The Runaway {Hunter} (WATTYS 2022)

Chapter 62

"Wrecker, do you copy?" Hunter pressed into his comms. He kneeled next to Cora as Tech scanned the area, Echo next to him.

"Yeah, we hear ya." Wrecker said from the other end. "Did you find the reg?"

"Not yet." Hunter huffed. "But we did find an Imperial base built inside this mountain. We're going in."

"Wait for us!" They could hear Omega say, her smile could be heard from her voice. "We'll help.

Tech, Echo and Cora looked to Hunter as he shook his head. "Negative. Stay on the ship. You're our backup. Comms will be jammed once we're inside, so keep alert."

Hunter turned to Tech as he pressed into his data pad. "I'll need to tap into the central database to pinpoint CC-5576's location."

"There are entry points we can access in the lift shaft. That's our way in." Echo said pointing to a lift that was on its way up.

Cora shifted on her knees and nodded to the group. "This is just like the old days." She huffed as they jumped quickly onto the top of the lift.

They leaned out over and heard the door open, followed by heavy footsteps. The doors shut and the four were riding down the shaft. Hunter turned to them and nodded.

"Get ready to jump." He said before jumping and grabbing the side of the shaft.

The three followed closely, holding onto the wall as a group of Commandos walked past. They didn't see the group hanging so they quickly jumped into the hall and snuck around, finding a main control panel. Hunter and Cora stood watch as Tech watched Echo place his cybernetic arm into the system.

"Anything?" Cora asked, her head turning back to the two clones.

"This encryption's new. This might take a while." Echo said.

Hunter moved closer to the door and out his hand out to stop Cora from coming closer. A group of new looking troopers walked with a Commando. They walked towards the elevator and pushed a card into the system, the door opening. The new troopers and Commando soon went down the shaft. Cora watched as they rode down, turning to Hunter.

"I've never seen those types of Clones before." She added. Hunter turned to her, his body language uneasy.

He nodded back as she followed. "How much longer?" He asked Tech and Echo.

"Almost got it." Echo said softly. The computer clicked and he nodded to Hunter. "Found him. Cellblock 25, four levels down."

They ran back towards the shaft and took a ride down. They quickly avoided another group of TK troopers, from what Tech told them. It worried Cora to see new armour and new ways to tell the clones apart.

They made it done to the cells. A trooper walked towards them as Hunter threw a punch, Cora kicked her leg out as he stumbled back, falling to the group with a thud. Echo went to the only cell that was active and asked if he was the clone they were looking for.

"Are you CC-5576?" Echo asked as Hunter and Tech joined him.

"That depends. Who's askin?" The clone replied.

Cora had heard that voice before. As she came into view of the cell, behind Tech and Hunter, her eyes landed on an old friend. It was Gregor. Cora quickly ripped her helmet off as the red beams were turned off by Echo. Gregor got to his feet as he saw Cora's face.

"Senator!" He beamed with happiness.

"Gregor!" She ran towards him as Gregor wrapped his arms around the Senator. Picking her up slightly off the ground and spinning her.