The rumbling of the motorcycle echoed loudly in the empty streets.

- Damn it !

Not too far behind were a dozen of men running at full speed and cursing profusely.

- Damn it !

It was truly an odd sight. An old delivery scooter wobbling around followed by thugs in flashy Hawaiian shirts with tacky golden jewels clicking in the night. 

- Damn it !

The conductor, sweating and swearing as she tried to manoeuvred the reluctant vehicle. A passenger who barely hang on the rowdy ride. A crate, adorn with a faded Cheeky-Chicken logo, who had long lost its content. 

- God freaking Damn it !

- You kiss your mom with that mouth ? Said a faint voice sarcastically behind Aiko 

- I don’t have a mom ! She answered still focused on the road. Damn it!

- Yeah… me neither, the man said after a short silence. 

- Those freaking bas… sons of a b… Damn it ! Damn it ! Damn it !

- You know you’re allowed to swear, right ? Said the man his voice lowering and his grip  loosening, as an adult you should be able to, at least, do so, he added with a difficult snort

- Damn it ! Replied Aiko feeling her passenger slowly but surely loosing consciousness, hey you ! Instead of lecturing me, focus on staying alive, will you? If you faint now, will both be in trouble, Damn you !

- Nice one, he acknowledged the new version of her favourite curse.

Aiko sighed, but she felt the man trying to tighten his hold. His head swayed back and forth until his forehead bumped her shoulder.

- “Granny’s Noodle”, 12b Peter’s street in Kazuto district.

It was barely a whisper but Aiko understood the assignment.

She gave a quick boost to her motorcycle and turned on the right. The gangsters behind her were still following, surprisingly resilient. Although the bike wasn’t that fast, it was still commendable to them to be able to keep up with the vehicle. But what worried Aiko, was the black Mercedes driving in the parallel street, all windows open, very angry man shooting from it. She could without a doubt loose the infantry that was starting to show signs of tiredness, but the car was an other thing. 

Kazuto district wasn’t too far from where they were, and she pondered if she was suppose to go straight there hopping that they would get some help, or if she had to lose their tail first. In doubt, she took the first alley on the left and drove right into a pedestrian area. The floor was paved, and the streets narrower, the scooter jolted furiously, and Aiko’s teeth kept rattling loudly. 

As she turned on her right she narrowly avoided a trash bean, and set back her course, her knee grazing the pavement. From there she only took the smallest streets she could think off. Being a delivery girl for almost five years she knew the city so well that she could have drive her eyes closed. Jumping from a sidewalk, she dodged a pile of cartons.

Monday night.

It was recyclables night.

In her side mirror she saw her chasers closing in. She took the next street, on the market place, famous for its street food from all over the world and started kicking every pile of cupboards, wooden crates, plastics bags she could find. 

Her passenger weakly tried to help her, but missed his target and groaned loudly in pain.

That little stunt of hers, slowed them down a bit, but was pretty effective. The two thugs leading the joyous party fell pretty hard, surprised by the obstacles, and the one behind them stumbled on their colleagues and they all dropped like a game of bowling.

- So cliché, murmured the voice behind Aiko.

The young woman had nothing to answer to that. She was satisfied to have lost the bulk of the troops, and the Mercedes was at least three blocks away. Without slowing, she calculated the fastest trajectory to go to Kazuto district, and manoeuvred her way quite skilfully. 

All she had to do now was to go through The Penitent’s square and regain Talbot Avenue. 

Her body went cold and her heart dropped in he stomach.