Chapter 2
-The Warning
The small hands of a red alarm clock placed upon a nightstand littered with trash circled around the numbers inhabiting its frame. Soft whispering ticks floated through the air like a repeated tune to the slumbering pair lying by the circular device. Once the large hand aligned directly the small eight, the soft clicks exploded into a deafening ring, shaking the entire nightstand.
Nova leaped out of the red comforter in fright before slapping a frustrated palm over the squealing device, reading the time's sign of 8:40 am, reminding the gold warrior it was time to get up.
Groaning, the gold simian slithered her way out of her fiancé's bed once his clock was quieted. Behind her, Sprx continued to snore, undisturbed by his mate's ruckus with his room's clock. Nova shrugged at the sight, none too surprised given as the red hot head could sleep through a dang earthquake. But, seeing as how this early morning rise was the start of her temporary departure, she decided to wake up the simian.
Gripping his shoulder in a strong hand, she lightly shook him. The light shakes, by some miracle, actually arousing the pilot from his deep slumber. He yawned, followed by a satisfying pop of his back while stretching, till his eyes found the source of his wake up. Sprx grinned and leaned his head on his opened palm as if posing sexy for his gold warrior.
"Hey, babe, something wrong?"
Nova kissed his forehead before heading over to his closet. Since their recent engagement, they have been staying in each other's rooms—but most of the time she chose to sleep in his, even though his messy decorum was not her cup of tea.
"Nothing is wrong," she reminded him while digging through the closest to locate her bag. "Just reminding you today is the day I have to head out with Shuggazoom's military crew."
Sprx stared for a moment before realization pinged on his baffled face.
"Oh, that's right, you have to go meet up to see if those funny judo fighters are the best thing since sliced bread?"
Nova rolled her eyes with a light chuckle flopping from her gold tongue.
"Well, in a strange analogy way, you're correct. Have to make sure these guys fit the bill before ordering the service." She tossed a couple of needed assessments into a small yellow travel bag while flinging the strap over her shoulder.
"I'll be back in a few weeks, so don't go running off." She chuckled while roughly grabbing his chest and yanking the red male in for another tender kiss.
Sprx blushed under the much-adored roughness, melting into her affection before parting for much-needed breath. He smirked, crossing his arms as she started heading towards the door.
"Be sure to tell Antauri you're heading out today, you know how he gets when any of us have to go far away alone."
"Yea," she agreed while gripping the door handle. "Ever since Chiro and Jinmay adopted the twins, Antauri's hovering really skyrocketed—no pun intended since he already floats everywhere."
Both laughed as Nova, albeit sadly, gifted Sprx one last fond look before closing the door behind her. In the dark corridor surrounded by her other teams' rooms, she dashed to the one on the far right that belonged to her second in command.
Lightly opening the door, she peeked in, pink eyes scanning to see if her silver chromed elder was up in his usual early morning meditations. But surprise caught her when she witnessed a cute sight.
Oh, his bed, the fully robotic male monkey was tucked beneath the long white fur cape of his formless mate as if she was a fluffy blanket. Like cats balled up together, Vex leaned her head on his back as his arms snuggly hugged her helmet, her body positioned in a tighter ball as he laid more sprawled out beneath the larger simian.
Chuckling, she never knew Antauri was a 'cuddlier' till Vex came along, guess you learn something new about someone every day—even if you've known them your entire life.
Deciding not to awaken the pair, she grabbed a nearby sticky note in the silver monkey's organized desk and scratched down information regarding her departure. Slapping the sticky end to his chair, she granted them one last smile before walking out.
She would've told Chiro of her leaving, but since he and Jinmay were on their anniversary trip—she wouldn't be seeing their raven-haired leader till she got back. So for now, all orders were left in the hands of their second in command.
Once out of the robot, Nova spotted a small square cab parked by a thick covering of trees. Looking around to ensure the coast was clear, she ran to the car and dived in through the open window. A warm leather seat greeted her freezing fur as she huffed warm air into her cold metallic hands.
"Greets Commander Nova," an older man wearing a messenger hat and grey sweatshirt greeted. His well-combed beard and hair tied back in sleek knots.
"Hey Spencer," Nova greeted back while dropping her bag into the floor.
"Are you ready for our trip?" He asked while pulling out of the brush and onto the main road.
"Definitely, though wish I could've postponed it since Chiro and Jinmay would be coming back in a few days." She leaned into her palm and watched the sight of other hover cars zoom by in the early morning hours of twilight. "Question though, why do you keep hiding the car every time you pick me up? We're not secret agents."
"Oh I know, just feels more fun if I at least pretend we're being sneaky."
Nova and her driver shared a fond laugh till they zoomed off the highway and towards the military center.
~In another Solar System~
Harper stepped out of the hull of her large space exploration craft that laid parked in some deep shrub. Brushing her shoulder length blonde hair, her blue eyes darted to the small blue fluorescent watch on her wrist.
"Baxter, can you hear me?" She whispered into the device, tugging her black and white poncho closer to keep the cold rain off her.
"Ello!" An overly energetic male voice popped over the speaker.
Harper restrained a chuckle from the synthetic voice.
"Do you detect any enemies near our location?"
"Nope! Ran a good solid scan before letting the ship hit the dirt, your aces ma'am!"
"Please, just call me Harper." She corrected her ship's A.I.
"Will do, and if you need any assistance, just call me, good luck ma'am!"
Harper groaned as she hung up if computers had virtual ADD, Baxter was definitely a potential carrier. Cracking her neck, she stood to full height and scanned the freezing damp swamp-like areas that surrounded them. Thick fog rolled around them, casting an ever so cheesy spooky vibe with the ghostly moans and sounds accompanying the frightful sight.
The young woman looked on unfazed, her white boots sloshing through the mossy grass as two shadows followed her.
Right behind her, deep within the shadows, stood the two assassins that iced the ground with frost each time their boots made contact. Black eyes concealed beneath their hoods as the intimidatingly tall beings followed Harper, their footsteps almost unheard through the water, as if they were dead themselves.
Harper halted, jetting a quick hand out to halt her followers. The Assassins did a split second stop, keeping their dark eyes intensely trained on her every move.
The teen glanced to the right, noticing a small wire sticking out the ground. Harper turned to the hooded female and blinked twice. The killer mechanically turned and tossed a small pebble into the water, goliath sized metal teeth shot out with a chain net veiling its sides. The trap slamming shut over its harmless mineral victim.
Harper stared at the giant bear trap, sighing with a look of frustration blooming over her usually monotone face.
"Wonderful, Baxter just had to land us in a spot with professional trappers."
The male assassin glanced to her, eyes blinking. Harper read the nonverbal response and sarcastically shrugged her shoulders.
"No he's not useless, we all make mistakes." She crossed her arms, muttering under a breath. "Even if his attention span is that of a termite."
"I heard that!" The A.I. snapped over her loudspeaker with the force of a whip.
Shrugging off and turning over her communicator, Harper gestured her assassins to stick close as they battled their way through the marshy swamps. Their feet sinking deeper into the greenish-brown mud with every step, sloshing out all sorts of disgusting insects and plants. The teen groaned at the sight of her white boots getting ruined, but she'd have to worry about her 'fashion' appearance later.
Awhile of trekking through the murky terrain did the trio finally stumble upon the outskirts of a high standing city, searchlights scanning through the grey skies, searching for any possible intruders.
Harper and the assassins ducked behind a frizzy green bush, she eyed her wrist band and pressed the button, whispering low to avoid enemy detection.
"Baxter, we made it to the territory, but the guards are swarming the front gates."
"Ah! Swarming like bees? I never did understand why humans act like insects!"
Harper smacked her face into her palm, holding back a frustrated sigh.
"Baxter, focus please, we really need you to find another way."
Baxter beeped a loud approval as several clicks and whirrs zapped Harper's eardrums, she winced at the annoying sound. The two assassins continued to stare lifelessly at her, black eyes as dark as tar pits, waiting for their leader.
After a minute, a small holographic map illuminated over Harper's wrist, a string of pink lights moving through a series of tunnels, revealing a shortcut from their location. A big smile beamed on her face when recognizing the tunnels and calculating a proper entrance from their current location.
"Well done Baxter!" She turned her watch's gears, causing the map to download and vanish into its system. "We'll find this Underground Railroad system and be out in fifteen minutes, if we delay, you know what to do."
"Aye aye, ma'am! But… are you sure this is a good idea? You do know the individual you're going to face, right?"
Harper sighed, heavy laden on her breath while brushing her blonde bangs aside.
"I know, but if I'm going to blow up this planet for this devilish game, I at least want to give the residents of this planet time to evacuate. The leader needs to be given their warning."
"I still think this is a bad idea, but will do. I'll keep my module peeled for your signal, in case something goes wrong."
"Got it, Harper out."
She hung up before looking back to her followers once more, a second deep sigh floating from her throat.
"You know what needs to be done, right?"
The two tall assassins nodded, splitting up in separate directions and vanishing into the dead of night. Harper cracked her neck to loosen up the joints and ran for the next tree cover, dodging the spotlights that moved over her last position. She kept low, only moving when the next set of lights moved over and away.
Maneuvering around the pattern of lights, she slid down a small ditch and spotted a concrete opening barely visible from the wild mossy vegetation. Her fingers gripped the vines to shreds till she was able to squeeze through the small opening and began a speed crawl through the dark damp tunnel.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait, I'm going to try and get back into the pattern of writing. Hope ya enjoyed chapter 2, expect number 3 real soon!