The Ultimate Rescue

Chapter XVIII

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Music: Stage 8C arrangement from Gradius Galaxies

Back in Lee's Summit, the situation hasn't gotten any better. As a matter of fact, it's gotten way worse. The sky remains a bright shade of red through both day and night, and illuminati soldiers and homunculi demons roam the streets, looking for leftover citizens. The whole town seems to be almost completely deserted.

In the heart of downtown, right next to the famous (and now empty) Neighborhood Cafe building, a sewer grating is slowly lifted up and moved to the side. The top half of a pale skinned, sandy blonde-haired girl's head pokes out and does a left-right check of the streets. Two soldiers that have been checking this street have just turned a corner, and other than that, the coast is clear.

"Everything's good. Let's move, Carson," the girl whispers to her companion. She climbs out, and is followed by her boyfriend, Carson Rodgers. Carson moves the sewer grating back into place when he exits. Both of them have mildly ripped clothes and a few bruises and cuts scattered around their bodies. Sara's got a black eye on her right eye.

"That was too close of a call," Carson pants. "We're lucky to have gotten out of there alive."

"My God, Carson, why are you panting like that?" Sara comments. "You're so out of shape, it's hard to believe you skateboard as a hobby. Me, I'm fit as a fiddle."

"You're the athletic one here, Miss All-State Track Competitor," Carson snorts.

"Recognition appreciated," Sara smirks, curtseying and twirling proudly.

The couple begins walking through downtown, and they quickly realize how empty the place has become. Aside from the soldiers and demons, there doesn't appear to be another person in sight, and all the shops and restaurants are completely devoid of life. The sky reeks of death and despair, and the red sky makes it look like the end of the world is coming. The portal is still open in the sky, and creatures occasionally come in and out of it. "Man, I hope everybody else back there turns out okay..." Carson says. "Now that we've escaped, they're probably going to tighten their security."

Sara places a hand on Carson's shoulder and tells him, "Carson, it's nice to be concerned, but right now, we need to focus on ourselves. For instance, we need a place to hide out for the time being. Have you tried calling Mia or any of her friends to see if they're safe and can take us in?"

"We don't have our phones, remember? They were taken from us."

"Right..."

"Besides, where would we hide? They've scoured every home and business in the county, and they're definitely going to keep making rounds."

Sara is left stumped for a moment, then she spots something in the distance. She takes a step forward and squints to get a better look, then elbows Carson and points in that direction. "Over there. That cabin looks pretty obscured, don't you think?"

"I don't know... probably?" Carson shrugs. At this point, they know it's not safe to trust anything that looks like it could protect them, for it's only a matter of time before the illuminati finds them.

"Let's check it out, just in case." Sara's already running to the cabin before Carson gets a chance to protest, forcing him to trail behind her. They slow down when they reach the front porch. Sara grabs a golf club that's laying by the front door and pounds in her hand a couple of times before checking the front door. The door opens without issue. Sara and Carson cautiously walk inside. The house appears to be empty.

"Hey... I think this is that clubhouse Mia and her friends always hang out at," Carson says, remembering the times Mia would talk about when they hang out here to him.