Artificial

No Loose Ends

Ex-Hunter Katya

I sit on the floor of the armory with my security detail. The room is silent except for the muffled fighting outside. The guards mill about awkwardly, inspecting their weapons and armor much more thoroughly than necessary. Two play rock-paper-scissors in the corner.
This sucks.
Riot took me in, made me feel safe, helped me feel better about my situation, and I can't even help him defend his home.
An explosion sends the door flying inward, knocking two guards on their backs. One is executed immediately, but the other is shielded by the thick steel door. One of the guards snaps into firing position and avenges his fallen comrade before receiving a burst of automatic fire from a different assailant. He slumps against the wall, then draws his sidearm and kills another invader. A second burst of gunfire ends him, only for the pinned guard to kill yet another attacker with his sidearm from under the door. One hostile rushes in, and kicks the door aside, only for another guard to take them out with a single blast from a shotgun. He walks toward the door, and I grab an assault rifle off the wall. The guard outside gets one shot off from his shotgun before being killed by a sniper. I train my weapon on the door. A soldier rushes in and guns down the last guard as he dashes for cover, and I open fire, killing him without getting hit. I freeze when I see his all-black uniform.
Hunters.
I snap back to reality and aim my rifle at the door again, but it's too late. The sniper fires a revolver, and it hits me in the stomach. I fall over, and reach out for my gun, but it's just out of reach. The sniper kicks it away, then loads the empty chamber of his revolver.
"Gutshot," he muses, crouching low to look me in the eye. "Wound like that kills you slow. Let me ask you something: did you honestly believe you could betray Saclar and get away with it? Did you think we wouldn't come after you?"
I summon all the gall I can muster, and spit blood onto his goggles.
"Fuck off, lapdog."
He lets out a grim chuckle as he wipes it off.
"You're definitely the General's daughter, alright. It's a shame we couldn't put that will to good use."
He looks over his shoulder, then, upon finding the entrance still empty, begins to rise.
"Well, that wound's fatal now, so I'd better get going."
As he stands, he gasps, and drops his revolver. A second pair of boots materializes behind his, and when I look up, a blade protrudes from his chest. He lets out a feeble wheeze, and grabs the blade before going limp. The assassin throws him aside and kneels next to me. This must be that one squadmate Riot was telling me about, Apex, I think it was? He's fucking terrifying in person.
"Riot, she's been compromised," he announces over the radio. "Shot in the stomach with a high-caliber handgun, they were definitely looking to send a message. The gun's still here if the medics want to take a look at it, but it's not good, man. Get a medevac team over here ASAP."
As I pass out from blood loss, I hear frantic footsteps approaching.