Our Band of Justice (ONC 2021)

Chapter 18: Under Siege

ALERT: multiple hostiles breached the perimeter. 

"That means us I think," Jack said as the Jessicas all moved for the compound, as he got Alex up on his feet. Alex felt dizzy, considering that everything is happening at once. At the very least, he was free very quickly. Can't complain about that.

"Where's Katherine, and Noah?" Alex asked as Jack directed several of the copies to the front. Jack took a while to answer that for some reason. "They went to the generator, figures what Roland can do with the EMP device," Jack said, as he pulled out an EMP device too, a minuscule metallic sphere which was rather sticky on the outside.

"Hey wait, how did you find me?" Alex couldn't help but ask Jack about it. Indeed, Jack did owe Alex an explanation. "When we tried to save you, you were already being taken off to a boat, so Roland had the great idea of shooting a tracking device to the boat." Jack said as Alex didn't even know they had a tracking device. "Uhm... okay," Alex simply said as Jessica couldn't help but also roll her eyes.

The Jessicas multiplied in number, as they grow to the hundreds. Alex could see the latest number: '256' as they kept on replicating. "You sure you can make up to a thousand?" Jack said as Jessica kept doing what she's doing. She looked rather confident, as her bodies kept splitting from each other. Jessica remained silent, as her bodies continued to keep dividing into numerous numbers.

Sure enough, there were 800 Jessicas, waiting outside the compound with guns all set and ready. Alex saw the army, and couldn't help but be impressed at how many of her, not to mention that they were all the same. Jack of all people couldn't hide his surprise, which only prompted him to want to be better. "You okay with this many, Jessica," Alex asked her, knowing that she can feel the deaths of each copy. But she seemed unfazed by his statement. 

"I can do this Alex, don't worry," Jessica said as she gave a small pat on his shoulder. Of course, that didn't make Alex feel much better.

As the door in front of them starts to open, they all cock their guns in a simultaneous fashion as they await the guards. Alex was taken aback by how he was actually getting rescued, let alone at how quick it was. Jack then pried a gun from a dead guard with ease. 

"Where's Garrison, where are the reinforcement..."

Sure enough, dozens of guards awaited them, but not before gasping at how many copies that Jessica has made.  Agent Hartman of everyone was ordering around until he stopped dead silent at the army. As even he could not imagine.

"Let's do this!" Jack yelled as they all ran forward as guns go blazing in the first seconds of the battle. Alex was launched into a big frenzy of a battle, as everyone started shooting at each other. The guards could not keep up with them as the first wave of Jessicas overwhelmed them. She did so much of the work that all Alex needed to do was to simply move the bullets out of the way.

That doesn't mean that Jack couldn't have some fun. He dashed towards a couple of guards fleeing, pummeling them like a bowling ball. As Hartman tried to escape, several Jessicas had him cornered already.  "Kat, did you get to the control room yet?" Jack said as he shoved the last guard into the wall. Even though it was a winning battle, a few Jessicas have been shot down. The original took the time to acknowledge her fallen children, as Hartman was pressed against the wall.

"I was really hoping that we wouldn't meet," Hartman tried to give a slight grin, only for Jack to press him to the wall even harder. Years of constant abuse in his powers, now he's the one in control.

"Where is the generator, and the Figure?" Jack yelled as Hartman looked all the more vulnerable. Within seconds, he didn't waste time to spill it. "The Figure's at the top floor, and the generator is only a floor below," Hartman yelled, as he finally catches his breath. Sure enough, Hartman tried to look friendly towards the poweroids.

"Hey... you wouldn't kill someone who's unarmed, would ya?" Hartman tries to make peace with them. Jack looked at Alex and the Jessicas, as even he was rather conflicted about this dilemma. "You really think we should spare this man," Jack said as the Jessicas looked at one another. Alex, who wasn't really into killing people face to face, wanted to shake his head. Until of course, Hartman reached for something from his pockets.

"Get down!" Alex yelled as Hartman pulled out the gun. Alex raised his hand as he caught three bullets mid-air, as Jack rammed his hand towards Hartman. A small gush of blood went out due to the amount of force given, as Hartman fell to the ground. His eyes twitched before he finally stopped breathing.

"Well, guess that's a no," Jack looked at the lifeless body. "Alright, twenty of you are going to accompany me and Alex, the rest of you, get any escape boats or free any poweroids you find," Jack said as the Jessicas immediately went on with their work. A good thing that the elevator was large enough to fit in a platoon or so. The fact that they can't fit in every Jessica there wasn't demoralizing, since they can multiply too. Of course, the original had to get on the elevator.

"I trust that you can free the poweroids here," Jessica said to the #17 Jessica, as she gave a salute in affirmation. Jack, Alex and the twenty identical Jessicas then boarded the elevator, as they couldn't help but feel that what comes next might be worse. 

ALERT: Cell#8,9,10,11,12: have been breached. 

"Well, what do you know," the original Jessica said, knowing that her copies are freeing each poweroid. Now, it was a matter of time on when the Figure will have to answer for his creations. Alex, although he did feel bad for him, can't wait for revenge.

As the elevator door opens, lines of laser lit up at each occupant, most of all Jack. As Jack was always prepared to charge at them, Alex noticed familiar faces under gunpoint.

"Jack stop!" Alex yelled as he saw the commander, Garrison no less, took Kat and Sally hostage. Jack was taken aback, as the plan had revolved around them. "You're too late," Garrison said as Kat struggles to get free. 

"Let me go!" Kat shouted as Garrison ordered for Sally to be brought up. "Tell me where your techie is," Garrison said as Jack looked terribly helpless there. Obviously, he was referring to Roland, probably inserting the EMP device. Jack was terribly ready to spill the beans, but Sally was rather resistant. As Alex looked at Sally, she quietly nodded at them.

"Screw you!" Sally said as she rams towards Garrison. A bullet then quickly hit her, as she fell down on the ground.

"No!" Jack yelled as she was dead. As the soldiers immediately fired upon them, Alex willed every fibre of his being. Maybe, just maybe he could stop some of them, doesn't matter if he still gets hit. As Alex opened his eyes, he saw the hail of bullets stopping mid-air, as if under his direct command. Garrison looked up in shock as Kat and Jack could not imagine what they were seeing. 

"Oh my God, am I doing this?" Alex said as the bullets changed direction. Now he was in command. Alex then swung the bullets towards the men, cutting them all down. Alex saw those dead man as Garrison got up, still alive as he holds a blood wound on the shoulder.

"A real prick, aren't you," Garrison said as he lifted his gun.