Across the Wildlands (Book One: The Wildlands)

Episode Forty - The Siege on Safety

The sound of heavy artillery fire echoed through the compound; anti-aircraft cannons had emerged from the tops of the wall. The concentrated blasts were self-targeting at the aircraft that was circling at the edge of the compound's main entrance.

Cicero grabbed Alex by the hand and pulled her toward the nearest building.

"That's Achilles' technology," Alex said through heavy breaths.

The aircraft was sleek in design, much like the Cruisers the Patrolmen drove. In her quick look at the machine, she recognized it from promotional ads for Achilles' technology. It was just another way to show force to citizens. Displayed on television adverts or holograms through the city—the aircraft propelled itself with two, fan-like rotary blades on either side, and on its tail for directional changes. It could turn on a dime and withstand heavy fire.

Their anti-aircraft cannons would be firing for some time.

Alex and Cicero hid themselves within the building where Will was being held. She looked over her shoulder, imagining her brother smiling to himself on the other side of the door.

"Is this really the best place to be?" she questioned.

"It was the closest building with armed guards," Cicero defended himself. He acknowledged the five armed Avoiders standing at the ready in the room with them. They had their weapons aimed at the door.

It was a surprise the two of them hadn't been shot in their mad dash.

An explosion made the entire foundation of the building shake. It appeared the anti-aircraft cannons had shot the helicopter down, after all.

Surely there will be more, Alex thought, chewing on her lip.

"This had to be Will's doing," Alex said. She gestured to the holding room behind them, and Cicero nodded in agreement.

Guns shifted as the sound of footsteps neared the door.

"Don't shoot!" someone shouted from outside.

The deep, yet still feminine voice, sounded like Vida. The door opened, and the figure confirmed Alex's assumption.

Vida stood in the doorway, wide-eyed but composed. She cast a glance around the room, her sleek tattoos flashing in the sunlight. "The two of you, follow me. You guys load up the prisoner. We're moving out."

"But won't they be waiting for us outside the wall?" Alex questioned. She moved out of the way as the Avoiders she'd addressed went into the room to retrieve Will.

Vida shook her head. "That was a scouting aircraft. It was unmanned without any weapons. Besides, we're not leaving out of the front door."

"I didn't think there was another way out?" Cicero asked.

"It's not an official exit. There's a tunnel that runs underground. But we need to get moving, now. Any information that aircraft managed to gather has already reached the group it came from."

"You know he did this, right? You know my brother did this," Alex said as she shuffled out of the door with Cicero.

Vida locked eyes with her, a vein throbbing in her neck. She looked enraged, and most likely felt the same way Alex did. Taking Will with them was a risk. He was better off dead.

Whatever Vida wanted to say in response to Alex, she swallowed her words. Her expression said all she needed to.

The aircraft was a fiery mess outside. It had crashed into a building and set it ablaze. Even though they were a distance away, Alex could feel the heat on her skin. She kept her eyes on the flames, flickering high above into the morning sky. Smoke billowed out.