Acteon Syndicate

Chapter 16: Or is it?

"Hadley, come in, Hadley." Aristotle called.
"I'm here." Hadley appeared in the corner of Aristotle's goggles.
"Allis, code name Inese, was kidnapped by Ebony. We were ambushed, Hadley."
"What can I do?"
"Can you track her ring? It should give us location and status."
"Sure, give me a moment." Aristotle heard tapping on keys as Uli and Diomedes boarded the helicopter. "She's... she's at Ground Zero. And, shit, she's bleeding heavily."
"If I hadn't pushed her..." Diomedes mumbled.
"She'd have been shot." Uli corrected. "Aristotle, you're up."
Aristotle took the pilot's seat and began pressing buttons. Code filled his goggles for a few moments. If I can just hack into the autopilot... "Success!" He cheered and entered the coordinates for Ground Zero.
"Thank you, Rand!" Uli cheered. She kissed him on the cheek and he blushed.
"Let's go save Allis."

The lights flickered as Phantom Morphs paced the entrance. They exploded into water droplets when Diomedes shot them as the helicopter began its descent. He jumped and landed on the ground with a roll, Aristotle and Uli behind him. They ran through the door, guns blazing. Allis lay on the third floor, the topaz insignia, a large yellow stone, the size of a large necklace, with white lines curving through it; lay beside her. Those white lines filled with red as Allis's blood flooded the stone beneath Rand's computer.
"Allis, we're coming!" Diomedes called.
"Hurry." She replied, voice weak.
Aristotle pulled them close. "Listen, it's just like the training exercise. Except they're real. We can do this. For Allis."
"You can't get past my demons, you're too weak!" Ebony yelled.
"Why do you need to destroy the world?" Allis asked. "Why eradicate all humankind? You're one of them."
"Because, dear," He crouched and ran the tip of his knife across her cheek. "I'm not a human."

Diomedes jumped, grabbed onto the floor above, and kicked a Rotting Fiend's skull to the floor. He pulled himself up and over the railing as Uli crushed the skull with her foot. She climbed the ladder, shooting her gun as she did, knocking back numerous Hell Shadows. Gutlings screamed, surrounding Aristotle. He pressed the band on his wrist, releasing a beam of red light, burning the monsters into ash. Ebony kicked Uli back as she climbed. She fell and landed on the floor below. She stood, shocked, as a woman's boot stepped on her hand, preventing her from firing a shot.
"I thought... you are dead."
The woman flipped her brown hair over her shoulder and winked a brown eye. "No, dear. I just joined the winning team."
She fell forward, clutching her leg, as blood squirted from it. Diomedes smirked and helped Uli to her feet. "Femoral artery."
They stood, back to back, as they moved. Uli climbed the ladder once more. As Ebony prepared to push her back, Aristotle fired a beam, and he stumbled back as Diomedes climbed the railing.
They stood around Ebony as he grinned. "I see you've met Allis's mother."
"Allis!" Uli cried. Diomedes rushed to her side, as Uli tried to shoot Ebony.
The topaz insignia glowed and the pattern of white continued onto the floor, forming a glowing circle.
"Allis," Diomedes pulled her away. "Don't leave. Don't leave me. You promised you'd stay."
She reached up and placed a hand on his cheek. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."
He held her close and kissed her. "I love you, Allis. And... and, I'm sorry."
He stood and tackled Ebony. They fell, in a heap, into the portal. The Acteon Syndicate watched helplessly as the portal closed, losing Ebony and Daniel in time.
"No!" Allis yelled. She clutched the insignia in her hand, tears stinging her face. "Why, why did you leave me?"

And that's all, folks! I hoped you enjoy the story, rate, comment, vote, etc. Let me know what you thought.

Sincerely,
Leafgreen6