Danger is Near

Chapter 22

Meg, Amy and I set out. Four instructed us to follow Julian and Ace, for they were basically the enforcers of this plan. 

While everyone else fronted towards the front of the tower where Eric's team of brutal accomplices awaited, we went around the back. 

There were a few people guarding that side of the tower so we just waited. Because once our team revealed themselves a whole war would spark up, hopefully causing these stray guards to join in. 

This worked. The guards heard the loud and clamorous shouts and rushed to 'help out'. Really, this would be helping us out. 

As soon as they left, Julian and Ace told us where we could enter the tower. Apparently there was a 'secret' back entrance that eventually lead to the stairs inside. These stairs would take us up to the flag and the people guarding it. I was hoping Eric would have assigned his weakest people to guard the flag. But Eric was smart, so I doubted that. 

"Ok, go" Julian whispered as him and Ace retreated back the way we came. They were going to join in on the fight. 

As they scurried away I said, "Let's go girls". With this we stalked towards the back entrance. Meg found the trapdoor that lead underground into the towers supposed headquarters. 

"Over here guys" she said, trying to be as quiet as possible. We most certainly did not want to get caught. Our job was already hard as it was, we didn't want to have to fight off unwanted 'visitors'. 

Meg opened the door and Amy and I jumped down into the dark space, Meg then followed suit. 

"Look. The stairs are over there" Amy pointed out while heading towards them. 

We followed her and began climbing them, our dart guns at the ready. We all knew this wouldn't be that easy. Who knows, Eric probably had tonnes of booby-traps set up to stop us from winning. Although, that would be cheating. 

It was a long way up to the top. We could just make out two voices. They seemed to belong to males. The closer we got, the louder these voices became. I was in the back of the girls and told them to stop. I could've sworn one of the voices was getting closer to us. As I listened out for it I also heard footsteps coming down towards us. "Shit" I whispered. The girls looked back at me, faces full of worry. 

"Ok guys. We are going to have to silently eliminate whoever this is. Alright?" I assured them. 

They nodded back at me. 

"Meg. We are going to shoot him while Amy covers his mouth to muffle the shouting" I said to Meg, who was a pace in front of me. Amy was in front of her. 

"Amy, be ready to cover his mouth" I said to her. 

He was getting closer, each footstep was growing louder. 

*thump, thump, thump* 

"Ok, three, two, one." I said as Meg and I fired at him. He fell to the ground in agony as our darts punctured his legs. Amy then jumped on top of him, silencing his groans. 

Meg looked back at me and I nodded to her, telling her to move on. 

As we walked past Amy I asked her if she would be alright to take care of him. 

"Yeah, I'll be fine. You guys go on. I'll wait down here and I'll hold off anyone that tries to come up" she said with confidence. 

Meg and I continued walking, our steps becoming lighter as we got closer to whoever was guarding the flag. 

As we approached the end of the stairs we stopped. 

The person who was guarding the flag was just sitting against a wall. Instantly I knew who it was. Terror flooded through my veins. Out of all the people who could be up here, it was him. Eric. 

"Whenever you're ready" I whispered in Meg's ear, trying to sound as brave as possible. 

She took a deep breath before she jumped up and charged at Eric. As soon as he heard the commotion he stood up firing his gun at Meg. He got her, but during this process she jumped on him causing him to drop his gun. He was unarmed but that didn't mean he couldn't beat Meg. He basically just shrugged her off of him. And that's when I charged at him. I shot about five darts. One got his upper arm, causing him to moan and shout in pain. He didn't bother retrieving his gun, he just stepped towards me, reaching for me. I was quick though. I swiftly moved out of the way, in the process kicking his gun further away. I still had mine in hand, so I shot at him again. This time I got him in the leg. He fell to his knees in pain and then I pounced on him. Trying my best to pin him to the ground, it didn't really work though. He was way too strong. He was in great pain though, so it wasn't that difficult to get out of his grasp. I was almost free. I was crawling along the ground towards my gun. When he pinned me down he disposed of it. As I crawled, he grabbed my feat and dragged me back towards him. I really needed help. I couldn't do this alone. But Meg was out, lying on the ground holding her head. It was bleeding. 

"Amy!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. 

And within a few seconds Amy was at the top of the stairs. She was just about to shoot Eric when he stood up, holding me in front of him by the neck. His grasp was firm. I couldn't get away. 

I was his shield. It would be hard for Amy to shoot him with me in the way. 

Eric sniggered. "What you gonna do initiate?" he teased. 

Amy just stood there, not sure what to do. I could hardly breathe and I felt like I was about to pass out. I could see the bewilderment and fear in her eyes. I didn't know how we would get out of this. Until Eric screamed in my ear. "Ahhhhh!". 

Meg had shot him multiple times from behind. He let go of me as he fell to the ground in agony. He couldn't do anything. He could hardly bear it. 

I took many deep breaths in. I could finally breathe properly again. 

The girls came up to me asking if I was alright. 

"Yeah I'm fine" I replied as I went to fetch the green flag. 

I ran out onto the towers balcony and started shouting in joy. Meg and Amy quickly followed me out and joined in. Everyone below on our team began cheering as well. I felt so happy.

We had won.