Silence // Danger Days (Book 1)

26.

The Star Set had a fairly easy job.

Get in, plant the weapon, break the prison, get out.

Someone made a mistake somewhere, because halfway through the job, alarms started wailing.

They weren't sure whose mistake it was, and they didn't really care. They just knew the job had to move twice as fast.

They overrode the cell door locks and all the captives barreled out like there was a Drac patrol on their tails. They all knew where the exit was, so each one ran as fast as their legs could carry them to freedom.

Four of the Star Set guys had been carrying the bomb. They set it down in the center of the section.

Dustin, the leader, grabbed his comm and frantically called Capricorn. "Z10! This is Sandstorm, do you read? We have an emergency!"

"I read, Sandstorm. I'm transmitting the abort code to everyone now! Just set it and move!"

"Rodger that," Dustin said, and gave his guys the signal to set the detonation time. "Over and out."

The weapon would detonate in exactly five minutes.

The five Juviehalls ordered the prisoners to run, and the mass of people made their way out, hopefully not to their deaths.

🌩

"Shit!" Poison yelled. "We've got to move! Go, go go!"

The group of seven ran even faster (minus Alien, she was still being carried, despite her protests). They burst into the lobby and were greeted with mounds of people, some in color, some in white, all engaged in the battle of their lifetimes. The seven Killjoys found a spot behind a corner, where they stopped to get their bearings.

"ven..." Alien rasped, "you need to put me down... i have to fight..."

"No!" he protested. "You're hurt, you can't!"

"Al!" Storm cut in. "Can you walk? Or run, whatever?"

"...i think so," she slowly attempted to get to her feet. "yeah, i can..."

"Good. Lean on me, let's go!" Storm wrapped his arm around Alien's waist and held her up.

"Alright, get out your guns," Poison ordered. "Let's move!"

The group ran out into the fight, firing their blasters at anything white.

Alien limped along, relying almost completely on Storm, ignoring the pain shooting up from her feet. She was still attempting to shoot decently, and half-succeeding. She hated being weak almost as much as she hated being bored.

Vendetta and Jet ran around checking on wounded people. There actually weren't that many rebels injured, which was awesome for them, because they could continue making their way to the door.

Storm wanted to take Poison's hand, but it would probably distract him from his leader duties. It wasn't exactly the time.

They reached the doors. People were already starting to go out through them; Storm figured they were the prisoners from the low-security section. The three guys from high-security stuck close to the Killjoys.

No one seemed to notice the beam that emitted from a BLI ray gun and headed straight for Vendetta.

They burst out the doors and ran into the nearest alley, the BLI prisoners followed close behind.

Vendetta clung to the wall and slowly slid down into a sitting position. The rest of them clustered close to each other for fear of being found by BLI.

"...hey," Alien smiled at her boyfriend. "you gonna explain now...?"

He was very out of breath. "I swear to any powers that be, Destroya, the Phoenix Witch, whatever, I love you more than life itself." He panted through the statement.

"It was me," Sunset interjected. "I was drunk. I'm so sorry, Alien."

"...it's alright. we all do shit we regret."

Vendetta suddenly doubled over in pain. Alien gasped and yelled, "are you okay? what's wrong?"

Jet leaned over the other medic and spotted a large burn on his jacket. "He was shot."

Vendetta fell to the ground and laid there, face contorted in agony.

"His heart's slowing!" Jet yelled. "The blast must have gone to his involuntary functions!" He immediately began pressing on his chest, hoping to restart his heart.

"Al.." Vendetta gasped. "I-I can't, I—" His throat closed, cutting his speech off.

"ven, it's okay, i'm here," Alien clutched his hands. "don't let go, i won't let you!"

"I have to—" he managed. "I can't—"

"yes you can," she insisted. "you have to, damnit! please, destroya..."

"It's not working," Jet shouted frantically.

"Al, listen—" Vendetta choked out. "Never stop—keep running—don't let—"

He drew in one last breath.

"I love you."

His hands went limp in hers.

Alien froze. She didn't let go of his hands.

Jet sat back, defeated. He reached over and closed Vendetta's eyes.

Storm took Sunset's hand. She squeezed back.

Poison put an arm around Ghoul.

The building behind them suddenly went up in flames, as planned.

"Quiet are your colors," Jet whispered.

"...but killjoys never die."