ZERO (Complete)

Chapter Forty-Eight

Bored with the rooftop, Mauricio suggested they leave the apartment.

"I don't want to go," Cheryl said.

"Lauren, Lynn, what about you two?" Mauricio asked.

"I'm down," Lauren said.

"I've been dying to get out of this place since the moment we arrived here," Lynn concurred.

"Great, let me go find the Professor and see if he wants to come as well."

Mauricio headed back into the apartment and found the Professor toiling away.

"Hey, Prof, how's it going?"

"I just finished something, but I need to test it."

"Can you take a break?"

"Yeah, just give me a minute."

Shrouded in darkness, the small group entered the city. They felt a little more comfortable sneaking around at night. They also wore loose-fitted clothing and covered their faces with scarves, hats, and glasses.

"You guys really think this is a good idea?" Lynn asked, having second thoughts.

"It's a little late for that," Mauricio said.

"Hey, where are you guys?" a voice came over the headset.

"Mr. Camo, it's Lauren. Don't be upset, but we were getting a little stir crazy at the apartment and decided to go for a little stroll."

"Who's with you?" he asked.

"Me, Mauricio, Professor, and Lynn."

"Are you all wearing disguises?"

"Of course," she said.

"Okay, here's what I want you to do. I want you to remove them and start walking."

"What?" Lauren asked. She then turned to her friends and told them what Mr. Camo had said.

"Why does he want us to remove our disguises?" Mauricio asked.

"Yeah, does he want us to get arrested and killed?" Professor chimed in.

"I think we're bait," Lynn said.

"If you want to bait someone," the Professor said. "You do it with beautiful women. If it were up to me, I would have Lauren and her friends go to the hottest clubs in town and see what they can dig up."

"Unfortunately, my friends and I have been going to the hottest clubs in town for the better part of a decade. It's not like these guys wear uniforms that say 'I work for The Shadow'."

Reluctantly, they all peeled off the eye and headwear, and ditched the baggy clothing. They then proceeded down the street, and on occasion looked directly into some of the security cameras.

Immediately, scanners picked up their faces and other behavioural biometrics amongst the crowd and alerted the authorities.

"How long do we have to do this?" Mauricio asked nervously.

"Just until I can hack into The Shadow's system and steal the algorithm they're using to track you. Hold tight."

Lynn, Professor, Mauricio and Lauren made it about two blocks before they felt the presence of the law. Plain clothed officers, similar to the ones who had abducted them weeks prior began following them.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Mauricio asked.

"I see one at two o'clock, across the street. He's been following us for about a block," the Professor said.