Computer files could be deleted. Paper files could be burned to ashes. Witnesses could be killed, and Lewis was a witness. He slunk through the streets and alleys of Vanguard, unsure of whether to be hasty so as to keep some distance between him and the Vixen—in the process exposing himself to the undercover Mainstream spies he noticed nearly everywhere, or to be slow and discreet to avoid them and let her catch up with him. She said she wanted to help him, but he had seen her file. It was only info for a few months after the F.O.X tests but what he had seen was ghastly enough for him to know she probably only needed him for the chip.
The same chip he knew was acting like a beacon, calling out to her.
Lewis sighed, then ducked behind a truck, moving with it to avoid the unmistakable Mainstream guys the other side. They didn't have guns; and for the first time he was thankful for the Vanguard rule that said only their soldiers could carry guns in their territory. Knives, daggers and whatever else had not been included. Which meant if they found him they would have to get close to him to do the actual kill.
Getting the chip out of Mainstream had not been an easy task, and there had been two times he almost got caught. Not to mention several other heart attack worthy moments that had been real close shaves.
He had to get through the east side of the city first so he could make it to his friends waiting at the other side.
The city was crowded enough that Lewis could blend in with the civilians although he knew that might not last long. Just as he thought of all the possible ways he could be hacked to death if he was caught, Lewis realized he was at a dead end. The people after him had encircled him slowly, herding him away from them to exactly where they wanted him; a dark alley whose only open end was now blocked by five burly guys each brandishing a large knife.
"Lewis Barrow. We've been searching everywhere for you."
"Is there any chance we could come to an agreement? I mean, do you know how much we could get if we blackmailed respective dictators for this data?"
The same guy from before spoke. "Why didn't Mainstream think of that?"
The fact that he had a sense of humor didn't make Lewis feel any less scared, not to mention they were moving closer.
"God I wish that vixen were here right now. " He only murmured it to himself, but when he saw her drop from the rooftops and land silently behind them he thanked whoever had listened.
Her strikes were fast, precise and deadly. The closest one to her received a sharp blow to the back of the neck, and the crack that ensued certified Lewis of his death before he collapsed backwards in a heap. He should have fallen on her but she had already moved on, now with a recently acquired knife which she used to quickly slice the back of the next one's knees and then a jab through the skull.
She left the knife there.
The other three had backed away, now with their backs to Lewis, who was waiting for an opening to bolt. It was one of the few things he knew how to do.
If only they could all focus on her and her only on them...
The vixen's voice brought him back to harsh reality. She was talking to them! Lewis had expected more blood and bone. Not negotiation.
"Leave here while you still can."
"I am definitely not listening to a girl even though she's obviously a mercenary. Who hired you? Mainstream can double your pay."
"The offer is still on the table for the next five seconds."
The big guy shrugged. "Same this way."
Lewis saw her sigh. Definitely not exhaustion. She was bored.
He would be just another person who had stood in her way. Before she could act on her threat there was a gunshot.
She fell to her knees, holding up two fingers to the side of her head and when she checked, they we're slick with blood. Then she fell.
"And that is how you kill a fox."
From around the corner came the speaker. He was not dressed like the rest, although Lewis knew where to look on his crisp black tuxedo to see the MM.
Lewis didn't want to see but he flicked his eyes at her body on the ground.
A headshot.
No one survived that.
Meanwhile the leader was arguing with the one that had shot Vivian. "This isn't bloody Cafri you fool! You can't just fire a gun in the middle of Vanguard. We must hurry, soldiers must be on their way here as we speak."
"We can take them out too. Have a little fun. We put the girl down, and both the chip and the thief are in our possession. What could go wrong? "
"I guess you're about to find out."
She was up.
And she was angry.
"What the... "
She landed a right hook on her would be killer but Lewis saw him lean away just enough that the blow didn't do as much damage as it should have. And Lewis was sure her next target, who wasn't as quick, had some serious brain damage if he wasn't dying already.
The three left kept their distance from her, which meant they were closer to Lewis. He hoped they kept their attention on their impending deaths. With his luck of course one of them didn't and he turned, snarling as he charged at Lewis.
Combat had never been Lewis' strong suit. Coming to think of it, it had never been his suit at all. But he knew to move out of the way when someone was bringing down a steel blade at your neck.
There was an ear splitting bang as the blade met a concrete wall, followed by a sharp crack when Vivian drove her knee through his elbow.
It was a rather gruesome sight for Lewis. His attacker automatically dropped the blade, clutching at his elbow and trying to place it in a position that induced less pain. It seemed weightless as the man held it close to his chest, groaning in pain.
Lewis turned his attention back to her.
No bullet wound, just a slight smudge of crimson where it should have been. This time her eyes weren't glowing. He'd have to ask her about it later, if he lived long enough to do so.
"Do you have the chip? "
"Am fine thank you." Lewis murmured as he straightened himself, pretending to dust his coat in an attempt to look anywhere but at those light gray eyes.
They were still fixed on him when he finished. "Just so you know Mr Barrow I can kill you right now and take that chip from you."
Lewis opened his mouth to utter a reply, then he realized he hadn't yet got his bargaining chip.
Literally. His friends were to duplicate the contents of the one he had to create one solely for the purpose of blackmail. And lacking that luxury was not really safe for him, so he kept his mouth shut.
He quickly opted for a change in subject. "Where are the other two? "
"They ran."
"And you let them? They are witnesses! "
Her attention was on the man that sat leaning against the wall, his moans of pain now lowered to whimpers. "Who was the other guy? The one that shot me? "
He paused enough to snort at her then speak. "Am not saying anything to you psychotic freak. "
She looked up at Lewis and smiled.
He looked away, for that wasn't the good kind of smile.
Another sound of shattering bone followed by screaming told Lewis enough. Perhaps he could sneak way while she...
"Do you want to lose your leg Lewis? "
"I'll just be over here then."
He sighed, then murmured to himself. "Trying not to look. But maybe just a tiny peek. "
Lewis looked. "Oh. "
That was all he could manage.
Vivian was standing over him, eyes focused like a cat that had already caught a rat but gave it the space to run. Lewis wasn't yet sure if he was not the rat. She picked up one of the fallen blades and squatted next to the injured man. Only that now his entire right arm hung limp at his side. She had destroyed the joint in his shoulder too.
"I just need a name. If I don't kill you, Vanguard soldiers capture you. And trust me when I say you'll wish I had killed you then."
She said all that while holding a blade to his throat.
"We only know him as Haraka. He's a hired mercenary from Cafri. And one of the best too."He then flicked his eyes to Lewis, "He never fails. He will kill you, if she doesn't do it first. "
Lewis barely saw her hand move but a second later the man was wheezing, desperately trying to inhale but not being able to do so. It was then that Lewis saw the thin red line across his throat start to thicken.
She watched him for a while. Her face showed no emotion at all, which was a bit of a relief to Lewis as it meant she didn't enjoy killing. Although it didn't necessarily mean she wasn't addicted to it. In her mind the first solution to a problem was probably stopping its heart.
Lewis felt like a big problem then.
Footsteps behind them made Lewis turn. The Vanguard peacekeepers had just arrived.
"Hands in the air where we can see them! "
Lewis raised his immediately. He had been at the wrong end of a gun enough times in a day. Vivian still hadn't moved.
Lewis whispered to her. "Hey, you're going to get us killed."
"That's your problem. It certainly does help me though. "
"They've got guns pointed at our heads."
"Do I have to repeat myself? That's your problem."
"Why didn't you just let these bandits kill me instead? "
Vivian sighed and she stood up, crossing her arms rather than putting them up.
All guns we're lowered the moment they saw her. One of those in the back spoke to the one up front.
"Captain that's the vixen."
He spat back through the side of his mouth. "Do you think am blind! Just stay quiet."
He saluted. The others did too. Lewis couldn't miss the tremors in all their hands as they raised them to make the sign of respect.
"We didn't mean to offend you madam General. It's just that we heard a gunshot and we thought something was wrong."
Vivian kept up her blank face. "You weren't here fast enough. Lucky for you I happened to be nearby. "
"We'll do better next time. "
"Just one more thing Captain."
She pointed to Lewis, and then to herself.
"You didn't see us here."
All three nodded gravely.
Just that. No threats, no If-You-Tell-Anyone-I-Will-Kill-You's and no blades pointed at throats. They gingerly stepped out of her way, saluting once more. Lewis had to jog to catch up with her.
"You think they'll keep quiet?"
"For their own good they will."
"What rank do you exactly hold in this territory? I heard them call you a general."
"High enough to get us through anywhere except the Harbor. Where are your friends hiding? I know you were going to them."
Lewis huffed and slowed down a bit so he fell back a few steps.
"You still don't trust me. Even when I've saved your life thrice in one night."
"How sure can I be that you weren't saving the chip?"
"I am saving the chip. You went through all the trouble of stealing it. That's hard enough."
Lewis realized this was it. And he wasn't dumb enough not to take an offer of protection from someone as capable as her.
"They're in the west section of Vanguard. Next to the old mines."
She changed their direction, hopefully towards there. Lewis hadn't been in Vanguard long enough to be sure. He noticed the routes they took were a little isolated, with less people. No soldiers and no cameras. Before every street Lewis had taken had at least a camera watching every angle.
Lewis however noticed after every few minutes she checked her watch. Like she was waiting for something to happen, or someone.
"Are you expecting someone or something? "
"Yes. We also have to do something about that chip since it can be tracked."
Lewis immediately went on the defensive. "We're not destroying it."
"My watch cannot be tracked. Let me insert it and transfer software so it can be shielded."
"Oh no, we aren't there yet."
That was the last she spoke about it and she moved on.
He kept stealing glances at her, biding his time, wondering how she would react to the question he was dying to ask.
She stopped and faced him, no words spoken, but a silent invitation. "What was that back there? I mean I saw you get shot in the head."
"The Lazarus effect."
"The what now? "
"If you don't know what it is that means you haven't seen more than a few minutes of the files on that chip."
Another rub in the face of his lack of a bargaining chip. She could easily dispose of him without anyone ever realizing it.
"It was the first attribute the F.O.X experiment sought to put in place. "
"So you are like immortal."
"No not really. Immortality is inability to die. The Lazarus effect, as it is named gives me the ability to heal from any injury, however mortal it is even after my heart stops. Unless of course you decapitate me."
She fixed him with a stare that dared him to try.
"I definitely wouldn't try that anytime soon."
"Neither would I."
Lewis sighed in acceptance then took out the chip and handed it to her. "Good enough. This is safer in your hands."
She pushed it into a slot Lewis hadn't seen previously then did a bit of touching and swiping on the watch screen. She then pushed it back into his hands.
"How do I know you haven't transferred all the data there? "
"You have to take my word for it. I've transferred onto it a few layers of the i-encryption on my watch. Should make it digitally invisible."
"That's not in the slightest way similar to a normal watch is it? "
There was a shadow of a smile across her lips when she replied. "You really are a genius."
She turned away before he could make a snappy comeback. It took him a few seconds to come back.
"Sarcasm. That's new."