Chapter 13

An uneasiness crept into her heart when Jazun addressed her. She remembered that he was capable of murder, his own child nonetheless. She had difficulty meeting his eyes.

He hurried Lena along, briefing her on critical information before their departure. Members of Verus buzzed about, paying them little attention. Lena had assumed most all Verus members wore frightening masks and robes, but what she witnessed now reminded her more and more of the magnacycle teams in the industrial passages of the Duskrider prior to a race. Only here the energy carried a dreadful anticipation.

“We luckily have some knowledgeable teammates who could rebuild these old engines. We’ve been salvaging some of the more useful components of these things to create our own armada.” Jazun spoke proudly. As they walked, Lena caught a brief glimpse of some sort of monstrous machine behind the slim opening of an enormous sliding bay door. Her gaze averted when one of the mechanics atop it lit a welding torch.

“I think you’ll be happy to hear that we recovered your bike. Looks like the tires were slashed, but we patched ‘em.”

Sure enough, there it was in front of her. Her ‘73 Ocelot with the unmistakable stripes on the rear fender. She examined where the tires had been punctured, running her fingers over the wound. A new, internal seal now kept them inflated.

“Slashed?” she asked, unsure if she heard him correctly. “But who would...?”

Jazun looked at her, confused. “Well, who else was with you besides that android?”

“No one!” she exclaimed, “Are you saying Shel cut my tires? Why would he do that?”

“You said he belonged to my brother. Seems like he didn’t want you returning,” he said, unsurprised.

“I suppose you also didn’t know about this.” Jazun held out a small, black device pinched between his forefinger and thumb.

“What is that?” Lena asked.

“Tracking device. It was nestled under your fender. We destroyed it. Someone or something is likely to follow you here in case your little guide didn’t follow through.”

The possibilities of who would have put a tracker on her bike flashed through her mind. Zedd? Zark? But why?

“The posts! The surveyors…. he didn’t need me to return…” she trailed off. She thought of Jael’s promise to cover her insurance deposit. Betrayal clenched her heart with a tight fist. “But Jael nor Shel ever had access to my bike…” Who else could have wanted to track her? “What do you think will happen when Jael gets the information?”

Jazun sighed. “I’d say we’ll be greeted with a polite knock on the front door.”

He looked around at the busy Verus members. He spoke with a sense of melancholy. “We’ve informed them to prepare as much as they can.”

Lena reminded herself again, This is not your fight. These people need to answer for their crimes.

He read her expression.

Lena quickly looked down in a sick mixture of shame and fear.

“It was bound to happen Y’know? I’m just glad you’re here and able to help us.”

She quietly paced around her bike, doing anything to avoid his gaze. Is he trying to guilt trip me?

“I imagine my brother told you all kinds of things, yeah?”

She did not answer.

“Listen,” he spoke quieter. “we’re not what you think. I promise. You can’t believe all that garbage you read about us.”

“I don’t know what to think,” she replied. Her trust had been broken, and now she found herself pitted against two treacherous parties.

Moja returned in a hurry.

“Scouts reported movement southwest of the complex. Another biker, possibly an accomplice.”

“I hate being right,” Jazun said.

Lena looked at him.

“Zark,” she said aloud. He was the only one who knew she had left. But who could he have been with?

“Come. We must leave now,” Moja pushed.

“I have to see him!” Lena resisted.

“Lena, there is no time. If the intruder is who you say, he will remain unharmed.”

Moja grabbed Lena’s arm and escorted her to the vehicle.