Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Fools of us All - Chapter 18

I stared at the door that the General had just shut rather rudely in my face. I had desperately wanted to be in that room, but it was hard to argue with a guy as big as the man I had been following. I wasn't sure if Caz had noticed me or not, she seemed rather focused on the guy. With a shrug of my shoulders I turned around and stood before the door, holding the gun I had stolen from the M.E.R.C. soldier whose clothes I was now wearing. There was a pair of guards standing on my left, and a pair on my right. I had never felt quite so alone in my life.

I didn't know where I was, and I didn't even know when I was. Things had started moving really fast ever since I met the strange girl from the future, and now I was standing outside of a room where she had been captured and was probably about to be killed and I could do nothing about it.

"The General seemed a little upset," said one of the other guards. I looked over at him and noticed that his gun was holstered. In fact, all of their guns were holstered. That gave me a weapons advantage. Plus, I had the element of surprise because they wouldn't be expecting an attack.

Silently thanking my mom for making me take years of martial arts and gymnastics, I lashed out suddenly with a fist, knocking the first guard to his knees, doubled over in pain. Instantly I swung at the man beside him, knocking him out against the wall. Before the other two had a chance to react I spun around and levelled my gun at them. They raised their hands in surrender, so I was as gentle as I could be when I knocked them out. The first guard was still awake, and he was trying to get his weapon up to get a shot at me, but a quick knee to his face put a stop to that. The activity had only lasted for a few moments, and now I was alone in the hall, able to make a move at rescuing Caz. I faced the door just as it opened, revealing the large man standing there, scowling down at me.

I looked down at the guards laying at my feet, and then back at the large man. I shrugged, feigning innocence. That was when it finally registered that he was also holding a gun. Without a thought I raised my own weapon and fired, catching him right in the chest. He fell back, a stunned look on his face. I turned my gun to cover the General, who also looked surprised. "Don't move gramps," I said. "I just want to take her and get out of here."

Slowly I moved over to the table where Caz was strapped down and removed the restraints. Immediately she went over to the large man, now dead on the ground. She just stared down at him, tears streaking her face.

"We have to get out of here," I said quietly.

She nodded. Looking up, she glanced at the General and then motioned with her head.

I smiled. "Well, sir, today is your lucky day. You get to not die." With that I turned my gun around and hit him across the face with the back of the gun, knocking him out. As he slumped to the floor I rejoined Caz at the door.

She glanced back at the man on the floor and looked like she wanted to speak, but then just shook her head sadly and left the room. I followed, wondering about what I had just seen.

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