Amy Rench - Fallen Rogue

“Got one,” Rome called to her.

Despite the dire circumstances, she couldn’t help grinning as she stood-well, sat-corrected.

Her body jerked a little as Rome shifted in the wet leather seat while she maneuvered over some slick granite. She glanced behind, hearing the deep rumbling of the Hummer’s huge engine drown out the bike’s own motor as the big monster began to gain ground on them, plowing easily through the jagged, muddy terrain.

Another smattering of bullets filled the air, and she knew she had to do something. She had a feeling the chase couldn’t go on forever, and at the rate they were going, the Hummer would be on top of them soon.

She gave a fleeting thought to using her psi powers now that she felt a little stronger. Out in the open, it had never failed her.

Looking inside herself, she began to focus on the energy inside her mind.

“Harper!” Rome yelled as she skimmed a jutting rock, almost dislodging them.

“Sorry.” She cringed, glancing around at the blurring greens and browns of the forest as the rain slapped against her face. Apparently not a good idea right now to try out her tenuous control of the power. She could kill the two of them before she saved them.

Taking a deep breath of the fresh damp air, she looked hard at the trees to their sides. At the cutting paths that crisscrossed through the course they were riding. At the hills that rolled ahead.

Harper knew this area. She and Bobby had hiked it many times before, though she had no idea just how close they’d been to the lab all those times.

The bike slanted dangerously from the harsh recoil of another shot from Rome’s gun. Struggling to keep it under control as they raced over moss and mud, she tried to recall everything she knew about this area.

Where could she lose the Hummer? The metal beast was mowing down the vegetation, but she didn’t dare try to slalom the trees to the sides. She was afraid she’d land them smack-dab in the middle of a solid trunk, so she’d stayed on the rough trail that traversed the dense tree line.

“Do you know this area?” she called over her shoulder to Rome.

“A little.” He paused to aim and shoot once more. She anticipated the shot this time and swerved along with the motion. “Just from the map.” He sounded a little breathless. A lot breathless, actually.

Goodness, she’d forgotten about his wounds. And hers. She flexed her arm to test the slice in her forearm. A little tight, but not the heavy stinging of before.

“I think there’s a small gorge up ahead,” Rome hollered, jerking her body backward while he reloaded his weapon, his arm still looped through the coat tied around her waist.

Gorge? Oh, holy cow. Rome was right. But it wasn’t a small gorge. It was a wide ravine. Wide and deep.

Sharpening her focus, she peered through the spitting rain, looking forward for the signs of the fateful ravine that just might save them.

Or kill them for good.

Harper recalled that the only warning of the ridge was the thinning of trees and a small hill that dipped just before the edge. If she remembered correctly, the drop was about the length of the Olympic pools she swam. Probably even a touch more than the fifty meters.

The distance across the ravine was the real problem. She wasn’t sure. Twenty or thirty feet. Maybe farther.

She noticed a rise in the terrain as she swerved around a thick section of a downed tree. The ravine was just ahead.

Now what?

She flirted with the idea of jumping the chasm, then shrugged it off with a smirk. Was she crazy? She was barely keeping the bike stable on the ground. How in the world did she think she could run it off the ledge and make it to the other side? Could this bike even do something like that with both of them on it?

She’d seen motocross commercials where they did flips and jumps. So maybe…Oh for crying out loud. Was she seriously thinking about jumping?

Another barrage of bullets whizzed by her, smacking the large rock in front of her, the sparking chips of granite nearly showering them as she sped past the boulder at close range.

Yes. Harper was seriously thinking about it. She didn’t really see any other option. The Hummer was gaining on them and seemed to have an unlimited arsenal, so they couldn’t stop. The trees were too thick to try to weave the motorbike through. Turning around would be suicide.

Rome was too injured to fight or run. And she didn’t know whether she could chance revving up and releasing her psi power before it was too late.

“Damn it all,” Rome yelled. “I’m out of ammo.”

Her body jostled forward, and then back as Rome dislodged his arm from the coat loop. He twisted around with a grunt and settled against her back, locking his arms around her waist.

“Where are we going?” His warm breath huffed against her ear, tickling her damp skin. “I thought the gorge was ahead.”

“It is,” Harper confirmed, turning her head so he could hear. Should she share her idea? Sure, why not. He had to come with her anyway. “We’re going over it.”

She waited for him to yell at her in disbelief. No sound came. She shifted to glance over her shoulder. No wonder he was quiet. His jaw was clenched so tight, she was surprised he could still breathe. She could have sworn she saw smoke come out of his ears.

She faced front again to see the hill quickly approaching. Just beyond it was the ledge. And beyond that, the ravine.

“Harper, I’m not so sure about this.” He tightened his grip on her body.

“Me neither.” She grinned against the drizzle blowing against her face. It was crazy. “But what choice do we have?” She was crazy.

“There’s always a choice,” Rome roared at her, just as a bullet hit the left side mirror, blowing it off the bike. She turned to meet his wide gaze with her own. “And it’s a good choice.” He nodded at her.

Harper laughed and turned back around to face forward. Rome’s grasp tightened, almost squeezing the breath from her gut.

Gripping the handlebars tight, she twisted the throttle, giving the motor all the power it could manage. The bike lurched forward with the extra speed. Rome stiffened behind her and moved forward so close, she doubted any speck of air could fit between them.

Her stomach dropped as she shot the bike down the last decline at full speed. The bike caught a little air as it snaked across the ground just ahead of the ledge.

Here we go. Harper’s knuckles whitened as she held tight to the bike. One last pull of the throttle and she watched the slick rocks that bordered the edge of the ravine fall away to nothing.

And she and Rome soared.

As if looking at herself from outside her body, a perfect lightness overtook her as she savored being suspended with Rome for this one moment in time.

Then the descent. The ground on the other side rushed at her at an alarming rate.

They made it. As the tires hit the hard earth, they swerved and reeled. Harper barely- barely -held on, struggling against the natural forces trying to sweep the bike out from under them.

But she did. And Rome was right behind her.

Steadying the bike, she skidded to a stop, mud and leaves kicking out from the strain on the tires.

She took a deep, steadying breath and gazed toward the ravine they’d just miraculously jumped.

On the other side, the Hummer’s front wheels were hanging over the edge, the back tires squealing against the ground, trying to reverse the heavy truck fully onto the solid land as it teetered dangerously.

The decent human being in her hoped they could right the vehicle. The fallen fugitive in her, sick and tired of being chased, beaten, and shot at, really didn’t care whether they succeeded.

Peeling her fingers from her death grip on the handles, she turned to look at Rome, rubbing the circulation back into her stiff wet hands. He appeared stunned and invigorated all at once. Just like her.