Human Untouched: Requiem of the State (Sequel to Human Untouched)

4.

Mikhail still required a surgery or two. Some shrapnel had penetrated too deep and left Kevlar fibres in his body which had to be taken out. Within my last week there, I went on one mission with Keelan and Rush, Keelan being the acting leader of our squad. It certainly felt off with Mikhail not being there to guide us around but it worked out just fine.

As I glided over the rooftops in the dead of the night, following our car and making sure no one was following us, Rush's voice crackled in my ear.

"Mission complete. It's a clear path from here to the rendezvous."

"I know." I glanced down at the GPS in my hand. "We are only a few more miles out." I rolled my shoulders, my glide swaying a bit as my lower wings flapped to quickly correct me.

"Angel, you get released tomorrow, right?" Keelan asked.

I felt a smile grow on my face. "Day after."

"Yeah!" Rush hooted. "Beers on you!!"

"Hey, hey. Let me get my first pay and then we'll think about it." My parents faces crossed through my mind. "I also have to pay you guys back for the clothes." There were sounds of protest from their side. I lowered my left shoulder, right wings rising as I took the turn to continue following them. The black car glowed under the streetlamps on the empty roads. "Red light ahead. Slow down."

Rush stopped the car as I shifted my lower body forward and came to a running stop on top of a building. My back hurt. Bones clicking and grinding as I rolled my shoulders and my neck.

"How are you doing, Angel?" The dad friend asked.

"I've been flying for about half an hour straight. My back wants to die."

"Few more miles."

"At the speed, you guys are driving, I'd rather get caught again." I ran a hand over my metal collar. I was getting used to it but the metal seemed to irritate my skin whenever I was sweating a lot.

"Moving." Rush announced for my sake.

I sighed, pushing off from my crouch on the ground and running to the edge of the roof. My wings snapped open right as I jumped off. I lost a few metres of height as I righted my body to glide forward again.

"Now, come on. We have to ride slow to not catch any attention." Rush continued, I took a left as he turned his blinker on.

"I know. I know. It's just that there are no police around, or people. Except for the rare jogger or junkie." I wiped off some sweat rolling into my eyes, even the small movement making my glide wobble.

"Just hang in there, Angel. We're almost done." Keelan reassured.

To him, it was almost done. To me, it was fifteen more minutes of agony.

I landed right on the runway as the two took a detour to park the car in a scrapyard. The owner was paid off, it would be nothing but a block of crushed steel and leather tomorrow. I skipped high as my feet touched the tarmac, there was still too much momentum for me to land. I tried again, skipping a bit lower this time and stumbling to a stop. My legs shook as I tried to catch my breath, sweat coated my entire being. My wings easily flapped themselves, not even tired from the long flight. I shrugged to stop them from covering my shoulders. It was warm, they'd make me feel warmer.