Natural Weapon | Part 2 of 2

❗️READ THE HEART POUNDING FIRST HALF HERE❗️

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June ran through the empty hallway, silent but for her footsteps and the frightened shouts behind. This area of the base was isolated, no intruders, no headless bodies. But that wasn't entirely true. The enemy had Phasing tech, so June kept her sensors active and on full alert. How was she the only one with her natural sensors still active was beyond her.

[my hypothesis is that I am somehow creating a shield for your chip]

You hypothesize?

[data analysis; my last partner didn't want me talking like a non-human]

Again, June interpreted her companion's tone: sad. From now on, you will disregard any prior prerogatives.

[...]

[understood]

June's sensors went haywire. As primitive as the innate chip's sensor's were, when something was about to kill you - they'll at least give you a good second to react. For June, a second was all she needed. She ducked thin air, only for a blade to appear overhead. She twisted, her right arm propping her up, while her left shot the Phaser in his armored head. He dropped to the ground. Dead.

[9 minutes]

The hand that was propping her up pushed her forward. No wasted movement, no wasted time. She was chosen by the instructors to save the base. Her and Trax both. She would not fail them.

[I thought you were dead]

They smell.

[they smell]

The PHasers. They give off this... scent. Not sure what to call it. It's... intoxicating.

[fascinating]

June stood before the circular door to the practice field. She saw where Antonija and Todor were standing earlier and her heart skipped a bit, her back chilling all over.

[vitals spiking]

I'm fine, T. I just realized... I might die.

[that scares you]

No. She crouched, opened a compartment on the floor devoted to the door's lock. It was a basic screen, keyboard, command panel. Ancient. June got to work. No, it doesn't.

[your vitals paint a different picture]

Oh, you're a poet now? Well, they paint a different picture because I am excited. For the first time in my life - I'm living.

[but you might not after this]

All things decay and fade away. All things die. But first they must live. I'm happy I got that opportunity.

[8 minutes]

The door clicked open and June dashed inside. It was empty, but that was meaningless. She was facing Phasers, her guard could never loosen. She allowed herself a brief, calculating moment to take stock of her situation.

The enemy knows where we are. We don't. If they wanted to get to the far right wall, they could at any time. Are they waiting for someone to show them? No. They wouldn't have tried to kill me earlier. So am I too late already? Would I know if I was? And if I wasn't, how do I stop them?

In the empty white room, June was totally lost.

[7 minutes]

The 'field' was a large indented platform in the middle of the room. Staging areas were arranged all around to watch participants, except for the left side which was walled off. Inside were the controls for the projection.

June's nose itched, slightly. That... She sniffed the air with intent. No question about it, that's that same scent. They were here, waiting. June stared at the right wall, rounded and white like the rest of the room. The far right wall, Kristel said. Did she mean behind it? June was certain there were no hidden panels there. Couldn't the Commander be clearer? She would have good reason either way.

[they are in the control room]

You sure?

[affirmative]

How do you know?

[data analysis]

I am at their mercy anyway. June approached the door to the staging controls, unlocked it. The door opened to no one inside. She approached the controls with a tentative step, her heart racing. Is the answer in the controls?

[6 minutes]

June started assigning parameters for a projection. Confident and quick. She came to the conclusion the enemy was watching, she had to lead them on. To what? She wasn't sure herself. For now, June inputted the first thing that came to mind - her last exercise. That is, without projecting enemies, she did not know how to assign those, The only thing that would be projected would be that old, deserted mall. She clicked project then ran out into the field.

[5 minutes]

She exhaled, unsure what she was doing.

[living]

Caching right!

The mall took shape around her.

June took a step back. There were people all around. But she was sure she - . The Phasers! She could see them in the projection! They were waiting to see what she did, she started walking to give herself time to think. She could see them! June started going to the right, and more, until she reached an open food stand. Far right wall. She decided it was their goal.

Express Foods is officially closed!

A target to protect, a goal. Life. She was alive!

[4 minutes]

She turned, blasters out, grinned.

T, I will need you to interpret my sensors for me. I will need to have complete focus for this.

[copy]

You ready?

[I was created as such]

June aimed, fired, hit. The rest of the Phasers dispersing immediately. They moved quickly, but slow enough for June to track them. Thin transparent lines followed as they moved. They were five - swarming her with no regard for the projection or its obstacles.

June aimed, fired, missed, missed, missed. They are ready! She jumped to the left, again. The first was upon her in milliseconds, more than enough time.

The Phaser swiped with his Bladearms, June weaved in, then out. Then in again. Closer. She swung her blaster, planting it before the thing's chin. Its head exploded, blood gushing everywhere from his lame torso. June hopped back, the scent and feel of blood was all she knew.

That's one.

[2 above 1 behind 1 range]

June trusted Trax as she leaped forward by instinct. She landed, used her right foot to pirouette, evading four attacks in the process.

[1 on each side 1 above 1 range]

June hopped, kicking and bouncing off her attacker to the right. As she slapped the one above her with her blaster, she shot at the plasma wielder aiming at her. The Phaser to her left swiped, missed, She landed, blasted the attacker's torso with two precise shots. He fell over, futile, dying.

Two.

[2 behind 1 range]

June ducked, dodged. Fainted, then dodged again. She was a whirlwind comprised of nothing but instinct, instinct and countless hours of training. The world was her, Trax, the Phasers. A fatal dance. An exultant dance. And as in any dance, June tripped, slipped, started falling. A Phaser saw his opportunity and swipe. June saw, reacted, too slow. The Phaser's Bladearm grazed her ankle, she felt it detaching itself. Her left foot going useless.

She landed on her good foot, used the opening to blast the attacker's face off. June stood, unconsciously licking some of the blood off her lip. Sticky, stinky. She leapt back as she knew her position was compromised. Sure enough, two shots exploded where she had been standing.

Three.

[1 above 1 bellow]

June jumped off her good leg with all her might, twisting as she did so. She could feel the music slowing down, the dance coming to its inevitable end. Mid-air, she saw the Phaser above her, his rifle aimed at her chest. She kicked it, kept twisting, twisting. A Phaser slid into view bellow her, she expected it, aimed, blood. She landed on her good foot, the Phaser landing beside her. More blood.

Four and five.

[3 minutes]

With time to spare!

[that was impressive]

Thank you, I -

[1 behind]

Wha-

Something sharp and hot spread through her back. It hurt like nothing she'd ever experienced. Then, it stopped. June was in a field, a waterfall, the sky. The clouds were yellow, purple, blue. So pretty. She felt so pretty. She swam, one stroke, then another. One stroke, then, then -

Something nipped at her heals. Something... persistent. Stop, she said. But it wouldn't. Stop, she repeated. Didn't help. She was in her mother's room now, antiquated with actual hardcover books on shelves. It smelled of old, and new, and her. Her. She saw her coat rack, her cloak, her -

You let down your caching cloak!

She was being dragged, drugged. No, she wanted to stay! Mother! The clouds returned, the oceans, something... something was dragging her. No, she wanted to swim, she wanted to fly! The harder she fought, the less serene she became. And... a voice...

[june]

[she's above you]

June saw a face, feminine and feral. A Phaser with her mask down. She was checking June's vitals, her expression was one of utter primal confusion.

"What are you?" The Phaser said in a croaking voice despite her youthful appearance. "Why couldn't we detect you..."

"All... natural..." June said.

June felt the Bladearm at her throat before she saw it. "You finally smartened up. Tell me, Natural One, where is the control panel for the projection field?"

"All... this... for some... second hand... tech?"

"You best start talking, Natural. You have little time left."

June tried to chuckle, choked on something. "What... hah... what good is time... if you're dead?"

June spat, her congested blood blinding the Phaser. She should have never taken her mask off, physical tells were June's speciality, and this one's eyes were unusually twitchy.

"My optics! What did you do? My optics!"

Ten minutes must've passed by now. June did it! She had bought enough time. The tech was secure, her family was safe. She did it.

A blaster, sinister. "I was gonna let you bleed out, but now I don't care -"

A shot.

The Phaser dropped her blaster, then dropped herself over June who let out a grunt from the impact. The moment had passed, and June could feel the clouds calling for her. She embraced them willingly. She was so tired...

[vitals dropping]

"June!"

"My God, so much blood..."

"Get that beast off her, that's not all hers!"

"Well... obviously... this room is a nightmare..."

"June! Can you hear me? June!"

"Caching hell, what is this? Who... I've never seen so much blood..."

"Cache you, Major! I need a medkit. Stat!"

"You can't talk to me-"

"Stat!"

June wanted the incessant buzzing to stop. It wouldn't. Something kept her from fully enjoying her swim. It was a voice, a singular voice bringing in all those others. What were they saying? Couldn't they see she was flying? Couldn't they let her enjoy her flight?

Soon enough however, she got tired of running. Soon enough, she had to stop.

And rest.

[...]

[..]

[.]

Sorry for the cliffhanger! I tried several endings with this one, and this felt like the best. 😭 Forgive meee.

Phew, writing action is not easy man. 😅 I hope you guys enjoyed this little duology. I wrote it as such but if I were to publish it, like officially, I would definitely make it into a singular short story. Tighten up the screws a bit, as it were.

But it works well as is, def better than the longer ran series. Blood Oath is coming very soon, I promise. 😁

At any rate, thanks for reading!

Obligatory shout-out to the 🍕PIZZA🍕 gang, 🤙 gang. 🤙

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Have a good one and take care of each other! 🙂