Hell's Storm pt. 3

All eyes were focused on the two of them. No one was angry, no one was aggressive. In fact, we were all shocked more than anything. The two of them locked eyes for a long while before Adarla takes a step forward.

"Clara, it has been a while. How have you been?" she asks.

"Fine, ma'am."

"Good. Glad to see you are doing well. Oh my, where are my manners? This, everyone, is Agent Clara. One of my best agents in the assault against the rebels."

"Agent?" Dern whispers.

"I see this is your new crew, correct?"

"Yes ma'am."

"And you made is this far already, congrats."

"This far?"

"Come on down, let's talk a little more."

"Ok?"

Clara stands and heads to the center aisle. She slowly heads down the set of stairs, observing everyone she walks by. When she finally arrives at the base of the stairs, Adarla reaches out her hand, guiding her to the stage. Oniv leans over to Angel, who seems to still be working on her plan of escape.

"Angel, how long?" he asks

"Just a little bit more time."

"We may not have it."

Adarla stands behind Clara as she stands uncomfortably on stage. Adarla looks around, circling her. She observes her hair, shoulders, and legs.

"You look good." She says

"Thank you." Clara says, with a hesitation in her voice.

"So, I have been wondering for a while, what have you been up to? Someone of your caliber suddenly just up and leaves the forces. Why is that?"

"Just a change of scenery, ma'am"

"Scenery? I see. Did you see something that spooked you?"

"No ma'am."

"What about this? What if you committed a crime instead? Is that why you left?"

"What?"

"Was it so horrific that if anyone found out about it, you would be executed on the spot?"

Adarla pulls out a pistol and places it on Clara's chest. Her eyes grow wide and starts backing away, only to be held in place by Adarla whose hand is placed on her back. 

"Ma'am?" Clara asks

"I asked you a question. Please answer it."

Angel starts to scramble. I can see her rushing through what ever she is working on as she watches the increasing danger against Clara. I pull out my pistol and place it in my lap.

"What is going on?" Clara asks

"It is not polite to answer a question with another question. Please answer it."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

Adarla leans in. This time she is angry. Something in her head switched on like a light switch and she looks ready to slice Clara's neck open. 

"You know exactly what I am fucking talking about."

Clara's breathing starts to accelerate.

"Where is she, Clara?" She asks again.

"Let her go!" Angel yells, jumping to her feet. All eyes turn to her at once. For a brief moment, Angel looks around as everyone is stares at her. She holds her breath, then focuses on the queen. Adarla lets Clara go and makes her way back to center stage, then just stares at her.

"I am sorry?" She asks.

Angel looks to us, then to Clara. As she looks around, I notice her mouth moving, as if she is talking to us and I immediately notice what she is saying, "On my signal."

"I don't like it when you mess with my family." She says.

"You think you can order me around, who do you think you are?"

"Me? I'm your worst nightmare."

"Harthun?" Adarla says to the general

He turns around and points his weapon away from Clara, aiming it at us instead.

"Orders ma'am?" He asks

"Make an example of her."

"Now!" Angel yells.

She twists her hand and all the lights in the room shut off at once. Everyone runs for cover as a shot is fired into the air at the same time. Clara bails off the stage and the rest of the team reach the exit door. Red lights activate across the room, giving it a faint glow.

"Where did they go? Where the hell did they go?" Adarla yells.

We make it out into the main lobby. People are still pouring out of the door and we start losing track of each other for a few seconds. Oniv and I find each other immediately but with all the people running around in the red dark, it hard to see anything. Angel must have shut down power to the entire station. Screaming and cries for help are the only things to fill my ears, along with the loud siren above playing over and over again. Suddenly all the light shut off again, and the main system comes back online. The lights are back and we can all see.

Angel spots us immediately and run to us, hugging me as tight as she could.

"Thank goodness you guys are safe." She says

"We need to get out of here." Oniv says, "Where is Bern and Cl-"

-Gun fire exits the room we all poured out of. A mercenary exits, shooting into the air and scaring the people running away even more. They spot us and aim their weapons.

"Get to cover!" Oniv yells.

We run for the center of the lobby, dodging the incoming fire until we hop over the desk of the information center. Bullets penetrate the walls. Angel and I cover each other and Oniv ducks his head. Papers, wood chips, and metal fly all over the place, covering the walls and air, giving us a mini smoke screen as the shooting comes to a stop. 

"Angel, where is the nearest evac point?" Oniv asks

"It's on the other side of the station. We will never make it."

"Then we need to find another exit then."

He looks over the counter to see what they are doing. Angel and I follow as well. They are reloading, all of them. Oniv scans across the room. He points under the desk to our right.

"Look." he says, "There are escape pods over there. Are you still armed Angel?"

Angel reaches up her dress and disconnects the strap from her leg. Out comes her pistol and she does the same on the other side. She holds both of them up next to her head, aiming into the sky and smiles.

"Armed and ready." She says

"On my signal we go, ok?"

"Ok."