Chrome Symphony - Chapter 3

Shell reviewed the sanitation and water supply schematics to the facility. She was surprised at how easy it was for her to still access all of this information.

"You know there's going to be that security drill that Camay mentioned coming up soon," Shell said, as she finalized the hacking script to cause the sewage backup in the restrooms. "Our timing should be about right. We're going to have about twelve minutes after the sewage backup to find our person, break them out, and escape. There should be just enough commotion right then."

It was 20:56. Shell ran the hack and, right on cue, everyone heard a disgusted scream coming from the nearby latrine.

Shell opened the door and Duncan hurried to that restroom. The person inside, trying to avoid the mess, said "Oh, good, glad you got here so quickly" to Duncan as he pretended to investigate the pipes.

Shell ran to the other restroom with a tool box. Several people saw her but did not find it strange, given the situation.

As 21:11 arrived, an announcement on the loudspeaker announced, "Security, code 2-K. Code 2-K..." which signified that the drill had started. Jess and Atlas began walking by the detention cells, now with the guards gathered in a meeting room for the beginning of the drill. Shell accessed the security cameras and quickly jammed them. She knew that if the guards noticed the jammed cameras now, they would think it was part of the drill.

Shell left the restroom and Duncan also regrouped with her, Atlas, and Jess. They met in front of the detention cells.

"Camay just sent me a message," said Shell, "she says we're in grave danger without Renk and Elise and that we shouldn't be here at all under these circumstances."

Atlas started to laugh. "It's a little late now, isn't it?!" he chuckled.

Shell reviewed the picture that Camay had given them. It was the prisoner to be rescued. After looking at the people in the detention cells, Shell found their target and quickly picked the lock to the cell. It was an older-looking man by the name of Ray Heimborem. He looked thin and had quite a beard.

Atlas helped him to his feet and everyone headed back to the storage room where they had entered the building from the maintenance tunnel.

"Now we have to figure out how to leave with Dr. Heimborem. If the guards see us with him, the jig is up," Shell said.

Renk and his team arrived at the area just outside of the EMA facility. They parachuted out of the helicopter and landed nearby, just out of range of the search lights.

"Ok, men," Renk said, "We have intel that EMA is performing a military drill right now. We only have about fifteen minutes to take advantage of this so let's move in."

There were two guards standing at one of the gates. Renk stayed hidden and listened to their conversation.

"Man, that little chromed lady was cute," one of the guards said.

"Yeah, looked like she just got a fresh upgrade, too. EMA must be paying her really well," said the other guard.

"Actually, if she worked at HQ, she probably just got her last paycheck, considering what happened and all."

"Really? That's a shame. Maybe they'll permanently transfer her here instead."

Renk pulled out a tranquilizer gun. "I don't need to hear about your damn cyborg fetishes," Renk whispered to himself.

When one of the guards' backs was turned, Renk shot the other guard with the tranquilizer gun and sneaked up behind the remaining guard. He rapidly put the guard in a choke hold and knocked him unconscious. Renk looked up and noticed a security camera.

"Oh, not good," he mumbled. Renk then noticed that the light on the camera was flashing erratically. That camera has been jammed, he thought. Renk examined the lock on the gate. He wasn't able to brute force it.

One of Renk's team mates came up with a small gas torch and began cutting the lock. Renk noticed another guard coming at them from around the corner and quickly started running toward them. Renk activated his time manipulation ability and rushed to the guard, getting behind him and snapping his neck. Renk then returned to normal and stood still as he tried to shake off the shock of using his ability.

"Ok, it's open," said Renk's team mate. The gate slid open and Renk darted inside. Two of his team mates followed him in.

"Stay close," Renk said. "They're well-armed here and I'd prefer not to go loud."

Renk checked the data on his military communicator. He was looking for a group of spies. He would have to capture one of the higher-ranking people in the facility and force them to spill the beans.

Suddenly, Renk spotted something odd. He saw four maintenance workers and an old man running away from the detention building. Renk ran over to them, startling them a little.

"Atlas?" whispered Renk. "So you guys actually got in already? Listen... you need to get the hell out of here. It might get really ugly soon," he said to Atlas.

"Can you provide some cover for us to get out," asked Atlas.

"No, I have to stick to the mission. I was sent here to find the four spies that attacked us at the hydroelectric base earlier today," Renk replied. "You should stick with me for now if you don't have a way out of here."

Renk, Jess, Atlas, Shell, Duncan, and Dr. Heimborem quietly hurried into one of the administrative buildings.

Renk and Atlas drew their weapons. Jess had her sword at the ready.

"I have to force one of the higher-ups to divulge information about the spies we're trying to find," Renk whispered.

Atlas shook his head. "Listen, Renk... there's something I have to tell you," Atlas replied.

"Don't!" shrieked Jess. "Shhhh!" said Atlas.

Suddenly, a large group of heavily armed EMA guards surrounded them in the hallway. "Halt!" shouted one of the guards. The guard noticed Ray. "Trying to free this terrorist? Not on my watch!" shouted the guard.

Duncan, Shell, and Jess started to put their hands up. Renk and Atlas clutched their weapons.

The sound of some of the guards being knocked down began to fade in. One by one, the guards were attacked from behind and they went down before they could react. Some of the guards turned around to see what was going on, which distracted them long enough for Atlas and Renk to begin firing to provide cover for the others.

Duncan and Shell took cover while Jess began attacking some of the distracted guards with her sword. The guards began firing back and Jess took cover in a doorway.

Elise knocked out some more guards with a spinning kick, providing an opening for the group to make a run for it. She motioned Duncan, Shell, and Jess to follow her. Atlas and Renk continued the firefight with the remaining guards while Elise, Shell, Jess, and Duncan darted into one of the offices and promptly locked the door behind them.

"Elise?!" asked Shell.

"Sorry I'm late," replied Elise. "I've been scouting this place out all day today. Some crazy s*** went down last night and I've been unable to make contact with anyone in the mean time," she said.

Elise shoved a file cabinet across the wall into position underneath an air duct. She climbed up on the cabinet and ripped the vent grating out.

"I take it you know the drill by now," Elise said. "First, we get up to the roof. Second, Duncan, remotely access that rental car and have it fly up to us."

"Roger that," said Duncan.

"After that, we'll pick up Atlas and Renk. I haven't been able to track Renk, so I assume only Atlas has a communicator," Elise added.

"How did you know where we were and that Duncan had rented a car," asked Jess.

"During that 'net dive last night, I took the liberty of bugging your communicators. Duncan disabled their internal tracking but I wanted to make sure I could keep an eye on things, given the situation," replied Elise.

The four of them climbed through the air conditioning vents. Elise ripped the air conditioning unit loose from inside the shaft and threw it aside so they could climb out onto the roof. Duncan access the rental car and it was soon spotted overhead. Some of the guards began firing at the unmanned vehicle as it landed on the roof.

Elise, Duncan, Shell, and Jess climbed inside. The car quickly took off into the sky, dodging bullets in the process.

"We still need to get Dr. Heimborem, Atlas, and Renk out of there before things get even uglier," Elise said as Duncan swerved the car to avoid the gunfire.

"Please lower the car, Duncan," said Jess.

Duncan shook his head. "That's suicide. We're going to be shot to death if I do."

"Just let me out back behind the building and I'll be right out with Atlas and Renk," Jess said.

"I can't let you get yourself killed," Duncan grumbled.

"Just LET ME OUT!" Jess screamed.

Duncan begrudgingly lowered the car in an area where no guards had yet arrived. Jess jumped out in a hurry and ran over to the building in which Renk and Atlas were still fighting their way through the guards. Jess rushed in with her sword and charged at some of the guards.

Inside, Atlas was clutching his shoulder. He had been wounded but was still able to fight. Some of Renk's team mates had rushed in but they were assisting the EMA guards instead.

"Miss Price, what are you doing?!" shouted Renk. "Get the hell out of here!"

Jess knocked two more guards back with her sword and then slashed their arms, making them drop their weapons. "Why are your own men attacking you?!" she yelled.

One of the guards yelled at Jess. "Surrender! You've been caught red handed assisting in the escape of a wanted terrorist!"

Renk pushed one of his own team mates away from him. "You're mistaken!" he shouted.

Renk tried to activate his time power but, in the commotion, he was unable to concentrate. He lost his balance and fell over. Jess rushed over to him and helped fight off the people trying to capture him.

Atlas was grazed again by a bullet, worsening his shoulder. He continued to shoot back at the guards.

Jess knew what she had to do. She removed her eye patch. Her left eye glowed a brilliant green color, even brighter than her right eye's strange glow. Renk looked up at her and realized the familiar green glow from her eye from somewhere.

"Damn you guys, hurting my friends," Jess growled in a deep voice. Her sword began to glow and a green aura surrounded her. She rushed at the guards, fatally slashing the ones directly in front of her. She continued the attack, dodging bullets and slashing more of the EMA guards, allowing Atlas and Renk to reach the exit.

Suddenly, Jess was hit directly in the chest by a bullet. Her green glow disappeared and her hair fell back over her face. She collapsed to the ground.

Atlas rushed over and picked her up. He ran back to the door with Renk and dashed outside, where Duncan lowered the car for them. They both jumped inside, carrying Jess with them.

Duncan quickly took the car back up into the sky and gunned the accelerator, racing away from the EMA facility. Jess sat in the crowded back seat with Elise, Atlas, Renk, and Ray. She was unconscious.

"She's bleeding profusely," said Dr. Heimborem. "If we don't get her to a hospital right away, she's going to die."

"Duncan," said Elise, "Set a course for Dr. Uzuki's office."

The car raced across the night sky back toward the city skyline. It had been a tense flight; Jess lay unconscious in the back seat of the crowded car. Duncan landed the car in the alleyway next to the entrance to Dr. Uzuki's office.

Everyone got out of the car and Atlas, Renk, and Elise helped carry Jess down the stairs. Elise knocked loudly on the door, since, for some reason, her cybernetic gear was malfunctioning and couldn't connect to the 'net.

Dr. Uzuki's assistant, an android dressed up in a frilly outfit, opened the door, saw Jess covered in blood, and quickly brought a stretcher. Dr. Uzuki rushed over to her and wheeled the stretcher into an emergency treatment room.

Another assistant guided Atlas over to a seat where they began patching up his shoulder.

Renk, Shell, and Duncan sat down in the waiting room. Elise was busy talking to Dr. Uzuki and mentioned that her communications equipment had been failing. They spoke too quietly for Duncan to make out what they were saying.

Dr. Heimborem stood there with Elise and Dr. Uzuki, discussing some things related to the events of the past few days.

Duncan leaned back in his seat, exhausted from the hectic day. It was now around midnight.

He looked over at Shell. "I can't believe we managed to get out of there alive," he said. "Please excuse me for a few minutes. I need to dive in order to meet with Camay and tell her we managed to complete the mission."

Duncan shut his eyes, engaged his dive connection gear, and found himself in a small room with a table and two chairs. He sent an invitation to Camay and, in a few moments, she appeared, sitting at the table, across from him.

"Dr. Thameh, we have extracted Dr. Heimborem from the EMA facility," Duncan said to her.

"Thank you," Camay responded. "As you know, we will arrange a transport to the L1 colony so that you can bring him to us promptly."

"We will bring him soon but one of us suffered a critical injury and we are currently with a street doctor. We do not yet know her status," replied Duncan.

There was an awkward silence.

"That is bad. Please update me via e-mail when you know her status. We will arrange a shuttle at the main dock. Ports B through F are shut down, so port A will be your point of departure," said Camay.

"Understood. I would prefer to wait here until we know how Miss Price is doing," replied Duncan.

"That is fine. Do keep in mind that your mission is not complete until Dr. Heimborem arrives at the L1 colony," Camay said. She then disappeared and Duncan closed the dive session.

Duncan opened his eyes and looked over at Shell, then at Renk. "Camay has arranged a shuttle to take us to the L1 colony," he said. "Since Miss Price is the reason we agreed to do all of this and go into space, I requested that we be permitted to wait until we know her condition."