Shots were fired. I felt a bullet barely graze my thigh. Crappy aim if they can't even hit me where it matters. The whole lab was in lock-down. Sirens were blaring, guards were yelling. If I cared, I would be crying right now. It was utter chaos.
And it was beautiful.
I came to the end of a long corridor, about 20 stories below where I had started. Some retard with a taser decided he was going to play hero and stop me. A psychotic laugh erupted from my lips. I swung the chain around in my hands, almost juggling the cool metal. He shot the taser. I ducked, thrusting the metal at his neck. It wrapped around gracefully. I snickered and yanked the chain. He screamed as he landed on the ground. I pulled it tighter, watching him gasp for his last breathe. I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction. With a twist of of my wrist, I heard a snap. I looked to see the guard limp on the ground.
You really are enjoying this way to much.
Gee, you think?
I jumped over the now corpse, slamming into the control room. I locked the door with the deadbolt and stared at the screens. There were hundreds. Before I even attempted to assess them, I tended to my wounds. I had a couple grazed bullet wounds, one stab mark on my shoulder and a slice that ran from my temple to my jaw. That bastard got way too close for comfort.
I tilted my head to the screens. So many faces in so many rooms. It was almost dizzying. That's when I saw the face I've longed to see.
"Ari..." His name tasted good on my tongue. He was alive. And he was here. I didn't recognize the cell he was in. Nothing around his location seemed even remotely familiar.
God Angel, look at the letters under the screen
Oh right.
"D12." I tried to engrave the cell number into my memory. My brain was probably laughing at me.
I didn't give myself another second to consider thinking. I jumped up the distant wall, wiggling my way into an air duct. My skin was crawling as my claustrophobia folded itself around me. I could hear yelling below me. I cringed as I took a turn in the metal tunnel. It seemed to get darker and darker.
All the better to die with my dear
Traitor. I snapped at the thought.
It wasn't long before the vent ended. I sighed before kicking out the bottom panel beneath my body.
I went crashing to the floor with a grace I forgot I had. It was silent in the long corridor I had landed in. Panic bubbled into my throat. I slapped my hand over my mouth before I could scream. I did know this hallway.
'Goddammit Ari, run faster!' My own words reverberated inside my skull. We ran through here. Well the place like here that's a half a world away.
This company must be huge if it can replicate itself exactly
My thoughts exactly.
…No shit.
I continued to run. Every part of me pushed towards D12. I could feel the magnetism between me and Ari kick in. The need to be with each other. Even when I was 6 I felt it. Now I just know what that feeling means. C44.
I'm getting closer.
"Hey it's her!" I heard a voice sound off behind me. I cringed. This was going to make things a tad harder.
"Get her. Dead or alive." It wasn't panic that shot through me. It was complete dread. They didn't care if I came breathing or not. I was so far up shit creek without a paddle, they didn't want to deal with me anymore. D3.
Please Ari. Please be there. I need you.
I decided something right then and here. If I wasn't going to make it out of this alive. He was. I was going to make sure of that.
A shot echoed. Time stood still for a second. I could feel the metal push through my skin and into my already breaking down body. I didn't scream. I didn't even cry. I just ran faster. Warm air pumped into my constricting lungs and lightning speeds. Every muscle in my body started to spasm. I wasn't going to last much longer.
D12!
I saw it on the door just ahead. It was a standard metal door. I didn't care about the damn door. I just cared about the contents of the room. I jumped at the door, hurling my broken body as hard as I could. I felt the lock snap. I was thrown into the room, my body screaming in pain on impact. I didn't have time to relinquish my thoughts to unconsciousness. I slowly limped over to the cell door, slamming it shut, barricading it to the metal bars in the room with my chain. I sighed, letting my body slide down the cold door. I was spent.
"Angel?" A startled voice came from the far corner of the room. I barely had the energy to open my eyes, let alone glance up. I could see the manly form slowly coming towards me. I smiled.
"You're always so methodical." I said in a mock tone. That was all the assurance he needed apparently. His arms pulled my aching body up off the floor and into his warm embrace. I had craved him for so long. "Am I dead?" I asked, speaking into his shoulder.
"No, why would you ask something like that?" He sounded annoyed at my comment.
"I've been shot, grazed by bullets, tasered, punched, I crawled through a fucking heating duct, crashed through glass and managed to come find you in the bowels of the earth." I barked at him. His face went from smart-ass to sympathetic in under 30 seconds. I took a deep breath, finally letting some of my held in tears escape. "And now I'm in your arms again, I finally remembered everything and I don't wanna let you go dammit." I did a completely unflattering sniffle into him and cried. I just let it out and cried. He cooed and whispered sweet nothings in my ear, rubbing his hand along the small of my back.
"You're alive Angel. I'm here. I'm right here baby. Shhhh." His words were soft and gentle. I glanced down to the hole in my chest. Blood was starting to leak onto the cold, concrete floor. Ari followed my gaze and let out a small terror filled squeak. He laid me down on the cot and pulled my shirt up. His eyes filled with tears faster then I could comfort him. His trembling hand pressed gently down on the wound. I groaned as a wave of fresh pain seized my body.
"Ari." I choked out. He pressed a free hand to my lips, silencing me.
"You're gonna be fine Angel. I promise. Ok?" He didn't even try to mask the panic in his own voice. I reached up and snaked my hand in his.
"I love you." It was my turn to have gentle words. His eyes widened. Shock was written all over his face. I didn't care. I'm glad I finally got to say it.
Me too
Shush you, don't ruin my moment.
"I love you too, Angel. I always have." He was crying now. I think we both were.
I promised myself. If I don't make it, he's going to.
You thinking what I'm thinking?
...No shit.
Smartass.
"Ari, do you trust me?" My voice cracked.
Now you sound like a pre-pubesent boy
I ignored the sarcastic comments coming from my mind. His face was twisted with unreadable emotions.
"Trust me, just like last time." I said. This caught his attention. He knew I remembered. I gave him a weak smile and lifted my lips to his. The kiss wasn't anything like the last time. This kiss was full of pure love. It was simple. It was easy. It was exactly what I needed.
I jumped from the bed, pulling the clueless Ari behind me. I think he was still buzzing from the kiss. I didn't blame him, I was too.
I yanked the chain from the door. I knew an ambush awaited us on the other side. I was ready for an ambush. I yanked the hand-gun from my back and cocked it. Ari was still in la la land. I could feel the time limit I had coming to an end. Pretty soon I would go into shock from the wound. And I would die. But that would be ok. Ari would live. I was going to make sure of that. Then I aimed the gun at my forearm.
'I have a chip like Max.' I said slowly. I was nothing more then 8 at the time. It was after Ari was "lost" to us. After Max had her own chip removed. I had gotten some x-rays because I was playing in the yard and hurt my arm. Max's mom had taken me in to see if I had broken anything. There it was, staring at me like a stop sign. I cringed. Maybe that's whats been making me crazy?
'Angel, if this chip is anything like Max's, then whoever controls this chip controls you. Voices, powers. You name it.'
That was the memory that told me what to do next. I needed my powers now. Ari's attention was pulled back to reality when he saw me point the gun at myself.
"Angel, NO!" He screamed. He lunged for me. I didn't give him the chance to reach me. I knew where the chip was. It was time I took the damn thing out. I'm dead anyway, might as well be of use till I'm 6-feet-under.
A shot rung out in the small room. Within seconds, I knew it had worked. Something behind my eyes came into sync with the rest of my brain. Ari reached me in time to pull me into the standing position. He was yelling at me, asking me inane questions. I handed him the gun and winked.
"You shoot, I control." I said with a rather gasp-y tone. Before he could answer, I kicked the door open. Just as I thought, guns were aimed at us from every direction. It was a little intimidating, until I released what I had been holding back for so many years. They froze. I could feel my mind linking with theirs. I snickered as the familiar rush washed through me. There went my sadistic side again.
Oh joy
I know, right?
"It's ok Ari. We need to move. Now. I'm not gonna last much longer." I panted. He nodded in comply and we began the long 6 story trek up towards freedom. We had to stop a couple of times, considering he was getting tired of pulling my weight, and I was wincing at every step. Oh were a pair alright.
Damn skippy.
I'm starting to like you.
Oh no, don't let it be so!
Never mind.
It seemed like ages before we reached the shattered glass. I was filled with relief. I couldn't hang on anymore. The darkness was ebbing into my vision from blood-loss. Even my healing abilities couldn't keep up with what my body had endured. I was down for the count.
"Ari. The duffel bag is hanging at the edge of the cliff. Keep it safe ok?" My whispered words just seemed to fade into the ever darkness of the cave.
"You're gonna make it Angel. You have too. You can't leave me again." More tears. I was sick of making him cry.
"If I recall, you left me last time." I sputtered. He let out a sobbed chuckle.
"Wasn't my fault. They had nets." He said again.
"I love you." Was all I said. Then the blackness won.
And for the first time in ever.
I let go.