Chapter 6:
"…!"
I'm speechless, bewildered, horrified even. Seeing the whole thing happen right before my eyes.
What the hell are those things…
They're dark, incomprehensible beings, their skin is dark, but shifts colors from dark to red as if a child endlessly scribbles on them. White eyes, no iris or pupil, just pure scalera. They're bipedal, with their height and limb size almost the same as a human's. But their toes, fingers, and head are stretched to a point. Their head is shaped like a diamond.
Is this what those things are?
And they're eating and laughing at their game as if it was the most delicious thing in the world.
"…!" I can't fight them.
I'm not even fit to fight. I'm keeping my body together by sheer will alone. My arms and legs are so damn tired from the construction work I did today, they're demanding me to sleep and drink water.
Best thing to do is to head towards my original plan in Street Rage. Even though following them is a bit out of way, it isn't really that far, maybe 3 kilometers or so.
I slowly give power to my legs as I quietly stand from my hiding spo-!
Shit.
The war room is silent. The gun shot echoed loudly enough that it robbed them off any sound. The smoke from the barrel rises in solemnity, while the man that shot the ceiling controls himself from pulling the trigger again.
"FUCK!"
He roars from the bottom of his heart as he throws his Command away from him.
IF lands and rolls on the ground. You can hear her body ragdoll as if it were a rubber filled with water bouncing around.
"Iffy!" Compa tears herself apart from the operative holding her and rushes over to her friend. The other soldiers don't do so, they only watch their Commander.
"Kh…!" Compa helps her up, IF's face is pained. She has a cut on her lower lip.
"Goddammit!" the soldier that was holding her before curses.
"…"
"GOD FUCKING DAMMIT! AAAAARGH!"
*BAM!*
He punches one of the computer's screen. The monitor went flying, landing, and rolling and breaking with cracking sounds repeatedly being played with each roll.
He breathes heavily, trying to calm down his anger. His shoulder rise up and down as breathes, his fist clenched so tight his nails burrow into his palms. He tries to hold down his feelings, no matter how much they want to burst. His very own brother left abandoned shatters his heart.
"…!"
He walks away.
Everyone's eyes followed him. No one says a word as he walks out. Reaching the for the door, he swings it wide open and slams it behind him.
"…"
The rest of the soldiers and operatives all look at the brunette girl that caused this.
IF doesn't flinch at their stares. How do they feel towards her she wonders? She doesn't care. She had already said her piece after all. No use trying to take back the words she said. She gestures Compa to let her go and stands before her.
"…Is there anyone else that wants to say their piece?"
"…!" Compa was about to say something, but IF gave her a quick look.
"…What's our next plan?"
"We will have to leave this place. With all of our entrances sealed, it's highly unlikely that they'll be able to get to this place. We'll use one of our escape routes to Virtua Forest, from there, make our way to Lowee where we'll regather our forces"
"So in other words, we just hide"
"We'll do more than hide. I'll tell you more about it once we head there, but unless you're willing to follow me, then that's all you guys need to know"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
The room goes silent once more. They contemplate on the offer. All of them know, all 25 of them know, that following their Commander is no obligation. For one, they left their comrades to die by those things and by Lastation's forces. And surely, the floor is on them to decide if they want to join her.
"…Will I get my revenge then?" a soldier asks.
"…For who?" IF asked.
"My brother, he was journalist. Lastation ordered a hit on him"
"…I see" IF nods.
"Yes"
"I'm in then" the same soldier steps up.
"H-Hey! Are you serious?"
"What? Don't tell me you trust her"
"No. But I'm in the middle of a revenge story here. I'll take any chance I get"
"I'm in too" another one said.
"Hey! Are you fucking serious!?"
"All of my buddies died up there. Might as well live like hell and die like one too"
"I-I'm sorry… I can't…" one of the lady operators said.
"Me too… I can't take it anymore…" another operator said.
"I'm sorry… Commander we don't want to…"
Slowly, the rest of the remaining soldiers and operatives all say their piece. In the end, 4 soldiers and 1 operative are willing to join IF. A significant loss of manpower. Those that remains all have the same reasons to come with her. 'Revenge', 'Nothing to live for', 'Looking for a sweet reprieve'.
"For those that want out, you can either stay here or come with us to Virtua Forest to drop you off. The route we're taking is secure, unless the sun comes up. We'll leave in 15 minutes. Ready your stuff"
"Yes. Ma'am…"
The all leave the war room one by one. Their steps echo in the underground room like raindrops hitting the asphalt. Once the door closes behind them, IF sits on the chair, exhausted.
"Iffy, you okay?"
"Yeah… haha…" she dryly laughs.
"It's going to be painful for you and me to head to Lowee…"
"Mhm…" Compa nods.
"How long was it since we last went there? 7 years was it?"
"…Yup… It's such a long time haha…" now Compa dryly laughs.
"Rom and Ram… and Blanc too… I wonder if they're in a good place right now…" Compa mumbles to herself. A dark, nasty feeling crawls up from her being.
"If they are… it's a lot better than this place, right?"
"Yeah…"
A brief pause. Now turns 2. Now 4. Now a minute. Now 5. Both wait for their companions to arrive in the war room. The air is still. Their hearts and minds rattle to what to say next. But words fail to form, and their silence continues.
"Commander, may I have a word?"
"What is it, General? And have you secured the perimeter yet?"
"Yes, ma'am. We now have 3 A10s circling the sky, and we are now slowly pulling our footmen out of the city"
"Good. Then what is it you want, General?"
"I would like to ask permission to have a team of 5 men scout out Planeptune"
"And why is that?"
"The lack of confrontation after the Tower fell is concerning to say the least"
"Is it not a possibility that they've now given up?"
"We've considered. You can never really tell with these militia. They might have something up their sleeve"
"Considering we know it is IF that is leading them…" Kei contemplates.
"Yes, Ma'am. I don't know her personally, but from what I've seen on the report, she's the type that will be get troubling the more she backs into a corner"
"That is true. And her experience in monster hunting with the CPUs also puts her in an advantage"
"Yes, ma'am. That is why…"
"Granted. You may scout Planeptune. Foil whatever plans they are making"
"Yes, ma'am"
"Hm? You sound excited for some reason?"
"No ma'am. I'm just excited to capture her, she's infamous amongst the Intelligence where I used to work. The rumors surround her paints her as the real monster"
"I see… Please do be careful now when dealing with IF"
"Ma'am!"