The Rider (Complete)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Kade had stayed at the monastery a lot longer than he had planned. Even though his body had recovered, he thought the extra time with the monks would be good for his mental state. It had been over three months since Kade was brought to the monastery. He knew he couldn't stay there indefinitely and the time had come to leave. With no communication with the outside world, he had no idea if his mother and Tanjoban were still alive, but he needed to get back to Endocrine to find out. No more running. No more hiding. He was ready to face his reality.

Equipped with a two-day supply of oxygen and a motorbike that he had restored, Kade said his final goodbyes to Kefu and the other monks.

"I am forever indebted to you," Kade said to Kefu, pulling him in for a hug. If I can, I promise to make it back out this way to repay you. If you don't hear from me, assume the worst."

"We hope to see you again soon, Kade," Kefu said with his infectious smile. "Be safe out there."

Kade mounted his bike and descended down the steep mountainous road. The road was slick from a morning rain — the type of rain that wreaks havoc on anything it touches. He had to be careful to avoid puddles.

After three months off, it felt good to be riding again. Winding down the mountain, the bike's suspension and handling were put to the test. Once he reached the flats, he could really open up and see how fast it was. He had low expectations considering the age of the bike, the size of the motor, and what he had previously.

As the mountain road came to an end, Kade was heavy on the throttle. His equipment was basic and he had no navigational system other than the directions the monks had told him. He didn't have a drone, no weapons, and no high-tech suit. He needed to be careful and calculated about his every move.

He soon passed by the abandoned church in which he tried to take his own life, reminding him that it wasn't over until he breathed his last breath. He felt as though there was some higher force watching over him, guiding him.

An early morning fog crept in as Kade tucked his head and raced toward the abandoned city. His plan was to make it back to Endocrine, visit Mr. Saigon, and explain the situation. His hopes were that Saigon would give him another chance and spare his life. With any luck, his mother and Tanjoban would be safe as well.

It took a few hours until Kade approached the outer limits of the abandoned city. He needed a break, not only to stretch, but also to rehydrate. Success on this journey meant taking the right precautions. Mr. Chu's wisdom played in his head — 'You must stack the odds in your favour.'

Sitting at the edge of the city, Kade heard something in the distance. It wasn't coming from the city, it was coming from behind him. Kade turned to look. He had to squint through the thick orange haze to make out what it was. It appeared to be a small army charging toward him. Kade quickly mounted his bike and attempted to turn on the ignition, but it was dead.

"No no no, not now. Come on!" he said as he tried over and over to get the bike to start.

He got off the bike and fiddled with some wires that he believed may have been faulty. The whole time he kept looking at the swarming cavalry that was heading straight for him. His heart was racing. 

When the large group punched through the fog and came within proper view, he realized the full scope of what he was dealing with. They weren't scavs at all, but something much more terrifying. The group was part human part machine — an unnerving sight for anyone especially a lone rider.

Upon his initial count, there appeared to be a dozen or so warriors with their makeshift Mad Maxian hell machines. Accompanying them were several unpiloted steampunk inspired bots that looked like they were assembled in a junkyard. Their haphazard metal plates, rusted mechanisms, and exposed gears were definitely not the work of refined engineers, but more the brainchild of a modern day Frankenstein.

Kade looked on in horror, his heart pounding violently as he kept fiddling with the outdated circuitry. Fear grew as he began yelling and hitting the bike out of a panic-stricken frustration. Just as the machines were within a stone's throw, the bike finally turned over and came to life. In one fluid movement, Kade revved the throttle and dove on the seat while the bike was in motion.

The bike accelerated as Kade climbed on properly and readjusted himself. On a straight stretch, he had a chance to turn his head back, but only for a glimmer, to see how close they were. They were right on his tail. He definitely didn't have the horsepower to outrun them, but he could definitely outride them. His skill as a rider was second to none and he had every bit of confidence that he would avoid capture by this rogue squad of bandits, whoever they were.

The machines came in all shapes and sizes, some resembling headless horses while others had tank treads. They were fast, calculated, and relentless. The slower ones took aim and fired off several rounds of explosive projectiles. The streets and surrounding buildings exploded with debris, narrowly missing Kade as he ducked his head and manoeuvered through the streets as if they were a mine field. Little rocks, pieces of metal, and chunks of concrete rained down on him and gummed up his visor. His visibility was so impaired that at one point he had to wipe the dirt away.

The bike howled through the vacant streets as he zigged and zagged around road hazards and large objects. He knew the streets were rigged by scavs, but wasn't exactly sure where all the traps were. That information would either help him or hurt him, but surely his pursuers would run into the same unexpected issues, putting them at a disadvantage.

Kade rounded a corner, but this time saw the cable stretched out. He propped himself up so that he was standing on the seat and waited for the exact moment to jump. As the bike passed under the steel cable, Kade timed it so that he jumped over it. He became separated from his bike for a second as he cleared the cable before crashing back down on the bike. The bike wobbled, but Kade quickly corrected and regained control.

He then realized there was another cable stretched out twenty feet away that was approaching rather quickly. It was positioned much too low to perform the same stunt, so he slammed on his front break causing the bike to do a nose wheelie. The bike wheeled right up to the cable, which is when Kade used his body momentum to swing the backend of the bike in the air and clear the cable. He then shifted his weight and pulled the front end up hopping over the cable like a choreographed dance.

Kade resettled the bike on the other side of the cable and took off. Rounding the next corner, he heard the moment of impact. The metal militia plowed into the first cable, snapping it upon impact. The gang hardly even noticed it.

Kade had no time to waste. He passed by one of the buildings he recognized and figured it was close to his drone and the package, but there was no time to look. The best-case scenario would be to find a place to hide and lay low.

The bots came from all angles, galloping like demons out of hell. They leaped over large objects in a single bound without breaking stride. They caught up to Kade and swiped at him, but he managed to out manoeuvre them. Kade sunk lower into his seat to remain a smaller target. Glancing over, he saw one of the bots charging toward him from the side. It plowed into him causing his bike to wobble uncontrollably. The handlebars jerked back and forth and Kade was thrown off his bike. He hit the dirt-covered ground with a thud and slid to a stop. In his wake was a large cloud of dust. His bike flipped end over end before crashing into a wall. It appeared to be completely destroyed. Kade winced in pain, but before he could move, he was surrounded.

The headless horse bot galloped toward him and with its solid frame, sharp edges, and imposing statue. It stood over Kade, pinning him to the ground.