Marked

Chapter 8

I woke up with the car screeching to a halt, sending me tumbling off the backseat. I tried my best to not fall asleep on the way to the other gate, but I did anyway.

Sitting up, I looked out the window to see we were nearing the gates. The line was filled with cars that wanted to leave. They looked annoyed. These must be the other people from the last gate.

As we approached the guards of this gate, I, again, felt the nervousness blooming in my stomach as I remembered the number of ways this could go wrong. It seems my anxiety has increased with the coming of the mark, which is great. I would just have to trust Alec and Tari.

Vincent and Casey should be nearing the restaurant now. It shouldn't take that long for them to get there, but it will take longer for us since we had to drive off course to get to another gate. I just hope I get there before nightfall.

The thought of Vincent and Casey only made the nervousness and worry grow. What if they didn't make it? What if they had gotten caught? What if the allies didn't let them stay there until I got there? What if they didn't believe them? I've seen what they have done to imposters, and I don't want that to happen to my friends.

As the gate guards grew closer and closer, my worry grew and grew, until, finally, we came up to them.

"Officers Smith and Jones," Tari flashed both of their ID's as she spoke, "we wish to progress out of this sector in order to properly incarcerate this woman."

The officer glanced through the back window at me, then looked back to Tari and Alec. "Can I scan for identification." It wasn't a question, more of a command. The tone of his voice was flat, as if he was bored of the whole thing.

Alec and Tari looked at each other, and I knew - even without being able to see their faces - that they had thought of the fingerprint identification. I could tell they were hoping for the guard to forget. They were hoping that we didn't get caught. They weren't prepared. I thought they new what they were doing.

"Fingerprint, miss," the guard commanded after Tari had given him her ID. As Tari took the glove off her right hand in order to scan a fingerprint, Alec leaned back in the seat like he was just resting, and, not making eye contact once, he dropped a key to the ground. The movement was so swift and well thought out that I don't think the guard noticed.

The message was simple: 'Uncuff yourself, we might have to run.' The gesture filled me with reassurance that the people I was with were people I could trust, and were people who had every detail planned out.

The gate doors opened for the car in front of us and the light went red in the fingerprint scanner as I uncuffed myself. The fingerprint was false. Imposter.

"I'm gonna' need you to step outside ma'am." Tari did as she was told, and the officer pinned her against the car, with her hands behind her back about to cuff them.

Another guard came to check Alec's fingerprint and ID. As he stepped out of the car, he unlocked all doors. The signal to run.
Tari's officer still was searching for his cuffs, Alec's officer getting the scanner out, and the gate was still open. I pushed the door open, knocking down the few officers who had gathered by the door, most likely to escort me to another area.

And I ran.

I ran with speed I didn't know I had. It would seem that, with my kind of job, there would be a lot of running involved. Nope. Just sit, watch, count, wait. That is all there is to it. Normally.

Not even seconds later, I heard the pounding of feet on the pavement close behind me. Whether  it was the guards or my friends, I didn't know. I didn't dare look back.