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{Place- Denabux} {The Forest of Subun} Chapter 8 - Racing Speeders Isaac felt the wind ripping at his hair as his speeder tore along slightly behind Zac's in a mad race for the end of the forest, some seventy miles from their home. It would take only ten minutes to reach if the speeders were held at this spanking pace. Zac dodged a massive tree trunk in his path, slowing him down and allowing Isaac to weasel passed him. Zac glowered but didn't take his eyes off the trail. Doing so could mean death. He just watched the movement that was always slightly to the right that represented his brother's speeder. It was Isaac's turn to evade a tree trunk but his five years he held above Zac gave him that much longer to practice on the speeder and he recovered, leaving them side by side. Zac smiled; this he could handle. "Catch me now Ike." Zac disobeyed the strict rules Isaac and Taylor had outlined a few years previous and sped his bike up passed red zone. Isaac's eyes jerked open in surprise when Zac shot out of sparring range and into the thickly forested area directly in front of him. "He's so painfully dead if I get him before a tree does!" Isaac hit the com switch and yelled into his mouthpiece, "Slow down Zac! If you wreck the speeder dad'll skin you!" Zac opened his link up and yelled back, "Come on old man! Can't keep up?" "Oh I can, trust me. I'm not as stupid as you! Slow DOWN!" He yelled. The small speck that was his brother finally stopped shrinking as he decelerated rapidly until he was only a hundred meters in front of the wiser Isaac. He hit the bottom of the red zone again and tore off through the branches, grinning when Ike sped up along with him. They came abreast again both young men screeching in sheer terror/exhilaration. The small clearing suddenly appeared before Zac was ready for Isaac's move. The leathered boot cause the edge of the runner for Zac's feet and sent the speeder spinning violently in a few circles before Zac could do anything. The fifteen-year-old yelled and slammed his hands against the grips of the handlebars before he hit the accelerator and zoomed after his clever sibling. But it was too late; Isaac stood by a cooling twelve-foot-long speeder smiling for all he was worth. Zac tried not to smile but the sheer joy of the chase finally kicked him in the head and he started giggling as he stopped next to the other machine. "Good show old boy I do say!" Zac praised Isaac in a British accent, learned from the millennia old movie chips that lined the viewing screen wall. "I try, I try." Isaac bowed slightly, showing his superiority. Zac didn't bow at all and Isaac was about to make a "big" deal about it but his com-link started buzzing loudly. "Oh God... not mom and dad! If they know we got the speeders out, we're dead." Zac gasped. Isaac merely frowned after observing the small screen on his bike, "The code isn't theirs... what do I do?" He turned to Zac. Zac rolled his eyes, "Say 'accept' and put it on hold so we can trace it." "But it's not traceable." Isaac pointed out, tapping the gel screen. "Then who do you think it is? Only people on the run from the Union blocks their codes. Who's the only out-law we know?" Zac asked. Isaac had a perplexed look on his face, having no clue to who it might be. "It's Tay stupid. Hit 'accept' and 'hold' so we can get outta the sun. I'm about to fry." Isaac nodded and hopped on his seat. The screech of an elagans, a sluggish predator, sounded no less then five feet from the machine. Isaac and Zac gulped and accelerated a little faster. The coolness of the woods wrapped a welcoming arm around the tired pair. Both felt slightly miffed without Taylor there to race with. He was insane on the speeders; he nearly killed himself anytime he thought he would lose. Zac sighed. "We're far enough. Let's talk to him." Isaac shook his head, "I wanna get home first. We're only talking for a second and we'll take the rest of the call at home." Zac smiled; fair enough. The speeders slowed to a stop as Isaac hit 'receive'. "Hey guys! What's.. where are you?" He interrupted himself to ask a question. "We were racing speeders. What's up Tay?" Zac wanted to know. "Oh wow... are you? God I wish I could be there and hang with you guys. You know you'll start losing once I come back don't you? I mean I'm obviously the best pilot out there so ya know I could take ya'll down if I really wanted to." Taylor babbled on mindlessly, trying to find a way that wouldn't be awkward to invite himself home. "Tay we can't talk long. Keep this line open and we'll take it at the house." Isaac let him know. "How long with that be?" Taylor's sculpted lips pursed. "About seven minutes if we push it, why?" Zac blurted. Taylor blushed, "I'm in uh.. a bit of a spot. I'll tell ya guys later. I'll be here." He let them know. "K, talk to ya soon." Isaac pressed 'hold' again. "Let's boogey Ikey." Zac smiled, jamming the throttle down and he snapped forward harshly through the outstretched branches. Isaac smiled and followed suit, hitting the accelerator a moment too soon. His head jerked back against his upper back and neck before he yanked it back forward again. He shook his head at his clumsiness as he raced up behind Zac, sitting in his draft to make speeding along easier and using less fuel at the same time. Solar cells helped keep costs down but these puppies still required oil and fossil fuels to run. Both of which Denabux had a surplus of. "Zac.. slow down." Isaac warned into his headpiece. An obnoxious whine responded and Isaac smiled. ~Fifteen minutes later~ {Year- 3090} {Place- Denabux} {Habitation- Hanson Family Home} Isaac ran in the house panting with a red-faced Zac right behind him, gasping louder then he. Isaac lurched forward and hit the 'receive' button located beneath the viewing screen and watched Taylor's bored looking figure fill the screen. The second oldest Hanson jerked in surprise when Isaac and Zac appeared on his gel screen and he smiled softly in greeting. Isaac settled himself on one of the hard wooden chairs to speak with his brother as Zac simply walked behind him and stood, wrapping his hands around the back of the seat. Isaac spread his legs and clasped his hands between his knees and looked into Taylor's worried blue eyes and raised his eyebrows in a silent asking of 'what's the matter?' Taylor heaved a tremendous sigh before starting, "Guys... uhm... I already told you I was in a lot of trouble didn't I?" Zac and Isaac nodded once, not giving their brother any slack by trying to help him start the conversation. The last time they spoke to their brother still haunted their dreams and held Zac's fascination like a slave would hold to the hope of being free some day. Isaac was merely worried for both brothers behavior, Zac was showing dangerous interest in Taylor's life style. Taylor bit his lip softly, a habit he'd formed, and began speaking again, "Did I tell you what I was hauling for Sankt?" Zac had been staring at the floor but as soon as he heard the word 'was' he jerked his head up and gave Taylor a sharp look. Taylor and Zac locked stares and Zac got an icy feeling of fear through the frigid blue eyes his brother possessed. They held an unfathomed fear of something... something Zac couldn't identify yet, but there was something bad there. They continued looking into each other's eyes until Taylor suddenly broke it and looked at the floor. Now Zac was definitely intrigued. "No Tay.. we don't." Isaac answered, sounding bored. Taylor winced but chose to go on, "Uhm... I had a cargo hold full of draetons." "WHAT! DRAETONS? What... why.. geze! Taylor! What in the world... why!?" Isaac ranted on, flailing his arms around the air, knocking his chair over as he jumped to his feet. He stormed around the room as an admiring look dawned Zac's face. Taylor was now a type of demonic God to Zac for performing such an insane deed. Taylor noticed his little brother's look but said nothing so he continued to listen to Isaac's ranting and raving while keeping a close eye on Zac. Isaac flung another chair over in his rage, alerting Zac of his activities. He jumped to action. "Ike quit! Mom and dad are gonna kill you when they see the mess! STOP! Ike, listen to me! STOP!" Zac yelled, approaching an angry brother.. a brother who wouldn't listen to a word he was saying. "Just latch onto him Zac." Taylor cried from the screen. As he wished. Zac wrapped both of his capable arms around Isaac's body, making sure to press his brother's arms against his sides in the process. He started talking to him, telling him to calm down and let Taylor finish what he was saying. He didn't mention why though. Isaac's struggling ceased when he realized his brother, who was five years his junior, was stronger then he was at the moment and had control of the situation. He growled out he was fine and began picking up the papers, articles of clothing, and over turned furniture. Zac turned to a grinning Taylor and nodded for him to continue. Isaac sat down a moment later with Zac right behind him. "Bad news about the cargo.. I kinda sold it when I got drunk the other night. I don't know why but uhm... I'm in it pretty deep right now and uhm... I might need a place to hide out at." He finished in a deep crimson blush. Isaac's eyes jerked open and he would flew out of his chair if it hadn't been for the restraining hands of Zac on his shoulders. "You call us after God knows how long first so we can watch you kill Union officers and now you want a place to hide FROM the Union? No Taylor. You got yourself stuck in this hole and YOU'RE the one getting yourself outta this one. We're not helping." "Ike-." "NO ZAC, he's not coming home. End of story." Isaac cut off his little brother. "But Ike, he'd do it for you! You know he would!" Zac tried to stand up for Taylor, who was on the verge of tears with his head hanging. He looked up to Isaac and he'd never expected him to turn on him like this; Never. Isaac glared at Zac, "No he wouldn't because I wouldn't be stupid enough to get myself stuck in something this idiotic." Taylor suddenly spoke up, "I couldn't help it Ike! I had a shitty day! I didn't want you two seeing me kill all those guys! You know what kinda head-trip that put me through? I had to do something! I know I chose the wrong thing but we learn from out mistakes! If I sell Clep I might be able to pay off half the dept the draetons cost. I need a place to stay that's safe for awhile. I know I shouldn't be coming back to Denabux because, " He sighed, "I'm a liability to you guys. But I got nowhere else to go. Please Ike... please you can't just gimme the cold shoulder and ignore me like this." "Like you did to us for how long?" Isaac spat out. "You're not being fair... you guys weren't in trouble when I left." Taylor's voice cracked, showing his desperation. Isaac hated that. Taylor's emotions had a habit of kicking him in the stomach in situations such as these. It got him right in the heart and he knew he was going to relent soon if he couldn't hold out. Zac nudged him from behind and begged with his eyes. They both missed Taylor and it would only be for a short while, what harm could come from that? "You can only stay for a little while. And make sure you tell mom that you're staying permanently even if you're not. Do you know she saw you kill all those men?" Isaac asked. Taylor's eyes revealed shock as he shook his head. "Didn't think so. Let her think you're reformed and when you leave, make sure she doesn't know you're leaving or she'll have your nuts in a jar. Understood?" Isaac glared at Taylor. Taylor smiled tearfully, "Thanks Ike." He tossed a glad grin at Zac, "If anything goes wrong I have codes that Clep will send you and let you know what happened to me k?" Zac stiffened, "Happened? What kinda trouble are you in?" Taylor suddenly seemed smaller, more despondent, "Sankt's gonna kill me if he finds me." "How long would he put you away?" Isaac asked. Taylor shook his head fiercely, "No Ike. He'll really KILL me for this. I don't know why he had such a large shipment of draetons or what he was gonna do with em but even you guys now how much that sorta thing is worth." Zac regarded Taylor for a moment, "How big is your hold?" "A little more then an acre." Taylor answered. Isaac and Zac looked at each other in shock, "You had an acre of those things? Oh my God! How are you gonna pay that sorta debt off!?" Taylor shrugged, "I'll have to think of something won't I? It's not as bad as it seems guys. I'll be ok. My name's just gonna be crap until I can redeem myself." The two young men on Denabux could only wonder at how Taylor planned any of this. The sound of a door on a small shuttle hissing close alerted the three brothers of somebody's presence. "Mom and dad are back Tay. Message us later tonight k? Use this code," Isaac pressed a small button under the screen, "and let us know what you're gonna do. Talk to ya later." "You're not gonna tell em I'm coming home?" Taylor looked surprised. "Nope. Later Tay." Ike stated. "Bye Tay, safe travels." Zac waved. "Miss you guys." Taylor said, hitting the 'terminate' button. The door opened a moment after the screen turned black. Diana and Walker stepped in with three children running around their legs and a youngster was straddling her mother's hip. "Who was that on the com honey?" Diana purred to her sons. "Nobody important." Isaac smiled, walking towards his room. Zac only shook his head and followed suit. << Previous Page of Story>> << Back to Story Page>> << Back To Index Of Chapters Page>> Back To Main Page>> |