Spy School: New Enemy

Chapter 27: Free Mind

LOCATION: Conversion Factory

Conversion Machine 101

TIME: 2:46 PM

DATE: Sunday, July 11th

POV: Agent Benjamin Ripley
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"Do you like me?"

"...It's complicated."

My eyes opened slowly to reveal that I was in a dark place. My head started hurting as memories flooded in, filling my mind.

I looked around. It was very dark and gloomy. Dust floated in the air.

Sunlight was shining in rom broken windows.

I noticed some people were looking around in confusion. They looked very tired. Some people were rubbing their heads.

I took a step but kicked something. I looked down and saw a grey mask. I picked it up, but my head started to hurt. I dropped the mask. More memories flew in. Everything started to make sense now.

I remembered what happened. I remember my friends, the SOLDATS, everything.

The pain stopped and I realized that everyone was gone.

I felt like I was panicking as my eyes darted around, looking for my friends. Then, I fell on something.

I grunted out in pain as I fell on my chin.

I turned around to look at what I tripped on. The sight left me frozen.

An enemy from SPYDER, Joshua, was laying there. He had grey eyes. 

To make sure, I kicked him. He didn't move. Was he dead? 

I noticed his crew scattered next to them. Including the principal of the SOLDATS. Their eyes had no life in them. It left me confused on what happened to them.

Then, I ran away to find my friends. 

The core. They needed to destroy the core. They must be there.

Adrenaline boosted my legs. I ran like there was no tomorrow. 

I remembered where the core was. Except when I got there. The core was destroyed, burnt to a crisp. A giant crater sat around it.

Tiny people were there. Most likely my friends.

I looked down the crater and slid down. My friends looked over and noticed me.

When I got down, they didn't recognize me. Until I shouted.

"Guys! It's me!" I shouted to the shadows.

They stopped.

"Ben?" A familiar voice said.

 Mike.

"Is that you?" Another voice said.

Catherine.

"Guys!" I ran to them to get a closer look.

As I got closer, their faces became visible. 

"Hey..." I waved at them.

They stayed still, until they ran up to me and gave me a giant hug (Except for Cyrus).

We all pulled away from the hug. But someone was missing. Erica.

"Uh, where's Erica?" I asked.

Everyone started looking sad. That wasn't good.

"Where is she?" I asked again.

Alexander replied with a sad tone, "We looked around for her but we couldn't find her. We think she might be-"

"Dead," I finished off.

Nobody said anything. I felt my heart sink.

But all of a sudden, I heard a cough. 

I turned around to look for the source of cough. I found out that the sound came from a pile of rubble. Erica might be in it.

I brightened. Then, I ran to the pile of rubble and threw the pieces of rubble aside. A figure was inside. 

I pushed all of the rocks away and found Erica.

I shook her a bit. 

She opened her eyes slowly and groaned.

"Erica..." I put a hand on her shoulder.

"Ben? Is that you..." Her eyes rolled into her head and she closed her eyes again. I started to panic.

"Guys! Erica is...Erica's hurt!" I shouted.

Everyone ran up to me. Alexander looked at Erica, stroked her cheek, then she picked her up.

"Hey, everybody! Help is here!" A man shouted.

We turned around and heard the sound of a helicopter. 

"Come on!" Catherine yelled, "Follow them!"

We nodded and followed the people running outside. 

We burst through the factory door. The light blinded my eyes. Helicopters and police were everywhere.

"We need to get Erica to a doctor!" Catherine exclaimed. She sounded panicked.

"Medic, Medic!!" Cyrus shouted.

An ambulance parked in front of us and a doctor rushed to us.

"Is she hurt?" She asked.

We nodded. The doctor nodded , too, and grabbed Erica. She set her on the cot and took her inside the ambulance.

I looked around.

"Glad you're back, Ben," I heard Mike say.

I looked back at him and smiled, "Same here."

I looked at a helicopter flying nearby, "We did it."