12 Chapter 12 - Getting Out

Manic didn't seem to be worried about Vicky. He just stood in front of her, staring at her.

"Manic. Is that the jammer?" Vicky asked pointing at the jammer in Manic's hand.

"Yes. Ironic, isn't it? If you freeze time a few minutes before it's switched on, you could actually stop me," Manic said.

"Ironic indeed. Just like how the preacher of 'protecting our friends and family' doesn't mind killing them too," Vicky said.

"Friends and family don't betray you," Manic said.

"So killing Leo was not betrayal?" Vicky asked.

"Leo. Leo… is not dead," Manic said approaching Vicky.

"Prove it," Vicky said. Manic looked at Vicky, and into the armoury. Vicky couldn't believe her eyes. In a black leather overcoat, a white t-shirt, and black trousers, with the same black boots, Leo walked out.

"Vicky," Leo said.

"Leo," Vicky mumbled, not believing her eyes. "How?" she asked.

"I don't die that easy," Leo said. Vicky remembered Leo saying that to her on the night their parents died in the fire.

Vicky ran to Leo, and hugged him. Leo hugged her back.

"But you died? How is this possible? We… we buried you," Vicky said, stepping back from Leo.

"I managed to save my mind in the game," Leo said.

"How? Is that even possible?" Vicky asked.

"What does your eyes say?" Leo asked. Vicky looked at him and smiled.

"Maybe it is possible, but… why did you not want to see me any sooner?" Vicky asked.

"I didn't want you to get involved in this. I didn't want you to die," Leo said.

"Icicle," Vicky heard the captain in her earpiece.

"Leo. I still can't believe this," Vicky said.

"Kid. That's not your brother. Get out of there now. I can't talk for long, they'll find out that we're communicating. He is not your brother," the captain said. Vicky looked at Leo.

"Hey! I'm here, and I'm never leaving you again," Leo said.

"Do you remember the night of the fire, when mom told us to run out of the house, that she was going to find dad?" Vicky asked.

"Yeah! You didn't want to go," Leo said. Vicky looked at Leo.

"Leo, that never happened. That was just some crazy stuff we made up and told Blaze," Vicky said.

"Yes. Yes. I remember," Leo said trying to laugh it off. Manic grabbed Vicky from behind. Vicky used that, to kick Leo, who turned out to be Blaze.

"Let me go," Vicky said hitting Manic in the face with her elbow. Manic held his face, as blood came out of his nose.

"So you wanna play dirty," Manic said, taking a sword, that was hanging on the wall, and continued "Well let's play dirty". Vicky took her sword out too, and the two began to duel. Blaze turned back to himself, and went into the armoury, he brought a syringe, with some blue liquid in it.

"Manic," Blaze said, showing the syringe to Manic. Manic nodded his head, and disarmed Vicky. He held Vicky in a headlock, as Blaze emptied the syringe into her neck.

"What was that?" Vicky asked, as Manic let her go. She fell to the ground, and continued "Why does it feel like my insides are burning?"

"Don't worry it'll wear off," Blaze said looking at Vicky. He kicked Vicky in the head, and removed her mask, and pulled down her hood. Manic grabbed Vicky, and took her to the elevator, taking her to the rooftop.

Meanwhile, the captain and his team were leaving the base.

"We need to get there now, I don't think that kids going to last that long," the captain said.

"I found a shortcut to the safe house," Sarah said, and continued. "Marking it on navigations now."

"Can't this thing go any faster?" Dash asked looking into the driver's compartment in the van. The team was fully armed, and ready to attack.

"Kid. Where are you?" the captain asked, but got no response from Vicky. "We need to get there now!"

The team finally arrived at the building to the safe house. They got off the vehicle and went into the building. The lift was coming down from the safe house, despite pressing the button to call the elevator, the elevator passed their floor and went up.

"It's coming from the safe house," Colton said.

"And it's going to the rooftop," Dash said.

"That's not good," Miles said.

"We split up. Miles, Kane, Colton, to the safe house. The rest of us to the rooftop," the captain said.

The group nodded their heads. The team to the safe house went first, and then the captain accompanied by Sarah and Dash went to the rooftop.

Meanwhile, on the rooftop, Manic dropped Vicky on the ground. Vicky was in pain, and couldn't get up.

"Icicle. Such a pity you have to go out like this. No one is coming to get you out of this one," Manic said and kicked Vicky. He grabbed Vicky by the back of her coat, and dragged her to the edge of rooftop, and held her on the ledge.

"You can't even have a fair fight?" Vicky asked.

"Since when was fighting fair? The dirtiest fighter wins," Manic said, and almost tossed Vicky off the ledge.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the captain said, pointing his gun at Manic. Sarah had her gun on Blaze, and Dash on Manic.

"The infamous Captain Daze," Blaze said taking his gun out, and continued "We haven't met officially have we?"

"Blaze. I don't think so," the captain replied.

"You see this gun," Blaze said holding out a pistol. "This can kill you in real life. I wouldn't want to be on the other end of the barrel," he said and started shooting. The captain shot Blaze's hand. Blaze immediately dropped the gun, and held his hand.

The captain walked toward Blaze, with the Dash and Sarah following closely behind. He took his pistol out, and pointed it at Blaze's head.

"If you were smart, you wouldn't want to be on either side of the barrel," the captain said and pulled the trigger.

"Captain. I'll drop her, if you come any closer," Manic said holding Vicky precariously on the ledge.

"Do you got a shot?" the captain asked Sarah and Dash.

"She'll drop if we shoot," Dash replied.

"Sarah. Can you catch her?" the captain asked.

"I could try. It's not a long way to the ground," Sarah replied.

"If you can get her, I'll shoot him," the captain said.

"I should be able to," Sarah replied.

"Ok. Dash, shoot on my mark. Sarah get ready," the captain said.

"Why so quiet?" Manic asked.

"Now," the captain said, and shot Manic. Vicky fell off the ledge, Sarah jumped off the ledge after Vicky.

"You think you can kill me with a bullet?" Manic asked.

"No, but we can distract you," Dash said. The two of them kept shooting at Manic, who was using his telekinesis to stop the bullets. The captain and Dash walked closer, and closer to Manic, while shooting.

"Come any closer, and I'll send these bullets back," Manic said.

"We're counting on it," the captain replied. Manic was distracted, thus not realising that Sarah was carrying Vicky back to the roof. Sarah's special ability was being able to jump large distances, and glide, therefore a fall like the one from the rooftop was not life threatening for her. Sarah gave Vicky a syringe of adrenaline, which gave Vicky enough energy for a few minutes.

"I should probably carry this stuff around too," Vicky said freezing time as Sarah kept her back on the rooftop. Manic had dropped the time freeze jammer, alongside Vicky, when the captain and Dash shot at him. Vicky pushed down the bullets, and pushed Manic off the ledge. Since time was still frozen, nothing fell yet. Vicky had so many bullets to stop, she almost missed one, as she tapped the last bullet on one in her timer.

As time unfroze, the bullets fell to the ground, and Manic fell off the ledge.

"You okay?" the captain asked looking at Vicky.

"Yes," Vicky replied. "Thank you," she said looking at Sarah.

"You're welcome," Sarah replied.

Dash picked up Blaze's pistol.

"You really think we could kill a person in real life with this?" Dash asked, admiring the pistol.

"Yes. I've seen the works of it with my own eyes," Vicky replied.

"Can I keep this?" Dash asked looked at Vicky, who shrugged her shoulders, and then at the Captain.

"For now yes. When we get to the base, give it to the commander," the captain said, and continued "Let's get out of here before Manic respawns."

"Roger captain," Colton said on the earpiece.

They got all got into the van, and took off from the safe house.

"I think the adrenaline is wearing off," Vicky said, looking like she was about to pass out.

"You'll pass out," Sarah said.

"Oh… we... ll..., "Vicky said and passed out.