They jerked up at the sound of a high-pitched scream coming form in front of them. The crowd parted and they could see a maid leaning against the doorway into the corridors, looking very faint.
"Charkovky! He's been murdered!" she screamed again, then swooned.
Shiris turned quickly to Trowa.
"We have to get out of here!" she whispered hurriedly, motioning to her friends.
Hiiro came up to Trowa. "Come on, let's go," he whispered and pulled Trowa away. Duo was on his other hand.
At the same time, Mayumi came up to Shiris. "Lets go. We're found out," she said. Shiris looked at Trowa, who couldn't get out of Hiiro's grip. He stared back at her, his eyes pools of longing, and was lost in the frenzied crowd.
She shook her head. She had to think about her friends now and forget about Trowa.
"I know a way out," she whispered to Mayumi and Julie, who was being held by Mayumi.
They followed her as she led the way to a side door.
"This leads to a window to the right side of the mansion. Come on, we have to hurry!" she explained when the others had caught up with her. They raced down the corridor as everyone else was crowding around the maid. The security in the dance room had already rushed over, and no one noticed them slip out the side door.
It was dark and dimly lighted in the corridor. They made their way along the wall, pausing every so often when they heard hurried footsteps down another corridor.
Eventually they reached a room. Ducking inside, they went to he window and looked out.
All the guards that were stationed outside had rushed to the front doors and the gate. No one could get in or out with out getting shot.
"So now what?" Julie asked, discouraged. The place was surrounded
"Now we make a distraction," Shiris said, smiling mischievously. She pulled out the packet of mini explosives form her purse.
"Of course!" Mayumi exclaimed. "We blow up something away form the gates, the guards rush over, and we escape! But we ought to try and distract the guards along the fence. If we distract the ones at the gate, there's bound to be some people who stay behind. And we can't risk getting caught."
Shiris nodded. " Good idea."
Julie opened the window quietly and jumped out, immediately clinging to the shadows of the mansion. Shiris followed her, and then Mayumi.
"Okay, ill go and plant these on those cars over there." She gestured towards a line of limos that had bee n parked discreetly behind the mansion, far away form the main gates. If they blew up, the nearest guards would come running, allowing the girls to climb the fence and escape.
The others nodded.
"We'll wait her until we see the fireworks," Julie said. Shiris nodded and started for the cars, staying in the shadows.
She arrived at the first one and looked about for a good hiding place to duck behind when the cars blew.
She noticed a clump of beautiful, tall bushes about 100 meters away. There were a few bushes before that, but hey were within the blast radius. Another 300 meters and many bushes and trees from that was the fence, along with 10 guards. At most, she would have to deal with three.
Ripping open the package, she planted the first explosive on a black limo with the license plate NMBER1.
Unbeknownst to her, she was being watched.
"Is that Shiris?" Duo asked, peering over their hiding place. Trowa immediately leapt up next to him.
"Yea, it is! What is she doing?" he asked, watching her stealthily approaching the limo.
"Probably something we ought to be doing," Hiiro grumbled. They were stuck, with no weapons or gadgets, and hadn't thought of an escape plan yet.
"Uhh…guys…is she doing what I think she's doing? Cause if so, I think we ought to move…" Duo said fearfully.
Shiris moved to the fifth and last car. That many explosives ought to cause a nice little bonfire and getaway tool.
"There!" She counted to three, pressed a button on the final explosive, and ran like hell for the bushes.
Hiiro peered over the shrubbery they were hiding behind. He saw Shiris running straight for them as fast as she could.
"We have to move, now!" he yelled. By now sirens and other alarms were filling the air.
"Why? What is she doing?" Trowa asked.
"Come one!" Hiiro shouted, and stood up, the others following suit.
Just then, Shiris came hurtling at them.
Wow! It s them! She thought, almost stopping. But remembering what a hell of a tan she would get if she hesitated, she didn't.
Should she warn them? Mayumi wouldn't, while Julie would probably stop and talk. She wouldn't do either.
"Come on!" She cried above the roar of a medical helicopter, and grabbed Trowa and Duo' arms, pulling them along with her. Hiiro followed closely behind.
Just as she was diving for the bushes, an enormous explosion rocked the air and a wall of heat pushed her forward and up.
She hit the ground and immediately crawled under the cover of the bushes, eyes shut against the bright ball of fire.
Even from where she was, she could feel the heat against her skin, and curled into a tighter ball. Had she underestimated the size of the explosion? Would they be burned to a crisp?
A second after the sound of the explosion had died, shouts and cries form the guards at the gate filled the air. Safely under the cover of the bushes, she waited for them to pass.
Then, " did you do that?" Shiris started. She had almost forgotten someone was with her!
She looked at Trowa through half closed eyes, still guarded against the intense light.
"Yep! Our escape rout! Your welcome to make use of it!" she said, sitting up. Duo and Hiiro were focused on the fireball.
Shiris studied the gate. Only tow guards had remained, less then she had expected. Perfect!
Looking behind her, she saw Julie and Mayumi leave the shadows and start for the exact pint on the fence she was looking at.
"I have to go," she told Trowa, standing up. None of the guards could see them because of the cover of the trees. "Maybe we'll see each other gain, on another mission," she said hopefully, but inside did not believe it.
He took her hand. "I'll see you again, I promise,"
She almost started to cry. But she was strong. She could hold it in, at least until they got back to base.
"Good bye," she whispered, and kissed him on the mouth. It was only for a split second, but Trowa felt like it lasted forever. It was only when she pulled away that he was dragged back to earth.
Without another word, she sprinted away, tearing off the bottom of her dress to allow for easier climbing.
"Say good bye to Julie for me!" Duo shouted desperately.
"I will!" she called back, and then sped for the gate. Ahead of her, the men could see Mayumi and Julie racing for the gate. The girls hadn't seen them.
They watched as Shiris ran to catch up with them, and as the girls knocked out the two remaining guards. Then they were gone, up and over the high spiked fence.