The view outside the windshield was dizzying as Quinn took several twists and turns to lose their pursuers. It was like watching a series of short clips in quick succession, each one showing a different view; an alleyway, a narrow lane, an underpass for good measure. Maitho had long given up trying to keep track of where they were going. He knew he could trust Quinn in the navigation department.
"I think we have gained some distance," said Quinn, "at least for now."
When Maitho looked into the side-view mirror, the reflection of an empty road greeted him. They indeed seemed to be alone.
"Seems like Cray does not want to wait," said Bevan, breathing quickly, as though he had been running for miles "I think he wants to capture us really bad."
"No need to waste your breath guessing," said Brigid, her hands still clasping the revolver. "We can find out more at our base. I might have to call Charon for this."
"Why now?" said Maitho, causing Bevan to turn and face him.
"As I said, don't waste your breath," said Brigid.
"If we don't, then we might end up breathing our last real soon." Maitho checked the mirror again, merely out of compulsion rather than anything else. "Why didn't he put more effort into capturing us at the mansion? This seems like a waste of time."
"Maybe he was trying to plan everything out?" said Bevan.
"Maybe not an entire waste of time if he was trying to get your attention." This came from Quinn.
"All of this just for attention?" said Bevan, his face twisting into a mask of incredulity.
"Of course. He needs the attention first. Only then can he create a distraction."
It made complete sense and Maitho began to bite his lower lip. If distraction was indeed Cray's objective, then what exactly was he planning? If he had kept Maitho just so he could send a car to follow them, then it did not seem like a well thought-out plan.
Was it perhaps to place intruders in Maitho's apartment so that they could capture him when he returned home? But if that was the case, then why lure him all the way to the mansion? They could just surprise him at his place and be done with it.
No, there was more to tonight's affairs and Maitho intended to get to the bottom of it.
His ruminations were interrupted by Quinn's announcement. "Another corner and we are at safe harbor."
When Quinn took the corner, Maitho saw an empty stretch of road ahead of him. A mile or so in front, right in the middle of the road, stood a figure.
At first, Maitho had the idea that it was a civilian crossing the road in the middle of the night.
"I don't believe this," said Quinn, his voice clearly revealing disbelief. "This isn't who I thought I would be seeing tonight."
Quinn's words made Maitho refocus on the figure. He squinted his eyes to make out distinguishable features, but all he noticed was the white jacket, black shirt and white trousers that completed the figure's attire.
Outside the windshield, the air began to shimmer in several spots around the pane of glass. The effect distorted the scene outside. It was like looking through a heat mirage, where objects appeared wavy.
A second later, three arcs of electricity struck the car. Quinn released a loud shout of pain and began to swerve uncontrollably. Maitho found himself grabbing the door handle and pressing his other hand against the driver's seat.
Quinn eventually managed to align himself properly on the road. The figure, on the other hand, had not moved from its initial position.
"What does he think he is doing?" yelled Brigid from the backseat.
"Who's he?" Maitho fired back, but received no response.
"If all you kind folks could grab the nearest handle for support, I would appreciate it deeply," said Quinn. Every passenger in the car seemed to comply immediately, as though they were robots given command by a master program.
Maitho heard several cracks that sounded like loud gunshots. He thought they were being shot at. But he noticed no bullets or objects impacting the car.
Then it dawned on him. Those noises were the speed of sound catching up to the speed of light.
The light that was caused by the arcs of electricity that had hit the car.
The realization formed goosebumps on Maitho's skin. If he wasn't mistaken, they were not struck by electricity, but by lightning.
Quinn changed directions, even as two more arcs of lightning struck him, each once making him grunt in pain. Neither of the attacks slowed him down. He was heading straight for the pavement.
Maitho saw Quinn run through a gap between two cars parked on the side of the road, narrowly missing them.
"What are you doing?" said Bevan, his voice raised high in fear.
One side of Quinn began to rise up, as though someone was lifting the car up. For a moment, Maitho wondered whether they were being attacked by some strange new force.
He found his answer a moment later.
The pavement they were on was too narrow to accommodate the width of the car. Quinn had raised himself so that the wheels on one side were on the pavement while the wheels on the other side were balanced on a white brick fence that surrounded a property.
The car was moving forward diagonally, balanced only by the sheer skill Quinn displayed in his maneuvers.
Bevan was on the elevated side. Maitho saw him grip the steering wheel as though his life depended on it. His eyes were screwed shut. With the angle Quinn was in, Maitho could see the pavement roll by outside his passenger side window.
The ingenuity of Quinn's move made sense moments later.
Maitho saw more flashes outside the windshield, but only one or two arcs managed to hit the gray sedan. Most of the lightning attacks were blocked by the cars parked on the side of the road. Quinn had simply used them as a shield as he drove on down the pavement.
Outside the windshield, Maitho saw the pavement ahead end in a driveway. Without slowing down, Quinn drove over the curb, a move that sent the passengers bouncing on their seats. Maitho heard Bevan's head slap against the roof, followed by an "ow."
Quinn skidded on the driveway and aimed his headlights at a barrier gate. The gate began to rise up, even though no one had activated it. Maitho believed that it could be Quinn's doing, but he wasn't entirely certain. Beyond the gate was an incline that led to an underground parking lot.
While the gate was opening, the back tires of Quinn began spinning. The car was gathering speed. An arc of lightning struck the car's hood, blasting it open. This time, Quinn did not repair the damage.
Which meant that he was getting weaker.
"We're almost there Quinn," said Maitho in an attempt to distract the car from whatever discomfort he might be feeling.
The car shot forward, barely missing the still opening gate. Maitho was pushed back in his seat with such force that the breath was knocked out of his lungs. Quinn launched over the incline. For a few seconds, the car was in mid air. Those few seconds were all that was required for another lightning arc to strike the window on Epona's side. Glass shattered inward. Epona and Brigid quickly turned away, blocking their vulnerable areas from damage.
The car landed at the bottom of the incline with a crash, bouncing just once. The seat belt tightened around Maitho on its own, preventing him from flailing around.
Once they were inside the underground parking, Quinn drove for a few moments before skidding to a stop.
For a few seconds, nobody said anything. Maitho was breathing in quick bursts, his heart hammering against his chest. He looked to his side, catching Bevan's wide-opened eyes. When he turned to check the occupants of the back seat, he saw Brigid unclasping her seatbelt.
"Is everyone good?" she asked, looking from one person to the other.
Epona merely nodded and exited the car, her knife now held in her hands.
Brigid placed her hand on Bevan's shoulder, who grabbed it and squeezed them. "Yea I'm good for now," he said, although it did not sound convincing. Brigid patted his shoulder.
Without checking on Maitho, Brigid began to exit the car.
"Wait," said Maitho, stopping her just as she had placed her foot outside. She gave an exasperated sigh and looked at him. "What about Quinn?"
"They can't enter past the barrier gate," she said, nodding towards the underground parking entrance. "It's warded. Now if you have any more questions, we can save them for an appropriate time."
With that, she stepped out, followed soon by Bevan.
Maitho had just pulled the door handle when Quinn's voice stopped him
"Before you go, dear Maitho," said the car, opening the glove compartment. "I would like you to have this. Take it and don't mention to anybody that you have it in your possession."
Inside the glove compartment, Maitho saw an assortment of items; a book, spare revolver bullets, gloves, and even a small penknife.
But it was the metallic object in the center that caught his attention.
Maitho picked up the object and ran his thumb along its shape. "This is a big gift, Quinn. Are you absolutely certain? Our first meeting didn't even last for an hour so you barely know me."
A small chuckle. "That may be so, but if you have lived for as long as I have, then you can read people really well." The car powered off, creating a quiet that made it seem as though the whole world was still. "Besides, you need to work together with those three. And when that happens, I know you might have to make some really tough decisions. I thought maybe you could use a secret tool. A trick up your sleeve, shall we say?"
Maitho placed his hand on the dashboard. He felt at ease and he knew it was because of the kindness that an immortal vehicle had bestowed on him. It was a comfortable feeling, one that made him believe that no matter how calamitous events turned out to be, he might not be all alone after all.
"Take care of yourself Quinn," said Maitho. "I'm not too far away if you need me."
"I'll remember that."
Maitho pocketed the object and opened the door.
"The man you saw outside," said Quinn, stopping Maitho.
"You don't have to say it, Quinn," said Maitho. "I don't want you to claim Brigid's anger for this. It's why I haven't asked you."
"Well, I'm telling you anyway. Because you need to know that you are about to face a powerful Guardian named Raiden."
"Who's Raiden?" asked Maitho, already feeling a slow dread coursing through his body.
"He is the descendant of Thor, God of Thunder."