High Alert, Maximum Security Threat
Attention Psychonauts,
An airship has been spotted heading for the coast towards HQ. We believe the other "Pillars" are coming for a final attack. All agents, no matter your current status, must return to HQ immediately. This is not a drill.
The three pack into their car, returning to HQ. With Raz driving they really should have gotten there long before anyone else.
"Raz, WHAT are you doing?"
For the last hour he'd been staring at the steering wheel, rejecting any efforts from the girls to make him move or start the car.
"I don't know. Something is wrong, something I can't stop."
"Are you getting that feeling again?"
"I don't know what it is, I just think we need to wait."
"Raz, please, we need to go. HQ called us back."
"I know, Lili, just…give me a minute…"
He finally turns the key, the car purring to a start and rolling out of its space. They head back to HQ at a pace slower than Lili and Kezia would like. Pulling to a stop in the lot the three of them look up at the building uncomfortably.
Raz steps out of the car, glancing at the windows.
"Something is wrong. We're expecting an attack; this place should be crawling with agents."
"Is that…gas?"
They look to where Kezia is pointing. An all too familiar gas is leaking from a partially open side door, held open by an arm. Pushing it open more results in a stronger stream of the stuff.
"Lili, come here. Shields up."
He wraps his arm around her to steady her and surrounds them with a shield, Kezia putting up her own. With that they enter the building.
"My God…Milla? MILLA!"
Every single Psychonaut is lying unconscious on the ground. Kezia spots Milla collapsed in the hall and rushes to her in Raz's place. He watches with fear in his eyes as Kezia pulls her into her shield she shakes her, calling out her name.
"She's alive!"
"Wake her up! Hurry, we don't know what happened!"
"Raz! She isn't waking up!"
"What?! That…that can't be, an outside force should be enough!"
Raz and Lili flinch as Kezia slaps Milla, receiving not even the flutter of eyelashes at the blow. She lets the older woman slip from her stunned grasp back into the smog and they rush down halls, stopping occasionally to shake people they know to no avail. The three scream and practically beat people in an effort to get someone, anyone, to wake up. Raz is huddled over Bobby when Kezia yells from the interrogation room.
"Raz, I think you'll want to see this…"
Inside is Harley, his head lulled back slightly and his eyes rolled into his skull. The gas is thickest there and the helmet meant to restrain his abilities is cracked in several pieces around chair. The only thing left of it is the frame holding his head in place.
"I…I can't believe it. He broke through the helmet."
"It came at a cost."
Lili points to his mouth, which has foam still clinging to the corner.
"He must have had a seizure. Unable to move his head, he drowned in his own saliva."
"At least the source of the gas is gone…How long will this take to dissipate?"
"We don't have the time. Look."
They all glance out into the hall at a screen across in the other room. On it is the time ticking down before the airship arrives.
"Even if we open every door, window, and vent, we can't beat that timer."
"Everyone will die if we try to wake them up."
They exit the building with heavy hearts. Raz walks over to their car and slams his fist angrily into the hood.
"DAMMIT! The whole thing, it was all their plan. They wanted us to catch him and we FELL FOR IT!"
He bashes the hood with a series of punches, the force caving it inwards. Kezia approaches him gently, gesturing for Lili to following.
"Raz…If you hadn't stopped us, we would be in there sleeping through our imminent deaths as well."
"We don't have time to get the European division here either. All we can do is meet them at the coast. Maybe we can stop them."
"We can still fight. The three of us can stop them."
Lili lays her hand over his, drawing his gaze.
"It wouldn't be the first time we took on impossible odds."
He breathes deeply, nodding at her.
"Let's go."
The morning light is spreading across the beach, greeting the last line of defense for the Psychonauts. Slowly Kezia stands, tapping them on the shoulder.
"We should eat something. I'll be back."
Within seconds Raz and Lili are alone, sitting side by side on the beach watching the sunrise. She rubs her eyes tiredly.
"Any other day and sitting here like this would be nice."
"This feels so…final, almost."
"Don't say that! We'll fight, just like we always do."
"Lili, I need to tell you something."
"What is it?"
"Something happened a year after you left for Europe, something the Psychonaut's aren't proud of."
"Raz…you're hands are trembling."
He attempts to retrieve a cigarette only to drop the tin, the contents spilling into the sand.
"Raz? What is it? What happened?"
"I want you to know. If something were to happen to me and I'd never told you why I've been so different, I wouldn't forgive myself. I've avoided you for so long."
"I understand, just tell me. Please."
"It was an experiment. A horrible experiment."