The Khalanium Blades

Chapter 5: Warning

Bullets fired everywhere, but no one could properly see their targets due to the smoke, fire, and the damaged lights. Confirming her doubts on forgetting something, Agent Terah kneeled down and with two fingers she pressed lightly on a thin circular disc-like object attached to her upper shoulder. In a second, it detached, and she threw it up in the air, above her allies. It then split into two, and suddenly a fully operational force field started to come out of it through the disc's core, which was exposed when it split. The shield generated slowly, forming a dome around the small defense team. Soon, bullets were fired out, but none came in.

PROTECT had the upper hand, but the unknown invaders never, even once, tilted or moved. Useless bullets were being fired, and soon Quick halted his little "army", before ammo, that might be needed later, is wasted. "Sir, why isn't backup coming?" The leader of SF1 asked, "Doesn't anyone know?"

Director Quick took five seconds before replying. "Commander Rook, if I allow more men to come, we might scare them a little, and our mysterious invaders might call on reinforcements. And besides, we can take fifteen soldiers, and maybe capture the leader, right?" The commander nodded. "Yes, Sir."

Though the two men understood each other, the bullets rapidly firing and it bouncing off the slightly invisible force field hurt their ears. The reason for this waste of bullets confused them all. Are they blind or something? Why do they keep firing for no reason? Soon, the flames finally died away, and the smoke cleared. The attackers' face could be seen. Their hair was of men's, and their eyes were stern eyes were also exposed, but their mouth and nose was covered by a piece of black cloth.

As if waiting for the perfect moment this whole time, Quick commanded, "Prepare your weapons! Agent Terah and Micah, ambush from behind. The rest, secure a location and fire. Coach Rob and I have the leader." Everyone held up their guns, some nodded, and most scanned the area for possible hiding spots. Then, Quick shot the little disc still hovering above, in the exact center of the whole force field, and the shield died away, leaving the disc to reconnect and land in Agent Terah's hands. She put it back on her shoulder, and gestured to her partner. The battle started.

The defenders scrambled to find a place to duck occasionally. Some found old boxes scattered around, and few just plainly ran around, thus never really giving the invaders a real chance to lock onto them. Director Quick and Rob decided to hide until the right time came, so they could successfully keep the leader for the sole purpose of interrogation. The two golden guards charged with their blue swords, used not to tear bodies apart, but to mostly just threaten. They instead used their golden gloves to punch their way through the few fifteen.

But then the tables started to turn, when the leader pulled out from his back a blue sword, with energy rushing through it. When the two guards saw it, they were shocked, though it wasn't seen because their faces were also covered. It was the same sword the guards were using! The leader fought like he had an invisible clone helping him, because the two guards were both losing to the master of martial arts. They lost their swords in battle, and now both had a blade threatening their uncovered necks.

Director Quick saw this, and without hesitation he shot the leader in his right arm, and regardless of the thick fabric that made his long sleeves, the bullet went through. The leader dropped his sword, and held his arm tightly, containing his pain. Quick and Rob rushed to the man, and each dragged a leg. The leader, almost fainting, was immediately taken care of by two nurses who stood by the hangar's door. They brought him a stretcher, and took him to a medical ward.

Upon seeing their leader fall to the hands of their targets, the invaders suddenly became more aggressive, as if the loss was a rage potion. Even if the increased violence was more critical, it also made the attackers reckless, too. The defenders were now able to just step to the right, and the anger-centered beasts would lose their balance, tripping themselves. The two teams both had suffered minor injuries, and some bodies were lying on the floor, unconscious. Agent Micah was mostly pulling the bodies out of the battlefield and into the care of the nurses, while Agent Terah watched her back.

So far, the two agents counted seven injured bodies as only eight endeavored to conquer the battle. Though the opposing team lost their leader, they still doubted their chances of winning, since all the invaders had a major background on martial arts. The two guards reclaimed their swords, and now both teams were clashing for the last one, previously held by the leader. In the end, Commander Rook took charge of the energy weapon and did major damage.

The two agents continued firing at the invaders, but the ninjas were too fast. Suddenly, in a flash, one of the invaders stole the sword from Rook and, with his remaining seven, retreated. They ran towards the back wall, which was the exit and entrance for the jets. Quick didn't know what they were doing, especially because the giant oval wall was still closed, protecting them all from being sucked out into the vacuum of space. But then the wall opened! Half retracted upwards and half descended downwards slowly as everyone rushed to the wall.

"Artificial gravity activating, now!" Agent Terah shouted as she pulled down a lever on the wall beside the hangar door. The wall was now completely open, and Agent Micah abruptly stopped in the middle of the chase. She gazed at the stars with awe and wonder, for she had never seen something ever like that before. Then again, she probably never will if she continued to be immobilized. She shook her head and sprinted to catch up.

Quick and Rob led the chase, even though they knew the invaders had nowhere left to go except in the middle of no-oxygen space. Then, doing the most unexpected, the remaining attackers all leaped off! Into the void they go, leaving the PROTECT's personnel to stand there, bewildered. Then, as only their heads could be seen above the platform of the hangar, mechanical sounds were made. Soon, the former invaders were soaring in space, each with a long pair of metal wings somehow attached to their backs. Then, for a split second Quick caught digital movements on the wings of some. It was just like the guards' helmet, where the physical object disappears and reappears by particle evaporation.

Rob immediately started shooting at the invaders again, as everyone else followed. None turned or looked back at the bullets being fired, but concentrated on escaping. A man came running to the group. "Director, someone hacked into our system, but has now given back full control. That's what caused the walls to open."

Director Quick knew this attack was just a warning to scare them, but PROTECT was in danger. "Check all systems for stolen data and try to track the hacker's frequency." The man nodded, and returned to his work. Then, as Quick looked back at the black sky, a jet descended from above and revealed itself. Before anyone could move or talk, the spacecraft shot a small missile towards the group!