They reached the third floor to find the door already open with Nobody sitting at her desk according to Kain’s staff. Each step revealed another picture in his goggles. He always hated being blind, it made his and his friends’ lives harder. The same four chairs lifted from the ground from seemingly nowhere but his Radar showed him the truth. There were a variety of furniture and tables underneath the floor and on the ceiling of the second floor.
“Sit,” The simple command caused Kain to shiver as he sat down with his friends. “I know you are confused.” Lex snorted at the leader’s words.
“That’s an understatement.” Nobody cleared her throat.
“Yes, the Rising Band does not know about the Game Changer, that is my choosing and mine alone. You won’t understand why and I have no intention of explaining myself to you. But you are to follow my rules as you stay here.” Kain’s heart pounded, knowing Lex she would start arguing, what would happen to them if they were thrown out? They were still vulnerable and Screema could be looking for them. A light tap showed his friends. Mo sat looking downwards, Karasi held her head up but with worried eyes, and Lex, she was clenching her fists and jaw tensely in her chair.
“That makes no Elecing sense.” Determined to save his friends, Kain interrupted before Nobody could respond.
“We understand,” a sharp look that Lex understood made her lean back in defeat, “This is your rebellion.” Turning back to Nobody even as nothing but black greeted his eyes.
“No we don’t understand,” Lex spoke as she stared down her friend knowing that his eyes were blank.
“Lex, this isn’t our fight.” Karasi prompted drawing the fire eyes of her friends to her own.
“Your friends are right Lex, you are not a fighter. You are a simple girl who up until now lived her life stealing from other people to take care of herself. You may have learned to protect yourself but you haven’t learned how to protect others.” Nobody
“Good. Now we are—“
She was cut off by a glaring siren echoing through the entire floor, Nobody immediately shot out of her desk. Karasi watched as she rushed through the door then realized that the four of them were not following her.
“Quickly come with me.” She left the room without seeing if they followed her. The stimulation of panic rises in Karasi’s chest. Her synthetic body replicated what her old body would do if she were still human. Rushing up to the fifth floor, the one they were told for only when they were getting ready for a battle against Screema. People raced across the floor when the silver doors opened for them. Lex noticed the Core Four strapping guns and knives to their belts and vests. Quickly following after Nobody, the four found themselves facing a screen with a monitor shining bright in their eyes.
Fires and gunshots filled the screen as Lex watched with wide eyes, the floor seemed to sway underneath her. That was Northeast Port. Several SC-Bots could be seen darting out of the shadows. Panic flooded Lex’s chest as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. Houses were being raided. Screams filled the air.
“Alright let’s move it!” Nobody yelled to the Rising Band and they all slowly surged towards the wall. Lex quickly remembered how there was no wall as the team walked through the holographic doorway. A hand gripped her shoulder as she began walking to the door.
“You are not going.” The metallic voice of Valz filled her eyes daunting down on her.
“But we can help.” She protested and looked at her friends. Kain had a hand on Mo’s shoulder while Karasi stood with a hand outreached to Lex.
“Lex we don’t- we can’t help them. We don’t know how to.” Karasi’s soothing voice tried to reason with her friend.
“No,” Lex stubbornly shook her head, “we can.” Pulling herself away from the cold hand of the cyborg. Blood rushes through her ears as she desperately looks at the boys.
“I want to help. No one deserves all of this.” Gesturing to the screens which just made her even more determined, “we can help and fight and take back some ports. There’s so many and you could use all the help you can get.” Valz stares Lex down but she never wavered until the second in command spoke,
“Fine, you want to get killed, grab a weapon, the rest of you are staying here.” Her voice was final and Karasi paled.
“Don’t do it, Lex, just stay here with us.”
“I’m sorry Karasi, I haven’t been able to help the ports at all but now I have the chance to and I’m taking it.” Lex turned and grabbed two small guns walking to where the rest of the Rising Band was converging, staring at Valz as she passed the Elf-Bot.
“Come back to us Lex.” Mo’s voice stood out to Lex, she turned and smiled at the young boy but continued walking.
“I’ll try my best,” Lex said silently and her childhood friends didn’t hear her as she walked to an unfamiliar aircraft away from her family life.
Breathing heavily on the aircraft, Lex’s hands shook as she held her guns in her hands. She never thought she would be here; an unfamiliar aircraft that was taking her away from her only friends and into a battle. Closing her eyes, she took deep breaths attempting to slow her racing heartbeat. The guns loosened down her hands as beads of sweat formed on her forehead. The heat of other eyes on her back caused her insides to turn as she wished she had stayed with her friends back at the base.
No.
She needed to be here, to help fight for her home.
She was meant to do something extraordinary, that’s what her mother always said to her. She had to, she wouldn’t be worthy of her name if she didn’t. Flaring pain shot through her palms, looking down, Lex saw her hands turning white due to the pressure from her guns.
“Arriving now deployment in 3..”
This is what she’s been waiting for.
“2…”
For her to prove herself.
“1…”
She was ready.
Lauren Stangl Writing 