VI

A SHRILL ALARM PIERCED THE AIR.

King flicked off his light and bolted for the door, throwing himself next to it as it swung open. With practiced ease, he leaped out of the way before it flattened him and ran outside. The personal guards were too busy trying to put out the fire to notice him.

He waited until Pierre had come out of the cell to see what was going on and he burst into the room. Blue had taken quite a beating, he mused. Her lips were bleeding, she had cuts and bruises all over her face and one if her eyes was blackened and swollen closed. She was breathing heavily.

"Took you long enough." she groaned weakly.

"Told you we should've done this together."

"If we'd "done this together, we'd have both been captured, stupid!" Blue snapped.

King rolled his eyes and knelt to cut her bonds with a pair of shears he'd found in the storage room. Or engine room. Whatever.

"New plan. We escape."

King was incredulous. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"What are you talking about?"

"Our cover's blown. We need to get out now while we can." Blue answered impatiently.

"But Pierre-"

"Doesn't matter. We get caught, we escape or we take the pill. That's in the briefing, isn't it?"

"I'm not going anywhere. We can't just give up."

He'd expected Blue to change her mind and stay. He wasn't sure who was more surprised next: him when she ran past him and out the door or Pierre running back into the cell and finding it empty. Or at least that's what he thought.

A brass knuckle to the back of the head sent Pierre into oblivion and King scooped him up before he hit the floor, half carrying, half dragging him.

Blue had reached the end of the hallway, vaulting over the banister and landing on a sofa. King bounded forward to follow suit, until he realized he was carrying someone. Suddenly, a thought struck him and he frowned. He leant over the banister.

"Where are the rest of the guards?"

"What?"

"This place's supposed to be heavily guarded, isn't it? So where are they?"

"Who cares? Just grab him, let's go!"

"Oh now, you've changed your mind?"

"Shut up and move!"

King dragged Pierre down the stairs, panting with the effort. Blue kicked the door open and ran outside-

-right into Sergeant Keys. He signaled and the SWAT team moved into the house. A few stayed behind and surrounded King, aiming their pistols at Pierre.

"Thank God, you're here." she gasped. Then she frowned.

"Wait, why are you here?"

"Change of plans, cupcake. New orders from the boss. We kill him. Here. Now." Keys barked. He grabbed a pistol and aimed it at Pierre, who was beginning to come round. He saw the pistol and began to struggle.

"Keys, don't do this. I'll give you anything you want."

It was King's turn to frown "You two know each other?"

"Damn right, boy." Keys grunted, lowering the pistol "He killed my wife!"

"It was an accident!"

"AN ACCIDENT?!" Keys roared, clicking the safety off and taking aim once again.

"Wait!" Blue yelled.

Keys whirled on her, annoyed.

"He killed your mother, Chloe." he whispered.

King's mouth fell open and he staggered backwards, releasing Pierre. "Colonel Keys is your dad? Your name's Chloe?"

Blue ignored him. She turned to her father "The boss. She never said to kill him, did she?"

His lip curled "No."

"Then let's do what's right."

"And kill him. He tortured Sandra, girlie. The only thing that came back to us was her head in a paper bag."

Blue tensed. King knew she was trying to put her duty ahead of her emotions. He reached forward to console her but decided he liked his hand the way it was so he pulled it back.

Pierre began to laugh. Keys ran up to him and drove a knee up into his guts.

"You, boy." he said, pointing at King. "Go join Blue over there."

King hesitated.

"You're not going to kill him, are you?"

"I won't tell you again."

King shuffled forward, cursing under his breath. Keys barked an order and the SWAT team followed him as well.

Keys tossed his pistol in the dirt. He produced two knives and tossed one to Pierre, who caught it deftly and they began to circle each other.

"There's something about a knife fight that's just captivating, isn't it? Whispers of blades, screams of pain, blood. Especially blood." Pierre grinned.

"You killed my wife!" Keys growled.

"She got what was coming to her, Keys. Always snooping around. Always thinking she was untouchable. I loved her dying screams."

Keys charged at him and Pierre sidestepped, crouching and sweeping his knife in a low arc. Keys jumped and swayed to one side as a roundhouse kick missed his face by inches. He lunged with his blade and Pierre leaped backwards. They circled each other once again.

This time Pierre charged and slashed wildly at Keys, who parried easily and went for a leg sweep. Unfortunately Pierre anticipated that and stabbed downward before Keys could get out of the way. Keys grunted in pain as the blade sank into his thigh. Blood spurted from the wound and he hobbled on his other leg, ducking an overhead cut that would've taken his head clean off his shoulders.

Pierre stalked forward, grinning, as Keys backed away. He ran at Keys and jabbed at his face. Keys managed to parry the strike but it was a feint, as Pierre pivoted with a back kick that smashed into his chest and sent him flying, landing hard.

The reminder of the SWAT team that remained outside reached for their weapons, but Pierre took them out with amazing speed. He stabbed the one closest to him, using him as a shield to advance forward and dispatch the others. Within a minute, five people were killed. The rest of the team filed out from the house just in time to see their commander on his knees, held at gunpoint.

"Tell your men to drop their weapons, Keys. Or I'll decapitate you so fast-"

Keys suddenly broke free, rolling away as several gunshots rang out. Pierre didn't even have time to cry out as the bullets ripped through his body, throwing him off his feet.

Keys staggered to his feet "Good work, men. Someone pick up what's left of him and load him on the chopper, stat! We need to fly to HQ soon as possible. Lieutenant, give me a report."

One of the SWAT members stepped forward "No sign of anyone. We did manage to put out a fire that would've blown the place sky high if it'd reached the gas cylinders. Whose idea was that, anyway?" he scratched his head.

All eyes turned to King.

"Oh, come on!" he complained. "It was supposed to be a diversion. Well, sort of."

Keys sighed "Whatever. Everybody on the chopper. Let's get out of-"

"Sir!" another SWAT member pointed urgently.

Keys followed his finger and swore. Another helicopter was flying towards them and a figure leaned out of it. Even from where he was, King could see the missile launcher as she took aim. Wait, she? King frowned.

"Everybody on the chopper. Now!" Keys screamed.

King burst forward and ran madly for the helicopter. The pilot had started it minutes ago and he was gesticulating wildly for them to hurry up.

BOOOOM!

King felt the ground lurch beneath him and he toppled forward, landing face first. He picked himself up, groaning and glanced at the carnage behind him.

To say he was lucky was an understatement. Fires raged, snaking towards the house. Smoke billowed.

"Kid, get in here. Now!" the pilot yelled.

"No, I've got to go back for them. I'm not leaving anyone behind! Don't you dare take off without us!" King yelled back and he ran towards the house.

"Mr Keys! Blue!" he called out.

"We're here!" Blue replied, somewhere to his left. He wiped the dirt and grime from his eyes and caught a glimpse of them. Keys was unconscious. Blue was covered in dirt and ash as well.

More explosions sounded and the ground beneath them shook.

"We're going to have to run for it!"

Blue nodded. Together, they carried Keys and streaked for the helicopter. Seventy metres. Sixty. Fifty. The smoke suddenly cleared and the helicopter came into view. The pilot was grinning. They were going to make it.

Suddenly, King caught his foot on a tree stump. Pain flared on his left ankle and he went down, screaming. Blue had reached the helicopter and helped her father into it, strapping him in, when she realized King wasn't with them. She started to run back, but the doors automatically slammed shut and the helicopter rose. She glanced toward the other heli and her throat closed up.

The female with the launcher had spotted King too and she aimed at him, glancing at Blue as she released a final rocket. King tried to get up and fell back down weakly.

"King!" Blue screamed, tears streaming from her eyes. She pounded desperately on the doors but it was no use. They were too far away to help.

His eyes locked with Blue's and he smiled sadly. He mouthed one word. Go.

The rocket slammed into him and he was swallowed up in a ball of flame. There were other series of explosions and the house exploded to smithereens as the fire reached it and ignited the gas and petrol.