The Lantern Bearers

chapter 22: sniper web

We would resume our journey to the stash, walking up the beaten road, with melody as our guide.

Melody was still a stranger to me. I had no idea who she was or who she was affiliated with. Her face and eyes were obscured by her breathing machine mask, and so was her voice. I didn't trust her still, even after she saved my hide from those raiders. Speaking of which, not just anyone can shoot that quick and precise with three targets involved, and level headed as well as she was....

Just who the hell was she??

We would come across a building, that was several stories tall. It seemed like a high security factory office building, possibly a bank of some sorts, the logo and company name was well worn away due to the elements be. Inside, i could faintly see a metal detector station and arches, but there was no way they were functioning.

"This the place?" I asked melody.

She nodded.

I briefly waved the building of anomalies with my anomaly detector. Sure enough, it was infested with anomalies with god knows what kinds. It makes sense though, what better place to stash your important shit than in the most dangerous place? It's pretty clever, I'd say.

"Wow....your detector went bonkers." Zeus remarked.

"Yuuup....use your bolts, use your head. Things are gonna be tricky. Watch for mutants and shit too." I said.

They all nodded and drew their weapons as we began to go inside.

The inside was fairly cold, as most of it was stone and gave off no warmth non whatsoever, with it feeling damp as well. There were signs of past struggles with chipping blood stains, old bodies, and skeletons lightly littering the huge rooms and halls we passed through.

We would eventually come to a fork in the path and came across a conundrum.

"I have no map for the interior of the building. We need to split up to cover more. We will meet up on the upper floor, for all stairwells lead to all the floors in the building." Melody said.

I nodded.

"Alright, yui i want you with willow and zeus. I'll go with Melody." I said.

Yui shook her head.

"Master, that is a terrible idea if i may be so bold! She is untrustworthy!" She insisted.

I pulled out my pistol and aimed it at melody's head.

"Oh don't worry, I'm have my eye on her." I said with a smirk.

Yui's face went from one with worry, then to one with confidence. She nodded and went to willow and zeus's sides.

We would then take our separate ways, with me having my pistol pointed at melody from behind.

Something didn't feel right.....

The hallway was far too empty....
No mutants
No raiders
No anomalies even

Every now and then, I'd fling bolts around to try and see if there were invisible anomalies that i couldn't hear.

Nothing...

The emptiness was starting to work on my nerves as we searched rooms and halls for supplies and the stash. We encountered nothing.

Suddenly, the lights would turn on and blind me a bit as alarms went off.

-INTRUDER ALERT, INTRUDER ALERT, FULL LOCK DOWN IN PROGRESS-

The emergency shutters would slam down, and the power would cut off again.

During that whole event, melody would elbow me in the gut, quickly put my arm in a lock hold, took my gun, then flung it down the hall, bumping it against a security shutter, well away from us. Then i felt myself get slung over her shoulder and slammed to the ground.

She then undid her hood and mask, revealing who she really was......

Karma....
Phantom strider....

"Karma you little-"

"How could you do that to me?!" She yelled

I was stunned.

"You left me all alone! Your partner! I loved you and this what you do?! Travel with other women, adopt a child?! We were supposed to be an item! You and me! I let my feelings be known to you several times!" She said as she sat on top of me, with tears in her eyes.

She would have her drones slam down on my wrists and clamp them. Even though they were small, they were heavy as fuck. I couldn't move at all.

She would start to undress herself while she sat on top of me. Though she had a petite frame, she had small, but supple breasts and a curvy body with a faint muscular tone. Clearly the frame of someone who doesn't work out for muscles per say, but more for speed and agility.

She would start to unzip my pants. I didn't like where it was going.

"What are you doing??" I growled.

"You owe me for leaving me behind....i won't miss an opportunity to take what is rightfully mine, before any other woman does! Because you have always been mine, and i have always been yours! You will make it up to me through this act of love.....once we're done....you will return to us and we can start over! Just you and me..." she said with a sultry tone.

As she had her way with me, I would struggle, hating this feeling. It felt wrong and i didn't want it.....but....i owed her....

I remembered when we were partners....

We were both psychotic in our own way, but we were in full sync and knew what each other thought and acted accordingly.

We were fairly happy together and made memories together....

We even grew up together and slept together in the same bed as children and teens.....

We were almost never seen apart, which made the other striders jealous for some odd reason....

But then.....
I abandoned her....

I was extremely selfish and didn't consider her feelings at all....

I do owe her for breaking her heart so selfishly.....

As she did her thing, she put her hands around my throat, seemingly excited as she had a crazed grin across her face and eyes wide in ecstacy....

I stopped struggling and accepted it.....

It was the only way i could make it up to her.....