The Regeneration Project

~8~

Aspen—

"Risa!" I scream for the hundredth time, "Wake up you idiot!"

Of course, what does she do when something bad happens? She passes out. 

"Great..." I mumble under my breath, "Now I have to avoid death with an unconscious person to take care of."

I look in the rear camera and see the unmanned hovercar continuing to pursue us. Why in the world are they trying to kill us? I thought we were important and whoever is watching us wouldn't do that. Either I am greatly mistaken, or this is just some big ruse; a bluff. I hope it is the later but until Risa wakes back up I don't want to make any rash decisions in case we need to make any quick exits. I speed along the road avoiding parked vehicles and almost careening into several signs in the process. I continue to scream at Risa in a futile attempt to awake her from her dark dreamless slumber. 

"Come on Risa," I say aloud, "Wake that lazy butt of yours up. I really need you right now."

As I expected, there comes no reply and I am left to face the situation alone. I make several sharp turns and veer at the last second in front of several inanimate objects in hopes of throwing the pursuing vehicle off or making it crash but to no avail. The way that hovercar is being handled is almost that as a professional race car driver or something. I read about that once in a textbook for school. Seemed pointless to me then but now, I think those skills could come in handy. 

I can slowly see the pursuer gaining on me, but that is almost impossible. I am going as fast as this vehicle can possibly go. Maybe it's some suped-up car? I don't know. It feels like I've been driving for hours before Risa starts to make any indication of awakening, but when it does happen, I take full advantage of loud noise in a confined space. I scream her name over, and over, and over, until I am cut of as he finally snaps to attention.

"Ris—" I manage to squeak out until she screams.

"What? What is it? What happened?" She asks concerned. She whips her head around wildly before finally focusing on my face.

"You passed, like you always do when something bad happens." I say, "What is going to happen some time when I am rendered unconscious and something bad happens? We're going to die if you can't pull it together." I say more harshly that intended.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm sorry." She managed as she turns away so I don't see the tears welling up in her eyes.

"No, I'm sorry," I say apologetically as I can in this situation, "Sorry, I just overreacted a little, I need to talk to you right now though. This thing is gaining on us and we don't have a lot of time to make a decision"

"What do you suggest then?" she asks through sporadic breathing.

"This car is gaining on us and we can't just keep going forever. I was thinking I could slow down to see if this is a bluff. If they don't show any sign of slowing down, I will either veer off, or we can jump out of the car, and and their vehicle might be damaged enough on the impact that it won't be able to chase us anymore."

"That sounds like playing with death a little too much." she says, "I don't like the idea, but if that's the only way then sure, why not? It will crash into us regardless if we wait too long because they're gaining on us."

"Okay, onward with the plan then?" I ask.

"I guess."

"Now that I'm thinking about it I really don't want to do it." I say with a hint of despair in my voice, hoping she doesn't hear it.

"Just do it already Aspen!"

"Okay, okay." I say defensively, "Here goes nothing..."

I slam on the breaks and watch the hovercraft. It show no sign of slowing down so I prepare Risa for the later plan.

"Get ready to jump." I say.

"Oh my gosh Aspen, this better work."

"It will...maybe." I say not so boisterously.

When the other vehicle is too close for any hope of stopping before impact I yell at Risa.

"Jump now." I scream over the roar of the other engine.

We both bolt out of the car faster than light, and I stumble wildly closing the distance to the nearest building. I whip my gaze behind me to look at Risa just in time to see the car smash into the back of the hovercar we were just in and spin wildly out of control. They finally come to a halt about 200 meters from our current position as smoke rises into the air. I sprint across the street to see a bloodied Risa curled up on the ground.

"What did you do?" I ask alarmed.

"Face planted and skidded across the pavement!" she yells back at me.

"Okay, well can you walk? We really need to get away form here. They may decide to send something else flying after us and I don't want to be out here to see it."

"I think so." she says through gritted teeth, obviously in pain.

We cross a few streets and stop about a five blocks away at an empty apartment complex. I lead her up the stairs and start trying doors on the third floor, hoping to find a door that was carelessly left unlocked before everyone vanished. I hit a strike of luck on the seventh door, and quickly usher her inside. Only now I see the tears streaming down her face at the immense pain she is in.

"Aspen," she gasps, "I think I broke something in my leg."

"Okay, hold on." I try to say reassuringly, "I will go get something for the pain."

I race into the kitchen opening the small first aid cabinet that is in ever single apartment. I rustle through bottles of different medications before I finally find one labeled aniprovalise. I walk back into the foyer and get out three tubes which I put into the hypoinjector. I place it on her neck and press the button, injecting the medication into her body.

"Thank you." she says, relief washing over her face.

"No problem," I say, "Now how about finding out how to fix that leg of yours?"

I walk over to the AIS panel and sign in as a guest since I am not one of the owners of the establishment. 

"Hello, Mr. Lassiter!" the AIS says, "How can I be of service?"

"Well, I need something for a possibly broken leg.  A skeletal regenerator perhaps?"

"Of course!" the AIS says cheerfully.

A small tray opens out of a service panel in the wall and I grab the regenerator walking back to where Risa sits, sprawled on the floor.

"Here's your salvation." I say waving the regenerator through the air.

"Well, do something already doctor." she says mockingly. "Don't just stand there."

"As you wish." I say in the most doctor-like voice I can muster.

I wave the regenerator over her leg, and hopefully fix the problem. She stands up when I am finished and smiles giddily.

"Good as new!" she says.

"Great!"

We walk over to the panel and place the regenerator back inside thanking the AIS as we go, when suddenly I hear a knock on the door.

"Please tell me you didn't hear that too." I plead as I look at Risa. Seeing her eyes wide as saucers, I conclude that she indeed did hear it.

"I slowly creep towards the door, and listen intently. A patter of three quick knocks followed by two slow make my blood turn to ice.

"Oh no..." I say. 

I turn and run into the bedroom pulling Risa with me and barricade the door before she can protest or ask questions. There is only one person that uses that knocking pattern, and I watched them die three years ago.