Guerriera - The Old Guard

Chapter 13 - Chill

Joe dived first and I dived immediately after, holding onto the chord for dear life. I unclasped myself from the harness and jumped from the rope when I was practically in the room. I rolled on the broken glass which Joe had broke and started shooting whatever and whoever was in front of me. Joe then pulled me behind a marble counter for cover. I heard gunshots and a door burst open. Andy had blown up the door and distracted the guards. Joe swung out of cover and tripped up the same guard which had shot Nicky through the head.

The guard landed on the floor harshly. I came out from the other side and punched his chest hard, but he hit me back with much force and I stumbled back which allowed him to stand up. Joe followed him and punched him in the face a few times, the guard no longer knew his surroundings and didn't hit back. I stood up and Joe hit him so hard his whole body turned to face me. I punched his face as hard as I could to turn his body back. He became a punch bag for Joe and me.

Joe stopped for a second and the guard didn't have the will to fight back. Joe grabbed his shoulders to steady him.

"You shot Nicky, and you nearly blew up Ellie. You shouldn't have done that."

Joe suddenly grabbed the guard's arm and flipped him over his shoulder, but before the guard hit the ground, he bent down and snapped his neck against the floor. I winced, that did not look nice. Joe stayed on the floor, coughed, and tried to catch his breath. I walked up to him and put my hand on his shoulder, then helped pull him to his feet. Joe held me tightly, put his hand on my face and we shared a gentle kiss.

"The elevator is going down!" I heard Nicky shout from the floor below us, "Merrick is getting away!"

Nile shouted for us to go but I pushed Joe forward and signalled to him that I was going to stay with Andy and Nile. He nodded and kissed me before leaving to help Nicky and Booker downstairs. The three of us walked towards big glass windows overlooking the other side of London. On this side, I saw building upon buildings, more modern than ever.

"You okay?" Nile asked Andy, who was panting and holding her stomach where she was shot.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Replied Andy, "It just hurts. Actually, everything hurts."

"Well, wait till tomorrow." Joked Nile, I chuckled, and Andy followed suit.

"Can't wait." Replied Andy with a small scoff, "I think you showed up when I lost my immortality. So, I could see what it was like. So, I could remember."

"Remember?" Nile questioned. I stood by Nile and watched Andy carefully, I was afraid she might genuinely collapse.

"Remember what it...what it was like to feel unbreakable. Remarkable. You reminded me there are people still worth fighting for. I know how I want to spend the time I've got left."

"You're gonna spend it with us Andy." Said Nile as she looked at me and squeezed my hand. I smiled at her and squeezed her hand back. I looked at Andy and smiled at her. Her last moments, I'm going to make them special if I can.

"You selfish little bitch! I will kill her!" shouted another voice. Nile pushed me out of the way and held her gun up to Merrick. He had his own gun pointed to Andy. I wanted to step in, but he would already have shot her if he genuinely wanted to kill her.

"All the lives you could save. Don't you see what we could do here? You are priceless." Merrick said.

"Hey Nile. Do you think he speaks Russian?" Asked Andy. I mustn't know about this technique. I have no idea why Andy would ask that. I looked just as confused as Merrick and that did not feel so good.

Suddenly Nile turned and shot at Andy. I jumped but saw Andy wasn't shot and Merrick turned his gun on Nile and shot her. She fell back onto me and Andy went under Merricks arm and stole her axe back from him. She stood up quickly and swung her axe into his shoulder and Neck. Merricks back was now facing the glass window and towards me. Nile shot up from death, and as Merrick raised his gun to shoot Andy, Nile jumped up and rammed into Merrick making them both break the glass and fall out the window.

I jumped up immediately and watched them fall, I didn't stay to see them crash into the car below instead I ran towards the stairs.

"Meet you down there Andy!" I shouted.

I ran down each flight of stairs as quick as I could. Once I got all the way down to the bottom, I pulled open the door and ran out of the building. Nile was getting pulled out of the car gently by Nicky, I saw her broken fingers pop back into place. She was covered in blood, probably from small scratches all over. She grabbed Andy's axe and stood up onto the pavement. I looked to the side and saw Andy walking towards us. How did she get here so quick?

Booker grabbed Niles arm and put it around his neck to support her. Andy walked up to her with tears brimming her eyes, she nodded. I'd never thought she be close to anyone after Quynh, but I could tell she loved Nile so much, especially after the short time we'd truly known her. Nile handed Andy her axe back, and Andy took it with a huge smile. She brought Nile into a small hug by the back of the head.

"Let's go." Said Booker.

"Yeah, lets." I finished. I looked at Booker and I smiled. After all of this, it just had me thinking. Booker never meant to any of this to happen. He mustn't of. He helped us after all right? He never genuinely wanted to hurt Andy, and it wasn't his fault that he never knew. He shot me; I know. He did it because he thought that's what we wanted. To be normal, to stop having to live with some type of pain every day. He was scared.

He smiled down at me.

I turned my head to see Nicky leading me to the perfectly fine car behind the one Nile fell through, I smiled at Nicky and brought his head down to I could kiss his cheek. Everyone got in, Andy driving of course. Booker, Nile, and Nicky in the back. I sat on Joe in the front. Andy drove off quickly, not wanting to be there when the police showed up. And police did immediately show up, one car drove straight past us when we left.

"Hey Andy?" I spoke up.

"Yeah Ellie?" she replied.

"Could we quickly visit somewhere first?" I asked quietly.

I had made a promise and I broke it.