Lilith

Chapter 21 (#ulink_e45f3844-26d9-5815-88be-221c6b3f39c7)

Chapter 22 (#ulink_00ef1b0c-2675-5155-93ce-bc0d0adef4e2)

Epilogue (#ulink_5c40a675-e938-5a0e-b0ad-85e644f94858)

Appendix (#ulink_44abb098-5852-57c4-b429-325a6a8bc943)

Acknowledgments (#ulink_19a52df7-5f97-5b20-ac41-1dce6fa6d502)

Prologue

The chase

One hundred and twenty.

The foot, arching, pushes even harder on the accelerator.

One hundred and thirty.

The man looks in the rear-view mirror and curses through clenched teeth:

"Damn, they don't let up!"

One hundred and forty: the road is too bumpy and the risk is too great, but he can't help himself, because he knows that if they just catch up with him....

No!

He shakes his head, chasing away the thought of what they would do to him... or not do!

Another glance at the mirror gives him another concern.

"Oh gosh! The guns!"

One hundred and sixty: that's the limit, he can't go any higher than that, not there!

He knows he needs a solution soon.

Bhang! Bhang!

"Shit, shit, shit..."

The bullets fly past him like a swarm of angry wasps.

He understands that at that rate, he won't stand a chance. He needs reinforcements and activates the voice recognition command device.

"Menu. Phone: Activate. Address book: Father. Call."

Tuu! Tuu! Tuu!

"Pick up, come on... pick up Father!"

Bhang! Bhang! Crash!

The response comes in conjunction with the rear window explosion.

"Where are you? We have a problem."

"Just one, Father? I've got several here, problems, sticking behind my ass and shooting! Where's the cavalry at?"

"Five of the boys are dead...three others are badly wounded: I can't send you anyone else, I'm sorry but you'll have to manage on your own. I know you'll make it, you've been in worse situations."

The first challenging curves appear on the road, forcing him to decelerate considerably.

His gaze slips behind him once again and....

Lord Almighty! A missile launcher! Have they a fucking missile launcher?

"No, Father, this is the worst! Pray for me... and if you can't, at least pray for my soul..."

In front, at the end of the curves, he glimpses a straight. Logic would dictate that they use it there. At a glance he has only a handful of seconds left.

"Don't say that, you don't have to give up!"

"Okay, Father, I swear I'll try, but in the meantime wave to the guys for me and if the line drops...don't worry, sometimes missiles do."

The straightaway comes right on time and along with it he glimpses the buggers adjusting their aim as well.

"Either I pull a rabbit out of my hat now, or I'm toast! Speaking of rabbits: how the heck did Bugs Bunny always save himself?"

Chapter 1

The Awakening

Immemorial, lying on that double bed, my legs tangled in the sheets, I stare up at the ceiling made slightly opaque by time and, motionless with my arms outstretched, I try to recapture the memories of the previous night, faded like an echo from my mind.

The fierce rays of light filtering through the curtains are stabs in the eyes, but every muscle categorically refuses to respond to my calls, leaving me there to endure the torment, alone with my questions...

Red.

Long black hair.

Music.

It's just brief flashes that light up quickly in awareness, but the rest is still dark.

Driin! Driin!

The phone: cursed infernal device with an obnoxious sound.