Zero Sum

Cleaning Up the Muck and Mire

"Modus." Rock repeated aloud. "I can't believe I am helping that piece of shit."

"Well that piece of shit has, for whatever reason, taken a fancy for you," quipped Kyra.

Rock walked a bit without speaking, "only because he knows I am able to get things done."

"Looks like one of his errand boys is here now," Kyra motioned with her hand and one of her floating screens enlarged.

On that display it showed a fellow in a green track suit. He was just getting finished parking the bicycle he had rode all the way here in. Once he was satisfied it was safely in place, he waved in the direction that he knew they had a camera hidden.

"I will never understand why a fellow like that is working for Modus," observed Rock. It was a valid point. This fellow was grinning ear to ear all the time he was waving. "How a chipper fellow like that joined up with a fiend like Modus is beyond me."

"Whatever it is you think of him, he is your ride," Kyra said expectantly. She raised her eyebrows when Rock looked at her. As if her brows were saying to him, 'don't keep him waiting.' 

---

"Are you comfy back there?" John asked Rock after he had gotten into the back seat of his bicycle.

"Fine," Rock retorted. Somewhat annoyed that John went off the beaten path for their meet up with Modus. Out here in the country roads. Not another person for miles around.

The morning sun was glaring down at them now. Wind raced against their faces. This had to be some sort of test, thought Rock. Why else would he be stuck glued to a bike with this John guy?

"We should be at the meet in about fifteen minutes," added John.

This only served to annoy Rock even more. He and everyone else knew that on his own, Rock could make that meet in a fraction of that time.

"Great," was all that Rock managed to muster out of his mouth.

Obviously this was no ordinary bike. Although it was equipped with pedals, the thing moved at more than five times the speed of a regular bike with each pedal. 

Rock had to hand it to John for at least one thing. The path he had chosen was indeed a scenic route. Here in an area far from the city, the rolling hills outside of the urban area could be appreciated to their fullest. It was as they passed over a stream along this route that they were attacked.

The enemy struck first firing weapons from a spot hidden in the trees. The cowards. And it would have been a quick kill. Except that John saw the attack coming.

The glasses he wore not only made him look like a gigantic nerd, but also allowed his eyes to see in frequencies all across the invisible spectrum. Built into the lenses was also an AI that displayed on the inside where only he could see. Their purpose was to constantly analyze his environment and warn him of danger.

Before the first shot was even fired, these glasses detected unusual heat readings, which warned him of a potential attack. He swerved his bicycle ninety degrees, making it sit perpendicular to the path they had been on. Causing his bike to wedge itself into the ground, as John effortlessly lifted himself from the seat.

When the shots fired hit, instead of landing on their intended target, they bounced off the reinforced alloy of his custom-made bicycle.

"A little bit of warning next time," Rock mentioned to John. Although, Rock was sure that the possibility of his being harmed from getting thrown off of a moving bike was minimal, is something that John was fully aware of.

Rock had been ready to chastise him for being so reckless. But, getting a glimpse of a serious looking face on John, one that he had never before gotten a look at, gave him pause.