So apparently they did have thermal imaging cameras at the surface level.
As soon as the large doors closed above me, confirming my descent into the unknown abyss, the guard spun around and pointed his rifle right where I stood.
"Did you seriously think that would work?" He growled as he looked down the barrel of his gun, boring a hole through me with his gaze. If I made any sudden movements, his bullets would do the same thing.
Slowly I returned to my visible state, starting with my feet and cautiously revealing the rest. I was shaking from fear and feeling like a cornered animal. There was no way out of the elevator other than a bullet passing through my skull and the watchman in front of me seemed eager to make that happen.
"What are you doing here?!" He shouted at me, causing a slight involuntary flinch.
"I was...I...uhh..." I stuttered out a response, trying to form a logical explanation for my unannounced appearance at the top secret government facility.
"Spit it out freak!" The guard yelled, finger tightening on the trigger.
"I'm looking for someone!" I blurted out, shying away from the ominous weapon. The guard held his gaze steady for a second before lowering the gun and letting out an overwrought bellow of laughter.
Confused, I backed towards the wall as the elevator continued to drop. A shaft of light appeared from behind the guard as the platform slowed and revealed a brightly lit corridor lined with armed guards. When the platform rested, two of the masked guards walked towards me, grabbing my arms and cuffing them behind my back. There was no point in protesting as the guard who confronted me in the elevator had raised his gun once again.
"Alright Ms. Disappear, who are you here to see?" the guard asked, the smile on his masked face audible.
"Elsa" I stammered. The guards on either side of me hesitated slightly before forcefully grabbing me by the elbows. Although it was clear they were trying to hide it, the mere mention of Elsa's name had frightened them.
"The Ice Queen" seethed the guard on my right, his grip tightening on my thin arm.
"So be it." said the guard in front of me, all hints of sarcasm gone from his tone. "Admiral Westerguard may find some use in you"
The guards on either side of me began to drag me down the hallway none too gently. Once we reached the end, a set of doors opened to reveal another elevator. This one was much worse for the wear: dirty, noisy and altogether unpleasant. Rust crept upwards from the floor, covering the bottom third of the metal walls and appearing in spots all the way to the roof. The floor was clearly once a shiny metal, but was now discoloured after the years of use and abuse. The dull grey was punctuated with spots of rust and...blood?
I must have let out a small gasp because the guards tightened their grip on my arms and one of them spoke to me in a staged whisper.
"Watch your step, or that's all that'll be left of you" I could hear the sadistic pleasure he got from the threat and I knew I was in over my head. Whatever made me think that I could possibly be successful in this rescue attempt? I had no idea where to go, I had no way of winning a fight and now I was being led like a lamb to the slaughter. The only friendly face I knew in this prison was the person who had covered the city in snow and ice not 24 hours earlier and I was starting to doubt that even she would be friendly.
The creaking of the elevator door opening interrupted my thoughts, revealing another brightly lit corridor. There were no guards in this hallway, but locked doors and keypads lined the walls. The hall was significantly longer than the previous one, extending for what looked like miles. I was jerked forward into the hallway and the excursion began. What had started out as a frightened thought had begun developing into a plan and by the time we passed the fifth door, I knew what I needed to do.
I spied a security camera hanging from the intersection of ceiling and wall and generated a small force field around it. Not seconds later, the radio on the hip of the guard leading the way crackled to life. The static rendered the message incomprehensible to all but the most experienced of listeners. The guard picked up his radio and replied rudely.
"What about the security camera?"
More static came through and all three of the guards looked to the security camera. The purple sphere was visible for a brief moment before disappearing along with me.
Invisible, I twisted my arms to escape the grip of the momentarily distracted guards. I wasn't an experienced fighter, but I had learned standard self-defence techniques from both of my parents. For now, I had the element of surprise on my side, coupled with the fact that I was invisible. Once I jerked my right arm out of the grasp of one guard, the sentry on my left was more than surprised when my forehead connected with his jaw. He instantly let go of me and stumbled backwards towards the wall as I landed a kick on the hip of the guard I had wriggled free from.
Without wasting a second, I took off towards the elevator that brought me down to this hallway. I could hear the guards coming to their senses behind me, but I knew they wouldn't be able to see me escaping. That was when I heard the gunshot behind me. An electric shock ripped through me and I lost all control of my powers. I fell to the floor, my muscles tensing from the incredible pain and causing me to curl into a fetal position. My teeth chattered and I could feel cool liquid dribbling out of my mouth. A second later I was completely numb, all my nerves raw from the intense spasm.
"She won't be trying that again anytime soon." I heard a guard say from above me. Two strong hands grabbed my arms and dragged me down the corridor. I could feel the pressure on my arms, but nothing else. My eyes fluttered open and closed, my breath coming in ragged gasps. It felt like an eternity before my motion was halted and I was dropped like a rag doll, crumpled on the floor. I tried to keep my eyes open, as I looked down at my arms. The suit had ripped open in places along my forearm, leaving gaps of exposed skin. I could feel a cool sensation on my back and realised I must be bleeding from a deep cut. I felt the pressure of a hand below my right shoulder blade grasping for something. I heard a sickening RIP and suddenly all the pain flooded back into my system. I screamed at the top of my lungs and curled inwards. The action itself was a pretty stupid idea, because the long cut across my back burned even more. I arched in the opposite direction, tears flowing from my cheeks as the pain reached unbearable levels. I felt the force of a thousand pins and needles being driven into every square millimetre of my skin. Through the haze of tears and screaming, I heard one of the guards say: "It's your turn now"
The two guards I had attacked must have been pretty pissed off, because they held nothing back as they beat me with their batons until my arms were numb. I must have begun to flicker in and out of visibility, because I could hear a few of their swings missing and hitting the metal floor. When they were finally finished, they lifted my up by my arms again. My vision blurred as a door on the wall opened and I was dragged into the dark chamber. I forced myself to stay invisible in a misguided attempt to keep my pain to myself. I heard voices and another electric shock speared cut through me. I fell to my knees, visible once more and eyes blurred from tears. I looked up in front of me just in time to see a decorated military officer with ginger hair and an emotionless face framed by sideburns disappear from the massive screen that covered the wall in front of me.
Words were exchanged through a radio and almost instantly a bell rang followed by the terrifying sound of more boots on metal growing closer. My senses had begun to return to me and I could see a circle of armed men standing in front of me, rifles aimed at my head. I had only two choices left now. Fight or Die.
I chose to fight back.