New Elysium: Breakout

A Time to Kill Part 46

"Understanding the nature of war is of vital importance to the State. War is the place where life and death meet; it is the road to destruction or survival. It demands study. War has five decisive factors, which you must take into account in your planning; you must fully understand their relevance. First is a Moral Compass; second is a Heaven; third is Earth; fourth is the Commander; fifth is Regulation." - Sun Tzu The Art of War

"....A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up..." - Ecclesiastes 3:3

"Null!" Red snapped as he turned and in one stride was at her side grabbing her arm. "Release him!" 

Jack's face had turned an ugly shade of blue. He gurgled as his hands clawed at the strong hands around his throat.

Her hate-filled gaze swung to him, barely inches from each other and he almost took a step back from her, unnerved. Then she froze, her hands slightly loosened, her face contorting back and forth and he realized that somewhere inside Lars and Null were having an argument. 

Null must have won because she tried to shove Red away from her with both hands, in a move that would have surprised anyone else. Red was not anyone else. 

From his point of view, she moved faster than most people but still slower than he did.

He caught her fist in his hand as she swung into his face. "Do you know what they've done?" She snarled at him. Twisting her free hand she swung at the other side of his face. The rage twisted her features into scorn. "Yet you protect him?"  

He caught that hand with his and shoved her away from Jack. "Yes, I know what they've fucking done. I spent 7 years in Helion 7, remember?" 

Jack hit the floor coughing, his lanky body heaving as he drew in a breath. He eyed Larsson with wide eyes. Never once had Larsson ever laid a hand on him. He'd cursed her name, ordered her out of his office, but she'd never once attacked him. He'd always been in control and no one had ever questioned it. 

Red and Null both ignored him as they faced each other. 

Null sucked in her breath and rushed forward again, her gray eye and black eye bore into him as she moved. She was still slow and Red sidestepped, but one hand disappeared and Red found himself knocked back, not quite off of his feet but against the clear wall. He found his footing, his hand snaked out and he snatched her off of her feet before she could move out of his reach. 

"Sorry Lars," he got out before slamming her into the ground. Her head hit with a sickening metallic crack and she lay still staring at the ceiling, the body quivering. For a moment Red felt a sense of guilt, Lars was in there too after all.

Amy sat up, an odd expression on her face. "Captain--Red, please... Don't hurt her."

Red backed off, his fists still clenched as he forced them to his sides. He turned to Jack and lowered his hand to him, Jack, his eyebrows shooting up took the proffered hand and allowed Red to pull him to his feet.

Red turned away from him back to Lars. "Can she hear me?"

Lars nodded as stood up rubbing the head that had a huge bump starting to swell. "Organics," he muttered as the pain registered. 

"When I met Ember, I had the same reaction to her," he started. "I didn't care if she lived or died. I was going to use her to get her out of there. She cared though, and it's because of her we got out. Dag told me, that her being in there with us, made her one of us. She was resigned to the same fate as we were."

"She asks what's your point?" Lars crossed his arms over his body. 

Red scratched his head, maintaining his distance from Lars. If Lars was holding Null at bay, she might get around him.  He gestured to Jack. "Well so is this asshole."