Empty :: Chapter 2
Posted By: MoZ<moz@failyerz.com>
Date: 30 June 2004, 9:02 PM
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DATE: 07/05/2551
LOCATION: Classified
The hulking creatures were visibly nervous when they opened the door to the holding cell Clarissa would be spending her time in. She expected to hit a cold metal floor painfully and prepared herself to roll as best she could to minimize the pain. Oddly enough her first contact with the 'ground' was soft and forgiving. The sigh starting to escape from her lips was quickly stifled though as the softness below her moved slightly. She groped in the semi darkness for something solid to defend herself and was relieved to find a free heavy stone near her. The undulating purple light outside allowed her to catch a glimpse of the rat-like creature approaching its newest feast. She struck hard and fast and ended the disgusting vermin's life before it had a chance to get to her now bare feet. Relief flooded her, ironic considering her situation but welcome none the less. This day had started out strange enough, now she could only hope that she was alive long enough to see how tomorrow played out.
earlier that day
The knock on her door that morning had startled her out of a strange dream somehow involving floating pygmies and glowing ornaments of some kind. She stumbled around in the dark for a moment before finally reaching the door and activating the one way transparency allowing her to see her visitor. The door opened quickly and a light was in her eyes before she had a chance to react or even see her assailant. She was hurried back into the room and seated at a chair before the room lights we brought up. The two men staring at her were well dressed with only slight bulges giving away the fact they were armed.
"Clarissa Antonia Merced," the first man stated, "we must request that you come with us immediately."
"And you are?" she asked, surprising herself by her calm and somewhat superior delivery.
"None of that is material at this moment ma'am, you only need to know we're affiliated with your government" said the same man, no irritation evident in his voice or manner.
"What if I don't feel like it?" she asked, determined to get some kind of reaction. "What the hell is this all about anyway?"
The first man that had spoken turned to his counterpart, a larger man with a dark ebony skin who simply smiled as he walked forward. "This is all about saving your life, and hopefully the rest of mankind in the process Clarissa. Now let's go."
She was too dumbfounded to actually respond, so she just nodded her agreement and let them walk her out of the room. 'Why does this weird crap always happen to me' she thought as they seated her into a heavily armored and tinted 6 wheeled vehicle.
From that point on everything had gone to hell quickly. They had driven for about 8 minutes when the first explosion rocked the vehicle from the side. The driver evidently knew what he was doing as he retained control and sped on with even more urgency. The spaceport was the obvious destination but someone or something was damned determined not to allow their passage. Gunfire opened up on them from what seemed like every direction as they reached the space port. She was told to stay down and put on the coverall located in the compartment next to her. Any shame she may have felt normally was replaced by fear and adrenaline as she quickly changed into the generic coverall.
When the door finally opened she saw armed people running everywhere. One group firing wildly as they sought cover while her traveling companions found immediate cover and returned fire in a much more controlled fashion. Still, the numbers appeared to be on her attackers' side as she spotted more and more of them every second. A "GO!" was shouted by someone near her and she was suddenly being led by the arm across the tarmac towards a waiting ship.
The hail of bullets and god knows what else around her was amazing but she just ran on, eyes focused on her goal. Just then a man stepped out from cover directly in front of them, shotgun leveled directly at them. She didn't have time to blink as the assailant fired, knocking her protector 3 feet behind her with a still smoking crater where his left shoulder once was. She stared at the shotgun wielding bastard, grimly awaiting her own demise. He smiled as he pulled the trigger and she closed her eyes. The pain and shock of the wound never accompanied the loud blast of the weapon though. She opened her eyes in amazement which was only doubled in the expression of her would be killer. He was taking aim again when a bullet flew mere centimeters past her head and into the enemy facing her, a large portion of his neck being removed by the uranium depleted round. She looked back to see her former protector mouthing the word "go" with his last breath as the still smoking pistol slipped from his hands. She ran unchallenged to the waiting ship and was immediately thrown into an acceleration couch as the ship took off, escaping the melee below.
When they were safely off the planet she began to calm somewhat. Too many strange events in such a short time threatened to overwhelm her. She began to sob for so many reasons that she dared not even examine them. She should have been dead yet here she was, being whisked away after an unbelievable firefight and being told she could somehow assist in the salvation of mankind. It was all too much and she closed her eyes to try to escape reality for at least a moment.
She was awoken by the sound of the cockpit door opening. The pilot was just standing there staring at her. He was attractive, though she was always attracted to men in uniform. He was tall too, must have been about 6'4" easily. It took her a moment to notice the problem. The pilot wasn't 6'4", he was probably closer to 6'2", the confusing part being that he was about 2 inches off the ground at the moment. As he fell to the floor she finally got to see the thing behind him. It seemed invisible except for the blood dripping of what she assumed was its hands and chest. She wanted to scream, was about to scream, but then it was on her and the blow it delivered to her head had her unconscious until only minutes ago.
So here she sat, more confused by the moment. An average woman for all intents and purposes. Now the prisoner of those Covenant monsters she had heard so much about. 'Well" she thought, "at least it can't get any worse." Even as the thought entered her mind she knew she was wrong. It would get worse, a lot worse.
to be continued ...
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