The Last Outcasts

VI

We had been running for about 10 minutes when we finally reached the entrance to the old subway doors. I opened the door. "Ladies first." I said as the dim light that lit the stairs creeped out slightly from the door. "Thanks." She sad with humorous sarcasm.

I followed her inside after I shut the door behind me and locked it. The sound of the bolt hitting the inside of the door gently echoed through the hall and stairway. We walked down the staircase, our shoes hitting the concrete making a small noise with each step.

When we reached the bottom, three guards jumped out and pointed military grade rifles at us. I thought it was the Battalion and put my hand on the sword on my back. Scarlet jumped in front of me and held her hands out. "Guys, it's ok. He's with me." They let their rifles down and just looked at me. They then led us down a hallway to the refuge hideout.

I could tell Scarlet was the only reason they didn't shoot me on the spot. Even though the bullets wouldn't do anything, I was still grateful.

We continued to walk for about 30 seconds into the tunnel. There was little lighting so we were led by the guards' flashlights. When we reached the encampment we were almost immediately swarmed with half a dozen other guards. They surrounded me, making sure the refugees didn't see me a freak out. It was smart, considering what I looked like.

My legs still hissed when I walked, so I was bound to cause some concerned, weird, scared, or confused looks. I just went with all of the above. We reached the a large train car in the tunnels that looked like a makeshift situation room. There was a table with a large map of the city with red, green, orange colored Xs in different marked off named sectors. There was a larger black X in a circle over a couple subway entrances in the city. I guessed those were the entrances that lead directly to here.

Around the table were five people in battle armor. The same armor that the Battalion uses for their soldiers. I reached for the sword on my back and activated the plasma blade. A loud hiss could be heard as the blade cut through the air, the guards around me aimed their guns at me, ready to fire. And the people around the table looked at me with a mix of fear and curiosity.

Scarlet got in front of me and could see the anger and vengeance in my eyes. "Put the sword down Octavian. They're not Battalion, they stole the armor from passing patrols." I didn't lower the sword an inch. I don't know whether I didn't believe it, or didn't want to believe it. A guard pulled the trigger on his rifle, the bullet ricocheted off of my arm. Scarlett's face filled with pain. I looked down and saw blood seeping through a hole in her shirt. The bullet had hit her in the stomach. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and her body went limp. I lunged to catch her and yelled for a medical team, hoping they had one.