To Be A Leader

Chapter 45: Hot In Here

"Woohoo!" Nadia cheers, and I tense as wind rushes by me. She revs her motor, laughing like an excited child. "Ah, adapted bike is working like a dream, Five. Thanks for coming to test it with me. I am running rings around you!"

Nicole rolls her eyes, crossing her arms as she watches Nadia ride around in her bike. "How long do we have to stay out here again?"

"You didn't have to come, you know," I reply, and the taller girl shrugs.

"I know, but it's not like I can do much else. Sam doesn't like giving you away that often, so I couldn't run the mission, and this is a mission of lesser importance, so I can come out here and actually do something. Unlike you, my rest break from important missions is permanent."

"Oh, because of your hand..."

"Yes, because no one seems to understand I have two hands and can shoot just as well with my left as I could my right." She sneers, but then relaxes. "But at least Nadia's having a good time."

I hear Sam laugh over my headset. "I can't believe Amelia managed to get that out together for you, Nadia. Where'd she even manage to get the parts?"

The bike comes screeching to a stop, and Nadia kills the motor. She frowns, her furrowed brows hidden beneath her bright pink glasses.

"It wasn't her. It was me. I designed it. Put together a spec. I wanted something that would go at a fast running pace and would go for days without a battery recharge. Amelia just advised me on who to do swapsies with to get what I needed. These handlebars? Literally, it was a chain of about eighteen swaps. I think that piece of moon rock from the science museum was in the chain somewhere."

"Uh, okay," He says, sounding impressed. "Uh, well, you've tested it pretty convincingly on a variety of terrain there. Now you're halfway up the mountain and uh, yeah-just about edging into Cleft Ridge Settlement territory."

"I'm guessing they aren't our friends, judging by how you said their name," Nicole asks, frowning when Sam scoffs. "What? You don't expect me to keep up with all these stupid ass names, do you? I swear you guys just use a random word generator to create your township names."

"Well, every place with normal names has been destroyed or put in peril at some point. Red Settlement was invaded with zombies, Noah Base was invaded and I was captured and tortured, and Abel has been blown up, overthrown, and is facing invasion-"

Sam is cut off by the coms door opening and closing.

"Mr. Yao, a matter of urgency," Janine says in a clipped voice. "Which runners do we have in the field? Anyone near Barnabas Enclave?"

"See?" Nicole says in exasperation.

"Um, well, yeah," Sam says, ignoring her. "Runner Five and Nicole are out with Nadia near-ish there. What is it?"

"Ah, Miss Al Hanaki, I see your adapted vehicle is working well. Excellent. I have a matter of the highest importance for you. Listen very carefully."

"Because I will only say this once," Sam jokes, his voice becoming low and serious. I bite my lip to keep from laughing.

"I will repeat it as often as needed, Mr. Yao," She snaps, "but time is of the essence. The Minister is planning an invasion of Abel Township. We learned that she was sending out her invasion plans, but not precisely when or where. Dr. Kitnis told us which of Sigrid's generals and aides had the weakest security systems-"

"Yes, Janine, we heard all this three days ago," Nicole interrupts, and I stare at her, horrified. Sometime I forget how blunt Nicole can be, even to people with power.