Frozen in place we looked at each other eye to eye. Everyone was fine. Strife was the first one to look back. Then everyone did so as well. There we saw Dhurnuth standing. His arm holding his gun with its barrel smoking. Celestine, Strife, and I looked at the line of sight of the gun. The two of them looked at Siltoin. I looked at Julia, luckily she was safe.
Siltoin on the other hand was a little bit unlucky. He stood there frozen and sweating. His eyes moved around as if he was looking where the blast went. But his hand was already on his side holding out his wound. He gnashed his teeth in pain as he coughed out blood. He slowly collapsed on the floor. Julia was close to him so she caught him as he fell.
Strife and Celestine looked over Siltoin. I however took out my gun and returned fire at Dhurnuth. I kept firing at him but he just dodged them like it was nothing.
"Run now" I looked at Julia.
"But…" She looked at me distraught.
I don't want to leave myself behind but Dhurnuth already shot down Siltoin. My mind was thinking of making sure Julia is safe
"Go. Now! I'm right behind you"
Julia was caught in a predicament. She wanted to stay but Celestine saw me and she grabbed her cousin as they ran away. Strife also picked up and carried Siltoin. Strife looked at me and took one of his machine guns and tossed it over to me. They ran away from us. I continued to fire at Dhurnuth.
He was frustrated. He raised his hand to fire but I covered fire for my friend. He used the spaces in the hallway as a cover. I kept firing, I looked back and saw that they were already clear. I reloaded and decided to follow after them. I ran and shoot at Dhurnuth. He was still pinned in the halls.
The whole place started to blow up little by little. Debris fall over. Some were small enough to dodge and some big enough to hurt us. I saw this and holstered my guns. I ran back to them. I ran and reached the elevator. They were their waiting for me. As I sprinted they smiled. I was happy to see Julia relieved.
As I got near their faces changed. Celestine pulled out a gun. I looked behind and saw Dhurnuth chasing me. He aimed his gun at me. But he was slow, Celestine shot him at the shoulder, forcing him to miss me. The hit didn't damage him that much it only made him more pissed. At this rate we can't kill him that easy.
With my friends safety as my top priority. I shot at the cable of the elevators. I gave a good five shots enough to sever it. It made the elevator go into a free fall. I sprinted as fast as I could and jumped on top of the elevator. Dhurnuth was about to jump behind me but I gave a quick turn and shot him stunning his momentum, trapping him up there.
As the elevator picked up speed the safety features rolled in. As it found a way to decelerate. Everyone inside got out. Celestine checked everyone and Julia looked on top of the elevator. I was there sitting, I decided to join them as I jumped out.
"Detonation process in 20…" the automated voice started to countdown.
"Let's go" Strife told everyone.
We ran like hell to the exit that they created. We reached the whole, everyone of us climbed on. Celestine climbed first, Siltoin was assisted by Celestine. Next was Strife. I assisted Julia she looked at me.
"What a crazy documentary right?" she smiled.
"Yup" I replied as I helped her up.
As we reached the rappel line we wore the harness on the floor. As we finished everyone started to connect their designated rappel to their harness. Then they begin to ascend.
The moment I was about to put mine on, someone tackled me. I rolled to the ground, my reflexes took over as I covered my face. A knee flew into it, which I was able to block. The force of the kick put me on the ground. Then suddenly Dhurnuth was on top of me. He aimed his gun at me but I was able to deflect it. He kept beating at me but I was able to block and parry some of it.
"If I'm going to die. I'll take you with me" He shouted through his rage.
I was struggling to get out. Mostly I could find a way out of this situation but I am pressed for time.
"Seven, Six, Five" The automated voice kept saying.
Dhurnuth started to choke me. I gagged and struggled for air. He kept cursing me and repeated the words die.
Then I saw a hand reached his shoulder. He was quick to back hand his would be assailant. It was Julia, she got knocked a few steps back. Dhurnuth gave a cold murderous stare. Julia simply smirked.
"I'm sorry pal, but he's coming with me" She said as she raised her hand to reveal a controller.
Julia attached a grapple into Dhurnuth's back. He tried to remove it but it was too late. The grapple pulled him back down into the hole. As the count down was about to end, I grabbed Julia tightly and started her ascend.
We reached the surface just in time for Strife to pull us inside Siltoin's ship. We ascend and then the whole mountain rubbed. The lab exploded, the mountain then turned into an active volcano as it spewed lava and debris out. I laid on the ship's floor laughing. Julia laughed too, then all of us did.
፠፠፠
Three days later, we already repaired the ship. The local government asked us about the explosion, we simply told them it was a volcano that reactivated. Julia also told us that we can stop wearing the body cams. She also paid us and as agreed upon we kept the codex.
But I can't in good conscience keep another weapon of mass destruction like the last time so I surrendered the codex to the local government. We also had the ship's repaired. Strife and Celestine were inside the Swift. Julia and I were inside the Carpenters. We were about to remove all cameras.
"Thanks for saving my life back then." I told her.
"I was just returning the favor"
"You shouldn't have done that. But thanks anyways"
"Well I need to embrace action if I want to do an expose on the empire." She said as I remembered that it was the job she really wanted.
"You'll need your own ship for that."
"I could ask my network." She said as she stroked her hair.
"Or I could lend this to you" I suggested.
"But this is yours…"
"It's for rent… You can use this ship for your next job for a low-low price of a date" I smiled proudly. She did not reply immediately so I made my smile into and awkward one.
She came close to me. Without any hesitation she pecked my check with a kiss.
"Consider that down payment and collateral"
I smile frozen like an idiot. I simply nodded and disembarked. As I got out I looked at the cockpit. Julia was starting up the ship. As the ship ascended I waved her goodbye and so did she.
"Well there she goes" I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"Yup" I replied as I looked back and saw Strife both happy and disappointed at the same time.
"You gave our ship away."
"Well technically rented…"
"How are going to work this time?" Strife said with irritation.
I was prepared for whatever sermon Strife might give but as I braced myself another familiar voice was heard.
"I heard you boys are looking for a job? I have an offer." Celestine said. Strife turned his attention to her.
"I'm in… As long as it's the usual split" He replied.
I was reluctant to say yes but Strife looked at me. As I lost my free will I replied. "I have the same rate as him"
"Good. Although I have one more condition for you" Celestine looked at me.
"What?" I asked.
"If you make my cousin cry, I'll shoot you twice in the leg" She smirked menacingly.
"Okay." I relied as she laughed.
We entered the Swift. Strife and I sat on the controls. Celestine sat on the captain's chair. "So where should we go?" She asked.
"Can we go to some junkyard planet? Or anywhere low key. I don't want this month to be me saving the galaxy in some way or another" I told them as I fiddle with the controls
"Well, the odds of getting a bust is high but it's safe so we'll take it"
"Thank you."
We started the ship and exited the planet in search for a hopefully safer planet. Which I don't want to jinx myself so I'll leave it at that.
To Be Continued.