The Major

John could only watch as Tez drew his gun from his waist and began to speak. “We’re going to play a game,” he said. “A really fun game. Trust me.”

How did he get past the guards, John thought, his mind racing.

“Th game we’re going to play tonight is a celebratory game of the riots ten years ago. I don’t think many of you know this, but I played a heavy role in their instigation. A little test for my later excursion eight years later. They were, I hate to admit, the closest this society has ever been to collapsing. Even my little party didn’t come that close. So anyway, at this celebration, I’m going to randomly kill ten people! Isn’t that exciting? I’ll randomly choose a letter, and whoever’s name starts with that letter, well, they’ll die.”

Tez stepped into the middle of the room. “Mirus,” he said. “You gave a wonderful speech earlier. How about you choose the first letter?”

Mirus smiled. “Of course,” he said, tossing aside the remains of the stuffed duck. “Let’s try…” He took a few steps around the room, looking at the dazed Named. He paused over one particularly tall man. “Does A work?”

“Hmm,” Tez said, tapping his chin with his gun. “I got it! Abbott,” he said, suddenly straightening the gun and firing across the room.

John didn’t see who he’d hit but he saw Tez smile. “Isn’t this fun?” he asked. “Almost as fun as they’re having outside, I’d say. It was quite smoky when I came in. Let’s hope those storm clouds clear that out, I never did like smoking much. Pick another one, Reis.”

The man that had entered the room second stepped forward. “J?” he offered.

“Oh no, not yet,” Tez said looking directly to John. “We’re saving J for last.”

***

Mire felt the numbness in his fingers began to vanish as a flare went up into the sky. He had no idea what was going on, but it was obvious that something big was happening and that Tez’s group was going to be at the center of it. Focus, he thought to himself. If Tez is here, they’re going for John. You need to save him.

“Just hold on,” he whispered.

***

Izumi’s weapon connected with Watson’s, sending sparks flying around them. Izumi had to squint at their brightness. She stumbled back as Watson quickly recovered and lunged for Izumi, following through with a long swing as Izumi retreated.

Her swing cut into the wall, causing it to erupt into flames. “Whoops,” Watson said.

Izumi gritted her teeth. She’d have to get in close to hit Watson. Lightning batons were longer than normal ones, but only slightly so, coming to be just shorter than the length between Izumi’s bicep and middle finger.

Izumi took a deep breath and focused. Time seemed to slow as Watson moved first, lunging towards her. Izumi dodged to her right, conscious of the walls pressing in around her. The hallway was too small for a fight like this, she could almost reach both walls by herself.

As she dodged, Watson turned her lunge into a swing towards her. Izumi dropped to the ground as fast as she could, feeling the heat from the baton surge above her head. She smelt it as what was surely a few strands of her hair got in the weapon's way, evaporating into smoke instantly.

She cursed. Watson had always been faster than her, but in terms of experience, Izumi was on top.

She countered with a lunge of her own, aiming for Watson’s hand, but she was too quick and jumped back out of the way. Izumi spun towards her in time to block a cleaving blow directed at her head.

She pushed the blow back while at the same time reaching across her body for her gun. She drew it expertly and retreated, aiming it at Watson.

The woman smirked. “Go ahead,” she said.

Izumi frowned and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. “Seriously?” she muttered, looking at the gun disappointedly. “That’s a neat trick you’ve got going there, Watson.”

“Not my trick,” the woman said, charging forward.

Izumi waited until the last moment then rolled forward, under Watson’s slash. At the same time, she threw her useless gun forward, right at Watson’s face.

She dodged, but in doing so, left herself open to Izumi’s attack from below, an upward lunge.

Izumi’s baton caught the front of Watson’s jacket, causing the material to burn as Watson jumped back, trying to pat out the flames. Taking advantage of the situation, Izumi pressed her attack, ferociously slashing at Watson, pressing her back towards the elevator.

Izumi smiled as Watson’s back pressed up against the elevator doors. With an expert swing, Izumi flicked Watson’s baton out of her hand, simultaneously destroying the device, then leveled the weapon next to Watson’s neck.

Neither said anything as they both caught their breath, then Izumi spoke. “We’re done here, Watson.”

Watson met Izumi’s eyes, then lunged forward, grabbing both of Izumi’s arms as she tackled her to the ground. Izumi tried to bring the baton down on Watson, but the woman had locked her wrists.

As soon as they hit the ground, Watson let go of Izumi’s free hand, reaching for the baton. Izumi didn’t waste any time, choosing to punch Watson squarely across her jaw. The woman grunted but didn’t budge.

Izumi felt her fingers slowly being pried open. She gripped the baton harder, then wrapped her legs around one of Watson’s knees and yanked her legs towards each other, trying to break Watson’s leg.

Watson didn’t budge, focused on the baton. Izumi punched Watson’s side repeatedly, trying to make her let go as she tried to figure out what to do. She knew Watson was going to get the baton eventually, the woman was stronger than her.

In a desperate attempt, she gathered all her strength and pushed off the ground, throwing the baton as far as she could. It wasn’t far, but it was far enough that the pressure of Watson’s body holding her down lessened for a slip second as the woman dove for the device.

Izumi reached under Watson’s body with her now-freed arm and with her other hand, grabbed Watson’s neck, pushing the woman towards the baton. At the same time, she brought her legs up and, miraculously, escaped Watson’s grip. She jumped up onto Watson’s back in the same movement, pushing the woman’s head towards the ground.

Watson reacted instantly, stabbing upward with the retrieved baton. Izumi caught the blind stab, letting go of Watson’s head to catch her wrist instead. She squeezed as hard as she could as she directed the momentum of the stab towards the back of Watson’s head.

Watson tossed the baton away, barely avoiding stabbing herself. Izumi leaped off, after the baton, grabbing it out of the air. She quickly tucked her legs beneath her as she rolled with her weapon.

She had barely turned again to face Watson when the woman was upon her, kicking sideways at Izumi’s head. Izumi reacted, swinging with the baton. It’s wicked-hot blade shearing through Watson’s foot, severing it from her body.

Watson screamed, falling backward. Izumi stood and looked down at her. “As I said, we’re done.”

Watson glared at her. “You’re going to let me live?” she growled.

“Why shouldn’t I?” Izumi said, adjusting the baton’s power output back down to just shocking levels. She frowned as she saw the battery level had approximately two minutes left. She sighed and flicked it closed. She looked at Watson. “Well?”

“I’m a murderer and traitor,” she said.

“I know,” Izumi said. “But it’s not my job to execute you, and with that injury, I doubt you’re going anywhere. I’m sure this garrison will be full soon. Someone will find you then.”

Watson smirked. “You really think I’m done? I’ll come for you. I don’t care who you are Izumi, I don’t care if you’re my sister. I’ll kill you.”

Izumi shook her head. “You’re not my sister, Watson. My sister died a long time ago.”

She stepped past Watson, watchful to see if the woman would try and grab her as she passed, she didn’t. She turned to look for her gun and felt her stomach drop a bit as she saw it shattered and broken near the elevator. Instead, she walked over and called the elevator.

She looked back at Watson. “I’m just disappointed someone I thought was a friend and a comrade turned out like this. As much as I would like to kill you, Watson, what would that make me? When will this cycle of hate stop?”

As the elevator arrived, Watson laughed. “Don’t think yourself so righteous, Izumi. You’re no different than the rest of us.”

Izumi didn’t reply as the elevator doors closed behind her.

***

“Ralis,” Father Prosbin said. “We need more supplies. Do you have anything more at your house?”

Ralis finished passing a blanket to one of the refugees before turning to Prosbin. “Sure,” he replied. “What do we need?”

“Anything you can find,” he replied, working between the throng of people that filled the church.

The thousands of Revived didn’t fit in the small church and had been forced to occupy the space outside, as well as Father Prosbin’s own living quarters. They had already, with the help of the Revived, thrown out most of the furniture in the building to make space, but there still wasn’t enough, even as people began to climb to the upper level as well as down into the church’s basement.

Ralis caught sight of Maki trying to cheer up a baby held by a young boy not much older than Maki. He smiled then waved her over. She said something to the boy then made her way to Ralis. “We need to go home,” he said.

She frowned. “Now? Why? Aren’t we helping?”

Ralis nodded. “Of course, we are, that’s why we need to go. We’re going to go get our food, blankets, and clothes, then bring them here.”

“Okay,” Maki nodded.

Ralis blinked in surprise. “You’re okay with that?”

Maki nodded. “Of course. We have to help, right?”

Ralis smiled. “Right.”

***

The garrison on top of the wall was also abandoned, though strangely, clean, with no signs of fighting. As Izumi exited the garrison, she saw a signal flare go up in the distance. That’s where I need to go, she thought, starting into the street.

As she started to run, however, she realized that she wasn’t going to make it on her own, but— she pulled up her wrist communicator, snapped a photo of the flare and recorded her coordinates, then sent out a message to everyone in the area, letting them know of her need of reinforcements.

A few moments later, she spied an armored truck coming towards her. She waved them down. The car pulled to the side of the road and rolled down its windows. “Major Izumi?”

She nodded.

“We thought you dead,” the soldier said.

Izumi noticed the men in the bed of the vehicles holding their weapons a little too closely. “Well, I’m not,” she said firmly. “Just had some issues getting back.”

“I can see that,” the man said, eyeing her.

Izumi suddenly became aware of how tired she was, covered in scrapes and bruises. “We don’t have time for this,” she said. “We need to get to the President. He’s in danger.”

The man shook his head. “We’ve got soldiers pouring over the place,” he said confidently. “What we’re concerned about right now is you.”

Izumi narrowed her eyes as the four soldiers in the back shifted. They’re ready for a fight.

“Look,” she said. “I don’t know what’s been happening up here while I’ve been gone, but surely you know the details of my mission-”

“No ma’am, not with the Commander gone.”

Izumi froze, “The Commander… he’s dead?”

The man nodded. “You should know that Izumi.”

“Then who’s in charge now? Vice-Commander James?”

The man narrowed his eyes. “For the moment.”

Ah, Izumi thought, rushing forward. She grabbed the man, pulling him from his seat and out the window as the men in the back of the vehicle fired stood, aiming their weapons at her. She noticed a large knife on the man’s belt and yanked it out, pressing it to his neck.

“Who would have thought the first group I’d run into up here were a bunch of traitors.”

“Kill her,” the man ordered.

The men fired as Izumi ducked, using the man for a shield. Once their fire stopped, she tossed him aside, then cursed as she noticed the man in the vehicle's passenger seat reaching for his sidearm. She threw her knife at him, taking him in the arm.

She dove through the window, right into the man, slamming his head against the wall. “Sorry,” she said, throwing the vehicle into gear as the men in the back of the truck yelled.

She adjusted herself into the driver’s seat then slammed the gas pedal, throwing the vehicle forward. She heard shouts and, in the mirror, saw two men fall from the truck. She ignored them, driving towards the location of the flare as it started to fall out of sight, burning away.

Behind her, the two remaining soldiers fired into the cab, causing Izumi to swerve the vehicle, almost crashing it into the wall separating the road from the great Wall. Thankfully, they were on a straight stretch of road.

She grabbed the body of the man she’d knocked out and threw him down on the ground, so he pushed the gas pedal further, then grabbed his gun. She pressed his fingers against it really quick to release the biometric lock, then looked behind her.

The soldiers were waiting for a better shot, kneeling in the back of the truck. She leaned slightly out the window, managing to fire off one shot before the truck hit a bump.

She ducked back into the cab and turned to find the truck veering sideways into a patch of dirt separating the two lanes of the road. Using the bumpiness to her advantage, she swung out the window of the truck, gripping the frame as she jumped onto the back.

As she came down to land, one of the men tried to shoot her, but, due to the bumpiness of the road, his shot was wild and missed. She planted two feet on his chest and kicked him off the back of the truck.

Recovering, she turned to face the other man, who had drawn his knife. She caught his wrist, deflecting his blow away from her body with her left hand, and with her right, punching him in the neck. It was a dirty shot, but it worked. The man began to cough, during which time, Izumi pulled his legs out from under him with her foot, then shoved him off the truck.

She took a brief moment to watch him roll away before climbing back into the driver's street and slowing the truck. She gently pulled the decapacitated man in the cab from the vehicle and laid him on the ground. She quickly took his knife then got back in the vehicle, setting off towards the flare, towards the party.