"They're at the door now! June, where can we go to escape?" I shouted. June looked frantic, but still, seemed to be pondering. She checked the position of the SSC herself. Climbing out of their car. "Shit. We only have one option-get to the roof and jump to the next building. But we can't do-" "That's great-Jake, just leave our stuff-we're going to the roof, NOW!" I hollered, and Jake nodded. We all rushed to the front door and June yanked it open. We could already hear the shuffling noises at the first floor. I shut the door behind and we climbed like hell up and up on those precariously-designed steps. Jake nearly lost his balance at he last flight, and I grabbed him. June heaved her weight onto a steel door, then sunlight streamed inside. We all raced above.
We were about 5 floors above the ground. Since this building was somehow only that tall, but still higher than the others in the vicinity, we could see their roofs easily. We stepped on green concrete, crusty and old-different from my New York I knew. We could hear the organized search beneath, and I knew that we didn't have much time to get away. I looked all around the roof.
Then I saw the tactic June had been talking about. The house next door was very close to this one, though still about 2 and a half meters apart from the last cement corner of June's house. Jesus. There was a big possibility they would see us, or we'd not make it.
But as I heard the climbing sounds and shouts of the men, I knew we had no other choice.
"June, you go first. Jake, you're next-just jump your best," I said quickly, breathe getting faster. June nodded right away. Maybe she had done it before.
Jake turned to watch the door to the rooftop as the climbing sounds got faster and nearer. Shit.
But I couldn't watch the door. Maybe I was too worried about Jake's and my turn. Or maybe I was too worried to see June fail and rush to grab her.
She started at right the middle of the rooftop, her shoes, Nikes, padding softly on the cement. She took one deep breathe, then started to run slow. Then she raced for real, and I was satisfied, though not relieved too much.
Then her feet left the cement, and for a second, she was flying. I winced at the 5 floor-high crevice beneath her, praying...why had she come along with us, I wondered again...
Then she made it.
Landing perfectly on the other side with a tiny 'patt' with her shoes, she actually whirled around to see me and gave me a thumb up and a grin, and I liked it. I gave Jake a squeeze on the shoulder without looking at him but her, then finally glanced at the door. The guys were just breaking through the door. Shuck it. We weren't gonna make it. At least I wasn't...
Jake didn't have time, so when he had backed just enough, I gave him a light prod. He nodded while gulping, and I pushed his back with all my might.
This was shucking crazy. Jake raced just like June and his legs tumbled and spluttered in the air a second later-oops, not a perfect land...
He crashed on the other side and rolled, wincing-but stilll, his main body was on the other side.
The problem was me once again.
June ducked and pulled Jake simultaneously down as the guns spewed out their volley of bullets at them. Then they saw me.
The man in the front-I recognized him. The one that had been in the front, those nasty eyes staring daggers at me, like the wolves.
Gee, I really hated him with all my might.
He raised his hand wit his damned gun, and my eyes grew big of course. No where to hide, no time to jump.
Then he spoke.
"We're going to let you all live-if you just surrender. The SSC had all the resources needed, and that means that you're anyway going to be caught. Give up," "What did we do?" I said back, voice oddly unshaky. The guy smirked. "We know everything. You hacked into the city, young man," He spat out.
We both froze and-
then his eyes grew wide as he realized his mistake.
Hacked in.
Hacked.
This city wasn't a reality?
"At least let her go," I said, trying to keep my excitement down. The man bit his lip and his hold on the gun got steadier and firmer. Jesus Christ. He seemed infuriated.
"She helped you. She at least needs an interrogation," I felt that he was playing along, trying to hope that I'd forgotten. Maybe he knew I knew, from my bad acting career before.
I quickly measured the distance between him and me-about 5 foot. Hmm...
"It was an accident. We just stumbled onto it," Now he couldn't hide it-his face was a mask of clear worry, fury, and regret. He snorted, than turned to his man. "Get over there and-"
-And I lashed out.
I darted across the distance and with the momentum from the speed, kicked my foot as hard as it'd go at the man's idling legs, though they were firm. I winced as my ankle one connected with his thigh, but still, it did it. He groaned and kind of startled to collapse. I spun and punched his skull-didn't matter where. He growled something fiercer than any wolf could have ever growled and lunged himself at me, grabbing my body down with his iron grip and one hand came to rest on my throat, then press on it. Maybe he crammed my head to the cement floor of the rooftop-I don't know, since my brain was already starting to malfunction.
He spun his gun on his finger and showed it to me, to my eyes with spots starting to show. I croaked. "I can't kill you-this goes to your thigh, though," He snarled. Or maybe didn't. But the first one was more likely since my body automatically started or tried to rise and resist.
But I couldn't. His grip on my throat didn't even lessen a tiny bit...
Something cold went to my jeans, and I tried to scream.
The last thing I heard before I blackened out was the gunshot and a someone yell something.
I wasn't sure this time either.
                                                   #
'What did we do?' 'We know everything. You hacked into the city, young man,'
Hacked.
This city wasn't real.
And now I understood.
My little memories of my childhood.
The white codes.
My life had been completely fake, except my childhood.
Everything had been-

virtual.