Power Play (Book 2)

Chapter 3: Going Home

Winning Choice: Help Big Dog escape.

Recap: Brandon rescued a group of children being held hostage by some escaped convicts, but as the police were about to storm the school one of the convicts pleaded to be let go so he could visit his dying brother…

Whatever Big Dog may have done in the past, something tells me he is telling the truth now.

“I’ll help you,” I tell him. “But you need to do exactly what I say, no matter how weird it sounds or what you see happen.”

Crashes from out in the school tell me the police are working their way closer to the theater. Big Dog looks at me nervously then nods. 

I step in close and he flinches, not sure what I’m doing. It probably wouldn’t help the situation if I told him that I wasn’t entirely sure what I was doing either.

Grabbing him under one arm, we float off the ground and I smile as the big, tough convict yelps in surprise. We rise up to the rafters of the theater. With the police surrounding the school the only way we’re getting out is the same way I got in: from above. We may need to ditch any police or news helicopters, but that will still be easier than fighting it out on the ground. Especially with a very non-bulletproof passenger in tow.

The ceiling seems pretty thin up here, with not much between us and the roof outside. Still, it’s a strong ceiling and I’m going to need two hands.

Big Dog’s eyes are almost popping out of his head. I suppose seeing someone fly down was easier to explain away. Maybe he told himself I jumped down onto the stage before, but there’s no way to explain our little flight straight up like a balloon.

“Step on the beam there and hold on for a second. I need both hands,” I tell him.

Big Dog grabs the metal rafter with a death grip, not taking his eyes off me for a second. I drift a few feet over and smash a jagged hole in the ceiling. Debris and dust tumble down onto the stage far below. A shaft of sunlight hits the stage like a spotlight near Kyle’s still unconscious body. 

Big Dog shifts his grip back to me as we fly up through the hole, our heads peeking out like a pair of large, levitating gophers.

Between all the vehicles and people swarming around the school there is a steady hum of noise. Two helicopters are hovering a short distance away but neither are right over the school.

“Hold on,” I tell Big Dog. We pop out of our gopher hole and fly fast and low over the school, over the nearby homes, as far away as I can get. I think I hear someone yell as we fly off but nobody gives chase.

We set down in a dense bunch of trees in a big park. Big Dog stumbles back when I let him go, nearly toppling onto his rear end. Flying tends to put people a bit off their balance.

“What are you, man?” he asks.

“Just a regular guy. Or I was before someone took my life away from me. So I have a bit of a sore spot when people do that to someone else. And I’m not overly fond of the police.”

“You did time, too, didn’t you?” he asks. I nod.

“But I didn’t let you go just to piss off the cops,” I tell him. “If I hear that you so much as jaywalk, I will hunt you down. I know your scent. You have a second chance, so use it. It’s more than most people get.”

He looks at me carefully for a moment, the strange flying biker in black, and I wonder what he’s thinking. After a moment he sticks out his hand and I shake it.

“I will. Thanks. And be careful,” he tells me.

“I’m pretty much bullet-proof,” I say.