Chapter 23
Varen nearly jumped off the chair after what Arnette said. No sooner had he stood up did a loud beeping draw both of their attention towards the sound. Elizabeth's eyes opened as well as everyone else and she hit a button on the clock nearby. It was nearly ten at night and she slowly pushed herself up until she was sitting.
"It's time." The blonde Pandora said shaking Andre to wake him up. Varen looked back at Arnette concerned.
"Later." She said under her breath and Varen conceded turning to help Chiffon wake up.
"How are you?" Andre asked Elizabeth as she stood up from the bed.
"Much better now that I've had time to rest. I'm ready." She answered. Everyone was now up and stretching fixing their clothes before moving out. They looked back at Varen who wiped his forehead still trying to recover from what he'd just seen.
"We ready?" He asked and all their heads nodded.
"Nervous?" Chiffon asked and he nodded.
"Little bit. Let's get to the E-Pandora dorms quick as we can and quiet. We'll go from there." He answered. Attia cracked the door open and peered outside looking down each side of the hall. She waved her hand and slipped out the door. They had all looked over the map that was provided to them and memorized the quickest way to get to the E-Pandora dorms. At each corner they stopped waiting for Attia to give them the go ahead to move up.
"Hang on." She whispered at one of the corners as two students from Midland Genetics unlocked their door and stepped inside. As soon as the door shut she passed around the corner walking as softly as she could up to the next intersection waving everyone forward. They continued unimpeded thanks to Attia's vigilance stopping when necessary or doubling back.
"Almost there." The small Pandora whispered behind her just as she reached another corner and fell on her rear. A long black haired girl with tan skin fell on top of her with a yelp.
"Ouch…" Attia winced rubbing her head.
"Oh no." The girl said scrambling off of Attia and onto her feet.
"They found us." The girl said behind her as seven or eight more girls ran up beside her. The rest of the Nightingales equally joined Attia after they saw the two girls collide with one another.
"Rattle right?" Chiffon asked and the girl turned her head. They were all dressed in the same outfits they wore when they sparred against the Pandora.
"Please don't do this." Rattle begged Chiffon.
"What is going on?" Elizabeth asked pushing her way forward.
"Ms. Mably?" Amelia called out finally joining the other E-Pandora.
"Amelia…why are you here, what are you doing?" Elizabeth asked and the E-Pandora all looked at each other nervously.
"They're breaking out…" Arnette said in astonishment.
"We won't be thrown away like rodents. I won't let Gina's death be forgotten as just a statistic for this project. Even if it's you who stand in front of us Ms. Mably I'll beat you and get her name out." Amelia said defiantly.
"In here." Varen motioned towards a storage room nearby. Everyone slipped into the room and Varen shut the door quietly behind.
"We're here to help Amelia." Elizabeth said. Amelia stared at her blankly as if she hadn't understood what was said.
"You're…going to help us escape?" One of the E-Pandora asked.
"We'll get you out of here." Arnette said and the girls all brightened.
"I, don't know what to say." Amelia said softly overcome with emotion.
"You'll have plenty of time to figure that out, for now we need to keep moving." Varen said looking out the window of the door that led into the room.
"We can't leave yet; we need the data for the Mark 3 serum that caused Gina to novalize. Without it none of this will matter." Amelia said.
"Right, you know where we can get it?" Ticy asked and the girl nodded.
"Central command." She answered.
"Oh man…that's not the answer I was hoping for. You girls have no chance of getting in there." Arnette said.
"With this we can." Rattle answered holding out a small case that she opened revealing a syringe. Elizabeth looked up at the E-Pandora with wide eyes.
"Mark 3." She said and Rattle nodded.
"We don't care about dying. All we need to do is get one of us out with the data and show what is happening here. Nothing else matters." Amelia said.
"We can fight on par with you until it takes us over. By then we'll be long gone and the world will know the nightmares this place created." One of the other E-Pandora said. Chiffon looked over at Varen who stared back at her expressionless.
"Alright." Chiffon reluctantly agreed. One by one the girls produced a case and removed the syringe from each. They hesitated for only a moment before plunging the needles into their arms. The green liquid inside slowly entered their veins as they depressed the plunger.
"Now, the clock is ticking." Amelia said tossing the syringe aside and wiping a tear from her eyes.
"There's well over a dozen of us this won't be a silent thing anymore." Andre said and Varen nodded. Warning sirens erupted in sound as well as the same red lights that lit up when the incident with Gina occurred.
"They found out we are gone and that the Mark 3 serums were stolen." An E-Pandora said fearfully.
"We can cut through the C wing courtyard." Amelia said quickly moving up next to Varen
"Alright we're right behind you." He said and she nodded.
"Thank you, we won't forget this Justicar." She answered and he opened the door. They filed out following close behind Amelia as she sprinted down the hallways. The deafening sound of alarms and flashing lights surrounded them at each turn.
"It's starting to take effect, she's fast." Chiffon said running next to Varen.
"Yeah, it must work quickly." He agreed talking loud enough so she could hear him over the sirens.
"Stop!" A Chevalier Pandora shouted as they ran forward. A second Pandora stood beside her as Amelia jumped into the air spinning sideways letting her right leg lead. It connected with the Pandora's face sending her crashing against the wall.
"Acceleration!" Chiffon shouted charging forward sending both her fists into the mid-section of the other Pandora sending her sprawling across the floor. Both remained motionless as the group kept running.
"You just hit a Chevalier Pandora!" Attia yelled.
"I kind of liked it!" Chiffon yelled back with a wink.
"This way!" Amelia commanded turning towards a door and shoulder ramming it open. It led outside where snow was still falling, but no longer violently. It drifted slowly down from the night sky covering the ground throughout the open section of the facility. She skidded to a stop just outside the doorway as everyone else came up behind her.
"Traitors." Varen heard the word before he saw where it came from. He came up beside Amelia seeing the small blonde haired Pandora standing ahead of him. Her Limiter stood behind her, both in full combat gear.
"You…" Amelia growled through gritted teeth.
"I was wrong about you Justicar. I thought for a moment you were someone who lived up to the stories, but now I see I was wrong. I'm disappointed." The girl said letting her hands down to her sides as twin punching daggers formed into her hands.
"Stand aside Charles. We're putting an end to this charade right now." Varen answered.
"You are a soldier! Soldiers follow orders!" Charles screamed back spreading her legs and lowering into an attack stance.
"You saw it yourself Charles! They covered up what happened to Gina! They are killing these girls!" Arnette argued.
"So what? The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few! If it means that we can better defeat the Nova, then what does it matter if a few lose their lives in the process? The greater good is all that matters!" Charles shot back.
"Do you not hear yourself? You are condoning murder Charles. I don't understand why you are so blinded by obligation to a facility you only just arrived at a few days ago." Chiffon said.
"I used to look up to you. You were the last person I expected to turn against us. You don't deserve to be a Pandora." Charles spat at Chiffon.
"I'll kill you!" Amelia roared but a hand held her in place.
"Go. We can handle this." Elizabeth said standing in front of everyone as Andre joined her.
"She's a world ranked Pandora Elizabeth." Varen said and the blonde haired Pandora turned her head towards him flashing a smile.
"That means nothing to me. Get these girls out of here Varen. Can you at least do that much for me?" She asked. He stared back at her for a few moments before nodding.
"Alright Elizabeth." He answered. Charles furrowed her brow as Elizabeth stepped forward a few paces along with Andre.
"Rich girl wants to fight? Fine, let me educate you that money can't buy you strength!" Charles shouted slashing her blades together sending sparks flying out.
"Elizabeth." Attia said reluctantly.
"Go my friend and good luck." Elizabeth answered snapping her arms out to her sides bringing her satellites online. Varen put his arm around Attia pulling her along as they all ran back into the facility through the door they came from.
"There's another way we can go come on!" Amelia shouted leading them away. Arnette and Attia looked back at the door looks of concern crossing their faces.
"She can hold her own." Chiffon said trying to ease their minds.
"Charles is very strong." Arnette answered.
"There's a reason that Elizabeth is the second ranked student of our school yet fights so little. I fear that Charles may have awoken a sleeping giant." Ticy said. Up ahead three Chevalier Pandora blocked their path with weapons already in their hands. One by one volt weapons appeared into the Nightingales hands as well as the E-Pandora.
"Don't kill them." Varen commanded.
"Roger." Attia answered flipping her grip on the chain sending it snaking forward towards the Pandora. Varen and Chiffon leapt in first blocking the Pandora's blows allowing Ticy and Arnette to follow behind using the pommel and pole of their weapons to strike the Pandoras. Rattle and Amelia overpowered the third easily with Cassie knocking her unconscious with a swift strike from the pole of Amelia's weapon.
"We're almost there!" Amelia shouted picking up speed again.
"Amelia how much…" Varen trailed off as they pushed through a set of doors and saw a Pandora standing between them and the next doorway. She stood calmly in the center of the hall staring coldly at the group as they came to a stop.
"Surrender." She said coldly. Her genetics uniform blazer was unbuttoned revealing her t-shirt underneath. She made no move to prepare for a fight and almost looked bored staring at everyone.
"Julia Munberk." Chiffon said with a rare hint of fear in her voice.