There was going to be an ad hoc, emergency meeting with the UN correspondents later on that Big Boss had to attend to – such commotion does not go unnoticed under the eyes of the international organization. There had been breakouts before but they were short-lived and gave the staff nothing but a bit of exercise to reinvigorate themselves, and to practice back their rusty, all-rounded military training.

However, those had been with unarmed, non-offensive Anomalies who stood little chance. Two of their current Subjects were recaptured and contained, but one of their Agents, rogue, crafty, intelligent, was on the loose. How do you fight one of your own – let alone, a deadly one?

Big Boss’ vested interest in her arrest and killing enraged him to full attention. Big Boss’ career and life was on the line. Agent Caits was not getting away. He spoke into his two-way radio transceiver to his personnel-in-charge:

---

Despite the large infrastructure, the UNARM facility possessed only a small army size of 1,000 – 1,500, including their Agents which were only a few dozen. However, their advantage over any modern fighting army is their advanced artillery of technological weapons and almost-ubiquitous on-line surveillance capabilities.

It is in the same vein that this over-reliance on modern warfare that may be their greatest weakness. After all, when a thousand-strong army is spread out to a crater-sized area, looking for Agent Caits, only bad things could happen.

---

An injured, and angry Dr. Jiang-Ping walked up to the Lightless Box that contained Subject 30. In all honesty, it was a big fucking box. It was the strangest thing, since it was essentially a warehouse that contained this onyx black box.

The one camera inside it viewed an infra-red feed of the sleeping Subject on the cold floor that was designed to withstand the bomb blast of a megaton bomb. They went all out.

The doctor, on the press of a button on a control panel to her side, spoke to him: ‘Wake up.’

Agent Caits took a few moments respite, processing her situation. What could she do, truly, when she was trapped ina complex full of people that probably had orders to kill her on site? By outsmarting them, and by using their weaknesses against them. There was a shocking lack of knowledge between agents and other personal. There were many paths to the same location, if only you k ew how to get arou d security. Train to think of every possibility, Caits knew where every single camera was. She knew the ins and outs of the complex buildings more then anyone, except perhaps Big Boss himself.

And BIg Boss probably knew what she would do. Hiding on the edges of the complex wouldn't do her any good, then. Bending, she took out a folded knife from a booted foot, and gathering her courage, she reached up, and took her hair into a pony tail, and sawed her hair, cutting it incredibly short. Letting the hair drop, she knew it wasn't much of a disguise, but sometimes even a slight change could make peoeple think you were someone else. Tucking ner shirt into ner pants, she packed it with dirt, changing her body type from slim to bulky she hoped, and then rubbing the dirt over her exposed skin, hands, neck, face, smoothing it, darkening it. As long as no one studied her fully she hoped it would pass.

She climbed out the hidden tunnel, and crept back towards the buidlings. The knife she held in her hand, ready to use if she had to. Her target was the armoury, her goal weapons she could use. Her overall goal was to survive and to not be captured. The weight of wnat she might have to do lay heavy on her shoulders, but she accepted it. What would come, for she was sure now that the subjects were being used to create both weapons of modern warfare and superhumans that would drastically change the face of war. The deaths of some agents and personal was worth it, if it saved thousands, perhaps millions of lives,

Her advantage of course was the sheer size of the facility. And the small size of those on the grounds. They couldn't be everywhere at once, and as long as she didn't draw attention to nerself, she should be alright. If not...well she would cross tne bridge when she came to it.

She moved smoothly, maintaining her training, using her knowledge of the complex to walk through it, entering buildings and leaving tnem, making her way in the most direct route possible while still appearing to be going in a round about way there.

She was strangely calm.

---

Cody gave no sign that he even heard the doctor, that her order even affected him. His body lay still his eyes closed, his breathing so slow as to appear non exsistant. However if his brain waves were being monitored, they woulx show that he was indeed awake.

Finally though, Cody spoke.

Big Boss was not used to having his ass drilled like this. He landed this job because of his near-spotless history of pristine operations control, handled with great care and prediction that he is so well-known for. However, prediction and management can only do so much when circumstances were against him. One couldn’t execute the, one would say evil, plans one desired if resources were so limited for him. Big Boss, putting on a show for the faces that governed his payroll and security, spoke with that façade of humility and humbleness:





Big Boss’ knuckles grew white and his one assistant off to the side in the large meeting room they were in was shaking nervously – not for the outburst that would lead to a bad impression on UN – UNARM relations, but for her life: who knew what kind of power Big Boss really had?



The intern looked up from his notes and spoke with a lively interest: ‘what shit?’

‘Leave this room now and do not speak a word of this or you’re going home,’ the old woman replied. When it was just her on her end, her face stiffened in anger:







As the feed turned off, Big Boss growled in growing frustration. 24. Fucking. Hours. 24 hours for Agent Caits to escape because they can’t fucking find her in this gigantic complex with fewer people per square meter than a fucking McDonald’s.

The assistant excused herself.

---

‘The box won’t hold you, that’s right. It’s nothing special – hell, you could probably burn through it right now. But try that when you’re surrounded by a line of marksmen who have nothing better to do than to shoot you if you escape. Oh, and just for the added touch: before you even break through the box, here’s something for you.’

suddenly a loud, ear-piercing, high-pitched noise played throughout the box. It was the equivalent of a nails scratching a blackboard on the magnitude of a jackhammer, a concert, and a jet taking off. With Cody’s heightened senses, passive and innate as they were, this noise doubled in intense effectiveness.

‘So yeah, try. Please do. We might finally be rid of you.’

---

A group of office workers stood by the sides of the building, smoking and drinking their coffees when one of them came over and the others hailed and greeted.

‘Holy shit the fuck’s going on, man?’

‘The fuck do I know dude heard some Agent’s gone “rogue” or some shit.’

The late-comer spoke: ‘just back from Big Boss’ office. Agent gone rogue, and UN’s sending reinforcements in 24 hours.

‘Shit, what are we talking about, full on army and shit?’

‘With what we’re dealing with, possibly. We’re probably looking at a full lock-down before dawn.’

The noise forced Cody to slam his hands over his ears, but that didn't help much, As the noise tore through his ears, perforating his ear drums, being replaced with a loud ringing sound as if he had just been in a bomb blast. Instead of a scream of pain, Cody laughed almost like a mad man, his body adjust quickly, aiming to heal the damage quickly, it recognized the danger of the noise, and for a few brief moments it seemed as if he had gone deaf.



He laughed again, purely trying to irritate and annoy.

---

Walking passed a group of people quite calmly, Caits listened in to what they were saying. 24 hours. Plenty of time. Hiding a smile, Caits entered the building, knowing this was the most dangerous part of her journey. She moved as if she had a right to be there, moving purposely through halls she knew well, she expected resistance, but it was clear that no one really knew what was going on. That was to her advantage. Those that had been there would be trying to find her, and hopefully would still be searching outside. Those hay weren't were probably still trying to figure out what was going on.

Either way, Caits didn't care as long as she succeeded.

Reaching the armory, she knew she would only have moments if someone was checking the palm plates, but even before she could lay her hand on the plate, light glowed, and for one brief second it was almost as if a phantom hand lay over it.

She smiled. It seemed they could trap Cody and Gerswhin, but they couldn't truly contain them. Suddenly the light disappeared a second before the door opened, winking out of existence, and the echo of a crazy laugh seemed to be left behind. Uneasy, Caits entered. She didn't linger long, taking what she could, as much as she could carry.

And then she was gone, running down the hall now, she plastered on a panicked expression, muttering and cursing as if she was a messenger sent to grab what she had been ordered to. She knew people saw what they wanted to see, and what she had learned on her captures was that you barely needed to act, to convince people to see what they expected to. Her running, full of weapons, could, she hoped, be seen as the need to get her squad armed, to hunt down the rogue agent.

Running outside once more, she began to make her way back to the secret tunnel, to take the time to plan.

Dr Jiang-Ping left the warehouse, nodding in affirmation to the assembled team outside. She rubbed on her aching shoulder that dislodged when she collapsed to the ground earlier. She’d feared that some of her nerves were trapped when they lodged the joint back in, which is why the recovery would be slow.

She made her way to see Big Boss to see what she should do. For all intents and purposes, research should and ought to continue but with so many resources dedicated to securing the two Subjects and finding Agent Caits, everything just became very clumsy and difficult.

Right at the strike of six, all exits would be sealed completely by steel gates, essentially making the UNARM facility impregnable and inescapable. Any attempt to scale the giant crater wall to the outside would be spotted and thwarted simply by the sheer size of the obstacle the Agent would have to overcome.

When the doctor finally got to talk to Big Boss after a seemingly endless crowd being assigned their duties, he commanded Dr Jiang-Ping:



‘Sir, the paralytic liquid is designed to subdue even the strongest-willed. The amount we’re using could subdue two raging rhinoceros. Plus, the liquid is non-harmful, there is no way she could get hurt.’



Shaking her head in disapproval, and preparing to submit her rebuttal, she was interrupted with a message from her tablet:

‘Doctor. We need you quick. Subject 29 just moved.’

---

In her deep sleep, she could still dream. She could not move nor breathe, but she retained a slight consciousness that forbade her from thinking or being recognizant but she could dream.

Her dreams were of the same creature – no, were of her true, inner, evil self.

Just with that, as she panicked and suffered, she could feel herself move just the slightest. The briefest moments of consciousness made her realize she was submerged in a tank of liquid being watched, but she would then go back to her slumber.

More complications like this were to come the longer she stayed in this state.

---

A small unit of eight soldiers, the tallest and oldest their squad leader, jogged their way to the middle of the big lane that covered multiple tunnels. Off to his peripheral vision, the leader spotted a soldier walking towards them. The leader approached him and barked orders:

‘Hey, son! Where’s your assignment?’

Caits looked up as someone called out to her, shifting her load, she gave a slight nod to the solider, this would be her first test. If her disguise didn't pass...well, one way or another she was getting free.

"I don't really have an assigned post, sir! The boss sent me to collect some weapons, and distribute the to the teams on the exits!!"

She was more the aware of the lockdown in place, of the heightened awareness of the guards.

"If you do not mind, sir, I'm meant to check in with the exit teams, and make sure everything is secur."

It took a little effort to cha ge ner voice slightly, making it a little deaper, and Caits maintained respectful eye contact, and tried to portray that she was alert. She gave a smile, and waited to see what would happen.

---

Cody laid back once more, closing his eyes again. His colour was still almost transparent, qnd his pulse still seemed faint and slow. His ears rang a bit, but already his nearing was returning to normal. Welll, normal for him. The song came unbidden, thr words forming without conscious thought. It was rough, and created on the spot, but once more it was hauntingly beautiful, a song of grieving, a song of hope.

Each note seemed stronger then tne last, and with each sentence, the lights around began to flicker in response, as Cody raised his hands, small beads of lights dancing over his fingers, before rising and swirling, twisting, almost making shapes, figures that seemed to be dancing out a play.

As the otes faded, codys colour seemed to return, his pulse beat a little faster, and he sat up, stronger already. Rising, he began to explore the room, truly blind, he used his hands, used the feel or the wind around him as he moved, pressing his hands against the walls. Where did they have Gerswhin? Where was agent Caits? Her footsteps nad long since faded, but Cody was sure the rogue agent was still free.

He knew he would have to plan carefully, and for now ne wasn't in any state to do anything. Without sunlight, or even man made light, Cody's recovery would take longer, but it would still be swift. Returning to what passed for a bed, ne sat down once more.

‘You don’t “really” have an assigned post? Son, I thought we beat that liveliness out of newbies like you on Day One,’ the captain barked.

One of the soldiers jeered at disguised-Agent Caits and teased at her: ‘Wipe that faggot smile of your face, man. Shit’s embarrassing.’

The other soldiers laughed with him when the captain cried: ‘Shut up!’

‘You,’ he pointed at disguised-Agent Caits, ‘Look, we don’t have time for this. We’re headed to the exit teams as well. Communication’s all gone to hell and back, but we’re doing the same thing. Come with us.’

The soldier that jeered earlier, though ready to set off to their destination, gestured a curious look at disguised-Agent Caits, and asked:

‘Say, cap – why don’t you ask him who’s his captain?’

The captain turned and looked at the soldier, then to Caits: ‘Well, who is it?’

For the briefest of seconds, Caits thought she might just get out of there without a fuss. Even if she had to go with them, she was sure she'd be able to slip away. And then they asked about her captain. She shifted slightly, shifting a gun just so, and looked over them.

"I'm not a newbie. I've probably been around a lot longer then you boys. My captain? I don't have one, unless you count the boss himself. I'm an agent, not some pansy solider. I'm training to capture. I sure as hell have a Better chance at catching the rogue agent then you lot of sorry excuses for soldiers. You may know how to use a weapon, but that does not mean you have the right to be disrespecting, to someone just doing their job. You have a problem with me, you can take it up with the boss. Now I have a job to do, and I've wasted enough time"

She didn't give them time to speak, but rather she turned slightly, her training, which she should thank the boss for, had her ready for the unexpected. She doubted the soldiers were prepared for anything and everything.

"Unless you'd care to tell the boss why I can't do my job?" She looked back, and raised and eyebrow. It was easy to project confidence, authority and just plain annoyance. A careful balance, that would hopefully deter them from asking anymore questions or from looking too closely. If they did...well she wasn't afraid to put them out of the way.

Inside a large office whose walls held large monitors with different feeds of camera footage all over the UNARM facility, men and women worked relentless, eyeing different areas of interest, altercations, changes to environment, and attitude-shifts within their personnel. It seemed that no matter how hard they worked, under pay-check or under fear from Big Boss, it would prove impossible to a highly-skilled Agent.

The office had two floors, the upper deck sloped slightly that gave the room the look of an arena that angled towards the oval centre, and the massive, main viewing screen. Orders, confirmations, and reconfirmations, along with the cacophonous sounds of keyboard-clicking, coffee-slurping, grunts, and even snoring from the one trying to sneak a few minutes’ sleep, sounded throughout the busy place.

One man who looked in his late 60’s but was in his early 30’s slaved away looking at camera footage of areas he didn’t even know existed, relying solely on a reference guide next to him, referring to obscure sector, area, tunnel, and door codes. This surveillance office was by far the most populated, but it still took a stressful toll on the people in it.

‘I think I got something!’ the man reported to the large assembly, almost wheezing in joyful relief. ‘Uploading footage to the main screen.’

The main screen showed a group of soldiers confronting a lone soldier. The lone soldier walked away before the group could reply and went on their way.

The person in charge of the surveillance office barked orders: ‘Contact Captain Shwartz, ask if he recognizes that man. Everyone else, start looking at footage in a 5-block circumference from this point of origin. This could be our target.’

‘Captain Shwartz says he has never seen that man, though he’s not sure with the new recruits – he said the man claimed to be an Agent.’

Another woman cried out: ‘Ran facial recognition with our personnel database – this person does not exist.’

The PIC barked: ‘That’s our rogue agent!’

The room immediately went into a frenzy, delivering orders to nearby dispatched units near the area. The noise was unbearable but one sentence stood out:

‘…. shoot on sight. I repeat: shoot on sight.’

What could Caits say? She hadn't expected her disguise to last this long, and was surprised it had, but it seemed to have come apart at last as she heard the captain say he had never seen her before. She didn't wait for the shooting to start, instead she turned back, gun already in hand.



The splay of its fire was all she could hear, as she chose her targets carefully, not seeking to kill but rather injure so they couldn't do anything, and give her some time to get away.

'I'm sorry. Please forgive me'

When it was done, she would gather the weapons, and wouldn't look back. She RA across the grounds, unaware that tears trailed down her cheeks, leaving a clean trail through the dirt on her face.

The light grenade was in her hand, and she threw it, hoping to give herself more time to escape, and blind the cameras for a moment. She found her tunnel once more, and knowing it was compromised she wouldn't linger long.

She rubbed at her eyes furiously as her vision blurred with tears, wiping as much dirt as she could off her face, she knew she would have to be even more careful now. Checking what weapons she had, she took three guns, slinging one over each shoulder, and holding the third, she shoved the little light grenades in her pockets, the knife, took a precious moment to let out a few slow breaths, before climbing out. She would need to find a hiding place, but where?

She didn't know.

Ground troops moved towards the general location of sounded gunfire. Some howled and screamed as they accumulated to the last known area the rogue Agent was.

However, not everyone could be afforded to be sent out to chase her. Personnel are still stationed in high-priority and secret areas, especially those near current points-of-interest. Though some are itching to fight, agitated by orders, they are still vigilant.

These particular areas are under the watchful eye of security cameras, albeit in awkward angles, and are not as plentiful. As such, camera drones hover high in the air monitoring blind spots. Though labelled as ‘stealth drones for ultimate silent infiltration and reconnaissance, you can still hear the faint whir of their spinning blades.

Agent caits composed herself, and then she was running qgain, her feet pounding across the ground surefooted as she brought up in her mind the places were cameras were. Tnere was perhaps one chance, where she could haul up for some time. Listening for camera drones, she made her way to the kitchen buildings, running as fast as she dared, using what cover she could to stay hidden. It didn't seem as if the whole encampment was searching for her and that was both a blessing and a curse. If they were, she might have been able to sneak in and steal cody or gerswhin away, and if she was really lucky, both of them. But she'd settle for being able to stay free for now.

When she reached the kitchens, she slung the gun she was holding over a shoulder with another oe, and flung up onto a dumpster, before leaping and reaching the top of the building. She hung there, exposed for a moment, before pulling herself up and over, rolling along tne roof, she was up in a crouch in a moment, eyes flickering about to see if there was a camera there, ears twitching to hear if someone had seen her, ready to attack.

Big Boss took the situation very seriously but refused to show signs of worry on the off-chance that Agent Caits does manage to avoid capture and the subsequent execution. His attention at the moment was not on the camera footage in the surveillance room where he ought to be. No, his attention was on the staff themselves: he monitored as many as he could through his own set of security cameras, looking out for any aiding and abetting, which such actions allowed for an immediate shooting on sight. Though he watched his pawns work with a keen eye, he had a slight sting of anger for not being fast or competent enough to catch that one sympathizer... not... Anomaly]-fast enough.

He then clicked on the notification that appeared on the screen: it was a message from the UN respondent earlier. The notification led to a message that made Big Boss grin.

I wiggled some leg room for all of us. The reinforcements will be there in a matter of hours.

---

The food-stocks building was one of the few buildings that did not fully manage military or communication technologies. It was actually a large section of warehouses that would store UNARM's essential vitamins and supplies. 'An Army Marches on its Stomachs' was very true indeed.

A few blocks away, high up from the rooftop of one of these food-stock buildings, also dubbed as 'The Kitchens', one could see men rushing to a nearby building. The view from far above made them look like a line of ants returning to the nest.

---

Dr. Jiang-Ping had to call in more reinforcements, despite her better judgment. This was sure to piss off Big Boss, having to take off more eyes and ears - and guns - off the man-hunt. But, in all honesty, it wasn't unwarranted.

Earlier, Subject 29 twitched. Not five seconds ago after half to a full hour later, her body jolted.

'Good God, how is she doing that?'

Caits pressed herself flat to the building, her eyes following the group running to another building. She smiled slightly. It seemed they just didn't have enough man power to cover a search for her and keep an eye on Gerswhin or Cody. While she knew an angry Gerswhin wasn't the best, it would be beneficial for her. If Caits had to die to ensure their freedom, well that was something she was willing to do.

She wasn't gullible enough to believe that Big boss wouldn't bring in reinforcements. So at best, she had a couple of hours, probably less. So she rose, glancing about. She knew there would be people still searching for her, but if she made it so that she was following the group entering the building...she might just get in.

Taking out a small, round object, she held it in her palm for a moment wondering how something so small could Bring so much destruction, when its intentions were benign. The fault in the system cause it to explode, and hadn't yet been rectified, or so she hoped. She knew she was putting a lot on chance, but she was a dead man already. She had no illusions of getting out. This was it for her.

Leaping down from the building, she rolled to prevent injury, and followed the group of men. When she reached them, she pressed a button on the device and dropped it. She waited a heartbeat before shouting out.

"Bomb! The rogue must be here somewhere!"

And she dove out the wait, counting down. 3...would it explode?...2...was she far enough away?...1...please...

Anyone caught within the blast radius was eviscerated. Anyone within the sonic boom for the next mile could hear the deadly explosion and those within the circle deafened, and even closer, dazed and staggered. You didn't need a microphone to pick up the grenade explosion that occurred near one of the holding facilities that held one of the most dangerous Anomalies. Agent Caits probably has 5 minutes before everyone was on her.

'Secure the room! She must not get inside!,' barked Dr. Jiang-Ping as she monitored Subject 29's vitals closely. Though the explosion was not enough to shake the room, even a fly landing on the glass surface of the Anomaly's container would almost make the doctor shit herself, she was so nervous.

On the other end of the UNARM facility, radios were busy with chatter on orders and reconfirmations. The snipers and security team trained on Subject 30's prison, however, did not move and kept their position. Orders were orders, and they would not risk having two Anomalies out at once.

Hearing affected, Caits nevertheless still moved, rising and running down the hallway as fast as she could, jumping over people and anything else that was there, not stopping to look, knowing she would break down if she did. Gun up, it wasn't hard to simply pull the trigger and let the rounds fly, knowing that if she could just get through, and get Gershwin awake, then she could...die knowing she had done her best.

Cody had slipped into what could be considered a coma, but his vitals were very low, heart rate slower then a normal humans would ever be, his breathing so slow that it could almost be considered he wasn't breathing. But he was warm, as if something was infusing him, keeping him alive. Within this state, he could hear everything that was happening. He knew full well that there were guards out side his containment, and that he might have to kill them. That thought felt like a stone in his stomach, but the thought of what had happened here, in this place, for so long....maybe if he could put a stop to it, it would help...ease the guilt.

At the loud boom, Cody's eyes opened. Sightless, they nevertheless spotted speaks of light. Even in the darkness, he was never truly alone. As he stood, the specks seemed to gather around him. Closin his hand in a fist, light covering his hand, he punched the wall as hard as he could.

The prison box wall that contained Subject 30 caved out, and the Anomaly's powerful punch created a large dent that caused the other sides to bend towards the impact. The whole piece moved like dough with his power, but the prison refused to give out.

'Hit him again with another round,' the lead sniper spoke to the microphone on his compact helmet. Another round meant another ear-piercing sound blast that previously brought Subject 30 to his knees. One auxiliary spotter placed his finger on the button that would turn the sound on again. He pressed it, and expected to hear the sound permeate muffled through the prison's metallic walls.

'Boss, it's not working.'

'Try it again.'

Again, nothing.

'Alright, target has busted the systems. Everyone, put on your shades, and take aim.'

---

As Agent Caits rounded the corners in search of the room that contained Subject 29, groups of men, separated into different hallways, worked their way to surround the Agent into a kill-box. The halls flashed with oscillating emergency red lights, giving periodic moments of darkness. If Caits' memory served her well, she'd know where to find Gershwin.

'I see the target! Open fire!'

Caits didn't let herself be caught in the fire, darting back behind the wall, she took a moment to figure out what to do. And then she just opened fire on the guards as well, firing. Chances are one of her bullets might pierce or at least wake Gerswhin.

Either way, she'd be happy.

She thought through her options, but didn't really have many. So she fell to the floor, hoping the men hunting her and shooting at her would merely..:shoot at each other and destroy them selves. She rolled to the side, bringing up her weapon and continued to shoot for a moment.

She wasn't sure if she was injuried or not but right then, she didn't care

---

Cody stood, and punched the wall again, and again, and again, until he could get out. The prospect of being shot was laughable to Cody, his light armor protected him. Of course if someone thought to shoot the same place twice in a row, it might Pierce.

Once free, Cody barely glanced at the guards he had been given, finding it laughable that they could think to stop him right then. Moving passed them without a care,

One by one, the soldiers fell as Agent Caits' deadly accuracy brought them down, effective and efficient. Some shots hit the chamber that held Gershwin, but its reinforced casing was too much single shots.

Dr. Jiang-Ping held her bleeding abdomen as she issued the command on the control panel to close the chamber room, the door sliding in from the top, albeit excruciatingly slowly.

---

'Aim for that glowing forehead of his,' the lead sniper ordered right as the final punch landed. The Subject intrepidly walked out of his prison, before getting the first shot, right at his anterior frontal lobule. Then a second. Then a third. Several other shots laid to his limbs that threatened to shoot them out of their sockets.

'Don't let up. Keep shooting.'

---

More and more foot soldiers were starting to gather the entrance, and they were swarming in to capture the rogue Agent trapped inside. God have mercy on her soul.

Rogue Agent Caits knew she wasn't getting out alive. She knew this was it for her, and she knew that if she failed, neither Cody nor Gerswhin were getting out. She couldn't fail. She darted forwards whenever she could aiming for the door, and continuing to shoot. If she got hit, she didn't feel it.It seemed that only a heart or head shot could stop her, then.

She tried to judge if she could make it to the door.

Being sliced in half seemed a rather disturbing way to die. But she did't hesitate. She slid, on blood and bodily fluids, through the door. She closed her eyes, waiting for what could be the worst pain she ever imagined, still firing with her gun.

---

Cody raised a hand after the first shot to his head. As bullets hit him, some pierced the light armor. the injuries healed quickly, his own bloody splattering the floor. He had no illusions, if a bullet pierced his head, he knew he was dead. So it just couldn't happen.

The whips formed in his hands with barely a thought, and with uneering accuracy, he aimed the whips to every agent, their guns, as a wave of light filled air went crashing around them, a force that couldn't be stopped but served the purpose of providing an extra barrier for Cody.