Star vs. The Forces of Evil - Never Hold Back

Chapter Six

It's only been two days since the Guardians were assembled, and already Janna felt relaxed. You'd think an important role such as that would bring the opposite, but it turns out that it's much different for her. She didn't have to go to as many training classes, she didn't have to be around so many people, and she didn't have to be locked up in her cell half the time. She sat in the corner of the catwalk up against the wall, examining the sniper rifle she was given by the general.

“I'm a little bored,” she said to Jackie, who was standing guard nearby. “Do you really think Force-03 is trying to raid us or whatever?”

“I dunno,” Jackie replied as she watched a group of soldiers walk by on the floor below. “You'd think that bringing the toughest eight soldiers would mean some immediate action.”

“It's a little suspicious…” Janna muttered. “I wonder…”

The group of soldiers disappeared into their cells, and the main hall went silent. Janna was staring off into space, and Jackie didn't budge from her position. Moments later, Janna suddenly snapped out of her mindless gaze and looked over at Jackie.

“Dude,” she began with a panicked tone. “What if the reason we haven’t done anything is because they're doing everything under our noses?”

“That could be so,” Jackie said hesitantly. “But… what if-”

Suddenly, she couldn't speak. Something sent a pang through her heart, a certain sound that struck terror in them both. Jackie was cut off by the echoing sound of a gunshot and a heart-stopping shriek...

“Who was that??” Jackie asked Janna in panic.

“Sounded masculine,” Janna observed as she stood up with her rifle in hand. “Let's go find the source. Hurry!”

As quickly as they could, the two girls raced towards where they heard the scream come from. It didn't take long to find, for the soldiers in the hall of the victim had started banging on their doors to get the attention of the authorities. Luckily, Janna and Jackie had arrived at Soldier Hall One not too long after the scream was heard. They went for the door where there was no banging...

Blake’s door.

“Oh god no… please no…” Jackie breathed out, her hands trembling in terror.

Blake was a good friend of Jackie’s basically her skateboarding buddy. They've known each other for a long time, so long that Jackie feels like he was always there; She can't even remember how they met. Now here, fifteen years later, there's a chance he could be dead beyond that door...

“I got it, I got it,” Janna reassured her.

Janna grabbed a universal key card from her pocket and swiped it in the door lock to unlock the door. The door clicked, and Janna gently pushed the door open…

“Oh sweet Jesus… Jackie, this isn't good…”

Jackie hesitated with dread before practically shoving past Janna to see what was inside. She felt her soul sink to her feet as time seemed to stop altogether. Lying on his side in the center of the room was Blake, his back to the door and his breathing heavy. The carpet was soaked in his blood, and the window was broken somehow. He twitched and sobbed, curling his legs into his stomach. It was obvious he was in great pain. Jackie gasped and ran over to his side, kneeling in front of him as Janna went to investigate the window.

“Blake, Blake!” she called to him. “It's okay… we're here to keep you safe…”

“...J-Jackie…” was all the victim could whisper.

Blake tried to take deep breaths as she pulled him close to comfort him, but his breaths were shortened. Jackie noticed he was clutching his chest and lifted up his shirt to see the wound.

“What happened to him?” Janna asked.

“Shot in the chest,” Jackie choked out as she reached into her medic box to put on a pair of rubber gloves. “It's a miracle he survived this long...I- I'll probably be giving him oxygen...”

“I'll call in the hospital wing medics,” Janna said. She lifted up her watch and pressed a button, beginning to speak into it.

“This is Guardian Ordonia. I'm on Floor Two in Soldier Hall One with Guardian Thomas and Soldier Lemons. Room Nine has been raided, the window is broken and Lemons has been seriously injured. Calling for hospital wing medics to arrive as soon as possible. Ordonia out.”

There was a reply from the watch.

“This is Doctor Smithington. The other medics are on their way. Smithington out.”

“The bullet is deep inside,” Jackie growled in frustration as she examined the wound. “I can't do anything to get it out. It needs surgical attention.”

Blake began to whimper and squirm in fear, only for Jackie to shush and coo to him.

“I know this isn't formal, but you'll be okay,” she whispered sweetly, putting the oxygen mask over his mouth. “The medics are on their way. Just remain calm…”

Jackie held Blake’s hand to soothe him as they waited. It was covered in blood, and she was glad she had her gloves on. She admitted to herself that she felt somewhat nauseous about the wound, but more sympathetic and worried about Blake and how much pain he was going through. She had to wipe tears from her eyes frequently, for with every second, he seemed less and less present.

“He's losing consciousness,” Jackie breathed. “I hope they hurry…”

As if on queue, the medics bolted in and ran to Blake’s side. Jackie got out of their way and walked over to Janna, unable to watch Blake suffer any longer. She blankly stared out the damaged window.

“What do you think happened to it?” she asked.

Janna shrugged.

“It seems that it was melted,” Janna observed. “It's fiberglass, so they had to… whoever raided this place.”

Jackie sighed and looked back to see the medics carry Blake out on a stretcher. She removed the rubber gloves and wiped a stray tear from her eye.

“Why... would anybody do that...?” she pondered aloud. “We're just kids…”

“Ah, but we're super tough kids working for an interdimensional military,” Janna explained. “That means we are pawns of the force. The enemy knows to break down the walls first before getting to the heart. The walls are us, and it is our job to keep the heart safe. Even though we are strong, we are still mortal. We must be on guard at all times.”

Jackie nodded solemnly.

“That's one way to look at it.”

Jackie turned around and walked out of the room, followed by Janna. As they walked down the hallway, they heard the other soldiers in their rooms muttering and crying. It soon dawned on the girls that they had spread the news through the walls.

They all knew about Blake.