Driving was difficult. Not that the road was bad, if it was, Tadpol would have wrecked the truck hours ago. It was just that all of the chibi-sats were packed over on his side of the cab. Alexis had made it perfectly clear what she thought of the consistent noises they had been making.
Tad had tried once or twice to convince them to give him some more room, but the chibi's not being dumb knew which of the two humanoids could inflect the most pain. Tad had at least convinced them to maneuver so he could see the road.
Beginning to think he should ask Alexis to be less intimidating to the sats so that he could drive easier, he was preempted by a very careful chirp.
"You see that up ahead?" Alexis asked, giving a slight glance to the sat that spoke up.
To Tad's eyes the road was empty. "See what?"
"The road block."
"Normal Human vision over here." Tad says, "No I don't. They have anything that looks like it will stop this truck. I'd rather not have to deal with some random gang's opinion of property."
"If they do, its hidden well"
"Good." And Tadpol accelerate the truck. Which quickly proves that speed was not in the design of this vehicle. Tad swears a bit to himself, he wanted to hit the roadblock a bit faster.
A few moments later, and the road block is in Tadpol's view. Pretty much just a couple of yellow painted boards propped to obstruct traffic. There was a small car that was let through, then the boards quickly replaced. A couple of bikes parked in the ditch, and a few people standing guard. All looked to be wearing the same outfit.
Coming up to the road block. Someone yelling over a megaphone. Something about checkpoints for someone that before a couple days ago was no one. Once the people at the roadblock realize that the truck isn't slowing down, they bolt for the ditch. "the crap we get for avoiding major freeways." Tadpol mumbles.
A fraction. The truck hits the roadblock, scattering the sudo-wooden boards. Few light scratches to the truck. Tad smiles. Chibis hover. Alexis snaps to attention.
A fraction. Through the blocked point. Behind the truck is a man crouched, anti-tank launcher on his shoulder. He wasn't there before. The Chibis are in motion. Alexis is opening the door. Tad still smiles.
A fraction. Locked and launched. The truck is the target of the anti-tank rocket. The man is the target of an orbital weapon that watched from above. The Chibis follow Alexis out of the open passenger door. Tad, still smiling realizes that something is wrong.
A fraction. In the rear view mirror, Tad watches light come down from the sky, illuminating a figure as in movies when heaven shines down on the lead role. Tad also sees a path of fire heading to the back of the truck. The Chibis and Alexis are no longer in the truck.
A fraction. Tad sees a man be reduced to his base atoms by a light from the heavens. Something hits the back of the truck, and explodes. Where the Chibis or Alexis are is not even on Tad's mind anymore.
A fraction. The force of the explosion throws the truck into a spin. Letting Tad get a glimpse of Alexis moving through the border patrol. Most of them barely realize what is happening. The few that do don't have time to react.
A fraction. Half way through the second rotation of the trucks spin, two tires find traction once again. Their location however causes the truck to tip over and slide a bit before stopping.
With Tadpol's adrenaline just finally kicking in, he climbs up out of the passenger door and looks around. Scattered boards, and some dead bodies make the background. A spot in the pavement is still bright red and molten. Foreground is Alexis on a bike with a bunch of Chibis floating in a bit of an ominous pattern. Alexis looking much more relaxed than she had in the truck.
Tad eyes the nearest bike, and heads towards it. Commenting quietly, mostly to himself, "yeah, you look better on a bike anyways."
Alexis is one of ghost's Simulacra. Used with permission.