Into the Shadows

Chapter 4

Ember POV

"Come and get me, you sick bastards!" I shouted at the remaining officers who were chasing me. I am sure they are pissed that I harmed many of them already.

I ran through a series of small, dark alleys, trying to find a way to escape or hide. I didn't have any way of knowing where I was going. I had hardly left the Inner Core in the last ten years. Dawn had contacted me wanting to meet and that it was too dangerous to talk about over our comms. I had reluctantly agreed to meet with her for a drink even though I knew it was a bad idea. I am running through the darkest parts of the Outer Core, where every officer was out searching for me.

I turned the corner into an alley to catch my breath and realized I had reached a dead end. I knew I had only a few short moments before the officers would catch up. I didn't have much on me in terms of weapons. I only had my pistol, a few grenades, and the wrist gadget I had built myself. I had installed many high-tech gadgets and weapons, including a flamethrower, heat-seeking missiles, and more. If I could draw them in close enough, I could burn them where they stand.

The metal clanging of boots marching through the puddles started to get even closer. I reached to my belt and grabbed one of my grenades and waited. Just a few more seconds and they would be right on top of me. I clenched my pistol in my other hand. I jumped out of my hiding spot and tossed the grenade in-between the first group of officers. They scattered like cockroaches, but nothing happened.

"ARE YOU SHITTING ME?" I shouted in disbelief.

The officers that had jumped for cover now had an amused look on their faces and started to laugh. "All of that, just for it to blow up in your face," one of the officers teased.

"Drop your weapons and put your hands behind your head," a second officer commanded me.

I reluctantly dropped my pistol on the ground and do as the officers said. A large group of them have now formed with their weapons pointed at me. About 20 or so officers have come all this way to see me in cuffs. Two of the officers lowered their weapons and began to approach me.

The officer on my right locked onto my eyes. "Keep still, or we will open fire!"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, buddy. Can we get this over with already?" I sarcastically replied. "Don't leave a beautiful girl waiting in the cold weather. Didn't your mothers raise you with any manners?"

The officer motioned for his partner to get behind and cuff me. He holstered his pistol and grabbed my right wrist and started to pull in behind my back. As he reached for my other wrist, he noticed a faint red light glowing from it. "What is the meaning of this?" He looked at his partner, who just shrugged his shoulders in response. I could already sense the puzzled look on his face.

The officer brushed off the question, "Just cuff her and be done with it already. We got another psycho on the loose and need every man to help bring him in."

The officers took another moment before grabbing my other wrist and turning it over. When he did, the light on my wrist dimmed and he paused for just a brief moment. There it was, my opening. I kicked his knee to knock him off balance and he stumbled, letting go of his tight grip on my wrist. I grabbed his arm and swung him over my back, knowing what was about to happen.

BOOM!!! An explosion rocked the alleyway that we had been in. Most of the officers had been blown into the bits and chucks. Blood oozed into the puddles and sprayed across the dark walls. Body parts flew everywhere and littered the alley. The couple that was still alive was either bleeding internally or missing limbs. They would be dead soon. I had even used the officer who cuffed me as a shield. I walked over into the sea of bodies and knelt next to the remaining survivors.

I ran my hand over the cheek of the officer closest to me. Although they were government officers and had been trying to arrest me, I still felt pity for them. They all had families that they would never be able to see again. Some might have had wives or even children that would wake up and realize their father never came home. These men were probably decent men who were doing their job. Sadly, they had to pay with their lives for being here tonight. They might not be bad guys, but the people that were in charge of them are. I could never let my identity get out. The work I do outside of this life is too important to just throw away. If it meant I had to kill to keep my secret, then so be it. I killed them to survive.

I take off my helmet in front of the remaining officers. They were barely able to speak, their breaths getting shorter and shorter each time as they struggled to hold onto life. I looked them in the eyes with a sorrowful expression. They deserve to know who killed them. I do not want their last sight to be a mask. Tears formed in my eyes, but I dared not let them see that. While I loved the fire and blowing things up, this felt much different than anything I had done before. I despised the government and all that it stood for. They had stolen so much for me, and yet, seeing these regular officers drifting away, had broken me. It made me hate the government even more for manipulating these people to get what they want.

"What are your names?" I asked while grabbing both of them by the hands.

"Ra... Rafael...," One of the officers managed to choke out through the blood filling his mouth. Rafael squeezed my hand tighter as he coughed up more blood onto his clothes.

"Please don't let me die. I will do anything," the other officer cries softly. "I have a wife and two baby boys. I need to see them. Please.."

I have to avert his gaze, knowing he won't last but a few moments longer. "I'm so sorry, but you only have a few moments longer. Please tell me your name. I promise to take care of your family. I swear to you both."

Each breath of his grew shorter, but he managed to muster up a reply. "Dimitri... my family is going to be left with nothing... they will be forced into the streets." Tears started flowing down his face. "I am not ready to die, miss..." His voice trailed off.

I wiped away the tears flowing down his face, "You can rest peacefully knowing that your family will be safe. I will see to it." I looked over to where Rafael rested, "both of you."

Rafael and Dimitri glanced over to each other and took each other's hands. The light had almost faded from both of their eyes. Rafael coughed up a vile amount of blood and gathered the rest of his strength to say, "Brothers... until the very end... Dimitri."

A faint smile came across Dimitri's lips. "Brothers, Rafael."

They fought their bodies for survival, but the presence of death was already near. Moments later, they finally succumbed to their injuries. My hands were covered in their blood. While I was saddened by what had happened, I knew it was a necessary thing to do. The government was going to pay in blood for everything they had done. Anyone else who dared stand in my way would also share a similar fate.

I could hear the faint sound of sirens and shouting voices from a distance. I needed to get out of here quickly. I searched the two officers that had died in my hands for anything useful. Nothing caught my eye except their ID cards. I might be able to use one of these to sneak into one of the stations and get more access to the government official's plans. I scan the card with my wrist gadget and slide the ID card back. This way, I can copy it without them knowing they are compromised.

As I am about to make my escape, I heard a groan coming from behind me. I whipped around to see the officer I had used as a shield trying to stand up. He stumbled upright and took two steps towards me.

"Wait a fucking second," his eyes widened with shock, "That's not possible. I know who you are! You are D..."

BANG! Before his sentence had left his lips, he dropped to the ground. I holstered my pistol and took one last look at his corpse that now lay in a pool of his blood. The sound of sirens grew closer and I knew that my time was up. I passed through the sea of bodies and blood that I had just left and ran like hell. I need to find Dawn and the bastard that got us into this mess in the first place, or I could go to one of the stations and sneak in while everyone is distracted with trying to bring them in. They would most likely end up being captured, but it might be worth the risk. Decisions... Decisions...