Perfect Sacrifice (78 page)

After what felt like forever, the light finally cleared, and what Ray saw pleased her so.  All that was left of the once mighty Geno was a pile of scrap metal and red glass.  The core had been completely destroyed, along with most of the body.  Half of its severed head was left, but the eyes had been completely blown out.  However, when Ray saw the inside of the raptors head, the cockpit itself, she couldn't help but smile.  The chair was gone. 
He got away then, did he?  I guess not even I can override the emergency systems.
  She spotted the chair and a discarded parachute a few yards away.  It didn't matter though.  There really weren't that many places he could run to.  His base was the only place in the area.

Ray just sighed and did a quick system check on her Geno.  Never before had she fired the four point cannon using all of its points.  A lot of the armor on her Geno had been burned away, and it was only at half power now.  It was enough to get both her and Leon back to Torran at least.

She began to head back to the base, her Geno moving rather slowly.  It could go faster, but she needed to conserve its remaining energy.  There wasn't a lot left, and the trip to Torran would be a little difficult to make.  If they were attacked during it, there would be no hope in surviving.  They would have to be exceptionally careful.

Ray stationed her Geno just outside of the hanger.  The cockpit opened and she jumped out, landing on the soft desert sands.  She then skated into the hanger, gliding gracefully on the metallic floor.  She didn't even have to call out for Leon, because he came to meet her halfway.  She thought he'd be relieved, but he wasn't.  He obviously knew that Ramirez had gotten away.

"Ray, that was amazing," he complimented, plastering a smile on her face.  "But you know…he survived."

"I know," she told him.  "And he's still here, isn't he."  Leon only nodded and then pointed towards an open door to their right.

"He went in there," he told her.  He hesitated before asking, "So what now?"

"It's it obvious?" she asked as she took her backpack from him.  "We go after him."  Her smile quickly slipped into an expression of extreme severity.  "We have to end this now.  We can't walk away until we know he's dead."  She reached into her backpack and pulled out a gun.  She quickly handed it to Leon and then tossed the bag to her side.  She gave him a small smile.  "Let's go."  He only nodded in response and followed after her as she skated towards the door.  This was really it.  This was going to be the last battle.  Only one side would walk away alive.  Either Ray or Ramirez would be victorious, and right now, it was anybody's game.

* * * *

Aaron ran down the dimly lit hallways of the GRC base, doing his best to keep the men behind him away from the control room that Gordan was staying in.  However, it was starting to get difficult.  He was currently trying to run while nursing his arm, which had been graced with a bullet.  It was really starting to hurt from all of his constant movement, but he didn't have a choice.  He had to keep moving, especially now that he was leaving a small trail of blood behind him.

Aaron turned a corner and continued running, dodging the few bullets that were fired at him.  If he just kept swerving and kept his distance, he'd be alright.  As long as nothing hit his legs, he'd always be able to keep running.  He was once a commander, after all.  He was physically fit, especially when it came to things like this.  Eventually the men behind him would get tired, and then they'd have to fall back.  That's what he was counting on anyway.

He ran into one of the larger rooms they had in the base, one of their storage rooms that was currently empty.  He was going to make a dash for the door at the other end.  However, to his dismay, he'd never make it in time.  One of the men fired at him, and the bullet bore itself deep into his upper leg.  He winced as he came crashing down to the floor, a small pained gasp escaping his lips as he fell on his already wounded arm.  He quickly rolled himself over onto his back, shooting a small glare at the men advancing on him.  He was trying so hard not to show any fear.  He couldn't.  If he was going to die, at least he'd keep his dignity.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" asked a rather cocky voice, one that Aaron knew all too well.  One man stepped out from the group, a pistol in his hand and a smirk on his face.  He brushed a hand through his mahogany hair, his dark blue eyes gleaming in the dim lighting of the room.

"Damn you Nathan," Aaron cursed, earning him a bullet hole in his right shoulder and one that just grazed his size.  He bit his lip to hold back the cry that wanted to escape.

"This certainly has been fun, hasn't it?" Nathan asked as his smirk only widened.  "I wonder if Ramirez is having this much fun."

"What do you mean?" Aaron managed to ask through clenched teeth.

"There's a reason why no one could reach the ace knight," began Nathan as he twirled his gun carelessly on his trigger finger.  "Ramirez is probably having so much fun with Leon Solaris and Ms. Cayden.  It's a shame though.  I was at least hoping to see her once more before she died."

Aaron ground his teeth together, trying to get to his feet, but his injuries were really hurting.  He was forced back into his sitting position, his eyes never once leaving Nathan.  After all, it was a stupid idea to get distracted when facing an enemy.  Maybe he could manage to get out of this.  If he just kept Nathan talking, maybe someone would show up in time to help him. 
Who am I kidding?  Who would be looking for me right now anyway?

"You really should stay still," said Nathan as he watched the ex-commander attempt once more to get to his feet.  "It'll only hurt more if you try to move."

"Shut up," he rasped out.  "I don't need you telling me that."  He fell back to the floor once more, groaning a little as pain shot through his leg and shoulder.  How could Ray put up with pain like this regularly?  From what he had been told, she was always walking around after being shot in the leg, or she'd carelessly use an arm that had nearly been broken.  He almost wanted to laugh at the very thought.  Almost.

"Well Aaron, it's been fun, but I'm afraid this has to end," Nathan said as he aimed his pistol right at Aaron's head.  "Normally the punishment for traitors is a painful end, but since you were such a good commander, I'll make it quick."  Aaron closed his eyes, and then he heard a gun fire.  However, he didn't feel anything.  Nothing had happened to him.  He opened his eyes and noticed that Nathan's gun was now lying a few feet away on the floor.  The men standing near him were all putting their hands up, and as they parted, he could see three very familiar people.

Jace, Abby, and Brian all walked into the room, each one holding a gun in front of them.  The men they were aiming at didn't seem to have any weapons.  It looked like Nathan was the only one.  Or perhaps the others had already discarded them, realizing that if they even tried to shoot a knight, they'd instantly get killed by another.

All three knights quickly noticed Aaron, his arms and his leg dripping with blood along with a decent amount coming from his side.  He obviously hadn't had an easy time.  They had already known that, however.  They had followed a trail of blood, and it had led them here.  There was no mistaking that it had been Aaron's.  Hopefully he wasn't too badly injured.

Abby and Brian quickly went over to him, putting their guns back in their holsters.  Jace stayed by the men, watching each one of them.  He kept most of his attention on Nathan, however.  After all, he had encountered this man before.  According to Ray, he wasn't someone to mess around with.  Despite his lax appearance, he was a very tough person to beat.  He always had a trick up his sleeve.

"Are you alright?" Abby asked, noticing the four bullet wounds he had.  At least he wasn't too badly injured.  However, any wound left unattended for too long could be deadly.  He needed to be treated quickly.

"I'll be fine," he stated, trying to keep the pain out of his voice.

"We should get out of here," suggested Brian.

"What about them?" asked Abby, looking to the men that had accompanied Nathan.

"We'll figure that out after the battle is done outside," he told her as he began to reach for his gun.  He might as well help Jace keep an eye on all of them.  He was just a little late, however.  A gun was fired, and he heard his fellow knight cry out, now gripping his gun arm.

"Damn you," Jace cursed as he focused his attention on the man who had shot him, which turned out to be a mistake.  In that one moment, Nathan had made a dash for his gun, swiping it off the floor and quickly aiming it in Aaron's general direction.  However, the knights were too close to him.  At this rate, any one of them could get shot, and Aaron knew it.

"Get down!" he shouted as he reached over and shoved Brian to the ground.  Just as the gun was fired he shoved Abby away and ducked down, the bullet just missing his head.  However, that was the only shot Nathan would be able to fire.  One bullet was all it took.  One bullet that caught him in the back took him down to his knees, his gun slipping from his grasp and sliding away.  Behind him stood Jace, who had managed to use his wounded arm to fire his gun.  He now returned his attention to the man who had shot him, the man whose gun was now lying in front of him on the ground.  This was a message to all of them.  The knights weren't to be messed around with.

Aaron sat up, followed by Abby and Brian.  However, neither one of them was in pain.  Aaron was another matter.  His wounds all hurt, and he was starting to feel sick.  He had never had this many holes in his body before.  Sure, he had been shot once or twice in his lifetime, but this was four times in only a matter of minutes.  His luck had never been quite this bad before.

"Aaron, don't move," commanded Abby as she stood up.  "I'll go get some medical supplies, alright?"  Unfortunately, she didn't even get to take a step or turn around.  Nathan had gotten back on his feet, and he rushed her.  Before Jace could shoot him again, he had already grabbed Abby.  He locked his arm around her neck, squeezing just a little.

"Damn it!  That should have killed you!" shouted Jace angrily as he aimed his gun at Nathan's back.

"I'd advise you not to fire that gun," said Nathan, glancing back at Jace.  "I'll snap her neck if you do."  Jace cursed under his breath and just held Nathan at gunpoint, not having any intention of firing while he was holding onto Abby.

"Nathan!" shouted Aaron angrily, earning him the attention of his former coworker.  He tried to move, but his side quickly began hurting.  "Let her go.  I'm the one you want."

"My, how heroic of you," said Nathan, the sarcasm dripping from his voice.  It was obvious that he was in pain.  With a bullet wound in his back, no one could blame him.

"Just let her go," he repeated.  "Please.  She's done nothing to you."

"The knights all have to die," he stated.  "It's a direct order from Ramirez.  It's a shame though.  I would hate to have to kill such a pretty girl."

"Damn you," cursed Brian as he clenched his fists.  He was powerless to do anything against this madman.  How were they going to get out of this?

"Don't you dare touch her," snarled Aaron.  He had never been one for Nathan and his sick mind.  He hated the former lieutenant and his "ways" of torturing his victims.  For men, he'd simply fill them full of holes.  The women suffered so much more.

"You have no right to order me around," stated Nathan, a smirk forming on his face. 

Aaron hated that look.  He was wishing he had something, just anything that he could throw at the commander.  He found just that as he moved his hand a little.  He glanced down and noticed that it was Nathan's gun.  That would do nicely.  Now all he had to do was time this.  If he messed up, Nathan would kill Abby.  However, she'd probably rather die now than face what Nathan had in store for her.

"You might as well just give up," stated Nathan.  "You can't win."

"Think again," stated Aaron as he threw the gun at Nathan, straining his arm in doing so.  The weapon flew so fast and so hard that Nathan couldn't get out of the way.  It slammed into his chest, and he lurched forward, his arm slackening enough so that Abby could escape.  She quickly ran over to Brian, who nodded to Jace.  The redhead got the signal and quickly pulled the trigger on his gun, shooting Nathan in the back once again.  This time the commander fell to the floor completely, and in a matter of moments, he showed no signs of getting back up.

"Is he…dead?" asked Abby hesitantly.

"I hope so," whispered Aaron as he cringed once again at the pain his wounds were causing him.

"Let's get out of here," suggested Brian as he helped Aaron to his feet, having to support the wounded pilot.  "You did a good job, Aaron.  Not a single one got to General Gordan."  A smile crossed Aaron's face when he heard that.  That had been his goal all along.  It was nice to know he hadn't failed.

"That's a relief," he stated with a rather large sigh.  "It's nice to know these bullet holes weren't for nothing."  Abby quickly got on his other side, and the three of them began to make their way out of the room, following after Jace.  After he had shot Nathan again, he had made sure all of the other men were unarmed.  Afterwards he had knocked them all out.  It's not like there had been too many of them in the first place.  Now they were all locked in the empty storage room, and there was no way they'd get out without a weapon.  The tides of the battle were finally shifting.  Now it all depended on Ray and her battle with Ramirez.  Hopefully she'd return to them alive.  However, Ramirez was a hard foe, off and on the battlefield.  This would be anything but easy, even if she was the ace knight.  After all, unlike Ramirez, she had one major weakness, and he'd exploit it to no end.