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Chapter Sixteen

X kept on a steady pace, but something nagged at his mind. He frowned to himself, and every so often looked over his shoulder.
He called to Zero, "You got a bad feeling?"
Zero glanced over at X and shook his head, "No, not really. Why?" he called back.
He shook his head, "Must be nothing then..."
"I don't know...Its just something feels...wrong..." he added.
Zero shrugged, "I wonted worry about it. But I guess it wouldn't hurt to be a little extra careful." he said. Zero slowed his bike down as they came to the old building, "Well, we're here. Shall we check the place out?"
X nodded and slowed to a halt. He hopped off the bike and again looked over his shoulder for a moment.
Zero walked past X, patting his back as he did, "Don't worry. The bikes will be fine. Come on." he said as he approached the doors.
X followed after him. He looked about then wrinkled his nose in disgust and put his hand to his nose, "Ugh, something smells like something rotting!"
Zero laughed some, "Come on, it wont kill you." he pushed open the doors and walked inside.
X kept his hand clamped to his face, "I'm glad I don't have the ability to throw up or I would."
Zero laughed again, "Its not that bad." he said and took and big whiff of the air and gagged, "Ok, forget that.."
X hesitated and held his stomach, "UGH! Its horrible!" he opened a door gingerly and saw the source of the odour. He recoiled with a choke and sputtered, "Bodies!"
Laying sprawled in what was probably once the command room were at least three dead humans. Obviously they had been there a few days.
Zero looked in over X's shoulder and narrowed his eyes at the sight, "Who would do such a th--" he stopped as part of his dream flashed through his mind. "...We should report this in to Signas or Alia or somebody..." he said and backed away from the door.
X clapped a hand to his mouth and fled the door.
He ran to the outside and took a lungful of clean air and coughed to clear the sight from his mind.
Zero quickly followed X out, and did the same. He lifted his arm and tapped it a few times, opening a comm to Signas, "Sir. Zero reporting. X and I found something at that old building to the south of HQ."
Signas yelled over the Radio, "No time! Get back here NOW! We have a problem!" he then yelled faintly at another Hunter, "Hold that door SHUT!!"
X blinked and looked up, "What? What's going on?"
Zero shook his head, "Not sure. Sounded like an attack." he ran over to his bike and jumped on, "We better hurry. They may need us."
X nodded and jumped to his bike, "Let's shred some sand!" he revved the bike and it shot off.
Zero nodded, revved and took off after X.
X groaned lightly to himself, 'I knew something was wrong...' he leaned forward against the bike to pick up speed.
Zero bit his lip, being a few feet behind X. "I hope we're not too late. They sound like they were in real trouble."
X saw the HQ in sight and felt urgency strike his whole body. He could hardly keep his eyes open due to the wind in his eyes and when the came to the garage, it was wide open. He stopped the bike recklessly and jumped off before it came to a full stop.
He charged off, following the sounds of exchanging gun fire.
Zero pulled in a few seconds after X, jumped off his bike and ran after X and sounds of battle.
X saw his worst fear ahead. Hunters were desperately fighting off Mavericks as they stormed into the navigation's room.
X saw them and cried his furry. He unleashed a fully charged shot straight at one, taking its head clean off.
Zero ran into the hall and stopped. He blinked at all that was going on. He growled and drew his sabre and lunged at the nearest Maverick, slicing it in two.
X lunged at one, and in his rage caved its head in with one swift blow with his Buster. He leapt to the next maverick, making his way into the room.
Zero cursed as he tried to follow X, but was stopped at a group of 4 Mavericks that turned their attention to him. He smirked a little, lunging at them. With a few quick slashes of his sabre, all four fell to the ground minus a limb or two each.
It took a few moments, but the mavericks were taken care off.
X noticed many of the Hunter Staff were wounded, but his eyes fell on someone else and a horrible cry of pain tore from his throat, "ALIA!!" he ran to her side. She lay against the console, a gash ran from her shoulder down to her side.
Zero ran into the room, breathing deeply. He put his sabre away and looked around, grit his teeth and ran over to X and Alia, "Is she ok?"
X grabbed her into his arms and sobbed, "Alia! Wake up!" he shook her not roughly but not gently. Tears stained his cheeks as he did so.
"X..." Zero half reached his hand out to X, then pulled it back. "She'll be ok, X. But we should get her to the med room."
X hugged her to his chest and wept, "I should have been there!"
Signas limped into the room, "What's going on? Is everyone alright?"
"X it--" Zero started to say and looked over to Signas, "Sir, Alia here. She's got an impressive gash." he leaned to X and whispered, "Its not your fault."
Signas waved in two Medics and came to the Zero and X, "Come on X. You have to let go of her."
X cried, "NO! I won't leave her!" and choked with another sob.
Signas shook his head, "Help me out here Zero, grab Alia, I'll get X."
X wasn't listening and didn't move until Signas began to peel his arms away. X panicked and screamed, "NO! Let go!! LET GO!!" Signas held fast and yanked X away.
Zero dived between X and Alia as Signas pulled X away, and caught Alia. He looked to X as if saying sorry.
X wailed, "No! Let me go! ALIA! ALIA!"
Signas was forced to shove X against the wall to keep him from going after Zero.
"Get her out! Quick!" Signas grunted as X tried to claw away over his shoulder.
Zero nodded, glanced at X, and quickly looked away. He picked up Alia in his arms and ran with her from the room, taking her, with the medics, to the med room.
X gave in and sobbed bitterly. He went limp against the wall and hung his head. Signas gently let him down and X fell to the ground in a sitting position.
Signas steadied X's shoulders as he cried, not caring if the General saw. Signas gave him a slight shake, "X, calm down. Think clearly. She'll be alright. I PROMISE you."
X didn't speak, he couldn't.
Signas stood, leaving X alone to his thoughts and pain. There was little he could do. He nodded to a Medic to keep an eye on him and followed after Zero.
Zero has placed Alia into a Cryo Tube in the Med Room and had started back. He saw Signas and slowed his run and stopped in front of him. He gave a quickly salute and was about to continue on.
Signas nodded to him and let him pass.
X sat looking at his hands, that were still stained with Alia's own blood. He bit too hard into his lip and felt blood well into his mouth, but he ignored it; all he could do was stare at his shaking hands.
Once back in the navigation's room, Zero kneeled down in front of X. "X. You had to let her go. She's going to be ok now, I made sure of it." he reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.
X looked up at Zero with eyes red from tears. As soon as he tried to say something another sob broke and he looked back down, unable to meet Zero's gaze.
Zero sighed and sat next to X, and leaned ageist the wall, not sure what to do or say to X.
X remained half in and out of awareness for hours until he finally cried himself to sleep. He started to lean off towards the side of the wall unknowingly.
Zero looked at X, and chuckled lightly noticing he was asleep. "I guess I should get him to his room." he sighed some, smiling, but stayed sitting.
X whimpered lightly in his sleep and eventually sank to the floor on his side. He flinched once or twice and settled against the iron floor as if it were a bed.
Soon, Cain peered his head in, "X? Zero? Are you two still here?"
Zero looked up and stood, "Doctor, over here." he said, a little on the quiet side and waved.
Cain frowned and walked to them. He kneeled by X and patted his shoulder, "Poor X...I've never seen the lad so heartbroken. I heard from Signas. Are you alright yourself, Zero?"
Zero nodded, "I'm fine. Do you know what the attack was about?"
"According to Signas, Sigma sent a Unit of Mavericks at us...We were unprepared for them."
Zero nodded, "Was there any kind of motive behind the attack?"
"Is there ever one? Just destruction and to wound us." Cain sighed, "Let's get him off the floor, I might be old but I can still help."
Zero looked down at X and nodded again, "Yeah. Ok." he kneeled down, "..Come on, X.." he carefully lifted X up and carried him over his shoulder.
X's eyes flickered open for only a moment, but remained closed as Zero carried him off.
Cain watched and followed after him. He shook his head, "Almost all of our Navigators taken out...Alia and a few others were the lucky ones..."
"We better not tell X that. He would blame himself." Zero said. "Hmm...our Navigators. Why would they...Never mind, I think I know why." he sighed. "So, are we talking X to his room?"
Cain nodded, "He doesn't seem to be injured. I think some R&R will do him some good. He'll be excused for duty for awhile. I'm sure he wouldn't show up anyway..."
Zero smiled a little, but it faded. "Right. I guess a little solo work won't kill me."
Zero opened the door to X's room and went in. He laid X down on his couch, "He'd be more comfy there. Lets go." Zero said and left X's room
Cain looked back at his old assistant for a moment before leaving with Zero.
He straightened his coat and said, "Get some rest Zero. We all have a tiring day ahead of us..."
"Yeah...Okay." Zero waved, "See you tomorrow, Doctor." he left down the hall and went to his own room and laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling for about an hour before falling asleep.