Blown for Good - Marc Morgan Headley [4]
Somehow I manage a stuntman type fall off the bike in anticipation of the crash. I had crashed my bike a few times before over the years and never really gotten badly hurt. Wearing a helmet, I know that I can expect only a few broken limbs should the worst happen. I think it was the adrenaline that really saved me. When you are locked up for 15 years and there is no way out, when you finally decide you are going to break out, the rush you get is indescribable. I was now being run off the road by the security truck, needless to say my fight or flight response was working double duty.
As quickly as I hit the dirt on the side of the road I get back up yelling at Danny. I do not even think about being hurt or that I have rolled on the ground a bit. I just pop up and start freaking out.
“What are you trying to do? Kill me?”
Without an ounce of emotion, Danny says, “You need to come back, Marc. Get in the truck!”
I do not reply.
I survey the scene and see where my bags have landed. I walk over to where the suitcase is and pick it up. No major damage. As I turn around, I catch Danny moving towards my bike. He takes the key out of the ignition! This is going from bad to worse in milliseconds.
“Give me the key back, Danny! Give me my key back right now, Danny, or I am going to go ballistic!”
Danny starts to get back in the Pathfinder. I know he will never give it back. Unless…
I make my way into the middle of the highway and start waving my hands at passing cars for help. Danny throws that key back to me faster than you can say, “This is going to get us in some big trouble!” I catch the key. Both Danny and Matt stand there as if I had just pushed a button that put them in “standby” mode. I am amazed at how waving one’s arms at passing cars triggers their total inaction – instantly. We are outside of their little playground and their rules mean nothing out here. They are helpless.
I am back in play. Back to the plan. What was the plan? Well I am going to get into town. That is the first part of the plan. Actually, that is pretty much the whole plan. The rest of the plan will depend on how the first part of the plan plays out. Not going so well right now. As I stand the bike back up, I notice that the clutch lever has snapped off in the crash. Great news. Even better, the carburetor is leaking gas and is surely flooded or at least not fully operational. Just what I need, a broken bike to slow down my carefully planned escape. Oh yeah, it’s still raining too. Did I mention that one of the rear view mirrors has snapped off as well? I get the bags back on the bike. Danny and Matt climb back in the truck as if to continue our little game of follow the leader. The bike has an electric starter. I pray that it fires up. It does. Now to get it into first gear. Without a clutch lever, I have to get the bike rolling and bump it into gear so as not to stall it out. My first attempt is a joke. I am so anxious to get out of there; I jump the gun and shift too soon. My second attempt works and I quickly move to second gear. A lot of good that does me. Whatever happened in the crash has completely destroyed the bike’s carburetor. I am at full throttle and get it up to only 5-10 miles per hour. The black Pathfinder creeps along behind me. I am starting to wonder how I can possibly ditch these guys at 5 miles per hour?
I am also thinking, “Did these guys just almost kill me?” What the hell was that all about? I just got run off the road by a truck and here they are behind me again. At least we are slowly getting closer to town and there are more cars around. Hopefully that will thwart any more crazy attempts to get me back to the Base.
As we are driving down State Street towards Hemet, in