Uma stood in the early morning sunshine, sucking up its warmth before braving the bitter shadows that clung to the night's chill. She didn't hate cops before, but touching their minds and hearing how they thought drove home how they're a threat to anyone.
Even without guns.
Her attention turned to a Mercedes hanging a u-uurn. Someone noticed her.
A frosty blast of wind broke her thought.
Down went the window and a blond guy out of central casting for the Secret Service stepped out. 2/x
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Miss Pensos?" He walked around. Uma heard him repeating his job 'Pick her up. Get her home' but nothing else.
Simple orders for a simple mind, following orders to a T. The prospect of walking across town to her car made accepting a ride from a stranger appealing. Plus she'd know if things were going to go south.
She pointed to herself, "Me?"
He opened the back door, "Nick Decker. I was told to take you home."
His thoughts matched his words precisely. Weird, but okay. 3/x
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What she found over the past three weeks is when people spoke, their inner narartive was either a Greek chorus or MST3K. Yet she never had someone who spoke and thought the same thing at the same time.
There's a first time for everything.
"O-okay. Thank you." The door closed with a thump and soon they were in the flow of traffic.
"Long night, eh?" He was matter of fact, no humor in his voice nor a tickling from his mind. 4/x
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"You could say that." Uma paid attention to the route and Nick was definitely going in the right direction. "Who sent you?"
"Let's just say an interested party." A flicker of a familiar face. Not from her life. From the web and the news? Just for a second.
She opened her purse and rummaged despite knowing blind where she kept everything. "Can you take me to my car, maybe?" She stage whispered, "My keys gotta be here somewhere." 5/x
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"Police had it impounded but my boss," That face again. Dead eyes. Then nothing. "sprung it. Everything is in order."
Her purse snapped shut, "Gee, thank you."
"My pleasure."
They zipped past the little bodega with Snickers the green eyed tortie.
She was almost home.
The car accelerated as they pulled onto the main boulevard. "We have company. You better get down."
She glanced back and saw two motorcycles tailing them. 6/x
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A hard left turn swiping a Prius sent Uma sliding against the opposite door.
She heard the whine of the bikes, the panic in Nick's mind covering up a blur of action and muffled, remembered screams.
One of fhe windows smashed in as the other biker unloaded several rounds into Nick. 7/x
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