A new update for the story, finally! After all the longer chapters, number 13 will be a bit shorter than the others. For this, I will upload fast chapters 14 and 15 as fast as possible! I'll really try to do it! Have fun.
Exhausted, Cassie fell down on her bed, pulled her blanket up to her neck, and turned to the wall. In her eyes was a distant memory as her sight wandered over the bronze, silver, and gold plaques, badges, and trophies in the dark room. In the middle was her pride and joy: her diploma certificate with her appointment to lieutenant. It was only a year and a half ago, at a time when the world was still in order. There was only the end of the world, Shinnok, and an embittered general, who was called her mother and whom she deeply loved, despite all the circumstances.
A last spark of determination glowed in her. Tomorrow was her first day back in the military after the horror-accident of the four friends. In a major discussion with her father and secretary Blake, they succeeded in persuading him to use her again as the leader of her team, consisting of Jacqui, Takeda and Kung Jin. Cassie knew at the same time that this was her last chance. She had experienced severe depression and paranoia, these mental misfires were not allowed to happen again. Her job was her last salvation. With this thought, she slept slowly and was soon back in her worst nightmare.
Still sweaty from a sleepless and disastrous night, the soldier struggled through the silt. Every step, especially the knee, was still an effort. At least the pain was now justifiable. Through the slots of her mask, she pursued the positions of her team companions. While Jacqui was close to Cassie, Takeda and Jin secured the environment for remaining training sessions and dangerous items. Team Epsilon had discovered an old bomb in an abandoned telegraph house in the immediate vicinity of the practice area of the soldiers. This was presumably from a past Outworld war, still active and potentially dangerous but very easy to turn off with the right tool. Now it was the task for Cassie and her team to safely defuse this bomb without bothering the troops nearby. For Cassie, it was the ultimate chance to get back in front of Secretary Blake and restore her old rank.
They reached the shelter about 500 meters away from their target. This bomb may be easy to defuse, but it still possessed an impressive explosive force. Cassie and Takeda took their positions in the control center of the shelter, while Jacqui as the bomb specialist and Kung Jin attached the necessary tools on the bomb, which allowed Cassie via a remote control to defuse it safely.
Cassie stroked the dashboard with her frigid fingers. She had done this so many times, why did she suddenly has a disturbing feeling? Her headset crackled. "You can start, we move towards you, in about four minutes. Briggs' out!"
"It's time?" Takeda had taken his position of observation. He would still keep an eye on every little detail. What Cassie didn't know was that he was employed as a secret observer by Secretary Blake. He could intervene if Cassie felt uncomfortable with her work. If he would knew it be so different...
Cassie took a deep breath. Then she slowly entered her password, releasing her joystick. With careful movements, she unlocked the case with the remote-controlled robotic arms and released the inner life of the bomb. For a layman it was the game "red or blue wire". Cassie war really a pro in it. But as she maneuvered the little tools to the cables, she became very queasy. Jacqui had had to replace the scissors with two small sharp knives. These, of course, were better suited for the flat cabling than tongs or scissors, but the sight of a sharp blade dissolved something in it. Her fingers began to tremble. She saw another blade in front of the inner eye. Blood smeared, with her intestines. Someone took her arm.
"Cass, is everything all right?" From the corner of her eye, she only saw the blades of his whip. Again a knife. Cassie couldn't prevent it. Takeda's boyish face was transformed before her eyes in an ugly grimace. "Leatherface!" It was more a growl from her throat than a scream. Her hand already touched the handles of her gun. Takeda raised his hands protectively against his body and slowly went backwards. "Cassie. Take them down! I don't want to hurt you. You hallucinate!" With his left hand, he tapped his headset carefully. "Guys, I think she has a relapse! Please make sure you get it. Get help immediately!" Cassie didn't move a muscle. She just straightened her gun against her friend, in her eyes reflected the sheer madness. "You hurt me before! You will not do it again! I don't let that happen!" Takeda could smell it, her pure fear. And then the first shot was fired. Luckily Cassie had clearly miscalculated, but the bullet still had scratched his calf hard. Takeda reacted instinctively. His whip wrapped around her legs and before she could shoot again the young warrior tore her off her feet. The soldier hit her chest hard ahead on to the concrete floor. It took her breath for a few seconds. Takeda threw himself at her and tried to hold Cassie on the ground until she came back to herself. However, a sacrifice in fear of death was truly unpredictable. Pain spread through his face as her fist hit him right on the back of his nose and it gave way with a crunching noise. Takeda crashed backwards and pressed his right hand against the blunting that shot from his broken nose. He crawled farther back behind a pillar because Cassie was already back on her legs and had pointed him as her target. It was unreal and so quickly passed by. The second shot was aimed directly at his chest. But the bullet bounced off his bullet-proof armor and then hit the console. At that moment, a loud blast came over the entire terrain as the bomb exploded.
To make it short for all: No, I'm not a bomb specialist! I just needed a reason to spoil Cassie's day (oops, of course I wasn't so serious), It all belongs to the storyline! xD