The Summer Strikes Back, Part 19

Luke had never moved so quickly in his life! He tried to remember every move from every martial arts movie he'd ever seen as he ducked around Vader's bat and fists. He managed to slam him over the shoulder with the mop handle and make for the steps, hoping to avoid him on the catwalks. Vader came after him, swinging the fire engine red bat even as he climbed the stairs. He managed to aim a sharp kick at Vader's fingers and scramble the rest of the way.

“It's useless to resist, kid.” Vader pushed him out towards the broken edge of the catwalk. “Don't make me grind you into a pulp like I did Ben and Sni...Ahsoka.”

“Ahsoka.” Luke raised his blue mop handle. The brilliant blue metal glowed like a lightsaber in the eerie black lighting. “Hank and Leia told me you really banged her up. Why? What the hell did she ever do to you? What did any of us ever do to you? Why don't you leave us alone?”

“The Big Man wants you and your sister. And what The Big Man wants, The Big Man gets.” He caught the blond guy with a sharp right to his shoulder, knocking him off the grating. “That was way too easy, man.”

“That's what you think!” Wait. There was no splash bellow, no cursing as a body tumbled into the tank water. Two sets of tanned fingers held onto the metal grating for dear life. “I'm not in the mood to go swimming today, Vader!”

Vader tried to stomp on Luke's fingers, but he quickly moved hand over hand down the grating to the stairs on the other side. “Impressive, dude.” Luke wrapped his slender legs around the steps, pulling him back onto solid footing. “Damn dude, you're not bad. Maybe not as strong as The Big Man thought, though.”

Luke rushed back up the steps, lashing at Vader with a solid kick. His sneaker-clad foot landed directly in the center of Vader's gut. The moment he doubled over, clutching his gut, Luke grabbed the mop he dropped on the grating and made for the nearest door.

The room appeared to be a lounge and dining area. There were several white and sky-blue couches and soft chairs. One long table appeared to have been set for dinner at one point. Napkins and a few crumbs remained scattered around. Luke nearly tripped over one of the chairs at the table before making his way to the window. He'd just climbed outside when Vader stumbled in, bat at the ready.

“Where are you, boy?” Vader's breathing sounded even more labored than usual. “Wanna talk to you. Got somethin' to tell ya.”

Luke inched onto a narrow fire escape. His knee just barely missed Vader's bat as it swung through the opening. There was nowhere else for him to go. His back hit the solid metal railing as the bulky biker managed, after a few minutes, to squeeze through the window.

“You're beaten, kid.” He tossed his bat from one hand to the other. “Don't make me kick the shit outta you, like I did to Ben and Ahsoka.”

“Dream on, dick wad!” Luke took another swipe at his shoulder. Vader hissed, but it wasn't enough to slow him down. Cornered, Luke had nowhere else to go. The red bat came down on Luke's hand with a sickening crunch, enough to break the mop handle in two.

“Owwwwww!” He clutched his right wrist as the remnants of the mop fell to the parking lot. “Fucking hell, are you mental?”

“You don't get it, do you, kid?” Vader closed in on him, a menacing black shadow looming in the stifling night. “Ben never told you what happened to your brother, did he?”

“He told me enough!” Luke snarled. “He told me you killed him!”

“He's a liar and a phony, and so's Uncle Owen.” Vader's hiss lowered. “Kid...I'm your brother. I'm Adam Walker. Or I used to be.”

“N...no!” Luke shook his head, his eyes wide with horror. “That's not true! That's impossible! They told me you were dead!”

“That's pure bullshit.” He shook his fist at the boy. “Join me, kid. We'll work together, the two of us an' Leia. Yeah, I told her, too. If we can combine our strengths, we can bring some real order to all this.”

“No.” A dark blue Lincoln Continental pulled up under the fire escapes. Leia popped her head out of one side. A handsome black man in a fancy pale blue and white suit climbed on the roof, waving to him. Arturro popped his head out the other side, opening a door. Luke smirked, nodding at the car. “Sorry, Vader, but I'm too busy to join you. I have my own plans.” He managed a smile and a wave with his good hand. “Later.”

He could never remember how he did it later, but somehow or other, he manged to get over the railings before Vader could stop him. Arturro and the black guy got him as he landed rear-first on the roof of the Lincoln. “Let's get going,” the man with the dark curls insisted, “before Vader figures out what's going on, and we dent this car. This thing cost me a bundle!” Arturro pushed Luke onto Charlie's lap as Lance ducked into the front seat.

“Luke,” Leia insisted, “as soon as we go back and get our stuff from Lance's condo, we're going to get you to the hospital. That hand looks really nasty.”

Luke nodded, wincing in pain. “Yeah, it hurts like hell.”

“I think we'd better hurry, mates.” Charlie frowned at the young man on his lap. “I think the bloke is in shock.”

“I'm not surprised. I'm sort of in shock myself.” Leia nodded as she pulled out of the lot. “It's been a long day.”

She drove them back to the condo, where Lance packed up his things and the others grabbed what little they had. “We'll take the Falcon to Gardener's Basin in Atlantic City, then grab a Jitney over to the hospital. The one is AC is closer than the one in Ocean View Court House.” Lance lugged his suitcase downstairs. “I'll call Larry Botts from there and tell him he's going to be managing the Cloud City Club for a while.”

“I don't know, mate.” Charlie frowned over Luke's head. “Didn't look like they were done in there to me.”

“We don't have a choice right now. If we can get the Falcon's engines going, it'll be faster than taking the car. Not to mention, even my Lincoln doesn't really have enough room for all of us.” Lance looked over his shoulder as five motorcycles emerged from the shadows of the summer night. “And I think it's time to go.” He threw his luggage in the trunk, then jumped in the front seat. “Leia, you stay with your brother. Charlie, get in front. I know a few tricks. We'll lose 'em.”

Lance peeled out of the parking lot as fast as he could with a car the size of the Lincoln. The sudden movement sent two cyclists skidding onto the sidewalks. Three more continued after them, speeding up until they were riding the Lincoln's shiny rear. He swung the wide car down several side streets, hoping to lose them.

By the time they made it to the Sky High Marina, it was the dead of night. Not even crickets heralded their arrival. Lance grabbed his suitcase and the bags with the others' things, while Leia helped Luke onto the ship. Charlie directed Arturro in untying the ship from the dock.

“Shouldn't we be telling someone in authority that we're leaving?” Chip nodded at the small office building on the other side of the docks. “After all, they did allow us to park here.”

“I'll leave them a note. They know me.” Lance pushed his suitcase downstairs, then rushed to the wheel house. Leia lead Luke to Hank's quarters. Chip followed her, rubbing at his swollen eye.

“Between the two of you, this feels more like a hospital ward after a gang fight than a boat.” Leia kissed her brother's cheek. “I'm going to talk to Lance and find you both some aspirin.”

“Oh, please do!” Chip fussed. “And some ice would be wonderful, too.”

Charlie was clamoring up the gang plank as motorcycles could be heard in the distance. “Lance, we gotta go now! They're coming!”

“Well, it's now or never.” Lance tossed his jacket on the black vinyl chair before pushing several buttons. “Here goes nothing.” He pushed the key he'd filched from Charlie into the lock.

Leia darted in...just in time to hear the engine turn over, shudder, and die. She put her hands on her hips, her face scrunching in annoyance. “I thought you said the engine was fixed?”

“You bloody arse!” The big navigator bellowed. “I knew them louts you hired couldn't be trusted!”

“They told me they fixed it!” Lance complained. “It's not my fault!”

“I've heard that before.” Leia flopped in a chair as Luke came in, his hand in a sling made from an old cleaning rag.

“I'm the reason he's here,” he said quietly. “Vader's after me. Me and Leia. He wants us.”

“Don't think about that now.” Leia rubbed his shoulder. “We'll get you to the hospital somehow. We'll take the Continental. It'll be a crowded ride, but we'll do it.”

Arturro had seen Vader and his remaining boys drive up to the Marina. He knew they didn't have much time left. Chip stumbled into the engine room as Arturro pushed past the door and Charlie, who had just come down to check on it.

“Arturro, what are you doing?” Chip groaned as he came over, holding his head. “I'm standing here looking like one big bruise, and you're having delusions of grandeur!” His friend let out a stream of gibberish as he put out his hand and pointed to the tool box. “He wants the wrench,” the taller boy explained to Charlie. “Something about the screws not being in the right place.”

“All right, lil' mate.” Charlie tossed the wrench to the shorter boy. “I dunno what you're up to, but I know you work for Maz. That old girl ain't no knothead. If she believes in you, I do, too.”

Vader had just rode up to the docks when the Falcon suddenly came to life, engines roaring and grinding as it nearly flew across the glassy waters of the Atlantic. Piett came up behind him, his drawn face pale. “Are we going to go after them?” His skinny hand went to his neck. He was rather fond of living and didn't especially want to end up in the bay with Ozzie.

“No.” Vader's helmet never left the churning water. “Big Man wants us in Ocean View. We gotta get ready for that contest. No way we'll catch 'em now. Don't even know where they're going.”

Piett nodded nervously. “All right, sir.”