The rain droplets spread outwards to the sides of the windscreen as the taxicab hushed smoothly down the expressway. Erin Todd and Wayne Young sat stiffly in the backseats, not speaking, too sick with niggling anxiety. Young, who sitting in the back left seat, stared at the back of the taxi driver's head, counting the flakes of dandruff. Young's hands rested between his legs that jiggled up and down as he fidgeted tensely. Erin stared out of the right side window at the other cars that overtook on the slick yellow-lit road surface. In the distance the tall diamond tipped skyscrapers stood firmly, stabbing into the blanket of rain clouds with their sharp spires. Erin's mind was racing as she half listened to the blurb of music that pumped out of the driver's radio. The drive was taking longer than expected.

The taxicab followed the curve of the multi-lane road, hugging to the inside of the concrete separator that was pin cushioned with Y-shaped road lamps. They were heading into the heart of Manhattan. The taxi took the next turn off the expressway and drove down into the depths of the frenzied streets.

The cab passed a mass group rioting civilians destroying a huge department store. Flames licked up the rims of the huge floor-to-ceiling display windows as the silhouettes of at least fifty people danced insanely in the glow. The store's windows had been ram raided, the vehicle's rear end sticking out of one of the windows as it had gotten stuck on one of the window displays. The overhanging concrete canopy that extended out of the side of the building where the shoppers walked under was scarred with streaky black soot from the fires, a thick plume of toxic dirty brown smoke rolled out from underneath it like the inside of a tidal wave, more stringy smoke poured out of the glowing window frames of the shop front and crawled up the tall building side like a mass of tree roots. The smoke circulated the tall building, winding around like a constricting snake as the strong winds that built up between the buildings ejected them into the sky. The potent smell of the burning store filtered through the air conditioning of the taxi as the driver carried on past the carnage, he cursed at the paper-thin ash that blew across the street, covered the windscreen in a blizzard of grey spots.

The city of New York was spiralling into deeper chaos; Walton Simons, Head of FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) had taken control over UNATCO and declared martial law, effectively blocking off all exits in and out of New York, public schools and services had been cancelled until things calmed down. The public taxis had completely stopped but civilians who were trying to make a few quick credits had converted their vehicles into civil-taxis taking their place, not exactly trust worthy but nothing was nowadays.

"You can stop here." Young said breaking the uneasy silence. "Okay buddy" the driver replied pulling into the side. The car slowed to a stop, Erin opened the door and stepped out into the wet night air, she turned and faced the taxi to see Young paying the driver, he got out of the opposite door and the taxi pulled away, wheels splattering in the muddy pothole puddles. Erin's face had lost it's usual rosy-ness, fear was blanketing her usual bubbly nature. Young gave her a half-hearted smile and winked, she replied with a shaky smile and crossed over to the pavement, embedding her head into Young's chest. "It'll be fine, once we escape the States" Young whispered close to her ear as they embraced on the sidewalk. He kissed her on her forehead and pulled her up off the curb. "We must get going and get to Decker, we're behind schedule." Erin slipped her arm under Young's arm and they walked, linked together, down the darkened rain drenched streets; Young with one hand in his long coat pocket grasping his sidearm.