The White Rose

7

My name is Ethan Mar. And this is my story.

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Commander Hicks stood with her arms crossed in the small anteroom off the main command room. The screen was carefully scrolling through cameras as Kyle walked through their fields of vision. He made it through the yard of the estate with no problem, and he was going to have to get a ride from the owner to the first site. The microphone began picking up the transmission.

"The owner is here on the first floor correct?" his voice cracked through the microphone as he whispered.

"Correct," Hicks pulled up a second monitor and flicked through the cameras in the estate. "He's in the drawing room on the first floor." She hit a couple buttons and the floor plans for the house were projected onto the table in front of her. She used her fingers to push off the roof and top two floors until the ground floor was all that was left. She saw a dot moving along the corridor towards the back of the house. "Take your next right and then continue straight. He should be right there."

"Okay," Kyle whispered back. He sounded nervous, but she knew he was the best person for the job. Besides, if he ever got into real trouble, the Knights of the Rose were out there to protect him...at least within the Bubble.

She continued to study the floor plan. The dot in the drawing room flickered. That never happened. Kyle's dot stopped moving.

"Kyle, what's wrong?"

"Someone else is here...."

The dot in the drawing room flickered again. "There's no one else on the first floor except for the owner."

"Someone else is definitely here." Kyle whispered. "I'm going to go in." Hicks heard the sound of soft scraping. Kyle had brought his obsidian daggers with him, interesting choice in general, but knowing him, it was the easiest.

The dot in the drawing room flickered again and went out. "Kyle! Get out of there! It's not safe!"

The microphone squealed in her head. She heard the sounds of a fight. That's when the dots started flickering to life. One, two, five, twenty...there seemed to be no end.

"I'm gonna fight my way out! They're wearing the black combat suits like the people from Zaun earlier!"

"I'm calling in reinforcements." Hicks shouted, her hands flew over a projected keyboard. The signal went out. "They should be contact me in a moment."

Her microphone crackled. "Calling into the Garden. What's going on?" A light and airy female voice came across.

"The First Thorn is under attack at the estate." Hicks said quickly. "Get over there and help him out."

"Of course, I'll be there in ten."

"Kyle, help is coming!"

"Okay." Kyle grunted as she heard something smashing. Then she heard a gurgling sound.

"Are you okay?" She asked, panic in her voice.

"Yeah, that one just died a little too close to me. Sorry." And then he was yelling.

"Commander," her microphone crackled again with the woman's voice. "I'm almost to the estate, what's the current status?"

"The First Thorn is still pinned down on the first floor in the corridor across from the drawing room." She pulled the other floors back onto the projected floor plans. "It doesn't appear to be populated anywhere else in the estate, but be careful. They hid themselves before."

"Of course Commander. I'll make sure that the First Thorn is kept safe." The light voice fell to a whisper. "What happened to the old man?"

"I've no idea, just get in there and save the First Thorn."

"Alright, I'm here. I'll speak with you later Commander."

"Kyle!" Commander Hicks switched channels to reconnect with Kyle. "Help is just outside."

"Urgghhhh," Kyle grunted through his mic. "Okay, I've only got about seven of them left." He sounded exhausted, but she knew he wouldn't stop until they were dead, or he was.

"Commander, there are very few left." The woman's voice crackled. "I've entered the house. The first corridor is clear." Hicks could hear the woman stepping through the corridor softly. "I see the enemy, tell the First Thorn to get down in about thirty seconds. I'm going to use my gun for all of them."

"Of course." Hicks switched channels. "Kyle, listen. One of the Knights has arrived. You need to drop to the ground immediately."

Hicks held her breath. She couldn't tell if he had heard her or not. The next thing she heard were a dozen gun shots.

"Kyle, Kyle, are you alright?" She waited, watching the floor plan and the dots winking out. "Kyle?"

"I'm here. I'm here. Christie saved me."

"Thank you, Christie. Your service will be remembered."

"Of course, Garden." Christie's voice came over the microphone. "I'll be going now, unless the First Thorn needs help cleaning anything up?"

"I'm good," Hicks heard Kyle's voice coming through Christie's microphone. "I'll be all set, just need a few minutes to recover."

"Can you sweep the rest of the house, Christie?" Hicks asked pulling the other floors on to see if there were anymore dots. "I don't expect that you'll encounter anything."

"Will do, Garden." Christie's voice cut out.

"Is she gone, Kyle?" Hicks asked, switching channels back to Kyle.

"Yes, Commander." Kyle sounded exhausted.

"Good. Leave. Now. She can't find out anymore about you."

"Yes, Commander."

"Find another Knight to take you to Tarrytown."

"Of course." Hicks heard Kyle getting up and slipping out. She heard the soft thump of the door to the mansion.