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āA second return, but what for? And for whom was I brought back?ā
ćÉĪ¹Ī±ĘĻgĻ Ń cĻĘĻŃ:#0C94CC ā ŃŠ½ĻĻ gŠ½Ń cĻĘĻŃ #CC0C2Eć
|| Azalea|| Nano.ripe ||
ćÉĪ¹Ī±ĘĻgĻ Ń cĻĘĻŃ:#0C94CC ā ŃŠ½ĻĻ gŠ½Ń cĻĘĻŃ #CC0C2Eć
|| Azalea|| Nano.ripe ||
The President sipped her tea, enjoying the subtle bitter taste, like a sword against her tongue. The Chrysanthemum seemed to be on fire again but she was pitiful. For her entire Presidency so far, she has had no power, she was nothing but a puppet at the Slithers' control. She loved this city - but what could she do against Arke? The door opened and the real President stepped in, a glare clear in his eyes. "President." Oliver said, pushing his hand on the desk. There was agitation on his eyes. "There's no one else here." The President said pleasantly. "We both know you're truly the one in charge." Oliver nodded, the intentions clear on his face. "If you dare try to go against us, you know what will happen to your family." She nodded, sipping more tea. "Don't worry. I met Winter already - a good, earnest girl. She played a song of hope for our hurt and disparaged people. Arke would only bring more despair."
Oliver nodded, pulling his other hand out from his jacket pocket, empty. The President might just be a weak, useless puppet, but she was not a fool. She knew Oliver was ready to shoot her or threaten her if he thought it was necessary. "Then I'm very glad you were able to see sense." Oliver said, fire still clear in his dark eyes. "Winter was taken. My Slithers are already working on blockading the city. Mercedes has some loyalist soldiers, but we need your approval to fully mobilize all of our standby military." It was certainly an odd change. Last time, the soldiers stood against the Vassals. This time, they would be working together with those same Vassals as their allies. Oliver gave her power and this position. Why? Because no one would take him seriously if he claimed the throne himself.
As useless as the President was, she knew Oliver would never kill her. He needed her as his puppet. "But we do this my way, Oliver. This is my city. We need to limit the destruction as much as we can. The people have been hurt enough from the apocalypse, any more damage and destruction will only make it harder to rebuild. Do you agree with my only request?" Oliver hesitated, then nodded. "We'll spare as many lives as we can." He said, and the President smiled. She was weak, she was useless... but even she had a little bit of power to save even one life.
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The helicopter was loud as it flew in the sky. Mercedes held her holo, tapped into the radios of everyone that was working with her. "We have permission!" General Boyle said, his voice crackling into her communications. "The President has agreed to fully mobilize. Everyone willing to stand for the Chrysanthemum's freedom is ready to move out." Mercedes nodded, signalling to the pilot of the aircraft to fly closer to the clocktower, standing tall in the center of the Chrysanthemum. Military jeeps already blockaded the area, covering all the streets. Soldiers ran to the sewer caps, locking them shut with metal sheets. Snipers positioned themselves on the rooftops, ready to fire at a moment's notice. "This is Captain Edmund." Mercedes spoke, an authoritative tone to her voice. "The Lockdown Team is in position. I repeat, the Lockdown Team has the Clocktower surrounded."
But there was no sign of the enemy. Where were they hiding? Where were they waiting? They only had the manpower right now to make sure the clocktower could not be touched, but she needed more people. That was why they needed the President's approval so badly to have the res of the standing forces have the green light to move ahead. "Captain, I'm going to split us into two groups to hunt the city. We'll target specific locales of groups known to carry arms and weapons." Mercedes gave them the affirmative. While General Boyle was technically the highest ranked soldier right now, Mercedes had more expertise, so she was given temporary command for this mission. "Thank you General. Please keep a small group of military engineers at this address. There's something they need to work on."
She forwarded Ezra's home address to the General to receive. "Ensure that they are guarded at all times. Elise left instructions on how to repair it, so the engineers can begin work on that." According to what Elise said, if they wanted a chance to take the fight to Arke and oust her, returning power to Zeus as it rightfully should be, Arke would never be able to threaten the Chrysanthemum again. First they needed to protect Winter, then they needed to punch an opening for Elise and Winter to make it safely to Zed and Zeus and hopefully eliminate Arke in her own home. Suddenly, there was another call. "This is Angelina! We found footage of Winter being abducted from this address five minutes ago!" Angelina was a hacker, tapping into the city street cameras from the central of command.
"Describe the vehicle." Mercedes growled, knowing that they were on limited time now. "It's an armored vehicle. Here, I'll send the HoverTag to you so we can track it down."
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"Woohoo! This is a blast!" Ezra snickered as his hoverbike blasted through the sky, swerving around. They had the HoverTag now, so the coordinates were locked down on the GPS of his hoverbike. "Be careful! If you crash there will not be enough of us left to save Winter with!" He was driving recklessly, making illegal turns left and right. It was fun, but right now, excitement and thrill were the last factors on Elise's mind. "I gotta go fast or we'll never track them down. There's a reason I'm the best hoverbike racer in all of the Chrysanthemum."
Elise frowned. "Illegal races? You take part in that?" Ezra grinned, shaking his head. They did not even have the time to don their protective helmets, so their cloaks were billowing in the cold winter sky, wind ripping at their cheeks. Elise made mist goggles for them so at least they could see. "What? No, I'm just kidding. Claude and I make bets on the tracks. My favorite is U. Bolt, he's really-" Elise aimed a spike of mist to the side, a hovercar flying this high was against the law. It was dark and armored, chasing them from the sky. Only bikes were allowed this high in the sky. The spike broke through the engine and it began to fall back to the ground.
"Elise!" Oliver snarled, his voice like a knife. "They might have just been normal civilians! Try not to kill if you can help it!" When had Oliver become such a coward? His voice sounded on Ezra's holo. "I have no choice. If Winter is in danger, anyone might be a threat. Her safety is above all else to me." Did Oliver have an agreement with the President or something? Whatever, that was not for Elise to worry about. "And if they are the enemy, they all deserve death for being afraid of Arke that they would commit treason." Blaring on all the speakers around the city was the President giving her speech, directing the military forces of the city.
"All who are in my employ - work together with Mercedes and Elise, our Heir of Mercy." Her voice rang out, the message playing on repeat. "Those who are found cooperating with Arke will be found guilty of treason against the Chrysanthemum and will be given the death penalty. If are not a soldier and you are siding with Arke, then you will be found guilty of disloyalty to the Chrysanthemum and be exiled, and all of your assets seized by the State. This message will repeat until there are no more left to hear it. Please choose wisely." Then it began to play over again, like the soundtrack to the mission. "We do whatever it takes." Ezra cracked a wide roguish smile. Was it just Elise, or did Ezra love being able to fight again? "Just like old times! We won't let rules or stuffy adults stand in our way!"
Elise nudged him, rolling her eyes. "You are an adu-"
Bullets. Elise waved her arm swiftly, a sheet of mist blocking it. Two armored cars were chasing them now, but they were wise. They were staying out of range of her own mist abilities. If only she still had her rain, maybe she could do something. "Ezra, we have to lose them! Show me that you are the best driver!" Ezra grinned, revving the engine. "I'll do stunts that make them drop their pants in shock! Hold on tight, El, this one's going to be bumpy!" He swerved hard left all of a sudden, ducking through the Museum of Spirals, dodging bullet fire left and right. "Down to the slums! The streets are narrow there!" Ezra nodded, flying towards a dead end wall when suddenly he jerked upwards, doing almost a loop, then flipping around to drive in the other direction. Bullets continued to fly, but Elise was making sure they were not hitting anything.
"What's happening? Oliver's voice sparked. "The slums are the opposite direction!" Elise shook her head furiously. "We are being chased. For now, we need to find a chance to eliminate them." There was silence on the other end then. Ezra drove them right into traffic, against the flow of rush hour, dodging through the gaps to buy time. They received quite a few rude hand gestures that quickly became pictures and videos on the holo when they realized Elise the Heir, former Hresvelg and movie star, was here. Lights and city windows were shattered as they were caught in the crossfire. At least one pedestrian fell down, clutching her chest as she was hit by a ricochet, letting out a scream. One of the pursuers nearly ran into a street light and wasted time fixing their angle to keep chasing, getting farther and farther behind.
As the chase continued, Oliver's voice came back on. "Up! Mercedes's helicopter is close by. Fly to the sky and they'll cover you." Ezra nodded, grinning. "Finally you military freaks are being useful! Let's go then you idiots! Keep chasing us!" Shooting an obscene gesture at the chasers behind him Ezra took them out of the slums towards the sky, towarsd the sun. Now they were in the open air, and the bullets were getting closer and closer. "I cannot keep defending forever." Elise hissed, making another sheet of mist to catch bullets, feeling it weighing on her mind. The two armored cars continued to chase, their drivers leaning out to keep trying to shoot as Ezra dodged in every direction to stay out of the line of fire.
They were dizzyingly high in the sky, the city's buildings looking almost like buildings blocks on a children's toy set. "Don't look down, you'll get vertigo." Ezra's voice was quiet and calm. Then the whir of helicopter blades descended upon them, a shadow in the skies above. "I've got you. Go get Winter." Mercedes's cold voice sounded, the blasters on the helicopter firing slugs of energy towards the two cars, taking them out with ease. Ezra nodded. "Thanks for the assist! We've got this from here!" He looked back at the coordinates and then began chasing after the car holding Winter captive.
Over the south side of the city, by a long sprawling bridge to a manmade island, one of the research centers off the coast of the Chrysanthemum, the armored car with Winter was trying to escape. "We found them. Locking onto the target now." Ezra revved the engine, speeding them faster and close to the enemy. They noticed of course and one leaned out to begin firing back, holding a long weapon. Large explosive rockets fired out, leaving smoke trailing behind as Ezra weaved and dodged around each one. "I'm going to ram it. Protect my baby, will you?" Elise nodded, making a sheet of mist to protect the side of the hoverbike. "Give it up! We've got you now! The air force is coming after you as we speak, their fighter ships are almost ready to launch!" Ezra taunted, sticking his tongue out as he rammed the side of the car, the mist breaking the engine. Now the armored van had no hope but to fall towards the sea below them.
Elise climbed up and broke open the back door, sending herself in. The enemy, the insects, holding tasers to Winter, holding guns up at her. This was her moment. This was her perfection. This was her time and her place. There was one look in all of their eyes. Fear. "Well." A mist gun emerged in her hand, deadly and ready. "Scared?" Stunned silence as the van continued plummeting. Elise laughed. "Well, you should be." One of the grabbed at Winter desperately. "Don't move! We'll shoot!" Elise laughed again, finding this all to be humorous. "I am well aware Arke requires Winter alive." She lunged then, a spike shooting through the speaker's throat. She twisted and deflected a barrage of bullets using another enemy's body, then struck again, kicking another one out of the door. The room was filled with blood as severed body parts littered the floor of the van. Her hands went around Winter's shoulder. "You are safe now. We will take care of you."
Ezra's bike came up them as they drifted ever closer to the sea. "I got you. Help her behind me, strap her in." Elise helped Winter and secured her safely to the passenger seat. "I'll take her to Oliver's base with the Slithers." Ezra said, getting ready to leave. There was no room for three people on the bike after all. "I will be fine. Mercedes will come pick me up." Elise narrowed her eyes as other armored vans approached from the flanks. "Move quickly, there are more of them coming after us." Ezra nodded, gave her a kiss, then began to fly, whizzing past. Elise needed to distract them as she waited for Mercedes's helicopter to catch up.
The enemies opened fire, no doubt not seeing Ezra's bike as the van had caught fire, emitting smoke from the damage Elise had caused. "That is right. Come a little closer." They did, right into her range. She sent a volley of spikes out at each one, not noticing how each shot was weakning her, making it harder to think. She had used up so much energy, the extra Ezra had given her was becoming dangerously low. She could hear a helicopter coming closer, would they make it on time? The enemies began to fall towards the sea and Elise slumped over, sitting on a clean spot, devoid of blood. She held her head, nausea and dizziness becoming overwhelming. "Elise! Jump!" A voice, Mercedes, sounding so very distant. "We'll catch you!" Her mind was blank. Did she jump? The black eagle had no idea.