CHAPTER 4 - A BURDEN OF PROOF
The planet settled as the majority of its earthquakes quelled; the shifting agitation of the Earth's crust easing with each passing minute.
Citadel, GHQ - West Genetics Island
The Command Center was damaged, but operational. Allied Nation officers, Genetics personnel and several Pandora were working together to move aside shredded looms of hanging fiber wire, construction debris and fallen rack servers as the repair technicians hastily fixed the inoperable equipment.
Sister Amelia stood by several of the visiting A.N. generals as they observed the smashed control consoles. "Report!" Sister Amelia demanded through the flickering auxiliary lights and the dancing sparks from malfunctioning devices inside the demolished room.
"We're on auxiliary power." An operator shouted as he punched in reset codes and other command lines into the computer.
"I can't get data from the Meteorological Agency," Another person added, "But I still have one satellite uplinked." He pressed a few more controls. "Patching through the visual."
Everyone remained silent as the main view screen blinked before displaying a topographical map of Japan.
"Tying in available feeds from the emergency networks."
General Kun stumbled into the command center as the giant screen divided itself into sixteen smaller windows – each one streaming distorted video from over a dozen live cameras within a radius of thirty kilometers. Some of the staff covered their mouths at the sight of the vast devastation. "My God…" Kun breathed as he stepped over some fallen support beams to meet Amelia at the center of the room. "It sure was a big one."
"I've established a piggyback signal within the emergency networks!" The operator interrupted, "Some of the major roads and highways were broken up, along with the collapse of several bridges. Headmistress, I'm getting garbled messages of mudslides trapping citizens inside buildings northwest of the metro area."
"Understood. It's time to deploy the Pandora."
"Ma'am?" Another female operator inquired, "Deploy them to where? This quake influenced a span of almost 150 kilometers."
"Put Abetz in charge. Task them with assisting the emergency responders and the joint task forces of the national military. Have them working with volunteers if they need to!"
"A…Affirmative headmistress. Right away!"
"Lohman!" Elise Abetz screamed as the five girls arrived inside the staging area at the south side of the Citadel. "Explain your tardiness!" Summer tilted her head as Adriana got a mouthful from the angered woman.
"Apologies ma'am, but we had to navigate through some dicey terrain to make it back here."
"Whatever, you're as useless as ever!"
"Thank you ma'am." Adriana scoffed as she rolled her eyes. Summer smirked as she followed her friends to the line and formed up into attention.
"Alright soldiers!" Instructor Abetz screamed. "We've been given orders to assist with the emergency volunteers, local police and military operations for the search and rescue of victims in the affected damage zones!" Each Pandora stood a little taller hearing the news that they'll be responsible for the recovery of innocent civilians. "Now remember your emergency survival training! You're to assist with the efforts of the national military and emergency responders, don't go out on your own to perform some sort of stupid heroic act! You're part of the relief team that will extricate injured people!"
Summer turned her head and observed the line of young Pandora. There was a mix of sophomore and junior soldiers - all ready and willing to undertake their assigned duties for the good of humanity. Tuning out Elise Abetz's chatter, Summer found Larisa Tamm at the far end of the line; her shiny blonde hair standing out like a beacon in a sea of browns, dark reds and black. Nodding, Larisa returned Summer's glance as she stood a little taller than most of the others.
"El Bridget-Aoi!" Summer flinched to attention as she acknowledged the instructor. "Yes, I'm talking to you soldier!"
"Uh, yes ma'am?"
"Step out of the line."
"Ma'am?"
"Was my command not clear just a moment ago?" Summer frowned as she stepped out of the line, walking several paces away from the rest of her classmates. "Once you exit this staging area." Elise resumed, "Report to the airfield for air-lift inception into your assigned section and zone."
Summer continued to grimace through Instructor Betz's final briefing until every team leader received their orders and placement verifications. As expected, Adriana was last. "Lohman, Marigold, Osuka and Akuro. Report to tilt-jet Zero One Nine, you're assigned section Twenty-two: Blue Zone." Summer watched Adriana and her team salute the instructor before making their way outside to the awaiting tilt-jet transports.
I'm really being left behind?
Summer shook her head in disbelief as her friends hit the tarmac. Nii followed Kallie into the aircraft while Pina and Adriana paused for a moment on the side skid; looking back at their former leader with a sullen expression. Summer watched them from inside the hangar, raising their hands in farewell before entering inside the closing gangway hatch.
Getting clearance from the tower, the squadron of aircraft lifted into the sky, shaking the staging area with their high-output turbojet engines. Summer plodded outside just in time to watch the flock of tiltjets gallantly rise to cruising altitude and disappear across the horizon.
Gengo Medical Facility, Rehabilitation center
"So…she…knows?" The older woman asked as she gripped the railing in a futile attempt to catch her breath.
"Well, Wakahisa failed to suppress his enthusiasm and she found out about the…tablet." Kazuya replied as he hesitated in how best to support his injured wife.
"I…see." Satellizer said as she wiped the blood from her mouth. "It was foolish to think…that she would never learn what truly happened to her." The proud Pandora shoved her husband's hand away as she tried to steady herself; the visible bruises and bloody slashes across her clothing exhibited her extended time in the small auxiliary Holo-chamber. "Have you spoken to her since the incident back at West?"
"No. I've avoided her these last few days because of the shame I feel with everything that happened."
Satellizer shook her head in regret as she rubbed a tender area around her left kidney. "Your shame? It's our shame. It's…something we can't take back. She will come for us and demand that we tell her the entire story."
"Satella, our daughter has surpassed all of us. She's the future of the human race. If you could just see that…"
"What price did we pay?" Satellizer flashed a look of disgust. "The future of the human race? This is our daughter Kazuya! None of this would have happened if she would have stayed with us instead of being handed off to Morris on that horrible morning!" The woman pulled close and stared down her husband. "My close friend is dead because of a promise she made to me. A promise made to her Field Major, to protect the one and only thing that's the most sacred…our daughter Kazuya! The future? You…sound like your grandfather!"
Kazuya stepped back and lowered his head. He knew she would say something like that. She wasn't wrong of course, it wasn't privileged knowledge that Gengo Aoi conducted experiments and field tested several different female subjects in the hope of creating the perfect soldier to fight the NOVA.
Satellizer turned and extended a hand. "I'm sorry, that was wrong…I didn't mean it to sound quite like that."
"No, you're right…" He whispered.
"What?"
"You're right…about all of this. This was something we knew was going to happen." Kazuya brought a tired hand to his forehead, "This reminds me of what Gengo did all those years ago; trying to achieve the ultimate balance."
"It doesn't matter now…" Satellizer said as she straightened, "We always knew that Summer was going to be special. Now we just have to make her believe in it."
"Satella! Wait, what are you doing?" Kazuya watched his wife step back to the center of the room and smooth her torn and ripped exercise uniform.
"Activate the simulator again."
"No! You should rest! You endured too much during that last interval and your body hasn't recovered. The software is detecting an eighteen percent safe-guard fluctuation from the damage sustained from the earthquake! Satella, we really shouldn't be using this equipment! It's still dangerous with the threat of more aftershocks." She ignored his excuses until Kazuya finally stated his actual concern. "Satella, you can't generate a Volt Texture!"
"Just do it!" The blonde woman demanded as she raised her fists. "Activate the damn system!"
Hesitating, Kazuya reluctantly moved to the control panel and enabled the equipment. The Holo-generator slowly came online as two flickering silhouettes appeared in front of Satellizer.
I have to concentrate, focus on the thought…
The tall woman slid to the side, coaxing the two transparent adversaries to split apart. She eyed them closely as they held their simulated Volt weapons in defensive formations.
I have to will it into existence…
Satellizer El Bridget-Aoi felt a slight tinge of energy as she opened her right hand. From her wrist to her fingertips, she could sense a fraction of significance as she struggled to materialize NOVA Blood.
I won't give up…
Citadel, GHQ - West Genetics Island
"Not now GM870," Amelia dismissed the waiting Pandora as she waved her aside. "I've got dozens of teams on the ground and there's still the threat of more aftershocks. I don't need anyone else out there."
Amelia shook her head in frustration as she returned her attention to the three Genetics officers that were formulating a strategy for deploying the 2nd Year sophomore Pandora to some of the urban hospitals surrounding the outskirts of the city.
Summer dismally dragged herself to a nearby ledge and sat. Once again, she felt out of place and useless; surrounded by the bustle of people rushing from terminal to terminal in a vain effort to reactivate computers and reestablish the communication network. In a way, Summer felt relieved that finally, nobody needed her. Why is the headmistress ignoring me? What am I even doing here? Summer sighed as she rose and moved for the exit. I should just go back to my room.
"Leaving without an assignment?"
Summer slowed and looked over her shoulder at the familiar older man. The cryptic smile of Hikaro Kun catching her off guard as she stopped before the open doorway. Stiffening, Summer turned and saluted. "General Kun, I regretfully haven't received any orders from command, so I just planned on excusing myself back to my quarters. Sir, am I truly going to sit idly by while the Pandora assist the injured and displaced citizens?"
Kun approached and extended a hand. "Walk with me soldier." Acknowledging her superior, she followed as he negotiated around a fallen support beam and exited the overcrowded room.
"Sister Amelia has no jurisdiction?" Summer protested.
"Keep your voice down." Kun replied quietly as he motioned her into a secluded unoccupied corridor.
"I don't understand sir, the P.R.R.?"
"You're still a soldier in the eyes of the Allied Nations, but since you now don't belong to any one cadre, team or squad, Genetics is assigning you to the Pandora Ready Reserve."
"Sir, I had the expectation that I would be leading my old team again."
"That's not possible at this time."
"May I ask why?" Summer boiled with frustration and surprise.
"Negative, it's irrelevant." Kun grew tense as he raised a finger within inches of Summer's face. "It was your incomplete test at the HDC, plus all the damage it sustained due to your N3A form… plus that damn earthquake didn't help."
"I'm very sorry about that sir, but I was under the impression that the A.N. was willing to reinstate me with the hopes of leading the Pandora campaign against the NOVA."
Kun glanced at his chrono as he stepped back. "That's still the plan kid."
"But not with my Platoon 13 designation?"
"Correct, your time in Delta Squad is over. Nii Akuro was granted your position due to your inconvenient absence from duty."
"You mean when I was held against my will and unconscious in a stasis tube by the very Allied Nation representatives who want me now in their ready reserve program?"
"Be careful soldier." Kun frowned. "I support subordinates speaking their opinion, but there's still a chain of command." Summer bristled as he continued. "Young lady, there are things going on here that are way over our heads. Just understand that we need you in the P.R.R."
"What do you mean?"
"It's exactly as I mean!" Kun looked at his wrist again, catching Summer's curiosity.
"Are you expecting something sir?" Summer inquired with a hint of sarcasm.
"Yes, I'm expecting a tri-rotor to land at any moment."
Summer studied the man. "What tri-rotor?"
"Your transport into the field GM870, they're landing to pick you up."
"Me? Why sir?"
Kun smiled, "Not willing to be deployed?"
"Of course not sir! I'm ready right now!"
"I'm sure you are soldier."
Summer's attitude improved as she listened intently to Kun's briefing on where she was being deployed.
"Shizouka?" Amelia cried as Kun gave her his usual smirk.
"Of course, the epicenter was over a hundred kilometers underground so I at least put her somewhat close to the action."
"You're insane, that's in the Blue Zone!"
"Correct, and guess where her former teammates were deployed?"
"I hope you know what you're doing."
"Me too headmistress, me too."
A Nightfall outpost
The temporary quarters of Gavril Magda
"Master, I've returned!" Eva stated as she shoved her way past the sentry guards. "What was so urgent that you sent for me?" The man ignored the powerful ex-Pandora's question and continued to shuffle through the stacks of papers that littered his desk.
"Master?" The dark assassin raised her voice as she placed both hands on her hips, awaiting the man's unwavering attention. As she watched him, her thoughts drifted to the inoperable mind-control module that dangled uselessly around her neck. Ever since the oppressive device sent its last signal, she had recovered most of her fragmented memories. Still standing rigid, she observed him - taking just about all of her willpower not to reach across the desk and violently tear the man's throat from the rest of his body. Fortunately for his sake, she held back, calculating when and how she would execute her sweet revenge.
"Why do you disrespect me by barging into my study like this? Haven't you been reminded of my explicit instructions?" The man quietly spoke.
"The seriousness of your message stated that…"
"Enough," Gavril interrupted as he pushed a PAD to the corner of his desk. "The earthquake in Japan damaged some of Genetic's communication relays."
Eva blinked. "You recalled me here for that?"
Gavril raised his head and stared up toward his personal assassin. "When their servers were rebooting, we were able to hack into their network. While we were looking around, we found something…very disturbing."
Eva reached out and took the transparent PAD, swiping the surface and enabling the device's video playback. Gavril smirked as the former Pandora's eyes widened. "This video has to be a fake." She replied, "There's no way Genetics would allow something like…" The troubled woman clumsily moved backward and sat heavily in a chair as she tapped and slid the thin screen to replay the high definition recording a second time. "Who is this and when did this happen?" Eva asked as she wiped her finger back and forth across the timeline stripe.
"The daughter of Satellizer El Bridget-Aoi." Gavril responded casually as he leaned back in his chair. "She's quite frightening if you ask me."
Eva's attention lingered on the small display screen before she had the ability to respond. "If this video is truly genuine, it seems she has the ability to safely Transcend at will."
"Yes my sweet. It appears that Summer El Bridget-Aoi is now the true threat to this organization. If the rumors are true about this unique Pandora, the rules of the game will be changed forever."
"What's your plan?"
Gavril rose from his chair. "She has to be taken out immediately."
Eva grimaced, "Is that what you're asking me to do?"
The man rounded the corner of his desk and stood over the seated woman. "No my dearest, you wouldn't stand a chance against her in that wicked N3 form." He reached down and pulled the tablet from her grasp. "Don't worry, the fate of Satellizer's daughter will be decided sooner than you think."
Shizouka Prefecture
An eight kilometer stretch of the Tomei Expressway that cuts a path through the hills, and eventually crosses over the Tokaido Shinkansen railway, was obliterated. The earth shifted the thick concrete beams supporting the overpasses which brought down sections of the road onto the high speed rail. Luckily for the passengers onboard the bullet train, all rail-travel across the region was suspended until the local agencies could determine that the tracks were safe again for use.
Chaos. Survivors of all ages were in the streets, frightened to enter their homes and business establishments. Light-duty trucks and transport vehicles carrying emergency personnel and other volunteers, navigated the damaged roads as people filed along both sides of the battered side streets. Dozens of structure fires raged through the area, creating a low hanging blanket of dark smoke through the peaks and ridges of the countryside.
Pina Marigold hefted a heavy crate of aid supplies into the rear of a pick-up truck while Kallie Osuka effortlessly tossed the last remaining sand bag onto the back of another.
"Finished yet?" Adriana called as Kallie paused to wipe her brow, "That truck is supposed to deliver the flood barriers to the northern mountains.
"Redirecting the rush of flood water isn't a simple task." Kallie responded, "The men will have to strategically place those bags in a specific order to direct the majority of the water away from inundating the streets and homes."
Nii Akuro just finished coordinating with three local police officers when her team leader returned with two military A.N. soldiers.
"Adriana, we've check the buildings on this side and everyone made it out safely." Nii and the deputies then looked up through the mountainous terrain and marveled at the amount of devastation to the neighborhoods within the hills and valley. "The more we headed west, the more the private residences were flattened to their foundations."
"What about the buildings to the south?" Adriana inquired, "Have the military made it down there yet? Surely there must be more victims trapped inside those structures."
"We haven't been able to search that area yet." Nii replied.
"We…currently don't have the manpower to mount a search and rescue in that area yet." The officer added.
"What?" Adriana exclaimed, "We are tasked with helping the people!" Flushed, Adriana clenched her fists as she walked to the ledge and looked out over the southern landscape. To her chagrin, the leveled homes and broken businesses were a sad sight to behold. She had to do something, there has to be more survivors down there - there must be more survivors down there.
"Please, Miss Pandora," the officer responded, "We have no choice but to stay in our area and continue the search through the eastern zones as efficient as possible. We're still getting reports of trapped victims in that district."
Closing her eyes, Adriana Lohman lowered her head, "We're going to complete our mission and then I want to travel south toward the coast and assist the others!"
The four girls finished their tasks and entered their vehicles to accompany the teams of emergency crewmen down the road a few blocks to continue the rescue efforts.
From the safety of the clouds, the aircraft circled the devastated landscape. Summer watched in awe as she took in what she saw from the partially open gangway. The pilot tuned the radio to the emergency band and piped the audio through the cabin speakers so that the young woman could listen to the reports of landslides and structural fires in the towns below. Time was running out, and she had to get on the ground as fast as possible.
"Time to the landing zone?" She asked as she slid the gangway door fully open.
"Forty-eight seconds ma'am!"
Summer was briefed on where to find her friends and motioned to the pilot as their positions clicked on the range finder. "Thanks for the lift captain!" Summer called as she braced the opened doorway. The pilot leveled the craft into hover-mode before the Pandora leapt from the opening and plummeted to the earth.
Landing fifteen meters below, the Sovereign of the West rolled out of her landing and stood; taking in the charred and uneven terrain. Following her scanner device, she sprinted up the road to where her former teammates were finishing their latest rescue effort.
United States of America
The Port of Los Angeles, early morning.
The hum of the old-style fluorescent lights flickered and ticked as Yumi Huhn crept silently down the corridor; being careful not to alert the autonomous sentry's sensor array.
"It's the third door on your right." Marcella Lohman whispered from inside Yumi's ear piece.
The slender robot rolled forward, scanning the unpainted walls and broken tiled floor as it moved along its pre-programmed route. The raven-black haired Pandora held her breath as the tall machine halted at the intersection. After a brief moment, it leaned to one side and turned down the opposite hallway, wheeling to the next checkpoint on its course.
Catching a nervous glimpse, the woman noted the phased plasma weapons mounted at the end of each of its hydraulic limbs – the same weapon capable of penetrating a Volt Texture with a single energy bolt.
Waiting for the artificial security guard to disappear around the next corner, the woman moved to the door and crouched down, preparing to breach into the break room.
"Scans show all clear." The voice whispered again, "You can proceed Wolf One."
"Marcy, you don't have to whisper." Yumi replied.
"Oh…sorry, I thought we were all supposed to whisper to you."
Missions like these were easy for the young Japanese warrior. She knew Leslie Durand would choose her over the other teammates to complete this top-secret assignment. Ever since graduating out of the program and becoming a full-time Pandora, the thrill of covert operations always excited her. This morning however, she could tell things were off.
Quiet. It was too quiet, even for the early morning patrol. Surely there had to be someone on the other side of that door. Yumi looked over her shoulder and studied the empty corridor before placing an ear toward the door. Nothing. Not a sound, not even a heartbeat from within.
It's a trap, she thought as she surveyed the empty hallway one last time, even the lone sentry drew speculation. They're expecting me…Altering her rules of engagement, Yumi steadily depressed the handle and opened the door.
Stepping inside, the reek of blood and dismembered human remains forced the young woman to cover her nose and mouth. In shock, she quickly surveyed the scene: three men and two women - all torn apart in what looked to be a terrible frenzy.
Violent and horrific situations like this are common for Pandora to face battling the NOVA, but after taking a moment to closely inspect the burned flesh, pools of blood and strewn body parts, Yumi instantly concluded that this couldn't have been the work of the inter-dimensional aliens. Shutting the door and swiftly moving to the broken tables and desk, the woman checked for clues that would help her identify the slain victims.
"Team leader, this is Wolf One."
"Go ahead Yumi." Leslie replied.
"I have five civilians down in what looks to be some sort of mass murder scene."
"What? Repeat that Wolf One."
"Three males, two females. All of them butchered, no other sign of life in the building. It's pretty gruesome in here, requesting instructions."
Leslie's orders were simple, find and detain the three dock workers allowing the importing of crates from the Oceania cargo ships into the United States of America. It had taken the Pandora a week to follow the unmarked containers as they were transported across the Pacific and deftly relocated by crane to a nondescript area on the far side of the Los Angeles docking platform.
"Can you identify them? Are they our targets?"
Analyzing the dark battered faces of the dead men, Yumi was able to get partial matches from their identification badges. After the comparison algorithm finished, her PAD revealed positive identifications of the three men responsible for moving the crates through U.S. customs. The Intel from GHQ was accurate, linking the evidence of Nightfall's plan of smuggling materials and supplies into the United States and then transporting them south through Central America into South America.
Swiping her PAD, Yumi accessed the live upstream network and downloaded the port's cargo manifest, checking on the status of the cargo containers. As suspected, the crates in question were already in transit to a location that Yumi found disturbing. The last stop on the journey was the Allied Nation's SSTO launch facility in Ecuador.
"What the…?" Marcella complained, "My screen's going all crazy. It's like it's being jammed." Yumi raised an eyebrow as she listened in on her teammates' struggle with their communication equipment. "I've got some faulty images or something here. Hold up…"
"Get it together Marcy." Leslie ordered, "Try rebooting your…oh shit! Yumi! Get out of there! Repeat, Wolf One, get the hell out of there right now!"
Gengo Medical Facility, Rehabilitation center
Auxiliary Holo-chamber
Satellizer's grip on her enemy's translucent Volt weapon held firm. Despite having no energy left, she refused to give up. The look of determination frightened Kazuya as the middle-aged Pandora struggled to hold her ground as the artificial adversary fought to free itself from the submission hold.
Her muscles ached, she could feel the quivering of her arms as the Holo-warrior overwhelmed her. Releasing her grasp, the Pandora flipped sideways and avoided a finishing downward slash. Once more, she raised her right hand and sensed the tickle of energy.
I won't give up. I have to will it into existence.
Foolishly, Satellizer kept her gaze on materializing NOVA Blood and failed to block the roundhouse kick. The pain burned as her body spun, landing the helpless woman face-down on the hardened simulator floor. "Satella!" Kazuya cried as he paused the simulation. "Enough! I can't sit and watch you kill yourself!"
The older Pandora pushed herself up off the floor, blood dripping from her bruised nose and split lip. She kept her eyes closed as she slowly slid in her knees. The localized pain reporting that some of her ribs were bruised and perhaps even broken. Her endurance definitely wasn't the same as it used to be when she was younger. Of course Dr. Wakahisa was correct in his prediction. "No…" She breathed, "Enable…the… simulator…"
"I'm ending this madness. You've sustained too many injuries so soon after surgery, let me alert the medics to…"
"Enable…the…simulator Kazuya!" Satellizer shouted through her clenched teeth. Why didn't he understand? She'd been through worse situations than this. So what if the safety protocols were set to an intermediate level? She's a retired 1st Field Major - an elite Pandora, a protector of mankind…or so she used to be.
Shaking her head, she forced herself to stand and face the interrupted adversary. Raising her fists, she readied herself for another go.
"Enable…the…"
"No I won't do it!" Kazuya cried out. "This is foolish and crazy and I refuse to be a part of it anymore!"
"I…have to materialize…my Volt Weapon!" She retorted, full of rage with her inherent inabilities.
"You can't!" Kazuya replied bluntly, the substantial response catching the brooding Pandora off guard as he slammed his fist against the control panel. Finally, he angrily flicked through a series of switches to end the simulation.
Satellizer felt betrayed as she watched the lights illuminate inside the Holo-chamber. Her husband quickly entered the final code sequence and moved to the exit. "I get it. I understand how you feel, but you're destroying yourself!" The door slid open, granting the man access to freedom.
Before stepping through, he turned back to his wife. "Satella I love you, but I can't be a part of this right now."
"I…won't…give…up." She affirmed, refusing to meet eyes with his.
"No, of course you won't."
He was gone before she turned her head to the open doorway. Then, as the automatic hatch closed, she was alone in the stark training room – abandoned and isolated. Staring at the blank wall, she steadied her breathing. "I…won't give up Kazuya, I can't. I will not stop until I become a useful Pandora again."
Shizouka Prefecture
"Get those people out of there!" The officer shouted as he forced the oversized pry-bar between the two sandwiched layers of construction debris, rock and broken concrete. "Here! Pandora, lift here!"
Adriana Lohman effortlessly bent the snaking tangle of rebar up and away from the layered mess so that the emergency crews could brace the crushed super structure. "Let me see that crowbar." She asked. Hesitantly, the man stood aside and watched the powerful Pandora grab the end of the tool and began bending it slightly upward.
The tall brunette groaned as the layers of concrete and support material lifted. In a strained voice, she ordered them into the crevice. "Once there's enough room, grab those trapped civilians." Within thirty seconds, Adriana had the leveled structure separated enough to allow one of the men to successfully retrieve a woman and her child who were buried under their collapsed home.
Across the road, Pina and Kallie were busy evacuating groups of people from a crumbling four-story building. Most of the rescued people were given fabric breathing masks to cover their faces because of the dust from the demolished buildings surrounding the area.
"Are there any others?" Pina asked as she helped an older man clear the falling structure. He shook his head no as he violently coughed. She helped the stumbling man cross the cracked roadway and assisted him into the arms of the first responders.
"I believe that's everyone Pina." Kallie affirmed as she passed along two older women who were covered head to toe in dirt and insulation material.
As the emergency crews entrusted the last of the rescued people to the medical personnel, a significant rumble was heard throughout the collapsing building. Sounds of screams and shouting were drowned out by the massive force of the building fragmenting and falling to the ground.
Pina Marigold squinted through the cloud of grit and debris and caught a glimpse of another survivor crawling toward the exit of the destroyed lobby. "Kallie! There's someone else inside the…" Pina couldn't finish her sentence as she was brushed aside by a blur which blasted passed the two Pandora and exploded through the opening of the settling building. "Who the hell was that?" Pina asked, "Kallie, that looked a lot like…"
"Pina! Someone is coming out!"
The following twenty seconds seemed like an eternity as the tall brunette stepped through the fog of dirt, carrying the limp victim over her shoulder. "Take her," Summer said calmly as Pina and Kallie instinctively ran up and held onto the unconscious woman whom Summer had rescued. All the two friends could do was look at their former team leader as she turned and re-entered the broken building. "There's no time to explain! There's one last person inside and I'm going to try to save him."
Pina chased after her friend. "Summer stop! It's too late, the building is coming down right now!"
The Sovereign of the West shielded her face as another I-beam fell, this time pinning the young woman to the ground. Wincing in pain, she tried to move the heavy object from her damaged leg but couldn't summon the strength to free herself. Just a meter away was the last victim, his body prone – partially covered with wreckage from fallen cinder blocks and chunks of concrete.
"Kazuha?" Summer shouted in her mind, "I have to get to that man, but I can't get free myself to get to him. He's really hurt."
"…"
"Kazuha, I need you! Please!"
"…"
It was a solemn silence. Did Kazuha Aoi really abandon her? The thought raced through the young Pandora's mind as she looked around the shrinking space. She was foolish to think that she could blindly run into a collapsing building and not get trapped under its sinking wrath. What gave her the overconfidence to disregard her own safety for the sake of an innocent civilian?
Another thunderous sound brought an additional shower of brick, sheetrock and construction material down on top of the wounded hero. Bracing herself for the onslaught, she covered her face as several more pounds of material blanketed her body until she was completely entombed.
"Kazuha, I failed…"
"You didn't fail my niece…"
"Kazuha? You're still here with me? I need your help!"
"What do you wish to ask of me? I cannot simply lift the crumbling rock from your broken body. That's for you to do."
Summer felt her chest burning as the soot and dirt coated her throat and lungs. Her limbs wouldn't obey her commands as her irregular heartbeats slowly faded.
"Kazuha…"
"You know what you have to do Summer."
"She's where?" Adriana called as she and Nii Akuro clamored over to where Pina and Kallie were digging. "Are you seriously kidding me? What the hell is going on?"
"Surely we are quite serious!" Kallie replied as she tossed another heavy chunk of concrete away from the pile. The team feverishly hurried to remove as many pieces of debris from the mound as they could.
"She appeared from out of nowhere!" Pina exclaimed, handing a large rock to Nii. "After rescuing that person over there, she just rushed back into the building!" Adriana frowned as she debated the truthfulness of the story. "Adriana, I know it sounds crazy but she's actually here and buried somewhere inside this mountain of rubble!"
"Move over!" Adriana's desperation got the better of her as she frantically began digging and lifting large building fragments. "Help me!" She roared, "Don't just stand there!"
An hour passed as the four girls fought and struggled to move all the fallen material. Unfortunately, their futile efforts were in vain. Mentally exhausted, Adriana sank to her knees as she gazed at her dust-covered hands. Glancing over to her teammates, they too wore thick coatings of dirt as each one submitted to the realization that their former team leader and friend was crushed under the collapsed structure.
"Ma'am?" The lead Allied Nation officer repeated as he stood over the four Pandora. "We have other sections to survey before we check in with GHQ. There will be more survivors that need rescue from their destroyed homes. With all due respect, we can't delay in this location for any longer."
"Just a damn minute okay?" Adriana managed to say as she wiped her face with her arm. "I'm not going to leave my…best friend." The three other women looked on with somber expressions as the Pandora reached in to pull another section of stone from the heap; tears welling up in her eyes. "A Pandora doesn't leave one of their own behind."
Suddenly, there was sound of pulsating energy. It started as a simple murmur, but it continued to grow in severity. From under the rock came the purest light that penetrated through the dust and dirt, radiating out from the center of the mound. The sound of crunching and falling stones became louder and louder as the energized sphere of power forced itself free.
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