Mirage

Chapter Six

             Ryder slipped into his hideout and locked the door behind him. The metal door slid closed and then quietly clicked as he flicked the lock into place. He tugged off his combat boots and moved across the cool floor, his socks not offering any grip on the flooring. Not that he needed it. 

      He moved towards the small lounge area and tugged out his Synthesized Astro X Computer from its spot on his shelf. The thin device was a small metallic panel. He set it gently down on the coffee table and then turned it on with a small motion. A hologram appeared bringing the device to life. 

      Ryder settled back into a chair and turned on some music before he got to work. In minutes he had the Peace Force database hovering over his coffee table. He read through the files on Panther Strix. The man was one of the most highly decorated officers on the force with a mission count in the hundreds. He exceled at undercover work and had even done time in with the mob. 

       "Shiiiiit." Ryder crowed softly as he scanned a mostly blacked out mission file. After a few minutes he'd gained access to the entire thing and was reading through it with baited breath. Panther had infiltrated a human-trafficking ring that smuggled people across the Feinnral border into Canth, it was speculated that a majority of the victims were later transported to Laehlay but the Peace Corps hadn't gained any solid evidence.

      "Business trip, my ass." A mission like this had involved breaking more than a few laws. This mission must have been mostly off the books. No wonder the file had been redacted. There were more than a few things didn't add up about the report and Ryder guessed several details must have been omitted for Panther's safety. 

       He was face down on the floor underneath the coffee table. One moment he'd been reaching for his water bottle, smiling a little as his favorite song came on, and the next he was hugging the cool floor. For a moment, he couldn't recall why he'd hit the floor, his body had moved on autopilot. Then the low rumbling that had set the entire studio rattling met his ears. It sent an ache through his chest.

      Ryder slid out from under the coffee table and sprinted for the door, his chrono-pulse gun already in his hand. He took the time to jam his combat boots on, managing to keep his balance despite the way the structure was rumbling. His door slid opened and then the screaming drifted to him on the wind.

      Ryder stepped out onto the balcony and his eyes went wide. His body froze and his palms were suddenly slick with sweat, so slick he almost lost his grip on his gun. A chunk of metal slammed into the railing a foot away from him with a sickening noise before falling away down the side of the building. The eerie groan of collapsing metal was deafening, rising above the terrified and pained screams. 

     The building to his left was collapsing, thousands of feet of metal structure slowly lurching towards the ground. He heard rather than saw the first floor being crushed. Then several people were jumping from windows, railings and balconies. He watched a woman with brown hair leap into thin air only to come down on a jagged piece of scaffolding that had somehow survived the initial blast and was precariously hanging off the collapsing building. Blood exploded a few feet and then she was sliding down the metal piping like a vegetable on a skewer. 

      There were thousands of people trapped inside the building. Ryder sprinted for the scaffolding. He moved automatically, throwing himself over it before swinging himself onto a higher level, holstering his gun before he'd reached the rail. With the way the other building was falling it wasn't about to come down in his direction, but flying rubble was certainly a danger. 

     Ryder scrambled higher, his ears ringing with the sound of the collapsing building. It was as though it was the only sound in the galaxy, that awful screeching and grinding noise. He glimpsed a stranger wearing Crow colors who'd clearly had the same idea as him leaping towards the collapsing building. From his current distance he couldn't make anything out but the distinct green and black logo on the back of the jacket. 

       Another piece of metal from the collapsing building came flying, this time a piece of scaffolding. It slammed down onto the balcony above him and he scrambled for it. His fingers closed around the railing above his head and he vaulted over the metal framework and grabbed the piece of scaffolding to prevent it from falling further. It was a makeshift bridge.

       A father carrying a small toddler came racing onto the balcony across from him in the collapsing building. He spotted the broken strip of metal and Ryder desperately clinging to it and made a beeline for it. The man had magenta hair and gray eyes, his clothes a little torn. He hoisted himself onto the strip of metal and began the treacherous crossing. The little girl in his arms was crying, her mouth open in a silent wail no-one could hear. She had his magenta hair. 

      "I'll hold it!" The man screamed in Ryder's ear as he finally stepped onto more stable ground. He set his child down and reached for the metal. Ryder let him. Already more people were scrambling towards the makeshift bridge and two people were halfway across. 

    Ryder scrambled up another level, trying to find a decently safe spot to jump. He found one, spotting his landing onto the other building. He leaped, not giving himself time to question his decision as his stomach dropped to his toes and the air rushed by him. 

     The cool metal met his left hand and then he was clinging to the shaking building. He sucked in a deep breath then managed to scramble up onto the nearest balcony. He glanced upwards and saw that several other makeshift bridges had been formed above him. He crouched to keep his footing and then moved for the nearest door. 

     Ryder stepped inside, scanning the flat. A woman with brilliant blue eyes and curly teal hair was crouched on the floor, clutching her pet. She wore a white suit and sparkly heels. The brown furred dog was yapping wildly, clearly spooked by everything. 

       He raced over to her and grabbed her by her arm, forcefully dragging her to her feet, screaming at her to move. He wasn't sure his voice carried above the chaos. He felt the building lurch under his feet as they stumbled for the door. He blocked everything else out, focusing on nothing but his breathing, ignoring his pounding pulse and the pained ringing in his ears. 

      Out on the landing people were beginning to converge, racing for the next stairwell down. Ryder shoved his way towards the stairs, dragging the woman with her, screaming at people as he went. 

   "You can cross on the next level! Cross on the next level!" He finally let go of the petrified woman then turned to plunge farther up. He shoved his way back upstream again until he reached the railing. A hand reached out to grab him and he turned to see a woman with purple hair and brown eyes. 

    "Are you insane? You'll fall!" She screamed at him. He shook her off before leaping up onto the railing and sprinting for the nearest intact scaffolding. He'd spent two years roaming The Needles, climbing in treacherous places. Sometimes rusty scaffolding broke loose or some parts shook and quivered. This, he could traverse the building, he had too.