Friendly Fire

Chapter 2

5 months ago.

I sat in my padded room. It was better than the cold, wet cell I had a month ago. The food was a little better as well. The only downfall was the lack of a bed, meals were smaller but there was less time between them. That and the claustrophobic straitjacket they constantly had me in.

The lights didn't help either. 6 years in the dark, your eyes get used to it. So I kept my eyes shut until lights out. I became nocturnal.

"Chow!" The voice came over the speaker. I followed blindly to the door. My foot hit the metal tray as the smell wafted into my nose. Pizza!

I fell to my knees and ate as fast as I could with no arms. The food was cold but flavorful.

When I was done I kicked the tray under the door for the man on the other side.

HONK!

I jumped at the loud noise. Less than a second later the doors latch clicked and the lights went out. I opened my eyes and waited for them to adjust. Nobody came for me. There was a red emergency light leaking through the crack in the door.

Alarms sounded in my head. I looked around the hall from my door. Blood lined the walls and bodies sagged down the hall. At the end, I saw a girl, familiar but I couldn't place her.

"Let's go, Luke!" She yelled at me. She sounded French.

I pushed off. Freedom waited with this strange woman. I wasn't about to miss it.

She cut off my jacket and handed me a 45. I held it out in admiration. It was heavy and cold. Power was put back into my hands.

"You can admire it later. We need to go! Now!" She pulled me out of my thoughts. She took my wrist and pulled me down the hall and up several flights of stairs. Bodies were everywhere. She led me to a white van. I was getting tired of white.

Once in, she turned on some lights. I winced and shut my eyes.

"What? What's wrong?"

"Lights." My voice came out hoarse and dull. I didn't recognize it. She handed me a pair of sunglasses and a change of clothes.

"Luke, do you remember me?" She asked as the engine roared to life behind me. I looked at her intently.

"You look familiar. I'm sorry." Her face went soft.

"That's alright. What happened to you in there?" Her hand drifted to my arm, making me flinch away. A pained look crossed the soldier's face.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Mary." Her name clicked and she smiled at the look of recognition.

"My high-flier." Her arms shot up and wrapped around my shoulders. A wave of fear flooded through me, then a wave of trust. I felt conflicted.

"There are some things we need to talk about, Luke." A familiar voice came from the front of the van through the grated window. It was a voice I would never forget.

Zeffer.