Limitless

Chapter 17: Break

This chapter was inspired by a scene from season 1 of "Stranger Things".

"Everyone!"

Kaito turned his attention to his right as he saw Kaede and her team catching up to Shuichi, Kirumi, Kokichi, Gonta and himself. Ryoma has gone on ahead to try to take care of any other guards that might still be running around somewhere. Kaede, Kiyo, Himiko, Rantaro and Tsumugi were able to get away seemingly unscathed. It gave Kaito an immense form of relief. The plan seemed to be going well, but Kaito couldn't risk jinxing it yet.

"You all good?" Rantaro asked.

"Just barely." Shuichi answered.

"Hey! Sorry if we're late."

Everyone turned to the voice, seeing Keebo, Miu and Angie. However, Kaito and the others didn't feel like celebrating. Miu was stumbling a little as Keebo and Angie helped to keep her upright and walking. She seemed stunned, almost our of it completely. She also looked like she had been shocked badly, even her hair was a little frazzled.

"Miu?! What happened to you?" Tenko exclaimed.

"Why don't you ask the idiotic dick cheese?!" Miu shouted, glaring right at Kaito before slumping a little.

"Dick cheese?!" Kaito repeated, repulsed by the insult.

"Project J.E couldn't be opened. It was rigged to make sure Miu couldn't open it." Keebo explained with a grim look on his face. Even Miu couldn't get into it. That was the one shot that they might have had to find out more about it. They might never get the chance to get into it.

"We'll worry about the file later! Let's get moving!" Shuichi urged, seeming to sense what Kaito was feeling at that moment. Kaito didn't like it, but he was right. Time was running out, it wasn't on anyone's side. They had to leave now. Kaito will just have to hope that once they got out, Project J.E will have failed before it could even get off the ground. Everyone started running, heading towards where the exit was.

"We've got a small problem!" Ryoma suddenly shouted as he sprinted into view from around the corner. Kaito and the others took his warning but had to look to see what the problem was. This wasn't a small problem as Ryoma had said. The exit was ahead of them, at least 30m away from them. However, there were at least 25 guards halfway to the exit. They must have been out of the rooms that had been locked before Miu had hacked into the system. They must have figured out what was going on, and gathered together to put a stop to this. All the guards were armed with their batons, ready to do damage to any Limitless that might resist.

"Alright, freak show! Time to go back to your rooms! Or else you'll all get punished!" A guard at the front ordered. Kaito had just about enough. He was getting everyone out of here, even if he didn't. He was ready to charge at the guards, but something told him to stop. It was like a sharp feeling that he suddenly had. It just told him to stop him from what he was about to do. The batons that the guards held suddenly flew out of their hands. All of the weapons suddenly melded into a mangled mess before hitting the floor with a solid thud. The impact was so hard that the weapons were buried halfway into the ground and caused a small tremor. The guards seemed just as surprised as everybody else. The Limitless looked behind them and suddenly started to part away to make a clear path for Maki. Kaito was happy to see her, but he couldn't bring himself to show it as he saw the intense look on Maki's face. Maki was unfazed as she stepped past Kaito, standing firm in front of him.

"S-stand down!" The same guard at the front stuttered, trying to keep himself steady. Maki didn't say anything. She didn't move. "Did you not hear me, bitch?! I said stand down!" The guards took out their guns, keeping them trained on Maki. Maki continued to stay silent. There was this tension in the air. Kaito could feel the hairs on his arms and back of his neck stand up on end just from how tense the atmosphere suddenly felt. He's certain that the others can feel it too. The air felt hot but cold at the same time. It felt so surreal. Kaito looked at the guards. They were shaking, but Kaito could see that it was not because of fear. Upon a closer inspection, Kaito could make out what appeared to be blood coming from the visors, right where the eyes were hidden. It only took ten seconds until there was a horrible, sickening squelching noise. The guards fell to the ground instantly, Blood pool around all of them. Maki took a breath, but suddenly collapsed herself. Kaito kneeled down and turned her onto her back. Maki was more pale than she was before and she started to have a nosebleed. Did she use all of her strength to kill the guards like that?