DELTA PROJECT: HIDE PROLOGUE-CHAPTER 3

            It was not long before he was out.  Just unconscious – she did not want to kill the man.  Then D005 was flying to the desk, throwing herself over it and slapping her palm against the red button under the counter.  Then she was back over the desk and flying to the glass doors, pushing them open.  Her feet pounded against the dirt on the ground that was in a slight incline as she ran through the tunnel outside the doors.  She heard shouting from inside followed by an alarm sounding.  She forced her feet to move even faster.  There was an opening up ahead and she soon flew through it.  The sound of running feet and more shouting could be heard from behind her.  Dogs barking.  Casting a glance around D005 took in her surroundings.  She and the others had rarely been outside.  It was dark out.  Night time.  The opening she had just emerged from was at the base of a cliff.  There was a small clearing off to her right and directly in front of her leading to the opening was a dirt road.  Around the clearing and on the other side of the road it was thick with trees.

            Briefly D005’s thoughts turned to her biological brother back inside.  He would be fine really.  As long as he obeyed his orders and didn’t fail.  She bit her lip.  She didn’t want to leave him behind, even though they barely knew each other since she and the others were seldom allowed to talk amongst themselves.  Her heart still felt heavy with some emotion, some feeling she did not recognize.  She would have to come back for him some how.  Right now she had to get away.  If she were caught they would just kill her.  And she would be of no use to anyone.  She heard the dogs barking.  They were getting closer.  With that she turned to her right and took off into the forest. 

            She flew around the trees, ignoring the branches that tore through the nylon of her uniform, biting into her skin.  She was not sure where she was going.  She just knew she had to get away.  Crashing behind her let her know that the guards had entered the forest as well.  The dogs would be getting closer now.  But she was faster. 

            She suddenly broke out from the trees and skidded to a halt before she ran herself over the cliff side whose edge was just ten feet away.  There was nowhere to go.  She was about to try slipping back into the trees and try going in a different direction when the dogs emerged from the forest.  All six of them snapping and snarling at her, advancing on her as she backed up.  Slowly they got closer and closer to the edge.  The guards came crashing through the trees shortly after with Commander in the lead.  There are eight guards plus Commander.  Their faces were all red and they were breathing heavily.  Half the guards had their guns drawn and the other half had their stun-sticks out.  Commander held his Colt leveled at her, his gaze steely as it locked on hers.  D005 suddenly knew that there was no way she was going back.  Not alive anyway.  If she were to die, it would be out here.  Not that she wanted to die.  She really didn’t.  She just felt suddenly like she needed, wanted more.  There had to be more to life besides the constant training, the orders, the rules, having every move you ever made watched and recorded.  There had to be more.  More what she didn’t know, but she wanted it.  She glared back determinedly at Commander, matching his steely glare with her own.

            “What do you think you are doing out here D005?”  Commander practically growled, his lip turning up in a snarl.  “You do not belong out here.  Now you are going to march your ass back through that forest and back into the compound.”

            D005 pressed her lips firmly together, crossed her arms over her chest and took another step backward in response. 

            “Right now D005.”  Commander said firmly, fire shooting from his eyes.

            Cocking her head to the side and quirking an eyebrow up she asked, “Why?”

            There was a collective intake of breath from the guards gathered around Commander and their eyes darted between him and D005.  Commander’s eyes narrowed at her and his jaw tensed.  “Why?  Why?  You do not get to ask that.  You follow your orders and that’s that.”  He took a couple of steps closer, the guards following close at his heels.  D005 took another big step backwards.  There was the sound of rock falling against rock behind her and D005 knew without looking over her shoulder that she had come to the edge of the cliff.  “You are coming back with us now.”