Program Erin

by Alex Fall

  "Look at her."

  The real world? Why am I awake? I didn't open my eyes, but I did squeeze them tighter because the night air was chilly.

  "What is this?" A voice whispered.

  Adrenaline surged into my body. How many of the whispers in my dream were actually in my tent? There's people in my tent that don't belong. Are they watching me sleep again? I cracked my eyes open and saw two shadowy men in my tent. One was digging through my pack, holding my Templar unit. The other was holding an unconscious Sharon. My fury blazed.

  In one fluid motion, I lept out of bed and elbowed the man at my pack in the face.

  "Holy! Sapphire eyes?" The other stated.

  The one I attacked dropped my stuff and stumbled back. "I thought you sedated her!" He said to the other.

  "I did!"

  "Largely immune!" I shouted.

  The one holding Sharon turned out of the tent and took to flight. "Cut it short!" He shouted across the quiet camp. Whispers sounded off everywhere. Were we being infiltrated by Benevolents?

  "No one takes my stuff!" I screamed so as to wake up anyone not currently sedated. Commotion picked up throughout the camp.

  The man I attacked slammed a fist down and crushed the ground where I would have been if I didn't move. Brute.

  Next he grabbed my dresser and tried to squish me with it. I dove out of the way, rolled, and came up aiming my shotgun. One hit in the shoulder, another in the knee. The kickback hurt my right hand, so I made note to fire using only my left for now.

  "Gunshots?" A voice asked several meters away.

  "What happened to the plan?" Another said.

  "Grab everyone and go!" A third voice shouted.

  "What's going on?"

  "They're up!"

  "Benevolents! Everyone, the Reds!"

  Chaos broke out in the camp, leaving me little time to react. I grabbed my pack and Templar unit and began suiting up. Dashing out of my tent, I strained my eyes to find that Flyer that took my girl.

  "Guys! Come in, please tell me you're all awake," I said into my crews comm.

  "I'm here. What's happening?" Vick chimed.

  "Man! Can't we ever get a day off?" Wyatt said.

  Moments later, Reggie came on. "Oh, guys. I don't feel right..."

  "Great. Reggie's drugged. Where is everyone?" I asked, trotting through the camp toward the direction I last spotted that flyer.

  "What's happening?" Vick repeated.

  "We're under attack, duh. Erin, I'm just now leaving my tent. I'm equipped and ready to go," Wyatt said.

  "That's a shock. Where's Lori?" I asked.

  "She's not in her tent," Reggie said.

  "I'm just now...whoa!" Vick's comm silenced out for a minute.

  "Vick?" Wyatt asked.

  "Vick, you there?" I asked.

  "Hey captain? I think Lori is in trouble," Reggie said.

  "Reggie, find Rick and Nicolette and stay out of trouble. You're not fit for duty at the moment."

  Some scrambling sounds picked up before Vicks voice came back online. "Sorry, bit of trouble."

  "Vick, Wyatt, look for Sharon and Lori. Sharon got taken by the Benevolents. I-"

  I cut myself off to dodge a wooden beam swung at head height. Brute? No, he swung to slow, and he has a lot of weapons. Bolt? Doesn't matter. I dodged a shot from his weapon, then raised my arm, spots on it flashed blue, and froze his left half down to the ground. The sound of vehicles starting up caught my ear. It was coming from the streets in front of the sales building.

  "I think I know where Sharon is!" I said into the comm.

  "Do you want us to follow?" Vick asked.

  I didn't answer. I was busy sprinting. I came around the sales building in time to see two vans peel out. I couldn't tell for sure, but I thought I saw Lori in the back of one of them as well. An airship began lifting off further down the road as well. Cowards! All of you, cowards! Don't think I'll let you get away that easily!

  I pursued the fleeing vehicles as fast as I could but they made good time in gaining distance. I raised my hand and made an icy spike trail in their path. Rather than run over it, they turned around and began to drive towards me, beckoning me to run faster. I took cover at the entrance of a shopping outlet across the street, but the vans passed by, likely looking for an alternate escape. I vented the heat from my unit, and kept running. Ignore the pain in my shins, there's still enough pain medication to get by. I should have burned out those vans, what was I thinking by not executing that move?

  I'm only a couple dozen meters to the tow line I set up the other day to one of my look out points. The sound of the airship lifting off and gaining altitude added further reason to run. I ran into the wall to bank my turn and grab hold of the tow line I had left here. It hurt my ribs pretty bad, which left me with little breath. I hit the switch to begin ascending the four story building, but the climb was too slow for all that was happening. I saw the airship passing the building. It's getting away. Oh no you don't!

  With hand outstretched, I began freezing one of the two main rotors. After about six seconds of sustained freezing, the right rotor slowed and the whole shipped pitched to the right until it tore into one of the buildings on the ground. Meanwhile, I made it onto the roof. Two rebel Flyers met me there.

  "Hey. I thought you were a burn..." One said.

  I answered by venting my heat from the Templar unit, then pointed at the two vans. "Can you get me over to those?"

  "I suppose if we both-"

  "Good!" I jumped off the building. A couple seconds later, hands grabbed under my shoulders.

  "Crazy person! We need to regroup!" One of them yelled.

  "Get me over there now! Or I burn him!" I pointed to the other guy.

  "Wait, what? How did this involve me?" He said as he led the way to the vans. The other sighed, but followed. Together, they flew fairly fast, just fast enough to gain on the vans, especially when I spiked their tires out. However, when we got close enough, the side door opened on one of the vans, and a bolt of electricity struck one of the flyers. Why it didn't get me was unclear. But that flyer fell to the ground, and the other struggled to keep the two of us up. For some reason, the remaining flyer seemed winded.

  "Can't... Hold...on!"

  "Drop me there!" I pointed to the roof. Without waiting for a proper distance, I was released and left to figure out a break fall. Great, I hope this works!

  I hit the roof of the building pretty hard, harder than I intended. My legs gave out, and even though I made the break fall roll, I was spilled across the roof. No! The vans are getting away! Lori! Sharon! To add to the scene, I heard the airship approaching from behind me. I thought I froze that thing! I thought it crashed!

  I picked myself up and began sprinting across the roof as best as I could. The vans were out of shooting range now. It would take a lot of concentration to freeze one, but by then the other would surely get away. And the airship! It moves faster than both of them! Oh, my head! Stupid concussion! Don't pass out now!

  A crazy idea crossed my mind. Oh...this is going to hurt like the unimaginable...

  To get a clear shot, I ran at the edge of the building, charging power all the way. When I release, this is going to hurt so much. Don't hesitate or I mess up. This is so much power I'm collecting. Please don't burn lash me across the eyes....

  I jumped off the edge of the building and saw my target: the second lookout post, a five story, singular tower of a building. I let myself fall for 2.2 seconds before finding the right angle. I will only have half a second before my shot is gone. Here goes nothing.

  "Airship in view. In pursuit," Vick suddenly said. No! God, no! I can't hold this charge in!

  "NO!" I managed to yell.

  I released the massive charge I had built up within me. I let it flow from wherever it wanted, just as long as it flew in the right direction. For a display of power, it was beautiful. I have only made a handful of these types of burns before. The flash of fire brightened t
he length of the street like a three o'clock sun. The intensity of the blast coated the area in deafening noise, blowing out a number of nearby windows. The intensity of the heat scorched the side of the building I had just leapt from and melted windows that were too stubborn to break from the noise. Loose tendrils of fire lashed out from the main blast stream, cutting into nearby brick and asphalt. But the most spectacular of all, was the blast stream itself. A huge, roughly two meters in diameter and many meters long, stream of fire jettisoned out of my body with such raw force, it shot with the speed of a slow bullet. It also melted half of the second story of the building I was aiming at, and liquefied about two thirds of the first story. The flash of light blinded me like a strobe for a moment, leaving behind orange hot glowing goo where there was once solid building. Only a few wires here and there or a loose panel of something managed to withstand melting.

  The force stopped me from falling and blew me back into the second story of the building I used as a launch pad, via a softened window. I crashed through the window, clipping my heels and right shoulder on the way in, rolling across the floor and ending up on my stomach. My body was trembling, on the verge of shock. I could tell where my newly acquired burn was placed, but the pain didn't attack me. That's how bad the damage was. My body allowed me enough time to watch the accomplishments of my work from a window.

  "Holy..." Wyatt uttered over the comm.

  The building groaned and lurched in on itself because of the soft support beams. The structure collapsed on itself and the rest of the building began to fall into the street. I heard the vans hit their brakes. However, I heard another sound, a crack of lightning. I couldn't see the street view so the next set of sounds made little sense to me. But what I heard over the comm...

  "Wait, the power!" Vick said.

  "Oh dear God!" Wyatt said in a panic.

  "Oh chekl pff-"

  Vicks comm became clouded in uninterpretable sounds and then cut off. Wyatt's too went silent. What just happened?

  As the building was going down, I saw it crush the left rotor and wing of the airship. That vessel quickly hit the ground, skidded and crashed. But the timing of the my crews silent comms and the structure hitting the ground was...unsettling. Please tell me I'm just imagining things. Please tell me that was just unfortunate timing. Please tell I didn't just kill my crew!

  "Vick, Wyatt, come in."

  Silence.

  "Vick. Did you make it through?"

  Silence.

  "Wyatt! Answer me! Gar! I'll call you whatever you want! Answer me!"

  Silence. Everything was silent. Outside was silent. Inside this building was silent. My comm was silent. Everything!

  My breathing began to escalate. "Guys. Please be joking or something, *cuss* it! Answer me! Now!"

  "Captain! What happened?" The voice sounded scratchy, likely because I damaged my comm unit with that blast.

  "Reggie?"

  "Yeah. I set my comm down for a minute and a bunch of commotion started. What's going on?"

  I dragged myself using my elbows so that I could see the street. "Uh... I don't know. Get some people down the street, now!"

  "Captain, you alright? You sound panicked."

  "Reggie! Get someone down here now! That's an order!" I shouted.

  "Yes captain!"

  I couldn't see anything on the street. Smoke and dust filled the area. I didn't see the vans. I didn't see the skiff. I didn't see the airship. I couldn't even really see the building I just took down. Did...I just kill everyone?

  I pulled myself up to kneeling position but my vision was swirling and thinking was difficult. Pain was there, yes, but it felt distant. Something else was wrong. The burn that I just acquired covered almost my whole front side, arms, lashed up my neck, hands, and across my face in a couple places, and lashed down my legs and slightly wrapped around my back. Besides those things, I noted the large smear on the ground. That's a lot of blood coming out of me. A lot of bleeding means something. Something dangerous. Why is it so hard to think? Why is my heartbeat so loud? Why is it so hard to breath?

  My comm was making noise again, but it sounded unclear. Ugh, my head. Is that from concussion? No, it's something else. I went to stand and the world around me felt like it liquified. I collapsed on the ground and continued oozing blood from my deep burns. How did I end up on the ground? Am I truly on the ground? Maybe I'm on the ceiling. Am I falling? The world feels weightless. Oh, I'm so cold. I'm still spinning. My medicine bag is falling with me. My medicine bag there on the ceiling. It's not too far away. Medicine bag has something I need. Something for my head.

  Something to make me feel…

  ...for my head…

  ...For my something...for...spinning...the ceiling...so cold...

  "Captain? Captain! What's happening? Where are you?" Reggie asked in a panic.

  What? Reggie?

  “Captain? Can you hear me?”

  He sounds so distant. Shockingly distant.

  Shockingly distant….

  Shocking…

  Shock…

  “Captain you're mumbling nonsense! Where are you?!”

  Shock! My head! Spinning! Bleeding! Cold!

  I'm dying of shock!

  I wanted to answer. I wanted him to find me. But I laid on the ground, my hands growing weak and unresponsive, my eyes growing heavy and tired. My head was still spinning and breathing was getting harder and harder the more I swelled from my wounds. I dragged myself using one arm barely closer to my bag.

  “Building...up with the...flagpole” I responded halfway out of my own mind. He may not have even heard it because my voice was so breathy.

  "Captain! I'm on my way! Where are you?"

  My heart is racing. It’s pounding so hard. I'm feeling lightheaded. I'm so tired. I'm so cold. I must be running short on blood. I'm going into shock. What comes next? Coma? Cardiac arrest? Death? I...can't...think! Medicine. I need medicine before it's too late.

  I saw my medicine bag on the ground next to me. It must have fallen out when I crashed in here. It's only centimeters away. I summoned the strength to push myself with one leg a little closer, just enough to begin digging through the pack. Shock...not a quick fix as far as drugs go. I'll need some of this, and two of these, and three of these, maybe two, and a blanket, and the ceiling, and it's so cold and….

  I let an empty gel package fell to the ground after I finished sucking on it. I'm holding a needle? What do I do with this again? And how did I end up on the ceiling? What's all the noise? Is that Reggie? What does he look like again? Ugh, I'm so cold. And who keeps knocking on the ground? Oh, that's my heartbeat. I'm beat...I'm tired. When did I lay down? Oh, but it IS very comfortable. Sleep will make everything go away. I don't even need sleep pills this time. When I finally stop floating I can go to sleep. Wait...when did I end up on the ceiling? And what's the needle for again? Wow, somebody has been bleeding a lot in here. I'm so cold...and tired...

  No!

  I jerked and my mind fell back into place for a split second. I had collapsed yet again somewhere in my lack of concentration. I spotted the needle I had pulled out. When I fell, it must have rolled away. It's only half a meter out of reach. Yet, already my body was lacking response, and my mind was beginning to wander once more.

  All the mental struggling scared me. I felt like the crows were coming, like they knew I was a dead man walking. I could die. Right here. All because I can't reach my needle. Tears formed in only one of my eyes. The other was too damaged I think. Please. All I need to do, is stretch my arm out, grab one needle, and inject it anywhere, and I'm saved. But...I...can't… my body won't respond. How am I going to die? Blood loss? Asphyxiation from swelling? Hypothermia? I should never have made a burn that big so close to healing from other injuries! I've learned my lesson! I admit my fault! Give me any other punishment, just not this!

  My vision flickered and narrowed. My mind began to slip away, and my hand laid outstretched half a meter from the life savi
ng needle.

  Please! Before it's too late!

  * * *

  Weightless. That is how I feel. It's as if I'm floating, halfway asleep, like I'm flying away to another world. Did the crows find me? Am I dead? No, I'm still in the same room I was in moments ago, I just feel distant. Everything is dark. And weightless. A silhouette appeared at the broken window I entered. It was the flyer who dropped me off on the roof. He glanced in and hustled over to me. I could sense my surroundings, but I could not respond. Have I fainted?

  "Wonderful..." He said to himself. He saw the empty syringe next to me and gathered that it came from my medicine bag. Likely, he wouldn't figure out why an icy spike was sticking out of it. I used the Templar unit to hand myself the medicine I needed. This thing indirectly saved my life. I'm just fortunate the unit still works. It's glitchy though, like my comm. And though I got one needle in, it wasn't enough to stop the blackout state, and it definitely wasn't enough to stop the pain. Fortunately, I was distant.

  He mumbled to himself while he went through the medicine bag. I could tell he was confused by its contents. Don't you dare try to administer me anything. I hope I truly wake up soon. Its making me irritable! And it hurts!

  "What happened here!?" Reggie asked over the comm. That question has been getting asked a lot lately.

  The flyer reached over and pulled the comm piece from my ear. I had the strength to look over at him with lazy eyes, but I don't know if he noticed.

  "Hello?" He asked.

  "...Who is this?"

  "This is Brent Maverick. I'm a flyer working for Rick. I found your captain, but she's currently, um...What do I do?"

  "What? What's her condition? Where are you?"

  "Second story up of the building with a white flag on top. It’s on the left side of the street. Northeastern window. Better hurry, she's burnt bad."

  "Does she have her medicine bag?"

  "Yeah. Should I..."

  "Did she use anything?"

  "I...think so. There's an empty needle here on the ground.” He bent down to pick it up. “Something about Plasmatic Restitution?"

  I heard Reggie whisper "Oh thank everything holy." My alertness was slowly returning. I was finally catching up a bit on breathing, but a lump in my throat was complicating things, and the more I awakened, the more the pain greeted me.