Not much had changed even after the heartfelt moment I had with Raylee and now Lillith. After we settled down we left the training room and headed off to the cafe for lunch. I hadn't realized how much time had gone by, what felt like an hour had been actually three, everything had happened so fast and now I was trying to understand it all.
I looked at the two girls now sitting across from me at the grey table in a near-empty room. I never thought I would be somewhere like this sitting with other people with the ideals I myself have. It was, comforting I suppose, but I couldn't focus too much on that right now. There were people out there that needed our help, Magnus being one of them. I think for a moment before speaking.
"So are there any more of you I need to know about, I think we need to get whoever else is here together and then we need to figure out a course of action to start our push against those who call themselves the government."
Raylee had stopped talking and looked at me. She put her hands on her face.
"You think your ready for what the world outside these walls has? I like the determination but you gotta be prepared don't wanna be cleaning your blood of Aria's floors now do we," she says with a chuckle.
Aria, I think that was the first time I heard the woman's name and for some reason, it sounded rather familiar like I knew it from somewhere, that memory was still foggy but eventually, I would probably remember why.
Raylee shakes her head.
"Alright, kid let's recall who you already know."
I cross my arms over my chest and retort back
"I am not a child we are the same age," I say to her, eyes narrowed slightly.
She rolls her eyes.
"Yeah yeah whatever that's beside the point I still have more experience then you okay let's get on track so far you have met me, Lillith, Cormac, molly, Julius, Joel, Sona so you have yet to meet Titus which is pretty shocking due to how loud he is half the time. Viktor well he is usually out on whatever new thing he is fighting for. But I believe he will be back here tonight. I can take you to meet Titus right now he is most likely running rampant in one of the training rooms smashing things for Joels tests on his new tech.
Lilith needs to get some practice in as well anyway. Tomorrow we should be able to get everyone together and figure out a plan of action. Now usually we don't do this without Cormac here as he is usually the one making the plans for missions. We can probably figure something out though. I'm telling you now this won't be an easy feat and you might witness things you probably wouldn't of otherwise. Are you prepared for what's to come?"
Her tone carried a serious pitch within it. I knew this was no joke and it was time to face reality.
"I promise you not to give up without a fight."
She looks at me and bites her lip then gives a nod.
"You've got heart, that I can see. Will need to give you some more pointers before we go in. simple things you can use to protect yourself if it is needed."
I nod and think for a moment. I wouldn't give up, he saved me when I needed it, now it was time to return the favour.
"I will work hard I will work through the night if I have to, I won't give up on him or you guys."
Raylee was standing at this point with a hand on her hip, a small smirk tugged at the side of her pale lips.
"Good because you are stuck with us now Silv and we need you as much as you need us. Now let's get going then to meet Titus," she says as she begins heading towards the door. I catch up behind her Lilith close behind as well before we began heading out into the halls.
Raylee's pov.
Even though I knew she was still new and a young soul compared to the rest of us, I began seeing the potential Cormac saw within her. We knew she had abilities beyond her reasoning and a fight behind those piercing silver eyes. I believed her when she spoke. Now I wouldn't give her my full trust but the determination she held made me feel a little more at ease. There was much more in her small damaged body than met the eyes.
As she walks out I follow, catching up to her side as we head towards the elevator to go and meet the last of us. I knew from there she was meant to change the world.
Cyra's p.o.v
We went down what seemed like several floors before the elevator opens to a darkened hallway. Cement walls, floor and ceiling formed the tunnel. As we stepped in lights began to flicker on casting a dull glow upon the hardened interior. The beams of light rested on the floor and adjacent walls. We began walking through the hall which caused a chill beneath my skin. It was rather cold but what do you expect in an underground base.
As we headed towards the end of the hallway, the subtle sound of thumping moved through the hallway. It was a rather different setting than a minute ago when it seemed to be eerily quiet. I followed Raylee to a door which caused the sounds to gradually become louder. She looks at me with a smile
"He truly never stops I suppose, is always making a mess of things. Follow me will check in and see what Joel put as an exercise today for him." She says with a chuckle before opening the large metal door in front of us.
As we stepped in the sounds reverberated around us, I could feel them inside as the ground shook every so often due to contact with it from something rather large. We had stepped into a stadium almost. There was a set of stairs to our right that went up into a room that seemed to look over the room below it. Windows were on each side of the decent sized box. A pathway wrapped around what looked like a rather large open space.
We began to ascend the stairs to the room above it. I hadn't noticed but Lillith had stalked off somewhere else in the area. Raylee opens the door then walks into the room, I was following close behind her. Once I stepped in I took a good look at the room and stood in awe for a moment. The front was actually rounded in a semi-circle like way. There were panels of buttons and flashing lights beneath the windows and computer screens above. In the middle of the room sat a holo table with three big blue screens in front of it and a large keyboard on the top. Joel sat behind it looking along the panels at different switches and buttons.
Behind it was more equipment. Some things looked like discarded prototypes of weapons or tech but were all still rather organized. Besides that, there were two large circuit boards most likely what energized the room and the stadium below.
Raylee was leaning against the one side of the table looking over at Joel who seemed distracted at that moment in time. I walk over and look at the two.
"This place is incredible what do you use it for?"
Joel jumped suddenly at the sound of my voice before realizing I had asked a question.
He looked at me for a moment then dried his hands off on the dark blue jeans he was wearing along with a fitted black t-shirt. His hair was a mess as he seemed to be busy before we walked in. He walks over to me with a smile.
"Ah, you're interested in my training modules room, excellent let me show you what this is all about."
He says resting a hand in the middle of my back as to guide me towards the windows. Raylee had sat back in a chair and rested her legs on the table watching Joel guide me around the room.
"What you see below us isn't a normal stadium but rather an advanced training module. Along with the floors, there is an advanced technology that is connected to this here control room. Using the vastly different terrains of our world and others in the universe that we have discovered I can set up any terrain or course for our men and women to train and get practice in. It's almost like practice in the real world but we have formed a simulation to use it safely within our homestead.
It's not as perfect as the ones the peacekeepers use in their guard training but it's still a good runner up and amazing software I was able to work on. It's one of my pride and joys."
A smile rested on his face and his eyes seemed to light up as he talked about this accomplishment.
"This is truly remarkable Joel, so you can terraform just about anything down there from up here?"
He gives a triumphant nod
"Can you show me it in action then?"
Joel claps
"I thought you would never ask. Titus is actually down there getting ready to start a new practice mission so to speak. It's a rescue mission to save some people and stop a second attack."
"The location is a dense cityscape where a building has collapsed due to a bombing. Within it, there are people who have survived or have been injured. A second attack is to start close by in another large building holding families within it. The task is to save those from the downed building and find the person behind the attacks."
Joel says as he steps behind one of the control panels. Watching him he hits several buttons and flips a few switches. As he does a low hum resonates below as the simulation begins coming to life.
"If you look now you will see Titus at the edge getting ready to make his way through to the scene. Get ready to watch something intense."
I simply nod in agreement and look out the window. A tall man stepped out onto the field. Built like a brick wall you could see every muscle that bulged behind his white t-shirt and work pants. He was definitely one of the biggest people I had seen in a long time and I was excited to see him in action.
The cityscape came to life in front of us and I heard Joel over the comms
"All ready Titus?" He says Titus looks up and gives a simple nod before running towards the burning buildings that were closer to the center. He ran with ease towards them it was hard to see him right away due to the smoke within the city. It was so realistic for being a simulation, I actually thought I could smell the smoke and feel it rest within my lungs causing difficulty breathing.
He runs into the first building, the top five floors were already on fire and the floors have already broken in half like twigs. Faint screams could be heard from within. I began to panic when I didn't see him emerge from the building. I got antsy and looked at Raylee and Joel
"I think he needs help he can't do that all alone what if something happened to him?! I need to go help him"
an urge had pushed me towards the door
Raylee tried to stop me but I grabbed her and threw her aside with strength I hadn't had before." I froze for a moment as she crashed into a pile of junk but then I grabbed the door and flung it open. I ran down the stairs then jumped over the railing halfway down and went into a barrel roll to cause a less harsh impact on my knees. I began running towards the entrance and could hear Raylee behind me shouting to stop. I didn't listen.
I ran into the broken streets. Down here you could see more damage done to everything it wasn't just in the center.. roads had broke and had long cracks running through them. Cars smashed into one another and crushed against protective banisters. I could hear screams off in the distance which sounded like real people. Running towards the noise I tripped over a ball that rested on the street, a small child's shoe sat beside it as if they had been in a rush to leave. Throwing my hair behind me I headed towards the building he had entered minutes ago.
Some people were on the main floor hiding close to the walls. I go to them and speak.
"Hey you are going to be okay, are any of you hurt?" A man looks at me and points to his daughter's arm that looked to have a large gash with blood seeping from it. Quickly I ripped some fabric and tightened it on her upper arm.
"This will stop the blood flow for now but you need to get out of here and get the stitched up" the man nods scooping his daughter up and running out. Surveying the floor a few more stragglers were there. Quickly I helped one that was limping to the exit then ran back inside.
Heading back quickly into the building I heard a loud crack but no crash. It seemed to have come from the second floor. Reaching half-broken stairs quickly I jumped them two at a time before stopping on the second-floor landing. Just ahead of me I saw a woman with a baby looking up at a man. I soon realized it was Titus he was holding a thick slab of cement and looking at the women.
A deep voice bounced off the walls as he spoke to her.
"Get out of here now!" The women nodded and got to her feet before scrambling past me giving me a quick glance. Titus threw the slab and turned and saw me.
Charcoal mixed with blood covered his face and cuts raked up and down his body. He quickly got to me and grabbed my shoulders
"What in the hell are you doing here," he said in a stern tone.
I wiggle under his grasp.
"I thought you were hurt so I came to help."
He smacks his face
"This is not for you, get out of here there are a few more bodies on the 3rd floor. I'll get them then I need to finish my mission. Without you in the way."
I crossed my arms in a harsh way.
"I can be of help just let me I'm not as weak as you think I am"
He looks around "this building is falling as we speak get out before it's too late"
He pushed me towards the stairs then began walking towards the third-floor stairwell, I marched after him then before he noticed I saw a piece of the floor above give way above his head. Without hesitation, I go to try and stop it. Then it suddenly happened.
A giant silver spike seemingly appeared as I threw my hand towards the object. As he went to look up the spike collided with the cement and broke it into a million pieces.
I stare in shock at what I did then to my hand where a faint silver glow seemed to retreat back down my arm. Titus had froze and looked at me before turning and running up the stairs. I look around in bewilderment before turning back to the first set of stairs to see Raylee staring at me.
"How did you?" She stopped and pointed at the shards on the floor as I began down the stairs.
"I I don't know. There are people that need our help, Titus is fine will see him after. Let's go help the others."
I say before jumping past Raylee who stood for a moment looking up then back down before she walked outside.
Titus had finished his mission and the simulation was ended shortly after. I shook slightly from the aftermath.
It was real..it felt so real.. I spoke to myself under my breath. I didn't notice the three walk up behind me until I heard Joel speak.
"That was mighty brave of you there Silv."
I spun around to look at the trio. Titus towered behind the two, his hands resting on his neck.
"But that bravery doesn't outweigh your foolishness in that situation." Chimed in Titus.
I look at him
"Well, I'm sorry I thought something had gone wrong."
Raylee looked at me
"Even if something had you shouldn't have ran in there blindly who knows what could've happened to you."
I sensed anger but a tint of worry in her tone.
I was 21 I didn't need the lecture from those three.
"What do you want from me I followed my gut. I don't care how experienced you guys are but God something had to be done. It clearly looked like you guys weren't going to do anything so I did."
Anger Slightly boiled beneath my surface as I looked at them. That was until I saw Joel smirking a bit. Putting my fists on my hips I turn and give him a glare.
"What are you laughing at Joel this isn't funny!" He walks over to me and puts a hand on my shoulder.
"No it's not but if anything those are some smart intuitions you have. You handled yourself well in there surprisingly. You did well today, you were stupid but you meant well. That I have to give a salute to." He said as he gave a salute.
I relaxed the tension in my muscles a bit and almost laughed at his salute. Before hearing Titus chime in.
"What you did was reckless, but you helped me in a tight situation, that I have to thank you for." His tone was different than it was before.
I gave him a nod before turning to Raylee who was biting her thumb a bit.
"What?" I say to her.
She looks at me "what happened in there, how did you do it?"
Confused I looked at her. Titus spoke again.
"When you through that metal spike and shattered that thing that could've knocked me unconscious. How did you do it?"
I realized what they were talking about and it then dawned on me. I looked at my arms again but saw no trace of the silver I had earlier. Clenching my fists I answered
"I don't have an answer for you because I don't even know myself." I shook a bit and hung my head looking at the floor below me. Joel tapped my head.
"Don't worry kid will figure this out together."
I had no comment for him. Just my own thoughts at that point in time.
...what in the hell am I?