Opaque

10 | Hands Up

"If you fall behind, run faster. Never give up, never surrender, and rise up against the odds." - Jesse Jackson

               Chapter Ten

Agent Beta and I shared a look and began pursuing him.

My legs were protesting and my back hurt from all the exercise I had today, but adrenaline was pumping through my blood, propelling me forward at the speed of a tiger.

He ran through the hallway doors, deliberately slamming them behind him, but I quickly slid through the small gap before they closed. I cursed as a spark went up my back. Running was painful enough, but dodging doors and moving at angles only enhanced the pain.

He ran down the circular stairs to the lobby with me only a few feet behind. I reached out to grab the back of his collar, his hair, or his shirt, anything to stop him, but I missed by a few inches. 

Almost tripping over my own feet, I slid down the banister and jumped off. I bit my tongue as another painful spark went up my spine. I really needed to get checked by a doctor. 

Agent Beta came down from the stairs and, aiming her gun at him, yelled "Stop or I'll shoot."

He didn't stop to listen-criminals never listened to orders from cops. He ran out of the lobby doors with Agent Beta and me running after him as fast as we could. By the time we got outside the school, he had already started his motorcycle and was half way down the street.

"Shit, he's getting away," I exclaimed, watching as he sped away.

"Here," Agent Beta said, turning my attention to her.

She approached a teacher, who was just getting into her car, who just happened to be my biology teacher, Ms. Lambert.

"Ms. Lambert, we are sorry to disturb you, but we need your car right now," I said, keeping an eye at the man, who had surprisingly stopped at the stop light. At least he was a good driver. 

"We promise that we'll bring this car back to you without a scratch," Agent Beta told her when Ms. Lambert looked at us reluctantly.

After a moment's thought, she said, "Is it really an emergency?"

Watching him get away, I yelled at Agent Beta, "Get the car, I'm going to chase him on foot."

I didn't stick around to hear any arguments. I began running, my sneakers hitting the pavement loudly, and I almost reached the stop light as it turned green. 

I cursed my luck. Nothing was happening the way it should. I pulled out my gun to shoot, but he sped away without turning back to look at me. I began running, turning the corner abruptly, almost running into pedestrians.

He drove ahead at full speed. Perspiration began running down my face, my hair clinging to my face, as the sun glared down ruthlessly at me. The pavement began to look like a grey mess, the blocks seemed to go on forever, as I continued to push my muscles as hard as I could. 

Right as my legs began giving up on me, Agent Beta approached me in Ms. Lambert's car. Without stopping it, she unlocked the door, kicked it open, and I ran inside the car. Closing the door, I gasped for air. Even though it had only been a week since I had chased someone, my legs still hurt from the exertion.

The roads were beginning to fill with cars, as people left work and headed home, making it hard for us to keep the man in our vision. 

"Drive faster," I exclaimed. He turned the corner abruptly, making us turn right at alarming speed, causing me to fall back against window.

"I'm going as fast as I can," she yelled back, fighting to be heard over the sound of horns and strong wind coming in through the windows.

"It's not fast enough," I grumbled, acknowledging that she could not go faster without crashing but still hating the situation.

"Wear your seatbelt," Agent Beta said, her eyes fixated on his motorcycle. I took her advice.

I tied my hair into a low ponytail and filled my gun to the max.

"What is he doing," Agent Beta exclaimed as he made a left turn onto oncoming traffic.

She steered left as well, making sure not to lose him. My heart pounded against my rib cage. Car's honked all around us as we sped down onto the highway faster than the speed limit.

"This is illegal," I said, my throat slightly raw after shouting on the top of my lungs. As I swallowed my saliva, my throat hurt. I was parched. 

"Can't you drive faster," I exclaimed, not being able to stop myself, as he steered in between cars, trying to lose us.

"I'm already going forty over the limit," she yelled.

"We're going to lose him," I said, as she tried to steer the car between two trucks.

"Do you want to drive," she yelled, as I placed my head out the window to try and shoot his vehicle down.

"No, I'm good," I responded.

My shots zipped over his head, barely missing him as he ducked, and hit a truck tank.

"Shit," I yelled. I held my breath as I waited for it to explode, but nothing happened.

"I was sure that it'd explode," I said, getting inside the car again.

"Be grateful it didn't."

Cars began slowing down, heavy traffic forming, but he didn't slow down. Instead he took the closest exit and I braced myself as Agent Beta steered to the right, slightly scratching the car next to us, leaving behind a cursing, loud mouthed, angry woman. 

He turned left onto an abandoned neighborhood and I sighed in relief as the streets emptied out. He was now plain in sight, making it easier for me to shoot at him.

My first shot bounced off the motorcycle and shattered the window of a parked car. I shot again and this time, the bullet brazed his shoulder, causing him to lose control and fall down.

Agent Beta hit the brakes, but I got out of the car before it came to a full stop. He screamed in pain as his left leg, stuck under the motorcycle, was crushed.

"Hands up," we both shouted as we approached him with our guns aimed at his head.

He struggled to raise his arms, having been shot in one, and we ran to him just as the police cars arrived behind us. Agent Beta moved the motorcycle as I dragged him out from underneath it.

Three police officers ran towards us just as Agent Beta took out her badge. Showing it to them, she briefed them in on the situation. One of them took out his handcuffs and handed them to me as I pulled the man's hand behind his back

"Name?"

"Chad Meyer," he said, grunting in pain.

"Well Chad, since you didn't tell us the easy way, you're going to have to spend a night or so in jail until you're good and ready to speak to us."

He yelled as I accidentally placed pressure on his wound.

Making him stand, as his leg showed only minimal damage, I handed him over to the policemen who placed him in the car. The police cars sped off, their sirens blaring, and within minutes, the street was emptied, leaving behind Agent Beta and I to figure out the man's identity.

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