Ace

Stage 10 - Into a Tiger's Lair

I apoligize for the extreem lack of editing. I wrote and uplaoded this chapter immedietly as not to delay the update any longer. Happy reading!

A Ferrari flew down the road, leaving Ellison High behind in the dust.

Why M18 always chose such flashy cars, Lucas would never understand.

"What am I doing?" he asked, waiting for the files to the job he was headed toward. He had left Jim behind almost immediately after the call.

They turned a corner fast enough that Lucas felt the weight of the car shift almost all to one side. M18 shifted up, pushing the sports car even fast as they came to a straight.

"Going to jail," he finally replied without showing a trace of concern.

Guess I'll have to leave the meds behind, Lucas thought with a sigh. "Dandy," he spoke aloud. "Not juvenile?"

M18 shook his head. They shot passed a car going less than half their speed. The other driver honked, but the sound barely left his vehicle when the ECHO agents were already out of earshot.

"Which one?" Lucas asked when he still didn't receive any files.

"Slove Penitentiary."

"Ah." Lucas adjusted the chair further back. He stretched his legs. "That one has some high-profile killers in it." He stretched his legs. "What am I doing? Assassination?"

"Retrieval," M18 responded.

Lucas considered this. "Help from the inside?"

"A little."

M18 went faster still. It was almost as though he enjoyed taunting the signs with numbers on the roadside, as though he welcomed the thought of a challenge from authority.

Without slowly, he reached beneath his seat. A moment later, files were waved before Lucas' face.

"The package."

Lucas took the papers. He opened the form, eyes skimming over the information. His eyebrows rose. "This is a big fish." Turning the paper, he found a mug shot of his target. "It's going to be tough."

"But not impossible." M18 shifted down, slowing the car slightly as they reached a particularly tight corner.

"No," Lucas agreed.

He was barely fazed as the car skidded around. The sunglasses on the dashboard went flying. Lucas calmly adjusted his weight, still reading.

A snort escaped the teen. "Stealing, arson, murder, and rape?" He looked up just in time to see the car they almost collided with as M18 overtook way too close to an approaching car. Lucas didn't even blink.

"You'll fit right in," M18 told him.

Lucas scowled. He was fine with the first three accusations, he didn't take the last lightly. But M18 was right. If he wanted to get to the target, he needed to come in as a big shot.

"What's the deadline?" he asked as they turned onto a narrow road.

The airstrip ahead already had a private jet fueled a ready.

"Four days preferred, a week for grace." M18 pulled the handbrake a turned. The car drifted, coming to a sudden stop alongside the waiting plane. He turned to the younger operative. "The pick-up crew will be waiting at the location every day to be safe. Overstay your time in there and..."

He didn't have to finish the warning for Lucas to know, I'll have a new home there for life.

There was no doubt in his mind that ECHO would leave him behind if he wasn't out in time.