The Rider (Complete)

Chapter Thirteen

Kade brought his bike to a stop just on the outskirts of the city limits. Receiving information from his drone, he scouted the best route. The city was too large to go around. It would also be too time consuming. Heading straight through the city was the shortest and most obvious path; however, also likely to be the most dangerous.

With no time to spare, Kade set off. Even though his bike hardly made a sound, that was of little consequence. Whoever were in these empty streets had other ways of detecting travellers passing through.

Entering the abandoned city was yet another sobering thought of humanity's fragility. Countless blocks of blown out high-rises and decaying structures, empty parks and lifeless suburbs, all covered in a thick layer of ash. The city was a ghost town, a lost and forgotten skeleton of what was a once vibrant and prosperous hub for civilization.

Kade's drone stayed ahead of him, scanning the streets. So far, the coast was clear. His eyes scanned the streets and buildings as well. There were far too many places to hide, which made him feel exposed and vulnerable. He stuck to side streets and travelled at a moderate speed just so that if a hazard were to present itself suddenly and unexpectedly, he would have enough time to react.

Following his drone, Kade pulled into a parkade located under a random office building. He crept in, driving passed a number of broken down and rusted vehicles that were half buried in dust and debris. There didn't appear to be any other tracks in the dirt, which was a good sign. He pulled around a corner, placing sensors as he went, until he found a hidden spot tucked away in the back that made him feel safe. According to the drone's digital scan, there were multiple entry and exit points so in case of an attack, he could make an escape.

Kade dismounted after a long day of riding and laid down on the dirt-covered floor. It was another chance to catch a few much needed hours of rest. He was on a tight schedule and had only allotted a few hours of sleep per day.

He checked the timer, which had been counting down from five days. He also had a map, which charted his course so that he could visually see how far he was to his final destination. After being on the road for less than twenty-four hours, he still had a long way to go.

He had a quick meal, holding his breath and lifting up his helmet just enough so that he could take a bite of a high-caloric protein bar. He then lowered his helmet back down to chew. He did this several times until it was finished. It wasn't exactly the best source of nutrients, but it was the customary food source for riders on the go.

Another hunger that persisted was his insatiable desire to take a hit of ghost. He still had a small vile of it and kept the thought in his mind at all times. He wrestled with the idea of throwing it away, and on several occasions reached the conclusion that it was best to discard it, but something always prevented him from doing it. The drug had an incredible pull on him that was hard to shake. His rationale was it was better to have it and not need it than it was to need it and not have it.

Kade settled in, exhaling and relaxing his mind and body. Within a few minutes, he was asleep.

Less than an hour into his rest, his alarm blared in his ears, alerting him of danger. In his sleep-depraved state, he had momentarily forgotten where he was. He looked around the underground parking structure and began to gain his bearings. A soft light crept in from a large crack in one of the walls, providing enough light for him to see. There were no signs of danger. He looked in his visor, but didn't see anything.

He quickly mounted his bike and began to pull away, but was blindsided by an electrical pulse that knocked him off his bike and sent him flying into a parked car. The door caved in on impact and he was once again lying on the soot covered floor. Unsure what had hit him, he attempted to crawl to safety, but the pain was crippling.

The small clan of nomadic scavengers had tracked him down and had him surrounded. The scavies, as they were called, were a lawless group usually with primitive technology. But these people were from a different tribe and could not be compared to any others. They had stolen high-tech weapons from travellers and were looking to do the same with him.

Another shot exploded near his head, sending debris on top of him and chills down his spine. It was too close for comfort.

The shots kept coming in multiple directions and Kade had yet to fully regain his faculties. The noise was deafening. Loud flashes of light exploded all around him. A nearby car was blasted to bits and sharp chunks of metal rained down on him.

Kade withdrew his weapon, but was barely able to raise his arm let alone steady it to take aim. The gun had a kick, which required a certain level of strength to withstand the resistance. The only thing that didn't hurt was to speak. Using a voice command, he launched his drone from the back of his bike. It raced around the perimeter obtaining a digital scan of the area. Now, Kade had a rudimentary visual map showing him the location and number of his attackers.

He slid back down and continued to watch the blips on his display as they circled in closer. With time, Kade slowly regained movement in his limbs and crawled to safety behind a heap of rubble. With his back now against a wall, he attempted to use it to push himself up to his feet. A paralyzing jolt of residual electricity flashed through his fried nervous system and caused him to grit his teeth in agony.

There was one more option that Kade had in mind, but he only wanted to use it as a last resort. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a hit of ghost and stared at it. Now was not the time for hesitation. His life was on the line and he needed to make a quick decision.