Anarameha

Chapter 41

The wind burned against Ana's face as she fell into the darkness. Clipping the end of the GAR line to her body, she moved her hands behind her back. Sliding them into the cuffs, Ana tried to pull the wings out. The wings would not budge, and Ana began to move faster.

"Are you kidding me?" she cried out.

Her body was more streamlined now that her hands were tethered behind her back. It meant that her body had picked up speed and she was rapidly approaching the ground. If she didn't do something soon, it would be too late.

Giving the wings another yank, Ana grew frustrated. They still would not move. Ana couldn't believe that the flight suit wasn't working as it should be. She'd tested it, and now at the most critical point, it failed on her. Ana figured there was something that she needed to read in the user manual but she didn't have time for it.

Leearin was hovering around, being a pest. Ana understood why now, but at the time, she found it frustrating. It made her wonder what her mother saw in the woman and why she said that Leearin was an asset to the staff. She might have been once but after seeing how easily she was tempted. Ana knew that it was no longer the case. Once she was queen, Leearin would be unemployed. There was no turning back from this betrayal.

Pulling her hands out returned the drag, but it was only slight. As she plummeted towards the ground, Ana searched for options.

Taking the GAR line back out, she loosened the wire and began swinging it around. There was one chance. A gantry spanned a gap between two buildings and acted as one of the supports for a path that was much higher up. Ana believed that she was approaching level ten which would make sense. Most of the taller buildings put additional supports every ten levels.

As the swing of the line became a full circle, Ana hoped that this would work. She had a lot of space to swing down. All she needed to do was ensure that the line wrapped around the gantry.

"Okay, world, be nice to me please."

The wire was now long enough to wrap around the gantry. It swung around. As the claw clanged against the metal, Ana remembered that she had the upgraded version in her hands. Pressing a button, she heard it make a buzzing sound. The claw had magnetised to the gantry. It would be strong enough to hold her weight. Ana hoped that it was not a mistake to magnetise it.

Ana's body swung out, gliding between the two buildings. The momentum kept going, turning her upwards. She shrieked as the wire dragged her around the gantry.

Ana knew it would keep going, so she began to retract the line. When there wasn't enough to go around, Ana swung back. The momentum had slowed enough that Ana now hung in the air, gripping the line.

Her heart was racing faster than it ever had. The alarm on her forearm was going crazy at her. Ana wasn't brave enough to let go of the line to switch the alarm off. So, she had to take a few seconds to try and calm herself down.

The job wasn't fully completed, but she'd stopped falling and that was an improvement to her situation. Now all she had to do was get to solid ground. Or in this city, a metal path.

Every time she'd used the GAR line, it was in a controlled situation. She would let the claw grab. She'd drop to the next spot and release the line. Always done with care and thought. Ana never dropped into the unknown. But then, Ana never fled a building, knowing that she would be dead if she stayed. The cops wouldn't end her life if they caught her after a theft but it was clear that Pierre had no intention of keeping her alive.

Ana looked around, searching for a place to land. There weren't a lot of choices. The closest was a bridge, but it was too far to jump from this point. Ana thought about it and let out a frustrated huff.

"At least I'm alive. Be positive."

Hitting the retract, Ana began to rise. Reaching the gantry within seconds, Ana climbed up and sat on the metal beam. Connecting the GAR line to her body, Ana hoped that if she fell, it would keep her tethered to the beam.

She had to figure out what was wrong with the wings. Ana had checked everything, ensuring that they would work rather than just jumping off a building with blind hope.

Sliding one hand into the cuff, she jerked it, and the wing spread out.

"Of course, you'd do that, you ridiculous piece of stupidity."

Ana looked at the controls for the GAR line, mulling over the options.

"I could set the wire to free release, but my luck tonight is rather shaky. Then again, jumping from the building without a plan b wasn't exactly wise."

Letting out a sigh, Ana pressed the button for free release and tested it. The wire moved freely, not stopping when she jerked it roughly enough that in ordinary circumstances would make the brakes engage.

"Okay. Tested yet again. World, watch me fail."

Again, her mind added.

Slipping the free wrist into the other cuff, Ana pulled the wing out. She was not surprised that it moved freely. Carefully, she stood on the gantry while hoping that a strong gust of wind did not blow her off.

Focusing on the path, Ana leapt into the air and opened her arms. The wings sprawled out, and she coasted along. She was surprised that this was working. Even the line was unravelling without issue.

When she reached the path, Ana reached out for the rail and thudded against the side.

"Ow," she croaked.

Climbing over the rail, Ana put her feet down on the path. She wanted to cry, shout out the relief that she was feeling. None of that would happen. She had to run. That is after she released the claw. Otherwise, she wouldn't get far.