The young woman known as Tanya clicks her tongue against her teeth. She lets out a sigh of frustration, before heading to the computer lab. If she wasn’t successful in meeting Albert, then the least she could do is get some work done. The school’s computer lab was closed for the night, but the dorm computer lab still wasn’t.
Strangely enough, there weren't any students in the lab including the front desk receptionist. The front desk receptionist tended to be part-time students, who would often leave the desk for a drink or grab a bite to eat. And sure, enough upon a closer examination of the front desk, there was a note in large, bold, permanent black marker letters that read, “Went out for a mocha latte, be back in 20.”
Tanya sits down in front of a screen when all the lights went off behind her. She glanced at her glowing screen, but there were no dark shadows reflections behind her. Keeping an eye on the screen reflection, she logs onto the computer. Relaxing her back, Tanya begins to type, all the while listening for any signs of movement and watching for a reflection.
Tanya suddenly feels a cold blade at her neck as silently another unseen assailant pops out from beneath her feet. One of the unknown assailants easily ties her legs together as Tanya doesn’t dare glance down to see who the figure tying her feet is. The assailant than moves to Tanya’s arms next tying them secretly together. Yet that was the least of her concerns as the cold blade against her neck never moved an inch.
Tears pour down Tanya’s face as she shakes with fear. “I, don’t have any money. I think you have the wrong person, whoever you are. I’m innocent, I swear!” Tanya said with such sincerity, that any person with a heart would have been moved to believe her.
“56, I would like to end this by tonight,” a neutral gender voice coldly said.
The figure of Tanya stops crying as a small smile appears on her face. 56 tries to piece the identity of the figure behind her not dismissing that of the identity being #32. It wouldn’t be surprising to know that #32 was behind all of this. He did so love playing his little games. “How did you guess or better yet know who I am?” 56 asked.
“Instinct, really. On the campus feed, you’re the only female student still out at this hour. All the regular students are getting ready for bed, exhausted from the first day. Your actions don’t fit the norm,” the unknown figure drily commented.
“Huh, that still doesn’t answer my question. But it’s always the details that get you caught,” 56 mused out loud. “So, what do we do now, stranger?”
“Call #32 for a meeting,” the figure stated.
“My, my, you know who he is, but you don’t seem to know him that well, dearie. #32 doesn’t’ come out to play unless he wants to and no one can tell him otherwise,” 56 cheerfully replied.
“Not if you tell him-,” the figure paused, before stiffly adding, “Tell him that Al is here.”
56 sneers and says, “Fine, dial the first number on the VEX watch.” Reaching carefully over, the assailant at her back reaches over to touch the Vex watch on her wrist. The blade warningly digs into her neck as the gloved hand reaches for the wrists tied together sitting in 56’s lap. 56 tensed ready to move when the blade purposefully digs into her flesh in stern reminder. 56 suppresses a hiss of pain as she feels trickles of wetness running down the side of her neck. Holding still, 56 waits as the gloved hand to finish dialing the number.
The glove hand reacts back and stiffens for a second, causing the blade to dig deeper into 56’s flesh. 56 stiffens in turn as a loud ringtone echoes from nearby, “Ain’t nothing gonna break my stride; Nobody gonna slow me down; Oh, no; I got to keep on moving-.” The unknown assailant dives to the floor as 56 throws herself to the side with a loud thump.
A barrage of gunfire is suddenly heard as 56 desperately struggles to stay down low under the tables and chairs. Furious, 56 literally wiggles for her life and loosens the ropes on her feet. Kicking off her shoes, she wriggles out of the rope and brings her arms up to her teeth. Crawling on her hands and knees, 56 bites into the rope loosening it enough to slip her hands out from the rope. Without even looking back, 56 under the cover of gunfire slithers forward and past the laughing figure holding the blazing assault rifle.
*
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The assailants had rolled away under the desks to further increase the distance between them and that of the shooter. In the corner of the lab, the hooded figure had ducked down with her back against the wall. Holding a fuzzy teddy bear in black ninja-like clothing in her arms, Mr. Wilkins, #017 firmly says, “You need to get out right now. Leave through the backdoor, Wilkins.”
Mr. Wilkins opens his mouth to protest, but #017 pulls out a handgun from her boot. “I only have enough for this round as I didn’t plan on a shootout. The camera’s loop footage won’t cover the sound of shooting, security will be done here soon,” #017 growled. At seeing Mr. Wilkins worried expression, #017 hastily adds, “I need you to catch, 56. I will be fine, Wilkins, now go!”
Mr. Wilkins gazes at his girl, before rushing forward and exiting the back door. The back door is targeted with concentrated gunfire causing the door to swing open for a moment, before slamming shut. The lab is eerily quiet, other than the clatter of items still raining down from the ceiling and the soft buzz of open electric wiring.
“And the wheel comes full circle. Is that you, Al? Are you still alive?” A young man’s voice said. There is no answer as the sound of crunching footsteps on glass can be heard. “Are you angry with me? I’m sorry, but you would have done the same. One half of me is yours and the other half yours-Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours, And so all yours!”
A sudden movement accompanied by a burst of fire caused him to stand behind a pillar. The young man lets out a laugh and over the concise gunfire shouts, “Just like old times, Al. I so did miss you with all of my heart. Did you miss me?”
The gunfire abruptly ceases as the young man cautiously steps out and walks across the floor strewn with broken glass. Unexpectedly, the light overhead burst to spray bright embers over the dark area. The young man blinks the light spots away as rapid movement can be heard nearby. Turning the M16 rifle on full auto, he fires blindly through the area. The M16 ceases its rapid-fire, a faint burning smell the only signal that the assault rifle was out of bullets.
Nothing can be heard for that split second until a loud crunch is heard. The young man raises the M16 like a shield as two computers keyboards fly towards him. Turning the side, he dodges one keyboard, but the other loudly smacks into his shoulder.
A monitor slams towards his head and the young man quickly ducks to a side to only find a keyboard cord noose slip over his head and tighten. Pulled violently backward he chokes for a moment as the cord tightens against his neck. Slamming his head back as a decoy, his attacker dodges the attack but is unable to dodge the M16’s barrel slammed into them.
The figure loosened their grip as expected and the young man tumbles forward successfully wrenching the cord away from his attacker’s hands. Not missing a beat, #017 dives forward with her full weight and pins the bastard to the ground. The two begin to wrestle for supremacy as he wraps his legs around her waist to keep her away from his neck and face.
The young man uses the M16 as a club trying to separate from #017 as #017 uses that same M16 as an aide in hitting critical points on his body. The two figures roll on the glass covered floor, slamming into each other and even going as far as clawing and biting at each other’s face just to get an edge over the other.
Feeling #017 loosen her grip, the young man shoves her away as #017 jumps back. #017 rolls to her side and reaches into her boot pulling out her handgun and shoots. The bullet pierced his shoulder as he rushes forward to his feet. Twisting his body away, the bullet merely skins his shoulder as he rolls under a desk and out of sight for cover.
#17 fires one more shoot in the direction as she checks that the open hallway is still clear. With the gunshot still ringing in her ears, #017 not wasting her breath leaps over the array of broken glass and slides a few inches on the floor. Stumbling forward, #017 moves forward with the knowledge that security must be nearby, within seconds.
From behind her, a lonesome chuckle can be heard. “How long are you going to keep running away, Al? Why won’t you face me?” The young man yelled.
#017 halts at the staircase and turns for a second to reply, “#32, neither of us have the time too.” Without waiting for a reply, #017 dashes up the stairs as loud footsteps can be heard down the hallway. A muffled voice from behind her yearningly shouted, “I’ll follow thee and make a heaven out of hell, to die upon the hand I love so well.”
*
Seconds later, a troop of the Academy’s security forces arrives fully armed. The guard cautiously proceeds down the hallway with their weapons ready. A guard points towards the broken-down computer lab. The figures move forward and become still upon seeing the back-emergency exit door open.
A guard points to a few spots of blood on the floor, but just as the members reaches down, he steps on something that goes click. One of the guard’s shouts, “Get Down!”
Too late, the mine detonates under the security guards foot tearing him into a pink mist. Shrapnel flies through the air injuring several members of the force, but nothing that couldn’t be healed. The Esper in the squad had minimized the impact by pulling up an energy shield. Despite it being far too late, it was enough to prevent any further casualties.
Coughing and on the floor, the guards climb to their feet as their ears ring. The buff leader shouts, “I want the Changeling sniffers down here this instant! Shut down the entire school know. No one gets out until we find who is responsible for Jensen’s death!”
A guard speaks into his radio and says, “Unscheduled campus shut down. No students or staff members are to leave their rooms without clearance.” A click later confirms the message was received as the message spreads out to the entire school. Let the counting commence.