Homesick

Chapter 16

Making our way through the West Square was now easy. The streets were deserted, no carts were being pulled around and the few last-minute stragglers had now safely evacuated to the tunnels. The roads were bare, no cars zoomed around the wet road and the tall lamp lights were flickering ominously, creating shadows on the ground.

The only sound that could be heard was the occasional splash as Jack stepped in a puddle and our feet echoing across the wet pavement as we made our way closer and closer to the tower. The tower was now towering above us and was gleaming and radiating with dangerous blue energy - which i knew was dangerous enough to wipe out the whole of New York and every last citizen.

"I can now see where it's getting all that power," said Jack, pointing at the tall electrical line. I looked up. I could see that the tower was connected by wiring to the tall electrical line that ran across the cityside. It was the main and biggest electrical source the people needed, so the whole of New York depended on it to survive. The tower was now absorbing all of the electricity, fuelling itself. The tower was now shining with neon blue, but the city still had power.

"Looks like if we disable those weapons, then New York will have a blackout," said Jack.

"They're underground right now," I remembered him. "They won't need power and i reckon a few must have brought flashlights."

We hurried off to the centre of the city. Suddenly, it became aware that there was a faint whipping noise coming from behind us. Jack was still walking. I stopped in my tracks and the whipping noise against the wind gradually became louder and louder. I tugged Jack's arm.

"What?" asked Jack quickly, wheeling around, his hands around his belt.

I was about to answer when the whipping noise became so loud and clear that the trees began swaying abnormally, side to side and the leaves on the ground began blowing away in the wind. My hair was whipping all over my face and as i pushed it clear i saw a helicopter. Its blades were whipping furiously and they had turned on a spotlight, waving it around madly, trying to detect someone. Twice it passed an inch before our feet. I looked up at the helicopter and saw a clear black 'C' engraved on the side and i instantly knew who had sent those helicopters.

"Jack! These helicopters are Claw's!" I shouted through the noise. "They must've knew we were going to stop him tonight! He's onto us!"

"What?" he repeated, shielding his eyes from the light. Then his eyes locked dead on Claw's logo and meaning spread across his face. But just as he realised, five more helicopters zoomed into sight, all waving their spotlights on the ground to try find us. I realised that we didn't have much time.

"We need to hide," said Jack frantically, talking very fast. The helicopters were advancing closer and closer to us. "Anywhere!"

I looked around wildly and saw a clump of bushes. It wasn't the perfect hiding spot, but it was better than nothing.

"Jack, listen to me," I ordered, trying to whisper. "We hide behind those clumps of bushes-"

"- they'll find us, it's too obvious-"

"- we just stay there until they find us," I said firmly. "We have nowhere left to run."

"We can't-" began Jack but i cut over him hurriedly.

"Jack, i've spent my whole life running away from my problems but i can't always just keep avoiding it forever," I said truthfully, and i didn't just say this to convince him, i said it because i meant it. "I've got to turn around and face my fears... now go!" I added sharply.

Jack looked at me for a second, then shook his head and we began running to the bushes. The helicopters flew further ahead and was now searching the bushes on the opposite sides. I turned to Jack, who was peering over the bushes with worry.