The Forgotten Earth

Chapter 5 - Fence Patrolled By Killer Drones, Check

"Remember, we need to be ready for anything," I whispered as we crouched down. It was several days later, and Asha and I were staking out Zahi's compound.

Zahi Renat's compound stuck out like a sore thumb in The Sanctuary. While all the other rich people lived comfortably in massive mansions, Zahi was a paranoid whackjob. There was a massive metal fence surrounding his compound, at least twenty feet high. Small orb-shaped drones circled the compound, scanning the area for any sign of life. As soon as they locked on to movement, an array of massive weapons were exposed and fired a barrage of projectiles, guaranteeing instant death.

"Well, first we have to get past the killer drones." Asha hissed right next to me. "What's your plan Mr. 'I'm extremely good at breaking into places'."

"Pretty simple, avoid the killer drones, scale the fence, and continue from there," I said confidently.

"And what if the drones spot us? What then?" Asha asked pointedly.

"Then we run faster than we've ever run before," I said. "Good enough for you?"

"You're the so-called expert." Asha relented. "But I better not be killed."

"I promise you, sweetheart, you won't be killed," I said. "Maybe a little maimed, a tiny bit scarred, but not killed."

"I really don't like the sound of that," Asha said.

"Relax, I'm joking," I said. "Chances are we'll just get out with a few scrapes and bruises. Now follow me, its time we do this thing."

"Don't we need to plan more?" Asha called after me as I started to move closer to the fence.

"Unless you have any idea of what's beyond that fence, there's no point in preparing any further. I've got all we should need right here," I said patting my bag. "Now are you coming or not?"

"Fine. Wait up." Asha said following after me. "How the heck are we going to get over the fence?"

"Don't you worry about that," I said pulling my grappling hook out of my bag. "Simple enough. All we need to do is wait until there's a gap in the drone patrol and scale the fence."

"I hope this works," Asha said. 

"It will," I said. "I've used this baby plenty of times. Never failed me yet."

We stopped a few feet from the fence, just outside of the drone's scanners. After a few minutes of waiting, there was a routine gap between the drones. I waved her along as we bolted toward the wall. Firing the grappling hook, I heard the satisfying clink of metal on metal twenty feet up, confirming the hook was in place. I tugged tightly to confirm it was locked in and held out my arm to Asha.

"Do you expect me to come up in your arms?" Ahsa asked critically.

"It's either that or being stuck outside the compound," I said. "Now come on, before the next drone comes around." 

"Fine." Asha relented, stepping closer to me.

Holding on to the grappling hook with one hand and holding Asha with the other, I pulled the trigger. The handle started pulling us up toward the top of the fence. My muscles burned as I tried to hold both my weight and Asha's. Only two feet from the top, we heard the sound of a drone coming near to us.

"Crap," I muttered. "Go faster you gosh darned machine."

"Uh, Samael," Asha said.

"I can hear it," I growled. "I hope you're ready to destroy a drone."

"How the heck am I supposed to do that?" Asha asked, getting a little panicked.

"Where's that lovely little gun of yours?" I asked.

"Right here," Asha said, pulling it out of her belt.

"When the drone comes around, shoot it in the camera, then the weapons," I said.

"I don't have a very good aim," Asha said.

"Now you tell me? Just fire at it!" I said as the drone came into view.

As soon as the drone saw us, it immediately started firing at us. I tried swinging us on the last two feet of cord, dodging the barrage of bullets. Asha fired wildly at the drone, hitting a few of the weapons. Finally, she got lucky and hit the drone right in the camera, causing it to fly wildly. The drone dropped to the ground, lights going out.

"That was way too close," I said. "Let's get over this darned fence."

"Agreed," Asha said. 

We climbed over the last few feet of the fence, balancing precariously on the edge.

"And how are we supposed to get down?" Asha asked.

"That's the easy part," I said, pulling out my phase board. "Come on."

We hopped onto the phase board and floated down on the other side of the fence. As we landed, I surveyed the area. It looked all clear all the way to the main building of Zahi's compound. And then I heard the click.