Hacker

Chapter eighteen

Macy rested her forehead on the chilly window pane. Her breath causing condensation to form little crystals on the glass and making the deserted street outside look foggy. The cobble stones glimmered lightly from the recent rain and the rare shine of the moon. Macy sighed and shuffled uncomfortably on the sill, one leg drawn up to her chin.

"I could be doing so many important things" Macy said to the empty room. She was not surprised when the large black work table and the multiple gizmos and trinkets scattered about did not reply. Speaking to oneself was the first sign of madness but Macy had conceded to that fact a long, long time ago.

"I could be out looking for Alison, working on the anti-laser shield, eating a pizza. But, Oh no Lucien could not have that, could he? He needs me creating stupid, bloody useless cloaking devices" She irritably tucked an errant strand of blonde hair behind her ear. Three of the completed cloaking devices sat on the worktable along with four smoke bombs and a half eaten cookie. The devices resembled a duck egg except they were coloured an off orange and could easily fill one hand.

"Like we’re ever going to need them" Macy muttered. Lucien was out doing something important and headquarters was basically abandoned. He obviously thought Macy was not ready to partake in in mission. Dionysus’s Den was a very popular bar and was usually teeming with customers but Doc had had it shut down for the ‘Big Operation’. Making the bar incredibly more boring. Only the Doc and a few newbies were left behind to hold the fort.

"And me" Macy sighed again. Her breath fogged up so much of the glass that she had to wipe it away with the back of her hand to see out. Macy’s bored gaze suddenly turned to a wide eyed stare. Every muscle in her body froze, her breath hitching roughly in her throat. Below on the not so deserted street stood two men, dressed in entirely in black. Macy blinked, rubbed her face and double checked that her eyes were not deceiving her. The men were covered in thick black cloth from head to toe so that no skin showed whatsoever. Two slits where their eyes should be allowed the men to see but apart from that there was no break in the cloth. They were not particularly tall or muscular but each movement that the men made spoke of danger. Even the way they stood was precise and reminded Macy of a lion watching a baby buffalo flounder in mud, waiting to strike. And kill. They were the Death Seekers.

A twisted bundle of fear wound itself throughout her limbs, paralysing her. Macy knew who or what those men were. She also knew that the odds of her living through this night had just lessened significantly. The men were joined by another. I need to do something, Macy did not, could not move. We’re dead already the thought sparked a flame of anger in her mind, it burned away the fear like gasoline. If she was going to die she would at least do it fighting, next to her friends. Something that could never have been an option in the inner city, Macy drew comfit from that.

Springing to her feet Macy gathered up the cloaking devices and smoke bombs, slipping them into her pocket. A large hammer was also picked up, the hefty weight reassuring in her hand. Glancing to the window once more, Macy discovered that the men had vanished. They were inside. Her heart leapt straight into her mouth and the odd sensation that she needed to vomit swept over her. Sneaking to the door on shaky legs Macy turned the handle slowly. Wincing at every creak and ear-splitting squeal. Why hadn’t she oiled the hinges? The hallway was eerily vacant. The light from a single flickering candle casting sinister shadows on the dark floorboards. She had to alert someone, anyone. The Doc would know what to do. An image of the Doc lying in his surgery, limp and bloodless. His glasses shattered and his arm at a funny angle came unbidden to Macy’s mind. She shuddered. It was not too late yet.