Gunshots

Several gunshots echoed in the whole basement causing the kids to cover their ears and cry because of fear. Pharis who was surprised immediately stood up from resting. 

Kiel glared at Pharis and said, "What could your mother be planning now?" 

"How would I know?" she answered and rolled her eyes. 

"Tsk," he replied and turned to the kids. "You know what to do when someone comes to attack us, okay?" 

The boy nodded and looked at the door bravely while the girls just cried. 

They can hear loud sounds outside the cage and the screams of the guards that are exchanging shots with Lunari but they aren't aware of that. 

Pharis thought that this may be a good chance to escape so she looked at the kids. "Something must be happening outside. This is our chance to escape," she said. 

"But how?" the girl asked. 

"I will try to melt these bars again but you have to bear it," she replied. The kids looked at each other then returned their gazes to her to nod. 

As the sounds of gunshots continue, she held the bars firmly. If she could only melt these bars, there is a chance they can escape while there is chaos outside. But then the gunshots stop taking all of their attention. 

"What is happening, brother?" the girls asked. 

"I don't know too…" the boy answered. 

All of them are looking at the metal door because it is now quiet outside and that is even scarier for them. 

Then suddenly, someone banged the door causing them to gasp. Kiel cursed and get ready to aim for the person who will open the door. He feared that it may be an enemy or a failed experiment of Deviant that escaped. 

It will be dangerous for them because they can't escape the cages. He must think fast so he can protect the kids. 

Meanwhile, Pharis stared at the door while forming a ball of fire on her palms. She thought that if she could tackle the person who will enter the door, she could force him to release them. 

The banging continued making their hearts race. They don't know who's going to enter that door. It can be an ally or an enemy but whoever it is, they must be prepared to attack. 

Finally, the door slammed open as Kiel was about to aim at the person who smashed the door open but the person spoke causing all of them to cease. 

"I'm an ally!" 

Pharis looked at that person who has a familiar voice and spoke, "Luna?" 

The woman who's now crying is looking at her. Her right arm is bleeding but she still tried her best to open the metal door. 

"Pharis…" the woman cried. 

Pharis couldn't help but smile as she stared at the woman. She came to save her but she is badly injured right now. 

Lunari thought she wouldn't make it but she did. Finally, she got to see her. Lunari walked towards Pharis's cage while holding her bleeding arm. 

"I'm so sorry…" she told Pharis. 

"It's okay, Aunt Luna," she smiled at the woman but they were interrupted when Kiel spoke. 

"I know you!" he growled at Lunari. "You are one of them!" He hates her so much because she's one of the people that put them in this hell. 

His claws grew as anger starts taking over him. "I won't forgive all of you!" he yelled. 

"I know… I regretted everything I did and now, I'm willing to make everything right. I will get you all out of here," she replied. 

"Where are the others? What did you do to them?!" Kiel's heart is fuming in anger. Seeing this woman in front of him makes his blood boil and veins pop out. 

Lunari looked down sadly, "I'm very sorry, they didn't make it." 

Kiel's knees weakened after hearing what she said. "No…" he blurted out. He couldn't believe what the woman said. It's too hard for him to accept that his friends had died as his tears fell from his eyes. 

Pharis bite her lips and asked with her eyes, tightly closed, "How long have you guys been doing this?"  She's so disappointed with Lunari and that is because she always believed that she's a nice woman. 

"Ever since you were a baby…" she replied. 

"Why?" she asked her aunt.

"I won't justify my wrongdoings anymore. I just want to do everything I can do now to save you and stop Penelope with her plans," she said and took the flash drive inside her pocket and handed it to Pharis. "Take this. I found this from your father's things and you must see what is inside that." 

"Why? What's inside this?" 

"There is no time to explain, I must open your cages now before the other guards reach this place." 

She said and went outside and typed the password and used the dead guard's fingerprints to open the cage's lock. It turned green as a sign that the access is granted. The cage's lock, automatically opens, releasing them all. 

The kids cried happily as they hugged each other. They run towards Kiel and hugged him happily. "Don't be too happy, we are not safe yet," he said to the kids. 

"That's right. We must escape first," Lunari agreed as they went out of the room. 

She leads them and took the guns from the guards and gave them to Kiel, Pharis, and the boy. "You have to protect yourself," she said. 

"Why are you helping us now?" Kiel glared at the woman. He doesn't want to receive help from the person he despises. Right now, he doesn't have any choices and he hates that. He hates that they need her help to escape from that hellish cage. 

The woman beamed at her and answered, "Just like what I said earlier, I just want to make things right," and then looked at Pharis. 

Pharis looked away and replied, "That doesn't excuse you from all your mistakes. You will all pay for it." She doesn't hate the woman but she hates what she did. 

'I know, Pharis. I will," she said and smiled. "But we have to escape first--" 

The loud sound of gunshot suddenly astounded all of them especially Pharis as they are all caught off-guard. They were all frozen in their position and were unable to react fast. Pharis immediately turned her gaze at Lunari who is now staring at her helplessly as she spits blood. 

Her eyes dilated as she realized that the woman was shot. "Luna!" she exclaimed and catches the woman who's about to fall to the ground. The stain of blood immediately spread across her chest as she tries to catch her breath. 

"Shit," Kiel cursed when he saw someone walking towards them. 

"Well, well," the grinning woman said while holding her smoking gun. 

***