Prison Break: Part Eight
The once idyllic cabin was now a pile of rubble, ash and broken dreams. Wisps of smoke and steam lingered sleepily from half dead embers of the destroyed remains. In the distance the sound of gunfire echoed across the canyon as blasts of fire and shards of debris flew across the domestic battlefield. Screams of men and women calling out protruded briefly through the sounds of gunfire, chaos and hell.
From behind a protruding black boulder Irish boldly pushed past Country and opened fire into the mouth of the cave in front of her. Shards of ice and dirt flew into the air as Country quickly reloaded behind Irish's small frame.
"I need a Houdini!", Irish screamed with little panic as she watched bullet after bullet slam into the hole in front of them.
Expertly, with trained timing, Irish stepped aside as Country lobbed a smoke screen just in front of Irish's MTAR-X hiding them instantly from view of the cave mouth. Reloading as she ran Irish took lead and slammed her back against the second enormous boulder in front of the enterence of the cave and signaled to Country who in turn did the same.
A piercing whistle rang out over the deafening sounds of explosions as Country looked down at her watch and signaled 3... 2... 1...
Country and Irish plugged their ears simultaniously as a hot white blast filled their senses and heat instantly warmed their frigid bodies. It was a moment after color was visible again before sound registered but the deafening blow could be felt from within the caverns of their chest as it reverberated mercilessly across the white landscape of snow and hellfire.
Silence filled the air as Country and Irish leaned back against the wall and listened for sounds of their comrades over the barge they had planned to detonate with the mercenaries inside.
"...[static].....--rish come in. This is Love. Irish come in, do you read me?"
Irish gave a look to Country that showed her relief as she surveyed her surroundings willing her ears to stop ringing. Pushing in her ear piece instinctively she leaned against Country heavily to report her status.
"This is Starbuck I read you. Status report." Irish rushed with intention.
"Glad to hear it, Ma'am.", Love responded with anxious relief, "It's not good, Irish... It's really bad over here. Can you get over here?"
Country sat forward and cocked her Ripper sub-machine gun as she began to pace uncomfortably. She didn't like this. This sounded serious. She needed answers IMMEDIATELY.
"What is the status, Love. Report immediately." Country forced with authority over the open mic.
A long static filled their ears as they desperately waited for answers. All that could be heard was the sound of the wind as it moaned across the barren dirt and snow around them.
"Love. Do you read me? Come in Love." Irish pushed aggressively as she joined Country in front of the cave.
"Yes, ma'am, sorry ma'am... Casualties were... the explosion from the barge's oil reserves was more than adequate to stop the..." a moment of static came over the intercom as Irish and Country held each others eyes in dread.
"...Dead. Everyone's dead." the sound of agony in her voice was palpable. ...Mission objective, however, was successful" Love finished with contempt, "we have access to the chopper and we are a go for departure. I will meet you at the rendezvous point, I got a little cut off but I'm coming through the town straight to you. God willing. Best of luck to you both my radio is going out so if this is the last you hear from me... It's been an honor and I'll do my best to see you both off this fucking ice planet."
Irish stepped forward as she forcefully broke into Love's speech, "Now you listen to me, you son of a bitch. You, me and Country are getting the fuck off of this Hoth hell-hole and we are doing it together, do you hear me? Get to the ice plateau next to the flaming barge hole JUST like we planned or I will come and get you myself. Don't stop until you're on the bird. We. Go. Together.".
Country loaded her Ripper with gusto and looked down the custom sight instinctively and gave Irish a look that said it was time to hang up the phone.
"I'm on my way, Beautiful. Move out." Irish finished in just enough time as she heard her ear piece lose it's charge with a beep in her ear. She pulled out her ear piece with disgust and threw it onto the snow at their feet.
"Do you really think we are going to make it out of this? Everyone's dead, Irish." Country confessed as she moved into position against the rock wall.
Irish took a moment while she rubbed the snow off of her MTAR-X before she met Country in the eye with her cold answer.
"Sis. You and I are going to kill any son of a bitch that gets in our way. If our team is dead everyone I see that isn't a friendly is going to have a fucking hole in the middle of their head.".
Irish strolled determined steps past Country through the ice cave enterence and walked confidently onto the plateau where the black chopper was now awaiting it's departure. Before their demise her team had loaded its to weight capacity just in case something like this had happened.
Jesus... it happened... Irish half thought, half prayed, to herself and for the first time really let it sink in that her team was lost. Her steps were heavied as she approached the ready vehicle with luggage and supplies prepped for much more than just the three that were going to use it.
Now, it appeared, they would have a lighter ride than any of them had planned or expected.
There were four crates of food, medical supplies and weapons/ammo stacked at the end of the helicopter and Country and Irish wasted no time getting the bird loaded with their precious cargo; taking only a brief moment to search the surrounding area for movement or any signs of Love. Satisfied they were safe for the moment and Love not in sight they went to work in silent dread of their future.
* * * * *
Country sat in the piolet seat of the enormous military helicopter and knew it had been a long time since her brief overview of the controls for this craft. This was going to be hairy. Twiddle was supposed to fly them out of here. Pwny was the back-up piolet.
"Fucked." she murmered as she flipped controls at whim on and off making no effort to conceal her confusion of the puzzle in front of her.
Looking nervously about Irish eyed the foreign console as she watched anxiously for signs of Love around them.
They were stalling.
The plan had scheduled for them to leave over thirty minutes before but neither could bring themselves to actually start the machine. Originally they had planned for an immediate departure that was riddled with bullets and adrenaline but now there was no one left to see them off.
"We should go and find Love" Irish pushed for the tenth time.
"For the last time, sis... I love Love. I do. We don't know WHERE she is or what her situation is. We don't have a direction. All we know is she is coming that way." she gestured vaguely over Irish's shoulder. "It wouldn't help her to get ourselves killed. There is a lot more out there that can kill us than Federation soldiers and mercenaries. You're the fucking CO and you need to get your head straight. This isn't a military operation. This is fucking survival. We have to get airbourne. I wish we knew where to go so we could help her but Irish we can't stay here and we can't fucking waste energy searching. This is a death sentence. She wouldn't want us to fuck this up and die. It's only a matter of time before those mercenaries come back and we can't fight them alo--"
"FUCK ALRIGHT, okay? I know we have to move out" Irish interrupted impatiently.
The stirring of the massive propellers was Country's answer to Irish's angry outburst.
The whirring sound gained momentum until it was all that could be heard in the small black cockpit.
Country waited only a moment before she reached for her safety strap and leaned back into the seat not designed for comfort.
"Okay. This should be interesting..." she mused as she reached timidly for the throttle.
As they lifted up slowly Country got a gentle feel for the sky boat she was in charge of conducting and felt like if she could just get it up high enough not to hit anything she'd be alright.
Looking over at her sister to make sure she was ready Country offered a loud but since truce before she took them out of here.
"Seems fit, Starbuck. Ready?" Country said barely audible over the sound of the blades.
Irish gave a thumbs up to signal it was time to finish what they started what seemed like so long ago.
"I'm sorry, Love." Irish said as she put her hand on the frigid glass of the helicopter. Steam quickly traced a faint outline of her hand as she watched it take it's first few inches off the ground.
The sun reflected off the broken landscape of ice and embers around them as Country gracefully lifted the bird above the wreckage of the land they had called "home" for all this time. Hovering at a building's height Country and Irish for the first time got a good look at the wreckage the blast from the barge had created.
"I didn't realize" Country whispered to herself as she gently pulled back on the throttle Irish slammed her hand into her arm to stop her from moving it further.
"There!" Irish cried out as she pointed to the dock that was just over the crater where the barge used to be frozen solid.
Irish could see Love trying to run and dragging her leg behind her as though she had nearly lost use of it completely while firing behind her as she frantically made her way down the docks toward the rapidly departing black escort.
"Go!" Irish bellowed as Country simultaneously thrust the chopper toward their desperate sister in arms.
Darting to the back of the helicopter Irish threw open the large door and took a deep breath as she held onto the handle and leaned out of the hatch reaching desperately to her friend as they approached.
Love seeing the helicopter burst forth with adrenaline as she powered her broken body the small distance she had left to go.
"What are you doing here get the fuck out of here!" she screamed to Irish as she fired her last rounds behind her at the mercenaries tailing her.
Bullets rang out of the wooden door frame attached to the fishing dock and nearly caught Love as she threw herself on top of a small fishing boat out of range. Using the last of her will she pulled herself ontop of the boat ran across and leaped faithfully into the air towards ice, frigid water and the helicopter dangerously close to losing a propeller on the building containing Love's attackers.
Everything was water and ice above and below her and time seemed to slow to a crawl. The propellers slowing to a heartbeats pace as wind and the machine above her was the only sound she could hear. Closing her eyes she embraced the cold air around her and reached out her hands into open space as she waited for her body to descend into it's watery grave. She went into her destiny bravely. She did not fear death and opened her eyes to embrace her surroundings and look death straight in the eye. She could hear sound speed up again and she knew this was it. Opening her eyes she reached out to her future... and Irish's outstretched hand.
Ripping her mercilessly into the helicopter Irish threw love into the craft unintentionally slamming her head into one of the crates of supplies strapped down.
"GO! NOW!" was all Irish had time to scream at Country before she felt them start to bail and pull hard to the right. Love began sliding towards the opening of the chopper and Irish dove between her and the opening and pulled her towards the back behind the crates. A massive shift sent Irish falling over Love and sent them both rolling over and sliding precariously towards the gaping hole in front of them. Irish held Love close to her with her right arm as her left grasped for anything to steady them. Kicking frantically using her boots to slow their inevitable decent out of the craft Irish used her free hand to grab for anything to them from falling out.
Just as her knees were out of the craft Irish felt a firm tug on her arm almost pulling it out of socket as she was launched in a heap into the cabin wall into safety.
Looking up Irish made eye contact with Love who simply nodded in simple answer and painfully pulled herself up to shut the door of the helicopter.
"Are you alright?!" Irish screamed in alarm as she watched Love sway on her feet and held onto the handle next to the door for support.
"All good. Needed a nap. I'll get the door, honey." Love mused trying to cover up the fear in her voice. What she had just woke up to would haunt her for years.
As she reached for the handle an enormous boot came crashing into the cabin as Love was knocked back on top of Irish in a heap. Wasting no time, Captain's large frame filled the tiny cabin as he took long strides over to them and slammed a solid fist into each before taking long quick strides to the cockpit where Country was occupied. One firm slam of his fist rendered her unconscious and Captain threw the lifeless woman on the ground unceremoniously in a heap with the others and took a seat. Pulling back on the throttle he recovered the craft seconds before impact into the frigid water beneath them.
He let out a low whistle and then licked his lips as he smoothed his hair back.
Looking quickly over his shoulder to ensure the women were still incapacitated he confirmed he then steered the bird quickly for intercept.
Lowering the helicopter expertly onto the dock of the remains of the small fishing community Captain stepped angrily over the bodies of the women crumpled at his feet.
Rubbing the stubble on his jaw he looked out of the opening of the chopper to see the last of his men appear from out of the rubble.
"Sir... if I may..." Evol started with caution and awe.
"Proceed", Captain stated matter-of-factly as he proceeded to remove the weapons from his unconscious female cargo.
"...Sir I know this in inappropriate considering the circumstances but I just needed to say this... That was fucking EPIC..... I mean, have you ever done that before? I mean, of course not, how could you? When would you ever have another opportunity to jump from a building onto a helicopter... Sir...."Evol finished awkwardly with a salute and stood at attention waiting for orders.
"Help me out" was all Captain tersely replied as he grabbed Irish by the ankles and slid her to the edge of the opening.
"Uh, sir... I'm not that kinda soldier.... with all due respect... sir." Evol added softly not moving from his position and salute.
"Damn it, Evol. Fucking douchebag. Grab that bitch, tie her up and--"
"SIR! I CAN'T DO THAT! I'M NOT THAT KINDA SOLDIER. IT'S A MORAL ISSUE" Evol interrupted.
"HOSTAGES" Captain bellowed into his comrades face reflecting his affinity to interrupt people. "FUCKING HOSTAGES, Evol. Can you do that? Can you take hostages!? Jesus man I wasn't going to RAPE her are you fucking kidding me?!" Captain was red from the force of the scream he was launching into Evol's face.
"Oh... shit." Evol added nose-to-nose with his furious CO, "just say so, sir. Three hostages, coming up" he curtly popped off as he jumped into action.
Shaking his head with fury Captain got back to work securing his new cargo.
"We take off in fifteen minutes. Hurry up." Captain finished as they quietly executed their jobs and got ready to leave.
"Sure you want to take them?" Evol asked sincerely, "They're going to be fucking pissed when they wake up, sir. You saw what they did back there. Might be safer to leave them here and just go. Less supplies too. Less weight. All around....I say fuck um."
"I thought you weren't that kinda soldier." Captain added sarcastically as he loaded the last woman into the seat. He checked the ropes one more time before feeling they were tight enough.
"Funny" Evol said with no humor as he shut the helicopter door behind them and sat heavily into the co-piolet chair.
Captain sat down and wasted no time starting the craft and lifting it into the air.
Captain knew he was probably right.
Still Captain thought darkly we might be all that's left... if we want to continue our species... He couldn't let his thoughts continue down their dark path. Setting off into the sun the dark spot disappeared in the sky beyond the crater that was now a barren wasteland of death and despair.
If only they knew that they were leaving the only place that existed that was safe.
If only they knew they were flying into certain death.
If only they knew that the bodies and scarred earth were a mirror of the world they were "escaping" to.
Death was coming on rotten legs that hungered for their soul. Death knew their name and they were flying straight towards it.
"I have a good feeling, Evol." Captain boasted loudly over the sound of the whirring blades above them. "This is going to be what turned everything around buddy. If there is a civilization left standing, we'll find it."
Evol nodded in agreement as he snuggled deep into the seat and closed his eyes and shut out everything that was around him.
Death was coming.