City Drop, Part 6
Raelle bent down and whispered into the earth. Fredric, her familiar, comes crawling out of the earth. It had been a few days since they had talked. As Fredric had been travelling to City drop. Toot smiled at seeing him. She wouldn’t say it out loud but after the first time seeing him, she missed him.
She watches a few steps away as Raelle and Fredric commutate. But she couldn’t understand. Which she doesn’t mind. Raelle had explained to Toot about the unique way they talked. She had talked with her just after Scylla's rescue.
Her mind had raised; she didn’t see what else was going on. Beth step forward and whispers, “the Sergeant and her unit are safe”
Raelle looks over and at her, “thanks, drop of your bag. Just bring your weapons. We would talk long inside. We are just checking. Once we are done we move up toward the school. By nightfall we will be with the others.”
Nob ‘yes’ and steps away. And so does Toot. They both dropped their drags and started gathering their weapons and ammo. Allowing her to turn back to Fredric. Without her unit seeing Fredric crawl into Raelle uniform.
She quickly get up and turns to face Toot and Beth, “are you ready”
Both of them looked at each other, checked themselves over. Once done there looked at Raelle.
“We have everything ready. Are you?”
Raelle straightened her clothes, “I’m set” she looked at them, “there is one thing, if anything happens in there. If I think there is a threat, don’t hesitate when I order you to leave”
Toot step forward, “i will not”
“Yes, you will, if you don’t. You could die, that isn’t an option.” she take a breath, “i will only send you away if you can safe our fellow witches”
Toot could tell there was more to it but she dropped the typic. This being a rarity for Toot drop the topic all together. She didn’t want to leave her friend, her best friend, alone. And Raelle of all people knowing this. Raelle and Toot exchanged looks. Both know each other well enough.
“Let's go, Witches,” she says theatrically, almost like Tally, but as genuine.
They walked through the dark hallway. The only light coming from the entrance. But as they move forward the light starts to fade. Raelle checked her watch, it was later then she realised. They had spent most of the morning travelling to City drop, then most of the mid day. Gathering together and everything that happen with Pinshocks unit. She only noticed that it was dark out once she gazed back behind them. The grey sky, evidence of the night time.
She sighed, a little relieved knowing her people, from the Cession who arrived. A good back up, just in case.
They moved down the corridor, there was no door or deviation, until they walked into the large room. After about two more minutes of walking. That was deep under the earth. Somehow this large space was bright. They could see most of the detail of the room.
As they move inside the room, a small light about five feet above, the around and about fifteen feet. Lighting up the room bright. All of them paused, their heartbeat in their throat.
They all looked around, their hands on their weapons. They didn’t dare to move just yet. Not until their heartbeat slowed down.
As they finally relax within this space. Raelle noticed it first. There in the middle of the room was a bomb as tall as the room. Behind the large bomb was a walkway.
‘Most probably to add the chemicals’ she thought.
She had seen after the bomb years ago. While she was bored one summer day. She had dived into the history and the different kinds of bombs. This one was called if she recoiled correctly. ‘The flatner’ it, name says it all.
Raelle was the first to move, she walked over to the bomb. The other two followed her lead and started checking out the room. There worries across all their faces. Even feel safe to walk around there, dare not speak.
All three stayed as quiet as possible not to bring the enemy to their front door. She moved closer to the bomb, after a quick check she opened her jacket and let Fredric out. The little guy grunts his thanks and crawls away. Knowing what to do, without being asked.
She started checking where the off switch was. But finding nothing, she sighed with annoyance. So only thinking of one more option. She knew something bad was going to happen, this was it, then.
Fredric to crawl out, form the bomb. There they have yet another small chat. Confirming what she had been thinking just before. So with a little sigh Raelle orders him to leave and connect up with Nicta. Making sure she is in the clear and safe.
As she was about to ask the other two if they had any ideas. Foot step, echoes around the room. Not just any footsteps, footsteps that she knew.
Why does she know them? Then the thoughts flashed to her time with Camarilla. Her body stills. Her breathing became heavy. Sharp pain flashes her mind, almost making her fall to the ground. Sick to her stomach, She looks over at her fellow witches. She could allow them to die. Or allow any other witch to die by the hands of the Camarilla.
But there was more to it, something else she was picking up, that she couldn’t place. The only thing was the sense that something was wrong.
She could hear voices coming towards them, her body crawled. She knew the voices. She knew where she knew those voices from.
“You two, get out now, Beth, connect with Sargent go north of us. Nicta and a group of Cession soldiers are coming. Tell them, you're early. Defences are too weak. Toot gets Abigail and head up towards Alder troops and stops Alder and her soldier from coming further. By any means necessary. If that means having Tally connect with her, then so be it.”
Toot come close, “what wrong”
“Not know, just go”
Toot hesitated, she quickly gave the hand gun to Raelle who quickly put the gun in her back belt. But Beth understands the look of fear and threat. She drags Toot out of the room. They manage to get out before they are seen. Which Raelle is so deeply thankful for. She did a few more things to the bomb. Which brought a smile to her face, this might hurt. She wondered briefly if it would be more or less than getting ripped open and turned into a puppet.
But that line of thought comes crashing in. As heavy footsteps onto the walkway above the bomb.
She looks up, to see a thin man, wearing his white lab coat holding something. She could really make out. But she didn’t care. She slowly backed up, until she was in the middle of the room. Good space, she thought.
She locked onto him, smiles, “It you”
*****
Beth rushed back through the tunnel, and quickly exited. She didn’t pick her bag up. She didn’t look behind her. Following Raelle order down to the letter. She also added a few more things to that letter.
She quickly checked over the truck and did some adjustments. It didn’t take long before she jumped back out and darted toward the Bar. Ripped the door open.
“We need to go now,” she shouted.
One of the other officers came out of the back room.
“What” they said sounded tired.
“There is a falter bomb inside the basement. It looks like they had this plan for sometime. We need to move now. By daybreak that thing is going off. Raelle has stayed back to try to stop it.” she busted out.
The officer darted back inside the room and awakened the other two. There was time to argue, but thank the goddess there didn’t do that. They could just tell, and with that. Within moments all four were leaving the back room. Beth in the lead. Sargent at the rear and the two in the middle. The Lt from before still needed help to move around by the Officer.
****
Toot was a bit more hesitant; she didn’t want to leave Raelle alone to face. Whatever it was that got her so, panic. She saw her in that state more times than she liked. But this was so different. Like instead of memories it was right in her face.
That gave her pause.
She stepped out of the tunnel and watched Beth do something with the truck and dart into the Bar. She just stood there unsure if she should follow her instinct and go back inside and back up Raelle.
She connects with Libba and Grey, the easiest one to connect to.
-I don’t have time to explain, but there is a falter bomb. You need to get out of here. Have Tally connect with Alder. Though Alder she could tell every to get out.-
- -where are you- - Grey voice thought, a little worried.
-I am with Raelle, we have a few ideas. Don’t worry. We have a plan to get out-
Libba looked over at Grey she could just tell. That doesn’t really sound like Raelle. And so instead of side stepping she spoke up.
- - - I don’t think Raelle has any- - - Libba says also sounding worried.
-that why i staying, just tell me you will get out-
=We will=, Libba and Grey stay together and break the connection.
Saying goodbye was something they didn’t do.
With a deep breath she digs into her back, and pulls out a map. She could tell there was another entrance above the chamber there, with another heavy sigh. She pulled away her map and started up the stairs.
****
Libba walked into the main room of the basement they had taken. Her face pale and she hated standing in front of people when there were changes. But over the time with Scylla and Raelle she had grown. She smiled internally at that, not wanting anyone to know, how much she changed or who was scared right now she was feeling.
“Abigail,” she shouted.
She turned to face Libba, posture quickly straightened.
“There is a flatter bomb, we have to leave. Toot and Raelle are trying to disarm it.”
Abigail's blood ran cold, she knew of that bomb. That wasn’t what she wanted to hear. She looked at Libba and she could see that she was set up. She moved and saw the tear in her eyes. There is something wrong. She stepped forward, but Libba could deal with touch right now. That would help this situation.
“There more”
‘I don’t think there can, disarm it.’ she thought. But she doesn’t say that out loud, she could scare them, or tell Abigail, her childhood best friend that her sister might not be coming back. “Tally needs to Connect with Alder and get her people out of her. We need to move and meet up with them before daylight.”
With a firm nob, Abigail's voice booms out. “Everyone, we are moving out. Forget your thing, only your weapons. You have two minutes to get yourself ready.”
A few witches started to mutter among themselves.
“Look, the bomb they found is bigger than they thought it was. If we stay by daylight it goes off. We need to move”
That got them to move on the double.
They were out, rushing through the woods. When Tally, who was leading them, paused. She pointed ahead of them. And press her finger to her lips. Of them dart off to the right and two to the left. With a nod from Tally, they all dart forward toward the incoming threat.
*****
M stepped out into the clearing. They put their hands above their heads. With two other witches. Tally was the first one to talk.
“What are you doing out here”
“Tally, you know me. I follow orders. But the better question is why are you this far from City Drop.”
“That's easy, there is a bomb. We need to evacuate. It is going to go off by day break or in, our luck. sooner.”
“What kind” they said, finally putting their arms down.
She looks over to Libba. Who nervously steps forward, unlike saving Raelle from bullies. People with high ranks freak her out. And yes more than the bomb.
“It's a flatter bomb” she pauses but after know one say anything she carry on “Margo told me. My unit Sister. Who is staying behind with Raelle to disarm it. They said they had a plan. I believe them.”
Abigail touches her shoulder, getting her to be quiet, which she is thankful for. Grey also comes up close behind them. Which Libba noticed but said nothing.
Without saying anything to them M steps away and quickly connects with Alder. After a brief conversation M steps back to them.
“Let's move, we have orders to bring you to the basics up top. There is a helicopter there.”
Most of the cadets sighed with relief.
M walks over to Abigail and whispers something.
Once everyone had started to moving once again. This time without coming into contact with anyone. M and Abigail hold back a little.
“Not all are here.” M said.
“Pinshocks unit. Is dead and I'm not sure about Beth. Toot didn’t mention her at all. So unsure if she is alive or dead. We also lost another witch, while taking the basement. We buried them, close by. Cadet Sandy.”
Abigail said, just like her mother had taught her.