Chapter 6: Brazilia

I watched the large building implode and grinned at the large man beside me, “I told you it would not harm the other buildings.”

He grinned back before starting to walk towards his construction bosses. I turned to start disconnecting the fancy demo control board and slipped it into the case. I checked everything twice before closing it and standing, this job was finished but I had another job to plan. I walked to my large hover truck and slipped in as my comm went off.

I shook my head, I had more business than I could handle. I pulled the comm out as I reached out to start the vehicle and froze when I saw the encrypted message. I glanced around before climbing out and walking away. I was a block away before I saw the men following, they would close in fast now that I was out and moving.

I had been through all these buildings to check them before I dropped the other so I knew what to do. I walked into one that had several litigators but used a lift to take me to the roof. The crowd that had been watching the building being destroyed was breaking up as I headed towards the far corner. I knew someone had used and kept an old power glider.

I looked back but no one could see me as I knelt and slipped into the harness. I extended the wings and switched on the four small anti gravs before running towards the edge of the roof and leaping. I banked and rose higher as the warm air caught the wings. I used other buildings to block and protect me from the men on the ground and headed towards the far side of the city.

It was an hour before I dove towards the jungle and a huge vine covered tree. I flared the wings at the last moment and snapped them in. I dropped a couple of feet and crouched on the huge branch as I tore the harness off. I dropped the glider and moved to the trunk before dropping and climbing down using a thick vine. Once I was on the ground I moved into the thick jungle another kilometer.

The small water fall fell from a ten meter cliff and I walked towards it before checking around me. I waded into the pool and under the falling water before stepping out onto a moss covered floor. I walked towards the back of the cave and put my hand on a crystal. A minute later the back wall vanished and I walked into the carven room.

I did not bother waiting and started stripping as I walked towards the shelves on the other side of the room. I stopped beside a large screen to flip a couple of switches before pulling the camouflage uniform on. I added the combat harness and then the weapons. I checked and reconfigured the bag into a pack and turned to leave. I stopped at the dozen dots closing with the center of large screen.

I shook my head as I stopped beside the door leading out and touched a plate. I could hear the shattering explosions ripping and shredding the men and jungle apart. I walked out and the door closed as I went back through the falling water and turned to head deeper into the jungle. Five minutes later I was pulling the river pod out on another larger river.

I slipped in and closed the hatch before letting it submerge as it headed down river. I was thinking the whole time, it had been years and they were just coming for me. Something must have changed if the council was openly defying the emperor’s written commands. I watched the sonar as the pod glided along above the river bottom and relaxed.

It took two days for the pod to reach San Miguel and I took control to move it under a wharf before coming up. I stood and tossed my bag up onto the beam before jumping and pulling myself up. I watched a minute later as the pod sank and then grabbed my bag before moving along the narrow walkway. This was known to those that used it as Smugglers Wharf.

I followed the walk to the left and climbed a set of stairs before shouldering my pack. It took me a couple of hours to reach the small shop I needed and walk in. The colorful display of birds screamed and squawked as I headed towards the counter, “Juan.”

The ancient looking man smiled and pushed the young woman away, “Senior Jeff.”

I smiled, “A great granddaughter?”

He grinned, “My lover.”

I laughed and reached out to shake his hand. I glanced at the girl vanishing through the back door, “I need the bag and for you to send the message I left with you.”

He frowned, “Are you sure?”

I nodded, “Make sure you use another comm so they do not track it back to you.”

He grinned, “I know just the place.”

He turned and slapped the wall and I blinked as it slid open. He pulled the pack out and pushed it towards me, “What else can I do?”

I turned to head towards the door, “Forget I was here and take your woman to bed.”

He laughed as I walked out and started walking. I stopped in an alley to strip and put the uniform and most of the weapons into my large bag. From the small bag I pulled out a set of clothes and dressed. When I started walking again people smiled and bowed. It took several hours to walk across the city and then I stopped at a small automated hostel to rent a room.