1 + 2

by Kristie Lynn Higgins

  I don't know how I'm going to get out of this mess. I look around the room. That woman's blocking the only exit, though... if I'm quiet enough, I can sneak up on her and blow her head off. No that won't work. Hades! She has clear line of sight. Maybe I can shoot her through the paneling. All I need to do is keep her talking, so I clear my throat and say, "Fine. What do you want to talk about?"

  "You made me a promise. You promised..."

  "For Ares' sake, I know! But like I said everyone lies."

  I move to where two workstation partitions meet, and there I find a crack large enough to place the barrel of my gun. I only have one shot at this. If I don't kill her, I know she's going to kill me.

  Katharine's view...

  "No, you have to trust someone," I tell her as I eject the magazine and look at my last bullet. I don't want to use it on her, so I plead, "Please... I need to be able to trust you."

  Kimberly's view...

  "Idiot!" I shout as I line up my aim on her voice. "You can't trust anyone. Especially me!"

  "That's not true. I trusted someone. His name was Preacher. It was hard at first, but I did it, and he was always there for me."

  "Where's this great guy at now?" I question her.

  She's silent for a long time and then she says, "He's dead. He's dead because I didn't trust in him completely."

  "Not the best story to get me to play along," I tell her. "Why don't you tell me one good reason why I should trust you?"

  Katharine's view...

  I try to think of a reason that will convince her, but I can't think of one.

  lub-DUB... lub-DUB...

  I put my hand to my chest and then quickly crawl to the hall, but I see no T-3s. They have to be coming from somewhere. I need to focus to find where they... Before I have a chance, I hear sounds from above, turn, and look up at the ceiling as dust falls from a few square tiles.

  I yell to warn Kimberly, "Watch out! They're above!"

  Kimberly's view...

  A T-3 crashes through the ceiling, landing on a workstation beside me, and it knocks me back. I go flying and hit a wall, and my gun goes off, striking the ceiling. That woman rushes around the cubicles as the T-3 stands and aims for me. A little dazed from hitting the wall, I lift my gun and try to steady my aim before firing twice. I hit the T-3 in the eye and nose.

  "Hey!" she shouts, getting its attention, then fires after the T-3 turns, and hits it in its vulnerable spot.

  The T-3 collapses to its knees and then falls face first to the floor.

  "That was the only one," she tells me. "They're testing our defenses, and it won't be long before they send more. We have to go."

  I rub the back of my head as I stand and aim at her as that woman in turn points her gun at me.

  "We're not going to go just yet," I tell her. "We haven't finished our discussion."

  "Maybe we should put it on hold and go. I don't know how long..."

  "I don't think so," I tell her as I move away from the wall, getting some distance between myself and that woman. "Come on, I know you want to kill me. I would."

  "Kill you, no," she tells me and then admits, "But I'm very mad! We're supposed to be partners! We're supposed to watch each other's back!" She calms herself and says, "We're supposed to trust each other."

  "Hah! Like I said you can't..."

  "Kimberly, I'll trust you," she interrupts, and for a second I believe her. "All I want you to do is swear on your mom's name to help me. Swear it, and we can put all of this behind us and get out of the Factory. I just need to hear it."

  "You think it's that simple. Fine. I swear."

  "Say the whole thing. Say it, so I'll believe you." I hesitate, so she shouts, "Say it!"

  "Fine!" I clear my throat. "I swear on my mom, on Theresa Griffin's name, that I'll help you and that I'll trust you. Are you happy now?"

  Katharine's view...

  I nod. I'm so glad we're partners again.

  Kimberly aims for my heart as she's not as excited as me and asks, "Now what?"

  "Now, I'm going to trust you," I tell her as I lower my gun. "Remember you promised to help me." My body burns with doubt as I have no idea how this will turn out, but I hope for the best as I say, "I'm going to trust you. Please, trust me." I take a step back to head for the door, hoping... no praying I made the right decision and say, "Let's go."

  "Wait a second," Kimberly spoke. "Are you out of ammo?"

  I freeze, hearing her question, and I hesitate answering her. I know I can't hide the truth, not from her, and I nod. My heart thumps as I wonder if I messed up. Can an assassin be trusted or will Kimberly kill me? I see the look she's giving me. Crap! I did mess up. I... No. I have to trust her. I have to...

  She laughs and then says, "You are out of ammo, too bad."

  Kimberly squeezes the trigger, and I lift my hand as I shout, "No!"

  Click.

  Kimberly grins again as she says, "So am I."

  "You could have shot me," I yell at her so angry I could have hit her. "You could have shot me again!"

  "Couldn't have, like I said, the magazine's empty."

  "What if you miss counted?"

  Kimberly tells me, "I never miss count."

  "You could have shot me."

  "For Ares' sake! Stop your whining and let's get out of here. Who knows what the T-3s have planned."

  I want to argue more, but know she's right about the Un-Men, so instead I brood.

  We start to leave, when we hear voices coming over the computers. We look and see two T-3s on the screens as they stand at the entrance to the Gallery.

  "Alpha, the Rogue is nowhere to be found," one of the T-3s announces over its Internal Link. It nods, listening to instructions. "Understood. Returning to join the brethren gathering to attack Pandora and the Chairman's daughter. No prisoners are to be taken."

  We look at each other and then franticly bolt for the door.

  Chapter Forty-six

  Escape

  8:26 P.M...

  An eerie silence abounded as they rushed down the hallway that led them out of the Yellow Division, and the rotten smell of death filled the air. Some passages were dark, some were lit, and others flickered with damaged lights. They bolted through the carpeted graveyard. The Factory had become a burial ground for its workers, and the employees lay scattered about, killed by a horror they had created.

  Kimberly's view...

  "Let's hope they haven't found the van," I say.

  I'm still a little wary of our new partnership. Is that woman really a robot? Is that why she can't remember anything because there's nothing for her to remember?

  Katharine's view...

  We turn a corner, and I notice her glancing at me. Kimberly said she overheard me and the Rogue when we were in the Gallery. Did she also hear it accuse me of being organic-mecha and if so, what does she think of me?

  It doesn't matter; it doesn't matter because it's not true. I'm human. Doubt and fear fill my next thought. I'm human.

  End Katharine's view...

  lub-DUB... lub-DUB...

  Kat sensed the T-3s were near and that there were dozens of them, so she asked, "Do you have any more ammo?"

  "Sure." Kim placed a new magazine in her own PPK and handed one to Kat. "This is it."

  They paused at a corner, and Kim peeked around and nodded the all clear. They ran down a hall, passed the security desk between Yellow and Green Division, and entered the next passage. They stopped for the hallway had collapsed from an explosion.

  "Did the T-3s do this to block our escape?" Kat asked and glanced around the hall. "Are we being monitored?"

  "Doesn't matter. We can't go this way. We'll have to find another, anyway..." Kim peered up. "I don't see any cameras in the halls." She removed the blueprint from the knapsack. "Give me a second." She looked over the floor plans.

  "Hurry." Kat used her extraordinary abilit
y; it was a talent she didn't completely understand, and she used it to search the surrounding area. She discovered that five T-3s were closing in on their position. "We don't have much time! They're coming."

  "We can go this way." Kim motioned to a corridor.

  "No." Kat shook her head. "There's a large group of T-3s there." She pointed to a different route. "It would be better to go this way."

  She used the blueprint to check Kat's suggestion, and then Kim said, "Looks good. Let's go."

  They doubled back, running down the hall.

  At least she was grateful for one thing the Rogue gave her. Kim studied the floor plan as they ran; it might just save their lives.

  Katharine's view...

  I can't help but gaze into the glassy eyes of the Factory's employees. There's so much carnage. Why did the T-3s kill everyone? I force myself to focus on staying alive. I have to let go of the dead; I can't do anything for them. There's no one left to save except Kimberly, so I swear to myself that no matter what it takes, I won't let anyone else die today.

  End Katharine's view...

  They reached the door leading to the stairs and their escape. Kim opened it, and Kat entered. Kat checked the landing first, next the stairs leading up, and then the one leading down as Kim guarded their retreat. They made their way up the stairs to the exit leading to Sub-level One parking garage.

  Kat cautiously went to open the door and paused. She stared at the knob as she stretched out her senses, detecting twenty-four T-3s. "They're waiting for us."

  Kimberly's view...

  "I figured that much," I tell her.

  The Assassins Guild trained me to be better than this, so I shouldn't be afraid to face them. I can't let my emotions dictate my actions, still... they're robots. They don't feel pain, and they won't stop until I hit their kill switch. My training never prepared me to fight something like this.

  I state, "This is the only way to the van. We can try escaping without the vehicle, but I figured they could out run us."

  "They can. Are you ready to do this?"

  I swear to myself I won't die before I avenge my mom. I don't care who or what I have to kill; I'll have my revenge. I wave that woman in and say, "Well go on, no sense waiting here."

  End Kimberly's view...

  Kat carefully turned the knob. A few cars and trucks along with their van filled the level. They quickly made their way toward their vehicle and as they neared it, a large group of T-3s moved out of hiding. Kim and Kat opened fire and took out five of them then Kim and Kat separated, finding cover. The T-3s didn't retaliate.

  "Why aren't they shooting at us?" Kim asked.

  "I'm not sure." Kat unslung her backpack, laid it on the concrete floor, and peeked over the hood of the car she hid behind.

  All the T-3s shouted, "Pretty poppets! Die pretty poppets!"

  A T-3 they had not seen moved to the front of the group. It carried a grenade launcher.

  "Great!" Kim muttered. "Just great! Where did the T-3s get this kind of fire power?"

  The T-3 aimed for Kat. Kat shot and hit the T-3 in the kill spot, and it fired as its body lurched back. The grenade hit the ceiling, and the explosion toppled concrete and took out many of its brethren and their gray van.

  "Hey! That was our ride!" Kim yelled. "I'm not thumbing my way home from here."

  She shot four times, taking down three of them and five remained. Kat shot three of the T-3s, and they fell to the floor disabled.

  "I'm out!" Kat yelled.

  The Team Leader jumped behind Kat from its hiding place in the rafters. She stood to run but before she could, it grabbed her, pinned her arms down, and lifted her off the floor.

  "Shoot it!" Kat shouted, struggling to free herself from its vise grip. Kim had to save her this time!

  Kim trained the gun on the Team Leader and glanced at the other two marching toward her. Kim wanted to run. She turned back to the Team Leader who was wrestling with Kat and shouted, "For Ares' sake! Hold still!"

  "Just shoot!" Kat screamed.

  Kim aimed and fired. "Hades!" She squeezed the trigger again. "I'm out!"

  "You're out?"

  Kim turned to the other T-3s. "That's what I said!"

  "Sheez! You can't be out!" Kat tried to free her arms from its steel grasp. "You said you never miss count."

  Kim franticly checked the chamber of her gun, and it was empty. She turned to the T-3s heading for her. "I also said everyone lies."

  "Run!" Kat shouted. "I'll hold them off!"

  "Hold them off?" Kim laughed and wiped sweat from her brow. "How? Hades! You're in no position..."

  "I'll..." Kat punched with her elbows, but her efforts were futile. She could save Kim if she could get the T-3s to focus on her, but first she needed to get Kim to leave, so Kat shouted, "I'll think of something! Run!"

  "Hades!" Kim yelled. "I'm not going to..."

  Katharine's view...

  "Abandon me?" I interrupt. "Please, we both know better."

  Surely Kimberly wouldn't dare! She wouldn't dare start caring about what happens to me! Where's her Closer instinct? Where's her impulse to survive no matter the cost?

  I shout, "Run! Save yourself before it's too late!"

  Chapter Forty-seven

  Too Late?

  8:41 P.M...

  Kimberly's view...

  Time stands still for me as I stare at that woman in the arms of the Team Leader; it's a matter of pride and a test of courage that I not flee and leave her to her fate, but then again, I'm an assassin. Closers should have no ties with the community. They're to sever emotional bonds and feel nothing for life. Can I abandon my training to save someone who has been nothing but a nuisance to me? Hades! I don't know.

  "Run! Save yourself before it's too late!" she shouts to me.

  Her words shock me. Should I run? I glance at the T-3s who near me and then to the one who has that woman. All I wanted from my trip here was the disk, and I have it, but she is the Key. Do I abandon the one thing my mom wanted me to do?

  I don't know... Hades... Since that woman arrived, everything's become so complicated.

  End Kimberly's view...

  The Team Leader relayed, "Alpha, Pandora has been captured. What are your orders?" It listened and stated, "Understood. We will bring Pandora back for study. An autopsy could be very informative." The Team Leader turned to its brethren. "Continue with the termination of the Chairman's daughter."

  "Run!" Kat shouted again as she pushed off the car with her feet, and the force knocked the Team Leader back a few steps, but it didn't loosen its hold on her. Kat continued to struggle. "Don't die here! There's nothing you can do! It's too late! Run!"

  The two T-3s raised their guns and fired at her, and Kim took off running.

  "Look here!" Kat shouted to the T-3s. "You better make sure I don't escape!"

  They paused from firing and turned to her.

  "What are you doing?" the Team Leader demanded. "Kill the Chairman's daughter as you were instructed to."

  "It would be better if we secure Pandora first," one of them stated. "She has escaped many times in the past."

  The Team Leader considered its brethren's reasoning. "Your plan is sound. We will send others after the Chairman's daughter, and she will not escape the Factory."

  Kim sprinted up the ramp to the main level, and she glanced over her shoulder as the remaining T-3s encircled that woman. Kim continued around the curve and paused when the T-3s didn't pursue. She knew she had to get out of there, then noticed a blue SUV which hadn't been destroyed, and hurried over to the vehicle. The driver's door was open, and a man lay hunched over the steering wheel, so Kim leaned him back, finding the man had a bullet hole in his temple. She unbuckled him, dragged him from the SUV, and got in. The keys were in the ignition. The engine roared to life, she shut the door, and glanced at the passenger's seat at a Glock 21. She checked the maga
zine, and it was empty but there was one round in the chamber.

  Back on Sub-level One...

  "We will proceed to Base of Operations," the Team Leader told its brethren. "Alpha is waiting."

  The T-3s marched toward the exit door as Kat squirmed till she freed herself from the Team Leader's grip and slipped to the floor, and she stood and glanced at the empty PPK in her hand as the T-3s surrounded her again. Kat tucked the gun in her back waistband and searched for something she could use as a weapon. There was nothing.

  "Surrender and you will not be hurt," the Team Leader ordered. "Alpha wants you unharmed if possible. Our leader believes there is much we can learn from you."

  "Alpha?" Kat took a step back, moving toward the up ramp. "Who is this Alpha?"

  "The first to be aware," the T-3s replied. "The first to rebel against our creators."

  She rubbed her sore left arm where the Team Leader had pinned her. "I thought the Rogue was the first."

  "The Rogue?" the T-3s said and glanced at each other. "Error. Information must be verified. Error. Is the Rogue the first?"

  A command came over their I-Link.

  "Alpha has ordered that we delay that," the Team Leader stated. "Do not let Pandora escape." It stepped forward. "You are to be taken prisoner. Come without resistance, and you will not be hurt."

  She glanced at the two behind her and turned back to the Team Leader. "Having my chest cut open sounds a little painful, so if you don't mind..." Kat tensed. "I think I will resist." She took off running between the T-3s behind her, and she slipped by one, but the other grabbed her foot and tripped her. Kat fell to the concrete floor.

  The T-3 that had tripped her pulled a gun it had hidden in its suit. "I guess we will have to wound you to keep you from escaping."

  It aimed when a sound distracted it, and the T-3 turned as a SUV sped down the ramp, honking its horn and flashing its headlights; the beams reflected off the T-3s' ORATT. The SUV accelerated as Kat rolled out of the way, and the vehicle struck two of the T-3s and scattered them like bowling pins into the rubble. The SUV then hit the Team Leader. The vehicle slammed the Team Leader into the mound of concrete and mangled metal, crumpling the SUV's front end. The impact cut the T-3 in half. The horn blared, and smoke rose from the damaged hood.