The Disparate One

Chapter 33

"He got it!" Ony rejoiced when he heard the helmet beeping.

He was in the middle of pushing countless buttons around him when he heard the noise he had been waiting for. He dashed over to the pod and pressed "confirm". The helmet began to do its job.

He tapped his foot on the steel floor as he anxiously watched the progress bar slowly filled up. It reached 79% when he heard loud gunshots from the door followed by people screaming afterward. The guards had arrived. He gritted his teeth, knowing a first generation would easily lose against the advanced ones, especially since Nite was the only one. He heard the explosion booming in the distance.

He was about to rush back to Nite to lend a hand when he heard Oxford slurred. His head flaccidly rolled around the pod. His eyes fluttered, silently analyzing the environment. He raised his hands on his head, feeling the metal helmet weighing on it. Just like everyone, Oxford couldn't remember how he got here, although he was not surprised it happened. He had seen people getting shoved into pods before, but not this many!

Slowly, he sat up and removed the helmet. Ony remained silent but eager to know if he was truly speaking to the Oxford he knew. For now, he was not surprised to see Oxford calm waking up in a chilly pod. Oxford gazed around, seeing the all familiar faces in panic under the flashing red lights and alarm.

From memory, this alarm sounded different compared to the ones he frequently heard. It could only mean one thing, someone set off a bomb. He quickly darted his eyes to Ony, glad to see him again alive and well.

"D-did they do it?" he asked.

Ony shook his head.

"They didn't blow the reactor yet, Ray and Nite triggered explosions on their way here, to save us!"

Another burst of gunshots and screams filled the place. The number of dead bodies had already begun to rise. Oxford quickly hopped out of his pod, he nearly fell to the ground, but Ony caught him.

"W-where's Ray?" he asked.

Ony explained that Ray had to get to Cal's office to activate the helmet, alone. Different emotions raced on Oxford's face.

"Where's Chap?"

They found Chap nearby who was also looking for Oxford. They continued to duck every time they heard gunshots. People were trying their best to remove themselves from the line of fire, but it didn't help Nite. He was using his pistol wisely.

"This is it, isn't it?" Oxford asked calmly.

Chap hid behind a pod as cover. He nodded at him, breathing fast.

"It must be! Should we?" he hugged the pod.

Oxford glanced at everyone's fearful faces before looking back at Ony, then to Chap. He nodded with determination and courage.

"Shit!" Only two left, Nite thought when he glanced at his pistol.

The door was fully open now. He tried closing it again earlier, but the door must have been overridden to remain that way. He hid on the side, back against the wall, as he watched everyone run away. Bodies already had carpeted the floor. When the guards stopped firing to reload, Nite poke his pistol and obliterated another group in the distance.

One, he thought about the remaining bullet more carefully now.

He closed his eyes as memories of the war flashed before his eyes. The moment when he successfully defended an onslaught with his friends. His colleague's dying voice echoed in his mind. He glanced at the rifle resting nearby.