Chapter Thirty-Three

Austin walks us out into the garage of the bar that lies topside. A vehicle will be needed.

Except, this isn't the vehicle I thought we'd be taking.

Parked in front of me is a long, bulky brown van with nothing of identification on its body save the dark colour.

Austin twirls the keys of the van in his hand and unlocks it with a press of a button all while I gawk.

"Why are you still standing there?" he asks, staring at me over the bonnet. "Get in."

"What happened to the car you picked me up in?"

He scoffs and hops into the driver's seat, Rex follows his example and passes by me to the passengers.

"It's too small, now get in." he huffs, firing the ignition.

I stand there for a moment longer, but the rumbling of the engine forces me to see no other choice but to hop into yet another van.

Hopefully this one doesn't drive me to my death.

I realize I may have a phobia for vans.

***

The journey to the south border is a long one. We got into the van near ten o'clock, when the sky still looked like it had no sun in it.

And now, four hours later the sun shines over the horizon as best as it can and Austin fights against the endless flow of traffic and checkpoints.

Now that we've gotten this far though, it's less traffic and more checkpoints.

The route we're taking, the roads leading past the outskirts of the city and out to the border, out to the outside world, are heavily guarded.

I have an itching urge to ask how much longer I'll be stuck in this van, passing Suppressors every twenty minutes but I kill it.

It won't help move us any farther or any faster so I wait with bated breath each time a Suppressor, clad in flak jackets and capped with slick black protective helmets peek into the van.

Sometimes they wave us and the people ahead of us through, but sometimes they ask to search or ask probing questions.

Questions like why we're headed this way and why we're in a van.

Austin gets us past just fine. Sometimes with a well put explanation that seems nothing like the lie it truly is but most times with a drug or credit bribe.

Sure enough the Suppressors aren't immune to bribery, especially the ones out here.

Standing out in the ankle deep snow, protecting something even they don't know what purpose it serves. With the closest restaurant miles away from them.

It's easy to fall prey to deliciousness as little as candy bars. Even easier when presented with drugs to take reality as it comes.

So far, it is tense but easy all the same. We've been gaining speed too, there are less people ahead, many of them either sent back or reached their destination.

And with the Suppressors giving less of a shit the farther we go, I expect we'll be at our destination sooner rather than later.

True to my hopes, Austin suddenly stops the van right before the next Suppressor checkpoint.

"Get ready, Vern, you're gonna kill that guy."

Uhh…. What?

Without elaborating further he hops down the van and starts a bit. I can quickly tell what he's trying to pull by his actions.

He stands by the tires, looking positively exasperated. Peeking under and over the bonnet until he pops it open.

"Is he…is he trying to…" Rex starts, not really having a clue what to say about Austin's sudden actions.

"Yeah, I think he is. And I think you should be asleep. Pretend you're unconscious or sick or something."

I don't bother listening to Rex's sputter of a reply, instead I look out behind the van, and sure enough, there's no one but us on the road.

Fuck. He's really gonna make us do this. A Suppressor? Really?

I let out a sigh and calm my mind and heart as best as I can. I'll be needing my powers for this.

Looking back over to Austin I find that he's up and close with the single Suppressor at the checkpoint. Asking for some help with his 'car troubles' no doubt.

In a moment they start walking towards the van and I can hear some words.

"...injury, he doesn't listen so I'm stuck with him." Austin says.

"No one else then?" the Suppressor, a woman asks. I can hear how tired she is in her voice.

It'll be the last I'll ever hear of it.

"Remember, she isn't some thug owing credits. She's a Suppressor. You can't let her even a second to retaliate." Rex so helpfully adds.

"Just shut up, I'll handle this." I snap, letting my frustration at him leak.

"I'll check the engine, you help me rev." Austin says, innocence seeping out of his voice.

The Suppressor nods and takes hold of the door handle.

Pause!

Time comes to a halt and all that's left is me and my beating heart. I'm grateful to not hear Rex's heavy breathing though.

Setting my mind to the task at hand I reach for the vans back door and pull it open.

First thing I notice after being stuffed in there for so long is the cold of the snow at my feet. It could just be my powers but it feels a lot warmer than the snow piled in the city.

Which is weird considering… ugh, no time for this.

I pull out my new gun and slide the hammer back, loading it up for fire and start the long, burdensome walk over to the Suppressor that stands in our way.

I've got to kill her. I've got to kill her. I've got to kill her.

This shouldn't be any different than any of the unfortunate folk that died because of me. All of them being women.

But it is different, vastly so.

This will be no mistake. Not in self defense or in preservation of another's life.

No. This will be murder.

Cold, hard, perhaps meaningless murder.

But I've got to do it. If her murder by my bullet is meaningless by nature then I'll give it meaning.

It has meaning. It means I need to survive, it means I need to progress, it means I can't stop now.

Before I know it I'm by her side and my gun is held up to her head. She isn't so tall that I have to stretch, even with the sturdy boots she has on.

I close my eyes and begin to squeeze the trigger… but I realize I need to see this.

Eyes wide open and the barrel of my gun pressed against her cheek, I pull and in an instant there's blood splatter everywhere.

Her cheekbone's been blown off, right along with part of her right eye and nose.

It's a mess and time flows once more as I puke my guts out.