The Zero Code (Max Mars Book 3) Read online

  Sebastian unlocked the window and slid it open. He helped Max crawl through the narrow space, and she hung from the windowsill, dangling over the sidewalk below. She dropped down to the pavement and tumbled to lessen the impact. Then she staggered to her feet. It wouldn’t normally have been a big deal, but in her loopy condition it was a monumental task.

  Sebastian followed behind her. He dropped down to the concrete, twisting his ankle. He hobbled away from the building and took Max by the arm. Sebastian pressed a button on his key fob as they raced to the street corner. His car pulled up to greet them. The two hopped in the vehicle, and the car sped away as the security guard poked his head out of the 2nd floor window. He yelled something indiscernible after them.

  Felix jumped into Max's lap and purred. He had been riding around in the automated car, basking in the air conditioning and watching TV on the passenger monitor. Max combed her fingers through his soft fur.

  “How are you feeling?" Sebastian asked.

  “Fuzzy. But it's starting to wear off,” Max said, still slurring.

  Sebastian dug into his pocket and handed Max her mobile phone.

  Her eyes lit up, pleasantly surprised.

  “I grabbed it from the diner. Thought you might miss it.”

  Max took the device and slid it in her pocket.

  It wasn’t long before the familiar red and blue lights were flickering in Sebastian's rearview mirror. Several patrol cars followed behind his sedan. The automated car slowed and began to pull aside.

  Sebastian gripped the controls and switched to manual. He mashed his foot on the accelerator, and the engine spun up. It had good pickup for a sedan. The acceleration forced Max back against the seat.

  Sebastian weaved through traffic, narrowly missing cars. But he wasn't going fast enough for Max's taste.

  “Move over,” Max said. “I’m driving.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me.”

  “Oh, no. I’m not letting you drive.”

  “You drive like old people screw.”

  Sebastian arched an eyebrow at her. "I think I'm doing a pretty good job considering I’ve never been chased by the cops before.”

  “Max grabbed the wheel and started to climb over the center console. “Switch places!”

  “What are you doing?” Sebastian said, mortified.

  “MOVE!”

  Sebastian relented and slid out from underneath her as she scooched into the seat. There was a moment during the transfer where neither one of them was firmly in control of the vehicle. They were about to plow into the back of a truck.

  27

  The cops were catching up.

  Max swerved to avoid the truck at the last minute. Once she was planted into the driver’s seat, her foot stomped the pedal. The engine revved and the car blasted down the avenue.

  Max drove like a bat out of hell—a slightly sedated bat out of hell.

  Sebastian’s terrified eyes were glued to the roadway. He buckled his safety belt and gripped the armrests, white knuckled. Max swooped perilously close to the other cars as she passed. Sebastian continually stomped the floor, trying to hit a brake that wasn't there. Max's groggy state wasn't exactly instilling confidence.

  Sebastian’s sedan wasn't a race car. It was far from the fastest thing on the road. But Max was going to give the cops a run for their money.

  Felix crawled into the backseat and hid on the floorboard.

  Tires squealed as Max weaved in and out of traffic. The cops zig-zagged behind her. A drone overhead tracked their movement. Predictive modeling algorithms analyzed Max's driving pattern, and the drone dispatched officers to cut her off based on her probable route. Max knew she was going to have to incorporate random movements to confound the AI’s predictive algorithms.

  Max swung a hard left from the far right lane. Horns honked as she swerved across several lanes of traffic. Several small fender benders ensued, blocking the roadway. It made it difficult for the patrol cars to follow.

  Max floored it, blasting's down Polk Avenue. Her crystal eyes flicked to the rearview mirror. She saw the horde of red and blue lights flicker, trailing after her, making their way past the obstruction. Another patrol car swerved behind her from a side street. She left him in the dust as the cruiser fishtailed around the corner.

  Max swung another hard right, turning onto McKinney Street. She was heading the wrong way on a one-way street. Horns honked, and the automated cars swerved to avoid collision. Max plowed down the middle lane, parting the stream of traffic like the Red Sea. The patrol cars didn't follow after her. Strict regulations had been imposed on high-speed chases. The officers were required to obey all traffic laws with the exception of speed. They weren't allowed to increase their speed beyond 20 miles an hour over the posted limit. The city would much rather let a criminal get away than pay an expensive settlement for the wrongful death of an innocent bystander injured in an unnecessary accident.

  Max swerved into a parking garage, causing the aerial drone to lose track of her. She figured she had a few moments before a swarm of patrol cars would flood into the area. Max spiraled up several levels of the parking garage. The squeal of tires echoed throughout the concrete structure. Max pulled the car into the first open space she saw and cut the engine. She pushed open the door, grabbed Felix, and sprang out of the car.

  Sebastian followed.

  Across the aisle, a woman was getting into the driver’s side of a silver sedan. Max jumped into the back seat behind her. She stared at the woman’s startled eyes in the rearview mirror. Her face was creased with lines, and if Max had to guess, the woman was probably close to 70—though it was hard to tell these days. She had salt-and-pepper hair and wore too much makeup.

  “Sorry. I don't mean to frighten you, but we’re having a bit of an emergency,” Max said. She fumbled for an explanation. “I need to get Felix to the vet immediately."

  “What's wrong with him?" the woman asked, fear turning to concern.

  “He's having respiratory problems."

  “Oh, dear.”

  Sebastian hopped into the backseat as well.

  “Would you mind giving us a ride?”

  The woman hesitated, unsure about the whole scenario.

  “Time is of the essence,” Max said. “This poor cat could die. You wouldn't want that on your conscience, would you?"

  The woman's face looked tortured. She didn't want the cat to die, but she also thought it was bullshit. “I guess I can take you to the nearest medical facility," the woman stammered.

  “Thank you. Please hurry.”

  The woman started the car and backed out of the parking space. She spoke to her car, “Take us to the nearest urgent care facility for animals."

  “The nearest urgent care facility for animals is located at 2203 Columbus Avenue. Estimated drive time is 7.2 minutes.”

  “That will be fine,” the woman said. “Please proceed. It's an emergency.” She looked in the rearview mirror and forced an uncertain smile at Max.

  "Thank you,” Max said. “Felix appreciates it."

  The car spiraled down the ramp and turned onto the roadway as several patrol cars plowed into the garage. Sirens echoed and lights flashed. Tires squealed as they raced through the parking area, looking for the fugitives.

  The silver haired woman watched with concern as her car turned onto the roadway. "I wonder what's going on?" she muttered, knowing full well it probably had something to do with her new passengers.

  Max shrugged. "Hard to say."

  Max watched through the rear window as more patrol cars descended on the parking garage.

  "I have a gun in my glovebox, just so you know," the woman said pointedly.

  “Oh, really? What kind?”

  A small glint filled the woman's eyes. “A Bösch-Hauer P277. Old school. It goes bang. I like that.”

  Max grinned. "Me too. I like guns that go bang.”

  “My grandson bought it for me. Said I needed it for protection
. I thought he was crazy at first. I had never owned a gun in my life. But you know, a couple times at the range and now I love the thing. I can put them all in the center at 50 yards.”

  “Impressive. Remind me not to mess with you.”

  The woman smirked. She took notice of their scrubs. “So, are you both in the medical field?”

  “Uh, he’s a computer programmer,” Max stuttered, fumbling for words. "I'm retired from the Navy.”

  The woman's eyes sparkled again. "Oh, my grandson is in the Navy. He’s stationed aboard the USS Devastator.”

  “That's a fine ship, ma'am. You must be very proud of him.”

  “Indeed.” The woman continued to eye Max suspiciously. “Those cops were looking for you, weren’t they?”

  Max knew she wasn't going to be able to bullshit this woman, nor should she try. “Yes, ma’am.”

  She didn't seem entirely surprised by the confession. "What did you do? You didn't steal the cat, did you?"

  Max grinned. “No, ma’am.”

  "Please stop calling me ma'am. It makes me feel old. My name is Olivia.”

  “That’s a beautiful name,” Max said.

  “Thank you. So, what did you do? Rob a bank?" Olivia almost seemed hopeful.

  “No.”

  Olivia deflated, having hoped for a thrilling story. "Didn't kill anyone, did you?"

  Max hesitated. "Well, no. Not really. There was the one guy who fell off the balcony, but that was an accident. Sort of.”

  Olivia's eyes widened.

  “And then there were the guys that tried to rob the diner.”

  Olivia was starting to have second thoughts about giving them a ride.

  28

  Max could see Olivia was a little unsettled. "You can let us out here, if you're uncomfortable. We just needed to get out of that garage."

  Olivia's eyes narrowed at Max. “I've been around a long time. I know people. And you don't strike me as a bad person. Besides, this is the most excitement I've had in a long time.”

  Max chuckled.

  “So you want to tell me why they’re after you?"

  Max filled her in on the back story and told her about the impending crisis. By the time she finished telling Olivia, the car had arrived at the urgent care facility.

  “Felix doesn't really need medical treatment, does he?" Olivia asked.

  Max shook her head.

  “If there is somewhere you'd rather go, I am happy to take you there.”

  “My hotel is just up the block,” Max said. “The Vanguard.”

  “Are you sure it's safe to go there?" Sebastian muttered.

  “Trust me. I'm not dumb enough to register under my own name,” Max said.

  Olivia programmed the destination into the autopilot. A few minutes later, they pulled up to the curb at the Vanguard. Olivia reached into the glove box and pulled out her Bösch-Hauer P277. She handed it to Max. "You're going to need this. Don't worry. It's untraceable.”

  Max looked surprised that Olivia was savvy enough to have an untraceable weapon. But she quickly got the sense that Olivia was one sharp cookie. “I think you're going to wish you had this if what I think is going to happen actually does happen."

  Olivia winked. “I’ve got plenty more guns at home.”

  Max took the gun and tucked it into her waistband. She adjusted her shirt to cover it. She thanked Olivia and stepped onto the curb with Sebastian. Max watched as the silver car slipped away into the city.

  “Now what?" Sebastian asked.

  "I'm going to get changed, put on some shoes, then we’re going to get to the uplink and transmit the code.”

  “We?” Sebastian looked terrified at the thought.

  “Yeah, we.”

  “I'm a programmer remember. Not a special operator. I’m not genetically engineered. If I get shot, I'm probably dead. I'm not a super-healer like you.”

  “Don’t be a wuss. We've all got to die sometime.” Max strolled into the lobby.

  Sebastian shook his head in dismay and followed after her.

  Max's bare feet slapped against the cold marble floor as she strolled for the bay of elevators. She and Sebastian zipped up to her floor and rambled down the hallway toward her suite. The door was ajar. The locking mechanism had been blasted open with a plasma pistol.

  Max drew her newly acquired .45, then pushed into the room. She moved with tactical precision, clearing the corners. The bathroom was empty. The room had been ransacked.

  “No one's going to find you, huh?” Sebastian snarked. “You registered under an alias." His sardonic tone was like pouring salt in a wound.

  “Shut up. Stand at the door and keep a lookout. Let me know if anyone steps in the hallway.”

  Sebastian complied.

  Max set Felix on the bed. He lazed around while she rummaged through her bag and found another outfit. She peeled off the scrubs. A sharp, stabbing pain tore through her chest—scar tissue from the wound broke up as she pulled the shirt over her head. She rubbed the tender flesh, then slipped into another skintight tactical bodysuit. It was made of high-strength, light-weight fibers that resisted wear while wicking away moisture.

  Sebastian was at the door, his eyes scouring the hallway, oblivious to the scenery behind him.

  Max put on a pair of shoes she had picked up the day before when she and Winston had first arrived on Sov Islaa. Max liked to travel light. She always bought clothes wherever she went so that she didn't have to pack much. She wasn't a material girl. Just the basic necessities. The only thing permanent in her life at this point was Winston. And she was going to get him out of jail at the first opportunity.

  Max press checked the .45—a round was loaded into the chamber. She checked the magazine—a full 17 rounds. She wedged the pistol in her belt, then picked up the lazy cat and ambled to meet Sebastian at the door.

  Max poked her head around the corner to see two goons step off the elevator. Both were carrying plasma pistols. As soon as they caught sight of Max, they brought their weapons into the firing position and sent a flurry of bolts down the hallway.

  Max ducked for cover.

  The bolts impacted the doorframe, and the nearby wall. They left smoldering craters. Streams of fine smoke wafted from the blast marks.

  Max handed Felix to Sebastian, then angled her weapon around the corner and lined one of the goons up in her sights. She squeezed the trigger twice, capping off two rounds.

  BAM!

  BAM!

  The sound was deafening. Muzzle flash lit up her face, and smoke wafted from the barrel. Olivia's .45 could definitely walk the walk. It was perfectly balanced. Max felt right at home.

  The goon’s head erupted in a crimson cloud. His blood painted the walls, and his body flopped to the ground.

  Another plasma bolt streaked in Max’s direction. She ducked back into the room for cover. This time, the plasma projectile blazed through the wall, narrowly missing Max. It flew through the entrance foyer, sailing into the bathroom. It tore through the shower curtain and impacted the tile. Bits of porcelain rained down into the shower stall.

  Max whipped the pistol around the corner again and took aim. But a stream of blistering bolts were headed straight toward her.

  29

  Max dove into the hallway as the plasma bolts rocketed overhead. She rolled onto one knee and blasted two thunderous rounds, tagging the thug in the belly.

  Two spots of deep red blossomed on his shirt, growing larger. He clutched the wound with his left hand as he doubled over in pain. He brought the weapon up to fire one last shot at Max. He lined her up in his sights and attempted to squeeze the trigger. But the life-force ebbed from his body before he was able to complete the task. He collapsed face down in the hallway. His plasma pistol clattered against the tile.

  The entire hotel had to have heard the firefight, but no one dared to poke their head into the hallway.

  Max figured someone must have called the cops. She didn't have much time to clear the building.<
br />
  Sebastian cowered in the corner of the room, cradling Felix. “Is it over?"

  “For now.”

  Sebastian stood up, and Felix sprang from his lap. He tore across the room like a jungle cat, heading for the hallway.

  Max scooped him up before he got away. “Where do you think you're going?"

  “Meow.”

  “I know,” Max said, nuzzling her furry friend.

  She stepped into the room and grabbed her backpack. There wasn't much left in it, just the usual—a few grenades, smoke canisters, extra magazines. Essentials. Max shoved her toiletries from the bathroom into the pack, then slung it on her back. She moved into the hallway, and Sebastian followed behind.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Away from here.” Max knelt down beside one of the goons and rummaged through his belongings. She took his plasma pistol and an extra magazine from his coat pocket. She moved to the other corpse and did the same. She stuffed the bounty in the backpack and continued to the elevator bay.

  “Who are these guys?” Sebastian said, eying the corpses.

  Max shrugged. "I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing they work for Orlov.”

  Max hit the call button for the elevator. The wait seemed like an eternity. With her advanced hearing, she could make out the faint sound of approaching sirens. They were sure to surround the building within moments.

  Max changed her mind and punched the call button for the up elevator.

  “Up?” Sebastian asked. His face filled with concern.

  “Yeah, up. You're not afraid of heights, are you?"

  “I don't think I like where this is going.”

  The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. Max and Sebastian stepped on board and vaulted up to the 50th floor. Max stepped into the hallway and made a beeline for the stairwell.

  Sebastian followed behind her. “I don't understand what we're doing?"

  Max pushed into the stairwell and climbed up another flight to the roof access point. She opened the door and stepped onto the roof. It was lined with HVAC units, conduit, exhaust ports, and communications dishes. She sprinted to the edge of the building and peered to the street below. It was a long way down.