Hacking the Sun [Old Version]

Chapter 10 Under Eden

A/N: Changed from Chapter 9.2 to Chapter 10 on 3/09/18 due to new preference for flat numbers.

The keen tingle on Jessica's wrist brought a message: Tic Toc, a reminder that grappled her out of Valerie and Shannon's arms and back to her computer. Her friends curiously observed the screen, as all the files and screenshots downloaded before she removed the flash drive.

"Can I have my gun back, Shannon?" said Valerie.

"When you're older," she replied.

Jessica stomped fast. "Wipe everything, Babel! Belay that, actually. Wipe everything but leave a care package, yea?"

"Very well. We shall continue this in the next domain, Lynx." The room went dark, and the green blink from Jess's watch served a luminescent curtain to her geek space.

Valerie's pupils expanded. "What are you doing, Jess?"

"Leaving," she said. She grabbed several belongings from the desktop, retrieved a tablet off the shelves, and placed an alternative set of clothes and necessities in her backpack.

"You really just wipe everything in your computer?" Shannon said apprehensively.

"Yep."

"Man, you should run for office or something."

A series outside thuds layered their faces with sweat. Jessica froze and signaled her friends to do the same. Ear against the wall, she listened to the amble of boots. She quietly fetched her gravity board then brought up the outside camera. The footsteps belonged to a black uniform passing the frame. 

"That a police officer?" Valerie whispered.

"He's not local security," Jessica said. Several seconds after the black figure passed, she opened the door. "Come on!"Crouching, the three of them quietly crept outside, desperate to reach the elevator.

Shannon couldn't help but look back, however. The black figure belonged to an Azarean. They had a penchant to follow terrible crimes, at least when they appeared in a human building. 

Jessica zeroed in on the elevator while Valerie sprinkled the floor with sweat. None of them anticipated the second Azarean, whose figure suddenly loomed beside the elevator. Mere seconds after he entered their view, his reflective visor steered in their direction. He took a wide stance.

"Civilians, stop!"

A montage of options threw Jessica into a quantic dream. She could do something, anything, or she could surrender. Petrified limbs clamped her fate when the rear Azarean began storming across the corridor. Quicker, however, Valerie drew her pistol and fired.

The officer by the elevator drew his weapon, though not fast enough since Shannon had literally jumped over Jessica to reach him. Thanks to the tugging match that followed, Jessica had time to slip on her glove and lunge. The tall officer diverted enough attention to kick her into the ground. Adrenaline dampened the pain, but she was helpless and out of breath as the guard wrenched the weapon barrel away from Shannon and toward her forehead.

Instead of firing, he hit the ground in a seizure. A mild tilt of her neck and Jess discovered smoke thin from Valerie's pistol. The other Alien lay on the floor. 

Her hands covered her face, lungs on the cusp of hyperventilation. Deep breaths.  

"Come on!" Shannon offered a hand. Instead of wallowing, Jess grabbed hold and rose to her feet. Valerie stepped near when Shannon freaked. "We just killed Azareans!"

"Nope," Homegirl said, holstering the pistol. "I just stunned the hell out of 'em."

"You saved me." Jessica blinked. "But we're wasting time."