Death of the Elements

CHAPTER 8

She saw them when they were miles away, her orange tinted scope zooming in on the moving black dot automatically. Her job was made even easier from her elevated position, nestled in between three intertwining rock spires that jutted almost straight out of the ground. The area all around her was full of jagged boulders and hidden caverns, the last remnants of a once great mountain range. Unless they knew right where to look no one would ever see Daara. Her armor and modified rifle had been painted the same deep brown as her surroundings, the skilled sniper following the vehicle with as little movement as possible. They were heading straight towards her but it still took nearly ten minutes before Daara was able to make out it was a Loordanian scouting buggy. Her tan finger came up to her ear, hitting the small device inside.

"Malin, someone is coming." She reported in a soft tone.

"Who?" A scratchy male voice replied in her ear.

"A Loordanian scout. It's heading right for us."

Daara furrowed her brow as she looked at the driver.

"I think it's Bannon? And there's others with him."

"Bannon? Probably fleeing the city. Any soldiers with him?"

"No." She responded while studying each member of the odd group. "Just an old man, a couple kids, and a few other randoms."

***

Malin stood up and moved closer to the screen to hear what the reporter was saying. His long grey cloak dragged against the floor as he approached, his fierce grey eyes staring at the screen as he scowled. Malin ran his human hand though his short black hair as he double checked no one else was within earshot. His room was long and narrow but scarcely furnished; white stone chairs circling a long table in the center. His bed was just a stack of blankets with two more of them hung over the entrances as doors. Good, he was alone. He stared intently at the small cracked screen mounted on the wall, bringing his metal hand up to stroke his clean shaven chin. His fingers were thin black metal, running almost to his wrist before widening out to form the palm.

"Following the death of Princess Quara, the High Regent has issued a reward of a hundred million Loorils for the safe return of his eldest daughter and now only surviving heir, Analie." The reporter narrated while a picture of Analie appeared over her shoulder.

A hundred million Loorils? The word 'retirement' sprang to mind as a grin spread across his face.

"Is the princess with him?" Malin asked his top sniper, clenching both his fists as he tried to stay calm.

"Yea, it does look like her."

"Let them in. And tell Shao to get ready."

"You got it."

"And get down here. Might need your gun."

Malin turned off his transceiver and laughed loudly, his voice carrying through the halls of the massive cave. Bannon tried to quit the game and ended up bringing him the biggest score of all.

***

Bannon slowed down as he neared the hidden base, waving a hand in the air while hoping Daara or Wiq recognized him. There was really no way to tell; they were either going to shoot him or they weren't. Bannon wanted to speed through the unknown but couldn't; Malin and his followers had picked this place for a reason. Jagged rocks jutted up out of the ground everywhere, Bannon creeping over them as he tried not to pop a tire.

"There's someone up there!" Mireen shouted suddenly, pointing up to a ledge ahead.

Bannon smiled when he saw Daara waving him on, ignoring Analie's raised eyebrow as she eyed the feminine outline above. Even as close as they were the entrance was still concealed, Bannon driving straight towards the massive rock ahead. He could feel the questioning looks from his group as the buggy neared the wall, Analie grabbing his arm when the sand suddenly dropped sharply. They quickly picked up speed as they headed down the sharp slope, going well underneath the rock that had seemed unavoidable only a few seconds earlier.