Chapter 13
The bullets tore into the small concrete wall. Small chunks flew through the air hitting the people that were huddled behind it. Hilda felt the concrete tear into her skin. She heard the firing stop and took the opportunity to fire back. She stood up quickly and fired in three round bursts. She hit two men and ducked back behind the wall. She looked at Damian comforting Dawn, and sighed.
Damian looked at Dawn and smiled. "Don't worry Dawn, it will all be okay."
Dawn looked up into his face and gave him a weak smile. "I know it will."
Bullets suddenly started ripping chunks off of the concrete. Hilda yelled. "Machine gun!"
Dawn and Damian froze, terrified. The firing from the machine gun seemed to go on forever. Suddenly they heard the guards start yelling, and the firing stopped hitting the wall. The bullets were going in the opposite direction. Hilda motioned for Dawn and Damian to come over. They obliged.
Hilda was about to speak when they all heard a familiar voice. "Running won't save you. I'll just shoot you in your asses."
Jack had appeared and shot most of the men in quick succession. Hilda stood and saw him standing on a barricade. He noticed her and nodded. She motioned for Dawn and Damian to move forward.
Jack waited for them to get close, before explaining his escape plan. Torterra and his other Pokémon were watching the area. Dawn smiled weakly at Jack. She seemed to be conflicted, but he didn't push it.
"Thanks for the assist." Hilda said. "I wasn't expecting that machine gun."
"It is a great piece of machinery." Jack said. "But that conversation is for another time. I have an escape plan."
"Great." Damian said. "All your plans have done is get us shot at."
Jack chose to ignore him. "We have only been fighting the perimeter guards. The heavy duty guards are on their way."
Torterra walked up. "I have a request."
"What is it?" Jack said. Torterra took a breath.
"We need some pokeballs. We are getting tired, and we need to rest." Torterra said. Jack just nodded.
"Find some pokeballs real fast." Jack said. He spotted one on one of the guards. He picked it up and used it on Gardevoir who looked tired and stressed. Hilda found one and used it Lucario, who bowed to her. Dawn and Damian both found one and used it Torterra and Gible.
"Now can we hear that plan of yours?" Hilda asked. "I want to get out of here soon."
"I grabbed a map of the place before I got out here." Jack said and pulled a folded map out of his pocket. He laid it out on the ground. "It shows that there is a tunnel to the east of us. It is also where they are keeping the legendary Pokémon."
"So we should release them on our way out." Hilda said. She caught the look of fear pass Damian's eyes. "Is there a problem Damian?"
Dawn got mad. "I don't like the tone you are using. Damian has been nothing but a friend."
"I wasn't accusing him of anything." Hilda said. "I just caught the look of fear in his eyes."
"I am not afraid." Damian said. "I am just suspicious about you."
"ENOUGH!" Jack yelled. Fury laced his voice. "I don't give a fuck if you guys don't like each other. Damian shut your mouth. Dawn stop trying to defend Damian."
"Why are you yelling at us and not her?" Dawn yelled right back. "Is there something that she has that we don't?"
"She is useful." Jack said and instantly regretted it. "Look Dawn. She is a great warrior, and I don't know why you guys are dead set against her."
"Because we don't trust her." Dawn said anger seething through her. Damian nodded. "Damian do you have a plan to get out of here?"
"I don't actually." Damian said. "But I don't think we should let Jack lead us anymore."
Jack walked forward and slammed his fist into Damian's face. Damian hit the ground hard. Dawn gasped and crouched down to help him. Jack moved her out of the way and stood over him. "I will get us out of here. After that you and Dawn can go anywhere you want."
Jack turned his attention to Dawn. "Now I can tell there is something going on inside of you."
Dawn looked at him. "I feel like there is something that you aren't telling me."
Jack felt his throat tighten up. He swallowed. "I have to stop Team Scourge to save the world."
Dawn moved closer and hugged him. "I am sorry for the way I have acted. I am just horribly stressed."
Jack kissed her on top of the head. "It is understandable."
Dawn turned to Hilda. "I want to apologize for my attitude. I want to thank you for helping us."
Hilda nodded, and moved close to Dawn. "I understand. I would like to discuss something with you after we escape."
Dawn nodded. "I have some stuff to discuss as well."
Damian stood up. He looked angry. "This isn't fair. I was supposed to get the girl."
"We can discuss this later." Jack said and headed toward the tunnel. Hilda and Dawn followed after casting lustful glances at each other. Damian followed a scowl on his face.
They made it to the tunnel with no interference. The tunnel itself was huge. It was 200 feet wide and 400 feet tall. Jack stood there staring into it. "Who wants to go first?"
"I will." Dawn said and walked toward the tunnel. Hilda stopped her.
"Take this pistol first." Hilda said. "It has little kickback."
Dawn nodded in thanks and headed into the tunnel, followed by Hilda. Damian looked at Jack. "Aren't you going to go in?"
"I need to take up the rear." Jack said. Damian just shook his head, angrily and headed into the tunnel. Jack moved in after him.
They all moved at a good pace. They were about a quarter of a mile into the tunnel when they heard voices coming from farther down the tunnel.
Damian stepped toward the voices. He suddenly gasped, and dropped to his knees, holding his chest. A Bisharp was standing in front of him. It raised its hand and in one swift stroke, it cut Damian's head off. Blood spurted from the wound, and his head flew off towards Dawn.
Jack raised his M4 and shot the Bisharp in the head. It did little damage. Jack smiled and reached for a halter where he had his Pokémon. He grabbed the one with Gible and threw it out.
Gible stood in front of the Bisharp. He smiled and showed all of his teeth. The Bisharp used scratch and ripped at Gible's face. Gible tried to move out of the way but the blow connected ripped the skin off of Gible's face.
Gible roared and charged at Bisharp. "Gible use Bulldoze."
Gible ran straight into the Bisharp. Bisharp slammed into the ground. Gible suddenly dug into the ground. Bisharp stood up and looked around. It turned toward Hilda and went to attack her.
Gible appeared from beneath the ground and bit into the Bisharp's leg. It yelled in pain as Gible thrashed it around. Gible let go of the leg, and bit its head off. Blood gushed out of the open neck.
"Gible return." Jack said, and turned toward the body of Damian. Dawn was staring at it, and Hilda was trying to comfort her. "I am sorry to do this, but we must get out of here."
Dawn looked at him tears in her eyes. Hilda nodded and moved off down the tunnel. Dawn took one last look at Damian and took off down the tunnel, following Hilda. Jack moved over to Damian. "I know the truth."
Jack stood up and moved off down the tunnel.