------
The arctic blue-haired woman rose to her feet as Storm 01 entered the sick bay with Chántel in his arms. She rushed up to him and helped lay the red-haired woman on a bed. "She's a Tzerian," she said with her eyes widening into a full circle.
"She is. I need your help in making sure she makes it out alive."
A warm feeling pumped all over Ishary's chest, causing a soft smile to slip off her lips. "You… need my help?"
"You don't have to do it."
Ishary glanced at the lady and then back at Storm 01 who raised his brows. "Okay. I will do it," she stated. "But what will you do now? You don't plan on just walking back into the cell, do you?"
"I do not. I'm leaving Winter Weir…"
"Let me help you," the arctic blue-haired girl said before he completed his words.
"No." Storm 01 cupped her face with his hands. "I don't want you to get into any trouble because of me."
Ishary smiled. "It doesn't matter what happens to me," she said. "Let me do this one right thing before you leave. Even if it is the last thing I do."
"Ishary," the dark-haired man mumbled.
She raised her hand and placed it over Storm 01's. "All my life I've done nothing but what others tell me to: I monitored you, ran tests on you, reported about your every move to Miss Havishma…" she paused. "Just this once, I want to do something that I want."
"What about her?"
"Don't you worry, I'll have someone I trust to take care of her."
Some moments later, Ishary led Storm 01 and his team past some security and finally to the takeoff hall. "Take this ship," she said, pointing at a Warship-sized transport spaceship. "It's the fastest travel ship there is, and also has an in-built light-speed flight," she stated.
Storm 01 grabbed Ishary's hand and pulled her away from the others. "You were right Ishary, it's Miss Havishma's fault, she manipulated us all, so come with me. Let's leave this place together…"
"No. I'll never be able to stop thinking about all I've done if I am around you, I'm sorry."
Storm 01 leaned in and linked his forehead to hers. "I'll see you again, Ishary." She closed her eyes and sighed. Just when she was starting to sink into his touch, everywhere turned red and the alarm went off.
------
"He deserves better," she mumbled. "And you will get what you deserve too."
Miss Havishma rose to her feet. She pinched the bridge of her nose and exhale softly. She then slipped her hand into her pocket and looked around as if searching for something. Her eyes finally stopped on Percy who just entered the hall.
She waved at him and he approached her. "I thought you were among those chasing the criminals," she queried.
"No ma'am, I wasn't."
She glared at him for a couple of seconds before pulling out a gun from Electro 28's belt and extending it to him. Percy reluctantly took the gun. Pain and regret lingered on his face as he held the gun in his hand.
"Dispose of her." Percy looked down at Ishary who stared at him with watery eyes.
"Yes ma'am."
"Aix, trace their ship and find out where they are headed."
.
.
.
Somewhere in space.
"I'll control the ship for now, Ada will switch with me later," Cake stated. "That way, we'll be able to save power until the light-speed jump is ready."
"I'm down with that," Ada said with a nod.
The silver-haired man nodded before entering the control room to take his position.
Jesselyn walked into the control room where Cake was. He turned his head to look at her before turning back. She silently sat on an empty co-pilot seat next to the silver-haired man. The ship was designed to have two pilots but could also be controlled by one.
They stayed in silence for a couple of seconds until Armi broke the peaceful silence and spoke. "I know what you want to ask."
Jesselyn blinked. "Then give me an answer."
The silver-haired man narrowed his eyes before tilting his head to look at her. "On second thought, I do not. Could you ask the question?"
A small smile appeared on her face but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. "I'm not going to ask why you didn't mention that you were a spy from Earth, there's only one thing I want to know," she stated
"And what is that?"
"How did you manage to clear every piece of evidence? When you hacked into Aix, how were you able to wipe out the evidence?" She queried.
"It wasn't I who cleaned the evidence," he revealed. "Ada did. It was supposed to be her that'll hack into the mainframe, but there was no way to give the security pass to her, so I had to do it, while she clean up the mess."
Jesselyn nods understandably. "But you still couldn't get through the firewall?"
"Oh I did," he said. "The alarm went off after I was done and the security cameras caught me. Ada helped clear the footage."
"I had to cut all contacts from Ada because Miss Havishma had her eyes on me. I have a feeling I would have been placed in the same situation as Jacob Marksman if I had stayed on Winter Weir any second more."
"But why did you agree to help us escape?" Jesselyn asked. "Will your people, the Earthlings simply welcome us because you say so, or is there something else you want from us?"
Cake Armi cast a sidelong look at Jesselyn. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I don't know if I can trust you as much as I use to, especially after knowing you are an Earthling."
"Jesse…"
"I don't know if I know anything about you anymore. Who are you? What about you is true? What is your rank back on Earth?"
His grey eyes turned slightly darker and his grip on the ship's controller tightened, but before he could fully comprehend what the former Rain agent said, and before Jesselyn could catch the look in his eyes, a warning signal appeared on the radar, signally an incoming body.
Jesselyn rushed into the main deck of the ship where the others were. "We are being chased! A battalion of fighter ships is after us," she said out loud.
Just as she announced their presence, the fighter ships began firing at them, forcing Cake to swerve in different directions which made it difficult for them to dodge the asteroids, consuming more damage on the ship.
"How long until the light-speed is ready?" Storm 01 questioned.
"Roughly five minutes, and with no guns on this ship we'll all be vaporized by then."
"I think I saw a jump-ship, I could use it to at least hold the enemy back until the light-speed jump is ready," Rory suggested.
Storm 01 shook his head. "No, I won't risk the life of another person I care about. I will…"
"But…" she chipped, cutting the dark-haired man short. "… That is what they want. If you go out there it'll be a win on their side. And besides, I already know everything I need to know." The golden-haired lady inched closer to him. "You're yet to find out everything about your past, so stay… stay and make Miss Havishma pay for all the hell she put us through."
"Rory…" she raised her hand and placed it on his cheek. "Thank you. Because of you, I was able to experience a lot of things." The golden-haired girl smiled and threw herself over the dark-haired man, hugging him tightly. "If I don't make it back alive, then live and fight for both of us. Do make sure you find my Erins."
The dark-haired man let out a broken chuckle before placing his hands on her back, hugging her back.
Rory pulled back and made her way to the jump ship. Once inside the ship, she gripped her trembling wrist and exhaled deeply. The corner of her eyes became blurry as a cold shiver spike up her spine. "You can do it, you can do it," she repeated while starting up the engine.
She fly the jump ship into space and in a matter of seconds, she was already close to the Winter ships. Rory began blasting shots at the ships while dodging whatever attack they threw at her. Because her ship was small, she was able to easily and quickly turned the ship while still moving fast.
"Yes!" She yelled after shooting down the last ship in her sight. Just as she was about to turn back, another wave of Winter Weir's ships fans into her view. "No."
The golden-haired girl looked through the rear view of her ship to see the spaceship Storm 01 and the others were in inching farther and farther away from her. She groaned furiously and pushed the control forward, bolting towards the incoming ships.
She began firing at them, mercilessly bolting through the enemy which caused one of her engines to destroy, but it doesn't stop her. Tears rolled down her left eye as she continued to fly the ship, despite all the warning signals of damages on the ship which could lead to the ship's self-destruction, Rory kept flying forward, eyes filled with tears, grip tightened on the controller, teeth biting strongly on her inner lower lips, body heavy and hot.
Rory aimed her target at an incoming ship ahead but panicked as she realized who was behind the control.
He had purple fringed-up hair with blue narrow eyes. His whole face had a pained expression written all over it and it was as if his narrow blue eyes pierced into her chest. "Erins," Rory muttered.
.
Storm 01 went down on his knees next to Cake in the control room as the jump ship's signal disappeared from the radar. He buried his face quietly in his hands and growled.
"We are ready for the light-speed jump," Armi stated while sparing a glance at the hurt dark-haired man.
Jesselyn slowly knelt next to Storm 01 and placed her hands on his shoulder. "Come on."
He dropped his hands and raised his head up drawing a long breath.
"You heard what she said, she will continue to live on…"
[Prepare for light speed in ten seconds]
Jesselyn placed her hand on her left chest. "… Right here."
…
ns 15.158.61.6da2
