The Program [COMPLETED]

Chapter Thirteen

"Multiple shooters! Semi-automatic weapons and possible smoke grenades!" Zariah shouted over the coms. "Aiden! Virgil! Farley! Anybody! Do you copy?"

The gun burrowed deep into Aiden's throat. "Answer your girlfriend, and you die."

Aiden glowered at Roman from where he was positioned on his knees on the floor. Aiden wanted to load an entire clip into this street scum.

"You promised us at least two Programmers, but this, this is priceless," Aiden's attacker laughed. "A whole squadron of 'em."

Aiden waited. He allowed himself to relax, to close his eyes, and to let his adrenaline kick in. He exhaled. Alena had trained him for situations like these. Roman's betrayal would backfire on him; badly.

"Look, we didn't say anything about killing anyone," Roman said calmly. Aiden wanted to tear him to shreds. "At least, not yet. We can take them back to base, interrogate them. They've got valuable information. They're better use to us alive than dead."

"Interrogate them? You gettin' soft, Graeme?" the man scorned. "This is what you signed up for. We can't interrogate 'em, as much as we want to. They're puppets of Xylem; they ain't telling us shit. Isn't that why they lost their memories to begin with? What about that little family of yours? Don't you want to keep 'em safe?"

"This doesn't involve them," Roman snapped.

"This lot gets to be a public example. We'll see how the Program fares against what's to come. The whole nation will rise up."

"What's to come?" Roman shook his head. "Kieron, we've already lost. Look at Oslua."

The man named Kieron hesitated. Aiden used this to his advantage. He lashed out and struck the stocky man in the knee. Kieron buckled, howling in surprise and firing the gun as a last minute reflex. He missed, and Aiden snatched the man's gun, pointing it at his attacker.

"Lieutenant!" Roman pleaded.

Aiden turned to Kieron. "Tell your men to stand down immediately," he demanded.

The man's eyes were slits. "Just kill me."

"That can be arranged," Aiden spat.

"Roman! Do something!" Kieron hissed.

An agonizing scream rang out from somewhere within the building.

"Aiden, hurry your ass up here!" Farley's voice crackled into Aiden's earpiece. "Darius is shot. Left side of his chest, above his heart. We have to go; now! We took out the ones on this floor, but there are still shooters outside and another patrol is on the way!"

"Copy that," Aiden answered, cursing under his breath. He pointed his gun at Kieron, but before he could shoot, Roman whipped out the knife Aiden had given him and sliced the man straight down the throat. Kieron coughed a waterfall of blood, dropping to the ground and convulsing beneath Aiden and Roman's feet. Aiden looked at Roman in shock, gun at the ready.

"Your people won't make it out unless you do exactly as I say," Roman said quickly. "My name is Roman Graeme. I joined a group of rebels in order to keep my family safe. I called in your whereabouts when I ducked into that alleyway earlier so that this attack would occur. I did this to ensure my family would stay out of harm's way, and convince the group of my loyalty. There are men surrounding the entire building, and more are on the way. The only way to escape is to go through the secret tunnels down here, in the basement."

"You lead us straight into a trap," Aiden snarled. "I don't trust you."

"That's all fine and good, but you're only wasting time," Roman rolled his eyes. "They have smoke grenades, which I can confirm they'll use. If you don't trust me, your entire squadron is going to die rather painfully, in front of the entire country. Now, come on! Contact your teammates and let's get your asses out of here."