Your Move!

Chapter 5: On The Run

The redheaded girl lowered her hand away from the man's cheek, and she looked deep into his eyes as she moved her hand out to the side. Then in a blur of a swing, she closed her eyes while her hand sliced across the mans throat killing him almost instantly. She watched the body droop into the pool of his own blood as the last bit of air left his lungs.

"Well gents good work today, Echo's been liberated only a few more to go."

The girl quickly cracked her wrist to the side, forcing what remained of the announcer's blood off of her nails and onto the bloody floor of the atrium. Returning to her crew, the two men parted to either side allowing her to pass between them before following her out the blown up doors.

Brian still on his knees was in shock at what he just saw, and something inside him said to chase after the rebels with a new found determination. Running across the atrium and over all the dead bodies he stopped at the announcer's body and looked at the man.

"I told you I won."

He then turned back to the blown open doors rushing toward the hallway to catch up to the rebels before they left, but as he entered the corridor he was thrown into a wall. Looking at his attacker, it was clear that is was the kid who they all saw quickly moving through the smoke and now he was standing over Brian. The boy simply smiled at Brian, before casually leaning up against the wall with his rapier at his side.

"What do you think you're doing kid?"

Trying to reposition himself on the wall, Brian was quickly stopped by the point of the boys rapier in front of his face. The girl and the bulk of a man looked back to see their associate holding Brian at sword point and walked back over. Again Brian found himself to scared to say anything, yet he continued to lock eyes with the boy trying to show off his confidence.

"Hey are you deaf kid, I said what are you doing?" The boy moved the rapiers blade away from Brian's face and over to his side blocking him from going down the hallway. "Please don't make me ask you again."

"I want to work with you guys."

"Oh well then...no. Have a nice life. Besides you'd just be slowing us down."

"You don't know that."

The boy moved the rapier once more, coming to terms with the thought that Brian wasn't a threat to them and put the blade over his shoulder while his other hand found its way into his pocket. Brian knew this kid must have felt like he was wasting their time, when the boy with he sword casually strolled back down the hall to meet up with the other two.

His opportunity was slipping through his fingers, and it was now or never. Brian quickly got to his feet and ran toward the girl once more, though before he could even get close he was blocked by the boys sword.

"You're a persistent one aren't ya." The man moved the sword again only to put his own body in front of Brian. "Listen don't follow us, you still have time to run. The S.H.A.D.O.W. forces won't be here for another several minutes or so, and if you even think of trying to follow us I'll-"

"You'll do what Jace, I'm sure we'd all like to hear?"

Jace, the boy with the rapier quickly spun around to see the redheaded girl standing directly behind him. Respecting her position within the group he dropped to his knee as the tip of the sword pushed against the concrete floor, then bowed his head in remorse.

"Cynthia, my queen, I, I thought you left."

"Not when my fastest member falls behind and begins chatting up a neutral."

"My apologies, I was just trying to warn him not to follow us and run while he still had time."

"Really then why did I see your sword at his throat at one point?"

The boy sheathed the sword immediately as the words left Cynthia's mouth, to which he then dropped his other knee putting him into a begging position at the girls feet. Cynthia calmly looked down at Jace, the intensity she carried was like a beam depending on where she looked, since Brian felt it right after she looked at Jace and then back at him. Knowing they only had a few minutes she walked past Jace and looked at Brian, and eyed him up grabbing his chin and then looking down his body.

"I have one question for you," Cynthia asked while unsure of what he should do, causing him to continue to look blankly at the girl and awaited her question. "Why were you on the stage with that announcer, and why did he draw his dagger?"

Trying to maintain eye contact with the girl, he struggled to fight the urge to look away from her. Her gaze was intimidating and Brian shut his eyes before spilling his guts to this random individual.

"It was a final stand. I fought two of them off but one guard got behind me and electrocuted me. I honestly have nothing left to live for, I just wanted some justice."

Brian forced his head back to look at Cynthia, and watched as she blinked before letting go of his chin giving him unrestricted motion of his head. Her attention was now back on Jace, who had gotten back to his feet but kept his head down still scared to meet the gaze of the redhead.

"Did you know this?" Jace didn't say anything, giving Cynthia the answer that she already expected. "I'm disappointed in you Jace, but I figured as much."

Cynthia turned back to Brian with that bubbly sarcastic personality acting as if the two of them were now friends.

"Don't worry about him, he's just got a temper"

"So then is it okay if I tag along with you guys?"

"Only if you prove your worth to us. You did say you are willing to sacrifice yourself for us, so you will act as our team's pawn."

He gave Cynthia a slight smile and a nod accepting her offer. The moment didn't last long though as Jace interrupted Cynthia with a tap on the shoulder, turning to face him as a new wave of concern crossed the speedsters face.

"Your highness, If I may make a suggestion. I think we should probably get out of here now. S.H.A.D.O.W. will be here any minute."

Cynthia nodded at Jace approving of his thought and then looked at Brian giving him a nod, which insinuated that he had been accepted temporarily into the group as they left the government facility.