The Project

The First Kill

-Arista's POV-

The plane lands in what seems like a barren rocky wasteland of nothingness, complete with random gusts of wind that blow strands of my braided hair into my eyes and mouth and draws tears from my stinging eyes. The others step out as well, looking around at the nothing that surrounds us. All I can see when I look out over the landscape is eventual ocean, but it looks miles away. The land is flat, with brown and green grass struggling to reach ankle height, straggly and depressing in its bland color.

"Go ahead and look around. There is no danger of being spotted yet and you need to stretch out and get your bearings." 1997 says, and we do as we are told, silently splitting off in different directions. I head towards the ocean, wind picking up as I get closer and the scent of it engulfing me even at this distance. Suddenly the ground seems to drop out from beneath me and I gasp and leap back, seeing a few crumbs of dirt plummet from the cliff edge that came out of nowhere. Peering over it now that I know it is there, I see a sheer rock face, with a few spots that could be used as handholds. Looking farther I see a small ledge probably a thousand yards out, surrounded by slick rock wall it is about halfway down the steep cliff face. Rock above it, shallow water below, and these aspects lead me to believe that is where we are going. I must say it is a genius location for a hideout, and really only element wielders could get there. I am not sure how Cole or '97 will make it but there was a substantial amount of rope on the plane, so perhaps repelling down the cliff may be the method we use to get down there.

Tucking a curling strand of hair behind my ear I survey my attire. They had us dress on the plane, all of us in fitted black bodysuits that mold to every bump and curve. I was told mine could withstand the heat of my flames, but it is unlikely I will summon them today. They are wily and refuse to be controlled, I can either light a match or burn down a warehouse. My power over wind is easier and in this enviroment, probably more useful. I doubt they are bullet proof like 97's or Coles, mine and Nick's and Cade's had to be sure to not combust or dissolve when we use our powers. Speaking of, those two are now on either side of me, each of us grimly scanning the dangerous scene before us.

"It already looks damn near impossible to get to it. What if there are people in there with weapons? If they shoot the odds of us falling are incredibly high." Cade speaks our thoughts.

"There will be people. It will be 2020's job to shoot them down before they cause trouble." 1997 says as he joins us, Cole close to his heels.

I glance at Nick, who seems unphased by the idea of gunning down people we do not even know.

I ask "What about the rest of us?"

"You will be in charge of hand to hand combat should the need arise, and 2460 will be covering 1220 as he attempts to get the computer chip we need"

"So I'm the babysitter?" Cade whines "Why can't 'Ris do it? She's a girl she's better with kids!"

"Yeah why can't she come with me?" Cole pleads.

97 is clearly done with their nonsense and does not address their complaints. "If the need for any of your elements arises, do not hesitate to use them. Do not be fooled by the quiet atmosphere here, it is deadly, and you must think fast if you want to survive. Now follow me, it is time to begin the climb."

- 1 hour later-

-Arista's POV-

Sweat is beading on my forehead and the persperation chills me as the wind slams my body into the side of the rock wall once more. I would usually try to control it and guide it away from me, but it requires more focus than I have right now. We could not be belted to our ropes and therefore can only wrap them around us once and have to grip the cord till our hands go numb just to live. I asked why we could not use a harness but was told that once we get close to location, we will not have time to un-harness ourselves. We have to be ready to jump or drop as fast as possible. We have to be a couple hundred feet above the ledge still, and fall would be instant death. I refuse to look down.