Perfect Sacrifice

by Parker, Jack

  * * * *

  Ray ran out onto the roof of the building, following after Nathan. He ran to the edge before turning towards her. Normally a man in his position would be afraid, but he only smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

  "Well, this doesn't seem very fair," he said. "You have two weapons, but I'm completely unarmed." Ray raised her pistol, aiming it towards him.

  "Fair," she sneered in disgust. "Since when does someone working for Ramirez play fair?" She moved her pistol and fired, the bullet flying right by his head. He didn't flinch or anything. He was probably used to having a gun aimed at him.

  "Now," he began, "how about we make this fair?" He gave her a cruel smirk, and before she knew it, a small switchblade came flying towards her hand that held the pistol. There wasn't time to fire it before the switchblade lodged itself in her palm, and she dropped the gun.

  Ray hissed with pain, the blade now in the palm of her hand. She quickly removed it, tossing it aside. At least it had been her left hand. She could still use her sword.

  Without warning, she charged towards him, slashing at him with the short sword. However, he managed to move, keeping a sly smirk on his face. He had a trick up his sleeve, but Ray wasn't paying attention. She just wanted to hit him. She was being blinded by her anger. It wasn't uncommon. After all, she was a very hot tempered person when she wanted to be. Now was just one of those times.

  Nathan smirked as he prepared to throw another switchblade. Just as she was about to come down on him with her sword, he moved and threw the blade, lodging it in her leg. In her moment of temporary pain, he relieved her of the weapon. The sword was now in his hands. He quickly tackled Ray to the ground, positioning the blade under her chin. She inhaled sharply, now fully aware of her position.

  Nathan smirked as he watched the fear and uncertainty wash through her eyes. She knew very well what could happen to her right now. If he pressed down even a little, the blade would cut into her neck. She didn't even want to think about it.

  "Now Ms. Cayden," he said, pulling the sword away, "I'm afraid I'll have to end this game. It's a shame that such beauty has to be wasted, but orders are orders." He positioned the sword over her chest, ready to stab through her, but a tapping on his shoulder quickly drew his attention. You would think that a commander would be smart enough not to get distracted, but Nathan just wasn't. He turned around, the sword no longer aiming for Ray. Just as he turned, a fist connected with his head, knocking him off of Ray and sending the sword flying across the roof. His head slammed into the rock siding, knocking him out cold.

  "Ray, are you alright?" asked her savior as he got down next to her. She slowly sat up, her eyes meeting his.

  "Leon?" she questioned, confusion flooding her features. What was he doing there? Why was he even in Torran? "What are you doing here?"

  "I saw Jace standing near the warehouse," he began, "and he said you ran in after some of Ramirez's men, so I decided to follow. I was…worried." Ray just smiled, but it was quickly replaced with fear as a shadow fell upon them.

  "Leon, behind you!" she shouted in warning, but it was too late. Two hands wrapped around his throat, and he was soon brought to his feet. The man behind him began squeezing, slowly suffocating him.

  Ray started to get up. She had to help Leon. She wasn't going to let some lowlife from Ramirez kill him. She had a promise to uphold.

  "I wouldn't move if I were you," the man warned, causing Ray to freeze. "I'll snap his neck if you do." Ray cursed mentally at the man, wondering how she could get herself and Leon out of this. She began to really worry when she noticed that Leon was struggling less and less. He was slowly succumbing to the numbness of being unconscious. She couldn't allow that. She wasn't going to let him die.

  Before she could do anything, the man's eyes suddenly widened in pain, and he released Leon, who quickly fell to his knees, coughing harshly as he clutched at his throat with one hand. His body shook with each inhale, trying to numb his burning lungs with the sweet air he was breathing.

  Ray went to his side, placing a hand on his back. There was a deep worry etched on her face, but her eyes held a great deal of relief.

  "Leon, are you alright?" she asked with concern. He couldn't answer; he was too busy coughing. He just nodded and continued to inhale deeply, trying to calm his shaking body.

  Ray quickly turned her attention to Jace, who now stood with a pistol in his hand. He had used it to hit the man in the back of the head, who had fallen just a few feet from him. He quickly discarded it and sighed. Why hadn't Leon listened to him? The boy was no knight. He didn't need to get involved in the affairs of the GRC. Ramirez was their enemy, not his.

  "Are you alright?" he asked Ray.

  "Yeah," she said, looking back to Leon. "Thanks Jace." She gently rubbed Leon's back as he began to calm down, his breathing returning to normal. "Will you be alright?" she asked him softly, and he nodded in response. "Can you stand?"

  "I think so," he whispered, his voice sounding just a little hoarse. He slowly began to get to his feet, wobbling a little at first, but he was soon over the slight dizzy spell.

  Ray walked over and retrieved her pistol and her short sword. She wasn't about to leave her weapons behind after all. It was then that Jace and Leon noticed the blade wound on her left hand, crimson blood trickling from the cut. They also noticed the switchblade still in her leg. She quickly bent down and pulled it out, discarding it near Nathan's unconscious body.

  "You alright?" Jace asked, which was exactly what Leon had been about to say.

  "Fine," she said as she walked over to them, not allowing herself the pleasure of limping. She wasn't going to show any weakness, not even to her friends. After all, she was the ace knight. She couldn't be weak. She had an image to keep up.

  "Well," began Jace, "I think it's about time we got back to the base." Ray nodded as she put her short sword and her gun back in their respective spots at her side. She walked over to Jace and Leon, and the three of them began to leave the warehouse.

  Once they were out of the abandoned building, Leon stopped and turned around, about to head off in the other direction. Ray quickly stopped him though.

  "Leon, where are you going?" she asked him.

  "My Geno is ready," he said. "I need to pick it up. I'll meet you guys back at the base, alright?"

  "Okay," she said, seeming a little disappointed that he wouldn't be going with them. Jace didn't seem to mind in the least though. If anything, he was happy that he'd get to spend more time alone with Ray.

  Leon walked off without another word, heading down the lonely streets of Torran. There were other people of course, but they didn't matter. They were too blinded by the routine of life to really care about anything important. They were all so naïve. Sad to say he had been one of them…until Ray came along. She had shown him that the world wasn't so easy, that life wasn't nice or fair. There was much more going on in the world than he had known. He wasn't walking blindly anymore, but with eyes wide open.

  However, that same girl was just as naïve as the next person. She didn't seem to understand the simplest things, like the fact that having Jace around really infuriated him. She hadn't even said thank you to him when he had saved her, but she thanked Jace. That thought began to eat away at him. Jace had known Ray for years though. It was only natural that she liked him more. They had been childhood friends after all, despite the four year age difference. Ray had known Jace her whole life, and Leon had only known her for a few months. How could he possibly compete with that?

  Leon shook his head, bringing his thoughts to a dead stop. What had gotten into him? Sure, he liked Ray…as a friend. She was one of the best friends he had ever had. Why did he care about what she and Jace were? It's not like he cared about her anymore than just a friend. That's all they were, and that's all they'd ever be, right? For some reason the idea really bothered him. He was really starting to hate the current course of his thoughts. They were just running his mind in circles. Ray is just my
friend, nothing more…right?

  * * * *

  Later that night, Leon found that he couldn't sleep. He sat in the dark living room, doing nothing but staring at the chessboard on the coffee table. He was resting his head in his hands, trying to focus. He had been beaten again after dinner by Chris, who was steadily getting better and better. Maybe he'd be better than Ray someday. That was impossible though. She was rash, but strategy was definitely a strong point for her.

  Leon sighed deeply as he realized why he had lost. He was starting to get sloppy. He needed to focus more on his technique and not let himself be startled by the strange moves his brother made. He had to keep a clear head. Lately that seemed impossible. Thoughts were constantly plaguing his mind. He wouldn't still be awake otherwise.

  "Hey," greeted a soft voice from behind him, but even though it was soft, he jumped. He quickly turned to see Ray approaching, a soft smile on her face. He said nothing to her as she walked over and sat down in the chair across from him.

  "What are you doing up?" he finally asked her in a whisper.

  "A nightmare," she responded, a shiver running through her. He wasn't going to ask. He knew how horrible some of her nightmares were. He didn't need to add that to his long list of reasons as to why he couldn't sleep.

  They just sat there in silence for a while, neither one knowing just how to break it. Ray began to fumble with her fingers, seeming somewhat nervous and perhaps a little ashamed.

  "Leon?" she asked, catching his attention. "Can we play a game?" He only smiled in response and quickly reset the chessboard.

  "Your move," he told her, letting her start off their game. She quickly moved out a pawn. Strange, that was different from her normal opening move. Maybe she was trying to trick him. Or maybe he was just thinking too hard.

  "Leon?" she began as he decided what piece to put into play. "I wanted to say thank you."

  "For what?" he asked as he moved out one of his knights.

  "For today," she began, hesitating as she reached towards a black piece. "For everything…for all the times you've risked your life unnecessarily because of me and the other knights."

  "You're welcome," he replied softly as he made his next move. He smiled, but she couldn't see due to the lack of lighting in the room. If there was one thing he had really missed it was this. He hadn't played a game of chess with her since Jace had arrived.

  "I'm sorry that we haven't been able to do this very often," she told him as she picked up a knight and moved it. "I know that since Jace arrived, I haven't spent as much time with you and Chris as I used to. It's just that…Jace is a knight like me, and I've known him since before I can remember." She quickly made her next move after him, inhaling deeply before continuing. "But…that doesn't mean I like him more."

  "What?" questioned Leon, pausing in his attempt to take one of her pawns. He just stared at her, waiting for her to answer him.

  "There are things that I do only with Jace," she began, "and then there are things I only do with you. Like for example, this. Jace hates chess." She smiled as she watched Leon take one of her pawns, and she quickly swiped his. "I guess I'm just trying to say…thank you. Thanks for being there, for always looking out for me, and for putting up with Jace."

  "No problem," he responded with a sincere smile. Maybe the putting up with Jace part was a problem, but he'd bare it. Ray never failed to make him feel better, even if she was the one who originally made him feel like crap. At least he knew now that she didn't like Jace as anything more than a friend. Again the question as to why he even cared aroused in his mind. He'd probably never find an answer. But he didn't care. He was content for now. That's all that really mattered.

  CHAPTER 27

  Deadly Mistake

  Dr. Solaris yawned deeply as he walked down the hallway of his base. He was heading towards the kitchen to start breakfast, since everyone would probably be up soon. No one usually stayed in bed past nine, and it was already eight. Then again, that wake up time was starting to change. He knew that Leon and Ray spent a lot of their nights awake playing chess. Then they'd retire to their rooms and wouldn't get up until ten or eleven.

  As he walked into the living room, he couldn't help but smile at what he saw. Asleep in the reclining chair was Ray, and Leon was sprawled out on the couch, both sound asleep. The chessboard sat between them, a finished game still displayed in black and white. Again Ray had won. That was no surprise. She was very good at the game.

  Dr. Solaris walked over to Ray and gently tapped her on the shoulder. She groaned and turned away, curling up tightly on the chair.

  "Ray," he called.

  "Five more minutes," she responded drowsily, her eyes still closed.

  "Your Geno is ready to be picked up," he told her, and he watched as a smile developed on her face. She slowly sat up and stretched her arms, a long yawn escaping her mouth. She turned to look at Dr. Solaris, a very sleepy expression still on her face.

  "That's good to hear," she told him as she stood up and stretched her legs a little. "I'll need a ride though." She looked over to Leon and smirked. She waked over to him and bent down near his ear. "Leon…" she whispered in a taunting voice. "Oh Leon…"

  "It's too early," he mumbled, turning away from her.

  "Wake up!" she shouted, kicking him softly in the back. He turned and glared at her before sitting up and yawning. What time had they finally fallen asleep last night? Two? Or had it been three?

  "It's only eight o'clock," he groaned. "That's not long enough."

  "I need a ride into Torran," she told him with a sweet smile. "Will you take me?" Leon only sighed as he stood up.

  "Fine, let's go," he said as he began heading for the kitchen door. Ray waved goodbye to Dr. Solaris before following Leon down into the hanger. Hopefully her Geno was completely fixed now. She began to wonder what kind of armor they gave it. That black armor had been custom made. If they had given her that one again, she didn't even want to think about what the bill would be. Oh well. Gordan can pay for it. It's no skin off my back.

  Dr. Solaris just smiled as he walked into the kitchen and began making breakfast. Just seconds after he heard Leon's car drive away, Jace found his way into the kitchen.

  "Good morning Dr. Solaris," he greeted as he sat down. He noticed that no one else was up yet. Ray was usually awake by now.

  "Good morning Jace," Dr. Solaris greeted as he began cooking some pancakes.

  "Where's Ray?" Jace asked. Why was David not at all surprised to hear that question? It was completely obvious that Jace liked Ray. He was like her stalker, but neither one knew it. He always wanted to know where she was and what she was doing and why he wasn't there with her.

  "She went into Torran to pick up her Geno," he explained. "She'll be back in a few hours." Jace just nodded and decided to wait in the kitchen for breakfast. It's not like he had anything else to do anyway. He began looking around, and his eyes landed on the chessboard in the living room. Oh how he despised the game. He had never been good at it. Maybe because strategy just wasn't his forte. He never understood what Ray's fascination with the game was. He did notice, however, that someone had been playing a game. The pieces were still sitting there, flaunting the black's victory.

  "Who was playing chess?" he asked curiously. He knew Ray had probably been one of them.

  "Leon and Ray," Dr. Solaris responded without even looking to the boy. He had a breakfast to make after all.

  Jace couldn't help but feel just a little agitated. He could tell that Leon didn't like him very much, and those feelings were returned. Why was something he didn't know. He just didn't like the eldest Solaris son. Maybe it was because of Ray. She seemed to really care about him for some reason. When she had thanked Jace the other day, it had been because he had saved Leon. It was as simple as that. Why did she care about him so much? He wasn't even a knight.

  Jace sighed and rested his head on the table. He was thinking too much. Leon had only known Ray for a few months. He had spent
years with the ace knight. There was no competition.

  * * * *

  When they reached Torran, Ray got out of the car and said her goodbye to Leon. He was going to head back to the base. There was no point in him staying there. A Geno was much faster than a car, so if he didn't leave now, she'd just beat him home. Besides, he was hungry, and his dad probably had breakfast ready by now.

  Ray walked down the streets of Torran, deciding to just wander before actually going to get her Geno. Maybe she'd hunt down Aaron. He was out of the hospital, but he hadn't told her where he'd be staying or what he'd be doing. Maybe she could convince him to work for the GRC. Then again, he wouldn't be able to battle. At least not until Ramirez was dead, and she had no idea when that would be. If he didn't have a job right now, maybe she could get Sam to hire him. She knew he needed the help.

  "R.C!" shouted a familiar voice. There was only one person who called her that. She turned around to be greeted with the welcoming sight of Abby running down the street. She had a large smile on her face.

  "Hey Abby," Ray greeted. "What are you doing here?"

  "I was told by Gordan to investigate the abandoned warehouse," she explained. "He heard about your little raid yesterday."

  "From who?" asked Ray, sounding both angered and shocked. How could he have figured that out? There weren't any news cameras or anything.

  "Jace told him," Abby responded, and she took a step back from Ray. The ace knight only sighed deeply. Jace was always doing that. He'd report almost everything to Gordan. Of course, she was supposed to do that as well. There weren't supposed to be any secrets between them. However, she often rushed into things and probably lost them information a few times. Those were the kind of things she kept to herself, like her exploration of the excavation site.

  "It figures," she said. "I guess it's for the best. Gordan is the general after all."