Chapter Thirty Three:
I stir from my slumber to panic and dismay, it was nearly dusk. There is a loud thud. Something pelts the front of the truck. It was like rain, pelting the vehicle. But rain isn't a cause of alarm. I make my way to face Jane and Nyx.
"What's going on?" I said with sleep in my voice.
"Someone is taking pot shots at the truck, we've lost a tire or two and the engine is smoking." Nyx said frantically who was now driving, just up ahead was the highway.
"Maybe it was a group of raiders or Cranks? I said with panic boiling in my thoart.
"Unlikely there been hitting us for a mile approaching the highway." Jacob said trying to contain the water as a hole in the back of the truck has appeared and the water had been hit.
"Ross look!" Soc said handing me a long piece of ammunition. It was different then a pistol bullet.
"It's not a run of the mile attacker."
"It's a high caliber round. Our attacker is trained In using their weapon. Usually people get a good vantage point, called a snipers nest and take precision shots at a target."
"Basically, Jane or Nyx would of been shot dead if that was the intent." Curie said scrambling to get things together.
"We think there trying slow us down, by shooting critical points of the truck." Jacob said with dread behind his words.
"We need to abandon the truck and take cover amoung the different sections of the highway. Jane and Curie you'll need to stay hidden as we draw their attention. Once were in their sights drive the truck further ahead.
With everyone in agreement; Nyx, Soc, Myself and Jacob barrel out of the truck, tucking and rolling safety to a partition of the roadm The truck stop to play the part.
"Take cover!" Soc screams as we all crouch and hid against the divider of lanes, the heat rolling off our skin in pain.
Perched up and sitting on the upper platform was a tall figure in a green over coat, hood covering their face. They had been holding a high caliber rifle, its bullet's can tear through the truck like paper.
From above was snickers and laughs of content, the voice rather intrigued at the chaos.
"Show yourself coward!" Nyx said baiting them.
"As you wish Nyx." They said his name with pure laugher. This person wasn't random. There was only one answer, they worked for WICKED. But if they are meant to kill us, that would upheaval the Trial. Nothing made sense I thought as I made my way towards the other's. Could they be another defector? But they seem to young to be on a board of stiff neck director's. Out here in the open, there is no use running, there is no one to help. They were trained and proficient, there no way this person is apart of Group B. WICKED as messed up as they are, aren't going to arm us like this. Assassin unknown…. What are you playing at?
The figure swung the rifle over their shoulder than proceeded to clap slowly for dramatic effort, childish theatrics go hand and hand with villains. It's their motif. This was joke to them, we should be dead. But here we are diverting out of sight not wanting to get shot up or the girls killed.
Once the veil had been lifted a snow-white face with reddish pink spiked hair stood out, they were a she. I knew this person. Back at the party, but why?
"Joanna!" The others said, Jacob a bit more vicious.
"Ello boy's, long time no see. Where's mutie at?"
"Why you!"
"Don't!" I said holding back Nyx who was enraged.
"So scary, always the leader. And the demon of the Drone, always trying to get my head, I see you've all worked out your differences."
"Why Claire?" I ask sounding upset like a child being told no.
"This right. Gent's, here is the only man outside my employer's that know my real name. I still miss your warm lips from that night." She giggled blowing a kiss at me from up above.
"I asked you why!?" This time my voice rather full of distain. Then I heard her voice but didn't see her mouth open.
'Ive been promised playtime with you, didn't I tell you from the start? I'm sure of it.' She said inside my head. My insides shook as I grined my teeth.
'It's been you, plaguing my mind with vauge nonsense. I thought I was losing it, but it's always been you!' I said shaking nervously, unwilling to process this moment.
"This was a nasty bit of pleasure and business, you'd happen to be so charming and irresistible. Usually my targets never get wind of my presence." She bragged. "You have friends in high places, if I was tricked into entering the wrong Maze to exterminate you."
"The Drone? It makes sense why you'd been so suspicious." Jacob clinch his fist. He was ready to do something hasty.
"Everything was fine until you stuck your nose into my business. I want you to die knowing you're the one who sent all those kids to their graves. Theta died a miserable death and why Jane's a mute. Jacob you're the cause of all this suffering." She said with a hint of amsument.
"I made peace with my mistakes. I'll be the first to admit to my sins, and killing you is one I'm proud to undertake!"
Claire rounded up her ammo switching it for something more devastating.
"You still got the bow and arrow? I purpose to Soc.
"Yeah, I figured this baby would work out." Soc mentions pulling out a shoddy crossbow. "I'll just need a good shot at her face or chest. But I'll need a distraction.
'Jane count down to five, and give the engine everything you got. High tail it a few miles away. Once you get that started I want you to hit the horn, so to distract her.' I called out to her mind
'Okay, and good luck.' She said.
"I've brought you a distraction, just don't screw this up Soc." I say to him in a whisper.
He stood well hidden yet had his sights on Claire. That's when she fire seven shots in succession near us, the sheer impact blew bits of our cover apart.
This made us run towards another area rather swiftly taking position against something more sturdy. She shot round after until the truck had the advantage to take off, Jane hit the gas and blasted out of the combat field as fast as possible, barring the horn like planned. Claire attention snap at the truck aiming to rip through it with her stronger ammo.
"Now!" Nyx shouted with conviction as Soc took the shot with his bow, the arrow zipped and ripple through the heat torn air, impaling right into where her heart located with pinpoint accuracy.
She stood there unfazed, with a sadistic smile, pulling out the arrow which was bent and broken. She, she was wearing armored clothing. A indirect conflict wasn't possible, as she fired generously towards us sending us to scurrying like rats.
"Nice shot, but unfortunately I always go combat prepared. A for effort Soc, next time aim for the head!" She said leaning over the upper platform barrier, aiming a regular pistol that fired and hit Soc, sending him to the guard in a twitching fit. She had one of the weapons the guards had back at the facility.
"You!" I declare by pointing her."It me you want isn't it?"
"Correct. Prolonging it might get your buddies killed, so join me, I promise you safe passage."
"Ross…" Jacob and Nyx say as I start to climb the passage way.
"It's fine, trust me. If the chance apperes I want you to get out of here. If I do fall here, save my friends okay?"
"You have my word." Nyx said getting Jacob out of the line of sight.
Slowly but surely I hide my spear away where it couldn't hurt me, I can't have her expecting me to come arm. I can't fathom what she going to do, but I have to face her alone, despite the hard journey up the broken passage way. The heat brunt at my hand with the scorching partitions and roads, climbing higher and higher to I've reached the upper platform some stories up.
"Welcome lover boy." She says winking at me, putting down her rifle and pistol.
"I don't plan on dying here, just so you know!" I said getting into a fighting stance.
"Where would you like to die then?" She said rushing towards me like a bullet herself.
Her fists both right and left connect with my jaw sending me stumbling back. Her attacks are relentless, I see just how massive gap between her and me is. Her combat prowess is something monstrous. Just as I end up falling on my ass, she lift me up by my collar and kisses me on the neck, before kicking me in the groin. Once, twice, thrice then she lets go of her grip tossing me towards the boarder, the lower half of the highway nearly in reach of falling down to.
I'm on the ground coughing and squirming in pain, her hits leaving a residual effect. "Aw babe, is that all?" Claire said walking up to me, slowly yet seductively, her boots connecting with my jaw with a hot flash of pain as she strides behind me.
"You happen to not play fair." I spoke wheezing in pain.
The battle was all but done hopefully I brought enough time for the others. Claire returns yanking my jaw open, she slips in her pistol right between my teeth. The taste of metal is unpleasant. She was going to blow my brains out all over the platform, a horrible way to die.
My vision is double as she leads the gun out of my mouth towards my temple. I hear the chamber lock, it's ready to fire. Her lips touch my again as she forces herself on me, her jacket slowly unzipping let out small pockets of steam.
"I want all of you, every last bit down to your very last atom's," she moaned then smiled more sadistically. Her face was pink and full of blush her eyes widened like a cat's.
"You're insane!" I spit. But before I could say anything else her lips bit into mine, slowly and slowly.
"I like how this is going!" She shouts forcing me to the floor back first as she sits on my chest.
"What, what are you doing?" I stutter trying to fight off the urge of perversion.
"Would you like to die a real man?" She asks holding the gun in one hand and something else in the other. Her jacket has slip off and her more feminine features stick out and it harder to get a grip that this girl still has a gun to my head. "The least I can do I finish what we nearly started that night. Hmm, how bout it Ross?"
"Screw you!" I hiss under her weight.
Claire sighs then stood me back up, and slams the brunt of her palm on my nose sending me back a is a pause, before something unthinkable happens. A loud bang but it's sound it's just to the right of me, but similar something fires towards Claire. I break free only to be greeted by shrill screams of pure agony.
There is a arrow latch straight in her left eye. But how. I turn to the opposite direction. Her body shocked and surprised, it took a moment before pulling it out of her socket.
"Sonofva!" She cried.
Soc was on the floor a massive hole formed in his chest, blood squirting. He's dead on impact from the wound. "Soc!" I scream running towards him, lifting his body on my lap. I shake him over and over and still he doesn't stir. I don't accept this, it won't process In my mind. The others are on their way up, I hear her sinster laughing. Claire is sitting up, she'd yank out the arrow and is smiling.
"A mind Is a terrible thing to waste." She cackles, causing my blood to boil.
"You!" I point at her swiftly picking up the crossbow opening fire on her, hitting her point blank in her face. Over and over till she's dead once and for all, before turning my attention to Soc. I feel my body tense up before letting out a unintelligible scream. I scream to my voice went hoarse and body grew stiff from pounding the ground with my fist.
My eyes began to blur and waver before decided to reach a peak of strain that made the world a colorless hue of grey. Cool air wisp around me as night had drawn near. Then there is slience and unspoken lack of consciousness. Another friend is dead.