A/N- Last chapter !!!!. Sorry about upping the rating but the sensual scenes really needed it, I think anyway.
This chapter moves very fast-- pay attention now. Ready, set go!!
TISSUE WARNING... seriously.
Chapter 24b- …So much for my happy ending.
----
Coco raced down the hall towards the command centre, her breathing even as she paced out her strides, her mind intent on her destination. She was about a block away when the lights flickered and suddenly the door nearest to her bleeped and a sound of sliding bolts could be heard all along the quarter. Barrack doors opened and soldiers spilled out into the hallways, some looking more dishevelled than others.
"Ma'am?"
Coco was in the barracks that held the X7s, they were all about thirteen years old and most looked panicked at what was going on.
The boy in front immediately recognised her as Special Ops and he saluted, "What is going on, Ma'am? Is Manticore under attack?"
"That information is unknown of as yet," she bit out and her very presence seemed to calm those around her. The children formed military lines and stood to attention, just watching her.
"Assume that we are under attack, what would be the correct response?" she asked reverting to the lecturing voice that she had been taught.
"Mobilise!" they shouted back, as if it was just another training exercise.
"Find your Unit and stay together," Coco ordered and they saluted before scattering to find their units.
She grinned and turned to walk back to Steve, content that someone was in charge, when the PA system crackled into life… and blew her world.
----
All over the facility soldiers stopped in their tracks as they heard the crackle of static and they paused waiting for instruction.
Pix and Chance paused halfway across the yard on their way to Special Ops barracks.
Drew stood up abruptly and ignored Link as he shrank back into the corner.
Dek put down the paper he was poring over and Feen stopped her pacing, they had thought the explosions odd but since they were in lockdown there wasn't much they could do so they continued on regardless but as the PA system came to life they exchanged glances.
Biggs tucked Sunny under his arm and they listened intently.
Mets shushed Mouse who was babbling again and inclined his head.
Anna looked up from her place next to B.J. and he held her hand tightly, smiling reassuringly at her. She beamed back.
Steve stopped just outside the mangled cell door and waited.
Techie and Jay stopped talking and she put down the drawing of the fighter-plane that she was showing him.
Carrot and Tara pulled on their clothes as they stared worriedly at each other.
Skye curled into Flex's arm as they stood in the open doorway, leaning on the frame.
Cece pulled away from Harley lips and pushed him away, her ears listening hard.
Zan and Emma walked out of the cell hand in hand so they could hear the Tannoy better.
Aiden pulled Lou up and stared at the Tannoy receiver, his attention riveted.
-
"Halt! Do not panic, this is X5-452 speaking."
Special Ops and Unit 8 started, not expecting to hear Max's voice on the PA system.
"Code-word 946. Listen to me, you are being betrayed by your command; Manticore isn't under attack, except by your superiors."
Every Soldier, whether X4, X5 right down to X8R's, transhumans and anomalies took a gasping breath, their eyes wide as the words sank in.
Betrayed by Command?
"Head out and go to ground," The voice urged desperately, "Repeat: Head out and go to ground. This is not a drill. Do not accept any other correspondence than that, which is coded, do not trust any other. Wait for my signal to reconvene. Repeat: You are being betrayed by command; redeploy, take your unit and go to ground. This is 452 and 494 out." There was a hesitation and a final, "Good luck."
There was a frantic moment of disbelief before training took over. Those who had trained under the Special Ops COs knew the code-word thanks to Max and they had passed it on until all of the facility was aware of it. Max and Alec were trusted by everyone, they were the best of the best and there was no reason for them to lie. Which meant that they were telling the truth.
This was real, this wasn't a drill. They were being betrayed by command and they were under attack.
Squad leaders and group overseers took immediate charge, grabbing their fellow bunk-mates and issuing orders.
"Mobilise Units, find your unit now!"
"Unit 5, X7s to me!"
"X6- Unit 4 to me!"
The yells echoed down the halls, creating a cacophony of sound to mix with the fire-alarm and the growing sounds of the advancing fire.
Coco danced back, her eyes wide. Manticore was killing them?
Dammit, she had to find her unit.
Before she could take a step the end of the North quad exploded.
The searing blaze wolfed down the enclosed hall, catching the closest soldiers in its fiery grip. Screams echoed by those who couldn't escape the furnace and the wave of flames that sped down the hall before retreating in a suction move.
The soldiers' echoes faded and those who had ducked as the explosion rocked the halls stood slowly, cowering from the heat; the fire already too hot for them to handle.
Coco shielded her face from the heat and looked down the hall. There were soldiers— children—scattered on the floor, their unit-mates looking on in horror.
"MOVE!" Coco screamed and they just looked blankly at her.
It was as if their training were coming to head, fighting its way through the natural reaction of seeing their friends killed in front of them. Coco remembered what that was like but they didn't have time to stop right now. It was a matter of life and death.
Coco marched forwards grabbing those who seemed calmer than the rest.
"You, you and you, check see if any of them are alive, feel pulses."
"We must find our unit!" one girl cried and Coco snapped at her.
"From now on these are your unit! Time's up, get together and get out, head for the fence and don't stop."
They nodded and grabbed fallen and injured comrades, heading for the outer doors in a rush.
Coco swallowed, gave one last glance at the burning hall and raced the other way.
----
Biggs wrenched on his pants and headed for the door, he knew that Sunny's cell was located right next to Max's and that Alec would be there if he wasn't by Max's side. She had said that it was 452 and 494 signing out, but would Alec be there with her?
"Stay here!" he urged to Sunny. "I'll be back in a moment."
Sunny was busy putting her clothes on and just nodded to him, her eyes focussed.
Biggs grabbed his shirt and raced out of the door, glad and surprised to see Alec standing in front of Max's cell, the door wide open and empty. He was with a dark-haired transgenic that Biggs didn't know and holding a rifle.
They raised them as Biggs came closer but he just grinned at his friend as he tugged on his shirt.
"Alec, what's going on?" he urged and his friend looked at the man by his side who shrugged. That was odd behaviour for Alec and Biggs felt vaguely affronted at the dismissive manner in which Alec looked at him.
"Is Manticore under attack?" Biggs asked again, wondering if this was some sort of elaborate training exercise even despite Max's frantic announcement but he was reassured that it was real as Alec's eyes darkened.
"Uh yeah. Everyone needs to get the hell out."
Biggs suddenly frowned; of course he was acting strange. Biggs had just called him Alec in front of this new transgenic. He could be from a different facility or even part of command.
"Yes, Sir!" he saluted quickly maintaining the proper respect, but some little devil made him add, "I'll get Chance and Sunny to spread the word."
"Whatever," Alec waved his hand, the glint in his eye showing Biggs his amusement. Biggs paused, "Do we have a rendezvous point yet, Sir?"
Alec glanced at the man who shrugged again.
"You're not being helpful," he hissed and the soldier smirked.
"Sorry, Sir!"
Alec rolled his eyes and tuned back to Biggs, "Not at the present time. Uh go to…"
"Ground?" Biggs finished as he hesitated as if searching for the right word.
Alec pointed, "Yes, go to ground."
"Meet you on the outside," Biggs raced back to grab Sunny and tell her the news, not noticing the odd way that 'Alec' looked at him as he walked away.
"Alec's waiting for us," he said. "He's probably going to get Max, but we need to get out."
"Chance will be with Pix," Sunny agreed, "they'll probably head for the yard."
"Then that's where we go!" Biggs grabbed her hand and they rushed out of the cell.
---
"I don't want to split up!" Feen said as Dek growled at her. Techie and Jay stood by them having made their way to their friends quickly.
"I need to find Drew!" he snapped.
"I want my Unit!" Jay shook as she stood up to the scary red-head.
"711 is in your Unit right?" Dek asked her quickly talking about Link—Drew's partner.
Jay nodded and Dek grabbed her hand, "Two birds, one stone. I will meet you on the outside, okay?"
"Don't leave!" Feen begged and Dek clipped her shoulder and looked at Techie. "Take care of the kid!"
"Not a kid!" Feen called as Dek pulled Jay along behind him, his face split in a grin.
They rushed down the hallway, dodging panicked X6s and X7s who were in various stages of assembly.
"Outta the way!" Dek bellowed and they scattered as he charged down the hall. Mini skittles, he thoughtirrelevantly.
He turned a corner and banged into a firm body.
Dek stumbled back and glanced up to see Aiden pulling a small girl along.
"926!" Jay called and the Chinese girl grasped her hard.
"You two in the same Unit?" Dek said and they nodded. "Then head back to Feen and Techie, they'll help you out!"
The two girls took the order for what it was and ran back the way they had come.
"You too!" Dek said to Aiden as he turned.
"And leave you to find Drew by yourself," Aiden knew where Dek was going and he shook his head as he lengthened his stride. "Not likely."
Dek grinned at his loyal friend and they hurtled down the hall.
---
Drew had dismissed Link as just slowing her down and had been glad when the useless male ran out of her cell to find his unit. She had rolled her eyes and pulled out her new guns from under her bunk, thankful that Dek had brought her such a thoughtful gift, and holstered them.
She blurred out of her cell, knowing that Dek was on his way to find her and she could meet him halfway. Her feet pounded on the tiled floor in a rhythm as she paced herself. As she turned the corner there was another explosion nearby and the hall shook with the force, cracks appearing in the walls and ceiling. The pipes that ran along the ceiling snapped with an ear-splitting screech and hissing steam suddenly filled the whole hallway making it impossible to see as the boiling vapour stung her eyes.
Drew ducked and dodged the burning steam, backing away down the other way. She spun and fought her way blindly towards the fire- exit, blinking to dispel the tears of pain that slid down her cheeks, and sprinted down the stairs towards the lower ground floor. She had used this way so many times that she could, luckily as it turned out, find it with her eyes shut.
Her shoulders slammed into the walls as she skidded on the stone steps, the moisture on her shoes making the soles slippery. She slowed, not wanting to fall over, as she reached the fire-door at the end of the stairs.
It was the water in her eyes and the rapid blinking that caused her to miss the red tinge to the metal frame of the door indicating the imminent danger.
She kicked open the fire-door on the next level in time to feel the blast of heat from the next explosion that hurtled her back fifteen feet into the stone wall, knocking her head on the concrete. Her vision spun as she fell to the floor like a marionette with its strings cut. The infrastructure of the stairway wasn't meant to survive a blast of that magnitude and the ceiling cracked, sending shards of sheet rock raining down on her and Drew tried to move, looking up to see a huge boulder of stone heading her way. Unable to dodge or crawl due to her spinning head Drew could only curl into a ball as it hit and sent her plummeting into blackness.
----
Flex and Skye moved with alacrity down the stairway towards the fourth floor, their eyes searching for anyone that they knew.
"Most of the barracks are over in C-section," Flex reminded her, yelling over the alarm.
"Just my luck to be off the beaten track," Skye mused as they dropped another floor, feeling the temperature warm up as they got closer to the more recent fires. Her room was located far from the others because of her intense testing due to her being a female instead of the intended male. It was easier to reach her if she was closer to the testing labs.
They both paused when they heard a scream coming from the third floor and as one they burst into the abandoned hall to find the origin.
"I can't move it!" there was a choked sob and another scream.
"It hurts!"
Skye pushed open a door at the end of the hall to see the amassed rubble of a cave-in. The structure of the building had been compromised by the continued explosions and the foundations were shaky, causing part of the ceiling to collapse, right on top of a squirming soldier.
"Stop moving!"
A small girl was trying to pull the broken pieces of ceiling plaster off the crying soldier.
"Please!" the boy cried looking every inch a child instead of a soldier.
"Stand back!" Skye ordered and both children started at the intrusion.
"It's a Special Op and a Unit 8," the girl smiled down at the boy. "You'll be okay, now."
Skye grabbed hold of one of the large ceiling tiles and hefted, the strain showing in her face as Flex moved to grab the boy. He tucked his hands under his neck and braced his legs as he cradled the child to his chest.
The girl brushed tears from her eyes. "I was trying to get him out, but I wasn't strong enough. I failed."
Skye glanced down at the small girl with icy blonde hair, she seemed too delicate and elfin to have even moved the blocks that she had, let alone try to move the whole ceiling panel, which easily weighed as much as a small elephant.
"Its okay, Icarus," the boy grinned, his face wet with tears and sweat. "They'll help us."
"Icarus?" Skye frowned as she checked the blood streaming down the boys leg. Flex laid him on the floor and tore off his shirt tearing it to shreds to form a make-shift bandage.
"Keep her talking," he mouthed to Skye as the blonde girl paled.
"Icarus?" Skye repeated.
The girl nodded and wrapped her arms around herself. "We heard that 452 designated you with names and w-we emulated you."
"So why Icarus?" Skye tried to keep her attention away as Flex snapped the boy's bones back into place.
"S-someone told me that I had bird DNA and I tried to fly out of one of the windows on the fourth floor," she blushed. "Trainer Banns patched me up and said that Icarus tried to fly too close to the sun and the wax on his wings melted and he fell to his death. He said it would remind me next time I tried."
Skye smiled at the scared girl and fought the urge to roll her eyes at the Trainers' ideas of bedtime stories. Not that she would be any better, she really didn't like children. "So who is this?"
"Isacar," she smiled down at him. "We liked Greek names and we're a designation apart so he's under my protection."
"Your brother," Skye smiled and then her eyes widened as that jolted her. "Steve!"
Flex glanced up at her as he pulled the, now unconscious, Isacar into his arms closer to him.
"We'd best get him outta here, Skye," his eyes told her that the kid was in a bad way.
"Where is the rest of your unit?" Skye asked.
"Most scattered when the explosion hit," Icarus stated and her eyes drifted to the wreckage. "They didn't want to wait for Isacar."
"We're here now, we'll get you out." Flex promised and he motioned for Skye to head out with Icarus following eagerly behind.
----
Carrot and Tara waited in the courtyard, the night sky clouding over as the fumes from the various fires swirled into the air. They'd organised the retreating soldiers into groups so that the younger children weren't alone as they waited for their own unit. They had just herded a huge group of X8s into sections and sent two off with X4s and X5s when they heard a call.
"Tara!"
Tara turned glad of her night-vision, to see Cece hurrying towards them with Harley in tow.
"Where's Alec?" she called and Tara shrugged.
"We haven't heard a thing since the announcement."
At that there was a sudden burst of gun-fire and several of the retreating soldiers screamed.
"Shit!" Carrot pulled Tara down besides him in a crouch. The children copied him in his defensive squat. "They're shooting at us!"
Harley glanced at the three of them, "We should get out of here!"
Carrot agreed, "Harley, take this group of kids and head south, we'll meet up with you."
"Cece?" Harley gestured but she shook her head.
"I need to find my CO."
He hesitated for a second and then leaned over and brushed a kiss over her lips, making her flush in front of her friends.
"See you soon, okay?" his eyes searched hers and she nodded.
"Later."
"To me!" he called to the group of children and used hand signals to show them where they were going and then, like the pied piper, he led them away.
Cece rubbed her face and ignored Tara's knowing grin.
Carrot's eyes narrowed, "They may not be crack-shot, especially at night, but blind luck is killing us. We need to stop those damn guards."
Cece looked around for something to help and noted several large rocks nearby. Her sharp gaze caught a guard on the tower closest to them.
She grabbed the rock in her palm and flung it like a missile. It hit the guard square on the head and he pitched forward, falling to his death several feet away from where they sat.
Cece rolled forward and stole the gun from his cool hands and handed it to an open-mouthed Carrot.
She shrugged, "I watched Alec."
Tara smothered a laugh and hid behind Carrot as he began to return fire, the staccato rhythm of the machine gun getting lost in the deafening sounds already enveloping the yard.
----
Steve had waited long enough and had eventually raced towards the armoury knowing that, in order to escape, they'd have to fight their way free.
As he entered the weapons room he saw three young soldiers packing as many guns into their bags as possible.
"Light robbery?" he asked and they turned guiltily to him.
"Excuse us," one girl bowed, "the guards on the outside are shooting so we were taking enough for our unit."
Steve thought about it, "Good plan!"
He grabbed a bag off the wall and did the same.
One of the kids nudged the other, "Sir, are you Unit 8?"
"Call me Steve," he said absently.
"Can we come with you?"
Steve looked at them. They looked to be X7s or 8s and one that was only young enough to be a second generation X8.
"Stick close okay?" he ordered and gestured to the young child who was barely old enough to walk. "What is your designation?"
"X82- 044," was the childish reply and Steve nodded.
"Can you keep up with us?"
The boy bit his lip and Steve grabbed his wrist, swinging him onto his back.
"The rest of you follow me!"
----
Pix wrenched Chance back as the gun fire sounded louder and louder in the quad.
The normally calm training yard was full of transgenics; X4s right down to X8s and transhumans, anomalies, all racing for the perimeter fence in groups. The sound was ear-splitting as orders were issued above the alarms and rattle of gun-fire, thunder of explosions, shattering glass and crumbling buildings.
It was a scene right out of hell as the flames danced towards the dark heavens.
Chance put her hands over her ears, her memory flashing back to endless drills and torture in Psy-Ops. Pix wrapped her under his arm.
"I got ya, baby, I got ya," he soothed.
"Too loud!" she gasped.
Pix bit his lip, his eyes searching the chaos that was their home. "Chance, we won't find Biggs in this mess."
Her eyes opened wide, "What do you mean?"
"We'd be better to get out and look for him on the outside."
"No!" she exclaimed. "We have to find him, and what about Max, do you just want to leave her here?"
"Max will be…" he trailed off. The truth was that he didn't just want to leave Max here, even under Alec's protection.
"Please, Pix, we have to find him!"
Pix couldn't deny those pretty eyes anything and, against his better judgement, he grasped her hand tighter, leading her back across the frenzied courtyard, searching for their elusive family members.
---
In the darkness a heap of stone and gravel shifted to reveal a figure covered in blood and cuts crawling out of the wreckage that was the stairway.
Drew blinked and her trembling hand touched the back of her head trying to ignore the wetness that trailed over her fingers.
"Ow!" she breathed and edged away from the rubble that had buried her on her hands and knees. She grabbed the wall nearest to her, dragging herself to her feet.
She rubbed her eyes and stepped forward, her leg almost crumpling under her as the broken bone protested being used. Her vision blurred as she shifted, limping a step to favour her good leg.
Absently she registered the sound of falling debris and knew that she had to escape. She took another step and then had to pause to let the room stop spinning.
Her head hurt so much, her whole body ached furiously and she was feeling dizzier than she could ever recall but she could see the smoke creeping under the cracked fire-door and knew that she had to get out of here soon.
There was nothing to use as a splint and even if she could call for help, who would hear her over the din of fire and alarms? As she had once told Max, the only one that you could count on was yourself and that as what Drew had to do.
Taking a deep breath and concentrating on staying conscious Drew grabbed hold of the stairs railing and slowly, so slowly started to descend the staircase.
----
Anna skidded, her hand grabbing B.J.'s jacket.
"There's Feen and Techie!"
B.J. swung around and spotted the shy transgenic and the bubbly red-head herding two other girls down the corridor.
"Guys, have you seen Aiden?"
"These said that Aiden went with Dek to find Drew," Feen indicated the two huddled girls behind them who looked terrified.
B.J. bit his lip, "I am not leaving Aiden here, that block is rubble now! We had to go around it. I'll go find him."
Anna stared at him with wide eyes, "No, B.J. he's fine."
B.J. stepped back, "I'll get him."
Aiden had been his friend forever, he owed it to him to find him.
"Urgh, what is it with you rescuer types?" Feen stomped her foot, tears of frustration streaming down her face. "If we don't stick together we'll never find each other again."
"I will, I promise!" B.J. turned and began to run.
"Wait!" Anna called and he spun on his heel, still walking backwards.
They met each other eyes and he slowly smiled.
"Yes."
"Yes?"
B.J. smirked and ran away quickly, a smile on his face matching that on Anna's.
"Yes what?" Feen asked and Anna simply tucked her hand into Feen's and dragged her towards the exit.
"Never mind."
----
Zan and Emma worked furiously at the controls making sure that the fence had been deactivated and was no longer electrified as they watched the blips on the screen head for the perimeter.
"That should do," Zan nodded and picked up his rifle.
Emma's fingers finished what she was doing and she scanned the readout.
"The first three floors are empty of life, seems everyone who is alive is either in the yard or on the way out… Wait!"
"Em?"
Her eyes scanned, "One heading our way."
She closed her eyes and felt with her extra senses. Sometimes it was good to be empathetic and feel others, it came in handy. Her face split into a smile.
"It's ours, I think… I think its B.J."
Zan grinned and slammed out into the hallway seeing his friend racing towards them.
"B.J.!"
"Zan, wassup?" B.J. grinned. "Who blew the party?"
"No idea, but everyone is either on ground or second or in the yard."
"Everyone?" he frowned. "What about Dek and Aiden?"
"Not on the system," Emma said, "Why?"
"They went to find Drew."
Zan paled, "Block C burned down with the second explosion."
"Drew," Emma hissed her hand going to her stomach in pain.
"Drew's tough, she probably made it out."
"Yeah," Zan comforted, "she probably met up with Aiden and Dek and headed for the fence, which is what we should be doing now."
"Without our unit?" she sounded horrified.
B.J. stared at the pattern of explosions, "It's either without our Unit or in an aluminium foil wrapper; the fire is headed this way."
Zan grabbed Emma's hand, "Come on Em, we'll all be searching for each other. It'll be easy to find them."
Emma nodded, not totally convinced but allowed herself to be led as B.J. took her other hand.
---
Steve made it to the courtyard with his three hangers-on and peered into the yard.
"Okay, you," he pointed to a young boy.
"X7-701."
"Whatever, pass those guns out to those in the vicinity and tell them to aim at the guards."
The quick boy sped out, blurring so fast that even Steve had a hard time watching him move.
His lithe body spun around the quad and he was back at Steve's side in a flash.
"Wow!" Steve grinned. "That was fast, kid."
701 nodded his dusty brown hair spiky from the exertion.
"Steve?!"
Steve spun to see his sister hurrying up behind him. He threw his arms out and she curled into them feeling safer now that she was in her brother's arms. She looked up to be met with curious green eyes of a small boy.
Skye pulled away.
"Damn, I'm glad you're okay," she smiled at Steve. "I was worried."
"Steve," Flex greeted, his arms curled around a bundle.
"I see you picked up stragglers too," Steve motioned to the two children clinging on to them.
"Icarus and Isacar," Skye shrugged as he frowned and opened his mouth to question the names. "Don't ask!" she laughed relieved that she had found him.
"Well, let's make it to the fence," Steve suggested.
"Stay close!" Skye ordered the children and they saluted, falling back into soldier mode as easily as breathing. Now they were with commanders they were more at ease and their lessons came to the fore.
"After you," Skye said to Flex, grabbing a gun from the back pack. "I'll cover and Steve brings up the rear."
"Okay, darling," Flex grinned and edged into the courtyard.
Skye exchanged exasperated glances with her brother as they followed Flex into the diminishing chaos of the yard; it seemed almost everyone was out.
"Left guard!" Icarus called and shot up at the left tower. The short burst of machine gun fire made them duck and return fire.
Flex was hunched over Isacar and he straightened as soon as the shots echoes died.
"Xs to the fence now, wait by the tree at the top of the hill, on my mark. Mark!"
Three of the Xs blurred to where he had pointed and they jumped the fence like it was a hurdle. Their slight forms were barely visible in the darkness as they raced up the hill.
"You too, Icarus," Flex pointed as she looked hesitantly at her brother.
"Sir!"
"Down!" Steve yelled before she could move a step and Skye slammed the girl to the ground, a shower of bullets narrowly missing the young girl.
"Now go!" Skye pushed her and Icarus scampered over to the fence.
"Aw, ain't they cute?" Steve grinned at Skye and tugged on the leg of the small boy on his back. "Now this little—"
Crack.
Steve's eyes widened.
"Steve?" Skye frowned and her eyes looked down to the red splatter on her shirt. Her fingers trembled as she lifted her hand to the blood.
"B-but I-I don't feel—"
She glanced up to see a large red stain spreading over Steve's shirt.
"STEVE!"
He sank to his knees, gasping for breath.
The boy slid off his back and hurried to Flex's side grabbing at his knee.
Flex turned in time to see Steve fall into his sister's arms, blood spreading down the front of his shirt.
"No, no, no!" she cried panicked. "Steve?"
Steve choked and a drop of blood slid down his chin, "Nicked a… lung… I think… Skye."
"No," her shoulders shuddered and she shook her head frantically, her hands grabbing hold of him. "Come on, we'll find a hospital."
Steve's coughing fit wracked his whole body and he gasped harder.
"You won't… make it," he choked, "get the kids out."
Skye shook her head harder, tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry, please stay with me! God, Steve, you can't die! You can't! I won't let you, dammit!"
Steve smiled serenely and lifted his hand to her cheek and stroked, leaving a bloody streak on her perfect skin.
"I am… proud of you," he managed and she bit her lip, her sobs shaking her body.
"Fl-ex?"
Flex nodded at the silent question, tears gathering in his eyes. "I'll take care of her," he vowed.
Steve nodded and closed his eyes, his body going rigid before relaxing.
For good.
"No," Skye dropped her head onto Steve's chest sobbing wildly.
Flex wanted her to have this time to grieve but he knew that they had to move.
"Skye, we have to go."
"No!"
Flex looked around at the scene of chaos around them. The fire was raging out of control, windows exploding and glass shattering. The roar of fire was getting louder and louder and the heat was searing. The guards were being taken out but they were still shooting wildly into the night.
"Now!" he grabbed her arm and pulled, shaking her. "Steve wouldn't want you to die here."
He didn't want to be cruel but he wasn't prepared to watch her die. "I can't carry you and Isacar, we have to go now, so move it!"
The order from a superior moved Skye more than anything anyone else could have done and she gave Steve's forehead one last kiss before lurching to her feet; her eyes cold with the soldier's mantle they all assumed in the worst situations.
She grabbed the small boy that Steve had carried and placed him on her back before nodding to Flex.
He gave her a worried look and then motioned for her to go first towards the waiting children.
Skye scaled the fence and dropped her cargo before helping Flex with Isacar, not daring to look back at the lifeless body of her brother.
Not willing to think that she was leaving him there alone.
----
"DREW?!"
Dek stumbled over more of the rubble until he was caught by Aiden's hand on his arm.
"Man, she's gone; she probably went looking for you."
Dek bit his lip. "She's hurt, Aiden. I can feel her."
Aiden raked a hand through his dusty hair. He knew that the bond between Dek and Drew was strong and that Dek was probably right. But the block was just empty halls filled with falling bits of scraps of metal and rock. There was no way that she was there and he didn't even want to mention to Dek the chance that she had been caught in the blast.
"That may be, but she won't be here. Where would she go?"
"The armoury?" Dek guessed knowing Drew's fondness for her guns.
"That whole area is probably blocked off already. Strategic fires."
"Screw it!" Dek screamed and kicked at the rubble.
The whole of the block they were searching had collapsed exposing them to the cool air of the night, there were a few rooms left standing and he was trying to search them all but it was like finding a needle in a haystack.
"Let's get to the yard," Aiden suggested. "Maybe she's waiting there for us."
"You go!" Dek said, his hands grappling for the next doorway. Aiden grabbed his hand.
"We go together or not at all, pal."
Dek looked up into the sincere eyes of his friend who had refused to let him feel this way on his own and slowly nodded.
"Makes sense," he climbed back to where Aiden stood and straightened. "Thanks for coming with me. I appreciate it."
Aiden smiled wryly, "I'm being selfish. I'm scared of the dark."
Dek even managed a chuckle.
----
Drew leaned against the wall and grabbed onto the stone with her fingernails, trying desperately not to pass out. That blow to the head had knocked her for six and, coupled with the broken leg, smoke inhalation and blood loss from various cuts all over, it was making moving increasingly difficult. Her hands shook and her whole body ached with the effort of walking with one broken leg and as her blood slowly trickled down her face, her head spun.
She felt like any minute she'd throw—
The very thought caused her breakfast to rise up and she bent double, hacking and retching.
Once her vision cleared she stood back up, avoiding the mess at her feet and backed away sliding her useless leg behind her, feeling every bump on the floor.
Drew had eventually made her way to the basement which housed the anomalies and other rejects. At least this way she wouldn't have to climb any more stairs.
She had to try to make it to the fence; otherwise she wouldn't get out at all. There was no point trying to find any of her Unit. If they were looking for her, they wouldn't be looking here. She took a deep steadying breath and took another step.
-----
Biggs and Sunny had combed the whole of the bottom floor of the facility trying to find Chance and Pix, and Sunny was trying to get Biggs to give up.
"Pix is strong and smart, he probably got her out straight away. You saw the bars in her cell. As soon as lock-down was in effect he probably took her and headed for the hills."
They had been racing down the barracks so long that her hair was smudged in all directions and her face was flushed with the effort.
Biggs finally relented.
"Okay, we'll head for the forest," he smiled, "and best hope that he is taking good care of my sister."
"Like he'd dare do anything else," Sunny kissed him softly and they turned to go.
"I should have guessed," they spun to see Mets leaning against one wall, his eyebrows raised in amusement. "The place goes up in flames and everyone starts kissing!"
"Mets?!" Sunny was delighted and grabbed hold of him in a strong hug.
"This is Mouse," Mets introduced the brunette and Biggs waved before pointing to the way out.
"Yeah, charmed. Shall we?"
They headed down the corridor listening to the groans of the building as it protested its abuse.
The barracks had taken quite a beating from the various explosions and the cracks in the ceiling and the walls were worrying to say the least. An aftershock rocked the hall and they braced themselves on the wall until the tremors passed.
The ceiling creaked.
"I'm going to write a strongly worded letter to Manticore about the shoddy workmanship," Mets said as he eyed the roof.
Mouse giggled, getting into the swing of his humour. "They need redecoration tips."
Biggs snorted, "Well I, for one, think that—"
"Watch out!"
A small crack was the only warning that they had as the ceiling finally gave way.
Mets shot forward and pushed Sunny out of the way and into Biggs who stumbled back as the whole of the upper floor rained down on their heads.
Biggs curled Sunny under him in a protective embrace and felt the blows of tiles on his back, pushing him down into the floor.
Sunny cried out as his full weight fell on her and she squeezed her eyes tightly listening to the muffled sounds of falling rubble and, close by, Biggs' heartbeat rhythmic and comforting in its rapid beat.
It felt like hours later, but in truth it was only a few minutes, when the debris finally stopped falling.
A few cracked bits of ceiling tile still dropped to the floor whilst the exposed light fixtures fizzled and crackled.
Sunny wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer, but asked anyway, "Biggs?"
"Y-eah," he croaked, coughing at the dust that had settled on him.
"You okay?" she asked and he groaned.
"Yes," he straightened, wincing at the sound of debris falling off his shoulders. "You?"
"Fine, thanks to… Mets?"
Sunny straightened and pulled away from Biggs, her eyes searching for Mets.
For a wild moment all she could see was dust and then her eyes registered the large pile of rubble on the floor.
Her mind simply refused to accept that where Mets had pushed her out of the way there was now half of the upper ceiling lying in ruins on the ground floor.
"Mets?" she croaked.
Biggs grabbed her arm before she had even realised that she had stepped forward.
"Careful," his tone was just as hoarse as hers as they advanced to the remnants of the floor above.
"Biggs?" Sunny pointed to the still form of Mouse. There was a long metal pole protruding through her upper body, impaling her to the floor.
Biggs knelt on the floor and pressed his hands to her throat, checking for a pulse, despite the evidence that she couldn't possibly have survived.
He swallowed and shook his head. Sunny ducked her head, wiping at her dirty face with one hand. She leaned over and closed Mouse's wide, lifeless eyes.
She slowly turned to the rubble, her eyes misting.
"Mets?" her voice trembled.
Biggs crawled over the pile and pulled away a few of the concrete blocks that covered the floor.
Sunny knelt by him, ignoring the wetness on her face as she pulled on the huge rocks.
Biggs lifted a stone and drew in a ragged breath. A strong male hand, ghostly pale beneath a natural tan and covered in blood, lay amidst the remains.
Sunny closed her eyes and turned into Biggs shoulder.
Biggs' hand shook as he felt the limp wrist for a pulse. He bit his own lip as he found nothing.
"No," Sunny cried and Biggs turned roughly pulling her into his arms and burying his head in her shoulder, his own shoulders shaking.
Sunny stroked her hand through his hair and then pulled him to his feet mustering up her inner reserves of calm and strength.
Without a word she tugged the silent Biggs towards the exit, not looking back.
----
Drew staggered out into the darkness and blinked as she hit the humid air. The fire had spread all over the facility and the haze of flames filled the outside atmosphere with heat and smoke until the very air was stifling. She choked and squinted, her eyes still stinging from the steam vapour from the pipes.
As she blinked she could make out a familiar figure standing someway off staring at the building.
"A- Alec?" she croaked. But amidst the roar of flame and resounding sounds of explosions and aftershocks her whisper went unheard.
"Al—"
Suddenly the whole of the building he was staring at imploded in an inferno of flame and fire. Smoke billowed up high into the night sky, tainting even the clouds with its grey sadness.
She shielded her face and watched helplessly as Alec wrenched himself to his feet, looking at the building like his heart had just broken.
Unbeknownst to him, hers broke alongside his as the only reason for his sadness was realised. Max must have been inside there.
Max.
Drew bit back tears at the thought of her best friend— besides Dek— being no more. She closed her eyes against the pain and when she opened them again she was filled with euphoric glee as Max stood by Alec.
"Ma—" she started but the crack of glass was the only warning that she had before the window above her exploded. Drew ducked and braced herself against the hail of shattered shards as they rained down in her form like dangerous raindrops intent on slicing her to ribbons.
The exertion and the movement caused her already spinning head to escalate into a full roar and her vision flickered, her leg giving way as she crumpled to the floor.
She fought to get her vision under control and when she was able to look up Max and Alec had gone.
She cursed herself for her weakness and turned over to her hands and knees again, forcing herself to get to her feet.
As she stood, as shakily as a newborn colt, she forced herself to move, each step a calculated effort. It was taking everything she had not to just sit down and sleep. But that was the last thing she needed right now. It was obvious even to her that she had concussion and even possible cerebral bleeding and she needed to keep going, despite the pain that she was in.
Just a few more steps to the damned fence.
She counted out the reasons to move with each step.
One, Dek. Keep moving.
Two, Max. You can do this!
Three, Alec. Be strong soldier.
Four, Mets. Three more.
Five, Aiden… almost there.
Six, Sunny…
She stumbled forward the last two and gripped the fence. There was no way she could climb it, not with her leg and her light-headedness. No way at all.
She was going to die.
As she clung to the wire she noticed absently that it was coming away from its posts— the result of too many transgenic weights climbing over it. Drew tugged slightly and it rocked even more. Mustering what she had left of her strength she pulled and the section snapped. She edged through the barrier and out past the fence into the trees on the other side.
Drew knew that the head wound was grim for her; she hadn't felt it before as she was too intent on staying alive but now she could feel the cool trickle of liquid on the back of her neck. Two parts sweat and one part blood.
Her concussion was serious and it was affecting her motion. She may have feline DNA but she didn't have nine lives.
She was seriously dizzy now, and scrambling through the wrought iron fence and racing across the yard to escape firing from the guards had taken its inevitable toll on her already taxed-beyond-endurance system and as she staggered through the forest she was absently marvelling at the irony of getting so far only to fall at the last few steps towards freedom.
She slumped against the nearest tree and tasted blood. She had been sweating since she'd hit that wall and her heart had been racing but now she just felt cold and could feel each individual thump of her failing heart every time she moved. Her eyes were blurring and the edges of her vision were dim. Drew slid slowly to the ground beneath the tree and curled up, her body shaking with frustration and exhaustion.
All she needed was to close her eyes for a minute.
Just a minute.
Just…
----
Coco yanked back the fence and let the children race through. The yard was almost empty, only their fallen comrades remained still and silent on the battle-field that was formerly a training yard. The place where they had sparred and laughed was now dripping with blood and littered with the corpses of those that hadn't been fast enough… or selfish enough to get out while they could.
Coco had stumbled over the body of more than one face that she knew and her whole heart hurt at those that she would never see again.
Brandon from Unit 2 was great at Tactics and she had worked with him on several assignments—she had tripped over him in the yard mowed down by the machine gun fire. Neela, a haughty X5 from Unit 5, was half covering an X6 Coco had seen drawing up rosters. It seemed Neela had died trying to protect the child from the bullets—a last act of unselfishness from the X5. It hadn't worked. A little X7 Max called Fuss, because she had to make sure that everything was text-book perfect, was lying underneath Building C, crushed in a messy heap that would have had her tutting in life. The X7 chatterbox, Tattle, lay severed by ceiling poles. Two X8s that never left each others side lay still in death, their long dark hair matted with blood.
Friends, acquaintances—people she knew.
This place had been her life since she was born; her family and friends had been made here. It was home and now it was charred ruins and along with it, a piece of her had died.
It wasn't innocence. When you had been trained to kill at five years old, you never really had any innocence to lose. But it was something that had been nurtured since they were young and now, whatever it was, it was gone.
They were all orphans now and on their own in the big bad world.
They had to make their own way now.
The last of the children tore into the night and Coco followed letting the chain-link close on her past.
---
Pix scaled the hill and pulled Chance up behind him.
Chance enclosed herself in his arms, tears still pouring down her face at being unable to find her brother or any of their friends.
Pix had continued to tell her that they were okay and had probably made it out and had probably already made their way into the world and probably were waiting for them.
Chance had replied that that was too many 'probabilities' for her peace of mind and for once Pix could think of nothing to comfort the girl.
He stared down at the place that had been his home for the past six years and felt his heart lurch at the mess that the once proud building had become.
It was no longer a tower of strength and might, holding the military technology of decades, but an empty shell hollowed by fire until it was just burnt wreckage. Useless stones and concrete held together by metal beams and forgotten ambitions.
Pix held Chance tighter in his arms and silently said goodbye to the ruins as if they were old friends.
"Pix?" she whispered and he looked down into eyes swimming with tears.
"Yeah?" his voice was no louder than hers.
"I want my family," she confessed.
Pix sighed, "Yeah me too, Chance. Me too."
Max, Alec, Dek, Aiden, Biggs, B.J., Techie and the rest—his family.
"We will find them," he promised, "We will."
Chance nodded against his chest, her own eyes cast towards the ghost of the facility she'd grown up in.
"Home," she breathed.
"Not any more, we make our own home," Pix said softly but firmly.
Chance nodded her cheek against his shirt, "Mine is with you."
He smiled into her soft hair, "Mine too."
They were silent for a moment.
"Where to now?" Chance sighed as she stepped away.
Pix shrugged suddenly remembering the first time they had met, he grinned mischievously but there was an undertone of sadness that hadn't been there before.
"You know I have no X5 sense of direction."
Chance smiled as she remembered that that was what he had said after he had bumped into her the first time that they had met.
"You've improved and we have all come a long way since then," she glanced back to the smouldering remains and then back again.
"Can I still be the ghost of Lost Special Ops?" he teased as he tucked her under his arm and pulled her into the trees.
"Sure," she grinned, "the cautionary tale for Xs."
She paused as she recalled his words all those years ago. "We will be, you know."
"Will be what?" he pushed aside a branch and let her go through first.
"A legend for future Xs born outside Manticore. We'll be the ones that got out, the ones that freed everyone. Legends."
Pix thought about that as they pushed aside the damp foliage to get through the trees. "I guess we will at that."
"No more Manticore, no more drills, no more Psy-Ops or solitary," she glanced impishly at him wanting to lighten the sombre mood.
He was lost in thought. She was right. There was nothing there now. Their whole world had been destroyed and their routine, their very existence was altered. There was no Manticore to do missions for, no people that they had to obey and kiss up to and there was no morning drills for them to get up to.
"Pix?"
"Yeah that'd be… what?"
Chance threw her arms around him and kissed him deeply with everything she had. Then she pulled away quickly.
"And just think, we can stay in bed as long as we like."
Pix watched delighted as she scampered off ahead of him, her eyes dancing.
He began to rush after her a grin starting on his face.
There was no one he would rather be beside him in this brand new world with its trails and challenges and to have her moving through it, moving alongside him.
Well, there was a reason to wake up tomorrow.
tbc...