Chapter 29
Outside Montpelier, Homeland
Where are we going, by the way?" Mark asked Edgar, hoping for some kind of a plan after they brazenly rescued clone girls.
"I’ll have to take these girls with me to the farm in the Green Mountains," Edgar said.
"Okay. We'll give it our best shot. Take us only down the back country roads, Edgar. I know it will take longer, but maybe we can sneak in there before the Homeland Police sees us.” He looked at the gas gage and said, “Or before we run out of gas.”
Edgar gave Mark the directions to the farm as they travelled. There were a lot of turns and stops.
“It seems that we have evaded the police,” Edgar said.
They took their time going down less travelled back roads. As usual, they saw very few cars on the way. But the winding route was slow going.
“We are doing great,” Mark said. “But we are still a smashed in garbage truck. Not something that someone can miss if they are looking for one.”
Edgar said, “Maybe people want us to get away.”
“Yeah, don’t count too much on that.”
Julia 47, who was sitting between Edgar and Mark, pointed out the windshield and asked, “What’s that?’
Edgar said, “That’s a guy riding a bicycle.”
She sat there awhile, then she asked, “How does it keep from falling down?”
“I have no idea,” Edgar said.
A couple of minutes later, Julia 47 asked, “What’s that?”
Edgar said, “A dead animal of some sort. A vehicle hit it.”
Then Julia 47 asked Mark, “Are you really going to save us?”
“I’m going to try.”
She sat silently for a few moments, then said, “Thank you.”
That was the first time that Mark got any indication that his self-sacrificial actions were being appreciated by anyone. No matter, he thought, it had to be done regardless of the consequences.
Mark put on the radio in the truck to see if they made the news. Some of the channels had programming that was directed toward the clone listening audience, which he skipped over. Then an amber alert came over the station. “Two pedophiles; an FCI named Mark, and a clone, had kidnapped 12 girls from the UCA. The dangerous autoconvicted sexual offenders also killed a sanitation worker and stole a truck, and dumped tons of raw trash in the open countryside. The two outlaws are believed to be dangerous and a reward is offered for the capture of the men and the girls’ safe return.”
Julia 47 asked, “Who are they talking about?”
Mark shut off the radio. “That’s too much racket.”
Edgar said, “Listen! Hear that?”
“No. I’m not a clone, and I don’t have clone hearing. What are you hearing?” Mark asked.
“It’s definitely a helicopter,” Edgar said.
“Aaag! . . . where?!”
“It’s about two kilometers away.”
Mark saw a wooded lot up ahead to the side of the road. He sped up the truck then parked off the side of the road next to a forested area. “Here! Let’s get everyone out!”
They rushed out of the cab and helped all the girls out of the back. Clearly, the rough ride took its toll on some of them.
“Mark asked, “How far is it to the farm?”
“Not far.”
While he was putting the back gate back down, Mark said, “Edgar, take the girls. I’ll divert the police.”
“But. . .”
“Do it!”
One of the Julias pulled on Mark’s arm. Mark crouched down to receive a kiss on the cheek. The other clones looked in amazement at the very non-clone-like actions of the Julia. Then the others came in with them for a group hug.
“Girls! Thank you. But I gotta go right now, so you can get away! Now hurry!”
Mark hopped into the truck and sped away. A mile down the road, the Police quadcopter appeared over a hill directly in front of him, partially blocking the bright sun. Mark hoped that if he kept driving, he could find a place to ditch the truck and make a run for it. The Police did not know that the others were already out of the truck, so he was surprised when the quadcopter opened fire on him. Chunks of pavement sprang up in front of him. Then the clanging noise of big rounds hitting the steel truck rang out. There was only so much evasive action Mark could take in the garbage truck while being fired upon by a heavily armed quadcopter. Soon the hot lead peppered the windshield of the truck and struck Mark several times with massive kill shots.
*******
The clones hid in the woodlot until nightfall. Then they travelled mostly while it was dark. The Julias kept asking Edgar where Mark was. Edgar hoped they would run into him, but they never saw him again.
During their entire young lives the Julias had never before left the confines of the UCA. Although they were terrified of their new surroundings and situation, they were gradually making progress toward their way to the farm. Since Edgar had similar clone youth experience, but also had knowledge of the outside world, he assured and encouraged them as they made their way to the safe haven. Edgar started to feel what it might be like as a parent.