Unbecoming Humans: Part 2

Chapter 6

"Shit!" Nima swore, as one of the black vehicles rammed into the back end of our vehicle. I recognized them as Eden vehicles immediately, because I had seen them passing through the only gate into the compound many times.

"Hang on!" Nima yelled as she jerked the wheel hard to the left, swerving to try to evade the closest Eden vehicle. I turned in my seat to watch it miss our rear bumper by inches.

"Find out where that port is!" Nima barked, pointing at the navigation system on the dash. I worked quickly to do as instructed, my fingers flying over the buttons and screens.

"Aria!" Nima cried impatiently. One of our pursuers was coming even with our right side.

"I know I...I'm trying! There's no signal!"

"So what? We're screwed?"

I sat back in my seat to think. "I have an idea." I announced. As I leaned in to work on the vehicle computer again, Nima swerved to slam into the the imposing, black vehicle that was driving alongside us. She hit it hard enough to throw me sideways into the door. I looked to see who was driving the Eden vehicle, but the windows were darkened so that I could not see inside.

I ignored the pain in my arm, which had taken most of the blow, and returned my attention to the on-board computer. I shut out the outside world, and worked with laser focus. I typed furiously, attempting to hack into passing satellites to retrieve a signal. Meanwhile, we hurtled down the pocked, primitive road, Nima battling to keep away from the Eden drivers.

After several long seconds, the computer succumbed to my rigorous demands and crashed, the screen going completely blank.

"No!" I shouted. In my rage, I punched the infernal machine hard enough to smash the screen.

"Well, I guess we won't be using that," Nima commented sarcastically with a wistful glance at the destruction on the dash. She looked out and surveyed our surroundings, searching for a plan B. The trees were too tall to see much of anything beyond the road. I could see mountains far in the distance, but nothing that would indicate we were near the ocean.

"I don't think I can out-drive these guys all the way to the port," Nima said much more calmly than I felt.

"So, we just give up?" I asked incredulously. Nima chewed on her lip thoughtfully. The inkling notion that we may have come all this way simply to be captured again began to pull at the back of my mind. Nima's head suddenly jerked to the right.

"Plan B," she said with determination, whipping the vehicle of the road and into the thick woods. I clung desperately to whatever surface I could find as the vehicle lurched over the uneven forest floor.

"What are you doing?!" I cried out.

"Just hang on," Nima commanded. I snorted to myself. As if I could do anything else. I watched in terror as Nima flew through the the trees, swerving erratically. Any small mistake would be catastrophic.

"Nima...!" I worried. She ignored my nervousness and focused on her reckless endeavors.

"Get ready! As soon as I say, jump out and hide. Once they've passed, hurry up the road. You'll see a runway and a plane. Get in the plane and wait for me."

"What?! Where are you going?!"

"I have to ditch these guys. It'll only take a few minutes." She looked at me with a devious smile, taking her eyes off the terrain. She had to swerve suddenly to avoid hitting a tree. "It'll only take a few minutes. I'll be right behind you. I promise."

"No way!" I said firmly, putting my foot down, figuratively. "What if they catch you?!"

"They won't," she said with cocky confidence. I didn't share her optimism, but she gave me no more time to object.