Snippet #2585252

DiCaccio was growing nervous. The Eleventh was losing herself in her speech. Did she forget her lines? A sudden wave of nervousness. Was she feeling faint? DiCaccio was just beginning to approach the podium to take over for her, when a barely audible voice caught his attention.

"We are currently in danger." It was Ai, in her quiet, sudden way of speaking. DiCaccio was about to question it, but hesitated. Then, even more suddenly, Reida cried out.

"I need everyone to get as many people out as possible!" Her tone was much fiercer than the tone she had before. "Wh-" DiCaccio couldn't finish his question. "Now!" At that, she broke into a jog, taking her brother with her. "What's going on?" DiCaccio asked, yet with a tone of control. The question was answered for him. Chaos was beginning to ensue. It was an attack. No more questions needed to be asked. DiCaccio's hand rushed to his earpiece as he crouched slightly, trying to shout over the noise, "I need security in here right now!"

"Don't," Ai said, standing in front of DiCaccio. She pointed toward the entrance. "There are weapons." DiCaccio's eyes widened as he looked over toward the entrances and saw what appeared to be flame weapons suspended in the air, rapidly expanding. DiCaccio shouted into his earpiece at the top of his lungs, but by that moment it was too late. Explosions rang off in every direction deafeningly. There were many screams as well. DiCaccio stood to observe the spectacle, what appeared to be a pile of rubble, embers of a blaze and a charred suit barely visible within, motionless. DiCaccio gritted his teeth before running backstage into cover, issuing orders. Ai followed him.

"All personnel be advised of explosives on the premises. Detonation of the main entrances has been confirmed. Priority is the evacuation of civilians... Report currently available exits. All emergency exits? Including the cargo doors? We're trapped? All security personnel within the gymnasium, your priority is the safety of all civilians. The Guardians are currently in action. I want all unrelated personnel evacuated from the building if possible. Emergency response units, prioritize creating a safe exit out of the gymnasium, use anything at your disposal. Usage of Box Weapons is authorized. Be advised of the presence of explosives. CEDEF-9 and CEDEF-10, your tasks are to make certain of the Eleventh's safety. All other CEDEF units, initiate protocol B-612. I need info! What is it Ai?"

"I have gathered information on the nature of our attackers. I am to believe there are seven of them, yet certain factors lead me to believe that estimate may be off. I estimate capabilities are beyond our own and many of them have records of extreme violence. I speculate their aim is to-"

"Ai, I don't need your speculation right now," DiCaccio responded fiercely, "I need you to follow your Boss's orders. The other guardians are dealing with the threats, your course of action is to help secure a safe passage for the guests out of the building. Go see if you can assist in clearing the main entrance and have your eye out for further explosives." Ai simply nodded.

Ai walked out from backstage toward the entrance, walking rather calmly through the panicking crowds of people. Vongola hitmen were trying to get them organized, getting people to duck under tables or get closer to the ground, as well as avoid the entrances. Ai approached the main entrance directly, without a word of objection against her. She faced the rubble, examining it up and down before turning around putting her hand out.

"Request formation of barrier foundation," she muttered, before a small white and indigo flame lit on the back of her hand. A circle began to form around Ai's feet, a indigo and white mist that was very visible. While it may have been unidentifiable, it was the base of a barrier that Ai could form at any moment, at the slightest provocation, a complete Data Refusal where no light, matter or data could pass. Of course, she couldn't form a full barrier yet because it would obstruct her vision.

Turning back around toward the remains of the entrance, she examined it once more. First, she would have to check for the presence of any further deathperation flame activity, and if she found any, she would have to calculate an effective way of dissipating it on the quantum level, seeing as she was lacking the proper Rain flames that would allow her to do so much more efficiently, and that would have taken a minute to calculate. Of course, if she didn't find any flame activity, she'd have to calculate the potential of there being an illusion which hid any other sort of explosive device, or any other form of concealment, which would have taken two minutes to calculate. Nonetheless, she was determined. Seeing as this was a matter of urgency, Ai felt that a more effective method would have been to experiment as opposed to speculate.

Now, Ai was always an extremely cautious being, and she had to be even more cautious seeing as she had an important reason to preserve her body, which would mean shielding it from harm and being less reckless in decision making. Nonetheless, Ai was also programmed with a certain thought-path, a thought-path that required the absolute most careful of fine-tuning to get perfectly right, a program that had been put in her mind that would guarantee that Ai would be destined for success, more so than any other of her kind. She had been programmed to take risks.

With careful steps, Ai approached the entrance.