by Shoraz
It was an unlikely alliance, one that would need more than weapons and an army of rogue knights to defeat their enemy. For in order to win this battle, the alliance of humans, superhumans, and rogue knights would need luck, and that luck would come to them in a way that no one could have ever imagined.
CHAPTER THIRTY
As Ava pondered upon her next move, she knew that her only way to get out was to use her superhuman abilities, but she was uncertain of what to do given that it was only recently that she began using her newfound skills. In addition to that, she wasn’t sure of how the others in the group would react to her.
In a situation such as this, an older and more mature superhuman would have been in the middle of a great escape. But Ava was still young, and even though she was mature in some aspects of her life, she was still a teenager and what others thought of her was always in the back of her mind.
If only Jonah were here it would have been so much easier; he would have guided and helped her and found a way out, but the reality of the situation was that Jonah was not here, and it was up to Ava to help herself and those in need.
She thought about her father, and the hope of seeing him and Jonah in Las Vegas, then suddenly her eyes focused on the shackles that bound her, and she stared at them with laser like focus; and it was as if she were in a trance. Ava was now unknowingly using her superhuman abilities without realizing it, and Krishna and Laurie looked at her in disbelief.
“Ava,” Krishna whispered, “Ava are you there?” he whispered again, but she didn’t reply and it was as if she didn’t hear him.
“Give her a nudge,” Laurie said to Olga, who was sitting beside Ava.
Olga then touched Ava ever so slightly, and she was startled back to reality. Olga then pointed to her shackles and to Ava’s astonishment they were undone.
“How did you do that?” Olga asked.
“I don’t know; it just happened,” Ava replied.
Krishna then quickly realized that there was a camera recording their every move and pointed it out to Ava, “Psst, the camera, disable it, or they’ll see what’s going on,” he said, and Ava focused in on the camera and stopped it from recording them.
“Can you please undo my shackles?” Krishna asked.
“I’ll try,” Ava replied and then suddenly Krishna’s shackles were undone.
The other captives then all began asking her to undo their shackles, “Shhh, we have to be quiet,” Ava said to them.
Krishna then ran to a storage cabinet towards the front of the cargo area; and he tried to open it, but it was locked.
“Ava can you open this?” he asked.
Ava then ran to the cabinet, and her head was in severe pain from using her abilities, “I don’t know if I can do it, my head is in pain, and I don’t think I can open any more shackles either,” she said.
“One more Ava, you can do it, there are probably keys or weapons in there that we can use to undo the other shackles,” Krishna said to her in hopes of getting her to use her magic one more time.
Ava then mustered up all of the energy she had left, her head still throbbing from the pain of using her abilities and then just like that the lock broke. Krishna then quickly opened the cabinet and grabbed anything he thought could help them; he grabbed a laser, three knives and two metal bars which were all that was stored in the cabinet. Then as Krishna helped the other captives out of their shackles by using the laser to break them apart, Ava lay down trying to recuperate.
“Are you okay?” Olga asked.
“I’ll be fine,” Ava replied.
After a few minutes had passed, all of the captives were out of their shackles, and Krishna handed out the weapons from the cabinet, Ava was still in pain, and the group was unsure of how to proceed given her predicament.
“Can you make it Ava, are you able to run?” Laurie asked.
“I think so,” Ava replied.
“How are we going to get out of here?” Olga asked as the airmobile sped ahead to its destination.
Krishna then peeped outside through one of the small windows in the cargo area of the airmobile and saw that there was just one airmobile behind them. As he gazed out of the window at the surrounding area, a light from the trailing airmobile shone towards the window that he was looking through and he quickly ducked out of the way, but it was too late.
The driver of the airmobile saw his face and turned his siren on as he raced to the side of the leading airmobile that was carrying Ava, Krishna and the rest of the captives. The noise of the siren was loud, and it got the attention of the driver of the airmobile who immediately knew that something was amiss.
He then stopped and opened the door of the airmobile, “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Someone in the cargo area is out of their shackles, don’t you look at your camera feed?” he said.
The driver then pointed to the camera feed, and it was as if nothing happened, and all of the captives were shackled and sitting in their assigned positions.
“I swear that I saw someone’s face at the back window,” said the driver of the trailing airmobile.
“Let’s just check it out to make sure,” and they headed to the cargo area of the airmobile to check in on their captives. If only they had noticed the time on the bottom right corner of the screen was not moving they would have been prepared for the ambush that lay ahead.
As they approached the cargo area, the captives could hear them talking but were unsure of what was happening; and they knew that at any time the back door would be opened and they would be in for the fight of their lives.
“Back to your seats everyone, pretend we’re still shackled, and then we’ll ambush them,” Olga said.
Everyone then quickly rushed back to their seats in hopes of deceiving their captors. Krishna held his laser tightly and put it under his leg and was ready to shoot at any given time, while Laurie and Olga also hid their knives in anticipation of using them.
Those without weapons sat silently ready to help in any way possible when the time came; Ava was also sitting, her head still in pain and unable to use her superhuman abilities.
As the men made their way to the back door of the airmobile, the group readied themselves and they could hear the lock being opened. The airmobile driver then opened the door and looked inside, “There see, are you satisfied? Everyone is sitting in their place,” he said to the other driver.
“Excuse me Sir; I feel sick, may I please have some water?” Laurie asked.
“No water for anybody,” the driver replied.
“I don’t think you want to be responsible if something were to happen to her Sir, your bosses wouldn’t be too happy with you,” Krishna said in hopes of luring one of their captors into the cargo area.
The captor then gave it a second thought and went to get some water for Laurie. Krishna then signaled for Laurie to use the knife on him, as his plan was for Laurie to kill one captor and he would then shoot the other two captors with the laser. The captor then returned with the water and made his way to Laurie, and as he made his way to her, he didn’t realize that the shackles from the others were undone until the last second.
“It’s an ambush!” he screamed.
He then tried pulling out his gun, but before he could do that, Laurie took her knife and plunged it into his stomach. As he fell to the ground he tried fighting back, but she quickly pulled the knife out of his stomach and then stabbed him in the left eye.
At the same time, Krishna pulled out his laser and shot one of the captors in the neck quickly putting an end to his life, while the other captor ran to the front of the airmobile. Krishna and Olga then ran after the lone captor while the others escaped from the cargo area, including Ava, who was being helped by Laurie.
Then as the final captor made a quick dash and entered the airmobile, he started it, and just as he was about to takeoff, Olga jumped inside while Krishna held onto the outside of the airmobile as it sped off. Then as the airmobile zoomed about uncontrollab
ly, Olga tried fighting the captor, and as they fought they inadvertently hit a button and the roof of the airmobile opened, and even with that distraction they both continued fighting with the wind in their faces, neither of them giving in to the other as they knew that would mean certain death.
Meanwhile, on the outside, Krishna held on tightly but was slowly losing his grip. While on the inside, the captor held back Olga’s hand as she tried to stab him with her knife. As they continued fighting he punched her twice in her face with his free hand; and in desperation, she reached for his face and gouged at his right eye.
As he pulled back she freed her hand and stabbed him in the shoulder area; she then tried pulling the knife out to stab him again but she lost her grip on it, and the captor then yanked out the knife from his shoulder and plunged it into Olga’s stomach as she grimaced in pain and fell back. Meanwhile, Krishna let go of the laser in an attempt to get a better grip on the airmobile with both of his hands.
Then, fresh off stabbing Olga, the captor then stopped the airmobile and he pulled out his laser as he looked at Krishna trying to get into the airmobile. He then pointed the laser right at Krishna’s face and said, “This is what you get for messing with us,” and just as he was about to shoot, Olga made her way up to her knees and with her last ounce of strength she plunged the knife into the back of his head instantly killing him as she fell forward.
Krishna then quickly pulled himself up and went to Olga, and she was still breathing, but it was very faint, and she was losing blood. He then took off his shirt and put it on the wound to stop the bleeding and at the same time the second airmobile pulled up, and Laurie and Ava exited.
“Please help her, she’s dying,” Krishna yelled as he saw Laurie and Ava.
Ava and Laurie then ran towards the airmobile and saw Olga in severe pain; while Krishna pulled the shirt aside to show the wound to them.
“Help her Ava, do something,” Laurie pleaded.
Ava then focused on Olga trying her best to save her; she looked at her face and then looked at the wound on her stomach. Everything then went white for Ava, and all that existed to her was Olga, and she was determined to help her even though she herself was in pain from using her superhuman abilities; and although the pain was excruciating to her, she still tried to help Olga out of this dreadful situation.
“C’mon Ava you can do it,” Krishna urged her, while Laurie stood on the step of the airmobile crying.
Then suddenly Olga’s wound slowly began healing, and the blood stopped flowing, and miraculously her flesh was returning back to its normal state. Krishna and Laurie were again astonished at Ava’s abilities, while Ava was in a trance–like state and it was as if she was neither alive nor dead. Olga meanwhile was still in pain and begging for it to go away.
Everything seemed to be going in the right direction, then suddenly Ava fell to the ground, and her trance–like state was no more. The blood started flowing again, and Olga’s wound was healing no more. Krishna went to help Ava, while Laurie rushed to Olga, and she put Krishna’s shirt back on the wound in hopes of saving her.
Ava meanwhile, staggered up and tried again to save Olga but her abilities would not kick in, and her head was again in severe pain. She then began crying and reached over the seat grabbing Olga and trying to pull her in her direction in hopes of saving her life as Laurie and Krishna looked on in bewilderment and grief, unsure of what to do.
Ava then put her hand on Olga’s heart trying to focus on it but there was no heartbeat, and her breathing had stopped; and even with those obstacles in her way, Ava continued to try and revive Olga but the pain was too severe, and her body temperature began to rise.
“She’s dead,” Krishna somberly said.
“You did your best Ava,” Laurie remarked.
“No!” Ava screamed, unable to control her emotions, “She can’t be dead,” she then shouted.
Just then, the rest of the group finally caught up to them and watched on in sorrow, they then buried Olga in the field and boarded the airmobiles; “Where to Ava?” Krishna asked.
“I have no idea,” she sadly replied.
Then as the group stood silently in disbelief, a message came across the airmobile radio which made things go from bad to worse in a way that no one could have ever imagined. A static–filled voice then came over the airwaves, and the words were repeated over and over again, it was full of static and barely recognizable, but the message was clear, “Prepare for war, the betasapiens are coming.”
CHAPTER THIRTY–ONE
“Prepare for war, the betasapiens are coming. Prepare for war, the betasapiens are coming.”
The message was clear as the static–filled voice echoed over the airwaves.
The group of now freed captives, including Ava, stood in silence, unsure of what to do as the message reverberated in the background, over and over, again and again. The brief stint of freedom the group enjoyed was now shattered by the news of the imminent war, and for those that had earlier contemplated suicide, the dark thoughts slowly crept back into their minds.
The group was now in the middle of nowhere; their next move, and ultimately their survival laying in the hands of destiny.
“What do we do now Krishna?” Jillian asked.
“I don’t know,” Krishna replied.
“We have to go to Las Vegas,” Ava mumbled, her voice still weak and feeble.
“That’s where they were taking us Ava, it’s not safe there,” Laurie said.
“I have to go to Las Vegas, my brother and dad are going to be there, if we ever got separated we have to meet my dad’s friend there,” Ava explained.
“Vegas is on the west coast Ava, it’ll be attacked first, we’ll die if we go there,” Donald stated.
“You go where you want to go Donald, but I’m going to Las Vegas,” Ava replied.
“I’m going with Ava, she’s the one who got us out of this mess, and she can also help us with her abilities,” Krishna said.
“Do you think her powers will save us from the betasapiens and the knights? Do you think she can survive their bombs, guns, and lasers? Do you think she can fight an army of knights? Look at her Krishna; she’s barely holding on after fighting three humans. You go with her if you want, but the airmobiles stay with the rest of us,” Donald said to Krishna.
“No way, we’ll split the airmobiles Donald, one for those of us that want to go to Las Vegas, and the other airmobile is for those that want to go with you,” Laurie said.
“Fine, we’ll take a vote. Who wants to go to Vegas with Ava?” Donald asked.
Only Laurie and Krishna raised their hands. Laurie then looked at the group hoping that others would want to go with them to Las Vegas, but no one else raised their hands.
“It’s decided then,” Donald said.
Jillian then began to cry given the pressure and emotion of the moment, “I don’t know what to do,” she said.
Jillian was one of those who had earlier contemplated suicide, and now the dark yet peaceful thoughts of eternal solace were again creeping back into her head.
“I can’t go on like this, this isn’t life, this is pain and suffering, it’s not supposed to be like this,” she said as tears rolled down her face.
She then started walking towards Krishna, and as he turned around to go to the airmobile, she quickly grabbed the laser from him and put it up against her right temple.
“No Jillian, please don’t do it,” Krishna said.
“I’m sorry, I can’t take it anymore. See you in the next life,” she said.
Krishna then lunged towards her in hopes of taking the laser away but he was too late, and as she pulled the trigger, she was dead in an instant.
As she lay on the ground, the entire group was in shock and disbelief, and Laurie and Ava both ran towards her lifeless body with the slightest of hopes that she was still breathing, but it was not to be.
Donald then sighed and shook his head in sadness, “I didn’t mean for this to happe
n,” he somberly said.
“It’s not your fault,” Krishna said to him as he walked towards the airmobile to get the same shovel that they used not so long ago to bury Olga.
Krishna then picked up the shovel and walked towards Olga’s grave, and he then began digging beside it. Ava then came and stood beside him, “Do you need some help?” she asked.
“It’s okay Ava, just stay beside me, that’s all the help I need from you,” Krishna replied.
Krishna didn’t know what it was, and he couldn’t quite pinpoint it, but there was something about Ava that was unlike any other person he had ever met; her sheer presence made him feel comfortable and at ease, and it gave him the confidence that he could overcome anything which was something that he never felt before.
As Krishna finally finished digging the shallow grave, Donald picked up Jillian off the ground and brought her to the grave and put her down gently, he then took the shovel and began covering Jillian with dirt.
After burying Jillian, some of the group said a quick prayer for her and as they separated and headed towards their respective airmobiles, they hugged each other and wished each other well. And then Ava, Krishna, and Laurie went towards the smaller airmobile while Donald and his group headed towards the larger airmobile.
“If you ever change your mind you know where we’re headed,” Ava said.
“We do Ava, good luck to you all,” Donald said.
“Good luck to you all too,” she replied.
They then all boarded their airmobiles with their companions, ordained never to see each other again. And as they entered the airmobile, Krishna sat in the pilot’s seat, and Ava and Laurie managed to fit themselves in the back seat.
“Thanks for coming with me,” Ava said to both Laurie and Krishna.
“I wouldn’t have done it any other way,” Krishna replied as he put in the coordinates for Las Vegas and the airmobile began heading in that direction.
“Do you know where they are going?” Laurie asked.
“I’m not exactly sure, but Donald said they are heading north to find the nearest town, and they’ll take refuge there and help in the fight against the betasapiens,” Krishna answered.
