BLACK INK SOCIETY {Sci-Fi Thriller} #Wattys2016

Part 8,1: Fight or Flight

Dante sprinted across the backyards, jumping over fences and destroying carefully selected flowerbeds. Who actually had the time to choose flowers matching the colour of their garden furniture? That was insane. No rants about society now. Run, dammit.

He dodged another shot and almost tripped over a lonely garden gnome. The armoured security agents were slow, but they had guns. Non-lethal ones, still, if they caught him, his life was over. He needed to disappear into the alleyways, into the shadows, on the rooftops. That was his natural terrain, there he was unstoppable.

You genius. What alleyways?!

Dante heard his heartbeat, so loud it was echoing in his ears. He didn't dare turn around to take a look at his pursuers, he would only lose the valuable distance between them. Why did these houses all look the same? Outrunning police in the crooked maze of the Newham estates was a piece of cake. But here? He was exposed, directly in the line of fire. Damn all peaceful row housings. Blood ran down his heels, shards had ripped open the skin on his legs and arms. The gas still made his lungs burn. He needed to catch his breath.

He spotted an open balcony door two houses away. It was a crazy, desperate idea, but what if he could outrun them this way? Burst through the door and get out on the other side? There were still the tenants though. Dante rolled his eyes. His old neighbourhood certainly did have its advantages.

Someone came through, you say? Nah, we didn't see nothing. Heard nothing, either. We don't want any trouble here.

He doubted it would be that easy in this part of town. He had to trust his luck on this. But it couldn't be helped; if they kept shooting at him, they would eventually score a hit.

He darted sideways into the backyard, leapt up and clung to the balustrade of the balcony. The heavy steps were coming closer, there were two who still followed him. Dante pulled himself up and jumped over the handrail. A new wave of bullets swished over his head. He ducked down, bolting through the door.

Someone screamed.

An old lady stood right in front of him, frozen like a startled rabbit. Dante grinded to a halt. She stared at him in utter disbelief, and it came to his mind that a young delinquent bursting into her living room might be somewhat of an unusual sight for this woman. He tried to figure out whether to just run past her or to try and convince her of his innocence. Which was probably a little optimistic, considering the fact that he had just broken in through her balcony door. The gunfire started again.

She screamed once more and hid behind the sofa, while Dante managed to shout "Apologies!" before pounding down the stairs. His pursuers hammered at the back door.

"Madam, open the door!"

Fuck.

He heard the old woman hurrying down the other staircase. Change of plans. Dante turned on his heels, headed back up the stairs and ran in the opposite direction. He reached the balcony in the exact same moment the armoured men were kicking in the door. Those two would of course not be charged with vandalism, he thought. Wait for it...

"Where did he go?"

"This way, he went this way!" the old lady answered in a voice high-pitched with excitement, which caused the security agents to head straight towards the front door.

Dante grinned. Nope. He didn't.

Then he jumped off the balcony and ran like hell.

~

Lupin wasn't quite sure what to make of the situation. Firstly, there were three broad-shouldered, body-armoured fellows following him and he had nowhere to run. He almost laughed at the irony of this déjà-vu. The South-Edge-Job was not exactly his most glorious achievement, and now the incidents apparently came back to haunt him.