Uhhhh this title is def subject to change. I saw a comment for a drabble idea but ive been dreaming abt this for a while and i dont want to forget it so im gonna write this real quick
"You stay here while we go inside to find the refugees. We'll radio you when we need transport from the inside."
John explained as he, Marcos, and Lauren jumped through the portal and into a dimly lit hallway. Rumors say that Sentinel Services have set up random stations all around the city, harboring troubled mutants who seek help and liberation. Though many are widely known, they are extremely hard to locate let alone infiltrate. But Sage, being the genius that she is, found one just on the outskirts of the city in a manner of hours.
This warehouse had a series of buildings surrounding it, one of the larger facilities in the system meaning more blind spots in the security. They were hidden in an alley between what looked to be a conference building and the east side of the main warehouse. After going through the blueprints of the warehouse, Clarice memorized every section and hall, every nook and cranny while Marcos, John, and Lauren memorized keypad codes and camera placements.
"Copy that."
John looked back at Clarice. "Be safe. Stay out of sight." Don't get caught. Don't die. Unspoken but so clearly heard.
"Right back at you." Clarice nodded back.
He wasn't too keen on leaving her alone but for the sake of the mission, he kept his mouth shut. Plus, he definitely didn't want to be on the end of Clarice's hard glare and cocked hip at the discussion that he "thinks she can't take of herself." The portal closed behind them and Marcos pulled a piece of paper out of his back pocket.
"Sage wrote down the directions. We take a left up here."
The group cautiously walked down a hallway and turned into a wider, main hall. Lauren placed bubbled air in front of cameras to blur the lenses, dropping them as soon as all three of them were not in view. They took another left and stopped in front of a large metal door labeled "Rfge Subjects". Lauren stepped up to enter the code, whispering the numbers under her breath before pushing them on the keypad. The door opened to reveal ten, maybe twelve, mutants ranging from ages 12-18, every one of them huddled in the farthest corner of the room. They kept their heads down and didn't make eye contact with Lauren and Marcos when they walked in, John standing outside the door to watch for Sentinel agents walking by.
Marcos flashed his hands in the dark room to make everything easier to see. The refugees perked up slightly when Marcos showed his abilities. Lauren walked up to one of the younger mutants with hands held up in front of her to show she meant no harm.
"Hi. We're from the Mutant Underground. We're going to get you all out of here." She looked around, addressing everyone.
The refugees looked at one another wearily.
Lauren tried again. "We're one of the good guys. I promise. We can explain later but right now we've got to go."
The 15-year-old, the one Lauren was trying to get through to first, stood and quickly walked over to Lauren's side of the room, looking back at the others and waving at them to join. One by one each refugee stood up to join one another. Lauren smiled down at the 15-year-old and nodded her head.
"John, we're all good here," Marcos spoke up.
John looked in to see if everything was okay before pulling a walkie-talkie from the waist of his jeans and pushing a button to call Clarice.
"Clare, we're done. Portal to room 118."
He released the button and waited but was met with static for a good 20 seconds.
"Clarice?" John's eyebrows knitted together as the tone in his voice changed to concern.
Marcos looked back at John's stiff posture. "What's going on?"
John waited a moment before answering, hoping Clarice would respond before he spoke.
"Something's wrong."
"Guy's what's happening? Why isn't the portal here yet." Lauren questioned, worriedly.
John placed the walkie back in his waistband in stiff movements. "I don't know but Clarice isn't answering. We gotta find another way out."
Marcos took out a paper with written directions to an exit in the south wing. If they opened any door without clearance an alarm would sound throughout the whole building and alert everyone in the building. So much for being discreet.
"Alright, let's go quickly." Marcos ushered everyone out of the room and into the hallway, Lauren already disorienting the cameras that could potentially see them.
"You guys go ahead without me," John spoke gruffly once the big metal door that held the mutants was closed. "I have to find Clarice."
Marcos simply nodded. There was no way he was stopping him. "Be careful."
With that, he and Lauren turned and led everyone down the opposite hall.
John ran down his intended hall, taking the rights, and left he memorized to take him to the side door of the east wing. Without anything to cover the cameras, he would surely be recognized so he had to move fast before people were sent to find him.
As soon as it was in sight, John busted through the east side door without hesitation. The alarm blared through the building loud and unyielding but he didn't care. He looked both ways of the alley before his eyes landed on Clarice with her back turned to him slumped on her knees in front of a figure dressed in a black and red trench coat. The figure had both hands just inches away from either side of Clarice's head. Their hands had red electrical beams coming from the palms and directed to Clarice's temples.
He rushed to her before he even knew his feet were moving. "Clarice!"
The figure looked up, alarmed, to see John and very quickly sunk into the ground. Gone.
John kneeled down in front of Clarice, cupping her face in his hands. Her face was tear-stained and her eyes were glassy. She kept staring ahead. It didn't even seem like she was aware of John's presence.
"I'm sorry. I-I'm so sorry," she whispered shakily, still looking past John's face ahead of her.
"Clarice?" John whispered to her, rocks dug into his knees but weren't registered.
On both temples, red-looking veins expanded from her hairline to her eyes and the apples of her cheeks.
"I didn't know. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."
John looked behind to see if he could find who she was speaking to. Nothing.
"Clarice," he brushed a tear just as it fell from her eyes. She was trembling, distraught. It was scary to see. "Clarice we've got to go."
No answer.
He could hear Sentinels and they're not too far. They needed to get out of there.
He stood up and hauled her up with him but her legs proved to not work as she slumped against him. Still, her gaze didn't move. John bent down to place an arm behind her legs and back, lifting her up against his chest. She shuddered and muttered more apologies, to who and for what, he had no idea.
John held her more firmly and brushed a gentle kiss against her hairline as he ran to find Marcos and the others.
2 chapters in one day? I think yes. Im prob gonna go back and edit this one l8r but i was really excited to write this! Call me out on any mistakes cuz u alr kno i didnt proofread!