Before the Fall

Chapter Six - The Extinction

Aster

I was so nervous from the moment we left the apartment.

The weather was nice, our cab driver pleasant, and the food delicious.

But I couldn't shake this uneasiness I felt.

It was different than the normal stalker feeling I had every time I left home.

It felt more ominous.

I tried my best to put on a good face for Xander.

I knew this dinner meant a lot to him.

I just couldn't help but look around constantly.

Something was going to happen and I just felt it. Sensed it.

I hate when I'm right about such things.

Men in black attire and masks came bursting into the restaurant, guns blazing and firing in all directions.

My glass was shattered in front of me, making me scream.

Vases, plates, windows, people...all were shattered with bullets.

I felt an arm wrap around me and yank me to the floor.

Looking over, I see Xander's panicked face searching my eyes for strength I couldn't give.

My breathing was erratic and adrenaline was coursing through my body.

"We have to get out of here," he said over the gunfire.

I merely nodded and we scrambled to the back of the restaurant, keeping a low profile.

I stepped almost cried out when I had to crawl over the bloody body of a waiter, his white shirt soaked in his own blood, his eyes wide open in death.

We crept into the back, frantically seeking the exit.

Xander never let go of my hand.

I didn't even notice how tightly he had been holding it until we got out the back door and I finally felt the pain from his grip.

"What was that?!" I choked out, my voice hoarse with tears.

"I don't know what's going on," breathed Xander, eyes desperately seeking a place to hide.

"Were they after us?" I gripped his arm.

"Xander, were those people after us?!" I was shaking his arm furiously now.

He grimaced and shook his head. "Aster, now isn't a time to panic. I don't think they were after just us. Now come on, we need to get out of here."

Yanking my arm, he drug me behind him and down the alleyway.

Every building we past was filled with sickening popping noises from the guns.

Seems like ours wasn't the only establishment to be hit.

A black van was parked at the end of the alleyway.

Someone was in it and there was no where or way for us to hide quickly enough.

A man stepped out of the passenger side, his weapon from his waistband now in his hand.

"I would say I'm pretty lucky right now. The source of our boss' frustration is right in front of me. I'll get a pretty amazing reward for this."

Xander slowly and instinctively pushed me behind him. "Lets us go."

"So cliché," laughed the man.

More screaming, popping, screaming, popping...Like the noises were on a sick repeat.

The second man flung the side door of the van open and stood there impatiently.

"We aren't going anywhere with you." Xander's voice was tired.

"You have no choice."

He smirked smugly as the door of the building directly to our left burst open and several armed men exited, looking for the next thing to kill.

Xander and I instinctively moved away from them, but that put us right into the arms of the men threatening us.

Grabbing us, they threw us into their van and began driving.

I fought as hard as I could.

But something was placed over my mouth, sickeningly sweet in its smell.

I saw nothing more.

* * *

Xander

I felt my eyes grow heavy.

Whatever they gave me wasn't as strong as what they put over Aster's mouth.

My eyes were so heavy but they wouldn't close, and everything was blurry. My body was numb; paralyzed.

I could really only hear.

"Boss will be happy. Step on it. We need to get them there. Can't risk a rookie shooting them."

"Maybe this will keep us off the clean-up crew," laughed the driver.

My body shifted as the van pick up its speed.

Aster's body rolled up against mine.

I couldn't even feel the warmth of her body.

Tears involuntarily rolled out of my eyes, creating a puddle under my head. I was terrified for us, but I couldn't show it, even if I wanted to.

I stared at her beautiful face and wondered how many more times I would get to do that.

I could still hear gunfire over the engine noises of the van.

What was happening? The men were killing indiscriminately. It didn't matter where the bullets went from what I saw.

"How long before the project ends?" I heard the voice of the driver ask the other man.

"It will probably take a few more hours."

"How did we avoid it?"

"We're good stock."

"If you say so."

"I do. Now, just drive. We need to get them to Li before they wake up."

What project?

What were they talking about?

"Yeah, yeah, I'm driving. But, don't you think it's weird to call it an extinction if you're leaving some of us alive?"

I felt someone looking back at me.

"We have to keep a few, you know."

"Yeah. Okay. We're almost there."

"Good. I need these two off my shoulders."

I felt drool run from my mouth. I couldn't stop it.

Tears mingled with it and I fearfully awaited our fate.