The Resistance

Chapter-16

Robert's voice crackled in. "You will have to wait for five minutes tops while I hack into their security system. I'll tell you when to go."

Rachel and I stayed silent for some time looking out of the window. Below us, on the left side a beautiful city stretched as far as eye could see. There were brilliant yellow and red lights on the street. On our right was as expanse of woods filled with trees covered with thick canopy, wild herbs and shrubs, and thick ivy. Directly in front of us was the BMX.

Rachel broke the silence. She asked, "How do you know Robert and Susan?"

I was taken by surprise. I said, "You know, I always didn't live with my Martha and Walter (Adopted parents). I used live with a guy called Jake. Well you asked me before that how do I know how to jack cars? Well he taught me. He taught how to live in the streets, the mean streets."

"For real?" Rachel asked with surprise.

"Yeah. Well, Jake knew Robert while they were in the military together. They were really good friends. We would occasionally catch drug dealers who were going out of control. For that, we took Robert's help. He would track the criminals down for us and Jake and I took them down. He also used to supply us with the firepower we needed."

 "What happened to Jake?"

"He died in an accident."

"I'm so sorry Jake, I had no idea..."

"Hmm, yeah I don't look like a guy who knows how to fight. I probably look like a nerd."

She ignored the statement and asked, "So, were you still in touch with Robert when you know, Jake died."

"Yes. Robert happened to be a friend of my parents. So I occasionally went to their house. Robert's quite busy though, he is working on a project for the government."

"He works for the government?"

"Yeah, he makes them UAVs with strong firepower, wireless microphones and-"

"Yeah yeah, got it. What about Susan?"

"Susan came into the picture after Jake died. She is married to Robert. Well, if you haven't figured out by now, she is a doctor, a neurologist. Enough about me, tell me about you."

Rachel was so stunned. She had no idea that a handsome and innocent boy like Jason had such a dark side. He had lived in the streets where an ex-military guy trained him. He used to take down drug dealers and keep the city safe. Sounded like a hero's story to her. Her story was far different.

She said, "My dad is Quintus Swan. You must know him." She saw his face. Expressionless. No surprise.

He said, "Yeah, he is a billionaire but he was arrested a few years ago because he was involved in some case. Intelligence says he was working with the mafia. After a lot of questioning, the jury gave the verdict of ten years of imprisonment."

She nodded. She said, "As he was involved with some dangerous people he wanted me to be strong. He dragged me, against my will to violence. He forcefully taught me how to use a gun. He asked me to choose a secondary weapon of choice.

"I chose the staff. I choose it because it had no pointed ends and I thought it couldn't do much harm. I couldn't be any more wrong. The staff was as lethal as a gun. It could disarm two people at once and strike them. No matter how much I wanted to dislike it, I couldn't. I loved the agility and grace of the staff. My father assigned a teacher who taught me all the techniques he knew. In two years I became professional.

"When, he was imprisoned I left the house and went to live with my uncle in Dallas. I couldn't let my father spoil my soul anymore. I joined the school and led a normal life ever since."

At that moment a voice crackled. Robert said, "Okay hacking complete. Now I have complete visual of the BMX. Whatever they are seeing from their cameras, we can too. Or I can. Whatever code green, you are free to go."

Jason took out the gun from the kit. The gun was a metre long with an arrowhead poking out of its barrel. Jason pointed it to an elevation on the roof of BMX, the bowling alley. Jason pulled the trigger.

The arrow zipped through the air along with a metallic wire behind it. It hit the outer wall of the bowling alley. The arrowhead severed into three parts, each having micro-filaments that associate so closely with the molecules of the wall that it is almost impossible to separate it.

Jason pulled out a couple of pulleys from the kit and handed her one. "You ever zip-lined before?" he asked her. She shook her head. "Me neither." He said before taking off with the pulley.

She placed the wheel on the metallic wire. Her gloves were strapped on to the handle of the pulley like a Velcro strap. Then she took a deep breath and jumped.

The wheel smoothly slid on the wire as Rachel zipped forward. Cold air was hitting her face as she was gaining speed. She had a look downwards and her stomach did a somersault. She was so high above the ground that she felt nauseated. Then suddenly the view of the street was blocked out by cement slab.

She realized that she reached the roof and let go of the handle. Her velocity was too much as she hit the ground and rolled over. After colliding with a wall, she came to rest. She groaned and stood up. Jason was already there taking cover behind the wall, looking at the number of soldiers there.

He looked at her and said, "You ready?" She wiped off the dust from her black suit and said, "As much as I can be."