𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐌𝐄 | gabriel ✓

06. mission not so accomplished

Josie's ears were ringing as she and the others desperately tried to get off the wrecked bus. Voices were yelling all around her and she could hear her own in the mix, questioning the wellbeing of others around her while also frantically asking what to do. The few other survivors were all crammed trying to get out the back exit, so the group beelined for the side door instead.

    Josie lead but stepped out of the way and let Gabriel get in front of her once she reached the door, realizing her small frame had no hope in busting open the exit. He immediately slammed onto the side door with his foot, knocking it off its hinges. Jumping out, Gabriel turned and held out a hand that Josie took as she hopped to the ground next. She could hear Alex, Zhenzhen, and Dariush all land on the ground behind her and felt hands on her shoulders guiding her forwards as they all hunkered down together. Gunfire rang out as the soldiers shot at the opposition.

    "Watch out for the dogs!" Dariush shouted as only a few feet to the right, an alien dog leaped at a man. A harsh scream was followed by the crunching of bones as the beast devoured the man.

    Josie felt her eyes widen and a noise of fright left her mouth as she watched the brutal attack. They all continued to move, albeit in slight confusion and under extreme stress. Alien spacecraft flew over their heads, raining down fire on the ground. As they maneuvered their way to the front of the bus, they saw the back half of the military jeep as well as a man half buried underneath.

    "Oh my god!" Alex shouted as he recognized the man as the soldier he had given the crypto-key to.

    Josie could feel her stomach squeeze as she saw his legs crushed under the metal.

    Cries echoed around the room as the small Hispanic girl watched the men beat her brother. He lay crippled, unable to fight back. His face was swollen and bruised and his body was no better. Both his shoulders had been forced backward too harshly and too quickly as they raised him to be hit, and his legs were useless as they lay crumpled beneath him.   

    "Please! Stop!" Josie screamed, thrashing in the arms of her captor.

    A dark-haired man with tattoos on his neck who had been torturing her brother stopped with his fist reared back. He whipped around to face the child who had cried out.

    "You want me to stop?" He sneered, "Then tell your parents to get us the money"

    "We don't have any money, please," Josie whimpered as the man edged closer, "We don't have it"

    "Did you just talk back to me?" He asked, tilting his head as a sadistic smile swept across his face, his hand reaching down to pull a knife from his belt.

    "No. No! No!" Josie could feel her vocal cords go hoarse as the man approached.

    "What are you doing?" The soldier panted, knocking Josie out of her daze as she quickly knelt by the injured man as Gabriel and Dariush attempted to push at the metal, "You gotta get out of here"

    Alex ran up to speak to the man, "We're gonna get you out!"

    "Stop!" The soldier told them firmly, despite being in such critical condition, "You gotta go."

    A beeping could be heard and Zhenzhen immediately whipped around, picking up the radio that lay discarded on the cement.

    "Come on!" Alex shouted, "We can't leave you"

    "Stop. Stop. It's okay. It's on you now, okay? You have to let me go." The man spoke rationally as Alex began blubbering, "Stop! Take this key. Here, take it.  Promise me... Promise me, you won't let anything stop you. Okay? Now, go! Go!"