Chapter 1
PHOENIX CITY
The gears drop and tires squeal around the corner.
People crossing the street, yelp and scream as barrel through them. Sounds of jets come from overhead. I look up and the Phoenix personal flight suits fly over, tracking my movements. The team of four let out cracks of sonic booms as the fly past me, go out over the mountain wall, turn and head back my way.
“Wicked.” I grin.
Horns blare, I look behind me and four Enforcer cars are on my ass. Their sirens sound off, echoing off the skyscrapers that whizz past me.
The chase is on it seems.
I twist the throttle and kick into a higher gear.
Weaving around traffic, the buildings and people on the sidewalk turn into a blur.
I watch the road ahead and try to work out a plan.
“PULL OVER!”
I glance over my shoulder at the demand from the lead cars loud speaker.
I smirk. “Sorry, I’m not that easy.”
I sit forward and pop the clutch. My black, unmarked motorcycle roars to life and shoots up 2nd main street.
The Enforcers are keeping up nicely. Good for them. I applaud their efforts.
I speed past a red car and jump the walk to pass two other cars. People scream and jump out of the way as I swerve to get back on the road.
“Trish. On screen.”
‘Activating onboard visor.’
My black helmet lights up with a computer screen on the inside of my blacked out visor. Maps and locations of the Enforcers show me what to do next.
“Trish, Comms.”
‘Connecting…’
My black leather covered legs hug the bike as I gear down and squeal around the corner at the top. I pass the pack house, and hit the throttle.
‘He's on Wallace.’
‘Cut him off at 1st.’
The communications of the Enforcer patrol cars enters my helmet.
My visor flashes and I look past it. Six cars block the street.
“Nice. I like that.”
I speed up and head straight for them. They get out and aim weapons at me. As I invade their zone, I pull up my front tire. Shots are fired as I climb my bike up their cars and drive over them.
‘FIRE! FIRE!’
Bullets spark off my bike as I ride from one car to the next. I throw top gear and jump off the cars onto the road. My back tire burns out, I take off down the sidewalk and back onto the asphalt.
‘Who is this guy?’
‘He’s fucking nuts.’
More bullets were fired at my back and I hit a button on my bike panel.
Grey smoke releases behind me, turning the area into a cloud.
‘MOVE!’
‘TAKE HIM DOWN!’
I look behind me as the cars begin to turn around in the haze.
“Good. I was hoping you wouldn’t give up.” I chuckle.
I lean deep and turn onto 1st main street.
As I rock my bike around cars, I see the mountain road. My escape. As I get closer though…
“Shit.”
The pass is filled with Enforcers and guns.
“Not that way. Plan B.”
My bike speeds past the mountain road and they fire on me.
I duck as a bullet ricochets off my helmet. “Oof…Rude.”
I shoot them an annoyed look and my bike hits the next gear.
People are stopped as the chase races by. Cars are stopped and pulling over.
“Thank you.” I nod to them as the preverbal wave parts.
I look down the street and see five more Enforcer cars coming up the street toward me.
‘He’s got nowhere to go.’
“Really?”
I slam my brakes, lean and pull my bike into a 90 degree turn. I straighten up, hit the gas and drive over the concrete median. I cross the other two lanes and race off the road into an alley.
‘Damn it! 2nd street! 2nd street!’
My engine revs down the dimmed alleyway. I maneuver around garbage and splash through puddles.
A delivery truck sits in the way. There’s just enough space between it and the building for me to fit. As I approach, a door opens and a man peeks out.
“MOVE!” I roar.
Surprise fills his face and he slams the door just as I was about to hit it.
My bike threads between the two and I blow out a breath, shaking my head.
My visor pinpoints all the cars. They’re coming back around.
‘Car 16. What’s your location?’
‘Coming your way, 23.’
I power shift through the exit and onto the side walk. My back tire slides as I turn. People jump out of the way in shock.
Six cars turn onto 2nd from the top.
‘Careful. This guy’s insane!’
My helmets calculates and more cars turn onto 2nd at the bottom in front of me.
‘You wanted alerts for Lycan activity. Processing now…’
A news clip appears on the left side of my tracking system.
‘Five dead in Axelridge today. The recent Lycan attack was one of the worst the city has seen in recent years. Alpha Trezner said in a statement, ‘We are doing all we can to protect the city and its people. The council is convening and we will announce our plans to stop the Lycans later today.’ Meanwhile, a notice from the Vinelli family has indicated they have now officially declared war. More at 6.’
The news clip closes and I scowl. “Thanks for that.’ I grumble.
‘No problem.’
I bear down on my bike and the city blurs. My engine sounds like an angry bear as I race around cars.
‘BOX HIM IN!’
“Not today.”
I lean down and prepare myself.
I reach back and pull my five foot metal mace off my back.
My eyes narrow as I find my target.
I flip it and throw the weapon out in front of me.
The mace flies through the air as the patrol cars speed toward me. It finds its target and slams into the grill of the lead car.
He loses control, swerves and jumps the sidewalk. The car smashes on the corner of a building, its backend lifts and bounces on the driveway. His siren sounds sick and dies.
I hold out my black gloved hand. “Return.”
The electromagnetic system in my suit comes to life and surrounds me. The mace shakes in the grill. It rips out of the patrol car and flies through the air back to me as I speed past the crashed Enforcer. I grab the handle and attach the mace to my back.
I kick the gear and head for the six cars heading my way.
I run into the middle of them, stop dead and hit a button. My bike stands as I jump on the seat then jump off it.
I back flip in the air, taking my mace off my back and land my boots on a hood.
I squat down and stare at the shocked Enforcer in the car though the windshield. I wave at him and stand.
Flipping the mace in my hand, I raise the 12 inch spiked ball over my head.
“NOOO!” He yells in a panic.
“Oh yes.” I snarl and drive the ball through the red and blue lights into the cab of the car, narrowly missing him. The car sparks and sputters in its pain. His siren cries out a death rattle and falls silent.
“Are you crazy?!” He yells through the hole.
“No…Just determined.”
My voice scrambler, set to a gruff Russian accent, has him look at me with confusion.
“Have a peachy day.”
I rip the mace out and jump to the next car.
‘GET HIM!!’
I smash the windshield of the next car and hop to the road.
I swing the ball and hit the driver door of another. The Enforcer yells as his car slides to the walk on the other side.
I spin around and shove the ball through the door of the car on the other side of me. I pull back, the door rips off and I throw it off my mace. An Enforcer is hit with the crumpled door and he and his gun fly backwards into a wall.
I turn back to the Enforcer in the car and I raise my mace.
“OH SHIT!” His eyes widen and he throws off his seatbelt.
I throw my mace into his car just as he jumps out. It buries into a wall of building and I recall it. It frees from the wall and rips through the patrol car. Fabric and metal explode in my direction and I grab the handle.
Bullets start flying as hold it in my hands, preparing to disable the next car.
I turn to them and pull my mace back. I swing it with power like a bat and hit three bullets that lit up my defense system in my helmet.
The bullets fly back at them, hitting two Enforcers and they go down.
I cock my head. “Damn. Only two. Need to work on that.”
I put the ball between me and them and the bullets ricochet off it.
When I see a break, I slam my mace on my back and run for my bike. I jump, twist and land on the seat.
I rev it and squeal my tires. I pop a wheelie and take off.
A few patrol cars break through the destruction and the chase resumes.
My bike flies out of the city to the crack. The sirens blare and I open a panel on my tank. I flip a switch and the word ‘Armed' lights up.
“You tried, pet. Sorry.” I smirk as I cross over the bridge to the left side of the ravine. I ride onto the second road out of the mountain valley.
“Acquire target.” I order.
‘Targeting.’
The side of the broken mountain wall lights up. Scanners search for its weakest point. A red dot stops and blinks.
“Fire.”
A panel opens up on the side of my tank and mini rocket exits out of it. It fires from my bike as I kick it into the highest gear.
My bike speeds up, the rocket hits the wall and explodes. Debris flies into the air. The city’s alarms go off as large boulders start to fall.
“Come on, little more!”
I give even more gas, enter ground zero and dodge the falling rocks. One barely misses me as the side collapses. It hits the road just at my knee and rolls past my back tire. The sun is blocked out in the falling dust and dirt. The ground shakes as the chunk of wall separates and starts to slide. I side eye it as it seems to let go in slow motion.
“Time to go.” I grit.
The dust and dirt coat me as outrun the rock slide. The mountain roars and I bury the throttle.
I lift my front tire and jump a rock pile as it settles on the road in front of me.
My bike flies out of the dust cloud and lands on the road. I slam the brakes and skid to a stop.
My breaths heave in my helmet. The quakes have people outside the wall, come out to see what’s going on.
I slam my visor up and my large black boot hits the black top as I watch the wall collapse. The road fills with loose dirt, gravel and large stones.
“Hmm…Need a bit more punch, I think. Need to make a note.”
‘Noted.’
“Thanks.”
My attention is turned to the rising alarms and sirens from the Security Unit. I raise two fingers to my forehead and give a salute. “Good bye, Phoenix. Love to stay, but I'm needed elsewhere.”
I slam my visor down, grab the handles and rev the throttle. I leave tire marks on the road as I skid towards the open desert.
I take off and lean forward, revenge filling my face. “Time to find the head of the snake.” I growl and pick up speed down the two lane highway into the vast desert.
“Trish, map out directions to Axelridge.”
‘Calculating. Will you be stopping for lunch?’
“I could use a bite.”
‘Redirecting. I’ve removed all obstacles from your route.’
“Thank you. That’s very kind.”
‘You’re welcome.’
I look out to the horizon. “Help is on the way.” I bounce my brow and hit the gas.