- S U R I - A L I -

     A bump in the road throws off my train of thought, jolting me in my seat as the undercover vehicles drive down the highway. We'd been driving through the night, and now the sun pokes through the windows as it rises out to the east. 

     I remember this road. This highway is one of the main routes through the rugged terrain in central Al Kamara, guiding travelers to the eastern seaboard and the capitol of the nation. It's too early to be busy yet, with most people probably slamming the snooze button on their morning alarms by now.

     "You know, Suri," Barr's jaw tightens, again ripping me from my train of thought. I glance over, seeing him with his hands perched in his lap. The vehicles are filled with Delta Force members, most clearly grumpy and dazed from the night drive. "I gained a lot of respect for you back at that safe house."

     I chuckle lightly as I look his way. Behind him, the landscape flies by through the tinted windows. "Did you?" I follow.

     "You made a hard decision," he ponders, leaning back in his seat as the suspension shifts below. "And you made it right. That's what real leaders do."

     I exhale, leaning forward and clasping my hands. "You make a lot of them?"

     He shifts in his seat, seemingly sizing me up. "First thing I did in the Army was be deployed to the Middle East. I watched civil war tear Syria apart."

     He nods with a look of pain on his face, as if remembering faces that no longer existed. "I couldn't do enough as a grunt to stop it."

     I squint, trying to weigh the truth in his words. "That's why you want to stop it now?" I question, tapping my foot on the metallic floor.

     Barr nods, silently confirming my suspicion. "I trust you do as well."

     I flash a thumbs-up quickly, getting a slight chuckle from him. The slight smile on his face that accompanies it only surprises me, coming from him.

     I know that your... shoes... are not the best to be in right now," Barr sighs, leaning forward and focusing on me. "But listen. If there's anything I've learned, it's that everyone wants to be Adara."

     I lean forward, surprised by the statement. "Everyone should want to save everyone. That's what separates the monsters from the humans," he muses, shrugging his shoulders. "But idealism kills more people than it saves. I've seen it too many times."

     He squints slightly, pursing his lips. "The worst part is, they don't realize they're making it worse until they wind up under the knife."

     I sigh, trying to decipher what he really means behind the carefully crafted deception. Only, I'm not sure how much of it is actually a lie. Barr would make a great street lord, admittedly. I turn my head to look out the window, watching the ridgeline fly by. "You think she's dead?"

     "No," Barr says, almost reflexively. "I mean, she did deliver you. Maybe she's finally learned."

     I replay the events of that night in my head, squinting as I watch the house density slowly rise as we approach the city. She couldn't have known what she was actually doing, right? She was so... terrified. I'd never seen a soldier be scared like that. But maybe she did...

     "Why are we turning?" Barr questions as I look forward in the SUV again. I watch the driver point forward, further up the highway. There's a massive blockade in place, with protests underway. For such an early morning, the turnout... is incredible. I see a poster in the crowd, and on it... 

     Kali's face.

     I gulp as the SUV turns off the highway, joining the rest of the convoy of seven or so vehicles. I'd watched from afar all these years as Kali grew up, seeing how things changed back at the palace... never had I imagined her face as the sign of protest. I wish this wasn't happening to her... to any of us.

     The houses fade for a moment as we enter a side road, pushing on to the Capitol. The ridges seemingly grow taller, and the wind gusts faintly outside as it rips through the valley. I turn over, observing Barr. Adara, in this situation, was skeptical, but still had fun with it. Not a hint of apprehension is visible on him as the road narrows. 

     It's hard to believe they ever worked together... they're so different.

     But they're not. Not really.

     Because if Adara had done what Barr says, then she's already become him. Sure, she could be an asshole at times, but it seemed like she genuinely cared. Maybe it was all a ruse? I close my eyes and lean my head back against the headrest, my head beginning to hurt from the thoughts swirling around inside.

     My eyes jolt open as an explosion rocks the ground ahead of us, causing a lead car to erupt in flames and flip over. The car seemingly leaps in the air, crashing ahead of us in an infernal heap. My body is flung forward as the driver slams on the brakes, my seatbelt violently holding me back and against the seat cushions. 

     Barr's head whips around, and I watch as his eyes widen, immediately flinging off his seat belt and drawing his weapon. The two in the front seats look at each other in shock, drawing their weapons as well. I hear screaming erupt from outside as my heartbeat catches up to the chaos.

     My head flings around, looking around the scene as Barr grabs me and begins to pull me out of the SUV. "GET DOWN," he orders, his voice booming through the vehicle like a train horn. I look forward, watching as the driver begins to exit the vehicle.

     A violent boom emanates from nearby, and I see the man's body fly back into the vehicle like it was speared. I notice the massive hole pierced through the window, and trace it through the man's torso. His body contorts across the center console, seemingly having been blown back so much he's stuck to the car itself.

     Holy shit.

     "Sam..." Barr mutters quietly. I look back at Barr, who immediately throws me down on the floorboard and looks right at me with burning hot eyes. "Stay here," he says quickly, as I notice the slightest shake in his voice break through his stoic face.

     My eyes widen as I realize I saw his mask slip for the slightest second. He gets out of the vehicle, the passenger joining him. I hear another boom echo in the valley, and watch as Barr looks to his left in horror. I don't need to see the body to know what just happened.

     "It's her!" I hear a trembling voice in the convoy.

     It's her.

     The echoing of booms continues as I watch the men congregate near the car behind me. Barr slides over there, and I hear fire return from nearby. Sweat drips from my forehead as I realize just what's happening. No one is this good at an ambush... no one but her. I hear the men outside panicking, not referring to her by name, but enough to confirm my suspicions.

     The boogeyman.

     I know what I have to do, but the fear paralyzes me for a moment. This is my chance to reject Barr's laughable choice. I need to see Kali, and I don't trust any of these people to honor their word. Barr may claim he doesn't lie... but I know better. We both lie. 

     Another explosion rocks the vehicles behind me, and I take the chance to act. I slide out of the floorboard, exiting the vehicle from the driver's side, exposing myself to her direct fire. If this is who they say it is... I'm safe. My arm rips open the driver's door as sweat flies off. I grab the soldier, heaving his body out of the vehicle and onto the street. The gaping hole through his upper chest momentarily stuns me, but I press through. 

     Here we go.

     I throw the SUV in gear and floor it. The tires behind me screech in a mix of excitement and agony as I peel out of the convoy, driving off the road and through the ditch to escape. I glance in the rearview mirror, seeing Barr's face staring right at me. The sheer anger in his eyes causes me to flinch as he raises his gun, firing at the vehicle.

     I duck, hearing the rear window shatter as I continue forward. The shots are interrupted, though, by another much louder gun. The boogeyman fires, and I watch another soldier drop to the grass, relieved of his life. I floor the vehicle again as I go around the burning chassis of the lead car, and begin flying down the road.

     The radio beeps in the SUV, cutting through my adrenaline like TV static. "Deal's off, Suri," Barr's voice says, raspy and furious. "Kali's gonna die now. Your fault-"

     I grit my teeth as I rip the radio from its console and chuck it out of the window. The adrenaline wears off as I fly down the road, the gunshots fading into the background. Between the ridgelines, I watch as the skyline of Al Kamara bleeds into view. The early morning sun highlights the edges of the buildings, hugging them like flame hugs fuel.

     'What the fuck just happened?' I think to myself, slowing down a bit as the buildings begin to pop up around me. Barr's not done, not by a long shot - but I just bought myself time. Or... she bought me time. I sigh in relief as I piece it together. I wouldn't have tried to play Barr had I not suspected he was lying about Adara willingly taking me to them - I know her too well. 

     Entering the city streets, I park the shot-up SUV on the side of the road and jump out quickly, running down the city streets. The cool morning air hits my face, somehow waking me up even more than I already am. The concrete clomps below as I race down the sidewalks, hearing police sirens in the distance. I'd love to be a fly on their window right now, listening to what the dispatchers are hearing about that firefight.

     They don't know who they're dealing with.

     I round a corner, holding onto the street sign to not lose my balance. I whip around it, but what pops in front of me halts me dead in my tracks.

     A simple black hoodie, nondescript pants, and a backpack sit on a woman's shoulders. Her short, jagged hair isn't familiar, but what does catch my attention is her face... the same one I saw at the protest. I watch as it morphs into shock, her dark eyes staring daggers into my soul.

     "Suri?" She exclaims, a hitch in her voice as I watch her eyes well up with tears.

     Kali.