...” She said with a heavy sigh. He knew that ‘Hey’ and sigh. Her heart was heavy and he could feel it. “I know I know...” He said replying as if She said some thing. “You can feel my heart can’t you?” She asked rubbing her hand on His back. He smiled. “Yeah I can...let’s see how we go on the run...we could survive...” He said looking deep into her eyes. “I’ll fight for you, for us and for them...” He continued pointing towards the farmhouse. “I’ll fight with all I have...” She said as the tears rolled down her face. She was obviously older and had been through so much with Artimus but he honestly thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. They hugged and knew they could survive anything.
After three days of searching Orion Montague sat outside of the property where they were hiding in. He tried to call for back up but he couldn’t get a signal. Even his arms had started to malfunction slightly as he was so far from the cpu in his house. He decided enough was enough. He pushed the cars start button and the car rose and hovered. He tried to move his left arm but it was frozen. After a few seconds that felt like an eternity. He swore. He felt like a failure. Memories of his father being hyper critical hit him like a wave. He screamed in pain. These episodes had been happening ever since the operation to attach the cybernetic arms. He saw his father sitting next to him. He started to sweat. He tried to breathe through the pain. The little circle on His forearm changed from a loading pinwheel to a solid green circle. The pain subsided and He was free to continue his elimination mission.
Artimus was in the bedroom putting his shoes on. He had just done some work in the fields this morning and had just tidied himself up. He loved the fresh air and working outside. It made his soul happy. It made him think back to the Times just after the Battle of Eastview when he, Reed and Emily had set up a new Avian tent community. Had he been given a little more time in the White House he would have set up a vegetable garden. He was thinking about a coffee.
Emily was in the kitchen baking an apple pie. There were two apple trees on the property. She had picked the apples fresh this morning. This place was Her idea of heaven. It Reminded her of the house they had used as a base before the Battle of Eastview. It provided limited creature comforts but it had the basics covered. She had helped Artimus tend to the garden this morning. She saw Artimus come down the hallway. She knew what he was after. “Coffee?” She said with her eyebrows raised in a comedic fashion. He raised his too. “Coffee indeed my dear!”
Reed and Aztec were in the barn tinkering with the Impalas engine. Those two were forever elbow deep in the engine bay. Aztecs grandfather loved fixing things so the barn was loaded with every hand tool in existence. It was all old school and a little bit rusty but a squirt of WD40 would sort it out. The barn also had more sports equipment than a university. There was track and field equipment and enough baseball mits and bats for a team. Aztecs Grandfather, Gustavo, was a keen collector of everything that wasny nailed down.
Calli joined them in the barn. She kissed reed on the head and Aztec on the lips. She smiled at both of them. They went back to muttering to each other about car parts and accessories. Calli grabbed a javelin from the sports equipment pile and threaded it through the centre of 2 car wheels. She curled the makeshift bar and then shoulder pressed it over her head. The five of them had come here as fugitives but They each had found a happy place. 3 days of idyllic life shattered when a male figure stomped up the dirt and rock driveway.
“ARTIMUS!!!” The man screamed as he stood equidistant from the barn and the farm house. Artimus came outside from the back door with Emily behind him. Reed, Aztec and Calli stuck their heads out of the barn to see what the commotion was all about. Reed had never seen this man before but he could see he meant business. He ducked back into the barn and lowered the Impalas bonnet as quietly as he could. He put the keys in and turned it to the one before ignition. It had no radio so no sound came out. They might need a quick getaway.
The man was wearing a blue shirt with dirty faded denim jeans. Artimus could see the man had large arms for his trim frame. The man stared a hole in Artimus. That’s when it hit him where he knew the man from. He was the leader of the SWAT team that had arrested him at The emergency apartment in DC. “Artimus Reynolds you are under arrest for the 40 year old murder of Dillion Magilicutty, escaping jail and assaulting a police officer...my name is Orion Montague and I shall be arresting you all for your involvement in the break in...” Orion said breaking the beautiful silence the five fugitives had come to love. Artimus looked over his shoulder to Emily. “Google this guy please.” He said. She nodded and took a step back. She tapped her temple and a virtual keyboard appeared. She typed in Orion Montague. After a second a list of items came up. “He’s a fugitive himself...he killed two people at the prison the night we broke you out. He’s been stripped of his badge and he has malfunctioning cybernetic arms.” She said not really believing what she had just said. “You have no jurisdiction here...you are as much a fugitive as we are...leave this place now...” Artimus said in his best President voice. “I...I...I AM THE GOD DAMNED LAW!” Orion said as he pulled off his shirt reveal his cybernetic arms. The skin near his shoulders was a darker colour. Artimus thought the skin might be dying. Aztec ran straight at Orion. He hit her 4 times before she saw his arms move. He picked her up and threw her into the barn. She cleared the Impala and hit the back wall. Calli ran forward and kicked her strong thick legs at Orion. He blocked them all. He grabbed her leg and punched her in the chest. Calli flumped to the floor and gasped for breath. Orion planted a boot in her stomach. She groaned and rolled around. Artimus seethed with anger. He covered himself in feathers. Reed charged fuelled on emotions. He swung wildly. Each punch missing Orion. Reed tried to hit the man in the face but Orion side stepped him as if he was seeing the action in slow motion and could predict Reed’s moves. Reed felt a sharp crack to the back of his head and he dropped like a rock next to Calli who was still holding her stomach and struggling to get her breath. Artimus closed his eyes and said to Emily telepathically "Em try to find out what brand those cybernetic are and maybe we could shut them down.” She nodded. Artimus stepped up and took up a fighting stance. Orion smirked. Orion threw 4 punches but Artimus dodged them all. Orion looked shocked. This was no ordinary Avian. Artimus went for the legs. A strategic move that Orion had expected. Artimus tackled the former SWAT leader. Orion just punched at Artimus’ back and neck. Artimus looked to Emily who was working vigorously to get control of those cybernetic arms. She hacked into the system and tried to find the shut down code. Orion raised both arms to smash Artimus who really felt those previous hits. Emily found shut down code and pressed enter. Orion’s arms were frozen above his head. “No this can’t be happening!” He screamed. Artimus picked himself up and turned his feathers to the razor sharp blades. He made two slices and Orions arms clanked to the floor. “Noooooo.” He screamed as they all heard the same noise that Orion had. Three javelins all flying through the air. The three of them ploughed into Orions chest. The man sagged forward leaning on the three Olympic standard javelins. The five of them Exhaled as the danger had been dealt with. Orion growled and shook, despite having three spikes protruding from his chest. Artimus swiped an sharp feathered tip of his hand across Orion’s throat. His head snapped back and hung there, behind his body. Aztec came limping up with a black tarp. She pulled the javelins out of Orion’s chest and they clunked on the ground with a dull thud. She wrapped him up in the black tarp. She pulled on her gardening gloves and dragged the tarp behind the barn. There was a hole. They all helped her move the tarp in front of the deep hole. “My grand daddy used to argue with people in front of this pit...if he lost the argument then you went In the pit!” She said with dry humour. They all smiled. There was no turning back now. The tarp went into the hole. Artimus and Reed spent the afternoon filling the hole up. They all showered and changed. Artimus stepped into the kitchen. He said so all could hear him. “Family meeting.” They all shuffled in to the room. “We need a plan on how We survive now?...I’m open to suggestions!” He said hoping one of them had a lead or an idea. Emily nodded. She looked at Artimus. He smiled. “Seaside town?” She nodded again. “Seaside town!” Calli, Reed and Aztec looked puzzled
Clifton T Block sat slouched in his well worn chair. He couldn’t decide if he would write about the Avian massacre in the woods or the fact that the last protesting fisherman disappeared. Both pieces needed work and both causes were worth highlighting and bringing it to the publics eye was his trademark. An email blipped into his inbox. The heading read “Evangeline Latrobe is behind everything.” That made him sit up. She was behind everything. Every utility, every business and money making scheme had the Latrobe mark on it. He clicked on the email. He had so many colleagues who worked on their iLife but not him. He had a old school set up. He had a keyboard and a monitor. Inside the monitor was all the modern tech but he thought the outside of it was a nod to the journalists from the past. The Email opened and Clifton read all the allegations about Evangeline and her exploits. He thought about it. There were some serious crimes on this list. Extortion, bribery He thought about it. There were some serious crimes on this list. Extortion, bribery, kidnapping and murder. He didn’t believe it but he understood that you don’t get that rich and stay that rich by being a nice person. He winked his left eye and the menu on His iLife came up. He selected contacts. He said “Call Russ Morecambe.” The line rang. Russ answered the call In his office. He wore a crumpled suit and had 3 days of stubble on His face. “Lemme guess...you got an email about Evangeline Latrobe and the crimes she had committed.” Russ said looking like he hadn’t slept for a week. “Yeah I did...how did you know?” Clifton asked with a puzzled look on His face. “Well it turns out that every single member of law enforcement got this email.” Russ said. “Do you think there is anything in it?” Clifton asked. Russ stretched and yawned. “Yeah I do...I have a feeling my ex partner was taking money from her.” Russ said. “I’m going to see of she will talk to me.” Clifton said. Russ immediately said “Don’t talk to her without me....I will you in Eastview and we can both see what she has to say.” Clifton nodded in agreement. “I’ll meet you there tomorrow.” They both hung up and both said at “this will end badly!”
Way above the town of Eastview sat Latrobe mansion. The definition of wealth and power. The home base of greedy, diabolical and nefarious characters for generations. Evangeline’s 80th birthday party was in full swing. The alcohol flowed and the fancy food was eaten. After the speeches, all the guests sat down and watched Evangeline open her extravagant presents. She opened one and it was an ornate and delicate glass ornament. It had a button underneath that when activated it projected an image on to the wall. Evangeline’s personal assistant Musha put the next present in front of the most wealthy woman in Eastview. She unwrapped this one. A vase. Ho hum thought Evangeline. The next one was un wrapped. She tore through the wrapping paper like she was a kid on Christmas morning. It was a fancy box with a bow. Why wrap a box? She thought. She undid the yellow ribbon and lifted the lid. The box was jammed full of crepe paper. She grumbled as she fished around in the box for her gift. She found it at the bottom of the box. It was clothing and it was heavy. She was hoping it was a thick winter coat. She pulled it out of the box and froze immediately. It was a maroon, mustard and white camo vest with AAB written on it. Musha stared at Ms Latrobe. She went to such trouble to get into that present but she wouldn’t pull it out of the box. Musha grabbed it and pulled it out. Evangeline went white. Panic set in. She tried to get up, tried to run. The vest exploded before she could move. It blew a hole in Latrobe Mansion. The survivors desperately tried to find Evangeline under the rubble. A hidden camera relayed the footage back to Willoughby Daniel. He had waited 40 years for his revenge. He was a fit and physically able 70 year old man. He now had closure.
The police cars flew up to Midas Avenue. Russ Morecambe was at the front of the procession of police cars. He pulled his car up and he saw smoke coming from the house. Part of the living room had been torn away. Windows were smashed and once tidy garden beds were ripped to shreds. The 4 other police cars pulled in behind Russ. Clifton was the last one there. He pulled his hover car up, he Got out and walked over to see Russ.
In the underbelly of the building a timer had started. It was a mischievous device that Evangeline had installed 2 years ago. It was a series of explosives that was electronically linked to her heart beat. Ten minutes after her heart stopped the charges would detonate and take most evidence with her.
Russ and the police officers ran onto the Latrobe mansion. Some form of explosive had blown up the once ornate and classy lounge room. Russ instructed his officers to help the wounded. Officer Malby called control and requested 3 ambulances. Russ looked at the aftermath from the explosion. The decorations told him it was Evangeline’s birthday. He saw the mangled remains of a wheelchair. He pulled a swab from his jacket pocket and ran it along the broken and mangled wheelchair. He slipped it into an evidence bag and hoped to catch up with Buckle to get the swab tested. The EMT officers ran in and Russ directed them where to set up and which patients were a priority. An enormous explosion rocked the mansion. Russ barely had time to workout what had happened when another 6 explosions went off. The symbol of wealth, success and happiness was turned into nothing more than a pile of bricks, stone and glass. Outside of the mansion the garden solar lights flashed red. They weren’t solar lights at all. They were seismic charges. The ground rumbled. Then it shook. Cracks appeared. Explosions went off. The rubble of Latrobe mansion slowly sank into the earth. Even in death Evangeline still managed to cause death and destruction.
Artimus and Emily both sat up in bed at the same time. Something huge had just happened. He felt it in his soul. She felt it in her bones. “She’s dead...” He said in a raspy voice. “Her vice grip on my life is over.” He said but he didn’t really believe it. Evangeline wasn’t the kind of woman who did things of the cuff. She was always 10 steps ahead. Some where in a drawer were instructions of what to do when she died Artimus thought. She was just that kind of person. “She’s really gone..” Emily said thinking back to the battle of Eastview when she went head to head with Evangeline. She was hard headed, motivated and had the money behind her,3 things to avoid in a nemesis. Turns out his nemesis was the one who gave birth to him. He leant over and kissed Emily and told her he loved her. He kissed her again and the passion grew. The love they made had a edge to it. It was a release not just sexually but the fact that Evangeline was dead made Them both relax.
In the morning as the rose and it shone down its warming light on to their slice of heaven. The crops were growing nicely thanks mostly to Emily who had really taken the ball and ran with it when it came to the garden. She had gone two towns over to trade and barter for new seeds and fertiliser. After breakfast Emily got straight into the garden. She raked, pruned and planted a new garden bed with Silver beet. Artimus swept the porch and he fixed the down pipe by the back door. He sat down on the porch and had a drink from his water bottle. He stared at his beautiful wife. Something was different about her. He couldn’t quite tell what it was but she felt it too. He got up and walked over to her little slice of paradise. She was tying up her tomatoes to their stakes. He put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up from tomatoes. She smiled. He smiled. Her heart swelled and His did too. It had only been a few hours but they both knew. They could both feel it. She was pregnant. Experts might advise against having a baby at 56 but even now Emily and Artimus were over the moon. They hugged. Calli and Aztec walked out of the farm house and saw them. Calli looked. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her eyes sprang open. “She’s pregnant!” She whispered to Aztec. “Are you sure? How can you tell?” Aztec asked. “We have been connected since I was born...I can feel it!” Calli said leading Aztec towards the happy couple. “I do believe congratulations are in order!” Calli said. Emily’s face lit up and they all hugged. “You felt it?” Emily asked. Calli smiled. “I looked at you and I could sense something was different.” She said. “I did too!” Artimus said giving her shoulder a squeeze. The four of them hugged. “Where is Reed?” Artimus asked. “I haven’t seen him this morning.” Calli said. “I’ll check the barn.” Aztec said walking towards the large wooden structure. She called out to Reed. “Reed? Reed? You in here boss?” That was her affectionate nickname for Reed. He was no where to be seen. She went to walk back out of the bar but a piece of paper on the Impalas bonnet got her attention. It was a note from Reed. It said
It’s time for me to go. Don’t chase me as I want you all to stay here and live your happiness. Mine just isn’t here. I Will stay in contact but I need to find my own place.
I love you all!
Be safe
Name the baby after me!
Reed Black, the greatest Avian to ever live!
Aztec couldn’t believe it. He’s gone. She read it again. The last line made her laugh. He was a great Avian. She ran out to see the others. "Guys I found a note...he’s gone to find his happiness.” Aztec said handing the note to Artimus. He read it. He couldn’t believe it. They had a beer together last night and Reed seemed fine. How could he have known about the baby? Emily Artimus and Reed were a package deal. They were connected as any 3 people could be. They loved and respected each other and this was way out of character for him. Emily’s heart hurt. Calli didn’t know what to say. She would go on but it would be weird with out her dad. The four of them hugged. “I bet you he will some how open a cafe by the beach Or a tourist spot!” Artimus said. Aztec and Emily nodded. Calli laughed out loud. “Yeah that’s something dad would totally do.”
Her Taxi pulled up in the small hills town. It was way out of the nearest city. The taxi had gone on a freeway and through a tunnel. The sun was shining and a slight breeze made nearby flags ripple and dance. She tapped her finger on the green square and a green tick appeared. The taxis door unlocked and she got out. The trunk of the car opened. Sophie found it funny that the voice over In the Taxi had called it a ‘Boot.’ It made her laugh. She had had never travelled outside of the United States of America so this packing for a country that is opposite land. It blew her mind. Australia was a world away from America but the weather was opposite to whatever was happening in the US. The time zone was different. In the US day time It was night time in Australia. Her body didn’t know what time It was. She grabbed Her bag from the hilariously named Boot and the taxi Hovered off with a beep beep. She walked up the steps to a Cafe. The big blue sign said ‘Callahan’s Short Black.’ She thought. A nice little nod to his adoptive Father, Callahan. There were A few tables and chairs outside with couples enjoying the mid morning sunshine. Sophie smiled. She opened the door and a bell dinged. The cafe walls were lined with paintings of birds, mostly crows. A sleeveless sports top sat in a glass frame on the wall. The colours of red blue and yellow caught her attention. Especially when She saw the team’s mascot was a Crow. She smiled. That made sense. “Sophie?” a male voice asked from behind her. She spun around and there was Reed. He was wearing a grey t shirt and a blue apron. He was holding a tray of coffees. He quickly off loaded them to a table of eager customers. He ran around the tables and chairs like he was running around cones at Avian Football training. He grabbed her and lifted her into the air. His back twinged. “Oof.” He said. He put her down. “Sorry I’m not twenty any more...but You make my heart feel that way!” She smiled her cute smile and she pushed her over sized glasses back in to position.
It was another 5 months before Calli and Aztec told Artimus and Emily that they were leaving too. The two young women had lined up jobs in Canada. Calli would be taking the position of Park Ranger. Aztec commented that the biggest perk of the job is that Calli would always be wearing tight pants. Aztec Got a coveted job at a mechanics called Finelli's. It was a highly sought after job. She beat out 45 other candidates. They were all men. Aztec loved that. They had a beautiful last meal together. Emily was in tears the whole time which she blamed on her pregnancy. Artimus knew that it was more to do with Emily seeing Calli and Aztec as her daughters. He loved that she was so invested in these women who weren’t her child so it showed how much she would love her actual child. As they drove away in their beloved Impala. Artimus turned to Emily and said “Do you find it weird that we feel like empty nesters but You are 5 months pregnant!” she laughed. They could still hear the roar of the Impala. "Is it too late to beg them to stay?” Emily said as the tears returned. Artimus hugged her tight. “It’s their time." She nodded. They had fought so many battles in Their lives. No longer did they fight their battles with Crowsuits and Feather armour. They fought for each other every day. They walked back towards the house. She was his Queen. He was Her King. A love that everyone who knew of it learned some thing from it. A love that started with a touch that ignited a spark that turned into an life long inferno.
One year later.
A large plastic tub sat in a lab in the middle of New York city. It was a well kept secret. It had been there for forty years. It was three feet by three feet. The tub contained 3 different chemicals, each separated into its own section. A red light was illuminated under each chemical. A green light sat unlit next to the red. Each section led to a central pipe that led into the ceiling. A timer ticked down. It had started at three hundred and sixty five days and now it was at ten seconds. There were identical plastic tubs in cities all over the world. All with identical timers. Five seconds. Evangeline Latrobe would haunt the world from beyond the grave. With the installation of these devices forty years ago she made sure she would change it forever. Two seconds. One second. A beep went off as the red lights switched over to their green counterparts. A hiss filled the room. The chemicals bubbled as they were turned to a gas and pumped out in to the air of What ever major city the lab was in. Each of the chemicals had a purpose. The first could kill you within hours. The second was as addictive as heroin and ice put together. The third had mutative properties and would give the victim the taste for human flesh. Mix the three together and you have a catastrophic event that could end the world in a few weeks.
Artimus and Emily sat on a blanket with their 7 month old Archie. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. It was a moment of sheer perfection. He laughed and smiled. Artimus laid down and shielded his eyes from the sun. Emily shuffled over and laid her head on Artimus' chest. More perfection. Emily closed her eyes for a split second. Every thing went black. She saw something. Something couldn’t make out what it was. Gas pouring out of a building. Then she saw the violence. People attacking each other. Others dying. Then there was the desperation of the addicted. They needed a fix but there was nothing that came close to the hit they got when the gas was released. Emily snapped back to the present. Artimus looked at her. She was sweating and was as white as a sheet. “Em...what is it?” he said. “The world is in terrible danger...Calli, Aztec and Reed will need our help.” She said tears streaming down her pale white cheeks. Artimus hugged her and then picked up Archie. “Alright then let’s call them and see if they need us and We can bring them back here.” He said knowing what they all did for him. They broke into a federal prison and set him free. It was his turn to help them.
Artimus Reynolds part 4 sneak peak!
The world was plunged into chaos when the mysterious gas poured out of secret labs in all major cities. Artimus and Emily were still living in the farm house. They were adjusting to life as new parents. Their son Archie lit up their hearts and their love for each other was as unbreakable as ever. Calli and Aztec were living and working in the small Canadian town of Perfet. Reed was running a coffee shop in the Adelaide Hills town of Hahndorf. The five of them were separated by many many miles but the love they all had for each other kept them close.
Artimus ran through the farm house. He grabbed clothes and stuffed them in a bag. He did a basic toiletries because even if he had to save his friends he didn’t want to smell like a sweaty sock. He packed up what ever fresh food they had and put that in a box. He bagged up whatever tinned food they had and rushed outside to the armoured Ford Explorer they had ‘borrowed’ from the good people of two towns over. He threw the bags in the back. While Artimus was inside the house, Emily tried to call Calli Aztec and Reed again. Each time the calls wouldn’t connect. He ran over and tagged Emily. She gave him Archie, who seemed oblivious to the peril the world was in. Lucky him. Lucky little Archie Reynolds. Artimus ran his hand through the tuft of wispy dark hair. Archie said “Daddda daddda mmmumma" Artimus smiled for the billionth time since Archie was born. He thought back to all the times the pregnancies and IVF treatments didn’t work. Dark times. The darkest of times in Artimus' mind. The death of loved ones, A war with humans and being imprisoned were nothing compared to not being able to give his wife a baby. But here in his hands was hope. Hope in its purest for. A hope worth fighting for. Artimus tried to call Calli Aztec and Reed As well but the calls failed every time.
Emily dashed out of the house letting the screen door swing and it Hit the wall with a bang. It sprang back and shut with a groan and a creak. She hustled to the truck. She put her two bags in the back of the Explorer and ran back to Artimus and Archie. They smiled at each other. The spark was alive and thriving despite being sleep deprived as Archie always wanted to see what 3am looked like. Artimus clicked Archie in to the car seat and locked up the farm house. He checked on His automatic watering system. His vegetable were going to be booming when they got back with all their friends. He then walked to the barn and picked up a gym bag. It was full of hand made melee weapons. He wasn’t a gun guy and Emily hated them too. He heaved the heavy barn door closed at padlocked it. The bag clanked as he put it in the back of the Explorer. He got into the drivers seat. The beast of a SUV turned over and roared to life. Emily had an idea. She unclipped her seat belt and got out of the car. She grabbed a box and ran to the vegetable patch. She filled the box with tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers. She ran back to the Explorer. She slid the box onto the back seat and she got back in. “Better?” Artimus asked. She threw a tomato to him. He caught it no problem. “Better.” She said biting into her tomato. It was so juicy she slurped. Artimus put the car into drive. “Don’t get that juice on my seats!” He said pulling the car into the man road. The rusting wreck of Orion’s car sat on the side of the road. Over the last year he had stripped it for parts to sell and barter with in the surrounding towns. “Your seats? We stole this car!” She said with a laugh. “Yeah I know but...yeah...I got nothing!” He said with a laugh. Archie laughed too which made Emily and Artimus keep laughing. This car full of happiness and love heading towards death destruction and mayhem.
Calli came home before Aztec. The cabin they lived in had views of the lake and the snow capped mountains beyond. Prefet was a really small ex-mining town. It boomed in the 80s, went down hill in the 90s and had repeated the cycle twice more over the years. Old abandoned mines littered the landscape. Calli had said that she would love to but some land and develop a housing estate. She had the perfect name for it, “Callahan Heights.” She never met her Grandfather but from Reed’s stories Calli had built him up to be her hero. A squirrel darted in front of her. It changed directions twice and then knew where it wanted to go. She smiled. She felt like that squirrel. She had done so many things over the years. But as soon as she met and fell In love with Aztec she knew who she wanted to be. She went into the log cabin. The smell of dinner hit her. She had prepared dinner the night before. A slow cooked venison stew with potatoes carrots and green beans. She put the slow cooker on when she left the house in the morning. She gave It a sir and a taste test. She thought for a minute. She cracked in salt and pepper. She tasted it again. Much better she thought. He walked through to the bathroom. She stripped off her park ranger uniform, got naked and turned on the hot tap. She hoped in and stood under the water. Her day was always long and hard. She knew Aztec would be home soon and that made her day. She turned the water off and dried herself. She put on a matching red bra and panties, Aztecs favourite. She looked at her self in the mirror. Her new eating and training plan was working and her body showed that. She wasn’t as big as Aztec but that was a goal of hers. She put on tight blue leggings and a loose yellow sweat shirt. She walked into the living area and she called for the Tv to come on. The news was the first thing she saw. The middle aged white man with combed over hair and a dad bod said that there had been gasses pumped into city’s all around the world. Calli looked shocked at the death and destruction. She had no idea one of the 3 symptoms of the gasses was in a Chevy Impala on its way towards their little slice of heaven.
Leon Grey was a nothing of a man. An invisible figure. One of those people you don’t want to sit next to on the bus. He was on a quick Holliday in New York on the day the gas was released. He got on trains, busses and cabs. He touched hand rails and didn’t cover his mouth when he coughed or sneezed. He flew back to Vancouver then drove to Perfet. He walked back into work feeling worse for wear. He craved something. A high. He tried coffee but that didn’t even touch him. He brushed against a co-worker and coughed. She thought nothing of it. He felt jittery and cold. Then hot. His mind raced. He needed something now. It wasn’t a want. It was need. Like breathing and a heart beat. To him the high he needed was as integral as the basics of life. He coughed in his hand this time but He was holding a spanner. He put the spanner down and walked out of the workshop. His female colleague tidied up the work shop. She picked up a socket wrench and a spanner.
Aztec drove the Impala home as the sun set for another day. She knew that Calli and herself were working alot but they were building a new life from scratch. She pulled the large black car into the log cabins driveway. She felt weird. Like she needed something. She kicked herself as she had passed two gas stations on the way home. She grabbed her bag and turned off the mighty rumbling engine. She walked up the four steps to the front door. She felt a head ache coming on. Calli opened the door from the inside as Aztec went to put her hand on the door handle. “Hey it’s Hannah White!” Aztec said with a smile. “Hey It’s Olmec Santana!” Calli responded also smiling. These were their undercover names. They had a bit of fun with them. Calli Liked the name ‘Hannah’ as it was a little nod to her Grandfather Callahan. She was already name after him once. Why not twice? They were still considered as fugitives along with Reed, Emily and Artimus. They hugged and kissed. Aztec put her work bag down and picked up Calli. Both of them erupted into laughter as Aztec held Calli Like a baby. She carried her One day wife through the door to the kitchen. The smell of the casserole made her hungry. Calli stood up and kissed Aztec again. “Dinner smells amazing beautiful...i just need to go to the bathroom first.” Aztec said as she walked through to the shared bathroom. Aztec needed a fix of something. It wasn’t like her to feel this way. She opened the medicine cabinet and pulled out all the pain killers they had. She opened all the little orange containers and shook the pills into her mouth. She turned on the faucet and drank down the pills. She did another mouth full of pills and water. She felt a little bit better. Aztec stuck her head out of the bathroom door to check if Calli was coming. She was still in the kitchen. She put all of the pill bottles away and flushed the toilet.
Sophie was enjoying her holiday to Australia. Reed had taken her to see all the different Animals at a farm not far from his Cafe. She loved the Emus. They had walked to a strawberry farm and picked as many strawberries as they could carry. They were staying in the Adelaide hills region. She was supposed to go back to the US but this gas release and the problems caused by it kept the planes grounded. Reed was going to have the day off with her but two of his staff couldn’t come in. So as the owner of the business he stepped up and covered the shift even if that meant ruining his date with Sophie. He sent her in UBER. She wandered around the city of Adelaide. She loved the two silver balls stacked on top of each other that sat proudly in Rundle Mall. She walked up and down the shopping precinct. She found a great coffee shop. She thought she could ask Reed if he ever thought of putting shop here in the city. This gas release was a bit scary but it hadn’t happened in Adelaide. For too many years Adelaide was seen as the little brother of Australian cities. Major music acts skipped over Adelaide and it was always seen as a ‘B' grade city. Even the catastrophic event like this gas release had missed Adelaide. Or so everyone thought. Tucked away in a room in the museum that no one knew was there, sat a large tub. A tub identical to the ones from the major cities. A timer ticked down to zero. The red light switched to green and a familiar hiss filled the room. The wind had picked up. The flags fluttered and danced. Sophie had walked all the way Up to the large sports arena called Adelaide Oval. The wind whipped around. She felt a liquid on her face. She looked skyward. Not a cloud in the sky. It was time to go she thought. She tapped her temple and pressed The Uber app icon that appeared in front of her eyes. As the car pulled back into Reed’s driveway Sophie realised she was hungry. A hunger she had never felt before. Reed wasnt home yet so she used the spare key he had given her to unlock the door. She made a beeline for the kitchen. She tore through the cupboards. She munched a whole packet of crackers in five seconds flat. A bowl of apples didn’t last long at all. Sophie couldn’t control herself. She just kept eating but nothing satisfied her. There was a knock at the door. Her head snapped around. She sniffed and grunted. She stomped down the hallway. The postman stood on the doorstep. He had three large boxes to deliver. He smiled when He saw Sophie walking towards him. It wasn’t something to smile about.
Artimus and Emily pulled the car into a rest area. They had really made good time today. Shorter breaks and they got moving early as Archie thought 4am was a good time to wake up. Emily got out and went to the toilet. Artimus tried to call through to Calli and Aztec. He still couldn’t get a line out. Emily came out of the toilets and made a drink motion with her hands. Artimus gave a thumbs up through the windshield. Archie woke up as soon as the car was turned off. That was his baby quirk. Emily returned from the small cafe with a coffee each and a melting moment.
He sniffed the air. He could smell him. He smelt delicious. A few days ago he didn’t think of eating flesh. He used to be Brett Gates, a husband and a father of 2. He used to have hopes and dreams. He also used to have thoughts. But since the gas was released he only had one thought. Flesh. He needed it. He had to have it. He snuck up on the car. The man was gone and the woman would be a good snack. He roared as he jumped at the woman. She turned and rolled clear. He slammed his head into the car. He bounced back and screamed in pain. She ran up and kicked him in the head. He stumbled back wards. He realised he was by the child’s seat. He clawed at the door. It was locked. He bashed on the door. Artimus heard Emily scream. He came flying out of the bathroom. He saw the man clawing at Archies door. He feathered up and grabbed the man by the collar and belt and drive his head into the window. He did it again and the window smashed. The man’s head ended up on Archies lap. He began to shake and then he screamed. “Ohhhh my head...why am I in this car?” he said. “You were acting like you we’re going to eat my son.” Emily said. “I was what?” the man said. Artimus reached in and pulled the man’s back through the window. He ran as soon as Artimus let go of him. Artimus went to chase him but Emily put up her hand to stop him. “Let him go...He was affected by that gas I read about in the paper...Archie healed him!” Emily said not believing her words. The last 40 years with Artimus had been unbelievable. Artimus nodded as he Got Archie out of his car seat. “Maybe that’s why were the chosen ones...because We needed to make him...when the world needs him.” Artimus said brushing safety glass off of Archies car seat. He passed Archie to Emily..
It had just ticked over to midnight. Calli was sound asleep. Aztec was wide awake. She had had 2 more lots of pain killers but they didn’t really do anything for her. She had gotten through dinner and some intimate time with Calli. Aztec smiled at The thought of Calli in her red bra and panties. But now in the dead of night she couldn’t ignore the feeling. The need. The need for a fix. It nagged at her. Calling her. She pulled the covers back. She got dressed in black jeans and a black singlet. That was standard Aztec. She snuck out side and slipped on her dirty work boots. The Impala would wake Calli if she started it. The roar and rumble could wake the dead. She put the car in gear and took the handbrake off. She put two strong hands on the bonnet and pushed. The car started to move back wards. She drove with her thick strong legs and the car picked up speed. She grabbed under the front bumper and put all of her weight down to stop the car rolling backwards. It stopped after 5 feet. The Impala was now in the road. She ran to the drivers door. She turned the wheel and ran behind the car to push from the trunk. She placed her hand and was about to give the car a mighty push when Calli's voice cut through the cold night air. "AMARANTA ZAMORA MONTAZUMA!” Calli said with her hands on her hips. Aztec knew she was in trouble as Calli never used Aztecs full real name. Calli stormed over to Aztec who looking like a scolded dog. “Where in the hell do you think you are sneaking off to?” she asked in a voice louder than she meant to. Aztec sighed. There was no point lying. Calli was amazing at spotting a liar. “I think I have the symptoms of that gas from the news. I feel like I need a fix even though I’ve never done drugs!” Aztec said honestly. Calli stared at her. After a moments she nodded. “I believe you...i want to help...i could tie you up until the craving passes?” Calli said meaning every word. Aztec burst into tears and the two women hugged in the middle of the street.
Reed stacked the chairs on the tables and swept the floors. Just before he cleaned the machine he made himself a cappuccino. He stood and sipped his coffee. He thought what 17 year old Reed would say if he saw 57 year old Reed standing in his own successful business? He probably would have told old Reed to lay off of the Cinnamon Buns reed thought. That made him smile but it was true. He had put on a few pounds or kilos as they use here in Australia. He did think of joining a Gym or he might even give this Aussie Rules Football a go. He had gone to a game at Adelaide oval a few weeks ago and he fell in love with it. The speed, the tactics and the fact that you could pretty much drive a man in to the dirt and get the ball to kick as a reward! He loved that about the Aussie Rules. The main thing he loved was that the Adelaide Football Clubs mascot was a Crow! It couldn’t have been more perfect. He finished cleaning every thing and he turned off all the lights. He locked the doors and set off for home. He couldn’t wait to see Sophie. As He rounded the corner and saw a Post Office van out the front of his house. The engine was still running but the lights weren’t on. This made Reed a little worried. He walked up and turned the van off. He looked towards his house. He saw the front door was all the way open. He slowly walked up to the entrance and then he saw the blood and the drag marks up the hallway. He stepped over the blood and made his way into the lounge room. He could hear chewing and slurping. He thought A dog or a cat might have dragged a bird inside. It was so much worse than that. He rounded the corner and saw Sophie chewing on what used to be the postman. He stood there frozen to the spot. Sophie sniffed. Then she sat bolt upright. She turned. She smiled. It showed her teeth covered in blood. It dripped down on to her chin. In a gruff voice she said “Don’t worry sweetie...your next! She sprang at Reed with a quickness that he wasn’t expecting.
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Haunted By The Past (Artimus Reynolds part 3)
Teen Fiction40 years have past since the Battle of Eastview. Artimus Reynolds is married to his childhood sweetheart Emily and now resides in the Worlds most powerful office. His past nips at his heals and sees him go from a Armani suit to a orange jumpsuit. ...
