Origin of Power

Chapter 16

Seconds passed as the guard looked over us. I bit on my lip, waiting for any sign of hostility. This man was a trained soldier, part of the security meant to handle breaches like today. I wouldn't hesitate if I had to knock him out.

Key held up an ID card hanging around his neck. "I've been escorting them around the facility."

The guard looked at the ID, consulted a tablet and nodded. "You're clear. And the rest of you?"

"They didn't give us one," Lightshow said. "We're part of TTL and were inspecting the storage area so that we could plan for a move."

"I see," the guard said. "Evacuate to West B and do not leave the area until permission is given."

"I'm taking them there now," Key said.

"Okay, be quick about it, we do—" The guard stopped as his walkie talkie sounded. I stopped breathing as a man on the other end called out the alert.

"Titans detected on site," the voice cracked. "West Loading Bay area."

All four guards looked at us. None moved.

"It's not us," Lightshow said quickly.

I saw the leader reaching for his pistol. That was all we needed. I stepped forward into the elevator with speed no human could match, grabbing the guard's arm before he realised what had happened. At the edge of my vision I saw Shifter advancing at my side.

I struck the guard hard on the jaw, flooring him. Not checking to see if he was unconscious before moving onto the next. It was over in seconds. All four guards on the ground. We dragged them up against the elevator wall, lying them flat on their back as we carefully manoeuvred the pallet truck inside, taking care not to injure any of them.

I heaved deep breaths as the elevator doors closed. The familiar thrill of a fight pulsing through me. It amazed me how much easier it was to fight someone who was actually a threat. An enemy that was prepared to fight back, nothing like ambushing the guards in the office. They would have killed us if we didn't take them out first. Luckily for them, we weren't Tyrants.

"Mia, you okay?" Lightshow asked.

"Yes," she said. "Had some trouble with security in the loading bay. I'm in the van now, waiting for you."

"We're on our way down the elevator with the package. Less than a minute till we reach the loading bay," Lightshow said. "The guards know that there are Titans, some of them told us that people are evacuating to West B."

"It's a carpark towards the river," Mia said. "That's good for us, less crowd to get through."

The elevator bumped as it hit the ground floor, doors pinging open. Snapshot ran forwards, peeking through the small glass windows on the door to the loading bay. I glanced back at the guards as the doors closed behind us. It wouldn't be long before someone found the four unconscious bodies.

"There's a lot of security," he said.

"We'll just walk through," Binder said. "Lightshow, hide us like the pallet truck."

"That won't work," Snapshot said. "They'll see us opening the door."

"I'll go through first," Key said. "Get to the van and I'll go to the evacuation area like the guard said. I do work here after all."

"That works," Lightshow said. The light faded from the room as she manipulated it into a wall between us and the doorway. In a moment I could see nothing in that direction. "Everyone stay to my right."