Our Time Bomb

Chapter Thirty-five ~ Sector 3

A couple of days later... (Erika's pov)

I am back in the Guild again sadly, though I'm not alone, and I'm not in a cell like I used to be. I'm simply in more comfortable confinement. I have a nurse with me and my three babies. She will stay with me and nurse them for me, as I am not allowed to myself. I am a bit happier than I used to be, since I have the comfort of my children. And the nurse, (Mikaela) is really quite nice to me.

Jefferson comes to be with me often, though I have not seen him today. I am sitting with Jaina in my lap right now. She is awake and I'm talking to her. Her wide blue eyes are trying to focus on my face. "You're going to be such a pretty girl when you grow up." I say.

She fills her tiny cheeks with air and closes her fist tightly over my finger.

"That's right darling." I croon, "you are beautiful and you know it."

The nurse smiles at me, and I smile back.

Suddenly the door opens to the clean tidy room we're in. It is shoved open so quickly that Jaina quivers slightly in my lap. I frown as Jefferson steps in. His eyes are wild as they dart around the room for a slight second. He doesn't hesitate but rushes over to me.

"Jefferson?.." I frown at his troubled appearance.

His brows tighten together, "Something has happened, you need to come with me." he scoops Jaina out of my lap and quickly but gently dumps into the arms of the confused nurse.

"what's... Going on?"

He grabs my wrist quickly and jerks me up. "Hard to explain."

I frantically look back at Jaina and her two brothers that are sleeping quietly in their cots.

Something must be seriously wrong if Jefferson is acting this way.

"where the hell are we going?" I find my voice as he doesn't loosen his grip on me.

He seems to be elsewhere in his mind and does not answer me.

The area in which I was kept in confinement is on the east underground section of the Guild. Not part of the dungeon, this area is closer to the surface.

I think he is taking me down further into the dungeon.

"Jefferso-"

"Be quiet!" he says harshly.

I cringe as he jerks me around a corner.

I don't recognize the passage he leads me down. It's darker than the rest of the dungeon. The cold thin air down here crawls into my clothing and chills me to the bone.

A minute later, he stops and guides me into a small room.

Upon shutting the door, he finally speaks, to my relief. "I'm sorry..." he leans against the wall, I had to get you out of there as quickly as possible."

"What aren't you telling me?" I say behind my teeth.

His eyes pierce mine and in a matter of a split second, everything pours out to me. His face seems empty, yet to me, it's an open book. He is afraid, I see it clearly, yet he's trying to look strong. He cannot hide from his own wife. "So tell me... What is going on? I can see that you're afraid."

He frowns defensively, "Who ever said I was afraid? Erika what do you think is going on?"

I shrug, "I don't know darling, I'm trying to think of a solution that would explain why you are seeming to panic."

"alright ill explain..." He says, remembering to what must have had happened.

Earlier that day (Syra's pov)
It would seem that I am the face of this Rebellion. I am the one who started it all. Now it is really happening. It has been a week since I found out that our previous leader, Heira commander Erika is alive and in the custody of our enemies, the loyalists. Now we are on the brink of attacking the Guild.

So much has happened since Luna and Chris have been imprisoned by our current leader whom I now hate. Martinel has gone much too far and he will pay.

So I have been in many battles and skirmishes, even with the Gyardicans. Today however will be very different. We aren't just fending off a couple of them... No, we are heading straight into the district's core ants nest. Luckily, we know exactly everything about them and their huge guild. They outnumber us here, but they don't know that. We have carefully planned our siege and we are prepared to win.

Now I'm with Casper and about fifty men. We are sector number three. Our job is to come right up to the front of the Guild. This is the most dangerous job. The other four sectors are going to back us up and surround the whole campus.

There is a ditch all around the front of the Guild. It is covered in trees as the forest's green fingers become thinner and thinner until it halts at the clearing of the Guild.

It really is quite close to the bustling city, yet it is surrounded by forest on all sides. This makes our job of a surprise attack much easier.

We creep through the ditches and watch carefully for any signs of movement. Above is the fenced courtyard. It is quite full of people. It seems to be always busy here.

A cracked up whisper comes through the radio in my sweaty palm, "Sector three? Are you in position?"

"In position Sir." I reply quickly.

"Alright, you are to advance in one minute exactly. All sectors are positioned."

"Yes Sir."

"One minute..." I whisper to those around me.

My nerves spike at the realization of what we're about to do. Don't think. I tell myself.

The seconds pulse in my temples as I count. The timing must be just right...

Thirty... Thirty-three......forty...

What if I mess this up? I'm supposed to be leading this sector. No, I can do this, I am Shadow Nation, a strong warrior. I've come this far and I've just gotta trust myself.

Fifty-nine... Sixty...

"Let's go!" I say hastily and climb up out of the trench, carefully stepping into the footholds of tree roots.

We don't run, but we pour steadily out of the trench into plain sight of the Guild.

People in the courtyard see us immediately and their faces take on a sheet of terror at the sight of us. "Shadow Nation!" some villager yells.

It is rather nice to be feared I must admit. Gyardicans push everyone inside and start barking orders at one another.

I stop at the entrance to the courtyard. Instead fighting like they'll be expecting us to do, we just stand outside. There are perhaps fifteen gyardicans in the courtyard now. The rest must be inside, or elsewhere in the city.

I wait... They ought to bring out their Captain sooner or later.

Sure enough, the very man I'm looking for appears through the great glass doors of the Guild.

The Captain's face has got disbelief written all over it. His jaw is set firmly as he quickly strides towards us. He stands on the other side of the fence, "another step forward and I will crush your forces. Leave, now."

I stand straighter, eyeing the monarchs crest engraved on his uniform. A prick of dislike charges my resentment for him and the rest of them. "We will do no such thing. You know why we're here... Don't you?" I look him dead on in the eye.

He draws his sword towards me, "You won't get her."

Then he turns his back on me and speaks quickly into his radio.

I know he is calling forth the contents of the ants nest.

My eyes follow him as he quickly enters the Guild once again.

"Their forces will be here any minute, time to enclose the guild." I say into my own radio.

"copy that." the other sectors reply.

They will surround the campus but we have to start the fight. It's up to us... Sector 3...