It happened in merely seconds.
Without warning; without blinking, this once ceremonious venue promptly succumbed into frantic chaos as hysterical screams pervaded the distressed air.
I was left only to watch the wildness in which so quickly corroded this vicinity. The thought of the situation hardly reached my mind in such notice.
It wasn't long before deafening shots from within the panic was quick to silence the ruckus.
The room immediately fell to the floor, the cries dissipated, and the masked perpetrator had been revealed. Heeding its warning, the room gave way to fearful, motionless masses.
Gradually lifting my eyes from the floor, I laid sight upon the figure, its face obscured from perception from beneath his cybernetic mask. I gazed intently at the mechanical being as it stuffed handfuls of money into a bad, and whether it was a man I could not tell.
Its eloquent, solemn attire contrasted with its dubious and uncertain motives. However, what really grabbed my attention was the semi-automatic, high caliber, double barreled laser rifle in which he pointed precariously at the crowd with a synthetic hand.
Instantaneously, the luminous red laser of its eye shinned directly into mine.
The people braced themselves as another round of ear-splitting shots traversed recklessly through the air. The booming sound bounced off the walls and rang through my head as I covered my ears tensely.
"Keep your heads down!" The culprit's jarring voice roared. Ironically, it had been the voice of a man from beneath the cybernetic synthetics in which concealed his countenance.
I laid frozen as petrifying fear pulsed throughout my body, rendering me paralyzed for most the entirety of the robbery.
Subsequently, as I prayed for my awakening from this nightmare, I soon came to discover that this dream was far from over.
Not far from where I trembled, an audible scuffle radiated as the malefactor forcefully pried a woman to her feet by her hair as she shrieked.
Pressing his blaster against the woman's head, her face streaming with desperate tears, his strident voice emitted throughout the room once again, only this time, his words serving a graver purpose.
"Avery Quinn," those heart stopping words filled the deathly still air. "Show yourself or this woman gets a bullet to the head."
My heart beat its last beat and died. My organs shut down just as quickly as the words reached my ears. All color had drained entirely from my skin.
My mind screamed out over the crowd, prompting my reaction, but my muscles did not comply.
I jumped as a lethal shot released from its chamber, penetrating its intended target, echoing a deathly note. Screams followed as the lifeless corpse crashed onto the floor.
"I don't know how many people I'm going to have to kill, thats up to you. Your responsible for their fate."
I shuddered as a man began pleading for mercy.
"Im going to give you to the count of three."
Squeezing my eyes shut, I gasped for air over my constricting chest.
"One."
My fingers, trembled violently. No longer did I possess feeling in my legs. My blood turned ice cold.
"Two."
Goosebumps formed over every inch of my body. My muscles tensed as the thrashing of my heart drowned out all other sounds.
"Three."
In an instant I shot up from the floor, " Stop! Its me, I'm Avery Quinn."
The paused as it analyzed my face for only but a moment before thrusting the frightful man whence he came.
Gradually, the machine approached me gradually, peering at me as if in a sort of admiration. It wasn't long before we stood face to face with one another, his red laser beamed into my fearful eyes and extracted every last bit of hope within them.
Finally, after prolonged silence, the thing spoke vilely, "I've come to deliver a message."
It was in this instant, a sharp, piercing sensation surged through my side. Peering down hesitantly from his gaze, my eyes instilled before me a trickle of blood in which coated my hands.
Hastily ripping the blade from my flesh, he watched through the mask as I collapsed to the ground in a puddle of red.
As my vision faded, the last thing I saw was the vibrant red beam, casting down onto my forgone body.
Jolting abruptly from within my sleep, I soon found myself in the confines of an entirely different setting. As I realized where I was, I looked out upon the window and remembered.
A overwhelming sigh of relief swept over me as the transporter ship flew in over Titan, Saturn's most populated moon, and the most recent occurrences were simply a horrible nightmare.
Course, ever since, the nightmares never stopped. Each night encompassed the same circumstances as before as I was forced to relive it every night.
It wasn't long before I gave up sleeping altogether.
As I peered out over the horizon of Titan, I examined the plain thoroughly in fascination. The vast methane lakes covered the land bellow as the ship engaged down into its cloudy sky.
I had always wanted to visit this planet, luckily the compartment chamber door to the side had been unlatched, making it an easy target for a young stowaway like me.
For the past couple of years I had been a drifter, wandering from colony to colony, planet to planet, never truly knowing what it felt like to have a home as I had been in and out of orphanages on Earth.
As the transporter ship landed, I slipped through the side door and out into the vast facility, home to thousands as the atmosphere is not yet susceptible to hold life.
After a few more years the atmospheric pressures and stabilizers will come into effect, and within a few decades, the atmosphere will resemble exactly that of earth's. Course, until then, the colonies must pay for the air they breathe, which doesn't necessarily settle well with the Revolutionaries.
Most of the people in which reside within these colonies are poor.
Around 2100, the human population soared to over twelve billion, exhausting Earth's resources and land past its limit. Soon there wasn't enough food to go around, not enough homes, not enough jobs.
It was then that we came to the conclusion of setting up colonies on other planets as a means of compensating their resources for the growing population.
By now, it has been two months since I first descended onto this world.
As I trek down a busy market filled with crowds of dirty faces and straw stands of food, a single apple makes its way swiftly and quietly into my bag as I continue down the aisle.
On way my through the condensed crowd, I gasp as a cold, wrinkly hand grasps firmly around my wrist and pulls me to the side.
Faded grey eyes of a wrinkly face becomes fixed upon me, belonging to an old woman, blind in her ability to see, yet gifted in the ability to foresee. Her countenance rapidly fell into a strange fascination as she feels the warmth of my hand.
"Child," her scratchy voice uttered, "You possess a gift."
I peer at her only in confusion.
She scrunches her head as she searches my hand for the answer.
"Dreams!" She cries, startling my senses. "Horrible dreams!"
As the woman gazes up into the air, an expression of realization strikes her face instantly. I peer up in that direction, half expecting for there to be some kind of major occurrence in which caused her to have such a revelation.
The woman hysterically shrieks and pushes my hand away in fear. "Oh, Child!" She cries in pity.
"One who bares such a fate. Lest the wicked of heart. This is the sorrowful state of sounds unsure!"
"I don't believe I understand you." I contest.
"The dreams!" She screams once more, creating a scene as people begin crowding around at the sight.
"Leave! I want no part." The woman screeches.
"Wait!" I call out yearning for answers. The woman turns, her eyes connects directly with mine.
"Thou blood 'tis external." The woman hisses shortly before vanishing within the crowd. Before I know it, I have been surrounded by fearful faces, peering at my presence in disdain.
I've always felt as thought the outsider, only now it was certain. No longer was it a feeling, but a fact.
That night, I ran as hard as I could from the market; I ran as far as my legs could take me; I ran past rows of jagged houses and observing townsfolk; I ran until I could not run any further, when a large glass wall blocked my path.
Pressing my hands against the heavy glass, I peered out at the vacant land; inhabited by nothing more than lakes, rock, and freedom.
Subsequently, a stream of tears trickled down my rosy cheeks in which lasted for hours. However, the recent occurrences at the market weren't the driving force for my grieving, but rather at the painful memory of my parents.
My mother used to always show me pictures of my father, so that I might never once forget his face. It was the face of one of the noblest, most courageous officers to have ever served the regime. It was the face of a man who sacrificed his life serving the greater good.
What was once the face of a man widely known by all, is now a face long since forgotten, along with me.
I never got a chance to meet my father, he died only a week before my birth, sixteen years ago.
At the time of his death, The Revolutionaries attempted to hijack one of the cargo ships containing the atmospheric processors to replace the failing air generators of a colony on Mars.
At first notice, The Regime called in reinforcements as it quickly escalated into a battle between the two.
My father fought to protect that vessel, and because of him, thousands in which resided in that Mars colony were saved.
Unfortunately, he didn't live to tell the tale. The fuselage had sustained too much damage. It wasn't long before the spaceship in which he was piloting, erupted in a fatal explosion, resulting in his death.
As I cried throughout the night a rigid shadow approached from beyond the darkness. While quick to detect an unknown presence, I reached for my dagger instinctively and stared intently at the illuminated silhouette.
Suddenly, there revealed another figure from behind the shadow; then another, and another. Promptly I rose to my feet pointed the blade precariously into the darkness with a trembling hand.
It was apparent in this moment that I had been outnumbered: four to one.
"Avery Quinn?" One of the shadows divulged.
"How do you know my name?" I remarked, swinging the knife uneasily at the sound.
"Do not be afraid. We are one of the good guys." The silhouette professed, stepping into the light. "In fact, your just the person we've been looking for."
They gave me a choice. They offered me food, protection, and most importantly, a home. All I had to do was join them.
By now, it has been three months since I first descended onto this world, and we are preparing for war.
By now I fear that my joining The Revolutionaries is a direct betrayal to my father's legacy. However, their cause is just, they want to help the people. They seek to bring food and free air to the colonies who reside upon the four planets: Mars, Titan, Enceladus, and Europa.
Is it wrong to stand up for those who aren't privileged to have been borne on Earth?
As I peer around my quarters, all my belongings are packed and I am ready for the proceedings of battle.
A voice suddenly slurs through my walkie-talkie, summoning me by name to the main hall. Taking my back, I exit the confines and weave through the various hallways and corridors before arriving to the main room.
There, Albany, the leader of our rebellion, awaits.
"After many weeks of preparation, the time has finally come. Are you ready?"
"Yes, I am ma'am." I reply.
"Good," she spoke as she seemingly scanned my eyes for any hint of hesitation. She pointed to the map, "A leak in The Regime has informed us of the trajectory course of the cargo ship, which shall be holding at least dozen atmospheric processors."
Albany continues, "We must presume they will be accompanied with reinforcements, which is why we have planned our attack carefully. Once we get our hand on that vessel, we can successfully provide free, clean air to all those who reside in Titan."
"But given the chance that we can avoid casualties, you will presumably take it right?" I ask in the hopes to minimize loses on both sides.
A half genuine smile gleams upon her cheeks as she assures none otherwise. "You know what to do."
I nod as exit the room and start for the garage, housing hundreds of stolen, Regime spacecrafts. After prolonged waiting, I boarded the ship with Albany as the rest fired on their vessels. One by one, each spaceship zoomed up and out of the atmosphere due for Earth.
After roughly 90 minutes of traversing at light speed, we had arrived and formed a blockade as planned.
Sitting in the back, I overheard conversation from some of the men as they commemorated each other, even thought the battle had not yet been won, as well as celebrating their becoming rich, which left me in baffling confusion.
My mind began wondering of all the possibilities. However, my thoughts had suddenly been interrupted by the intercom in which warned all sister ships that the cargo ship was within sight and thus the fight commenced.
It didn't matter though, for my suspicions would soon be confirmed.
The fleet of Regime ships came to a sudden halt as both sides stood at a stand off, within each other's cross hairs.
Albany spoke through the radio. "Attention Regime, this is the Revolutionaries speaking and we strongly suggest you hand over your precious cargo. If you do not heed our warning, we are fully prepared to go to war."
She continued, "However, I would like to inform you that we have missiles trained and locked on to twelve different major cities on Earth if you do not comply to our demands."
My heart beat at an increased rate, did my ears deceive me?
"Albany!" I protested, "Your threatening innocent civilian lives? This was not part of the plant."
"Desperate times calls for desperate measures, and how else are we to prove our might and opposition to their authority?" She replied.
"It's all just about power with you isn't it? At what length will you go to get it? How many people have to die for you to get what you want?"
"As many as it takes."
I almost couldn't believe the words in which where said. "This is no rebellion, this is terrorism."
"I don't take words from children!" Albany flung from her chair and advanced towards me hastily, "Your father was a coward, he chose the wrong side, and for that reason he is dead. I suggest you sit down before your fate lies with his." She said as she shoved me forcefully into the chair.
I peered over at the others, devious smirks plastered upon their faces at my stupidity; stupidity for ever believing in their cause.
A firefly anger was lightened within my heart in that moment.
A man came into the intercom, "This is The Regime. We have decided to give into your demands." The crew cheered malevolently. Albany grinned at the sight of their cargo ship traversing towards them.
"This is just too easy!" She laughed. The entire chamber was quick to erupt with celebratory cries.
Peering out the window, I gazed as the colossal ship sailed peacefully to our shore.
Something wasn't right.
Feeling as though in a sense of grave danger, the crooked laughter in which celebrated pay day faded into blurred murmuring.
Slowly stepping back from the window, as if in an attempt to avoid startling the beast with sudden movements, I gazed in horror at the uncertainty as it gradually crossed our line.
A storm of fear and exertion swept over me, and as if knowing of what imminent danger ahead, fell to the floor, covered my ears, and braced myself for sudden impact.
Not even a moment later, a colossal eruption thrust the ship with immense force. In an instant, a third of the fleet had already been lost to the explosion.
All trace of celebration immediately ceased, as the ship jolted abruptly in the explosion's wake.
"It's a trap! Rebels attack!" A battle cry emitted from the cockpit.
In an instant, the foregrounds gave way to a bloody frontier, as fire, missiles, and bullets jet through the air, pelting each titanic vessel in a storm of blows.
My head throbbed as a constant ringing chimed my ears. As my vision gradually became clear, I peered upon the blurred image of Albany, frenetically plugging away at the control panel.
"System, lock missile coordinates for trajectory coarse toward Earth targets." She called as the system complied with her demands.
"It was in that moment, that I had known what I had to do." I say from on the podium, crowds of people commemorating me with inspired gazes full of wonder as I continued my speech.
"In a swift act, I collected the blaster off one of the motionless bodies, and in a flash had already extended the end of the barrel upon her head. Her hand inches away from the kill code."
"You won't do it, you wouldn't hurt a fly."
In an instant she had already lifted the latch and proceeded for the button, but in a flash, the bullet had already been released from its chamber, leaving the remains on a bloody sight across the glass.
"That was the first time I had ever killed anyone, but in the end we won. "And so this fundraiser money shall go towards the people of the four planets."
The people rise up from their seats and cheer in delight.
"And so I would like to prepare a toast," I remarked as the applause died down, "to honor all those who fought against these terrorists. I would also like to propose a toast to my dad, who died defending the people." I peer over at his picture solemnly.
"May we never forget." I uttered under my breath.
It happened in merely seconds.
Without warning; without blinking, this once ceremonious venue promptly succumbed into frantic chaos as hysterical screams pervaded the distressed air.
I almost couldn't believe my eyes. Watching as if in slow motion, the same masked man of my nightmares storms through the doors with that same loaded blaster, his eye beaming directly into mine.
Shots fire into the air, the crowd ducks, and I am left utterly speechless knowing I should have heeded that old woman's warning.
I've lived this before, upon countless nights. I know exactly what was to come.
After snatching the money up and into his bag, I watch horror as he takes hold of that same sobbing woman, destined to die.
"Avery-" "Its me!" I shoot up, interrupting him in mid sentence. The red laser instantly flashed into my eyes as he scrutinized my countenance.
He pushes the woman back and approaches me with haste.
Swallowing my fear, I stood tall for the duration of our standoff, however my legs trembled at the thought of what was to come.
"I've come to deliver a message." My heart fluttered at the haunting words in which were spoke, and in an instant a jagged blade became apparent as it gleamed.
It happened so fast; acting purely on instinct I leaped out of the way, grabbed hold of my blaster and fired one shot at his head.
The cybernetic mask surged with electricity as the red beam dimmed into an empty void. The man eagerly pried the mask off, revealing his face.
There, was the desolate image of my father, however sheets of metal were bolted into half his face. The explosion in which occurred before my time, claiming half his face, along with his arm.
There was hardly much of him left.
The figure was far from my father, however, in which he had been altered into someone else, into something else.
There, plastered across the monsters face, a dubious smile beamed of metal fangs. The creature leaped from the room, animal like and in an instant, disappeared.
There was no doubt it. I was within the Revolutionaries' crosshairs and as was their target.