Alpha Project: Genesis

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The doors to a black SUV opened, and two people emerged. The first was dressed in dark, militaristic gear, and the second in a crimson cloak and body armor.

"Remember, if one of us gets captured, we can't go back for each other. Got it?"

"...Of course. Good luck, my friend."

Cooper nodded in response, and walked away as Tempest took to the skies.

Unsheathing his baton, Cooper walked up to Aaron's house's front porch.

Aaron's family looked up, surprised as glass instantly littered their floor. Cooper jumped through the window and bolted the door, saying, "HIDE. Now."

Aaron's father picked up a kitchen knife and replied, "If you're looking for my son, you won't find him here! We have no idea where he is!"

Cooper noticed Aaron's two little brothers hiding behind the father. Aaron's mother was close behind them, holding their shoulders.

Sighing, Cooper changed his tone of voice to a calmer one, "I'm not looking for Aaron. I came here to tell you two things."

The father continued to steadily hold the knife.

Cooper went on, "Aaron is with me, and he's safe. I can't tell you where is he is, in case I don't make it out of here."

"What do you mean, make it out of here?" The father demanded to know.

Sheathing his baton, Cooper explained, "Have you heard of the Unity Troops? I assume you saw them on TV a few hours ago?"

The father nodded.

"Well, that's the second thing I need to tell you:

They're the ones coming for your son."

"Do you know how to use a gun?"
"What?" Cade asked in surprise.
Roland reiterated, "I said, do you know how to use a gun?"
The two were standing in the headquarters, facing each other. Aaron was peering out the windows, watching the faraway buildings.

He turned around, replying, "...We've used be-bee guns before."

Roland sighed, then responded, "Ok then. That'll have to do."

Walking quickly, he went down the hallway to the training gym.

Cade turned to Aaron and asked, "This is insane. Why are we staying, Aaron?"

"I already told you, I can't leave. And no one else can; the Unity Troops have blocked off any exits to the city."

"Well, why can't we go and make sure our parents are ok? Instead of your new "friends" going after them?" Cade demanded to know.

Aaron replied, "Roland promised us that they would be ok. Jasper knows it, and I know it."

"I think Jasper trusts these guys about as much as I do." Cade grumbled.

Roland returned from the gym, holding two rifles and a pistol. He loaded the pistol and tucked it under his coat, then handed a rifle each to Aaron and Cade.

As Roland placed a box of ammo next to the window nearest the street, Aaron asked, "What do you want us to do with these?"

Roland replied, "We're going to defend this base in case any of the troops come. Using your powers could get all of us killed, so I'm giving you a rifle to defend yourself."

As he spoke, the silver ships above continued to amass around the city gates nearby. From his window, Aaron could pick up the sound of their monotonous hum.

Reluctantly, Cade began loading the gun. Aaron did the same, and Roland began shutting off the lights. He then resumed his seat at the TV displays, and put on his headset.

Erik Hessen stood atop a building overlooking the blockade. Snow and wind shot past his purple armor, making white streaks across it. Syke stood next to him, green eyes searching the skies. Across from them, Jasper sat on the edge of the building, legs dangling as he looked at the homes below.

"I can't believe this is happening." Erik spoke, with a distant look on his face.

Syke replied, "Roland knew."

"What?"

"This...war. It's what Roland was trying to prevent."

Erik nodded, responding, "I mean, I didn't think it would ever get this bad, Syke."

"Yeah." Syke agreed.

The two stood silently for a few moments longer, watching the ships land.

Erik broke the silence, saying, "But you know what else I can't believe?"

"What's that?" Syke asked.

"Roland actually let you out here."

Syke laughed, then replied, "It wasn't easy to convince him."

Erik smirked, saying, "That must have been some convincing. Your brother's mind isn't the easiest to change."

As they talked, Jasper continued to watch the houses below.

"They had better be ok..." he muttered to himself.

"What do you mean, they're coming for Jasper?" Jasper's mother asked.
She stood in her living room next to her husband, both facing Tempest with fear and suspicion.
Tempest shook his head no, saying, "As I said, these men intend to find your son. But since they do not know where he is, they are coming here to interrogate you."

"We'll tell them the truth, then: we don't know where our son is." The father sternly replied.

"They won't accept that answer. Trust me." Tempest explained.

"Trust you?! We don't even know who you are!" The father exclaimed.

His voice was nearly obscured by the noise of tires screeching to a halt outside.

Eyes narrowed, Tempest stated, "The Unity Troops are here. Now you have exhausted my patience."

A flash of black came from his crimson coat, and the husband and wife nearly jumped back in surprise.

"It is loaded. Now hide where you won't be found, and I will hold them off." Tempest ordered, the bullets slid into the chamber of his gun.

Cooper waited for Aaron's mother to silence her sons, then locked the basement door. He propped a chair up against the door, then walked into the family room and turned off all the lights. Drab, grayish snow gathered on the translucent skylight above him, adding to the darkness.

Through the dim atmosphere, Cooper moved quickly, propping up objects against the front and back door. His eyes adjusted to his workspace at an unnatural speed, and his ears picked up the heartbeats of six soldiers outside.

"We need a closer look at what's going on down there, Erik. And if you see anyone injured, focus on them first. Civilians are the first priority." Roland spoke into the headset.

Aaron's hands shook as he held the rifle. The snow trickling past the open window refused to obscure the fleet of Unity ships hovering in the sky. Below them, the suburban houses outlining the city remained untouched, for now.

"Mom and Dad need to make it out of there." Aaron whispered.

He focused on Erik's following words through Roland's headset, for some shred of comfort.

"We'll be there to protect them, Roland. Don't worry."