Slam
"Krit?" I muttered, confused.
There was no answer. I groaned and opened my eyes. It hurt to move. It hurt to think. I carefully looked around.
Krit, Zack, and Syl were with me. It looked like we had been tossed unceremoniously into wherever we were. Some sort of holding cell. Krit was sprawled across my lap, his leg twisted underneath Zack's torso. Likewise, Syl's feet were on Krit's stomach.
"Krit. Wake up." I said, my voice strangled.
I weakly shook him. He moaned in response, his face scrunching up in discomfort.
"Krit." I insisted.
Krit moaned in protest, but opened his eyes. He titled his head and looked up at me.
"What happened?" he asked.
"I don't know."
"Where are we?"
"No idea."
"Do you hurt as bad as I do?"
"Definitely."
"Well, that can't be good."
I rolled my eyes. Krit struggled to free his foot from under Zack. Finally, he managed to yank his foot free and he sighed with relief.
"Syl." he said, prodding her with his other foot, "Snap out of it, Syl."
Syl's hands shot out and grabbed either side of Krit's foot. I was afraid she was going to snap his ankle in two before she really came to enough to know what she was doing. But she didn't. She just held his foot, using it to pull her up. She didn't bother opening her eyes. I wondered how Syl could possibly move that fast right now.
"I have a feeling I don't want to know what's going on." she said slowly.
"Have I mentioned that you're very perceptive?" Krit replied.
"Damn it." Syl swore.
We lapsed into silence again. None of us moved. Whatever the hell they had hit us with, it had hit us hard.
Zack twitched and slowly moved. We all turned our heads to look at him, wondering what our C.O. would say.
"Shit." Zack groaned.
"That about covers it." Syl agreed, eyes still closed.
Zack rolled over and stared at the ceiling. We all watched him, concerned. This was the part where Zack was supposed to jump to his feet and start spouting off his plan for escape. Of course, that would be preceded by him criticizing all of us for ever being in this situation along with a long list of things we needed to be doing to avoid being caught. But instead all he did was lie on the ground with the rest of us. That was probably the most depressing fact about all of this.
"Zack?" I asked finally.
"Yes, Ty?"
"You have a plan, right?"
Zack sighed and sat up. He looked around at our surroundings and then at the three of us.
"Figure out where the hell we are and find a way out."
"That's a plan?" Krit muttered.
Syl gave him a warning nudge and Krit shut up.
Suddenly, a TV monitor flickered on. It was mounted up on the wall and I hadn't even noticed it at first. I looked up to see Royce on the screen.
"Good morning." he sneered, "Feeling peachy, I hope?"
"I really wish you'd go away." Syl said for all of us.
"Did he just say 'peachy'?" Krit asked.
"I'm afraid not." Royce said, "Anyway, I hope you're all comfortable. We didn't have a chance to tidy up."
"If he doesn't shut up, I think I'll kill myself." Krit said loudly.
I stroked his hair in mock-sympathy.
"We wouldn't want that. Four healthy Manticore genetic samples. You are very valuable to us. In fact, you're exactly what we needed."
"I don't like the sound of that." Krit said.
I didn't either.
***
It was almost like one of the games we played back at Manticore. I had to duck this way and that to avoid the search lights, avoid the guards. Had to time each movement just right to be able to sneak around under their noses. Had to move just fast enough to make it from one place to another undetected, but not fast enough to draw attention to myself.
Top that off with having to figure out where the hell Zack, Ty, Krit, and Syl were being held.
It's a good thing I had always been good at the Manticore games.
Max should have made it to the roof by now. She was supposed to take out the security systems (alarms, cameras, etc.) while I found the others. I had about twelve more minutes to find them before Max joined me.
Okay, Zack. Where are you?
I found a window and pried it open, hoping that Max had already disarmed any alarms. Seeing as I couldn't hear any alarms going off, I took that as a good sign and climbed through. I dropped to the floor silently and carefully took in my surroundings. I was in a corridor of sorts. Nothing especially fantastic about it. I started very slowly down the corridor, cautious of any guards that might be patrolling inside the building.
My sensitive hearing suddenly picked up something.
"God damn it, Zack! Why do you have to be an asshole every flipping second of every flipping day!"
"I'm trying to find a way out of here, Krit! And you're not helping by announcing division in our ranks to the entire world!"
Thank God the boys argued all the time, captured or not captured.
I quickly tracked their voices to a door down the corridor. I had to avoid two guards and three people that were dressed in lab coats, but I made it without a problem. I smiled to myself when I heard them talking about problems with the security cameras over one of the guard's walkie-talkies.
I whipped out a small switch blade and began to pick the lock on the door to their cell.
"Drop the weapon and put your hands in the air."
I jerked around and saw that I had missed the guard post stationed around the corner. I should have anticipated them heavily guarding the room they were holding Zack and the others in.
I threw the switch blade and hit the guard in the hand, causing him to drop his weapon. Quickly, I was on him and knocking him unconscious. I dragged him back into the guard post. I smiled to myself as I spotted a peg board full off keys inside a locked glass cabinet. The lock on this was much easier to pick. I quickly had the key to the room the others were in. And I still had two minutes to meet Max.
I hurried back to the room and unlocked the door. The others were all frozen, staring at me. Before I could go to Zack and hug him tightly, I found myself being hugged by Krit.
"Krit, what the hell are you doing?" I demanded as I pushed him away.
"You have no idea how happy we are to see you. This place sucks. I mean, Manticore's bad, but at least they don't make you listen to bad jokes and puns all day long." Krit said.
I rolled my eyes. Zack's gaze caught mine and I fell back into soldier mode.
"Come on. Let's move." I ordered.
"That won't solve anything." Ty said suddenly.
We all stared at her.
"Royce has something that's powerful enough to take down all of us in one blow and make us hurt bad when we finally come to. If we just take off, he can easily use that on us again. We have to end this." she said.
She was right.
"So what...we take out Royce?"
"I don't know." Ty shrugged, "I just know that we've got to put an end to this. Take out that weapon, something."
"I say we take him out. For the good of humanity. The world can't handle that kind of sense of humor. I'll bet he listens to elevator music all day." Krit rambled.
We all gave Krit weird looks.
"I can't help it! He said peachy!" Krit cried.
"Krit." Syl said, "Chill."
Krit took a few deep breaths.
"I'm good. I'm cool. Let's go."
"Freak." Syl muttered.
"I'm supposed to rendezvous with Max in about 12 seconds..." I pressed.
I led the way back down the corridor, the others following me to the window in groups of two. First, Ty and Zack. Then, Krit and Syl. Max was waiting outside.
"Thank god." Max sighed, "Let's blaze."
"Not so fast." Zack said, following his words with a pattern of hand signals.
We all nodded.
***
Zack had a plan. Zack had a good plan.
We split up into groups of two to execute our mission. Max and I went one way, Krit and Syl the other. Zack and Cade had the more difficult task. Cade marched straight up to basically the front door. Okay, maybe she didn't march straight to the door, but it was obvious to me that she wasn't trying to be inconspicuous. With a brief look in Zack's direction, her face hardened into that of a genetically engineered biosynthetic-teenage killing machine. She was promptly surrounded by armed guards and she held up her hands in surrender.
Zack had a plan. Zack had a good plan.
I glanced at Zack's hiding spot. I watched the pained expression on his face as Cade turned herself in.
Zack had a plan. Zack had a good plan. Oh, who was I kidding, this was insane! The chances of this working were basically slim to none. I tried to keep faith in my brother. He was C.O. for a reason and he would have never have sent Cade in if he didn't think this would work, right?
Max and I shared a look. She thought this was insane, too. I could see it in her eyes.
Zack's whole plan was that someone infiltrate the compound under the guise of being captured. Krit, Syl, Max and me were to sneak in and center on their position which, in theory, would be with Royce. In the original plan, Zack had been the one to get captured, but Cade had modified the plan much to his displeasure. Now, Zack was coordinating our efforts from a secured position and would act as backup in case the plan fell through. The idea was that Syl would take out a guard and pose as one of Royce's troopers. Then she would fake taking Zack down and "securing" him. Hopefully, Royce would think he had the C.O. and S.I.C. in his control. He had to know that if he had them, that he would have the rest of us.
This could never work. It was crazy! If any of us had suggested this back at Manticore we would have been laughed at and then punished for being so stupid. It would have been isolation for hours with the instructions to think up a better plan. I would know, I'd been there. And for better plans than this.
"Big brother, I sure hope you know what you're doing." I muttered, then signaled to Max to move out.
***
Boy, the personnel here were idiots! Could they not sense a set-up? Why the hell would I come right to them and let them capture me so easily? Of course, I struggled and gave a tiny bit of a fight, raving about having to go back and find Zack to make it seem convincing, but still. These guys were morons!
A walkie-talkie on one of the guards crackled to life as they dragged me inside where they had reinforcements.
"I have a sighting! It's the C.O.. I've got a shot. I can wing him. I'm taking it." Syl's voice came through.
A gun went off just as Royce came on asking her to identify herself.
"Hit! He's down! I need a back-up team. I'm solo!" she said.
"What's your position?" Royce demanded.
Static came through and Syl's voice started to break up in the interferance.
"I...I'm at....on the double...that. There's a team here now. We've got him secured....sir...." the walkie-talkie cut out.
"All units commence a sweep of the compound until you locate that X5." Royce commanded.
The guard next to me picked up the walkie-talkie.
"Sir, we have the S.I.C. here. We captured her trying to reenter the compound. We believe she was trying to find the C.O." he reported.
"Excellent. Hold your position. Do you require assistance?"
"No, sir. Delta team has her secured. Thank you, sir." the guard said and hooked the walkie-talkie back onto his shoulder strap.
He sneered at me.
"So much for your escape, freaks."
He didn't... Alright, I was getting really tired of being referred to as a "freak".
Before their normal human reflexes could kick in, I had managed to get my hand to his throat.
"Call me a freak on more time and I'll put your face through a wall." I growled.
I heard clicks and saw peripherally that the other guards had all leveled their assault rifles and handguns at me. I released the guy's throat angrily and held up my hands.
"That's enough." a different guard said firmly before the first guy could toss out some more remarks that would tick me off. The new guard, probably the one in charge, prodded me with his rifle, "Move out."
"But I thought you were supposed to hold your position." I said innocently.
"Shut up." he snapped, "Change of plans."
As I was being shoved down the hall, my hearing picked up the lead guard reprimanding the "freak"-guy and taking his walkie-talkie to contact Royce.
"Sir, the subject is causing difficulty. Request an alternative plan." he said.
Royce paused, probably thinking of where I could cause the least trouble. I almost smiled.
"Bring her to command. I want her where I can see her until I know the C.O. is secure." Royce said finally.
Now I really had to fight back a smile. Zack had been right, these guys had walked right into it. Normally, I hate it when he's right because it goes straight to his head. Nothing is more fun than proving Zack wrong. But sometimes I count on him to be foolproof. Especially with a half-assed plan like this one. Of course, I'd told him I could pull it off. So really it was both of us that had been right. So really I could hold this one against him, too. As long as the rest of the plan worked.
***
Max and I circled the building for a second time, looking for an opening in the defenses. There were all kinds of guards out trying to locate Syl and Zack. This might be backfiring on us. The security was higher now than it had been.
My feet froze when I caught sight of Krit. He had broken through the defenses and was scaling the building. He was vulnerable. If a guard spotted him, there wasn't much he could do to avoid their shots.
Max pulled at my arm urgently, signaling something that I wasn't thinking enough to interpret. I gestured quickly at Krit, signing that we should cover him. Max shook her head and signed back that there was no time. She glanced once at Krit, then pulled me forcefully after her. I forced myself to focus and saw what she had seen. We could get through on the ground floor.
Max went first and I followed quickly, narrowly avoiding another squad of guards. There sure seemed to be a lot of them crawling around this place all of a sudden. We might have to take out a squad just to get to Cade.
The mood I was in, I sure hoped so. I was really sick of these guys messing with me and Krit and Zack and the others. Things had been great until these guys showed up and screwed up my already messed up little life. I didn't need this. All I wanted was to have fun with Krit. Was that too much to ask?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry, it took so long with this chapter, guys. I'm not sure why this was so hard to write. Hope you liked it. SP2 should be wrapping up pretty soon, but we've got some plans for an SP3. We probably should stop, but we never do what we should. There'd be no fun in that.
Ty
"Krit?" I muttered, confused.
There was no answer. I groaned and opened my eyes. It hurt to move. It hurt to think. I carefully looked around.
Krit, Zack, and Syl were with me. It looked like we had been tossed unceremoniously into wherever we were. Some sort of holding cell. Krit was sprawled across my lap, his leg twisted underneath Zack's torso. Likewise, Syl's feet were on Krit's stomach.
"Krit. Wake up." I said, my voice strangled.
I weakly shook him. He moaned in response, his face scrunching up in discomfort.
"Krit." I insisted.
Krit moaned in protest, but opened his eyes. He titled his head and looked up at me.
"What happened?" he asked.
"I don't know."
"Where are we?"
"No idea."
"Do you hurt as bad as I do?"
"Definitely."
"Well, that can't be good."
I rolled my eyes. Krit struggled to free his foot from under Zack. Finally, he managed to yank his foot free and he sighed with relief.
"Syl." he said, prodding her with his other foot, "Snap out of it, Syl."
Syl's hands shot out and grabbed either side of Krit's foot. I was afraid she was going to snap his ankle in two before she really came to enough to know what she was doing. But she didn't. She just held his foot, using it to pull her up. She didn't bother opening her eyes. I wondered how Syl could possibly move that fast right now.
"I have a feeling I don't want to know what's going on." she said slowly.
"Have I mentioned that you're very perceptive?" Krit replied.
"Damn it." Syl swore.
We lapsed into silence again. None of us moved. Whatever the hell they had hit us with, it had hit us hard.
Zack twitched and slowly moved. We all turned our heads to look at him, wondering what our C.O. would say.
"Shit." Zack groaned.
"That about covers it." Syl agreed, eyes still closed.
Zack rolled over and stared at the ceiling. We all watched him, concerned. This was the part where Zack was supposed to jump to his feet and start spouting off his plan for escape. Of course, that would be preceded by him criticizing all of us for ever being in this situation along with a long list of things we needed to be doing to avoid being caught. But instead all he did was lie on the ground with the rest of us. That was probably the most depressing fact about all of this.
"Zack?" I asked finally.
"Yes, Ty?"
"You have a plan, right?"
Zack sighed and sat up. He looked around at our surroundings and then at the three of us.
"Figure out where the hell we are and find a way out."
"That's a plan?" Krit muttered.
Syl gave him a warning nudge and Krit shut up.
Suddenly, a TV monitor flickered on. It was mounted up on the wall and I hadn't even noticed it at first. I looked up to see Royce on the screen.
"Good morning." he sneered, "Feeling peachy, I hope?"
"I really wish you'd go away." Syl said for all of us.
"Did he just say 'peachy'?" Krit asked.
"I'm afraid not." Royce said, "Anyway, I hope you're all comfortable. We didn't have a chance to tidy up."
"If he doesn't shut up, I think I'll kill myself." Krit said loudly.
I stroked his hair in mock-sympathy.
"We wouldn't want that. Four healthy Manticore genetic samples. You are very valuable to us. In fact, you're exactly what we needed."
"I don't like the sound of that." Krit said.
I didn't either.
***
It was almost like one of the games we played back at Manticore. I had to duck this way and that to avoid the search lights, avoid the guards. Had to time each movement just right to be able to sneak around under their noses. Had to move just fast enough to make it from one place to another undetected, but not fast enough to draw attention to myself.
Top that off with having to figure out where the hell Zack, Ty, Krit, and Syl were being held.
It's a good thing I had always been good at the Manticore games.
Max should have made it to the roof by now. She was supposed to take out the security systems (alarms, cameras, etc.) while I found the others. I had about twelve more minutes to find them before Max joined me.
Okay, Zack. Where are you?
I found a window and pried it open, hoping that Max had already disarmed any alarms. Seeing as I couldn't hear any alarms going off, I took that as a good sign and climbed through. I dropped to the floor silently and carefully took in my surroundings. I was in a corridor of sorts. Nothing especially fantastic about it. I started very slowly down the corridor, cautious of any guards that might be patrolling inside the building.
My sensitive hearing suddenly picked up something.
"God damn it, Zack! Why do you have to be an asshole every flipping second of every flipping day!"
"I'm trying to find a way out of here, Krit! And you're not helping by announcing division in our ranks to the entire world!"
Thank God the boys argued all the time, captured or not captured.
I quickly tracked their voices to a door down the corridor. I had to avoid two guards and three people that were dressed in lab coats, but I made it without a problem. I smiled to myself when I heard them talking about problems with the security cameras over one of the guard's walkie-talkies.
I whipped out a small switch blade and began to pick the lock on the door to their cell.
"Drop the weapon and put your hands in the air."
I jerked around and saw that I had missed the guard post stationed around the corner. I should have anticipated them heavily guarding the room they were holding Zack and the others in.
I threw the switch blade and hit the guard in the hand, causing him to drop his weapon. Quickly, I was on him and knocking him unconscious. I dragged him back into the guard post. I smiled to myself as I spotted a peg board full off keys inside a locked glass cabinet. The lock on this was much easier to pick. I quickly had the key to the room the others were in. And I still had two minutes to meet Max.
I hurried back to the room and unlocked the door. The others were all frozen, staring at me. Before I could go to Zack and hug him tightly, I found myself being hugged by Krit.
"Krit, what the hell are you doing?" I demanded as I pushed him away.
"You have no idea how happy we are to see you. This place sucks. I mean, Manticore's bad, but at least they don't make you listen to bad jokes and puns all day long." Krit said.
I rolled my eyes. Zack's gaze caught mine and I fell back into soldier mode.
"Come on. Let's move." I ordered.
"That won't solve anything." Ty said suddenly.
We all stared at her.
"Royce has something that's powerful enough to take down all of us in one blow and make us hurt bad when we finally come to. If we just take off, he can easily use that on us again. We have to end this." she said.
She was right.
"So what...we take out Royce?"
"I don't know." Ty shrugged, "I just know that we've got to put an end to this. Take out that weapon, something."
"I say we take him out. For the good of humanity. The world can't handle that kind of sense of humor. I'll bet he listens to elevator music all day." Krit rambled.
We all gave Krit weird looks.
"I can't help it! He said peachy!" Krit cried.
"Krit." Syl said, "Chill."
Krit took a few deep breaths.
"I'm good. I'm cool. Let's go."
"Freak." Syl muttered.
"I'm supposed to rendezvous with Max in about 12 seconds..." I pressed.
I led the way back down the corridor, the others following me to the window in groups of two. First, Ty and Zack. Then, Krit and Syl. Max was waiting outside.
"Thank god." Max sighed, "Let's blaze."
"Not so fast." Zack said, following his words with a pattern of hand signals.
We all nodded.
***
Zack had a plan. Zack had a good plan.
We split up into groups of two to execute our mission. Max and I went one way, Krit and Syl the other. Zack and Cade had the more difficult task. Cade marched straight up to basically the front door. Okay, maybe she didn't march straight to the door, but it was obvious to me that she wasn't trying to be inconspicuous. With a brief look in Zack's direction, her face hardened into that of a genetically engineered biosynthetic-teenage killing machine. She was promptly surrounded by armed guards and she held up her hands in surrender.
Zack had a plan. Zack had a good plan.
I glanced at Zack's hiding spot. I watched the pained expression on his face as Cade turned herself in.
Zack had a plan. Zack had a good plan. Oh, who was I kidding, this was insane! The chances of this working were basically slim to none. I tried to keep faith in my brother. He was C.O. for a reason and he would have never have sent Cade in if he didn't think this would work, right?
Max and I shared a look. She thought this was insane, too. I could see it in her eyes.
Zack's whole plan was that someone infiltrate the compound under the guise of being captured. Krit, Syl, Max and me were to sneak in and center on their position which, in theory, would be with Royce. In the original plan, Zack had been the one to get captured, but Cade had modified the plan much to his displeasure. Now, Zack was coordinating our efforts from a secured position and would act as backup in case the plan fell through. The idea was that Syl would take out a guard and pose as one of Royce's troopers. Then she would fake taking Zack down and "securing" him. Hopefully, Royce would think he had the C.O. and S.I.C. in his control. He had to know that if he had them, that he would have the rest of us.
This could never work. It was crazy! If any of us had suggested this back at Manticore we would have been laughed at and then punished for being so stupid. It would have been isolation for hours with the instructions to think up a better plan. I would know, I'd been there. And for better plans than this.
"Big brother, I sure hope you know what you're doing." I muttered, then signaled to Max to move out.
***
Boy, the personnel here were idiots! Could they not sense a set-up? Why the hell would I come right to them and let them capture me so easily? Of course, I struggled and gave a tiny bit of a fight, raving about having to go back and find Zack to make it seem convincing, but still. These guys were morons!
A walkie-talkie on one of the guards crackled to life as they dragged me inside where they had reinforcements.
"I have a sighting! It's the C.O.. I've got a shot. I can wing him. I'm taking it." Syl's voice came through.
A gun went off just as Royce came on asking her to identify herself.
"Hit! He's down! I need a back-up team. I'm solo!" she said.
"What's your position?" Royce demanded.
Static came through and Syl's voice started to break up in the interferance.
"I...I'm at....on the double...that. There's a team here now. We've got him secured....sir...." the walkie-talkie cut out.
"All units commence a sweep of the compound until you locate that X5." Royce commanded.
The guard next to me picked up the walkie-talkie.
"Sir, we have the S.I.C. here. We captured her trying to reenter the compound. We believe she was trying to find the C.O." he reported.
"Excellent. Hold your position. Do you require assistance?"
"No, sir. Delta team has her secured. Thank you, sir." the guard said and hooked the walkie-talkie back onto his shoulder strap.
He sneered at me.
"So much for your escape, freaks."
He didn't... Alright, I was getting really tired of being referred to as a "freak".
Before their normal human reflexes could kick in, I had managed to get my hand to his throat.
"Call me a freak on more time and I'll put your face through a wall." I growled.
I heard clicks and saw peripherally that the other guards had all leveled their assault rifles and handguns at me. I released the guy's throat angrily and held up my hands.
"That's enough." a different guard said firmly before the first guy could toss out some more remarks that would tick me off. The new guard, probably the one in charge, prodded me with his rifle, "Move out."
"But I thought you were supposed to hold your position." I said innocently.
"Shut up." he snapped, "Change of plans."
As I was being shoved down the hall, my hearing picked up the lead guard reprimanding the "freak"-guy and taking his walkie-talkie to contact Royce.
"Sir, the subject is causing difficulty. Request an alternative plan." he said.
Royce paused, probably thinking of where I could cause the least trouble. I almost smiled.
"Bring her to command. I want her where I can see her until I know the C.O. is secure." Royce said finally.
Now I really had to fight back a smile. Zack had been right, these guys had walked right into it. Normally, I hate it when he's right because it goes straight to his head. Nothing is more fun than proving Zack wrong. But sometimes I count on him to be foolproof. Especially with a half-assed plan like this one. Of course, I'd told him I could pull it off. So really it was both of us that had been right. So really I could hold this one against him, too. As long as the rest of the plan worked.
***
Max and I circled the building for a second time, looking for an opening in the defenses. There were all kinds of guards out trying to locate Syl and Zack. This might be backfiring on us. The security was higher now than it had been.
My feet froze when I caught sight of Krit. He had broken through the defenses and was scaling the building. He was vulnerable. If a guard spotted him, there wasn't much he could do to avoid their shots.
Max pulled at my arm urgently, signaling something that I wasn't thinking enough to interpret. I gestured quickly at Krit, signing that we should cover him. Max shook her head and signed back that there was no time. She glanced once at Krit, then pulled me forcefully after her. I forced myself to focus and saw what she had seen. We could get through on the ground floor.
Max went first and I followed quickly, narrowly avoiding another squad of guards. There sure seemed to be a lot of them crawling around this place all of a sudden. We might have to take out a squad just to get to Cade.
The mood I was in, I sure hoped so. I was really sick of these guys messing with me and Krit and Zack and the others. Things had been great until these guys showed up and screwed up my already messed up little life. I didn't need this. All I wanted was to have fun with Krit. Was that too much to ask?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry, it took so long with this chapter, guys. I'm not sure why this was so hard to write. Hope you liked it. SP2 should be wrapping up pretty soon, but we've got some plans for an SP3. We probably should stop, but we never do what we should. There'd be no fun in that.
Ty
