FORESIGHT and SCOPE: BOOK TWO

C H A P T E R T H I R T Y-F I VE

The still air surrounding them was eerily quiet. They could no longer hear yelling nor footsteps. "How did these insurgents manage to confiscate the base again?" Athena whispered, scanning her torch for anything out of the ordinary or signs of an ambush. Because of the power outage, all vicinities were unlocked and fully exposed, but with not one light source except her own, it was difficult to tell what could possibly be hiding in the shadows.

"As I said before, the base is still under construction, which makes it vulnerable." Crosshair said, hovering his rifle in anticipation. "Not many officers were posted here to begin with. Ideal circumstances for rebels." He abruptly halted. "I'm picking up heat signatures in the next corridor behind another door." He paused. "They are heading this way."

"Finally, some action." Athena smirked, flipping her knife underhanded. Crosshair too got a chill of elation through his body as he readied his rifle. Two individuals sprinted around the corner shouting battle cries and firing their blasters. Athena ducked and pounced at the one on the right while her partner tagged the left through his chest. The bounty hunter's blade sliced through the insurgent's neck and he crumbled to the floor. "Woo! That was a good warm-up." she chuckled, rolling out her shoulders.

Tick.

Athena's heart punched against her rib cage, momentarily distracting her. She cleared her throat to compose herself. There are more opportunities to come, I am sure of it...

"What is it?" Crosshair questioned her strange hesitance.

"Nothing." she replied, hiding her lips curling into a cheeky grin by rotating her head away from his gaze. "Let's go. We're wasting time." They both raced down the corridor with Crosshair leading the way using his night vision. Athena's eyes adjusted to the dark, so she clipped her torch to her belt. They were confronted several more times, in which the clones ended swiftly and pursued without a change in pace.

Tick. Tick. An exhilerated chill shocked the bounty hunter's spine after those kills. A couple of stiffled snickers escaped her lips. Luckily, it seemed like Crosshair didn't notice.

Eventually they caught distraught chatter up ahead and when they swerved the last corner, they found themselves in the control center with ten insurgents pointing their blasters at them — up front were four Imperial hostages lined up to form a human shield. The rebels all donned in legitimate protective coverings and headgear, each equipped with an adequate apparatus of militarial devices. A few of them briefly blinded the two clones with their bright torches.

"Stop right there!" One of them commanded in a powerful voice. The apparent head of the coup stood center stage among the rest of his men, all unmoving and awaiting orders.

"Well, now," Athena scoffed, her fingers gripping her knife hilt tightly and leveled with her chin. "I wasn't expecting this. You all look like trained soldiers. Not locals."

"We were all fighters for the Republic." The rebel leader confirmed. "We have intel — information that my men have died retrieving — that this tower is part of a deadly Imperial project. You, you're a clone." He referred to Crosshair, and his voice deepened in disdain. "How dare you fight for the Empire. I served with your brothers — men I considered my close friends — and they abandoned us when we needed them most. The moment Palpatine declared himself Emperor, the clones vanished without a word."

"Release the hostages." Crosshair sneered. "Turn yourselves in. I won't repeat myself."

Tick. Tick. Tick. Athena's ears began to grow cold while the rest of her body internally inflamed. This is a waste of time...Words being spoken began to slur, fade, and resurface. Her breathing pivoted from drawn sighs to shallow huffs while her muscles constricted. She could already feel the breaking of skin and tissue through her eager blade...Just like her, it wanted to taste blood...