79

You stick to the gravel road. Slowing down as the road is making more and more switchbacks. Your progress is significantly slower and the police sirens are still close on your tail.

As you round a particularly sharp switchback, which appears to be close to the bottom of the mountain, headlights shines into your eyes. Across the road, police cars completely blocks your way.

You have no choice but to surrender. Jack, Kate has already stopped their bikes. You stop next to it. Behind you the chasing police cars grind to a halt, skidding on the gravel road. You raise your hand above your head and kick out the rest the bike on its stand. Behind you Emily yelps and is roughly shoved to the ground. Strong hands grabs you and within a blink of an eye you are lying next to Emily, handcuffs digging painfully into your wrists.

An hour later you are in the cell of a local police station. The five of you, including a bandaged Mike, speculating what will happen to you. Eventually, a guard appears and unlocks the cell. He escorts you out of the cell into a small interrogation room. A single metal desk and two uncomfortable looking chairs occupy the small room. Behind the desk sits a man in a black suit and reflective sunglasses. In front of him is the memory stick that the police removed from your jacket pocket after your arrest.

“Well, young pilot,” the man says. “I am agent Jones from the Military intelligence Agency. Why don’t you tell me what happened?”

Feeling like you have no choice, you retell the whole story. You can’t really tell if he believes you as he never removes those sunglasses.

“Fascinating!” he says as you finish your story. “As we have the information now, we are letting you and Emily go, provided that you keep quiet about what has happened. Your other friends are in a bit more trouble. The professor has also agreed to cooperate with the government to further develop the technology. You are free to go.”

 He gets up and leaves you in the room. You get up as well and exit the little room. Emily is waiting for you as you exit.

You are both relieved that you have escaped unharmed and that the information has not been stolen, but you wonder if it will be used as the professor intended.

The end.