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"Your minion says the tire is fixed."

Harper approached Hyde apprehensively. He was propped against the side of the building, casually. The cigarette he lit earlier was placed in between his fingers.

It shocked Harper to see that it wasn't finished. Hyde's eyes were focused in the air like his mind was somewhere far away.

"Cryston to Hyde." Harper snapped her fingers in front of his face. Their eyes locked. "He says we can leave."

"Unless you want to lose your hand, get it out of my face."

Harper dropped both of her arms to her sides. "It's not my fault you were daydreaming." She mumbled, very annoyed by his response. She followed him back to the car, keeping a good distance just in case he would carry out his threat.

She wanted to be found by Dr. Bomb with all her limbs intact.

Hyde discarded the cigarette and put it out with his boot. "Load the spare in the trunk. We'll burn the damaged tire when we reach Haylestorm."

"I couldn't agree more." Arnest nodded.

"You. Get inside." Hyde shifted his gaze from the car to Harper.

"I don't really have a choice," Harper murmured. "Come on, Yani."

Yanpu jogged over to the back of the car and slid inside first.

A storm of gravel, dust, and fog engulfed them. Fortunately, because both Arnest and her had masks on, the dust did not block their airways. But the thick particles blinded them.

A roaring engine circled around them, and flashy lights flickered on and off, poking through the fog. Harper thought it was another Patrol droid that caught up to them, but when the mist cleared, she was shocked.

7 motorcyclists lined up around the sedan. One in particular, dressed in a burgundy leather jacket swung one leg off his bike and strode over to them with a dastardly smile.

He placed his boot on the hood and spat at the ground. "Well, looky here. I've never seen a ride as sweet as this one on this side of the West."

The motorcyclist in dark red brushed his wavy brunette hair back and lowered his shades. He whistled and nodded in approval. "This ain't Westonan. She's custom made, with parts I ain't ever seen b'fore. How much are y'all rich suckers willing to sell this thing for?"

"None." Arnest shoved the man's foot off the front of the car. "Now get. Go on back to whatever dump you rode from."

The other motorcyclists snickered, while the one in front scowled. He reached in his pockets, but Hyde was faster. It only took a second for him to whip out one of his swords.

Hyde pressed the sharp end near the man's neck and tilted his head mockingly. "Perhaps you didn't understand him. So I'll say it in your language. It ain't for sale."

"That's a purrty knife you got there. Bet you're a real master in the kitchen."

"Mm... more or less," Hyde smirked. "I've been told I'm a professional in other places too."

"Bet your lady friend thinks so too, huh?" He gestured at Harper, who scoffed in response. "Bet he's a real stud in the hay."

"I... what?!" Harper coughed in disgust. Just what was he implying?

"Ay, why do pretty things like you always go for the prideful kind? He may be rich, but there ain't no heart in a man who holds a killer stare."

"He's not— you've got it all wrong, pal!" Harper huffed.

"Drop the weapon, twat." Hyde spat.

"No need to be uncivil. I was only looking."

"You got a good look, now step back, turn around, and get out of our way."

The man tusked and did as he was told. However, the moment Hyde turned his back, the man whipped out a pistol with a long barrel and shot.

A wave of electricity shook Hyde until he collapsed.

"Hyde!" Arnest rushed forward, but the man shot him in the leg. Arnest dropped to the ground.

"Sorry to catch you off guard! I hope I didn't leave you stunned! Ha!" The man cackled and rolled Hyde over with his foot. "Get it? Leave you stunned? Anyway, I got a ride to catch! Come on boys!"

The man quickly hopped into the driver's seat. Because the wheel had been touched by Arnest a moment before, the ignition was still on. He sped off.

"Yanpu! No!" Harper ran after the car. Before it left completely, she managed to grab the trunk and hang from the edge. She pulled herself up so her feet wouldn't drag on the road.

"Stop the car!!"

"What the!?" The man poked his head out the front window in surprise. "Crazy Woman! Anything to protect your man, huh?"

"There's a child in the car! Pull over!" Harper screamed as he stepped on the gas. The man started turning left and right, hoping that each swerve would knock her off.

She tightened her grip as much as she could.

"I might kill ya if you don't let go!"

"Stop! The! Car!"

"Shite!" The man whipped out his gun again and aimed it at Harper. "Don't make me do this...! I ain't for hurting pretty ladies, but I'll do it if I have to!"

Harper began to climb toward him, ignoring his request. She refused to let this man drive off with Yanpu.

The man pulled the trigger and a small patch landed on Harper's arm. Her body spazzed as the electricity coursed through her, and her fingers slipped.

She let out a shriek before she tumbled onto the road, scraping her legs, arms, and torso.

Her oxygen mask slipped off her face in the process. The air thinned, and she started hyperventilating. "My... mask..." Harper sat up and sloshed the pebbles around her fingers, searching for it.

Several lights whizzed by her, blowing road dust in her face. The other motorcyclists passed by, hooting and cheering after the stolen car.

Harper coughed and toppled over. The deadly fumes took over her immediately. It would only be a few more minutes until her body completely shut down.

As the headlights faded, Harper dropped her arm. As her body went stiff, her eyelids felt heavy. She blinked a few times.

Not even a full moment later she felt a strong hand wrap around the back of her head. The rims of her mask were placed over her nose and mouth. Oxygen pumped through her airways, and she could breathe steadily again.

She looked up and saw Hyde hovering over her. His glowing red eyes were the first feature that caught her attention.

"Hyde..." Harper inhaled. "Hyde!"

"Which direction did they go?"

"H-Huh?"

"Answer!" The command shook her to the core. Harper gathered her thoughts and pointed in the direction of where she saw the headlights fading.

Hyde dragged Harper up and nudged her in the direction of the motorcycle they left behind. "Get on!"

"Do you know how to drive this thing?"

"How hard could it be?" Hyde swung one leg over the seat and dragged her over it.

"Wait! There's no helmet!"

"Those dastards took the kid, and you're worried about a bike helmet?" Hyde hissed.

"Our safety is just as important as his!"

Hyde scoffed and turned the throttles without warning her. The bike darted forward, and Harper wrapped her arms around his torso, clutching on for dear life.

His hair whipped her in her face, so she hunched over to avoid being hit.

"Slow down! Aghhhh!" Harper tightened her grip around him.

Hyde leaned forward and increased the speed. They whipped around tight corners of the road. At every turn, Harper felt like she was going to puke.

They caught up to the other bikers. One of them looked over their shoulder as Hyde neared.

He honked his horn as a signal to the others, and they all whipped out their pistols.

"Shite!" Harper shouted. She wasn't expecting them to be so hostile. "No no no!"

Hyde thrust forward and dragged his blade out of his belt.

"Don't kill them!" Harper screamed.

"Yeah, okay." Hyde snorted sarcastically and swung at one of them. The knife sliced the biker's mask off, causing him to lose air and swivel off the road.

"Hyde!"

Two bikers on each side of them drifted into them, pinching Harper's legs in between their seats. She yelped, causing Hyde to react. He kicked one of them off their seat before swiping at the other, cutting into their flesh.

The bikes skidded away from them. Hyde swerved by another biker and stabbed their tires.

"Four down, two to go," Hyde announced.

"I'm gonna be sick!" Harper whined. When she started heaving, Hyde groaned.

"If you vomit on me, I'll make what's left of your life miserable!" Hyde fumed. "I'll kick you off this bike!"

"Please! Slow down!"

"Keep your crap in your stomach!" Hyde commanded. He slashed another tire, before closing in on the last biker. Then he snagged the gun out of his grasp and swiped his hand off.

The last biker screamed before running into a road sign. Blood splattered behind them, and Harper felt lightheaded at the sight.

In the distance, they saw the stolen sedan parked on the side of the road.

Hyde swerved to a stop in front of the car, and Harper could hear the sound of Yanpu shouting at the brunette.

"Stupid kid! Get out before your parents come after me! I just want the car, not you!" The man shouted.

"Let him go!" Harper growled.

"Woah! Settle down, Miss! I ain't put a dent on him. No scratches! Ya see?" The man shoved Yanpu toward them. "I ain't want no trouble."

"No trouble my arse!" Hyde drew both blades, in hot pursuit of the biker.

"Ey, ey, ey!" The brunette backed away. "I gave you back your boy! No harm done!"

"That brat is the least of my worries." Hyde walked by Yanpu casually. "You pissed me off the moment you pulled that trigger on me!"

"Them eyes of yours..." The brunette licked his lips. "I recognize them Puron infused pupils."

"Puron infused?" Harper whispered.

"I just came from Harlam. They got a bunch of board-sized posters of you plastered all over their buildings! I must say," The brunette smacked his tongue and grinned. "The science freaks are gonna pay me a big one if I turn you over, Hyde."

Hyde narrowed his eyes. "Hope you're satisfied with your last words." He dashed and swung his dagger. The brunette dodged and pulled the trigger. A massive ball of electricity whacked into Hyde's torso and flung him several yards away.

"Holy Crap!" Harper ducked as Hyde tumbled into the dirt behind them.

"Ain't you supposed to be one of those fancy servicemen? You sure don't pack a pretty punch, as legends say." The brunette smiled.

Hyde stood up slowly. His eyes were more vivid in color, much more than Harper remembered. She was more surprised that this random biker could actually take Hyde head-on.

She realized that he wasn't wearing an oxygen mask. Unlike his friends, he stood confidently without one. How? How were they able to breathe without it?

Hyde charged while holding firmly onto both daggers. The Brunette pulled the trigger multiple times, but Hyde dodged them all.

Hyde was able to react before the impact as if he could sense them. He swung one arm down and jabbed the other forward, but the Brunette kick flipped and pulled the trigger again.

A red aura formed around Hyde's body, and when it collided with the ball of electric bolts, a magnetic wave exploded and shoved both Yanpu and Harper back.

Chills went down Harper's spine as she watched the battle commence. She gasped when the Brunette aimed his weapon at her. "No! No! We're not with him! I'm on your side!" Harper panicked.

"Weren't your hands wrapped around his body a moment ago?" He chortled. "Such a shame, you women sure are disloyal. Ya clutch onto the next best thing when things go downhill."

"No, you've got it all wrong! He kidnapped me! I work for Westona's Science Facility! He's dragging me along against my will!"

Hyde landed not too far from them and huffed. "Who the heck are you?" He growled.

"Take another step and your girl is a goner."

"I told you! We're not with him!" Harper fumed.

"Shoot her." Hyde shrugged.

"What!?" Harper howled.

"I'll do it. Don't test me." The Brunette narrowed his eyes. "Just surrender nicely, and no one has to get hurt."

"Let me think..." Hyde flipped his hair back and strolled toward him. "Nope."

"I warned ya." The Brunette sighed and a blast skyrocketed out of the barrel. It whizzed by Hyde's face in slow motion, headed toward Harper and Yanpu.

Hyde turned on his heel and sliced through the bolts before it hit them. By the time he turned around, the Brunette had grabbed his bike and fled the scene.

The man cheered and howled as his motorcycle spat dust their way.

Harper dropped down to check on Yanpu, who seemed lost in a daze. "Are you okay? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"I'm okay," Yanpu responded softly. Harper sighed in relief and stood straight.

"Hyde, I—"

"You let him get away." Hyde pressed his lips thin and turned to glare at her.

"What? Are you serious?" Harper scowled before pointing at the car. "Hello? If it weren't for me, you would've never seen your car again! How about a thank you!"

Hyde snatched her by the collar of her shirt, and she winced. "Don't act like I didn't hear you. What was it that you said?..." Hyde sucked a breath and drummed his finger against his chin. "I'm not with him, right?"

"That's n-not what I meant!" Harper lied. She was dead if he found out that she gave out some information regarding her circumstances.

"Did you think that twat was going to best me in combat?"

"No! Of course not! What I was trying to tell him was that we aren't... a thing... like he was implying. So when I said I wasn't WITH you, I meant that I'm not with you in that way." Harper tapped his hand gently. "Can you please let me down?"

Hyde released her, and she caught herself before she fell.

"So much time wasted..." Hyde shook his head. "Get in the car. Now we have to travel 30 minutes just to get back on the right path."

"It would've been longer if it weren't for me jumping onto the car and trailing that guy," Harper mumbled.

"What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything." Harper smiled before helping Yanpu inside and sliding behind him. Hyde turned the sedan around and back in the direction where Arnest was left.

~~~

"You took quite a hit from that punk." Arnest tapped on Hyde's shoulder. Worry was written all over his face, but it was quickly masked by a glare. "Of course, thanks to the wench, he fled. We'll never know when he's coming back now."

Harper rolled her eyes.

"Maybe you should rest up a day or two before we deal with those vultures." Armest gestured at the building they were parked in front of.

They were in a neon-lit city. Skyscrapers with big bright symbols and signs illuminated the dark wet streets. Unlike the town before, the signs were very visible because the fog wasn't as heavy.

The air seemed so clear that Harper was tempted to take off her mask. But she knew she couldn't. The evidence of the deadly fumes still remained high in the sky.

Westona's skies were always pitch black. Harper only remembered seeing a blue sky once in her life, but it was in a dream. Harper knew the moment she got a whiff of the unnatural air, her lungs wouldn't be able to take it.

She didn't want a repeat of earlier. She feared that Hyde would get sick of saving her. So for her and Yanpu's safety, she wanted to stay out of harm's way.

"Don't worry about me." Hyde pulled off his seatbelt. "Stay focused on the goal." He hopped out of the driver's seat and closed the door.

Arnest rested his head against the seat and swore under his breath.

Harper's door swung open and Hyde gestured for her to come out. "Leave the kid in here."

"He's four." Harper shook her head. "I can't leave him unsupervised."

"He's been alone before. In that lab."

"Yes, in the lab. But we aren't there anymore. I don't feel comfortable leaving him alone, especially after what just happened." Harper challenged Hyde with her eyes. Their stare-down lasted for a few more seconds before Hyde gave in.

"Keep him close."

Harper nodded and grasped Yanpu's hand tight as they all got out of the car and walked to the entrance.

Harper stepped over puddles scattered all over the concrete, not wanting to get her bare foot soaked. Hyde noticed her unusual movements and stopped at the door.

"Are you missing something?" He pointed at her feet. He realized that one of her flats was gone. "Since when did that happen," He stared at her suspiciously.

"When that sicko and his friends attacked us. I think I lost it in that motorcycle chase." She lied. The last thing she needed was for him to find out that she was leaving a trail for Dr. Bomb to find her and Yanpu.

"Take the other one off."

"What?"

Hyde narrowed his eyes. When the red in his pupils began to glow, Harper quickly reached for her shoe and snatched it off her foot. She stepped uncomfortably as the hard ground pressed against the bare skin of her heels.

Hyde snatched the shoe out of her grasp and tossed it to Arnest. "Burn it with the tire."

"Wait! You can't!" Harper whined.

Hyde tilted his head and raised a brow.

"They're my favorite pair..."

"You didn't seem so disappointed when you lost the other one."

"Do you realize how expensive this brand of shoe is? These flats are made of genuine leather! High quality!"

Hyde laughed sinisterly and placed his hands on his waist. "Maybe I should cut off your feet, so you won't have to worry about the expenses of shoes anymore. Hey," He reached for the handle in his belt. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea."

"Burn the shoe." Harper frowned. She'd rather keep her feet safe. "Do whatever you want."

Hyde chortled and pushed the door of the entrance. Harper went behind him.

The inside of the building was sleek in design, but the awful smell appalled her. It wasn't a bar, but it was definitely a place for people to come and drink.

The lobby was decorated with red roses. Golden-painted furniture, love seats, and coffee tables were placed in open areas to encourage guest presence.

The chandelier in the center of the ceiling was warmly tinted to give off a homey feeling. The long red rug led them to the front counter, topped with polished granite.

A man with long blonde hair and green eyes sat in the black leather chair behind the counter. He was dressed in black slacks and a loose white dress shirt. His eyes were glued to his cell phone so he didn't notice Hyde on the other end.

Hyde drummed his fingers on the surface of the counter rhythmically, gradually catching the guy's attention.

"Can I help you?" The blonde's jaw twitched.

"I'm looking for the owner of this establishment." Hyde hummed tartly.

"And... who exactly are you?"

"Good company, if he's willing to meet." Hyde whipped out one of his daggers. The tip of it dangerously reached the blonde's nose.

"Well... I guess it would be wrong for me to keep such important visitors..." The man sat up straight and swallowed hard, "...waiting."