"Bold."/"Bold italic" : animatronic is talking/animatronic is talking in mind
"Normal."/"Normal italic." : human is talking/human is talking in mind
=o^o=
"Exactly like what I imagined."
"What did you imagine?"
"Their secret base is like in a fictional movie; old warehouse that looks unused and far away from public!"
Ennard looked at the man next to him with a sweatdrop. "You read too much fiction." Ennard grabbed the binoculars held by Michael to see the building Michael was talking about; the headquarters of the scientists. They were standing quite far from the place, of course so that their people wouldn't know where the two of them were now.
Today was the day they'd be doing something pretty big—quite thrilling, but trusting it to the police wasn't going to work. The police were too slow and they were already concerned about Lucy. Henry had contacted the agency, they discussed it with one of the leaders in charge of the area near where they lived. They were asked to wait since they were leaving first, then Henry would come with government officials to arrest these people.
In short, they were a distraction.
He glanced at Michael who—seemed like he was lost in thought, his gaze somewhat blank. "Hey," he said while lightly shaking Michael's small shoulder, making the man slightly startled. "Stay close to me later."
"Why? You're worried about me?" Michael smirked a grin and nudged his boyriend playfully.
"Yes, I'm worried that you would act rashly and hurt yourself."
Michael was a little astonished to hear that, moreover Ennard said it seriously even without looking at him at all. He felt his cheeks heat up, then looked away quickly. He didn't really expect that answer, he had to get used to this—they were already in an intense relationship, sometimes he forgot about it and sometimes he still couldn't believe the reality.
"We've been here for almost two hours," he said, trying not to get nervous. "What are we waiting for exactly?"
"Me."
The voice sounded familiar, they looked back only to find a blonde-haired man stepping towards them with a faint smile, slightly waving his hand.
Michael stared in disbelief, his eyes widening. "Thomas!" he said excitedly, Ennard's expression turned sour. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm a free agent and I've worked for this agency for over a decade, so I'm immediately assigned here because this case is a bit ... dangerous." Thomas maintained his smile. "Absolutely not forcing my leader to put me in destroying this laboratory, yep."
Ennard gave him a skeptical look, then rolled his eyes in boredom and snorted.
"This grumpy one hasn't changed, huh."
"Yes."
"I can hear you."
Thomas chuckled, then squinted at the front—the old building. He glanced to the right and left as he pulled out a walkie talkie from his pocket. "Nereid squad, cripple and hack their system, open the main gate. Dione squad, alert at their weak point, take down all the guards. Miranda squad heads north to open an escape route if the plan doesn't work. Our goal is to rescue Miss Dawson, anyone who gets in your way, get rid of them all."
Glancing back, the two of them just realized that there were several people hidden there who also had communication devices in their ears or collars, listening intently to what Thomas was talking about. Then they dispersed quickly, mingling with the common people who had no idea of their current ambush.
"You two," Thomas stared at them quietly, "will follow me. I know this place inside and out, so it's safer if you guys are with me. Come on."
Thomas moved forward quickly, they soon followed his lead. Michael looked around, and so did Ennard—they saw how the teams Thomas had just directed were doing their jobs. They drew nearer to the old building, until Thomas raised his hand; a sign that they should stop. They both did as Thomas told them to, then looked ahead. Thomas watched how the guards at the place looked confused.
It seemed the system had been hacked, the security cameras appeared to no longer work and the wire gates were opened from four different places. Thomas' people sneaked around and took out the guards who were outside the building. Not long after they moved forward again—this time they dashed their way into the building.
As soon as Ennard and he entered, Thomas immediately took a gun from his jacket and stood ready in front of them. Ennard stood directly in front of him, his wire carefully wrapped around his wrist. He himself only brought a penknife as a defense.
"Strange," Ennard muttered under his breath. "Why aren't there a lot of people in here?"
Thomas snorted and motioned for them to follow him. "Half of them were eliminated when you guys were going back to this town," he answered Ennard's question casually—they remembered that, it was the moment where the two of them had confessed their feelings to each other. "Most of them are just guards here, but it never hurts to be cautious." Thomas smiled faintly at them. "There may still be some scientists after you, Michael."
"Good to know," Michael responded briefly, somewhat irritated. He glanced back and looked down when someone had sneaked up and tried to kick him in the head. He quickly gripped the man by both shoulders and brought his knee into the face of the ambusher with great force.
"Nice defense." He could hear Thomas' praise as he pushed aside the fainted man, Ennard was momentarily stunned.
Michael shrugged his shoulders. "Easy to do it if you've been fighting all the time since you were young."
"Looks like you impressed your boyfriend too."
Michael stared at Ennard with raised eyebrows, Ennard blinked in surprise and a thick blush immediately covered his face, Michael tilted his head and smiled broadly, Ennard covered his red face in embarrassment.
"By the way," Thomas shot both thighs of the scientist in the room to their left before shooting his arms immobilizing him completely, "your friend is probably on the third floor." Thomas turned to them. "They always keep their prisoners on the third floor, either for experimentation or—I don't know." Thomas shrugged his shoulders.
"You seem to know them very well." Ennard frowned deeply at Thomas who was listening to something on the walkie talkie, his suspicions returning. "Have you—"
"—ever worked with these people?" Thomas interrupted Ennard's question. "No, and never. As for how I know the ins and outs of this place, that doesn't matter, it doesn't concern you either." Thomas' green eyes narrowed at Ennard, he seemed serious than usual. "Floor one and two are clear, go to the third floor and exit through the back door, my team will be waiting for you in room D3."
"Then you?"
Thomas flashed a smile. "I, have other business here." He waved a flash drive and chuckled, before he went down the hall on the left, leading downstairs—there was a sign emblazoned with the name 'Great Office'.
He watched Thomas leave until the man was no longer visible in his vision, then turned to Michael who was still staring at where Thomas had run. After a while, Michael glared back at him. They exchanged gaze for a few moments, and then they nodded to each other, going up the stairs that led to the second floor. Considering Thomas said that the second floor had been thoroughly cleared, they were going to go to the third floor—not wanting to waste time in this place filled with the smell of medicine.
The third floor looked like a prison inside a hospital. On the first floor, they went through many research rooms and laboratories, they didn't pay much attention to the things on the second floor, but the third floor; aluminum-barred cells in a row. Thes rooms weren't guarded at all, there were no scientists or guards, nor prisoners. The third floor was only an empty place.
"Thomas can't be wrong," Michael muttered under his breath, looking at Ennard doubtfully as they walked through the empty rooms. "Right?"
Ennard shook his head. "I don't know, Afton."
Michael bit his lower lip worriedly, his steps started quickly to check everywhere. Ennard followed closely behind. No results here, no one but them. Michael tapped the toe of his shoe on the floor anxiously, while Ennard paused, then squeezed his eyes shut. His tracking system activated, he opened his eyes and sharpened his sight. There was something odd here. He walked down the corridor with his hand on the wall.
The eldest Afton watched Ennard slightly confused, but even so he decided to follow him. They circled this place a second time, then arrived at the eastern end of the prison. Ennard looked at the wall in disbelief. "My sensor isn't working," he said quietly.
"Isn't working?" Michael stared at him just as confused.
Their gazes landed on the electricity token beeping not far from them. He opened the lid carefully, then the two of them were silent for a moment. Michael started to stretch out his hand, held the switch a little hesitantly, he glanced at Ennard briefly before moving the switch to the right.
The next thing he knew Ennard was pulling him fast and they were sent flying by a small explosion of electric current.
"Shit." Ennard groaned a little, then checked under him—Michael winced in pain, but he looked fine.
"Ennard! Mike!"
They both widened their eyes at the sound, the girl they were looking for suddenly appeared from the direction of the billowing smoke. They quickly stood up and approached her quickly. "Lucy!" Michael exclaimed in surprise. "We've—we checked all the rooms but there's no you! Where did you appear? Are you okay?"
"They made some kind of protection, or a hologram to disguise my cell, whatever it is you couldn't see it until—" Her words were cut off as Michael hugged her tightly, seeming to take her a bit by surprise, then she smiled. "I'm fine, Mike. I'm alright."
"Did they hurt you?"
Lucy turned to Ennard. "Surprisingly you also came for me."
The corner of Ennard's eyes twitched in annoyance. "Just answer."
"No." The girl shook her head. "They just kept me here." Lucy stared at Michael who tightened their embrace.
"I thought the bomb would have killed at least one of you, no luck at all. I've put it very close to her cell."
The three of them turned to the source of the voice in surprise; it was Alice. The woman looked even messier than usual, her clothes seemed wrinkled even though she had a big smile on her face—it seemed like she was starting to lose her mind. Ennard knit his brows deeply and pushed Lucy and Michael behind him, then he gritted his teeth as Alice drew closer and closer to them with gun in hand.
"Why you—why don't you guys just give up?!" Alice's exclamation was loud, she sounded full of rage. "Why do you always run away from us? We won't even do anything, it wouldn't end like this if you just turn yourself in! I would do anything to get you ...."
Michael shuddered to feel Alice's gaze fixated on him. "What are you talking about? You think we're willingly to be your lab rats?" he retorted indignantly. "I should be the one asking that! Why don't you guys just give up and let me live in peace without any interference from you?"
Alice raised her gun and gritted her teeth. "An anomaly like you ... you are a valuable asset, Afton."
The wire was destroyed after blocking the bullet fired by Alice right at Michael. He and Lucy gasped in surprise, Ennard didn't budge even though his eyes darted here and there; looking for a way out considering Alice cornered them. The explosion shattered the wall behind them and they were on the third floor, the cacophony below audibles clearly.
"How sweet!" she laughed. "A killing machine protects its own victims? Ironic."
Ennard gritted his teeth, he was on alert since Alice was started darting at him. Ennard dodged to the side as Alice tried to hit him, Lucy and Michael did the same. The three of them scatter. Alice didn't care about anything other than Michael, she immediately ran towards Michael—the man was a little surprised when Alice managed to hit him in the face, but his movements were agile so he could avoid the second punch. He pushed Alice away and Ennard caught her from behind and twisted her arms to her back.
She tripped Ennard's leg to throw him off balance and immediately turned as Ennard fell to his knees to kick him, but Ennard's cable caught her ankle first and sent her flying—against a wall. Lucy quickly helped Ennard up as Alice stood up as well. Lucy blocked Alice's punch by crossing her arms, then grabbed Alice's wrist as Alice was about to move away.
She ducked to avoid Alice's punch with her other hand and swirled her body behind Alice, then elbowed her in the back, she kicked her aside causing Alice to thrown and the gun flew. Lucy caught the gun and seemed to smile happily because Alice no longer had a gun on her.
Her smile faded when she felt something sharp stab and she was swayed, she found a knife stuck in her thigh, and Alice who straight away took the gun from her hand and pointed it at her head.
"Lu!" Michael shouted in surprise, he was about to step forward but Alice pulled the trigger, causing him to stop instantly.
"What are you going to do, Afton?" She smirked. "If you want your friend to be safe, then give yourself up."
Michael pursed his lips, he glanced at Ennard who also looked disbelief at this. He stared back at Lucy who seemed in pain from the stab, then stared back at Alice who was waiting for his answer. He didn't want to be an experiment of the scientists, but his friend's life is in danger. He hesitated, he didn't know what to do.
"Michael! Don't mind me!" Lucy said aloud, completely ignoring the muzzle of the gun being pointed at her forehead. "You two just go!"
She laughed. "If they leave, then you will die. Or all of us."
"What do you mean?" Ennard stared at Alice intently.
"That bomb triggered another bomb we planted in this place." Alice's grin widened. "And time has passed since the bomb activated, this place is going to explode, we could all be dead in a moment. Exciting, isn't it?" Her chuckle made the three of them widened their eyes. "Therefore, make your choice now, Afton, and I will turn off the bomb. We have ... 120 seconds left."
Michael fell to his knees, shock evident on his face. "No ...."
"Tick tock, Afton, tick tock."
What should he do now? He was at a dead end, there was no other alternative.
"Mike! Just go!"
Lucy's exclamation was ignored, the contents of his head were chaotic and he couldn't think clearly. Even Ennard's call got ignored by him, he was completely desperate.
"Michael!" Lucy looked at the man worriedly. "Mike—just go."
"But—I'm not leaving without you!" Michael bit his lower lip hard, his chest felt tight looking at Lucy just smiling warmly at him. He couldn't sacrifice Lucy, Lucy was just someone who accidentally got dragged into his troubles. "Lu ...."
"90 seconds to go, Afton."
"Shut up!" Michael screamed while covering his ears, his eyes heated up and watery. They really had no other choice.
"Michael, you don't need to worry about me," Lucy said softly, Michael shook his head vigorously. "Just go Mike, get on with your life."
"Afton!" Ennard grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him to his feet. "Come on!"
"I'm not leaving without Lucy!" Michael cried, trying to hold Ennard back.
Ennard stared at him with an indecipherable look. "This place is going to explode, Afton," he said, but Michael seemed adamant. He looked at Lucy worriedly, Lucy just nodded to him.
"Wow you don't intend to save her? Such a selfish jerk."
Ignoring Alice's words, Lucy spoke again. "Ennard, take him and go."
Ennard was silent for a moment before he nodded, he stared at Lucy with a guilty look for a while. He pulled Michael again, lifted Michael and carried him.
"No! Ennard! Get off me! I'm not leaving without Lucy!" Michael revolted, but Ennard overpowered him. His tears rolled down even more as Ennard started running away from that place. "Lucy! Ennard—Lucy! I don't want to leave without Lucy!" he screamed miserably, but Ennard didn't stop at all. He stared at Lucy who was getting further away, the girl's image blurred by his own tears. "Lucy! Get off me! Lucy—I want to be with Lucy! Ennard!"
Then Ennard jumped up, clutching Michael in his arms tightly, and the sound of a gun being fired was accompanied by a loud explosion could be heard.