Aurore

16- Action

"Jason. Where are you placed?" my earpiece buzzed in my ear.
"Commons." I quietly replied. I watched as agents wasted the night away, watching TV, and playing games.
"In position?"
"Positive. Your position?"
"Floor 9. Training Facility #2."
"In place?" I asked.
"Affirmative."
"Ryan? Your position?"
"Floor 19. Monitoring student's studying."
"Good." I glanced at my watch. 11:54.
"Alright. Stay alive." Ryan said. "An hour and 14 minutes if everything goes according to plan. Stay on your toes and stay in touch."
"Done." I answered.
"Hey, Jason!" a voice called to me. I turned from the couch I was sitting on and saw a Willow.
"Willow!" I explained. "I haven't seen you in a while!"
I smiled as she sat next to me.
"Yea, I've been pretty busy lately."
"Can you help me with my training tomorrow?" She asked innocently.
I couldn't help her. I wouldn't be there to help her. By the next day, I'd be a long ways from the Agensie.
I smiled weakly. "Sure, why not?"
I couldn't say no. I couldn't give her a reason why.
"Yay!" she exclaimed as she hugged me.
My heart broke.
"I'll see you tomorrow!" She exclaimed as she ran off.
I sat in silence again, not paying attention to the movie playing on the TV or to the people around me.
"Hey."
I looked up and saw the girl I'd met in Kyle's room the day I'd returned from Floor 0. What was her name?
Her hair was no longer pulled into a messy bun. Her long almost-black hair stretched past her waist and her light eyes, almost the same color as mine, were concerned.
"Oh, Hey...."
"Ruby." She reminded me.
I blushed. "Right. Sorry."
She sat next to me.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"Nothing. I'm just-" I was cut off when I noticed the same skin colored, almost microscopic earpiece as I had blinking in her ear.
I looked at her suspiciously.
She looked at me blankly.
The earpieces were custom-made by one of Kyle's supply people. He'd never made anything like it.
"Where'd you get that earpiece? How'd you-"
She clasped her hand over my mouth.
"SHH!"
I stared at her questioningly.
"Look. I'm on your team. I'm part of this too. Kyle and Ryan didn't tell you because they didn't think you'd agree with adding a member."
I looked at her suspiciously.
I pressed the button on my earpiece so I could speak to Ryan and Kyle.
"Is Ruby...part of this?" I asked.
"How'd you find out?" Ryan asked on the other line.
"She's next to me." I said.
"Oh... Jase, we just-"
"I don't care if you guys didn't tell me. I trust you thought you were doing what was best. But is she part of the team?"
"Yep." Kyle answered.
"Okay." I answered. "Over and out."
I switched it off.
"Hey." I said as I smiled to her.
She smiled bashfully. Though she seemed to still be a young girl in many ways, she had something about her that I found familiar and calming.
We talked as the minutes ticked by, until finally, it was 1 o' clock.
8 minutes.
She glanced at me.
"Nervous?"
I shakily nodded.
"We'll be fine." she reassured.
I shrugged.
"6 minutes."
Kyle said through the earpiece.
The next 6 minutes dragged.
Finally, it was 1:07.
Although I should have been tired, as it was the middle of the night, adrenaline kept me awake and alert.
I pretended to make conversation with Ruby, but I was preoccupied.
My watch struck 1:08.
"Hey, wanna go get something to eat?" I asked Ruby.
"Sure! I'm in the mood for...chinese food."
I laughed shakily and grabbed her hand as we walked out of the commons to the elevator.
We were silent in the elevator.
We hurried to Ruby's room, where her roommate had not yet returned, and found our dark clothes. The clothes we would get away in.
I pulled my black shirt over my head with one hand and pulled up my pants with the other.
I tied the laces of my hiking boots as Ruby pulled her hair into a bun.
We tried our best to look as natural as possible, but it was hard when you were planning an escape.
1:10.
We walked down the hallway, pretending to laugh and make conversation to avoid suspicion.
Finally, we were on the first floor, where my information people and Kyle's suppliers were on duty for security.
We were the first to reach the floor. Kyle came about 30 seconds after we did and Ryan 15 seconds after that.
For our plan, every second counted, so Ruby and I didn't wait for the other two to join us. We began our system: grabbing the supplies we needed and shoving them into their perspective backpacks. We'd practiced it (I did, I assumed Ruby had too) so many times it was almost involuntary.
1:14.
I was out of breath. So much had happened in just six minutes. But I struggled to keep my thoughts clear.
"Ready Jason?" Ryan asked.
I nodded.
"Let's do this. Don't forget the plan." Ryan said as he slung the black backpack over his shoulder.
I nodded.
"Jason, you won't be alone. Ruby will go with you."
I nodded.
"Do you know what we're doing? " I asked her.
She nodded. "Okay, let's go."
We stepped into the elevator.
"You know the code, right?" Ruby asked.
I nodded and pressed the button for what floor I was destined for.
0.
I took a shaky breath as I entered the code to go to Floor 0.
As it began to descend further into the ground, I climbed to the top of the elevator, spreading my arms and legs out so I blended in with the roof. I offered my arm to Ruby so she could come up as well.
She got situated just in time. The elevator opened.
We hung onto the roof of the elevator breathlessly as the Andrew robot stepped into the elevator.
"Hello?" It asked.
It looked side to side, backwards and forwards, then turned and left, mumbling and grumbling.
"Darn. I was hoping it was Jason."
I froze and looked at Ruby.
"Do you know him?" she mouthed.
I held my finger to my lips as I soundlessly dropped to the ground. I braced myself as Ruby jumped on my back. I let her down, and we slipped out of the elevator just in time. We breathlessly stood in the shadows as the Andrew robot passed by. As soon as he was out of earshot, we ran across the large hallway to a room.
We scurried down the hallway in the opposite direction that the robot had gone.
"Where is it? Where did you put it?" I heard General Stewart's voice and froze. Ruby, who was walking in front of me, snuck forward to see what was going on. I lunged forward and grabbed her, my hand over her mouth.
I pushed her to the side. I glanced around the corner, trying my best not to get caught in the light. General Stewart leaned over a boy in the chair, holding a knife to his neck. I gasped when I noticed blood dripping from the boy's neck--a lot of it.
"We have to help him!" Ruby whispered.
I shook my head. "It's not the plan."
"But-"
"But nothing. We stick to the plan."
Ruby peeked around the corner.
"How can you watch this? He's gonna kill the boy, and you can stand by, watch, and not do anything about it? What kind of person are you?"
I closed my eyes, trying to block my heart from the blow it received.
"I've watched it happen all my life. I grew up watching it happen and having it happen to me."
"What?" Ruby asked. For the first time, I noticed a candy apple red streak in her hair.
"I grew up. With an abusive father. You get used to it."
"You can help this one boy. It might not make up for all you've been through, but it'll help."
I sighed. "Fine. But do exactly what I say."
~~~~~
I stepped into the light where General Stewart could see me, but he wasn't paying attention.
I watched as he pressed the tip of the knife to the boy's arm. General Stewart himself NEVER did personal torture unless it was something really bad. For example, me.
"Hey Stewart!" I shouted just as the blade was about to break skin.
He looked up in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
I shrugged. "I dunno. I got bored."
"I'll make you unbored," He growled. "Andrew!" The robot walked to General Stewart.
"Yes, sir?"
The man looked at me. "Fight him, kill him."
Andrew nodded mechanically.
He marched towards me as I stood casually.
"Kill him!" He exclaimed.
"Only if you can catch me!" I exclaimed. As Andrew was just about to reach me, I turned and ran in the opposite direction. I turned narrow corners, slamming into walls so hard my vision was blurry. As I ran into the lightened room, I collapsed as soon as I passed the trap that Ruby and I had set. The net grabbed Andrew as he stepped into it. Before he could yell for help, I reached into his back, and entered the code to turn off the robotics. He lay limp, just as pale and lifeless as he had been when he died.
I looked to Ruby and she smiled sympathetically.
"Ready to take General?" I nodded as I took a deep breath.
"He shouldn't be hard." I said. "He has a bad leg. But he fights dirty. He carries a gun, and he's not afraid to shoot you." My calf stung in remembrance of when he'd shot me when I was 12.
"But if we get the gun away, I can take him easily."
"I'll get the gun. You take him," She told me. I nodded. Before we could speak more, I heard him barrelling down the hallway, no doubt, for me.
I hurried to hide behind the door. Ruby stood in place.
As he turned around the corner, I jumped on his back.
"Ruby!" I yelled.
She rushed forward, but before she acted, I saw him reach for his gun and press its muzzle to my neck.
"Ruby!" I screamed desperately.
She grabbed his arm just as he was about to pull the trigger.
Twisting his arm, she pulled it from his grip and pointed it to him.
With me still on his back, he kicked her hand and smashed the gun to bits under his steel-tipped boot.
Of course. My heart fell. There's no way we'd get him that easily.
In the midst of my thoughts, Stewart threw me to the ground. I coughed, gasping for air.
He stepped on my chest, making it harder for me to breathe. A 225 pound man made of pure muscle pressing against my lungs.
He pulled a knife from his pocket.
"I should have gotten rid of you when I had the chance."
"Too bad. Because you'll never get the chance again." I snapped.
He shoved his steel-toed boot into my neck.
"Quiet, boy." he growled through gritted teeth.
He adjusted the knife in his hand and thrust it towards me. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block the pain that would come. I felt a thump on my chest as his boot left my neck. I opened my eyes to see Ruby in hand-to-hand combat with him. Taking the knife that had fallen on my chest into my hand, I stood, refinding my strength. As he shoved Ruby to the ground, I grabbed him from the back.
"You can't take me." He said.
"Maybe not when I was twelve." I said. "But now, I can."
"You're still a boy!" He exclaimed.
"Pulling the same pranks as you did then! You're not worth all the time I put into you. PTSD, anxiety, medical bills, that special training. I should have just let you fade away, lost in time and by everyone you knew." He growled. "You were my prized possession! You-"
I cut him off. "You don't own me!"
I lunged at him, knife in hand. He dodged my first punch.
As he pulled back his arm to deliver a fateful punch, I kicked him in the chest, knocking him to the ground.
I crawled to him, sitting on his chest, a leg on either side of him and held out the knife.
"Jason! Don't kill him!" Ruby screamed. She hadn't seen death before.
"Turn around Ruby." I ordered.
"Jason!" She cried.
"Turn around!" I barked to her.
"Please-" She pleaded.
"Ruby, turn around if you don't want to see it." My face was hot, and I knew I was red with fury. I tried to control my anger, but knew I couldn't contain it much longer.
He glared at me with hatred I'd never seen before. I took a deep breath and looked to Ruby, who was crying. Focusing on my task, I thrust the knife into his body. He wailed in pain. I pulled the knife from his shoulder.
"Sh-shoulder?" Ruby stuttered.
"Not fatal." I growled. "Let him live with his miserable existence."
"You think that'll stop me?" Stewart laughed.
I shrugged. Still on top of him, I pulled back and punched him with as much force as I had. I punched him in the wound again and again, while he gritted his teeth until his body finally went limp. I crawled off of him, my arms covered in his blood. Kicking his body lightly to make sure he was out, I turned to Ruby.
"Is...Is he.." She began.
"No. Just passed out." I said.
I grabbed her shoulder.
"You're twelve?" I asked. She nodded.
"If you're gonna be part of this operation, you have to get used to death. And blood." I added as she glanced at my blood covered arms.
"You're not a little girl anymore. You need to grow up!"
She was unfazed by my words.
"Let's go."  I said and turned to walk away.
"Maybe you're the one acting like a child." She said.
I turned to look at her.
"I see death and it makes me sad. That's the way it should be. You see death and you feel nothing. You're calloused to the point where you don't realize that someone's life is ending. You kill and you don't see the consequences. If the person you just killed has a brother or sister waiting for them to return. You don't get it." She said as she brushed past me. I grabbed her arm.
"Don't judge me for how I am. Every person I've killed haunts me every night and every day. So don't you ever say I don't get it."
She pulled from me and said, "Let's go."
I nodded and turned to Stewarts body and found a gun in his jacket.
We left the room.
"It's so dark in here." Ruby remarked.
"Yea." Just as I said that, I ran into something.
"Hey!" I heard and I instantly became angry.
"Sabrina." I said coldly.
"Jason?" She asked.
I reached out to find her waist. I  reached down and found her knee. Running my hand down her leg, I found her foot.
"Jason, what are you doing?" she asked.
Pressing my gun to her foot, I pressed the trigger.
She screamed as the bullet shattered the bones in her foot.
I reached out, finding Ruby's hand and grabbing it.
"Let's go!"
"You didn't have to shoot her." Ruby said.
"We did if you want to get out of here."
Unable to see in the dark, we slammed into a wall. I staggered backward, almost falling to the ground.
"Come on!" She exclaimed as she pulled me along. "Where are we going?" She asked.
"You know the plan." I said breathlessly, "We're finding the dynamite."