Tyra turned her attention to the facility as the alarm sounded all around them. She peered down the scope watching the guards gather at the door Alexandria used to enter the facility at the start. They all had full gear on with automatic weapons at the ready. “You both need to move your asses. If we don’t get to the ship now all three of us will be dead.”
Alexandria nodded in agreement pulling Isa along with her. They both passed Tyra who readied her trigger finger. The door to the facility swung open and the first guard was greeted by a bullet straight through his visor dropping him to the floor. All the guards behind him stopped trying to find the direction of the shot while keeping their weapons at the ready. Tyra chuckled, loading another round picking her next target.
She raised the rifle just a bit, squeezing the trigger, taking out a second guard causing the others to trip over the two dead bodies. Tyra grinned, shouldering her rifle, and following the others close behind. They didn’t have time to deal with guards since they had two days to make it to the rendezvous point.
The three of them made their way carefully down the cove makeshift stairs to the ship. Tyra had a million questions but they were best saved when she had the chance to be loud and take her time. The fact that Alexandria didn’t inform her of a rescue was a bit concerning but there was nothing she could do at the moment. Tyra moved to the crow’s nest calling down to the other, “Hey new girl can you work the rudder?”
Isa looked up at Tyra and then to Alexandria. Alexandria was busy untethering the ship to comment. Isa shrugged her shoulders and called up. “I can handle it if you can keep them off my back.”
Isa’s voice was a bit of a shock to Tyra at first. She let out a soft chuckle taking her position aiming her rifle to the cove stair entrance. “You’re going to fit in just fine.”
She sat against the stern of the ship taking the rudder in her hands. She understood how to do it but this would be the first time she had attempted it. Alexandria joined her as the ship started to veer off the cove's edge.
“Alright Isa, take it nice and easy. You don’t have to worry about anyone shooting at us with Tyra here. If you don’t think that you're up for it I can take over.” Alexandria stood by her but didn’t try to force her way into the rudder space. The tense moment was good practice for her as a captain and Isa as a crewmember.
Isa just looked at her for a moment moving the rudder slightly so they didn’t run into the wall. It seemed to answer her commands with a slight movement of the rudder handle. There was no reason she couldn’t do this. A gunshot rang out and splashed not far from the stern of the ship. Isa jumped a bit but remembering what Alexandria said. “I am fine there is nothing to worry about.”
Tyra swiveled her rifle around and up, sighting her target. There were only a few up on the cove stones. She squeezed the trigger hitting the attacker dead center in the chest. The body tumbled down the stairs as she moved to the next guard. She was about to fire when the remaining guards turned, dropped their weapons, and ran away. “That’s right cowards run and hide until next time!” Tyra yelled up at them with a chuckle as she jumped down from the crow’s nest.
“Alright captain, it is time to start talking. Seems this, Isa was it, can steer the ship until you and I are finished discussing what the hell that was back there.” Tyra wasn’t mad but she was frustrated at the lack of information she received prior to the mission.
Alexandria let out an exasperated sigh motioning for Tyra to follow her to the table on the deck to talk. They both sat down at either end of the table with Tyra tapping her fingers on it. “So, when were you going to tell me about the mission to free Isa back there?”
“I didn’t want to complicate things more than they already were. It was bad enough I was going inside to get files. If I had told you I was going to break someone out would you have agreed to come?” Alexandria was a bit frustrated when she finished the question. She was the captain so having to share everything with her crew wasn’t needed if it was just going to cause friction.
It was Tyra’s turn to sigh as she stopped tapping her fingers on the table. “If you would have explained why it was so important it wouldn’t have made any difference. It is the fact you decided not to tell me at all that is the worrying bit.” She clenched her fists for a moment relaxing them. “I had problems with people in the past and trust was the main issue. If you can’t trust me with everything then why did I join your crew in the first place?”
Alexandria hung her head just a bit. Tyra was right. She joined Alexandria because she trusted her. Since she wasn’t able to disclose the rescue attempt information she was not only breaking trust she was endangering the mission. “I meant no offense or distrust. You did have a right to know everything. I made a call that seemed correct at the time. That will not happen again, especially with you. I wouldn’t want to lose such a markswoman and friend over a miscommunication.”
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Tyra let out a soft chuckle glad to see Alexandria wasn’t going down the wrong path. “Alright I can accept that. Do you even know what ability she has or was she a friend on the inside you didn’t want to leave there?”
Alexandria was about to answer when Isa came around the corner. “If you wish to know that then I am the person to ask.”
They both turned to Isa and Tyra was the first to speak. “I can hear from the rudder. Why don’t the two of you talk while I get us on course for the island.” Tyra stood nodding to them both making her way back to the rudder.
Alexandria gestured to the seat across from her. Isa nodded and sat down crossing her legs and placing her hands on her knees. Alexandria raised an eyebrow at that action. Could she be from a higher class family?
“So before we get to your abilities. Do you mind if I ask if you were born at the facility or where you were taken and brought there?” Alexandria was going right to the tough questions since they did just rescue her from a place that would most likely kill her when she was no longer of any use.
Isa showed little reaction to the question, keeping her poise as she answered. “I was taken there by the head of the administration for that facility. He is my father and really didn’t like having me in the walled cities. I was brought there when I was around seven or eight years old.”
Shock crossed Alexandria’s face. She couldn’t imagine any parent voluntarily bringing their child to such a terrible place. Of course she didn’t know much about the hierarchy in the walled cities aside from things she read in books. “I can’t imagine how that made you feel when your parents did that to you. Why did they move you there aside from not wanting you in the walled cities?”
She let out a cute sigh leaning forward a bit. “I have the ability to manipulate my body which is made out of fire. The uniform I have on is different from the others because it allows me to interact with my surroundings without setting them on fire.” Isa leaned back in her chain still sitting in the same position.
Alexandria’s eyes widened in surprise. There were not many with the ability of elements still alive in the world. Most of them were taken apart to be experimented on in order to replicate that ability for anyone. Of course those failed since it appeared to be something that had to come from both the mother and the father. The percentage of people that could actually produce offspring like that was less than one percent.
“Your parents must have been married just for the purpose of your creation. Are they still together or do you even know who your mother is?” Alexandria needed to stop with the personal questions but this was just too good to pass up. This would be the last personal question since the next one she wanted to ask was more important.
Again Isa didn’t show much emotion as she looked up thinking for a moment. “I remember little of my mother and haven’t seen her since before I went into the facility. My father refused to tell me what happened to her and I wasn’t old enough to protest for more information. Later all he said was she moved on to better things.”
Tilting her head to the side Alexandria tried to get a read on Isa but was coming up with nothing. She wanted to ask about why she was so emotionally cold but that could wait. “Now that all those things are out of the way. I wanted to ask if you would join my crew? It would be a chance to explore this land, make a life all your own, maybe even find your mother if you wanted to.”
Her eyes at least told that she was thinking about it. The natural color of them was hard to pin down since they seem to change each time Alexandria looked at them. Whatever the case was, the ball was in her court now to decide to join with them or go off on her own.
“You can stop trying to read me. The suit dampens my emotions which is what helps full my abilities. As for your request to join your crew. I would be happy to accept on the condition that you help me locate my mother.” Isa knew she sounded like a robot, however taking off the suit was dangerous until she was able to fully control her emotions.
Alexandria almost jumped out of her chair with excitement. She now had one of the most powerful people she had ever met on her crew. Of course she had yet to see a display of that power however people with her abilities were said to be almost unstoppable. “That is excellent news. We are on our way to rejoin the rest of the crew. There is another mission going on to take territory from another pirate in order to grow our influence. I hope you're ready to jump right into the fray.”
Isa had always wanted to be in some kind of fight. Her entire life was all about containment so if this gave her a chance to improve her abilities that was a plus. “I not only am ready to jump into the fray. I saw bring it on.” It looked as though she was trying to smile but the suit made it impossible for her to do so.
“Alright Tyra give this ship everything you can so we can join the others quickly. I have a feeling they are going to love our new crew member.” Alexandria wrinkled her nose and cracked her neck getting ready for the carnage that was to come.
“You got it captain. My trigger finger has barely scratched the surface of the itch to kill. Hopefully the other’s save some kills for the rest of us.” Tyra adjusted the rudder so the sail could catch the wind carrying them off in the direction of the rendezvous point.