The Significant

by Kyra Anderson

  “Wait for me here,” she said. “Make sure everyone gets down into the Pipes and then shut the hatch.”

  She turned aimed her gun at a small area of the west wall high above their heads. When the bullet connected with the area, sparks flew into the room and rained down on them, continuing for several seconds as the lights flickered and the building groaned.

  Isa ran to the same wall, Remus behind her. She shot twice at a handle that was concealed among the monitors to destroy the lock and then she and Remus shoved the heavy door aside.

  Isa holstered her gun and ran into the long corridor with the wires and ports for the building.

  Remus stood at the door as Isa stopped at the section she knew she needed to rewire. She quickly unplugged all of the ports she knew to belong to Venus’ vital information, plugging them into a secondary port that blocked the transmissions to keep them from being copied to any external source.

  She was nearly finished when she heard Chronus’ voice in her ear.

  “I’ve counted sixty-three,” he said. “But they’re still coming.”

  “These cocky bastards…” Isa groaned, running to the end of the corridor and flipping two large switches, typing hurriedly into a computer.

  “Isa! They’re in the stair corridor! The security robots are down!” Hana called.

  Isa continued typing hurriedly. Once she was sure that her coding secured Venus’ information, she ran to another, much larger switch. She pulled it down twice, allowing it to snap back into position when the charge had been built.

  Isa ran out of the corridor and she and Remus pushed the door shut. Isa pressed her finger to a small touch pad under the desk and the clanking of magnets forced every component in the wall to be completely sealed in emergency lockdown.

  “Where are they now?” Isa asked, pulling out her gun again.

  “The southeast stairwell.”

  Isa watched an employee slip into the hatch.

  “Is that everyone?” she asked.

  “I think so,” Remus said, climbing onto the center platform and closing the hatch, securing it correctly.

  “Isa,” Chronus’ voice said in her ear, “I’ve counted eighty-three. Some were fighterbots, but most were human. All armed. It’s been thirty seconds since the last one.”

  “We’ve got human and bot,” Isa announced, walking back to the center panel and climbing on top of it with Remus. Remus went to one corner and pressed his ring finger to a very small sensor under the lip of the platform. Isa did the same on the opposing corner. A soft beep sounded and a small panel no larger than a phone opened up in the middle of the platform. A touchpad raised up from its fireproof box, exposing the black screen

  Isa and Remus walked to it, glancing at one another.

  Isa held out her hand to Remus.

  “Stand by me?” she asked.

  He took her hand.

  “Always.”

  “Chronus,” Isa said. “How long since one has entered the building?”

  “Fifty-six seconds.”

  Isa nodded to Remus and they both went to their knee, pressing their ring fingers into the pad.

  Immediately, the building shuttered and groaned, loud gears clacking within the walls to force the building to shut down. Blast doors slammed angrily shut, covering every door and window. The computers went silent, the lack of their humming noticeable to all who worked at the Syndicate day-to-day.

  Isa and Remus got down from the center platform and the Bronze Elites began filing out of the room, Isa and Remus following. They were calm and prepared.

  “Well, everyone,” Isa started as she reached the hallway. She turned around when she was out of the control room and went to a crouch, hitting her fist against one of the floor panels, shattering it. She swept the pieces to the side and turned back to the other Elites.

  “They wanted a fight,” she continued. “Let’s show them exactly who they’re picking a fight with.”

  The Elites backed away from the entrance of the corridor and formed a block in the hallway, the only hallway that allowed anyone to get to the secondary stairwell and, therefore, further into the Syndicate Building. The quiet and the darkness were unnerving, but the Elites fell into formation, three Elites in a crouch, shoulder to shoulder and two Elites standing directly behind them, all their guns pointed at the only area where the attackers could approach. They quietly crept backward toward the stairwell. Isa was at the back of the group, Remus directly in front of her, both of them with their guns ready.

  Isa reached the stairwell and everyone began filing into it. They scaled the steps carefully and quietly, everyone with their guns pointed at any possible direction from which they could be shot. They managed to reach the second floor when they heard the ambush. The footsteps and barked orders echoed in the quiet building. Isa and Remus slipped onto the walkway overlooking the control room, their backs pressed against the wall to stay hidden in the shadows created by the dim, red emergency lights.

  Both Elites watched the number of people filing into the room. There were some robots that walked stiffly, carrying their weapons as their mechanical eyes scanned the area. However, their design did not allow them to tilt their heads upward. Isa knew immediately that they were from Gihron, who had not upgraded to the new Soldier robot. Everyone remained still and silent. Two Bronze Elites were positioned at the door of the stairwell, two more along the stairs, their guns pointed at the opening.

  When they started speaking Gihoric, Isa had to close her eyes and grit her teeth against the harsh-sounding language.

  “They’ve probably evacuated.”

  “No, they’re here,” the man said. Isa immediate opened her eyes and pinpointed his location. “The lockdown was initiated from the inside. Get a bot plugged in. Get what you can.”

  “Arna, get in here!”

  Remus nudged Isa gently but she shook her head, craning her neck to look down at the intruders. She held up one finger, reminding him that they only had one shot. A few of the soldiers climbed onto the center platform.

  “Think this is where they are?” one asked.

  “R-Team,” the leader ordered. “Come with me.” He began to lead some of his men out of the room, calling back orders. “Get what you can,” he repeated. “And see if you can find a panic room. That bitch is in here somewhere.”

  Isa quickly aimed her gun, pointing it at the broken tile on the floor. She took a deep breath, steadying herself.

  She fired the gun and everyone turned. The Sergeant was about to go back in the room and see what happened, but he was stopped by the loud humming and cracking of electricity. The robot fighters let out high whines and collapsed, the high-voltage passing through their feet and frying their wires. The humans were unable to make a sound as the electricity passed through them, their expressions lit up by the occasional streak of white energy and sparks that showered over them from the doubly-charged, weaponized floor.

  The four soldiers standing on the center platform dropped to a crouch, watching in horror as the others collapsed. They had no idea that the center platform was completely grounded to protect the machines that ran the building in the area the Syndicate called the Pipes.

  However, they did not have time to figure out that they were not electrocuted. Remus and Isa both fired shots, taking all four of them out with terrifying accuracy.

  “UP!” the Sergeant bellowed. A round of cries and whooping followed as the surviving attackers ran toward the stairs. Isa knew they had only killed thirty of them with the electricity, but she was not worried. She knew that they could handle the ambush.

  She and Remus moved to the other side of the hall, even though no one was willing to go into the control room to shoot them, not sure if the floor was still live with voltage. The Bronze Elites remained in their formation.

  Bullets started firing from both sides. The Elites moved into the walkway, stepping backwards, firing with more accuracy than the human attackers. The Elites were sure to take out all fight
er bots first, raining bullets along the front line of ambushers and forcing the ones behind to trip over the fallen bodies, slowing them down as the Elites went into the hallway, two slipping into each alcove that was meant to look like a design choice by the architects, but was actually a tactical point in the building’s construction.

  Isa and Remus were in the alcove furthest from the stairwell, and Hana remained in the hallway to draw the enemies out. When she saw the first few faces of the ambushers appear, she turned and ran, around the corner.

  “There!” one man bellowed.

  Hearing that someone had spotted the Elites, they surged into the hallway and were met with bullets ripping into them. The Elites all had their guns out of the alcove, peering carefully out as they shot down the next wave of intruders. Their bodies fell heavily to the floor, once again slowing those behind as they tried to navigate around the corpses of their comrades.

  Several Elites had to reload, but once the guns were prepare to fire again, Isa called to move again. They all moved out of their alcoves, the Bronze Elites at the front continuing to shoot at the intruders. Bullets fired back. Isa, at the back of the group, saw two of her Elites sustain small injuries that they ignored as they moved around the hallway to the next tactical part of the building.

  However, as they were about to slip into the next alcove set at the pinch point in the hallway, Aolee heard a sound he recognized immediately.

  “Grenade!”

  The Elites darted out of their hiding spots and ran toward the next set of stairs, firing over their shoulders as the bullets chased them.

  A concussion through the hallway sent them all reeling, collapsing to the ground as glass shattered and the building groaned once more. Their ears were ringing, and they could not hear the orders of the intruders as they picked themselves up.

  Remus hauled Isa to her feet and put her behind him immediately as she tried to orient herself. The other Elites were scrambling to their feet, a few more sustaining injuries that were more serious.

  “Go!” Remus snapped, shoving Isa into the next stairwell. When he turned around, gunfire sounded and two bullets struck him, one whizzing past his ear. The bullet in his shoulder was not concerning. The one that lodged into his abdomen, however, caused searing hot pain to blind him temporarily. He pushed past it, raising his gun again and firing multiple times.

  “Are you alright?” he called, looking at Isa as the Bronze Elites created their formation once more, climbing into the stairwell.

  The Silver Elite stopped at the sight of blood on the stairs.

  Isa was holding onto her side, shaking her head.

  “I’m fine,” she assured through grit teeth. “Broken rib, but lung’s fine.”

  Remus, too, had his hand over the bullet wound in his stomach.

  “Come on,” he said quickly.

  “No, we’re not breaking formation,” Isa said, steadying her gun once more and firing into the bottom of the stairwell over her Bronze Elite’s heads into the neck of one attacker. She turned the bend in the stairs and leaned over the railing, shooting again.

  “There she is!” the Sergeant bellowed.

  The men who were still alive and fighting leapt at the Elites, bringing them to the ground and breaking their defense line, allowing the Sergeant and two other attackers into the stairwell.

  “Go! Go!” Remus barked, shoving Isa up the stairs. He turned and fired several shots, but only managed to take out one of the two grunts. He ran to the top of the stairs where Isa was waiting, her gun drawn.

  “Get into the alcove,” he said, pushing her once more.

  Before his hand left her shoulder, another bullet tore through his body, hitting him just below the shoulder blade on his left side.

  Isa steadied her gun and shot the person at the top of the stairs, causing him to fall backward and tumble down the flight.

  Remus was on the ground, groaning and holding the wound.

  “Stay calm, Remus,” Isa whispered, crouching next to him and touching his shoulder. She touched the earpiece quickly. “Chronus, we need the emergency crews ready. Remus has been shot repeatedly.”

  “They’re standing by outside,” he assured, his voice betraying his worry.

  “Well, well,” a voice said, his accent thick and reminiscent of an old adversary. Isa stood immediately and pointed her gun at the Sergeant, “I did not believe them when they said you were more beautiful in person.”

  His gun was lax at his side as he stood in the stairwell, clearly believing the Golden Elite was not a threat. Isa’s eyes were unblinking as she stared at him, her gun aimed at his head.

  “And that fire in your eyes, it’s so…arousing,” he said, taking one step forward. Isa tried to hear past him to understand the situation with her Bronze Elites. “I wonder how many men have been fortunate enough to see that look. I guess I should consider myself lucky.”

  “I can think of one other person,” Isa said darkly. “Someone you once knew.”

  His face fell.

  “When you see him in hell, tell him I’m sending more.”

  She pulled the trigger and watched the bullet rip through his head. He fell backward and tumbled limply down the stairs.

  “Isa!” Hana called, darting over the bodies and to Isa.

  “Anyone hurt?”

  “A couple, none fatal,” the Bronze Elite assured.

  “Good, we need to get this lockdown lifted,” Isa said, tossing the gun to the ground and grabbing the groaning and gasping Remus. “Help me get him to the control room.”

  Elites who were less injured help carry Remus to the second floor once more. Isa quickly broke a hole in the wall with her fist and pulled the wires loose so the floor was, once again, safe to tread on. She jumped onto the platform and helped heave Remus toward the touchpad. He groaned in agony, his face contorted.

  “Stay with me,” Isa said quietly, pulling him to one corner and pulling his finger away from the wound, wiping it on her uniform before pressing it to the sensor. “Stay with me, Remus,” she snapped, crawling hurriedly to the other corner and pressing her finger to the sensor. Once again, the panel raised in the center of the platform.

  She turned around quickly when she heard the other Elites yell at Remus.

  He had gone very still.

  “Remus!” Isa cried, crawling over and grabbing him once more, hauling him along the surface of the platform and pressing his finger to the touchpad next to her own. “Don’t you dare,” she hissed. “You promised me. Always. Remember?”

  The building clanked once more and a soft humming resumed.

  Isa angrily pressed her finger to the communicator.

  “Get the EMU in here, now!”

  She pressed her hand tightly over the wound in Remus’ chest and bent her head over his, closing her eyes tightly, every moment passing like an eternity.

  Kailynn ran out of the elevator at the hospital and to the figure standing alone in the hallway.

  She wrapped her arms around the Golden Elite as Isa held her tightly, her eyes closing and a shuddered breath leaving her.

  “Are you alright?” Kailynn whispered.

  “I’m fine,” Isa assured, lifting her shirt slowly to show the bandages around her abdomen. “Just a minor wound and a broken rib. Otherwise, I’m fine.”

  “And everyone else?”

  Isa swallowed hard and glanced back at the window in which she had been staring. In the single bed, Remus was still and pale, hooked up to various monitors and machines.

  “They said that…” Isa took a deep breath, “another twenty minutes and he could have been beyond help.” Her voice shook as she spoke the words. “But Dr. Busen is sure that he’ll make a full recovery, with time. Everyone else is fine.”

  Kailynn ran a hand over Isa’s hair, looking over her pale and worn features. The way Isa looked at the sleeping Silver Elite gave Kailynn pause. She blinked at the Elite, her hand slowly dropping to Isa’s shoulder.

  “You love him
,” she stated. Isa turned to look at her. “You love him very deeply.”

  Isa swallowed hard and closed her eyes, nodding slowly.

  “I do,” she said. “Very much.” She wrapped a hand around the back of Kailynn’s neck as she pressed her forehead to the younger woman’s. “But it’s not the same,” she continued. “I never felt with Remus what I feel with you.”

  Kailynn closed her eyes and pecked a kiss on the Elite’s lips.

  “We both love you,” Kailynn murmured. “We’ll both stay with you, no matter what.”

  Isa opened her eyes and backed away from Kailynn, looking over her face, gently tucking some hair behind her ear.

  “Always?”

  “Always.”

  Isa dropped her head, her eyes tired.

  “Even through war?”

  Kailynn took Isa’s face in both hands.

  “Look at me,” she said. Isa’s eyes met Kailynn’s. “Always.”

  Chapter Thirty

  War moved much slower than Kailynn anticipated.

  After the attack on the Syndicate Building, she was sure they would be bombed every day and have people flooding the city, trying to attack the Syndicate. She was jumpy and nervous, constantly checking every out-of-place noise. It took her a week before she finally started to settle again.

  In that week, Isa went from working hard, to being near the point of collapse.

  Kailynn returned to Anon Tower a week after the attack on the Syndicate Building with Rayal and they were both surprised to see Dr. Busen punching the code into the front door.

  “Dr. Busen,” Rayal greeted. “Is everything alright?”

  “I appear to have an AWOL patient,” Dr. Busen chuckled. “I’m trying to track her down.”

  “She said she had an appointment to see you yesterday,” Kailynn said, walking into the home with the doctor.

  “She did,” Dr. Busen affirmed, sighing, “however, she stood me up.”

  “Things have been crazy lately,” Rayal said.