Chapter 11: Pawn Takes Knight

It was mass pandemonium. Guests fleeing in all directions. Security teams flooding the ballroom to clear the area. All Welrod cared about however, was making sure the commander was safe. She had knocked Eric to the ground, flattening him against the stage floor. While she was attempting to get a grip on the situation, the commander tried to lighten the mood.

"Miss Welrod, now is hardly the time nor the place," Eric said with a bit of a smirk on his face.

Welrod, realizing the position she was in, hurriedly rolled off the commander. The girl attempted to look as though she was unphased; and quickly scanned the ballroom. However, that didn't keep herself from blushing, something the commander picked up on.

"I mean I know it was the heat of the moment, but at least give me fair warning before you tackle me to the ground," Eric said teasingly. The commander had picked himself up off the ground and was carefully dusting himself off, the smirk still plastered across his face.

Welrod wanted to absolutely slug her superior in the jaw.

Is he really going to act like this right now? An attempt was just made on his life!

The girl reached for her earpiece.

"Calico, you are going to have company. There is only one way off that roof, and it's through the back stage." Welrod had looked over the blueprints of the building in copious detail before the event began. She had taken note of any possible escape routes an assassin could use to flee the area. This was one of them.

"HALT." Calico's voice echoed through her earpiece. An exchange of gunfire was heard shortly thereafter followed by a pained grunt.

"I'm sorry Welrod, the bastard slipped by me. We took a piece out of each other. He's going out the back door towards the hedge maze."

The art gallery had implemented a hedge maze as one of the attractions at the event. At each dead end was a piece of art one could admire. No one had been able to leave the maze without assistance, possibly due to the hedges having the ability to be slid back and forth, changing pathways effortlessly.

Welrod opened her suitcase and grabbed her pistols. She gave the commander one last look before she began her pursuit. The commander had finished dusting himself off, and was looking at her, arms folded.

"Well, don't you have a villain to catch," the smirk being replaced by a genuine smile.

Welrod replied, "Don't worry sir, the hunt is afoot. The Duchess never lets her prey escape."

With a twirl of her pistols, the girl ran toward the back door. She could hear sniper fire as she exited the building. Lee-Enfield's voice was heard over the din.

"Miss Welrod, the miscreant is sliding down the southwestern drainage pipe. I clipped his shoulder."

Welrod set her eyes on the southwest corner of the building. The shadow she had seen earlier was sliding down the pipe. Landing on the ground, the shadow sprinted for the hedge maze, with the girl in pursuit.

The shadow entered, then Welrod. The girl had her pistol drawn as she turned the corners of the maze. Large green walls towered over her relatively short frame. Each hedge was adorned with white roses, and if it weren't for the seriousness of the situation, she probably would have stopped to smell a few. As she turned another corner, she hit a dead end.

"It seems the hunter has become the hunted." A new voice, one that could send a chill down any veteran's spine.

Welrod whirled around to face the noise. A figure turned from around the corner at the other side of the corridor. The figure was in full combat fatigue, sporting a mask with night vision goggles.

"My intelligence was right about your team. They certainly are some of the best Dolls I have encountered. Still, they are inferior in every way in comparison to my splendor." The voice echoed through the mask like nails on a chalkboard.

"On your knees!" Welrod raised her pistols towards her aggressor, who was stepping closer and closer.

"You however are different. Your commander has allowed you and only you almost free reign under his command. Have you ever wondered why?"

"One more step and I will be forced to shoot." Welrod's pistols quivered a bit.

The figure stopped, a soft chuckle emanating from the mask. "Oh, you can shoot, but you won't hit me." The figure extended her hands, beckoning the girl to lay waste to her.

Welrod, who had heard enough of this nonsense, fired again. She could see her bullets impact the figure, as it crumpled to the ground.

So much for your splendor. You were hardly a challenge at…

The girl felt immense pain as something penetrated her gut. Looking down she could see a knife poking through her abdomen. Suddenly an electric shock ripples through her body. The same chilling voice spoke into her ear.

"Looks are deceiving, aren't they?"

Another shock hit the girl, as Welrod collapsed onto the ground, doubled over in pain.

"H-how…" Welrod was having trouble breathing. Normally a T-Doll could take a chest wound, but this was something different. It was as if her insides were on fire.

"How I'm still alive? Or how you're dying? Well little princess I can't give away all my trade secrets. However, I will bestow upon you one. The "me" you shot was just a decoy, a "dummy" if you will. It is an extension of my being, as perfect as I am." The figure let out a soft giggle as they circled Welrod.

The figure stopped in front of the girl, crouched and lifted her chin. The figure had removed their night vision goggles. A pair of deep red eyes stared into her very being. Another shock rippled through Welrod, this one even more intense than the last. She could feel her core overheating.

"A pity, such a pretty face. Alas this is where we must part ways. By my calculations, by the time your team finds this location, both you and I will be long gone. The difference being me very much alive and you…" The voice trailed off as the figure looked over its shoulder. "Now this is an interesting development."

Two shots rang out and the figure collapsed to the dirt. Footsteps were heard approaching quickly. Welrod was beginning to lose consciousness.

"Miss Welrod, you're going to be alright, stay with me ok?"

The commander removed the knife, the gaping wound steaming from the extreme heat. Welrod looked up at the Commander, who had his revolver drawn. He was eyeing the wound, concerned.

Welrod gave a weak smile, "Took you long enough Sir."

It was then her system gave out and she fell into unconsciousness, the echoes of her commander calling for help over the radio the only thing she heard as Welrod drifted away.