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Zack slowly made his way through the snow and doubled back after he left several false trails that’d zigzag and lead them in the opposite direction of his brothers and sisters. To effectively misdirect Manticore’s goons, military soldiers, who continued to scour the area after their escape.
Once he was close enough, it didn’t take Zack long to find the right tree. Jumping up, his hands fastened around the trunk five feet off the ground, nails dug in before he started to hitch his body the rest of the way up. Deliberately ignoring the painful numbing cold that burned his lungs with each breath and the cuts that decorated the bottom of his feet; climbing until he was nestled up high, hidden from view.
He was a mile outside of Manticore’s gate; below just a quarter mile ahead of him was Lydecker in the center of the chaos.
The alarms were still blaring; Lydecker paced as he yelled out over a phone. Patiently Zack waited and watched counting, evaluating each of Manticore’s teams as they slowly returned to check in and report their status. Confirming what he had expected and had hoped that his unit—all twelve of them had safely escaped.
Though Zack couldn’t hear him, he could see by Lydecker’s actions the man was furious and pounded his fist against the jeeps hood. Zack couldn’t deny he had been worried, anxious to know if anyone got caught or worse if Lydecker would order another unit or X series to search out his unit.
However Lydecker wasn’t stupid, and at the movement they had just proven their precious X-series was defective, a dangerous variable. It gave them the advantage. It also didn’t hurt that they were superior were Lydecker and his grunts were human. The soldiers below were older and had experience; individually even with a weapon, fighting one on one against an X5 they were frail and incompetent.
Lydecker continued to shout out orders for teams to regroup and double up in the surrounding perimeters. Judging by Lydecker’s body language, Zack knew Lydecker was threatening his own men that they better find his X5s and pick up on their trail. Suddenly a truck pulled up interrupting Lydecker’s dress down. Hastily the back door was pulled opened, and several dogs on a leash jumped out, barking enthusiastically. This time each team was allowed the aid of a dog to pick up on their scent. Suddenly the alarms were cut off making it easier for Zack to hear Lydecker.
Although no one could see it, it didn’t stop him as Zack broke his usual stoic persona as leader, the corners of his mouth twitched into a small smile when he recognized and heard the desperation in Lydecker’s voice boom out against the silence. Then he heard a hitch catch in Lydecker’s throat and realized what it was—anxiety and fear. Zack’s smile grew and spread out across his face where his cheeks puffed out until they ached.
The phone rang again and Lydecker jerkily moved to answer it.
Zack’s smile started to falter and fade by Lydecker’s stilted movements. Zack’s pulse rate increased and he began to worry that Lydecker had changed his mind about forcing a different unit to track them down or that he had somehow telegraphed his own position.
Minutes passed as Zack held his breath then exhaled a heavy steam of air. His eyes riveted, following Lydecker’s every move. Lydecker’s tone was fierce steel and commanding as he repeated each team’s objective: to hunt down and obtain all X5’s—alive or dead.
Zack wasn’t surprised by the order, it was the reason why he had to be sure everyone had made it out. They were his brothers and sisters, his family. Manticore had trained and created him, he was their unit leader—they were his responsibility.
Glancing up to the stars through the branches and snow, Zack estimated he had six or seven hours before daybreak. He’d have to stay put until sunset. Then under the cover of night once it was safe he’d shimmy down and do what they couldn’t, pick up on his units trail.
For now there was nothing he could do but wait. Though he shivered against the cold, Zack inhaled and hugged his small frame; for the first time in his young life, he had and enjoyed the taste of freedom.
Fin~