Mayday Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Mark checks that that the small group of people have made it back to their vans and cars. He turns on his flashlight to look into broken shop windows. Once he sees that all the shops are basically empty he makes his way back to the van. He places his hand on the handle and slides the door across. Lola is lying on her side, her eyes are closed and her breathing is slow and steady. He smiles as he slides the door closed. “Were good to go Hayley” Mark says as he sits on top of the blankets.

“Ok we should reach the station by morning, try and get some rest” Hayley says.

“Yes ma’am” Mark says while fake saluting. He goes to the back of the van and quickly turns on his small laptop computer. The fan is silent thanks to his modifications and the sound has been removed. He only used this laptop for night time messages and modifications. The windows 10 start-up screen had appeared and his private area had loaded. He presses the button that automatically links him to a skype messenger. The messages read:

Robo101: Anything to report?

MAR23: All quiet, apart from a girl we found hiding in the city today.

Robo101: A girl? Specify

MAR23: She’s young. No more than sixteen, tanned skin, light brown hair, her names Lola sir.

Robo101: Lola eh? Did you get a last name?

MAR23: Negative sir

Robo101: Well good work for now. Keep me posted on any activity

MAR23: Sir

Mark sighs and closes his computer, placing it underneath a flap in his bag. I can’t keep this up. The guilt’s killing me. I know I can stop but I don’t want to. After what I’ve seen…… I can’t stop. Sighing again Mark makes his way over to the middle of the van. Lola mumbles something in her sleep. Mark looks away ashamed and mumbles “I’m so sorry, you really are too young for this” Turning to face the door he lies down and his eyes slowly close.

Hayley pulls the van over after two hours of driving. Her watch says four fifteen in the morning. “I should stop driving at night, my visions getting worse…..aaaand now I’m talking to myself yay for insanity” Hayley laughs to herself before stepping out of the van and stretching. “Man, going on the run really does age you a ton.” Hayley then climbs to the top of the van using a ladder that is hanging off the side. She sighs as she keeps watch. I’m starting to think that were not gonna get out of this alive” Hayley shakes her head. “No I can’t think like that” She turns her head to the north. In the distance a faint glow emanates from within the city walls. We may not destroy you, but I’m not going down without a fight.

Slowly the sun begins to rise. It’s eight AM and a cold October breeze blows over Hayley’s sleeping form. She shivers and groans as she slowly opens her eyes. “Ahh why do I refuse to wear a jacket” She sits up and rubs her eyes. Her neck and back are stiff and she notes that her hair could do with a wash. She climbs down the ladder and goes to the main van door. She slides it open slowly. Mark is already awake and busy with one of his guns. Once he sees Hayley he smiles and waves.

“Morning’” He says sleepily.

“Mmmm morning” Mumbles Hayley.

“Someone hasn’t had their coffee this morning.” Laughs Mark

“I would drink coffee, if a certain someone didn’t keep stealing it” mumbles Hayley angrily. Mark just laughs and hands her a half full jar of Nestle coffee. Hayley grabs it from him and walks over to a small portable kettle at the side of the van.

“A thank you would be nice yano. Anyways I’m off for a walk bleep me if you need me” Mark walks past Hayley and slides out of the van. Hayley laughs and turns her attention to her coffee.

Mark walks and walks until he finds a small forest area. He heads inside and finds a small spot by a stream. He sits and closes his eyes. Images of past events flicker through his mind. “Daddy where are you going?”

“Daddy has to ummm...Work son.”

“But...But you just got home and you said you would play.”

“I know but something’s come up. Why don’t you go upstairs?”

“Ok daddy”

Mark gasps and opens his eyes. He shakes his head. “God I hate those memories” He sighs and closes his eyes again. “Daddy why are the grey men here?”

“Because they could use someone like you Mark my boy”

“Yeah but in my class people are saying bad things about the grey men”

“Yeah well they don’t know them very well, now off you go”

“No daddy I don’t wanna” Mark cries as the men grab his arms and drag him to a waiting car outside.

“No son of mine will become a rebel.” The man turns to the men in the car. “Use every treatment you have. Just make sure it works.”

“Yes sir.”

“Daddy please daddy!”

Mark jumps and almost falls into the stream. His breathing is heavy and his eyes are weird.

*Machine Crackles* “Mark come on we’re leaving.” Comes Hayley’s voice from his wrist communicator.

*Machine dies* “Dammit I forgot to charge it again.” Mark turns from the stream and makes his way back to camp.

Mark eventually arrives back at the camp.

“What kept you?” Asks Hayley. “I was starting to worry.” Mark smiles and feigns shocked placing his hand on his chest he says:

“You care? Oh my god Hayley you have feelings?” he sniggers and walks past Hayley.

Hayley punches him gently in the arm. “Shut up you; remember that I was the one who saved your ass.”

Mark sticks out his tongue and makes his way back into the van. Hayley hops in the front and starts the engine. She picks up a walkie talkie and begins to speak into it. “Hayley to units 1 and 2 we should reach the city limits in two days, until then we should have an easy ride. Just be vigilant and bleep me if you need anything. Transmission end” Hayley places the walkie talkie back into its holder. She places her foot on the accelerator and pushes the hand break down.

Mark sits on the blankets fixing a laser pointer he had found the other day. Lola is staring at the wall and sighs. “You bored?” Asks Mark.

“Yeah I guess it’s just weird not having to run constantly” Lola says as she looks at Mark.

“Yeah it would be pretty weird.” Laughs Mark.

“Were gonna be driving a while aren’t we?” Asks Lola

“Probably why?” Asks Mark

“Well you seem to fiddle with a lot of things but never finish fixing them. I was gonna ask if I could help.” Says Lola happily.

“You know a lot about technology then?” Asks Mark sounding interested.

“Yeah, it’s older stuff though. I have no clue about new tech.”

“But you’re too young to know about stuff that was made in the early 2000’s.” says Mark

“You’d be surprised. Now schooch over and let me help.” Laughs Lola.

“A little girl like you, doing a man’s job, it’s a bit risky don’t you think?” Says Mark sarcastically.

Lola shoots him a death glare and goes to push him over. That’s when the van suddenly stops. Both teens go flying and hit the end of the van. They groan and sit up. “Hayley what the hell!?” Shouts Mark. No reply. Mark and Lola open the van door and make their way to the front driver’s seat. Hayley is no where to be seen.

“This can’t be happening” mumbles Mark as he searches the van. Meanwhile Lola looks in the other cars and vans. All are empty.

“Mark! Everyone’s gone!” Yells Lola.

“I’m coming Lola just wait there!” Shouts Mark. He begins to walk towards the other cars when he is blocked by a red barrier of some sort. “What the hell is this?” Mumbles Mark. That’s when a robotic voice begins to speak.

Hello Marc. It’s our new weapon. It separates an individual into a world of their own. That’s why you can’t see your group.

Mark glares at were the voice is coming from. “You said you wouldn’t hurt anyone as long as I gave you all the information I had.”

That is correct. I haven’t hurt anyone. If I’m being honest I would say that you are the one who will be hurting people. I mean just imagine the look on Hayley’s face when you her trusting mechanic and right hand man get to the city and the one who turns on them is you. Now that sounds far worse than what I’m doing.

Mark glares in the direction of the voice. “I don’t have to turn them in, I won’t let it happen.”

Hmm well see about that. It would be a shame though, after all these years with Hayley and her team that one little voice from a machine could tell her everything.

Mark’s eyes widen. “You wouldn’t” He takes a step back. “You can’t break our contract now, not after I fulfilled my part.”

The voice laughs. Oh that’s what you think my dear boy. You humans really are stupid; you really shouldn’t trust a computer. The red lines begin to fade and Mark begins to panic.

“No please I’ll hand them over if you want but you can’t tell Hayley or Lola or anyone. Please. You promised” Mark sees the red lines fade and his vision turns to black.

Hayley blinks and opens her eyes. In front of her is a large black room with red lasers over the walls and ceilings. “What happened? What is this?”

Hello Hayley. My name is CIT1EE. I have been hunting you and your group for a while now and I believe that the time has come for us to meet. You see over the last five years I have eliminated every crime; I have cleaned up cities and eliminated world hunger. I have destroyed every government in one single go. I… The voice is interrupted by Hayley laughing.

“You are too funny, honestly. Yes you may have done all that but you left out several major details. One to destroy governments you almost destroyed the world. Secondly, by creating new cities you forced people to live the way you want. And thirdly you have killed innocent civilians for talking against you, now either I’m crazy and I’m the only one who’s seen this or me and my fellow rebels have a reason for fighting against you and your entire regime”

The voice sighs. Hayley. You really aren’t in the best position right know to give a critic on me. Now either you shut up and let me speak or I’ll have to use force. Hayley glares in the direction of the voice.

“You aren’t even here, I don’t respond to empty threats.” Hayley smiles triumphantly.

The voice laughs Oh Hayley my dear you really should’ve kept your mouth shut. For a moment everything goes eerily quiet. That’s when the pain hits. Hayley screams as a burning sensation flows from her neck all over her body. It feels to her as if her insides are being burnt alive. She is paralysed from pain.

“Stop!” She yells “I’ll be quiet, just make it stop” A few seconds later the pain lessons and Hayley can move again. She looks back at the direction of the voice.

That should be proof enough that I’m kind. That was only setting two imagine if I changed it to setting five. Now I advise that you listen carefully to what I have to say. Are you listening? Hayley remains quiet except from her heavy breathing. Good girl, I believe that you have a boy on your team named Mark. Isn’t that right? Hayley nods slowly, unsure of where this is going. You found him just outside the city four years ago didn’t you? Again Hayley nods. It really pains me to say this but, your closest friend and right hand man Mark, has been spying on you for the last four years. The machine pauses for a moment as Hayley’s eyes widen with shock and hurt. Every detail of every mission, every discovery and raid that you have made or found has been reported back to me in great detail. He messaged me with the details nearly every night and it has been so helpful. The machine chuckles to itself. All these years that you thought you were outsmarting me, well all it really was was a waiting game for you to get close enough to the city on your own accord and for us to attack you. Infiltrate you and your team from the inside was the only way that this feat could be achieved. Now I want you to know that at the start Mark didn’t want to spy on you. Oh no, he idealised you and your little band of vermin, he took a bit of persuasion but we got there. And now four years later the day has arrived, the day when I finally get to meet you Hayley. The machine goes quite and after a minute Hayley realises that it’s waiting for her reply. She opens her mouth but no words come out, she’s in shock.

“Ho...w could he do this to me…to us” The words come out in no more than a whisper. The machine laughs again before saying; the look on your face right now is priceless I must say. Anyway now that we’ve had our little chat I must leave. I hope you make the right choice here and turn yourselves in. Good day. The red lights begin to fade and Hayley’s world turns to black.

Authors Note: I am planning on writing this as a proper book. This means that the chapters will be long and take longer to update. Reviews would be helpful and virtual cookies will be given to anyone who does.

Killjoy-writer