Shards

Shard and Techie Flash in the Back Kind of Way

"Your parents kicked you out last night and you had to sleep in an alley? I know about that fun life. Although I was the thing people are scared to find in alleys," Shard says, "But maybe that means you'll finally take us up on our offer and join us? We can house you up and everything. HB isn't short for Home Base for no reason. It's quite the cozy camp. Although, we'd probably find something in the city for you to avert suspicion."

"Maybe I'll join up one day if you don't kill us," Xander says through gritted teeth. He holds onto Shard for dear life. "But if you wreck us or my bike, I'm not goin' anywhere near you or your dad's crew, again."

Wind whips around the two of them. Dust and dirt spray them whenever Shard pulls off sharp, circular turns. Big rocks and uneven ground constantly threaten to throw both of them airborne, but Shard doesn't care. He's intentionally launched the two of them in the air a couple times before the ramp-shaped rock broke on Shard's third round. Xander built the bike for speed and agility but has never gone this fast in or on any sort of vehicle.

The Outskirts had become a sort of escape for Xander. He understands why the Chromies love it so much. It's far enough from the city to where Squad and other unwanted eyes won't watch them. The crazy accusations about the place also help keep it empty from curious people. Despite its desolation and ominous landscape, it's the perfect getaway from stress.

"How can you build such badass stuff but be such a wimp? You're the one who built it to go this fast. Why not use it?" Shard says through the speaker in their helmets. "I shouldn't even have to wear this helmet, but you're such a prissy, protective little sister."

"No. I'm a cautious man," Xander says.

Shard takes a sudden sharp turn. Xander lets out a yelp. The bike nearly falls on its side but the young men manage to recover.

Shard laughs. "No. You're such a pussy."

Xander hits the back of Shard's head. "You're such an asshole."

"The shittiest one you'll meet."

"Yeah. You ar- Hold up!" Xander says.

"What?"

"Go back, man! I saw something," Xander tells Shard.

The seriousness in Xander's voice slows Shard down. Xander points the way to turn back.

"Ya sure you wanna go back to look at whatever you saw?" Shard says while scanning the horizon.

"Yeah," Xander says.

The flash was quick. Whatever it was, it almost looked human-shaped, small human-shaped. It wouldn't be the first person or body to be found out here. Shard carries many stories of people being found out here - runaways as they are called. Shard himself was a runaway found in the Outskirts.

But not all those found in the Outskirts are true runaways or runaways that should be helped. Shard categorized himself as one of those who probably shouldn't have been helped, but Hatchette being the one to find him and discover with his father who he was saved him from a fate he thinks he should've had.

Xander wants to know if he has had his first runaway spotting. He tells Shard what he thinks he saw, which gets Shard more interested in finding this possible person. Searching for almost an hour in the hot, desert-like landscape comes out a bust.

They get off the bike to stretch and drink water from their canteens.

"There's nothing out here but rocks," Shard says. "You sure you weren't just seeing things or even pointed in the right direction?"

"I'm sure," Xander tells him.

Shard stands a bit more straight. "Hold up."

"What?"