Ch 23: A Change of Mind

Hell Bound,

Seeking Revenge,

In a blurred world where there is no distinction between good and evil,

Some people can turn into Demons, and become an unrelenting Force…

"Wake up Scatterfall!" A voice yells as a bucket of liquid is splashed into my face. Man what is that smell? "Hope you slept well in those shackles." I finally realize that Torchwick is back in front of me with a huge grin on his face, and a cigar in his other hand. "I'm going to ask you one last time, where is Professor Port located?"

"Go to hell," I mutter to him, realizing I was now bound to a chair. "So I got upgraded to a better room?"

"Shut it boy!" Torchwick drops his cigar at my feet. Eventually, the area around me is engulfed in flames. That liquid was gasoline or lighter fluid of some sorts. "Come on answer, don't want you to burn. And I know you aren't fond of fire." He grinned as the flames made their way up the chair. With sweat rolling down my face, I finally acknowledged that I had no other choice. You've got to do it Mako, no matter how much it hurts, you won't tell them that your friends are at Fort Winter. My clothes quickly ignited, Torchwick looked at me in awe, not understanding that I was willing to burn alive for my own friend's safety.

"Adam put him out, put him out dammit!" He yelled at him. Adam quickly splashed me with another bucket, killing the flame. "You have some guts boy, never would have thought you would put your own life on the line."

My shorts now burnt I looked him in the eyes, "You have no idea what I would do to protect my friends." Torchwick's produced a sly grin after he heard this.

"Adam give him some ice for the burns, we will give him some time to finally think about his decision." Torchwick muttered to Adam. He then walked out of the room leaving myself and Adam. Adam lifted my face up and stared at me, I could see his eyes through his intricate mask. I swear it felt like an eternity, but before I knew it, he was already out the door.

Then I waited, for what seemed like forever, and then the door slowly cracked open. I prepared myself for whatever could possibly happen next. Then a figure walked in casually, his attire was a black trench coat with a green trim. His face adorned a green mask that reminded me of a demon or a ghoul. "Mako is that you?" The voice reminded me of someone yet I didn't know who. He approached me and pulled back his mask revealing the recognizable magenta eyes of non-other than Lie Ren.

"Yea it's me, how the hell did you get here?" I asked him

"Doesn't really matter, I'm here to get you out of here." He replied pulling out his two green SMGs. "Can you walk Mako, or will I need someone else to carry you?"

I point down at my legs, revealing the burns and bruises on them, "I don't think I'm going anywhere Ren."

"Jaune! Get in here, Mako needs help." Just as the words fell out of his mouth the blonde haired knight walked in.

"We need to hurry Ren, Pyrrha can't hold them back forever." He bends down and picks me up into a fireman's carry over his shoulder. Ren, and Jaune with myself on his shoulder, run down the hallway, then I start hearing gunfire. Guess Pyrrha is busy I guess. We make our way into an open area that I'm guessing was a supply yard. I looked to the left to find Pyrrha shooting towards a crowd of WF soldiers.

"Pyrrha come on we are leaving!" He yelled as he got near her, unloading his two green SMGs on the crowd, dropping countless soldiers.

"Yes I guess it's time we left," Pyrrha says this as she spends the last rounds in her magazine.

"Guys I think our ride is here," Jaune blurted out as a dropship with GICD markings hovered overhead. Once this is over I will have to ask the GICD some questions. The craft lowered down into the supply yard as a squad of GICD soldiers got out to cover our escape. Jaune struggles to run with me on his shoulders. I can hear him panting as rounds ping around us. Eventually, Jaune is able to make it to the ship, and he slings me around into a seat. "Ren, Pyrrha we need to go now!" He yells at them as they turn around and make their way to the ship with the squad of GICD soldiers behind them, covering them.

Pyrrha quickly jumps into the ship as rounds begin to ping off of its hull. The soldiers start to file in as Ren stands at the edge of the landing zone covering them with his guns. The two last GICD soldiers enter the landing zone and post themselves behind cover. "You go in first sir," one of them says to Ren. Ren turns around and is about to enter the ship as he hears a cry behind him. Shoot, one of them got hit. Ren holsters one of his SMGs and runs back out towards the two soldiers out of my view. I hear more gunshots and yells as Ren comes back into view dragging the wounded soldier as the uninjured one covers there escape with his assault rifle, the burst fire from his gun emitting a rhythmic chatter.

Just as Ren was about to put the injured soldier in, another round hit the soldier, sending a red mist into the air, splattering onto Ren. "You bastards!" screams Ren as he unloads into the crowd. He has lost it he needs to get into the ship. Ren begins to reload with one hand as he still drags the fallen soldier towards the ship. Jaune jumps back off the ship to pick up the soldier as Ren continues to cover him. "No one will be left behind!" Ren screams at Jaune as he picks up the soldier and puts him into the ship as Ren jumps in behind him. "Go, Go, Go!" he motions for the pilot to take off. I grip my seat as it picks up speed and the door slides shut.

Ren punches the door in anger, "No one needed to die. I should have picked him up instead of dragging him."

Dang, this is really getting to Ren. I relax as a medic starts to tend to my wounds and bruises. I wince in pain as he puts bandages on my left leg, not paying attention to the right prosthetic one. "Ren it's not your fault, whenever you are in a firefight things happen that just aren't in your control." I replied to the flustered Ren.

"I guess you are right Mako. Might as well get some shut eye, it's quite a ride till we reach Fort Winter." He responds as he closes his eyes. Guess I should do the same. I close my eyes and relax, just glad that I was no longer being interrogated and tortured.