Out of the Shell

13 - Imperfection

December 8, 2404
12:00

"Alright everyone, here's how it's gonna go," Vena began. "Nym will stay in Ixus to launch the missiles. Make sure no Institute staff member alive."

Was she serious? I couldn't believe that she was talking about something insanely brutal.

"Right behind you, Vena," Javi said.

Vena smiled. "You always are. Amielle, you okay?"

"Huh? Yeah." I responded. I already knew how this was going to end.

"On that note, let's get going, yeah?"

Celeiri nodded. "Let's go."

-----

December 8, 2404
13:00

The intercoms were already going off, warning everyone to descend to ground level. I ran upstairs instead. What if M-263 was still here? Even though a staff member seemed rather angry at him, I was willing to take my chances.

"Hey, what are you doing--" It was Jason Clarke. "You. You are who I'm looking for."

"What?" I asked.

He came closer to me. "You know M-263. I want him dead and out of my life more than anything--yet you... come in and keep bringing him to me!"

He probably knew me because of my Alternis, considering that Vena put me back in time way before he could even know who I am. "Sir, I--"

He attempted to grab me, but I stepped back and pulled out the APH Javi had pre-loaded for me. Turns out that I was already out of luck, as he also pulled out an APH on me.

"Looks like we're both in trouble," Clarke said.

"Is it true?" I asked. "That this Institute is dangerous? That they mean nothing but harm?"

"Of course it's true! For years, we needed a new way to collect information on citizens. The Internet has advanced too much, so we can't track many people from there. The IDM gives us a whole other new way to do that. Too bad I really have to kill you now, since you know that."

So, Vena was right. Ever since I met her, I thought that it was a paranoid thought. I just received answers from a primary source.

"Goodbye." Clarke squeezed the trigger a little on his APH. I closed my eyes and didn't fire back. Hearing a loud electrical noise and thus, I opened my eyes. Clarke lay dead on the floor with a massive burn on his back.

"Come on, let's get you out of here!" It was Brandon. He ran to the ground floor and I followed him. "I'm Brandon, by the way. Brandon Beckham. Nice to meet you."

I understood what he said, even though we were running for our lives. "I'm Amielle Valentine."

Brandon slightly nodded his head. "You know, I've been waiting for this day to come. I've been treated like a slave since the time I've been hired. Barely paid anything, and I'm forced to do all the dirty work."

I felt pity for him. "You don't even want to know where I started." I didn't give him time to respond; we had already reached the ground floor. APH rounds were being fired left and right.