Chapter 00-38 Explosivo
"H-hey… y'all are receiving this… right!?"
It was Cahill's voice coming in over their headsets – it was steady but raw and the thread of fear ran through it. The signal was clear and Ellis as well as the others up in the tunnel high above could hear everything – right down to the uncertain scuffing of his boots on the factory floor. Ellis thought briefly about the tile chip he slid across that very floor… it seemed like a million years ago.
"We hear you Cahill… It's me, Ellis. We're heading to the tunnel entrance at the north end of the bridge now, to get a visual on your position."
Then, calling out to Kyle, who was with Ayane in the back of the tunnel,
"Kyle, stick with her – Trent, Murray – with me."
As the other three ran quietly to where Ray stood guard at the opening, Kyle crouched by Ayane who was still flat out on the ground. As he began to lean in, she tried to arch away, but in her weakened condition it was difficult for her to move at all. Kyle looked at the wide hole in her suit and could see the bandage on her side. A little blood was soaking through, but otherwise it seemed to be intact. He noticed she was looking up at him questioningly. Though she tried to hide it, her features were tinged with worry. She was shaking slightly almost trembling.
She's really been through the wringer – and not just with what happened here –
Kyle scowled as he thought about the ugly stories he had been told about her mistreatment. The savage abuses that she underwent as a prisoner of Kouta and his gang back at the fortress. He remembered how Kouta gloated and bragged about it and it made him sick.
If even half of the shit that perverted creep told us was true – she's probably thinking anything's possible right now. She's putting on a brave face, but I can tell she's terrified… plus, she could even be in shock from that damn grenade blast…
Kyle moved in slowly and talked softly so as not to frighten her.
"Hey… hey there... take it easy - I'm not going to hurt you... how's your side?"
Ayane tried to scoot back a little but wincing with the pain had to stop. Her movements were cautious, weak and unsure. She was having difficulty as she struggled to get up off of her side.
"It-it's a little sore – b- but I'll be okay. Thank you… for asking."
Kyle could tell she was hurting. He could hear it in her voice and see it in the stiff way she moved as she tried to sit up. He was genuinely touched by how she tried to hide it.
She's brave alright – controlling her fear like this.
When Ayane spoke, it was soft and there was a slight tremor in her voice.
"K-Kyle? Is that your name?"
Her quiet calm manner, in spite of all that had happened to her, began to earn Kyle's respect.
"Yeah – that's me."
"Kyle, you… you – should un- untie me. I could help you."
Man – as weak and injured as she is – she still wants to get up and help in the fight. That's guts.
"I'm sorry An – uh… Ayane – is it?"
She nodded and as she looked up at him from the floor where she lay, it was with a warm attentiveness that emanated from her entire being.
"I…. Ayane… I'm sorry, but you're still an unknown to us… and until we are able to trust you, I've got to watch you. I'm afraid the restraints have to stay on – for now."
Having become tired from her attempts to sit up, she gently laid her head down on the ground and sighed, surrendering to the situation.
Kyle's eyes softened and his heart went out to her.
"Hey – Ayane, can I help you sit up?"
Relief flooded her face as she nodded, letting Kyle help her. She wiggled up to a sitting position with her back to the wall and her legs curled up beneath her. Although, she had relied primarily on his help to get there, Kyle noticed she seemed proud of her achievement. There was something about that reaction, he found deeply endearing.
Exhausted, after her exertions, Ayane nearly swooned and falling slightly forward, helplessly rested her head for a moment on his shoulder. Kyle's heart literally skipped and instinctively, his arms flew out to embrace her – but catching himself – he instead simply put his hands on her shoulders to steady her.
"Whoa – easy… It's just the blood rushing from your head, you'll be okay – I'll hold onto you until you get your balance. Just breathe slow and easy."
He noticed she was shivering with the cold. He took his jacket off and put it around her, and as she snuggled up against him he nearly stopped breathing. She rested against his chest, and looking down, noticed there was a fragmentation grenade hanging on the right side of his belt.
He had a frag grenade – but he didn't use it? He used the concussion grenade on me instead…
Adjusting the coat on her shoulders, Kyle's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"There – I know it's not much, but this might help warm you up a bit."
As she caught her breath, Ayane leaned into his chest resting her cheek against him. She seemed to feel reassured and secure. When she spoke it was in a soft, tender voice.
"Th-Thank you Kyle. I… I'm not that cold – but it does feel nice t-to be warm… I guess, I'm a little more shaken th-than I wanted to admit."
As Kyle held her, his arms slid around her shoulders. He told himself that he was just trying to help keep her warm, but it was at that moment, when he knew deep down, that he would stand in harm's way to keep her safe.
"I'm really sorry about the restraints. I would take them off but – I need to talk to Ellis first… As soon as the trouble's over – okay?"
"I understand, Kyle...I know you have to be careful."
Then pulling back, she sat up slowly under her own power and with a flicker of optimism added,
"I know I'll find a way to earn your trust."
Her gaze was gentle, sincere and radiated such warmth. Kyle could almost feel it.
I know you will too… I believe you.
At the Tunnel entrance, Ellis Trent and Murray had joined Ray and the four of them looked down at the scene playing out far below. The group heard Cahill's halting, muted voice on their headsets.
"Well I'll be GOD damned – somethin' hit us Ellis – hit us real good an' hard. We had a huge det', they hurled fuel drums in through the window… I think. Whatever it was blew the holy hell out of the place – I thought I saw Travis and Steve take some serious – hang on…"
Ray turned to Ellis, Trent and Murray who had just arrived. He covered his microphone and indicated for Ellis and the others to put their speakers on mute so Kenta couldn't hear. Once he was sure they were offline, he quietly said to Ellis as he jabbed his finger in the direction of the ruined factory,
"LOOK down there. See the hostiles whippin' all around the wreckage of the factory? I think those are the goddamn spider things Kenta and Kasumi showed us back at the fort. That shit-bag Kenta had us followed, man!"
Ellis shook his head as he looked down through his night goggles.
"Yep… Looks like about fifty or so… big ones too. Doesn't seem like they know where Cahill and Boone are though… They may have a chance."
Cahill's voice came back on over their headsets. He was whispering as they all listened in.
"They're dead Ellis… Blown to shit… Lawd God a'mighty they're a real mess – ain't fit to be seen… oh man… oh fuck."
They could hear the ragged desperate breathing of Cahill in between his cautious whisperings. Ellis spoke up to try and keep him calm.
"Take it easy Cahill – just keep still and hold your position for now until we can think of something."
Cahill's voice came back over their headsets and he was beginning to sound more like himself.
"Right – okay Ellis… thanks. It's just me and ol' Boone down here – the big guy lost his headset when the blast hit an' he's madder'n a wet hen. Uh – look – we don't… don't know where Art got himself too… Whoa -!"
Silence on the headsets. Ellis and the others back up at the tunnel entrance could only look and wonder. Then just as Ellis was about to speak, they heard Cahill's nervous voice speaking quietly.
"I… I just saw one a' those damn spider critters run past a break in the wall…Boone – ! Don't move buddy… just stay still. They're a darn sight bigger up close like this… Those eyes… scarier than a striped haint."
Ellis went back on speaker.
"Cahill, this is Ellis again, we can see your location. There's a lot of 'em zippin' around out there, but maybe we can guide you to a safer area."
Murray roughly shouldered past Trent and Ray to stand next to Ellis on the bridge just outside of the entrance. Now he had a commanding view of the situation below. Ray was irritated by the abrupt move.
"Shit Murray – don't be a hero or nothin'…"
Murray just ignored him and stood looking down at the ruined building below. Then he switched his mute button off and pointed as he spoke.
"Hey Cahill… it's Murray – there's a gap to your eleven o'clock position."
"Yeah – thanks Murray, I see it."
"Cool – it'll take you to a hall that will get you around the rubble and then to another set of doors that will get you outside to the bus if you take it… NOW."
Using their scopes, they could see through the broken roof top as Cahill and Boone dashed for the gap that Murray had spotted for them. They looked like two emerald green figures in a sea of darkness.
Kyle had become distracted and as he listened to the dialog. He tried to picture the scene from his position at the back of the tunnel with Ayane and stared blankly out towards the front.
Noticing this, Ayane's eyes darted quickly around the room and locked on a chunk of concrete in a pile of rubble only a few feet from her. What got her attention was the piece of rusted reinforcing bar sticking out of it.
Whatever he's listening to – it should mask any slight sounds I make. That old rebar from the collapsed wall is just what I need to create the friction to burn through these ties… I just have to move slow.
Keeping a sharp eye on Kyle's back, Ayane carefully stretched her legs out in front of her and hooked the zip ties over the rebar. Wasting no time, she pulled the restraints as tightly as she could, then see-sawed her feet swiftly back and forth over the rough metal. On every second pass, another restraint broke until by the sixth, she had burned through all three. Then carefully she curled her feet under her, and leaned into a kneeling position, hiding the broken ties beneath her.
Ellis and the others could see the magnified images of what was unfolding below. It looked like Cahill and Boone would actually make it to the breach until, suddenly – as if guided by an unseen hand, huge shaggy tarantula hybrids began scuttling through the debris towards them. They fanned out in a flanking arc and began to descend swiftly on them like a glowing crescent. Cahill could hear the chattering rumble of their approach.
"I can hear them coming! They're makin' an awful ruckus – it's like they knew – somehow!"
Up on the bridge at the Tunnel entrance they could hear Cahill and Boone shooting off into the darkness. The distant voice of Boone came through as he was yelling over the whirring and barking of his mini gun.
"It is too dangerous here - they know where we are and have us on three sides! We have to break out... now! "
Murray was freezing up – "Uh-try… running to your… two o'clock this time and maybe… and, and…uh…"
Ellis glared black fire at Murray.
"Shut up Murray! Cahill – run directly through that gallery you're in and go to the far wall. THEN go out of the door that will be straight in front of you! You'll see the bus– it'll be right there! Look, we're going to try and cover you!"
He turned to the group on the bridge with him.
"Listen – I want everyone to open fire on those things. We need to give them time to get to the bus – it's armored – they'll be safe there if they can make it."
Trent and Ray leveled their weapons but Murray balked –
"It's too far! We won't hit anything down there at this range, it's easily 500 yards!"
Trent grabbed Murray by the sleeve as he attempted to encourage him.
"We won't hit anything if we don't try Murray – come on man, that's Cahill and Boone down there!"
Then reluctantly, Murray joined the others as they fired into the thick of the spider creatures converging on Cahill's position below.
Kyle was staring down to the front of the tunnel with real concern. He wanted to be there to help his team and with the sound of the firing so close, it was difficult for him to ignore.
Ayane could see the care he had for the others was working on him.
Kyle… you have a good heart…
Kyle glanced back at her briefly to make sure she was still in the same spot. As he did, she looked up with wide startled eyes. She smiled but it was tinged with the signs of fear. Kyle gave her what he hoped was a reassuring nod.
She's really scared, but keeping it together. How can you not admire a person like that? I'm so glad Ellis did the right thing… you can't put a price tag on that.
He walked over and patted her on the shoulder and gave it a friendly squeeze. When he spoke, he kept it upbeat and confident to give her hope.
"Now – don't you worry Ayane, it'll be okay. Ellis is one of the best there is and he's got Trent and Ray up there with him… Shi- Shoot, even Murray's as good as they come. No one's getting past them. Now, I'm gonna check real quick, and see what's happening up front – so just hang tight. I'll be back soon to make sure you're okay."
Then flashing a quick smile of encouragement, Kyle ran a few yards up the tunnel, so he could see what was going on at the entrance.
As soon as his back was turned, Ayane popped to her feet and bent at the waist. Then wincing as she pulled her wrist ties as tightly as possible, she made three short, sharp thrusts against her tailbone. Each blow snapped through a tie, popping off all three, in as many seconds. As she looked around, Ayane rubbed her wrists briefly to get the circulation back. Then she took a breath as her large, deep topaz eyes lost their timid, frightened cast and locked onto Kyle. Her pupils dilated and like a stalking jaguar, Ayane began to move with quickening steps silently towards him.
"Keep firing – draw their attention or they'll overrun Cahill's position! Keep it to short bursts – nothing crazy!"
Ellis was directing the assault as he continued firing down at the swiftly moving creatures.
At this range it will be a miracle if we can hit anything… but maybe we can distract them – keep 'em off balance.
Trent was the first to notice…
"Shit – there's a whole mess of 'em heading up the south side of the ravine –!"
Ray saw it too –
"Crap, Trent's right they're heading for the bridge – oh fuck man – look the rest are breaking off and following them!
Ellis looked down and saw two green blobs scramble onto the bus and close the doors.
Cahill and Boone made it! But were on the hook now… Big time.
He turned back and looked into the shadows at the back of the collapsed tunnel.
"Kyle – we need your gun up here!"
Kyle's heart jumped at the call to action.
"You got it Ellis I'll be right there!"
Suddenly, he noticed a light tug at his right hip – then something tapped his left shoulder.
"Huh?!"
He whirled to his left with a fast pivot… nothing was there. Then, turning sharply back to the front, he came face to face with Ayane. She raised her eyebrows slightly.
"Hi sweetie."
What came next, happened so fast, it literally took his breath away. In a flash and a blur of movement, Kyle's gun was in her hands and stuck solidly against his chest before he could even think to react. All he could do at that point was to raise his hands as he muttered in a stunned voice.
"Oh– oh, shit…"
Ayane's smile faded as she said in a cold dry whisper:
"Bang. You're dead Kyle. Yup… it would have happened that fast."
Kyle just stared at her with wide disbelieving eyes as she continued, indicating with her free hand to the four at the tunnel entrance.
"Then before you could have even hit the ground – it would be: Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. That's the rest of your team – GONE."
Kyle just stared at her then looked at the barrel against his chest. He knew she was telling the truth. She could kill them all right here… right now.
Shit – she totally played me…I was SO stupid… and now – we're all dead. What the hell am I going to –
The next thing that happened shocked Kyle to his core. Ayane simply handed the gun back to him.
"Here. Now do you trust me?"
For a moment he stood in stunned silence… Then, as his dazzled senses began to settle, he considered trying to take control of the situation by pointing the gun at back at Ayane. Reading his body language and breathing like a book – Ayane simply said.
"Just so you know. If you point that thing at me or anyone I care about ever again. I'll take it back and kill you with it."
Although her tone was light and conversational, it was very matter of fact and absolutely certain. He didn't point it at her. Then she said,
"Go Kyle – they need your help, go to them…"
"O…okay. But stay right – here."
Stepping back a few paces he watched Ayane become enveloped by the shadows. Then, he turned tentatively and ran forward to help Ellis and the others as the firing out at the tunnel opening intensified.
Ellis watched as Kyle came into view and ran up, crouching next to him.
"Took you long enough… Everything okay back there?"
Kyle flipped down his goggles as much to see his targets as to hide his startled expression from Ellis and the others as he answered,
"Yeah, everything's fine… uh – where are – oh, wow."
Snapping the MP5 to his shoulder, Kyle began firing controlled three round bursts along with the others at the creatures heading up the hill side towards the south side of the bridge. He had to yell over the whirring chatter of Ray's destructive mini gun.
"There's so MANY!"
As the half human half tarantula hybrids scuttled up the hill, the group fired volley after volley of rounds into the thick of them. Although they dropped several, there were still in excess of thirty massing on the far side of the bridge. The beasts were grotesque twisted parodies of the people they once were blended horrifically with tarantula DNA. At the reduced distance of roughly one hundred yards, the night vision goggles were able to pick out their disturbing features, including the hideous fangs and the confusing multiple black eyes.
The firing became more sporadic… Then –
"I'm out – shit!"
Murray's slide shot back as he had burned through his last magazine.
"Fuck – same here…"
Trent's gun hung loosely at his side as he looked over at Ellis who also swore in frustration.
"I'm out too… damn it. Ray, it's down to you and that Mini gun… Now when I give the word I want you to – "
Ray looked up helplessly at Ellis. As he spoke, the steam and smoke trailed from the Barrel of his huge weapon.
"Ellis – man, I am SO sorry but… I'm empty."
Kyle was still shooting bursts. Three more shots slammed into another huge creature staggering it and sending it screaming into the gorge to shatter against the rocks below. Then the slide locked back. He looked at the others…
"Nothing… That's all I've got..."
They slowly backed into the tunnel, pulling knives as a huge spider hybrid moved onto the bridge and shrieked spraying foam and venom into the air as it waved four of its long hairy arms against the paling pre-dawn sky. There was a momentary pause… then it charged followed by a horde of screaming tarantula headed hulks.
Ellis' steady voice kept the men together and the panic at bay.
"Hang on! Let them come to us! We'll make 'em sorry…"
Kyle suddenly lit up as he remembered -
"Wait! Hang on guys I've got a grena…"
He trailed off as he began reaching for the right side of his belt, but the grenade he was searching for was missing.
"Shit! Where - ?"
"Looking for this?"
The group turned all at once their eyes were wide and gleamed in surprise like headlights against the dark greens and browns of their camouflaged face paint.
It was Ayane. She was only ten paces behind them and was hefting Kyle's missing grenade in her hand.
"What the fuck is she doing FREE?!"
Murray yelled glaring at Kyle.
Ayane's eyes keyed on him and they narrowed. She saw something there she didn't like… The way his shirt collar hung… or maybe it was the top buttons visible above his flack-jacket but it didn't look right and… bugged her.
I'll deal with that later – first the creatures…
Murray grabbed Kyle by the shoulder and yelled.
"Kyle, are you insane?! She's gonna kill us all with tha –"
Ayane pulled the pin and as she did, she said loud and with authority,
"FRAG – OUT!"
Upon hearing the universal warning, the group instinctively flattened themselves on the ground and looked down range at the charging beasts on the bridge.
Just behind the lead creature there were nine more. They were about two thirds of the way across and coming fast. The bulk of the horde was not far behind and nearly at the half way point.
Ellis glanced back and his eyes were wide with shock as he noticed her thumb was off of the lever as she let the grenade's fuse burn for a few seconds as she wound up.
Holy shit-fuck – she's cookin' that thing!
Ayane wound up big – like the bases were loaded and it was a full count with two outs in the bottom of the ninth – and she was the closing pitcher for the Red Sox.
Just one throw… Let's make it count…c'monnn… just like Koji Uehara…
Ayane slung the grenade like a rocket, sending out a screaming, sizzling bullet just over the heads of Ellis' team. They gawked in amazement as the huge spider thing in the lead took a direct hit in the chest with such force that the grenade actually ripped through the boney chest plates and plunged into the creature's thick body cavity – stopping it dead in its tracks.
They saw its eight black eyes widen as it coughed thick, glistening lumps of reddish-black material onto the tracks. It spun, howled in agony and staggered ponderously back into the group that surged up from behind. An instant later, the tunnel and bridge shook with the tremendous pulse of internal energy that obliterated the horrific creature sending pieces flying out in all directions. The shockwave and splash damage dislodged the crowd of beasts around it, sending them all plummeting from the bridge. They flapped and kicked obscenely as they hurtled with unsettlingly human-like screams to be dashed to bits on the sharp rocks at the bottom of the ravine.
As he stared at the one partial, smoking limb still twitching on the bridge, Ellis really didn't have much to say.
"…holy fuck…"
Everyone turned and stared in shock. Ray was in awe.
"Shit Yeah Annie! I'll be GODDAMNED if that wasn't the most SICK ASS THROW I've ever seen!"
Ray's exultation snapped Kyle out of his trance –
"Hey… the main group has started charging again – they're almost half way here…"
Trent turned back to back to Ayane.
"Annie – you uh, you got any more grenades on you?"
Ayane smiled at Trent and shook her head then indicated her belt that was against the wall next to him.
"No, but if you throw me my kunai I can finish them off."
Trent looked over at her belt but didn't –
"Uh what's a 'Koon-eye?'"
Although the abominations on the bridge were picking up speed and closing fast, Ayane kept calm and said patiently,
"It will be the little purple pointy things with the pink propellers on them. Quickly please – do it now. The beasts have hit the half way point and will be here soon. It's probably best if you just throw me the whole belt right away. I will need both of them, if I am to kill all our enemies."
Trent scrambled over grabbing the belt. Looking at it, he spun one of the little pink propellers with his finger and shook his head.
"Shit, I seriously thought these things were just for decoration!"
Ellis shot a nervous glance back at the scuttling horrors – they were at the two thirds mark and he could hear them breathing and growling. The sun had nearly risen up over the hills and they were clearly visible in the early morning light.
"For FUCK'S SAKE Trent – throw her that goddamn belt!"
Trent threw it to Ayane who elegantly snatched both Kunai cleanly from their sheaths, letting the belt fall to the ground at her feet. Kyle gripped the hilt of his knife and whispered over to Ellis.
"What does she hope to do with those glorified Christmas ornaments? There's gotta be like thirty of those things…"
Ayane ran up to the entrance, and hurled the first Kunai. It whistled through the gaps in the track ties and disappeared into the interior of the bridge's infrastructure.
Trent couldn't believe it…
"She missed ALL of them?!"
Ayane only smiled and shrugged...
"I'd step back from the entrance if I were you."
Tears were not something Bass Armstrong was used to experiencing. But when he heard that first grenade go off... and the firing suddenly stop – he knew Ayane was dead. He knew her killers now fought on, with these new attackers and that his dear friend was just laying lifelessly somewhere up there – most likely in the tunnel, shattered and dead. That she was merely just another piece of debris to be stepped over – temporarily forgotten in the rubble as her murderers faced this new threat.
There was really no reason for him to stay… but he had made her a promise. Not to move until he saw her signal appear – or the sun rise.
Never had Bass dreaded a sun rise more than now. The sky was pale and the faint grays, blues and blacks of the rocky terrain in front of him were changing and warming with the growing light. The support beams of the huge bridge above him were now no longer black but were turning brown as the visibility increased. All this he noticed out of his peripheral vision as he continued to stare with iron discipline at the 4x4 piece of wood in front of him. He knew every grain, and nuance of its surface. That little place where the grain split and a small amount of resin had bubbled out. There was a slight chip on the left edge that had worn smooth over time. Most of all, it was the little knot in the center, like an eye. An eye that grew brighter as the light increased.
Oh Ayane –my friend, even though it's over… I will wait for your signal… I'll keep my promise in honor of your memory. Then, when I see the sunlight touch this block... when it rises over that mountain… I'll leave to warn the oth –
With a solid thud – Ayane's Kunai appeared before him, piercing the knot directly in its center. It happened so fast, it seemed as if it had sprung miraculously out of the block of wood itself.
Bass stared for an instant. So many emotions working at light speed within his mind and body - he could feel them all colliding and combining into one thought.
She's alive...
With a cataclysmic surge of pure, unrestrained apocalyptic joy…
Bass fucking exploded.
The volcanic roar shook the mountain, as he launched out of his hiding place in the side of the cliff in a spray of rocks, sticks, mud and dirt. Like an unstoppable pyroclastic flow, he rumbled into the support beams that held the bridge up, splintering them into matchwood. He tore through them one after the other blasting them into kindling as he raged along the entire base of the huge old bridge. Section by section, the bridge shrieked and groaned then shuddered and rocked as it collapsed in huge ragged chunks to disintegrate on the razor edged rocks below.
From the tunnel entrance the group watched as the entire hoard of gibbering, flailing spider creatures disappeared into the grinding, crushing, churning maelstrom below.
When the last of the shrieking monstrosities had fallen to be crushed and smashed to a hairy, goopy pulp in the ravine, there was a moment of relative quiet as silt and bits of debris continued to slide and clatter away into the twisted ruin far below. Ellis got his wits back first and looked at Ayane who still held the second kunai. She was flipping it lazily in her hand.
"How… how did – what's in those things?"
She regarded them all with a mysterious smile. As her eyes widened knowingly, she considered the profound depth of feeling she had for her dear friend and simply responded with the truth.
"Powerful magic."
Ray, who was slapping the dust off his jacket, agreed.
"Yeah, no shit… Annie, you're all right by me… thanks for the save."
As Trent was being helped up to his feet by Kyle he noticed the other kunai Ayane was flipping.
"Hey, Annie – you said you needed both of those to kill all our enemies. Guess you only needed one after all – huh?"
Standing in the middle of the tunnel, Ayane faced them all.
"No. The most dangerous enemy is still at large."
Murray wanted to take a look outside and started heading to the tunnel entrance.
"I'll take a look outside – see if there's anything to what she's saying. I still think it was a dumb idea to let her gUH!"
He fell straight back with Ayane's kunai embedded in his forehead. The little pink propeller slowly turning.
Tent reacted first pulling his knife out.
"HOLY FUCK! – She just smoked Murray!"
The rest of them pulled their knives as Kyle dove for Ayane's gun and pulled it out of the holster. Pulled it but didn't point it. Ayane however, in spite of being unarmed seemed calm and tranquil as she clearly stated.
"Before you attack, check under his shirt... I think you'll see just how Kenta knew so much – and also – how those creatures could find your friends below…"
Ray moved over slowly and unfastened Murray's flack vest then undid his shirt. He rummaged around for a moment then looked up in disbelief.
"Fuck man – Murray was wired to the gills! That's why he pushed his way on the tracks – Sunuvabich! He wasn't trying to guide Cahill and Boone, he was guiding whoever was controlling those fucking things!"
"Damn…" said Kyle putting the gun back. "…that's probably what he was trying to do when he wanted to go out just now. Survey the scene… for Kenta."
Ellis gave a quick order.
"Rip that shit out of there and destroy it. It may still be live. Then we're climbing down from here and getting to that bus before anything else happens."
Ayane reached down and picked up her belt. Clipping it on, she strode across the room and took her gun and shoulder holster from Kyle as she said primly,
"That's mine thank you."
Then as they watched with fascination, she walked fearlessly over to Trent who was holding her sword Purple Moon. Saying nothing she held out her hand palm up and he laid the sword across it. Then, she closed her fingers around it and took it back from him.
"Thank you."
The tone was friendly and formal. Seeming to ignore them, Ayane carefully brushed the dust off of the scabbard and strapped it on her back.
She walked past the group and stood in the entrance with her back to the cliff. Then opening her arms she said.
"See you at the bottom!"
And slowly fell backwards diving out of sight into space.
