Philli Part 37

We flew forward, the awkward pile of us petrified individuals, plus Augustine, lurching around awkwardly. Where were we go...
I heard a crash and lurched toward the front of the car. The rattling and pinging of the bullets on the outside of the car increased. Bright light burst in. I could finally see the pile more closely. Daddy's head was right next to me on one side, and Nic was right on the other. Cea was on top of all of us, with Stanyard crouching in the back, trying not to touch the walls. It must have been because of the dents that kept happening.
Then I realized what was going on. We had just driven through a garage door!
The car swerved to the right, tires screeching like one of those bad movies.
Bullets began cracking the windows in tiny spider webs. Evidently this vehicle was not meant to take sustained fire.
I got up and watched out the windshield. Grey buildings and bricks and street signs flew by in long whitish blurs. I don't think Ephesus even knew where we going. We were just going, and fast.
An explosion rattled the car from the left side. I looked back and saw a building collapsing behind us. What was this?
I must admit I screamed, "Why are they doing this?"
Augustine rolled over and sat up, "Because they are the United. This is a show for their people."
"They want everyone to see them blowing up their own buildings? Destroying their own property?"
"No, Philli. What everyone will see is us doing this. We did this. Just like we burned Rome two and a half thousand years ago. That's what they will say. And they just barely managed to stop us. And they will say, 'Look at what the Unaccepted do! We must get rid of them faster. We would try to be merciful, but see what they do? They must all assimilate or be removed."
Assimilated or removed. Assimilated or removed. Lately they seemed to prefer the second option.
A harsh left turn sent the van hurtling through an alley only a few feet wider than the machine. The only pursuit now was a few men on giant motorcycles. They wore reflective helmets and shiny suits. One of them drove with his legs while carrying a long tube. If demons ever materialized into the modern era, I think they would don similar attire.
A huge flash of light came in from the front. Glass blew in from the front, and Ephesus screamed. We all got some of it, and the noise grew overwhelming. Then a hard brake followed by a right turn. We were on the main street.
I watched as my brother, blood pouring down his face, wiped the life fluids away from his face with his right hand while driving with his left. Some glass had lodged in my arm and my hand. Daddy looked like his clothes had blocked all of it. Cea was picking shards out of her clothes, but it seemed she had been spared most of it by reason of her long sleeves. 
Nic had got one large shard. It stuck in his chest, and he just stared at it blankly. He shrugged and looked to the back, then sighed.
Then the wall jumped at me. I flew across the van and hit the opposite side, and so did Nic. I caught one glimpse of his face. His eyes were rolled toward his brows. He muttered one word, "Unaccepted."
The van slowed, tilted as it turned, and then rolled over. Down we all toppled onto the flank of the van.
This was not how it went in the movies, I was sure, even though I never saw much for movies with this kind of content. How am I living a lifestyle I never was allowed to watch as a child?
It took me about ten seconds longer than Nic to realize we were totally undone. Our glorious escape ended in a dented and destroyed care with my brother bleeding from multiple facial cuts. Daddy lay there helpless, and Cea was resigned to it. 
The only different reaction I saw was Nic. His eyes acknowledged the event. Our car was destroyed and he was captured by the United. But somewhere in Nic's eyes I saw that same spirit that drove him to make Red Rain the first time. He whispered something I did not understand, but I heard in it the same voice that reminded me who was in control of the Mars base.
A wrecked car was but a slight hurdle in Nic's mind.