LILLIAN DANTI TAKES DOWN DEPENDENCY
By L.M.Taurus
7/5/0029 UWC
5 days before headline
After the explosion of the Dependency's hideout, a fire had formed around the forest area it was located. The world military, police, firefighters and even civilians showed up in the area in an effort to help.
What people hadn't realized was there were members of Dependency trying to escape. Some were able to, but others were captured by the team of Jacmel Saint and Esterline. Among the people who were captured were Celeste and Julia, who were being confused as Dependency members.
Arlo and Luka were among the people from the world military who were dispatched to help with the fire, but instead of helping, they sneaked into the forest in search of Celeste and Julia. They were able to find and sneak into Esterline's camp where they found a bunch of Dependency members tied up on the floor in the middle of the camp. Arlo and Luka were wearing hoods and hiding among the Haitians as they looked for Celeste and Julia.
Jacmel, Bessy and Renz walked among their prisoners as they taunted them. Jacmel punched one of the prisoners.
"That's enough of that," said Esterline. "You've already made your point."
"I don't think I have," said Jacmel. "I think for me to make my point we need to have a public execution." He looked at one of the prisoners on the floor who was whimpering. "Maybe after a public execution, people will think twice before voicing their prejudices in public."
"We're not publicly executing anyone," said Esterline. "We should be moving our camp. The world military are all over the forest thanks to this fire."
"Esterline is right," said Calixte. "We need to leave and scatter before they find us."
"Then what do we do with the prisoners?" asked Bessy.
"Leave them for the world military to find."
"We're not doing that," said Jacmel as he stabbed a prisoner with his dagger. The prisoner cried out in pain when Jacmel kicked him in the mouth. Jacmel leaned down and put his hand over the prisoner's mouth and stabbed him in the heart.
Some of the people in the camp looked in horror at what he did while others seemed to enjoy it. Among the people who seemed to enjoy it were Allegra, Lovelie and Beatrice.
Luka was about to interfere when Arlo stopped him.
"Not yet," whispered Arlo. "They have arm-cannons and outnumber us."
"That display of savagery is not necessary," said Esterline who kept a serious look. "Unless you feel like you have to send a message to us as well."
"Nothing like that Miss Esterline," said Jacmel. "We just can't leave these people for the world military. The world military will just arrest them and in a couple of weeks, they'll be back in the street. We have to put them down right now."
Bessy and Renz both killed two more prisoners.
"I'm not going to be a part of this," said Esterline. "I'm leaving and I recommend we part ways now."
"You're breaking up with me," said Jacmel as he put a hand over his heart. "But we were just getting to know each other."
"I've gotten to know you well enough and we work better on two separate fronts. As a parting gift, you can keep that arm-cannon we found."
Jenniflore grabbed a suitcase and took it to Jacmel. He took the suitcase.
"My arm-cannon," said Luka. "Julia must be here."
Arlo grabbed Luka's arm and held him in place. "Not yet. It looks like half the group are leaving. Let them leave first."
Luka stayed, but he searched the prisoners and spotted two women tied to a post right in the middle of everyone.
"Good luck to you," said Esterline. "Now let's go girls." Most of the people from the camp left with Esterline, but the armored women hesitated.
"What are you two doing?" Calixte asked Allegra and Lovelie. "Let's go."
"I want to execute the Dependency members," said Lovelie.
"We don't have time for that," said Calixte. "The world military can show up any second."
"You girls should go," said Jacmel. "Your boss has a point. We work better on two fronts."
"But not before I bloody my sword a bit," said Lovelie, pulling out her blade.
"That's Celeste and Julia in the middle," said Luka as he reached for his sword.
"Not yet," said Arlo.
"They're going to kill them."
Arlo held Luka back. "Not yet."
Jacmel smiled at Lovelie. "Alright," said Jacmel as he took a step out of her way. "Have at it. Just leave the women in the middle for me. I have a personal debt to repay them."
Jacmel put Luka's arm-cannon on as Lovelie and Allegra killed the prisoners.
"We can't let them kill all of these people," said Luka as he tried to pull away.
"There's four arm-cannons and just two of us," said Arlo. "They'll kill us."
Celeste woke up at the sound of all the death around her. It took her a couple of seconds to realize what was going on when she spotted Calixte and Jacmel. "Stop!" she yelled with such conviction and everyone did.
"Well look who just woke up," said Jacmel. "Lady Dependency herself."
"I'm Celeste Flores of the world military leaders. I infiltrated Dependency years ago in an effort to take them down from the inside. Today, I burned down their hideout and rescued one of their hostages, the woman sitting right next to me, Julia Cabrera."
Everyone was shocked by her declaration.
"Bullshit," said Bessy.
Calixte went over to Celeste and looked her straight in the face. Celeste looked very different from the last time she saw her years ago. Celeste had purple hair and was covered in soot, but Calixte recognized her.
"That is Celeste Flores," said Calixte.
"How the hell would you know that?" said Bessy.
"She rescued us when the hurricane hit. She looks different but that's her."
Allegra and Lovelie came over and both nodded their heads in confirmation.
Jacmel rushed up to Celeste and lifted her from the ground, her arms still tied behind the post. Celeste grimaced. "You've been working with Dependency this entire time. You were there when that girl killed Chano."
"That was unfortunate," said Celeste. "Lin Crespo and Ar....the other Agent of Dependency were supposed to be arrested that night. Fyn and I had a plan, but something went wrong."
"You were working with Fyn?" asked Renz.
"Yes," said Celeste. "Fyn was my contact. I took him out of public view a couple of years back so we could work together. My intel was what got so many Dependency members locked up."
"You got Chano killed," said Jacmel as he shook Celeste.
"No she didn't," said Renz. "You did."
"What?" said Jacmel as he looked back at Renz.
"Fyn had a plan, but you changed it. You went gung ho into that battle while Fyn had us waiting back for the right opportunity." Renz dropped his sword. "I bet Fyn had to try and protect you from us during that battle," Renz said to Celeste, despair in his face. "We fucked up that day. We got Chano killed."
There was the sound of voices nearing. Calixte grabbed her friends by the arm. "We have to go," she told them. Calixte, Allegra and Lovelie ran off.
"No," said Jacmel. "That's not on us. Fyn should have told us what was going on. He got Chano killed."
"Stop Jacmel," said Renz. "We're soldiers. We're supposed to follow the commanding officer's orders and we didn't."
Jacmel released Celeste, letting her drop to the ground.
The only people left at the camp were Jacmel, Renz, Bessy, Celeste, Julia, Arlo, Luka and a couple of tied up Dependency prisoners. Arlo and Luka took their hoods off and revealed themselves.
"Everyone put your hands up," said Arlo.
Renz put his hands up and dropped to his knees. Jacmel was too in shock to even react while Bessy held her sword, trying to figure out what she should do.
"I said put your hands up," repeated Arlo specifically to Jacmel who had an arm-cannon.
Jacmel was too in his head to hear Arlo.
Luka ignored Bessy and Jacmel and ran to Julia. Jacmel stood over them as Luka freed Julia and Celeste.
"I'm sorry," said Julia. "I didn't want to betray you."
"I know, I know," said Luka. "You don't have to apologize."
"You killed Chano," said Jacmel. "Not me."
Jacmel raised his sword as Julia screamed. He brought his sword down but Luka blocked it with his shield. Jacmel kicked Luka back and he landed on top of Julia. Jacmel raised his sword again, but Celeste kicked Jacmel's feet from under him. Jacmel punched Celeste with his arm-cannon. Luka lifted Julia up as they tried to get away from Jacmel.
Arlo tried to go and help, but Bessy got in his way. Bessy swung her sword at him while Arlo ducked and weaved out of the way, his sights towards Luka.
Jacmel aimed his arm-cannon at Julia and blasted. The arm-cannon blew up while Luka pushed Julia out of the way, using his shield to block the blast. Jacmel's arm was destroyed as he looked at it in horror.
"What happened?" screamed Jacmel.
"Only three people are able to use my arm-cannon," said Luka as he stood strong. "And you're not one of them."
Jacmel suddenly regained his composure and in one swift move, pulled out his sword and slashed. Luka was caught completely off guard and took one step back. He touched his face and found blood on his hand. He looked at his armor and saw the blade cut right through his chest plate. Luka fell.
"Luka!" screamed Julia as she ran to him.
Jacmel went over to Julia and Luka. Julia was crying over Luka as Jacmel kicked her to the ground. He raised his sword over her.
"This is for Chano," said Jacmel.
Luka weakly kicked at Jacmel. Jacmel used his sword to stab Luka in the leg and pinned him to the ground.
"Leave him alone!" cried out Julia as Jacmel turned to her.
He pulled out a dagger as he stood over her. "Now die," said Jacmel as a sword went in his back and came out through his chest.
Arlo held the sword as Jacmel used his last efforts to bring up the broken arm-cannon and aimed at Julia. "I wonder if this still has any juice left."
"Run," Arlo yelled to Julia.
"Too late," spat Jacmel as he was about to fire the broken arm-cannon, but Renz cut the arm off. Bessy was in the back watching in disbelief.
The arm-cannon fell next to Julia as she crawled away. Arlo let Jacmel drop to his knees, Arlo's sword still stuck inside him. Renz and Arlo stood over him as he was dying.
"I'm sorry, boss," said Renz. "We're the ones in the wrong here."
Jacmel wasn't really listening as he breathed his last breath, dying on his knees.
Arlo and Julia went over to Luka. "Hang in there brother," said Arlo. "Help is on their way."
Julia held Luka's hand. "I'm so sorry. I didn't want this to happen."
Luka managed to smile as he looked at Julia. "I missed you," he said before passing out.
"Luka, Luka," said Julia as she shook him. "Please don't die."
Leonie and a bunch of world military soldiers arrived and Arlo called her over. Leonie quickly went to work on Luka, using her medical supplies to close the wound on his chest.
Arlo held Julia back as Leonie tried to save his life. "He's going to be alright," Arlo said to Julia and to himself. "Luka is going to survive this. Luka will survive."