Chapter 36 Grey Headlights

Chapter 36 Grey Headlights
Zane POV 

"We are moving now," I said as I adjusted the weight of Nyla's mother in my arms and kept my eyes on the uneven ground ahead and she said, "Zane careful, it is uneven here, hold her steady," and I whispered back, "I am holding her, we are almost to the car, stay ahead and clear the path," and Nyla kept moving through the trees and called back, "Clear, clear, we have a path, keep moving," and Dr. Voss pulled the wheelchair through the undergrowth behind me and whispered, "Almost there, keep her steady, Zane you are strong, keep moving," and I breathed through the pain in my legs and back and said, "I am moving, every step counts, we are almost there, stay steady, keep moving," and the trees shifted around us and I focused on the sound of Nyla ahead, the brush under my boots, the weight of a life in my arms and whispered, "Almost there, almost there, keep moving, do not falter."

Nyla called again, "Grey car ahead, I see the hazard lights, get ready," and I adjusted my grip and whispered back, "I see it, keep her steady, we are almost there, stay calm, move exactly when I say," and the woman by the car opened the back without speaking and Dr. Voss reassembled the wheelchair and whispered, "Secure her, we are almost done, every motion counts," and I lowered Nyla's mother gently into the seat and whispered, "Hold on, we are moving, we are alive, every second counts," and she looked at me briefly and said, "I am with you, stay alive," and I nodded and whispered, "Yes, we are moving, survive with us, stay steady."

Reyes got in the front seat and started the engine and said, "We are moving, listen, I am a federal investigator, we have three years building a case against Meridian, they source biological assets, Helix is one of twelve facilities, Owen does not own it he runs it for Meridian, the buyers you saw were confirming your readiness for transfer, you were not going to stay there after the procedure, you were going to be moved," and I looked at Nyla beside me and she kept her jaw set and the USB drive pressed against her thigh and whispered, "We have it, stay calm, listen, every detail matters," and Reyes said, "I can offer protection and a secure location while I build the case, the USB drive is the most significant piece of evidence I have encountered, with your cooperation and testimony you have full legal protection and immunity," and I looked at the road under the car and whispered, "Protection, I have heard that word before, used by people with authority, used to trap me before, used to control me, listen to her carefully."

Before I could say anything the rear window exploded inward and glass sprayed across the back seat and Reyes accelerated immediately and shouted, "Hold on," and Dr. Voss pulled Nyla's mother flat across the seat and whispered, "Stay down, stay calm, we move now," and Nyla grabbed the door handle and ducked low and I turned and saw the vehicle behind us, dark, no plates, closing fast and whispered, "They are following, not a Helix vehicle, something else, stay alive, stay calm," and Reyes yelled, "Turn, now, follow my lead, do not falter, every second counts," and I adjusted the weight of my arms and whispered, "I am with you, we are alive, every motion counts, stay with us."

Nyla said, "I see the road, follow her, stay together," and Dr. Voss said, "Move the wheelchair exactly, stay low, do not draw attention, every step counts," and I whispered, "Every motion counts, keep her steady, we are almost there, stay with us, survive," and Reyes navigated through the dark and said, "Not on any map, stay close, every turn exact, do not make a mistake, we are alive," and I looked at Nyla and whispered, "Keep calm, stay steady, every second counts, hold on, almost free."

The grey headlights in front of us cut forward and I whispered, "Follow them, move fast, every second counts, keep the path clear, stay together," and Nyla whispered back, "Yes, every motion exact, survive with us, do not falter," and Dr. Voss said, "Keep steady, every movement counts, hold her secure, do not make a sound, stay alive," and I whispered, "We are moving, almost there, stay together, every second counts, survive with us."

Reyes said, "Keep low, the vehicle is behind us, do not falter, timing is everything, stay alive, stay calm," and I turned to Nyla and whispered, "Hold on, keep moving, we are almost free, every step exact, every second counts," and she whispered back, "Yes, stay alive, stay with us, every motion counts, survive together."

The car moved faster, the road dark, trees close, hazard lights blinking ahead and I whispered, "Almost there, keep calm, stay with us, every second counts, survive together, stay alive," and Dr. Voss said, "Every motion exact, stay low, hold her steady, every second counts, we are moving," and Nyla whispered, "We have the drive, we have the evidence, stay alive, keep moving, do not falter."

I whispered to Reyes, "Are you sure this path is clear, every step counts, we are alive but exposed," and she said, "Yes, follow exactly, every motion counts, stay low, do not falter, hazard lights ahead, almost there," and I nodded and whispered, "We are moving, survive with us, every second counts, hold steady."

Nyla turned to me and whispered, "Keep eyes forward, do not look back, every motion exact, almost free," and I said, "I am with you, stay alive, stay with us, every second counts," and Dr. Voss said, "We are moving, hold her tight, every motion exact, almost there," and I whispered back, "Yes, stay alive, survive, every step counts, stay together, do not falter."

The car weaved through the unmarked roads, grey headlights ahead cutting through the dark, vehicle behind closing fast and I whispered, "Stay calm, every motion exact, hold her steady, survive with us," and Nyla whispered, "Yes, every step counts, every motion exact, almost free, do not falter," and Dr. Voss said, "Keep her secure, every motion counts, stay low, survive," and I said, "We are alive, stay together, every second counts, almost there, hold on."

Reyes shouted, "Turn here, quick, not on any map, stay low, every motion exact, survive," and I whispered, "We are following, stay alive, every motion counts, hold her steady, almost free," and Nyla said, "We have the drive, hold it, every second counts, do not falter, stay alive," and Dr. Voss said, "Every motion exact, keep her safe, stay alive, survive, almost there," and I whispered, "Yes, stay alive, stay together, every second counts, hold steady."

I looked out the side window and whispered, "Grey headlights, keep moving, every motion counts, stay together, survive," and Nyla whispered, "Yes, stay with us, hold steady, every second counts, almost free," and Dr. Voss said, "Keep her steady, every motion exact, survive, stay alive," and Reyes shouted, "Hold on, fast, every second counts, stay alive, almost there," and I whispered, "We are moving, survive together, every step exact, hold her, stay alive."