Phoenix

Chapter Five - First Enemy

Darting across the gym, Nexus came with a forceful blow towards Kilo's stiff defense and he was doing it while flashing a weird-looking make-face showing off his sense of humor again this time. From the couch, we heard Catseye's catchy laugh seeming to charm the guys off though she was half-paying attention but repeatedly glared her eyes at the movie; her hands digging down plain popcorn beside diet coke. My feet rushed constantly across the treadmill as I caught my breath rhythmically syncing with the track in my iPod. I thought I saw Nexus' and Kilo's eyes gazing at me laughing cleverly as I ran with my gym clothes on —which, by the way, I find disturbing —so I glared at them seriously as if to wave them off, which it did. Them boys.

Later then, Nexus, the loud and funny one, began talking and making fun at everything which he and Kilo could skillfully pull off whenever they got bored. Though almost like Nexus, Kilo is the less loud one and he talks with quite more sense. Kilo was more of a thinker and Nexus, the doer, well, yes; I was talking about their jokes. They're both witty still —which was the downright opposite of DK, who now was seriously sitting on the couch looking blank at the screen. One of his lean arms arched comfortably over the headrest beneath his long sleeves hiding, they say, his rarely seen tattoos.

The platform was running at such a quick phase yet I could easily catch up. More so, I could definitely not feel a hint of exhaustion. Sharp blows come one after another from the guys and soon they decided to employ weapons into the game; their skin could proficiently deflect pain.

Amused, Catseye joined the fun and started to wrestle Nexus, who defended effortlessly at once as she began to throw flying kicks. Nexus' attacks in turn were a piece of cake for the Cat since she was good at deflecting heavy attacks by quickly turning positions and switching sides; this is undoubtedly her forte. Sooner, Nexus would be cornered with a knife against his life. Before retreating, she glanced at me as if taunting. On the other corner of the room we were late to notice that DK was gone.

It occurred in just a second before Catseye's phone rang hardening the expression on her face.

"Security breach." she snapped between gnashed teeth then another word came out of her mouth: Hunters sending adrenalin rush all over our brains. Without much thinking, I tucked my iPod in, grabbed my overall and visor from the hangers, wore them on, took my stash, and keys.

Free from any hesitation yet slightly suspecting, I could hear a sudden pulsing of nerve through my ears; heat crept up my spine towards behind the neck. My knuckles took contraction then eventually, there came the sudden breathing but I simply had to close my eyes for a second before it's gone and I'm going.

"DK's on his way to the Empress." Catseye muttered. "Hunters are entering our base. They're gonna find us here in no time."

"Exits were blocked. They're expecting us. We need to get out of here as soon as possible."

"How about the base?"

At once, Catseye's phone rang again. It was the Empress.

"The Empress orders that we stay close and abandon the building at once. I'm sure she'll take care of it."

"Hangers. Each of us will need a cable hanger after we break in through the windows, zip-line across the cable to the next building and get to the ground in minutes. I suggest we go to the equipment room." I blurted. My instinct was often quick and trustworthy.

"I'm in." Nexus said then others.

We rushed towards the hall but soon, smoke bombs thwarted across the floor until armed men in black-and-navy-green bullet-proof vests came rushing in as they line up towards the room. Smoke and men after men filled the hall.