Hybrid (BOOK 1)

CHAPTER 42: The Battlefield

There was deep silence in the van. Skyler had experienced silence before but not this way, there was a mixture of emotions in the air. She looked around her, she could see the determination on everyone's faces but that determination masked their fear. This was the first time something like this had happened, nobody was trained for this. Skyler then realized the mistake General Williams and the others made. They had spent so much time training her that they didn't stop to think that the other agents would surely need training. At that very moment, they were all just as inexperienced as she was and that included Ben, Chelsea and Shiloh.

The goal was to protect as many civilians as possible and hopefully capture one or two of the super beings Ethan had created thanks to the serum he named 'gift.' Skyler knew that she was the only who could do the capturing, there was no way she was going to let anyone else do that. She started to make a plan in her head as to the how she could identify at least the weakest one of them all. It would be a start at least.

"Okay people," Chelsea finally said as the stealthy van came to a halt. "Remember we need to protect the civilians. Listen to the other agents that are you ear pieces, they can see things you can't thanks to our drones. Groups of two and remember, this is the most dangerous mission we have ever done. I want all of us to make it back home. Raise your hand if you're with me?"

Everyone raised their hands simultaneously and Chelsea looked at all of them with fiery determination.

"We can do this! Common guys let's go!" she ordered as she opened the door. Each agent went out with their pairs, General Williams had ordered Skyler to keep working with Chelsea. Skyler couldn't help but feel a little anxious, she was strangely worried about everyone else, not just her sister. This 'new her' was starting to fully kick into her system. She made her way towards Shiloh as she saw that they were getting ready to head out.

"Shi do you have a minute?" she asked. Shiloh didn't seem too happy that Skyler wanted to speak to her but agreed to Skyler's request.

"Yeah sure... But you got exactly one minute," she replied. Skyler glanced at Ben and he knew that that was his cue to leave.

"I just wanted to tell you to be careful out there," Skyler said.

"Hpmh! Is that it?" Shiloh snorted out.

"Yes, this situation is just as new to me as it is to you and..."

"New to you yes but not to me Skyler," Shiloh replied with deep arrogance.

"I know you've been doing this for a while, but you haven't trained enough to face these super beings! Hell I don't think I've trained enough! Just be careful out there and if you need my help, I won't let you down. I've let you down before and I won't let that happen again." Shiloh stared at her sister with frustration. She had no comeback to what Skyler had told her and she felt the sincerity in Skyler's voice and that drove her crazy. She wasn't ready to forgive her sister, in fact she didn't think that she even wanted to.

"Say something please," Skyler told her in a pleading voice.

"Yeah, your one minute is up! I would tell you to be careful to but I'm sure you won't need to be careful being Hybrid and all," Shiloh replied rudely as she walked off to meet Ben. Skyler watched as Shiloh and Ben disappeared into the night to start their part of the mission.

"Everything okay?" Chelsea asked as she approached Skyler.

"Yeah, it's just Shiloh being Shiloh," Skyler replied with a sigh. From where they were standing she and Chelsea could see city. On a normal night, they would've seen an illumination of lights that would've mixed with the light provided by the moon and stars. That night the lights were masked with smoke and there was nothing beautiful about it.

"You ready?" Chelsea asked. Skyler nodded at Chelsea as she pressed the button on her neck and waited for her suit to completely take its place. She then proceeded to put her hoodie and mask.

"Let's do this," she told Chelsea confidently.

"Uh guys don't forget I'm here too," Melanie suddenly said in their ear pieces. "Chris and I will be your eyes you'll both have to trust us completely."

"Copy that agent Stone," Chelsea replied.

"Same here," Skyler replied.

Chelsea and Skyler made their way to the city cautiously. Skyler decided that she wouldn't talk much and just maintain the silence. She figured that Chelsea was in full concentration mode and she didn't want to be a 'bad student' to her mentor especially since she had begun to be on Chelsea's good side. Everyone had been given a part of the city to scout out and intervene where needed. She and Chelsea were heading towards the west part of the city, in fact they weren't gonna be very far away from where Skyler once lived.

Skyler loved her suit but she couldn't help but like Chelsea's uniform. It was black just like her suit. The trousers were made out of a leather like material whereas the jacket looked like it was leather but it was actually made out of camouflaged bullet proof material. She had cool accessories, well accessories wasn't the right word. Chelsea had cool weapons attached to her trousers, but they were very light. Chelsea always said 'light but deadly.' To finish, each agent had to wear an army like helmet, also black. If it were daylight, Chelsea's would've worn her shades. It had occurred to Skyler to think that Chelsea could've been what General Williams looked like in her younger days.

"Okay guys," Melanie said, "you've reached the city. The two of you should head to the park, it seems like Emily is causing chaos there with the help of another super being."

"What powers does the other one have?" Chelsea asked.

"Hold on... Oh she's with the Electrocutionist," Melanie replied.

"Great, this should be fun," Chelsea commented. "You gonna be alright Skyler?"

"Yeah, I'm prepared this time," Skyler told Chelsea.

"Alright then, let's go."

Of course, that was half a lie. Skyler wasn't prepared as prepared as she said she was. Yes she was more connected to her suit that ever. Yes she had improved with regards to controlling her power but that was in the simulations. Yes she had learnt to read minds but to only look for the information she wanted. She had progressed there was no doubt about it but she had a feeling that the progress she had made would not be enough.

When they got to the park both Skyler and Chelsea stared at everything in horror. The park was completely and utterly destroyed. Trees had been burnt down, benches had been destroyed and the worst part of it all, there were already bodies lying around the park. Skyler spotted Emily, she knew she had to stop her.

"You get Emily, I'll try to find a solution against the Electrocutionist," Chelsea told her.

"You sure you can handle her on your own?" Skyler asked in concerned voice.

"Yes. Melanie, Chris will help me and you help Skyler," Chelsea said, "we got eyes in the sky Skyler don't forget that."

"I know, but if you need, tell me," Skyler said.

"Sure thing newbie. Now go and stop Emily. We'll meet up soon." Skyler watched as Chelsea made her way to the Electrocutionist then she let out a huge sigh.

"I can do this," she thought out loudly.

"Yes you can," Melanie replied from within her earpiece. "You definitely can. I believe in you." Those last words gave Skyler a bit of courage as she started to make her way towards Emily.

"It's now or never..." she thought to herself.