Saylee and Serina stood shoulder to shoulder towards the back of the room, Josh stood in front of them, facing the door.

They all stood in silence, waiting in the employees only room that was a little smaller than the standard size of a residential elevator.

Saylee closed her eyes. She took a deep inhale before she slowly exhaled.

She opened her eyes.

This better work.

Saylee side glanced to her left. Serina had her eyes closed and her body was trembling.

Saylee wished she could try to calm Serina’s nerves.

The shouts and screams heard from the other side of the door weren’t helping.

Josh spoke in a whisper, “take deep breathes, and try to calm your nerves because I can hear your foot taps”

The flight attendant; Serina, began to inhale and exhale more deeply.

Saylee frowned, “psst, Serina, try breathing more quietly, it sounds like your gasping for air”

Serina turned to face her, her face reddening, “I AM gasping for air, in this tiny room. I’m suffocating with you two in here, you trying breathing more quietly”

Josh cut in, “Quiet down…please. We need to stay hidden”

Serina glared at Saylee without saying a word.

Saylee was actively avoiding Serina’s glare, “I’m sorry”, she whispered.

“I’m sorry”, Serina grumbled mockingly.

Josh looked over his shoulder, “Look, we’re all on edge right now, okay? Remember, the anticipation is worse than the execution-”

Serina’s eyes widened, her expression growing frantic, “Execution? Whose getting executed? You didn’t tell me about execution. I don’t want to die and I will no die. Let me out”

Josh slightly around as much as he could, while keeping his eye on the door, “Shut it, I’m trying to focus. If you stick to the plan, you won’t die”

Serina’s eyes narrowed, “why do you seem so sure? Can you promise me that I won’t die? I’ve died before and I refuse to die again today”

Josh wanted to pinch the bridge of his nose but he couldn’t with the limited space, “I can’t promise anything, but if we were sitting in a room with terrorists, just doing nothing and they they still kill you while doing nothing, means you died for nothing, Okay? Follow my plan, and if it all goes well. You will most likely survive”

Saylee cut in, “Josh, you’re raising your voice, quiet it down”

Josh ignored Saylee and keep his focus on Serina, “Serina, listen, please…you got the easiest and most important job. Once the doors open, you get to stay safe in here while Saylee and I, take care of the rest. We can’t do our jobs unless you do yours. Doing your job keeps us all alive. You could save everyone by doing your one task… of pushing a button. Could you do that for me? No, not just for me. Could you do your job to help your crew and all those passengers out there who are depending on you?”

“I don’t want all this pressure put on me”

Josh bit his tongue for a moment before continuing, “I-look, all that pressure goes away one you press the button. So please, Serina. All you need to do…is when the door opens…press the button. Can you do that? After that,you don’t need to do anything else but hide in this room”

“…OK fine. Don’t talk to me like I’m a child. OK? I’m ready, just…give me some space”

Josh and Saylee tried their best give her more space in the already very compacted room.

Saylee, took in a deep breathe, and slowly exhaled. She held tightly to the-

The door slid open.

----------------------------------------

The intruder, after pressing the touch pad to open the door, swung the weapon towards the door the quickly slid open.

Josh rushed out, pushing the weapon downwards with one hand and yanking him forward with the other.

The startled masked man stumbled forward towards Saylee, who lifted up a large tablet with both hands. The tablet that was earlier located above her seat to adjust settings and call for an attendant.

Saylee swung the tablet down with her adrenaline giving her the extra oomph to knock the intruder out cold.

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Serina, eyes going wide, turned to look towards a open panel in the wall. She hit the button with the side of her fist before rushing forward to press the button that closes the employees only door. As the sliding door closed, Serina began to make herself into a ball.

As Serina curled up, gripping her legs tight..she began to float.

On the other side of the door,

The two conscious intruders, along with any passengers who weren’t buckled in, began to float upwards.

A few passengers shrieked in surprise. Josh, looked back at Saylee and then he nodded towards the weapon floating next to the unconscious body.

Saylee nodded and grabbed the weapon.

She looked back at Josh, who nodded towards the screen cracked tablet she already forgot about. She shoved it in his direction.

Josh grabbed the tablet and tried to move towards a row of seats

Saylee, glanced over the weapon in her hand and frowned.

How do I use this? it doesn’t have a normal looking trigger-

A bolt of energy just barely missed the side of her head, leaving a sizzling burn mark on the wall behind her. Saylee kicked the idle body next to her. Her back smacked onto the wall behind her. The unconscious body now moving towards the person firing.

Holding onto the weapon, she felt a round indent on the side of the weapon with her thumb. She pressed her thumb firmly onto it and a energy bolt round shot out. leaving a burn mark onto the ceiling.

Okay, I can work this.

Energy bolts were flying by her, just grazing past her.

Either these weapons are terrible at hitting targets or the gunman have terrible aim.

Saylee kicked off the wall, towards the backside of the last row for cover.

As weapons continuously fired. Passengers who were a float, tried to press and hold themselves against the ceiling.

Josh, reached out onto a seat. Once he was stable, he pulled himself down for cover. He glanced between the seats towards the threats.

One of the gunman barked, “Turn on G-boot!”

The two active gunman feet had thudded towards the floor, no longer a float.

“Dammit”, Josh cursed.

As the idle body sped quickly towards the armed intruders, one of the gunmen shot at their comrade, slowing it down. Globs of bloody began to drip out of the wound.

The other gunman turned and yelled at this teammate, “What the hell man, he’s one of us”

“Shut up, get Crackle outta here” the man barked over his continuous firing.

That must be the leader, Saylee thought

The other gun only took a brief second before responding with a emotionless yes sir. The subordinate reached over to grab the Crackle by the shoulder, who was previously hugging a seat for cover. The subordinate forcefully guided Crackle, like a balloon, towards breach opening. Crackle was easily pushed through, with the subordinate not too far behind.

Only one gunman left.

The passengers throughout the cabin kept quiet, hoping the gunman would spare them.

Saylee and Josh, on opposite sections, crouched behind seats, carefully watching the gunman from a far.

The enemy firing stopped.

The remaining gunman moved his head to crack his neck before he started to slowly step forward past the rows, “I don’t have all day, give me back the weapon and I’ll spare you and everyone else in here”

Saylee looked at Josh, who looked back with a reassuring nod.

She mouthed, I don’t know what to do.

Josh looked towards the gunman before glancing back at Saylee. He indicated 1 with his finger, then he pointed at himself. Then, he made the peace symbol and pointed at her.

The peace? what does he mean peace, does he want to surrender? Oh, no, he probably meant two. like second.

She glanced between the seats again, the gunman was getting closer.

“This is your last chance to surrender” the gunman spoke with a venomous tone.

She looked back at Josh, who awaited her confirmation. She nodded.

Josh nodded back.

Him first then I go next? What the fuck are we doing?

She gulped in anticipation, watching Josh for some sort of signal.

I shoot till this thing runs out of rounds, that’s all I can do.

Josh, quickly shown his index finger before he stood up.

He spun the tablet like a professional discus player. Releasing the discus towards the gunmans face.

The gunman was caught off guard. The gunman stumbled back as the discus hit the helmet head on. The helmet’s glass crackled and fell away.

Saylee stood up and fired. One of the energy bolt rounds striking the intruder on in the shoulder and on the side of his abdomen.

The man cried out in pain.

Josh screamed, “Serina, now!”

Josh grabbed onto seat, and Saylee grabbed onto the headrest just in time as the gravity returned, there were cries of pain from startled passengers who fell hard onto the floor.

Josh and Saylee rushed over to the injured gunman.

The fallen man was grimacing in pain, Josh told the mans weapon.

Saylee and Josh aimed their weapons at the man.

Josh spoke first, “Talk, why are you here?”

The fallen man stopped wincing as he looked between Josh and Saylee. As he looked directly into Saylee’s eyes, his face went red, he spoke through clenched teeth, “…You!”

Saylee was taken back at the mans apparent anger towards here.

Josh side glanced her, “do you know this man, because I can tell that he knows you”

The man on the ground bared his teeth, “I’ll kill you, If I would’ve known you’d be on this flight… I would’ve killed you first”

Josh spoke, “Who do you work for? Why did you want Crackle?”

The man on the floor ignored him, his attention solely on Saylee, “If you don’t kill me now, I’ll hunt you down and make you pay. You’ll pay for what you’ve done” The mans voice was rising, “What? Nothing to say?”

Saylee looked at the man, such hatred in his eyes.

Wait…

I remember.

This…this is the man I saw that day running up to the van.

The crimson faced man cut off her thoughts, “Why won’t you kill me now? You’ve killed me before, you can do it again”

“Wait, what?” Saylee was taken back, holding back a cough.

Josh, slowly turned towards Saylee, his expression filled with concern, “What is he talking about Saylee, did you kill this man on Earth? Is there something you’re not telling me?”

She felt light headed. She felt like she needed some air.

“I-…” She paused, now noticing her surroundings.

Thick clouds of light blue smoke was dispensing from vents throughout the cabin.

Passengers began coughing. She heard thuds throughout the cabin.

She turned, Josh had to grab a seat for support, as he started to slouch forward.

The man on the ground, had somehow crawled away.

How did he move so fast, she thought while she yawned.

Her eyes were heavy. The man on floor had taken the helmet off his fallen comrade and put it on himself.

Saylee felt heavy. She collapsed onto the floor.

She could barely keep her eyes open.

The clouds of smoke is making everything so hazy.

She saw the man she unknowingly killed on Earth, being engulfed in the blue smoke. All that remain uncovered were the mans boots. Something was pulling boots into the smoke quickly.

“Wait”, she rasped.

Who are you? Her final thought before she collapsed, her head, hitting the ground.