Free Tiona (a sequel to "Vaz") by Laurence Dahners Page A

She’d disrespected him too many times now.
    Ah, there it was. She’d just looked back over her shoulder.
    Sure enough, she sped up a little. Grinning to himself, he let her gain a little. When she looked back again she’d feel relieved.
    He saw her glance back. As expected, when she saw that she’d gained on him, she slowed a little. Now he started walking faster. Last week someone had brought a bunch of shoes down to the shelter and Jimmy Ray had scored these nice runners. It was like the gods wanted him to do another girl. The shoes didn’t even make any noise as he started to gain on the girl. The girl reached the bottom of the little valley and started up the other side. Jimmy Ray started to wonder if she was ever going to look back and realize that he was right behind her now.
    He didn’t want to catch her already. The chase was half the fun. Running them down until they were exhausted. Like a wolf, he thought to himself. I’m the big bad Wolf.
    He brought his feet down just a tiny bit harder so that they made noise.
    Sure enough she glanced back over her shoulder. Looked startled. Sped up again.
    Jimmy Ray sped up to match her.
    She glanced back again and saw him right behind her. She started to jog.
    Jimmy Ray stepped up his pace, thinking, This is more like it!
    They were going uphill and moving fast enough that Jimmy Ray was starting to pant. He knew she’d be starting to worry now.
    Suddenly, she cut across the Boulevard to the east and down a neighborhood street. Crazy bitch. Shoulda stayed out there on the main street where there are more people!
    The girl sped up again. So did Jimmy Ray. Most of the women he’d chased down had been pretty panicked by this point, glancing wild eyed back over their shoulders. Speeding up and slowing down as panic and exhaustion warred inside their bodies. This girl regularly glanced back, but kept a steady pace. She turned right at the corner.
    Jimmy Ray picked up his stride, wondering if she’d try to scream for help. Most of them didn’t try to yell until they were so short of breath they couldn’t even squawk. He’d started to close on her, but when she glanced back she simply picked up her speed and pulled back away. Damn! This girl can actually run!
    But she ain’t gonna be able to keep it up.
    The girl turned right again which put her going back west. Maybe she’s trying to get back to the Boulevard? Jimmy Ray picked up his pace again. He didn’t want her to get back to a big street.
    To his amazement, though he started to catch up, she immediately picked up her pace and pulled away. His breathing came hard and his legs started to ache and tingle. Is this bitch actually gonna be able to outrun me?!
    She turned left just before she reached the main Boulevard. She started running through a parking lot and away from the Boulevard. Jimmy thought, Oh, that was a screw-up! That main street would have been safer than an empty parking lot.
    Jimmy Ray sped up a little more. All the women he’d done this to in the past had eventually given up in exhaustion, but he was thinking he might have to tackle this one. She ran along the side of a big concrete building, and then turned around its corner.
    Jimmy Ray lunged after her.
    She seemed to feel him coming. As he stretched for her collar it danced out of reach. He lunged again.
    She stopped suddenly and leaned her back up against a big glass window.
    Ah, Jimmy Ray thought as he plunged past her and heaved to a stop, she’s finally blown out. He stepped back and grabbed a handful of the front of her shirt. With some surprise he noticed that there were lights on in the building behind her. Probably the cleaning crew, this hour of the evening. He also suddenly noticed that she had on an AI headset. She hadn’t had on an AI when she’d been eating dinner in the shelter! Uppity bitch! If she can afford one of those, she shouldn’t be eating at the shelter!
    He snatched the headset off and tossed it into the bushes behind