They Called Her the Devil

Chapter 29, Xander

There was a pause. For a split second, I questioned Sam's true intentions. After all, she'd been with the Legion for who knows how long.

Then she shot a guard and I stopped questioning her.

I pulled off the loosely fastened handcuffs and grabbed my knife. Leo followed my lead pulling out a fork.

Not exactly the best weapon choice Leo.

A guard pulled his gun but I stabbed him in the chest and grabbed his weapon. I pulled the knife out, not wanting to make the mistake I'd made when getting Kate's MC-57.

I turned and shot another just as Sam slit one man's throat and Leo killed the last man with a fork to the neck.

I heard footsteps coming down the hall. Sam handed her gun to Leo then frantically shoved the black bags and handcuffs into a nearby trash chute.

"Leo I need you to shoot me in the gut. Fatal but not for at least fifteen minutes," she asked, a panicked look on her face.

"I'm sorry, you want me to do what!?" he yelled.

"If they find me unharmed they'll know I helped you and they'll kill me. Also, I'm pretty sure Kate or one of the Ghosts will show up at some point and I won't help you kill one of them."

Leo seemed conflicted for a moment before he cocked the weapon and shot Sam in the stomach. He winced as she fell among the bodies of the guards.

But I didn't get to dwell on it before a guard I'd presumed dead stood and tried to attack me. Without a second thought, I shot him.

Just then another group of guards rounded the corner. I saw Kate among them. Leo fired at her and instantly a guard jumped in front of her, taking the bullet.

The next few seconds were a massacre as we killed the remaining men before they could even pull their weapons. I wanted to throw up.

Then I heard two gunshots and suddenly I wasn't holding my gun anymore. Kate then strolled around the corner holding a gun.

I'm going to die.

Her beautiful blue eyes stared into mine. Then she looked away.

"Kate, please," I begged her.

"I'm sorry." She actually looked sorry.

Then she pulled the trigger.

And the bullet hit the wall.

Leo didn't hesitate he just sprinted towards the door. After a split second, I followed and we ran out the door.

As soon as we made it outside we were met with a fleet of jet-black helicopters. We each grabbed one, because free helicopters, and set autopilot back to our base.

I couldn't believe we'd made it out of the Legion's base. Nobody ever made it out. And Kate had missed the shot. I'd seen her shoot before; she didn't seem the type to miss a shot from that close.

Had she let us go?

Twenty minutes later we'd landed a safe distance from our base as to avoid being shot down. We were in Legion helicopters after all.

We walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence before reaching the entrance to the abandoned SuperMart warehouse we hid out base in.

I knocked twice on the door and a slot opened. The guard, a man I'd known since I was nine, recognized us instantly and let us in.

After a few greetings and a brief explanation, I asked him to call the group together in the center of the base. Ten minutes later I had a microphone and five hundred people listening to me.

Why did I have to give the speech?

"As most of you know I set out to capture the Devil a week ago. We managed to capture her but she escaped and killed Ian. She took all of us to her base and Leo and I just barely escaped with help from a friend in the Legion. Izzie is still her prisoner.

"I know this seems like the end. And it's true; we're outnumbered, out weaponed, and outmatched. But we're fighting for what we believe in, and that's why we're going to win. Because we're the good guys and good always wins in the end.

"Also we have two new helicopters from the Legion that should help a little bit." I finished and quickly retreated from the podium to scattered applause.

We'd failed. And it was all my fault.

I'd let the Devil capture us. I'd refused to kill her before the deadline. I'd gotten her the MC-57. I'd kissed her.

My thoughts were interrupted when Leo's parents walked over to me. His mother, who'd always been like a second mother to me, wrapped me in a hug.

Dr. Jamal and his wife Dr. Gracie were a couple in their mid-forties. Dr. Jamal was rarely serious and was notorious for his dad jokes.

Dr. Gracie had a motherly air about her but could still suture a bullet wound while lecturing you about not wearing a bulletproof vest.

"I'm so glad you boys are ok," Dr. Gracie said, releasing me.

"We were so worried when you didn't check in on Tuesday," Dr. Jamal added.

"We're fine dad," Leo jumped in, appearing from behind me.

"I know, but we were still worried," Dr. Gracie added.

I would have stayed to talk but I noticed Daniel, one of my father's most trusted men, waving me over.

Daniel and his wife Nora had taken Izzie in when she'd arrived at our base three years ago. Izzie's real parents had been killed in a Legion raid and she'd escaped the foster system to join us.

"Izzie's still alive, I'm sure if we-" I started but Daniel cut me off.

"I'm worried about Izzie too, but right now we have bigger problems."

He pulled out his x-com and showed me a file. I felt like I was going to pass out.

25 million people.

"We weren't sure you were coming back so we sent Nora to go investigate."

"And what if she can't destroy it when she gets there?" I asked.

"I have no idea."

***

Hello fellow humans! What do you think of Xander's daring escape? Can helicopters be tracked? Will Nora succeed in destroying the threat to the Silver Order? Please vote and comment, I want to know what you think!

-Jade