Chapter 3 - Frustration

"Be quiet and just follow me." Elisha tells me, as we stumble out of the run-down apartment building.  It is now pitch black out, and Elisha douses the flashlight as we come outside. 

"Whatever you say."

She takes off running, and I do my best to keep up with her.  I have to rely mainly on my sense of hearing, since she runs extremely fast.  I think that she probably could be in the Olympics.  Somehow, I doubt that the Olympics still run every two years.

"God, you're slow.  Hurry up!  We're gonna have to get you in decent shape if you want to stay alive for longer than a week out here.  I can only help you so much."

This is her third time stopping and waiting for me to catch up.  We have been running all around the city for the last hour or so.

"Jesus Christ, just give me a second to catch my breath."

"AHH. . .forget it.  It's not smart to run around the city at this pace all night.  We'll just have to see if someone can come pick us up in the morning.  I think there's a safe house around here somewhere. . ."

I am disappointed with my self for frustrating her.  I want to make a good impression, since she seems to be trying to help me. She yanks a PDA type looking device out of the small backpack she has on and muttering to herself about my laziness and incompetence at life in general, presses several small buttons on it.

"Okay, let's go."

At least now, she is going at a pace I can keep up with.  I think she has to keep one eye on the PDA to know where she is going.  We run for a few more blocks, and we stop in front of the dirtiest, most run-down apartment building I have seen so far.

"Well, here it is."

"This is the safe house?"

"Don't worry.  It'll be nicer inside.  This is kind of a disguise so that no rebels will try to raid it. . .some buildings still have useful things inside of them.  Obviously, you're more likely to raid a nicer looking building over a little shit hole like this one."

"It gets cold out here."

"Yep, the average is about fifteen degrees above freezing at night, though it gets pretty damn hot during the day.  Now let's see if I can figure out the safe word here. . .  God dammit!  I need it to get into the save house, and they always have to put codes on the safe words that are stored on these PSD's."

"PSD's?"

"Oh. . .yeah, short for Personal Safety Device.  They will show you where rebels were last spotted, where safe houses are, etc, etc.  Basically help to keep you alive a bit longer out here.  HA I win!"

We walk up to the door, and she knocks six times.  Four short knocks and two long. 

"We have a guard placed at every safe house.  Makes sure we aren't walking into a trap or anything."

The door swings open, and the most horrible person I can ever imagine is standing in front of me.