Agent 11

Chapter Five: You should have listened!

                                         Ryan
   I woke up to silence. No muffled shuffling noises of other sleeping bodies, even Ash, who I knew moved around in her sleep. Just utter quiet. It was more unsettling than the one day I spent in a cell, all night listening to others crying out. I sat up, wide awake at the sight of the empty cavern. I was on my feet in a moment, adrenaline rushing through me. I didn't dare yell, but I ran out of the mouth of the cave, whisper-shouting as loud as I dared. "Ash? Agent 11?" A hand covered my mouth. "Ryan, calm down." I tore her hand off my mouth. My eyes scanned the landscape, searching. "Where's Agent 11? Where did she-" I stopped, already knowing the answer. She'd gone back to Counterattack, to finish that stupid mission. I turned towards the way I knew she had gone, and glared in her general direction. "I'm going to get her." I muttered as I started walking. "Ryan, you can't go back there again. If something happens to you..." I understood what Ash was saying. If I got caught again, obviously things would be worse than ever. But Agent 11 had no idea what she was getting into. I had told her. But she didn't understand. She had been concerned for me, not realizing that the same thing could happen to her. "I'll be fine. Stay safe, Ash." She met my eyes and nodded. I sighed, and turned around, running full speed towards 'home'. It was too quiet, almost as if the world was holding its breath, waiting to see what would happen.

    Soon, I could see the faint lights of the building ahead of me, accompanied by the sound of shouts and pursuit. 'They're after her.' I realized, before ducking into the building.  In front of me was a terrifying sight: Agent 11 was laying on the floor, obviously paralyzed. A small trickle of blood came from a dart that had pierced her mid-shin. But her face was what really, truly scared me. Haunted heartbreak, like the foundation of her entire life had been torn away. Despite not being able to move, her entire body shook. I knew, somehow, what had happened. She had almost made it out, when a dart hit her leg. It had very instantaneous paralyzing effects, but they only lasted a few moments. Then, the Liquid Fear entered her system, and she was paralyzed in a very different way. I watched a tear fall from her wide, fearful eyes, and land on the floor. The noises from around the corner were getting louder. I dragged her into the nearest office, and locked the door. "You're okay. I promise. But why didn't you listen?"I waited as she slowly recovered, eyes seeing the room we were in, not whatever she had been frozen by. Still, her bleeding hadn't stopped. I gently pulled out that dart full of the evidence of  humanity's evil, and placed a bandage on the punctured area. I spoke quietly, like someone would to a startled animal. "They got you. You'll be okay, though. I'm taking you back. You won't feel any more pain." She looked up at me, so vulnerable and scared, and more traumatized than any other Liquid Fear tester I had even seen.  "Hey, I'm sorry for this, but you don't seem ready to run back to where Ash is. It'll be easier to carry you." I think she was relieved when I gently injected a sedative into her system. Her eyes closed, leaving her body finally calm and still. I smiled softly, and picked her up like I had seen her carry Ash. Now all we had to do was leave.