My Year Abroad

Chapter 54

The two standing behind Cameron are siblings from the Andromeda galaxy. They were vacationing on their home planet when a distortion appeared on the road. After colliding they went crashing into white rapids.

Given the density of their skin, and bones they didn't frequent the water. Narrowly surviving the trip to shore they felt lucky to survive. They explored the mysterious canyon in search of food but found agents instead.

Tired and injured they didn't put up much of a fight. Dendra and Osias may have been in a cell but they received a daily ration. Their species was capable of surviving off a meal a week, and they had enough space to work out. This environment gave them the means to recover and fend off a second capture.

"They are gonna regret crossing us." Osias declared while stretching his arms.

Dendra was walking around the area looking for anything useful. This search led her to the glass panels at the end of the hall. Curiosity led her to investigate further but she quickly regretted this decision.

"Who would do something like this?" Dendra shuddered.

Cameron was talking with Daisy when they overheard her. Dendra cautioned them from approaching, but Daisy felt drawn to it. She walked around the corner seeing a disfigured woman with a humpback, and claws. Dragging behind her was a serpent's tail that didn't budge.

Glancing at the disfigured face would usually cause someone to hurl, but Daisy wailed. Barely clinging to the abomination was a lab jacket reading Madeline. All this time Daisy believed she was abandoned, but to the very end, her momma fought for her freedom.

The sensation of Daisy in distress brought Nissa, and she saw the failed chimeras. She felt pain radiating from the others, but a sense of joy from Madeline. She saw Cameron with his arm around Daisy attempting to comfort her. Nissa quietly approached and rested her hand upon his shoulder.

"Say goodbye before I ease their pain." Nissa connected Daisy.

"You've gotten so big," Madeline gradually approached.

"What happened?" Daisy rested her hand upon the glass.

"It's karma for my experiments, but don't worry about me." Madeline glanced towards Cameron.

"You will need an agent to get through the doors. Please take care of my daughter." Madeline requested.

Cameron nodded as Daisy said her final goodbyes. After Cameron led her away Nissa focused as they slowly laid down drifting into the darkness. Madeline's astral form began to drift away from the body, and she smiled at the others.

'Live a long, and happy life my little Daisy.'

As they continued down the hall Cameron glared at the agents. During the brief connection, he felt the memories between the two. There were many emotions Cameron didn't understand, but loss and sorrow were familiar.

"I only need one of you." Cameron dissipated the ice.

Cameron was prepared to experience another emotion, but Venera beat him to it. They escorted the remaining agent towards the exit with Venera at his back. Nissa cautioned them about the security on the other side, but everyone was in agreement.

"Do it." Venera extended a blade to the agent's throat.

"You won't get far." The agent declared.

As it scanned his hand the vault gradually opened, and everyone got ready. Nissa raised her blaster as the siblings took a fighting stance. Venera was at Cameron's side with both arms turned into blades.

A small hole appeared in the vault as it came to a halt. Someone was manually reversing it from the other side. Cameron plunged his hands into the gap and stopped it from closing. Venera lunged forward as her body collapsed into slime, and reformed on the other side.

Agents nearby took aim as the turrets along the wall fired up. Venera created two clones as her main body dashed for the control center. The rapid-fire began as lasers burned holes into the metallic flooring.

While the clones dodged and dashed towards the supporting agents the original body morphed. She charged into the grate in a semiliquid state and slid through the control center. The agent inside fired a shotgun at the reforming head, and slime spewed across the wall.

Venera continued forward slaying the agents promptly as her head reformed. She began tinkering with the controls as Cameron froze the vault door. The clones were eradicated by the turrets but gradually powered down.

After avoiding friendly fire due to Venera's actions the agents were scattered. Cameron broke through the compromised vault, and agents tried to rally. Gunfire ensued once more, but he created obstructions.

'It's now or never.' Dendra nodded at her brother.

They dashed in different directions of the ice as Venera joined their assault. An agent saw Osias closing in, and began firing. The .45 caliber hollowpoints barely broke his skin. When the agent tried to switch ammo a swift elbow decapitated them.

'What is that?' The retreating agent examined a dark spike at the end of the elbow.

Before they could switch two more agents dropped, and Dendra sprang forward. The agent fired for the face, but she blocked with her forearms. While absorbing the bullets she hurled a flying knee as a similar appendage erupted on impact. They watched a full-size man lifted into the air by a knee as the spike retracted.

'They're too fast.'

"Fall back!" The agent loaded the new mag.

The next shot pierced Osias's shoulder, but no visible stain appeared on his hoody. Before the next shot went off he hurled another elbow returning their blow. Agents laid down cover, but the appendage retreated as a thick plate took its place.

With his guard raised the overlapping plates resembled a small shield. It managed to absorb their fire but slowly chipped away as he winced. Nissa disrupted their equilibriums before firing to break their formation.

After Cameron joined the battle they realized it was futile. The agents finished extracting nearby researchers and fell back to the elevator. Nissa immediately examined the nearby crafts, but they were all damaged or dismantled.

'At least they haven't reverse engineered them yet.'

"Now what?" Osias dug the bullet from his shoulder.

"We can't take them all," Venera declared.

"So long as we can reach the surface Enki can help us," Nissa announced.

"Are you sure we can use the elevator?" Cameron asked.

"There's a stairwell, but we won't be able to leave the garage without access," Venera replied.

"Can you hear me?" Nissa reached out.

Enki was monitoring the battlefield above, and trying to obscure the events. Before the barrier was finished several witnesses saw jets battling pterodactyl humanoids. The footage they attempted to capture failed due to Zeta interference.