THE TRUE STORY: PART 1
By L.M.Taurus
7/8/0029 UWC
3 days after headline
Irma, Cairo, Luan and Yelena stood amongst the crowd gathered outside of Lillian's estate as they're comrades had their meeting. Reporters tried to interview them but the world military leaders kept their distance.
Irma had her sights to the distance while Yelena kept looking back at the estate.
"How do you think things are going inside?" asked Yelena.
"I can't imagine they're going as planned considering all the reporters we weren't expecting," answered Irma.
"Does something feel off about some of the people gathered here?" asked Cairo.
"Like what?" asked Luan.
"Like some of them don't belong."
"Who exactly?" asked Yelena.
"Like them," said Cairo, pointing at a small group of brown people gathered with the crowd of Haitians.
"Fans of Delfina I'm assuming," said Luan. "There are way too many people for my comfort though."
"Everything okay, Irma?" asked Yelena. "You've been extra quiet."
"I think Cairo is right," said Irma. "There's something off here. I think something is about to go down."
"Why?"
"There's movement in the forest across the street. Some of the people in the crowd in front of us seem to be on edge as well. That includes some of the soldiers."
Yelena, Cairo and Luan observed everything Irma said, confirming her suspicions.
"Who do you think is behind this?" asked Yelena.
"I honestly don't trust anyone here other than us," said Irma.
"They all can't be in on it," said Cairo.
"Just prepare yourselves," said Irma as she held her dagger. "Something is coming soon."
"I should warn the others," said Yelena.
"Go," said Irma, bringing up her rifle and aiming it at the forest.
Yelena ran inside while Cairo and Luan stood with Irma. A soldier noticed what Irma was doing and looked in the area she was aiming. Three cannon blasts came from the forest and hit the top of the estate.
Irma fired her rifle, but she couldn't tell if she hit her target. The soldiers all brought out their clubs and swords as they turned to the forest. The reporters and civilians scattered in all directions in a panic. Some tried to run onto the estate, but the soldiers did their best to hold them back.
Irma tried to find where the cannon blasts came from, but she couldn't see them in the forest. Cairo and Luan watched as the soldiers struggled to keep the civilians back. Luan caught sight of a civilian stabbing a soldier with a dagger. No one else noticed this due to all the chaos.
"Some of the civilians have weapons," yelled Luan to the soldiers. "Be careful."
"That was a bad idea," said Cairo as some of the soldiers started swinging their weapons at the civilians.
"Shit," said Luan when he realized what he did. "I just wanted them to be careful."
Irma spotted another civilian stabbing one of the soldiers. She fired her rifle at the civilian, hitting him in the leg. The soldiers started clubbing the man down. "Don't kill them!" yelled Irma. "We need to find out who they're working for."
A knife went flying through the air and almost hit Irma as Cairo blocked it with his shield. The two shared a nod as they returned their attention to the crowd.
The soldiers and the police held a line, not letting any of the civilians pass by onto the estate.
Irma noticed more movement in the forest and aimed her rifle towards it. Another cannon blast came and this one hit a group of soldiers and officers who were clubbing one of the civilians. Irma fired her rifle and this time heard the scream of someone in the forest.
"Got one," said Irma as she noticed people scattering in the forest.
"Is this Dependency?" asked Luan.
"I doubt it," said Irma. "Celeste said they ran out of soldiers with arm-cannon."
"The Haitian girls then," said Cairo. "But why are they attacking us? Could they know about Lillian Danti."
"I don't know how," said Irma.
More cannon blasts came from the forest and these came close to striking the world military leaders. Irma fired back, but she couldn't tell if she connected.
"We can't just stay here," said Cairo. "Next blast will probably connect."
"We can't retreat either," said Irma. "We would be abandoning the soldiers and officers."
"Then we move forward," said Cairo as he took the first steps down. "Push forward," commanded Cairo to the soldiers and officers. "We take the fight to them."
Everyone followed his order, including Luan and Irma. A civilian came to attack Irma with a knife, but he was quickly subdued by Luan. They continued to move forward until they reached the street.
"At the sound of cannon fire, put your shields forward and protect the people around you," ordered Cairo and the cannon fire came and the soldiers did exactly that.
Some of the soldiers fell back, but they survived the attack. Most of the civilians had scattered away as the soldiers got closer to the forest. Another round of cannon blasts came and the soldiers used their shield to block.
Irma tapped Cairo on the shoulder. "There's at least five people firing cannons," said Irma. "It's not just the three girls anymore."
"We keep pushing forward and we should be able to take them down," said Cairo.
"I can't help from this position," said Irma. "I need a better vantage point."
"Go," said Cairo. "Do what you have to."
Irma ran back to the estate, hearing the cannon fire from behind. She didn't look back as she entered the estate. Inside, she didn't see anyone, but she made her way to the upper floors, not stopping until she reached the top.
Irma broke a window and aimed her rifle out at the forest. She could see Cairo, Luan and the soldiers had reached the forest and got into combat with another group of people. She couldn't tell who they were from her position.
Another cannon blast came and Irma quickly turned her rifle in its direction and fired. This time she saw it hit its target. She couldn't tell who the person was, but they went down.
Irma looked for more people to fire her rifle at, but instead saw the three Haitian girls cross the street from the side. Irma moved inside the estate as she tried to follow, using the windows for her line of sight. Irma saw as the girls got in the estate's backyard and then inside.
Irma made her way downstairs and just as she was almost on the first floor, the girls spotted her. Lovelie aimed her arm-cannon at Irma and fired. Irma jumped off the staircase as the cannon hit behind her.
Irma rolled on the floor and in that motion fired her rifle, striking Lovelie in her cannon arm.
Calixte moved forward with her sword and cut Irma's rifle in half. Irma dropped the rifle and jumped back, bringing out her dagger.
"You don't have to do this," said Irma as she held her dagger in a fighting stance. "I don't want to hurt you."
"I don't want to hurt you either," said Calixte. "We're here for president Delfina."
"This isn't the way to do this," said Irma.
"Screw that," yelled Allegra as she moved forward with her sword.
Allegra swung her sword high and Irma ducked out of the way. Allegra swung low and Irma parried the attack. Allegra swung from the side and Irma blocked the attack with her dagger. Allegra was getting frustrated as her attacks became more erratic.
Irma disarmed Allegra's sword and gave her a good kick in the face. Allegra landed face down on the ground.
Irma turned her attention to Calixte. "Please surrender. I really don't want to hurt you."
Calixte aimed her arm-cannon at Irma. "Just get out of our way. I only want Delfina."
"Who is our way?" said Irma as she held her dagger tightly. "You're the only one standing."
Calixte took a quick look at Lovelie and Allegra. Lovelie was down on her knee, holding her injured arm while Allegra was unconscious on the floor. Calixte returned her attention to Irma. "I can't stop now," said Calixte as she struggled to keep her arm-cannon steady. "I have a mission and I just can't stop now."
Just as Calixte fired, Irma threw her dagger, landing it inside the arm-cannon and blowing Calixte's arm off. Calixte fell to the floor and Irma went to her aid.
"I'm sorry, kid," said Irma as she pressed down on her wound. Irma pulled Calixte armor off her arm and used a rag to cover the wound. Irma tied a wrap around the top of her arm to stop the bleeding.
"Well these girls turned out to be very disappointing," said Delfina who stood at a doorway with her husband and five of her royal guards, Aracely among them.
"Delfina," said Irma. "I'm surprised you haven't retreated to somewhere safe."
"That really isn't necessary," said Delfina. "I can take care of myself. Aracely, you can dispose of these disappointments."
"Wait, no," said Lovelie as Aracely rushed and stabbed her through the heart.
"What are you doing?" yelled Irma. "Stop this at once. They're already defeated."
Aracely went over to the unconscious Allegra and brought down her sword and stabbed her heart.
Irma had no weapon to stop Aracely or the other royal guards. All she could do was keep her fists up in defense of Calixte.
"Ma'am," said Aracely. "What about world military leader and princess Irma Fountaine?"
"Died on duty after bravely fighting the armored Haitian girls," answered Delfina.