Chapter 36
"Alesia is down, I repeat, Alesia is down." Doyle reported.
Axton moved the scope and looked at the crowd as they panic and screamed. He saw with his own eyes that his bullet and Athena's hit the intended target. The soldiers amongst the crowd tried to control the situation but the sheer number of people was already overwhelming. From the high point, the crowd was like ants dispersed in panic of loss of their queen.
Axton looked at the downed target, attempting to make a second shot. But it was a useless as the two bodyguard behind Alesia covered around her and quickly lifted her to her limo. The limo wheels spinned so fast till it skid the ground, showing how desperate the driver to bring Alesia to safety. Soon the limo was nowhere to be seen.
Axton moved his eye away from his scope and was convinced that Alesia was dead by the two shot. But suddenly, the whispers appeared in his head and he could feel that his head was becoming heavy. Sweat slowly drips down from his face, enduring the sudden pressure of his head.
Athena celebrated as she moved her eyes from the scope but immediately realised Axton sweating. She moved away from her sniper rifle and tend to Axton, putting her hand on his shoulder and looking at the symptoms. Axton was blinking frequently, panting and sweating like having a serious cold.
"Axton, you alright?" Worried Athena.
"Yeah...I'm fine, just having this headache." Axton nodded. "I need a breather for awhile."
Axton gently pushed Athena away, wanting some space. Athena was clueless with the situation, she did not know what should she do in this type of situation. The man was not bleeding, his body was fine before and Axton was not asthmatic. Athena heard her ECHO device screeched, Doyle was calling. She touch one button and expected to hear the confirmation of Alesia death.
"Alpha here, what's the sitrep on Alesia?" She said.
"Negative Alpha, I'm hearing radio chatter and they have confirmed that Alesia is still alive." Doyle reported gravely.
"Impossible, we have two confirmed shots on the woman Doyle."
"Well it seems two shots were not enough for a dead chairwoman. The plans goes as briefed before, Bravo will have to finish the job." Doyle paused for a moment, listening to something else. "Alpha, I want you to regroup with Bravo. They need your support."
"Doyle, Axton is in no-" Axton raised hand silenced Athena abruptly.
"Alpha is Oscar Mike, ETA five minutes." Axton closed the ECHO device and slowly got up to his feet, not without struggle.
Athena shocked seeing Axton in such manner, by the looks of it, Axton was in no condition to continue. She stood up to support him to stand properly.
"Alesia is still alive Athena, we need to kill her." Axton slowly pushed her away and tried to stand with his two feet.
"Are you sure Axton, if you can't just say it. You can stay here and rest, I'll be back and pick you up after all this settled." She said.
"I can still aim and shoot, that means I'm still capable of continuing Athena." Axton took a deep breath and wiped the sweat on his face, he stood firmly like before. "See?"
"Okay but if you feel that you can't go on, tell me."
"Copy that."
Axton contructed an assault rifle and shot the windows of the room, it shattered into small pieces and created an exit for the two soldiers. The made shift exit was the doorway that would lead them straight to the stage and regroup with Bravo. Athena checked the height, Pandora gravity was not so strong that means they could jump and land without harm. Athena contruct an SMG and signaled Axton that it was safe. They both jump from the building together.
...
In the limo, the two AE soldiers surrounded Alesia that laid down on the seat. Her hand shiver in pain and the wound on her chest flowed endlessly. By the looks of it, she was going to die any moment. AE4 ripped her expensive clothes and pressured the wound, he looked at AE2 seriously.
"What's the procedure!" he shouted. "I don't want a dead Chairwoman on my fucking report!"
"Calm down soldier, you're shouting is not helping the situation." She calmed him down. "Act professionally AE4."
"It doesn't change the fact that we have a dying client."
"Pressure the wound and don't let her die, the rest I'll manage." She moved towards the driver got to his ear. "Drive to the nearest hospital and step on it, don't stop for anything driver."
"Yes ma'am, take this first aid while you're at it ." The driver then gave a red box, he shifted gears and the engine screamed.
AE2 quickly maneuvered around the limo to Alesia, she put the box beside her and opened it. She took out bandages and painkillers then attend to Alesia.
"Two shots at the chest, both hit the left lung." AE4 informed.
"Take the bullets out if you can." AE2 injected painkillers on her neck. "I'll try contact the commander."
"The bullet went to deep, it was a sniper shot for God sake." AE4 grabbed the bandages and stretch it out. "Give me a hand and I'll stop the bleeding."
AE2 joined her hand together with AE4 to stop the blood from flowing out, she then touched her earpiece to call Commander Reus. A few moment pass and the servers stated the line was secured and clear.
"Commander Reus, this AE2. We have your chairwoman with us and we're on our way to the nearest hospital. What's the situation over there?"
"We're controlling the situation, taking the civilian out of harms way." Commander Reus reported. "Is Alesia still alive?"
"Alive but critical, I want your men to come to the hospital right now. i want the hospital secured as soon as I get there."
"I'll send three squads. Once she is stable, we will escort her to the safehouse."
"Roger that."
...
Moving as a unit, Athena and Axton shoot through Hyperius soldiers without any halt whatsoever. The numbers of soldiers were overwhelming but they came prepared for today. Athena lead with her new shield, Aspis, raised and deflect any incoming bullets. Axton paced behind and cover her back, making sure her weakspot was not open for any counter attack. Together, they were unstoppable for the Hyperius soldier to attack.
"Reloading!" Athena said.
"Change!" Axton ordered.
The Commando switched position with The Gladiator, she was at the back and he was at the front. Behind Axton back, Athena took the chance to reload her weapon. It took no time for her to ready herself and with a pat to the back, they changed to their original formation with Athena leading. More soldiers attacked Alpha but the team stood their ground and advance.
"Athena, two snipers, top of the building on your ten!" He kneeled down and reloaded his assault rifle.
"Roger!" Athena nodded.
Athena looked up to her and saw flashes of light, it was sniper scopes from the distance. She spinned her body quickly to gain momentum then threw her shield towards the snipers. The shield traveled and hitted one of the snipers, it then ricochet towards the other sniper's head. Two sniper were down with just one swift move.
The Gladiator stood still and waited the return of her shield, but suddenly she was pulled by Axton and stood in front. Two Surveyors suddenly appeared and targeted at Alpha, Axton did not waste time and shot both Surveyors down. Athena caught her shield and wore it on her left hand. She thanked Axton with a nod, if it were not for him, she would've been shot by the Surveyors.
"You two! Get inside!" Someone shouted.
Alpha looked and it was Lynn's Vault Hunters behind a door of a building not far, she waved her hand trying to catch their attention. Alpha did not waste time and sprinted to the building. The Vault Hunter gave them space to enter and slammed the door closed. The Vault Hunter locked the door and stood guard.
Inside the room, two Vault Hunters were already injured and at the ground groaning in pain. One of the Vault Hunters tend their wounds and tried his best to lessen the pain. Alpha walked pass them and went to Lynn that was talking to two Vault Hunters. Lynn dismissed them as soon as she saw Alpha.
"About time you came Alpha." Lynn said. "What the fuck happened back there?"
"Alesia was already shot down by our shots, for some reason she is still alive." Athena explained. "How's Bravo doing?"
"Not much to say Athena, pinned down by the second we want to attack. We can't even get near to the fucking limo." She reloaded her shotgun. "The whole city is swarming with Hyperion soldiers, Bravo can't push through and I'm betting you two can't help much with that."
"So any ideas on how we should kill Alesia?"
"I have and this might be a risk that we need to take." Lynn moved to another room which Athena and Axton followed behind. "We got one priority and Hyperion have two, we want to kill Alesia while they want to protect their chairwoman and the civilians. The plan is that we split up, one team will be a distraction while the other secure the kill."
"That means one team stay here and the other goes to Alesia." Athena said.
"Practically a whole batallion is at the stage right now controlling the situation, we don't want them to pile up to Alesia."
"And what about Charlie and Doyle? Can't they help?"
"Doyle is prepping our escape route as we speak, while Charlie is on the chopper for Alesia." Lynn stopped at a door and looked at the two seriously. "I'm not going to repeat myself so listen, right now Alesia is at the hospital and procedure says after she patches up, she will go to her safehouse in the city. If you can't kill her in time, make sure you pressure the hospital until they have to call the chopper. If you don't make it to the hospital, they won't even bother to call the chopper. Got that?"
"Solid copy." Athena said.
"You alright Axton? Been silent for awhile." She looked at him suspiciously.
"Ye...yeah, loud and clear Lynn." Axton abruptly looked at her.
"He's fine Lynn, if anything happens, I'll back him up." Athena interrupted. "Don't worry."
Lynn glanced at Athena and back to Axton, having bad feelings in her gut. "Make sure you killed her, that's the only thing I care right now."
Axton nodded.
"I'm giving you guys twenty minutes, then I'll pop an EMP shockwave." Lynn hold the door knob, ready to open the door. "When that happens, there'll be no comms for the whole city. Take that window and get your asses out of the city through the sewers. Send my regards to the bitch when you kill her."
Lynn opened the door.