The Fall - Part IV
“This place isn’t very big.” Hitomi said, looking down with the others at the map of the facility. “The biggest chamber seems to be that generator room.”
CJ nodded, tracing the hallways and committing them to memory. “Even that isn’t all that big. Here,” she pointed at a central area marked ‘audience chamber’ on the level below them, “I think we might find our quarry there.”
“I don’t know, this whole thing feels too easy. No guards, no defenses, nothing. Even considering the brazenness of the attack, it feels like they want us to come here.”
“Perhaps they do, Alana,” Buck said thoughtfully. “Andy told you the Reich was falling apart. All of the robots were in less than perfect condition. I wonder if the soldiers that attacked us weren’t the final loyalists left to this Anubis person. If that’s the case,” he trailed off. The implications in his thought were troublesome. He straightened, pointing at the map on the screen. “Look Cynthia, I know you want to face our attacker, but considering the situation I think it would be better to set the explosives and get out.”
CJ looked at him, “You think this is a trap.” It wasn’t a question.
He nodded, “But not one set Anubis or his fallen Reich.”
CJ was torn, but she saw his logic. “Alright. I can’t argue. Let’s get this done and get out.”
Their goal set, they hurried off down the hall. They decided to use a stairwell to get down to the generator room. They were about to leave the stairwell, when they heard footsteps in the hallway beyond. CJ looked through the small window and looked out. “Oh, hell.”
“What?” Hitomi whispered behind her.
“You remember our fiery friend that took care of Tepey?”
“Quite vividly, unfortunately.”
“He’s guarding the generator.”
“This is that jackal headed person you talked about?” Buck looked out the window himself.
“Yeah. So, ideas?”
“I say we just shoot him. I’m not sure I want to get that close to this guy.”
“I think Hitomi has a good plan.” Alana nodded, eyes a bit wide after looking through the window.
“Maybe just try covering fire so I can get behind him and just hit him?”
“He can set things on fire. You really want to try and hit him?”
“Not with my hands,” CJ hefted her improvised steel club. “You guys wait here, I’ll sneak up and hit him.”
“Buck, come on, there’s gotta be something safer!”
Buck pointed at CJ. “Just because you’re tough, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful, m’girl. But,” he paused and looked firmly at Hitomi, “I don’t see any better ideas. Go to it Cynthia.”
CJ nodded and waited for the creature to turn away from the door, paused to give Hitomi’s shoulder an apologetic squeeze, then slipped out into the hallway.
CJ nodded, tracing the hallways and committing them to memory. “Even that isn’t all that big. Here,” she pointed at a central area marked ‘audience chamber’ on the level below them, “I think we might find our quarry there.”
“I don’t know, this whole thing feels too easy. No guards, no defenses, nothing. Even considering the brazenness of the attack, it feels like they want us to come here.”
“Perhaps they do, Alana,” Buck said thoughtfully. “Andy told you the Reich was falling apart. All of the robots were in less than perfect condition. I wonder if the soldiers that attacked us weren’t the final loyalists left to this Anubis person. If that’s the case,” he trailed off. The implications in his thought were troublesome. He straightened, pointing at the map on the screen. “Look Cynthia, I know you want to face our attacker, but considering the situation I think it would be better to set the explosives and get out.”
CJ looked at him, “You think this is a trap.” It wasn’t a question.
He nodded, “But not one set Anubis or his fallen Reich.”
CJ was torn, but she saw his logic. “Alright. I can’t argue. Let’s get this done and get out.”
Their goal set, they hurried off down the hall. They decided to use a stairwell to get down to the generator room. They were about to leave the stairwell, when they heard footsteps in the hallway beyond. CJ looked through the small window and looked out. “Oh, hell.”
“What?” Hitomi whispered behind her.
“You remember our fiery friend that took care of Tepey?”
“Quite vividly, unfortunately.”
“He’s guarding the generator.”
“This is that jackal headed person you talked about?” Buck looked out the window himself.
“Yeah. So, ideas?”
“I say we just shoot him. I’m not sure I want to get that close to this guy.”
“I think Hitomi has a good plan.” Alana nodded, eyes a bit wide after looking through the window.
“Maybe just try covering fire so I can get behind him and just hit him?”
“He can set things on fire. You really want to try and hit him?”
“Not with my hands,” CJ hefted her improvised steel club. “You guys wait here, I’ll sneak up and hit him.”
“Buck, come on, there’s gotta be something safer!”
Buck pointed at CJ. “Just because you’re tough, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful, m’girl. But,” he paused and looked firmly at Hitomi, “I don’t see any better ideas. Go to it Cynthia.”
CJ nodded and waited for the creature to turn away from the door, paused to give Hitomi’s shoulder an apologetic squeeze, then slipped out into the hallway.
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