CLOUD NINE

Chapter 43

It was really difficult to pull a knocked-out body. Alizeh felt like her own weight had increased, as she hauled the fallen form into the time-space. The deadweight made her momentarily lose her balance as she staggered to catch hold of her surroundings.

She didn't want to be lost in the fourth dimension. After a lot of energy expenditure, she finally lugged him off into the room and collapsed on the floor, panting.

"That seemed insane," Derek who was already present in their first base, effortlessly lifted up the unconscious president and carried him over to a chair, securely wrapping him with cables.

Alizeh got herself together and trudged to the machinery which Derek had already started. They could hear the steady drum of machinery with the gentle gurgling of water as the plant above them whirled on.

"So, now we broadcast?" Derek asked, pressing buttons on the console in a frenzy of adrenaline.

"Wait, first we need to make sure the others think he's safe, so they don't launch an active search for him," Alizeh instructed, before diving her hands into the pocket of the man on the chair.

His mouth was hanging open as he breathed in slow, audible murmurs. She tossed the phone to Jurian who had whipped out his gun, and put on his mask. Alizeh thankfully removed her wig and adjusted her mask. The microphone crackled at that moment as Cyanide's voice floated from the screen, "All set?"

"Roger that. Transmission ready?" Alizeh countered.

"Recording on hold," Cyanide whispered from the darkness. She had turned off her camera, unlike the other day.

"Are you okay?" Alizeh was suddenly concerned about her working alone.
Cynthia laughed, "Positively. And I'm coordinating with Pavel. He'll relay the clips I edit and send."

The president grunted just then and Alizeh and Jurian whipped back to face the President of the Audra, struggling to open his eyes.

"My head hurts," he groaned, trying to speak. His voice came out slurred and unclear.

"Drunk on drugs, eh?" Jurian mocked.

The president's eyes flew open only to see a black-masked figure, pointing a gun at him.

"Who are you?" he now whipped his head to Alizeh, "What do you want from me. You know you won't get away with this. My men would catch you and hack you to death."

Alizeh moved swiftly in front of him, backhanding his cheek. His head fell back at an odd angle as he looked stunned. "Brave much, aren't you?" she hissed, holding his jaw between her long nails.

Jurian looked as surprised as the president. Alizeh wasn't the aggressive type. She was a typical introverted writer nerd you see in movies, with unbrushed hair tied in a loose ponytail and a pair of round glasses balanced on the bridge of her nose.

But Alizeh felt different. She felt all-powerful, drinking in the essence of vengeance. She'd finally get her revenge for Aileana, For Mr Gear, for that unknown man they lost on cloud two...one and for all.

The phone in her pocket, rang just then, shocking her back to her situation. It was the extravagantly expensive phone of President Fletcher. His finance minister was on call.

"Now now, see. Your little pups are calling. Let them know you're all okay," Jurian gave a chilling smiled, touching the pistol to his head. His brows frowned.

Alizeh placed the phone at his ear. "HELP ME," he yelled into the phone, making them jump, "they have me trapped."

Wham! Alizeh had landed another slap on his cheek. He looked flummoxed.

"You think I am a fool?" Alizeh brought the phone in front of his face, showing him that his audio was silenced. "Now say, or I'll blow the brains out of your head. Then maybe the opposition will take over and we would finally get justice."

"Hey," the president's voice sounded cheery.

"Where are you, sir?" the minister sounded all worked up.

"Don't worry. I'm safe here..." he trailed off.

"Tell him there were rebels, so you're in hiding," Alizeh whispered in his ears.

Mr Fletcher obeyed and the finance minister seemed to buy the fabricated story as he cut the call. "Now what?" he gave them a pointed look.

"That was the beginning, honey," Derek gave a mocking grin.

"We need you to make a new cloud and give orders to transfer the people from Cloud Nine to a new cloud. That cloud is bloody malfunctioned and you did it on purpose," Alizeh looked him straight in the eye, "We're going to record your statement and we will put it out to the public. You made the rules that your words are always final, and can be used as a reference."

"No!" he bellowed.

"It's not a request," Jurian hit his head with the butt of the pistol.

"You can't make me do it, and you can't kill me because you need my statement. Let's see," he smirked, "Two can play at that game."

Alizeh looked at Jurian in confusion. She didn't anticipate that.

Jurian just gave a small wink at her. His hands hovered over the console as he pressed a few buttons. A picture of a small girl of about twelve floated on the screen. She was tied and held at gunpoint by two masked men.

From her pretty pink tutu and the resemblance of her cute little face, Alizeh had no issues identifying who that was.

"How did you get her?" Fletcher suddenly became agitated in his chair, as he strained against his bondage, "We never showed her to anyone."

Jurian narrowed his eyes, giving a bored yawn, "We are older than stupid teenagers you know."