Leave it. No one knows you are armed at the moment. If you take Underwood’s firearm, then they will list you as armed and dangerous. Leave the scene now. Head in the opposite direction and then circle around.
In one smooth motion, Cameron unhooked the deputy’s belt and tossed it to the side. “I’m sorry,” he said again and fled the scene. He sprinted north, knocking people over as he crossed the used car dealership’s lot, around the back of the pizzeria, and then turned left down California Street. He ran halfway down the block before jumping over a wooden fence.
Cameron wasn’t sure if anyone was in pursuit, but he didn’t look back to find out. Now, as he hopped fences, benches, and hurdled over picnic tables, he was grateful for all the free-running practices his mom had put him through. He was putting them to good use crossing yard after yard until he reached the alley he had told Alex to hide in. Cameron spun around the deserted street, looking between garages as he continued jogging.
“Alex,” he called in a whisper, “it’s me.”
She jumped out from behind a car inside a garage, pistol in hand, just as he passed. She looked to both sides and then pulled him toward her. Their bodies bumped together in the narrow pathway between the car and the wall. He felt his heart beat faster as she slipped her arm around his waist and pushed him into the car.
They lay down across the two front seats of an old Mustang. Cameron had his back toward the backrest while Alex lay with hers toward the steering wheel. The stick shift stuck up between them. She had to grab onto his arm in order to not fall off the leather seats.
A few seconds later, they heard the chirp of sirens as a police car drove through the alley. The low rumble of a car passed by, the tires crackled on the rough uneven road. All he could hear was his heart slamming against his chest as he pulled Alex closer. He felt her breath next to his. She turned her head to look up, and strands of her hair whipped against his face gently.
To be honest, after a humid day of hiding out in the alleys, she didn’t smell that great. Heck, neither did he, for that matter. Coupled with the musty old scent from the leather chairs and their sweat in such a close space, it was actually pretty rank, but to Cameron that very moment, it was the most intoxicating feeling in the world.
Good grief.
She looked back at him, and Cameron could have sworn for a brief moment, their lips brushed against each other. He inhaled again. Then she lifted her head up past the back of the seat and stared out the back.
“I think they’re gone,” she said, sitting up.
Cameron followed suit, kicking himself a little for not being brave enough to actually just stick his lips out and complete the motion. Funny how he had experienced firefights, but couldn’t work up the courage to kiss a girl.
“I’ve been working on this car,” she said, pointing at the wires sticking out from below the steering wheel. “I haven’t had a lot of practice with this.”
“Let me,” he said. “Trade me places.”
He hopped into the driver’s side as she moved across the seats. Again, their bodies brushed against each other. Her closeness distracted him as he began to work on jump starting the car.
Can I tell you that puberty is my most hated stage in humans?
“I thought dying was.”
Sometimes, it is a relief.
“Come on, what would you do without me?”
Maybe have a host who does not blow a fuse every time a female gets within his airspace?
“I don’t know, Tao. I think I’m in -”
I swear by the Eternal Sea, if you say “love,” I will sleepwalk you off a cliff. Now focus on hot-wiring that car. You are all thumbs right now.
While he worked, another squad car drove by. Cameron was already lying on his side, but Alex had to lie on top of him again to avoid being seen. Again, he felt his heart thud in his chest as her hair draped over him.
“The humans will never stop hunting us,” she said, raising her head again once the noise had passed. “Why do the Prophus still work so hard to protect them?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do. Because the Quasing are the aliens on this planet. The least we all can do is try to live together in peace. Besides, if the Genjix succeed in Quasiform, it will lead to the extinction of humanity.” Cameron talked through Tao’s words, though he found himself having trouble understanding that logic sometimes as well.
No matter what, you are a human first, a host second.
“But I will never be just human again. I will be a host until I die.”
Say that to your father.
“What if there’s a way to live as a vessel,” she said suddenly. Urgently even. “We have loyalty havens all over the world. The closest one is not too far, by Great Slave Lake. You can come with me. My father is very important. I’m sure he can arrange for all of us to survive there during the Great Quasiforming.”
“Quasiform isn’t going to happen,” Cameron said. “The Prophus won’t let it.”
Alex shook her head. “You don’t understand. It will happen no matter what the Prophus or the humans do. Once the Genjix finish all the catalyst facilities, it will happen. This is the last step. No one can stop them. The least you can do is survive. With me.”
It was tempting. Cameron could think of many worse ways to experience the end of the world than with Alex, but if they could actually survive it…
I cannot believe you are even entertaining this.
“I’m just thinking out loud, Tao!”
Thinking of turning your back on billions of people just because you are crushing on a girl.
“All right, thought police. Sheesh. Sorry for thinking.”
The car rumbled to life. Alex squealed in delight and clapped her hands. Cameron wore a wide grin as he smacked the steering wheel, as proud as if he had just slayed a dragon. He wasn’t a hundred percent sure he could hotwire the car; he had only done it twice before. He fiddled with the manual shift and put his seatbelt on. It was a good thing Roen had taught him how to drive a car in their open field when he was eight years old.
Alex threw her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his mouth. “About what we talked about. Just think it over, all right?”
Cameron froze and suppressed the urge to dance.
No. No we are not thinking it over.
He nodded. “Sure thing. Come on, buckle up. Let’s go see our parents.”
He pulled the Mustang out of the garage into the alley and headed south toward the main street.
It should be a few hours to Fort Bragg. I want you to drive slow and not attract attention.
“Come on, let’s go fast!” Alex said, putting her legs up on the dashboard of their stolen car.
Cameron punched the accelerator.
31 Date Night
Timestamp: 3201
I, at one point, thought we had escaped the Prophus’s clutches, that we were finally free. If it had just been me, I’m sure no one would have cared, especially now that I’m not even a host anymore. However, I was naive; my family had two Quasing of high value. Jill was asked by the Keeper personally to lead a high-traffic cell in the growing Underground Railroad. My wife, always the responsible one in the family, accepted.
We moved to the Pacific Northwest and started over once more. We asked my in-laws to care for Cameron while we built the entire operation from scratch. It wasn’t the best time and place to raise a teenager. I swore this would be the last time we’d be separated as a family.