That night again

"We're headed to the top of the hour, men. Get your weapons ready." Baldric said in a cool tone. Just then a cadet came running up.
"Sir," he was out of breath, stopped saluted and continued speaking, "permission to speak, sir." Baldric just nodded, "I just heard from base. They want us to abort mission, sir."
"abort? are you sure?" Baldric was confused, but knew there must be a very good reason for such a request.
"yes, sir. The Enlightened One has requested an audience with all the generals."
"Alright, men. You heard the man; abort mission and head back to base. Stand ready, but 'don't do anything until you get further word from me."
"Yes, sir." one of the cadets said, "what do you want me to do with the prisoners?"
He gave the boy a quizzical look then remembered Michael, "put them in the holding facility as always. I will decide what to do with them after my meeting."
"yes, sir. good luck, sir."
"thank you cadet, let's get pack up and get out of here."
With that, the soldiers boarded their helicopters and left as quickly and quietly as they had come.
The Rebel base was silent, as they were still anticipating attack.

Andra: back in the sky city (the next day)

I was restless. I hadn't had this kind of break in a long time. I didn't know how to be a house wife. Rosa seemed to have adapted to our new life quite well. I wondered how long I'd have to keep up this facade. I wanted to stay and support Baldric, but he was amicable to the enemy.

As Rosa and I were playing a riveting game of Go Fish,  a guard burst through the door pushing two teenagers towards me. "I was instructed to put these two in your care. If I catch them outside these quarters I can't be responsible for what happens to them." he grumbled.

I was pleasantly surprised to see Michael standing in front of me, "what happened?"

"There's no time for pleasantries, we've got to get out of here. I don't know who that man is, but he certainly isn't my father. My father would never fraternize with the enemy and blow up innocent people."

I could empathize with his anger, but couldn't let on that I too was contemplating escape, "We're safe here, for now. Let's just enjoy the lap of luxury while we can." I forced a smile.

"Oh, I see how it is." he said sarcastically, "they've gotten to you too. I'm not going to just sit around and wait for them to kill us, I'm getting out of here. Anyone is welcome to join me." he stormed out of the room.

Jade froze for a moment, then followed him into the other room.

I was lost in thought until Rosa slapped her cards down on the table, "I've beaten you again. you really should pay more attention. want to play again?"
I just smiled and nodded at her eager expression.

The Kidnapping

After Michael's mother disappeared, he became very anxious. Things at base got increasingly worse as the rumor of Taylor's death spread. Michael had two choices, become the new leader, or get the heck out of there. He chose the latter.

During the meeting, he managed to make his way to the door. They were debating on imposing a complete lock down (insuring the loss of their lives for sure) where no one would be allowed in or out until someone wins.

A few other kids followed him out, in hopes of avoiding their demise.

It was dark outside, so their chances of being seen by the guards were decreased. The guards were quickly approaching so the teens had to move quickly. Most of the kids managed to slip under the radar and found refuge in an abandoned mine. Michael and his girlfriend Jade were not so lucky.

They were hiding behind a bush when one of the guards found them. "this one's Baldric's" he said in a gruff voice as he tossed Michael to one of the other guards, "but this one. . ." he said in a sleezy tone.
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!" Michael screamed.

The guys was starting to get fresh with Jade when Baldric appeared. "Let her go. I'll take her in for questioning." he said. "Our orders were to destroy those inside the fortress. We'll give them an hour to escape. Any foolish enough to remain inside are free game." he said heavily.

The soldiers moaned by hid in the brush surrounding the fortress. Baldric didn't want to stay and watch, but it was his duty. But he really did not want to subject these two children to the horror that lay ahead, so he ordered one of the privates to take them back to base for questioning. "No one speaks to them until I speak to them, understood?"

"yes sir!" the private saluted as he climbed into his vehicle.
Baldric almost felt relief as he watched his son fly to safety, but then he remembered the task at hand and his heart grew heavy.
"the hour is close at hand, get your weapons ready."

The Vault

Marcus jolted to consciousness, his body sore

"Calm down, It's just me." said a familiar voice. "I have some questions for you. You are the most-" Mr. Lee was no longer listening as he knew it was Taylor. 'Probably wants me to run a drill or some such nonsense' Marcus thought to himself, and he was content to continue to pretend to be a sleep till he got board and walked away. Then Taylor did something he hadn't done for a good long time, ask for help.

Mr. lee's head still spinning, not sure if it was the medication or the blow to the base of his skull, regardless Marcus tried to listen.

"Vault? That old thing, it was found ages ago and there had been rumors of others; but it doesn't matter. It was said that after Ms. Vagabond, the first finder of the vault had tricked the deserter of humanity. That he made sure that only a man worth his salt, a truly good man could ever open it." he looked at Taylor and stroked his chin as if wondering if Taylor was really a good man.

His attempt was futile, as all men have done so many bad things during the course of this ceaseless war. Marcuse could only concluded, that the only worthy one would be someone who wanted to stop the fight but not slaughter his opponent. Only a person of that stature could be allowed with in the vault of empowered Items.

"but that's all useless, if I Don't know ware it is!"

"Yes of course it's useless! you'd have a better chance of getting a defector from the sky city, a person who said I hate paradise, you know what, I think I'll go sleep in the mud. Give their codes to you and some how have an operative on the Sky city search their mainframe or better yet use their sensors to tell you ware it is. All, I have for you is this-"

Taylor

So it might not have been for nothing but it wasn't the vault.Taylor was searching his mind for answers. I need to get to the one man who can help me sort through this.

I was running through the night headed for a little barn where he most likely still lay. I'd have to go back to base later, I just hope they'll be able to fend off the attack without me. The vault was more important because without it they could just slowly wipe us out.

When I arrived at the barn, Katrina was beginning to stir. As sat her up against the side and walked to the fallen man and splashed some water on his face from a nearby puddle. He woke up suddenly and looked confused and maybe angry.

"Calm down Marcus," I said. "It's just me. I have some questions for you. You are the most well traveled person I know."

He shook his face and body, obviously trying to wake up. The drug would have worn off by now, assuming he hadn't overdosed, which if he had he would be dead not waking up.

"I don't have much time," I told him. "Most of the world thinks I'm dead and it needs to stay that way so I can freely look for the vault." I paused and continued, "It's not a legend it exists, I don't know how or why I know that I just do. What do you know of it's true location?"

I waited, hoping, pleading, needing the answer. It was all that currently drove me and I didn't know why.

In the Dark of the Night

*Outside the supposed location of the vault*

Taylor and his companion entered the area. It was vacant and empty, no one and no thing around to be seen. After searching for a few minutes Taylor slammed his fist into a wall.

"It's no good," He said clearly dismayed. "Another dead end, another fake."

He started out of the area, Katrina hesitated. Taylor looked back and watched her. She was walking, guided by unseen steps. After a few minutes of walking in a random fashion she moved to the center of the area and touched the ground.

A beam of light shot out of the ground and she let out a scream as she was thrown away from the light. She didn't get up off the floor. Taylor ran over and touched her skin, she was still alive.

He swore under his breath as he scooped her up and flicked on his chameleon belt. A few minutes later the area was swarming with soldiers searching for the source of the scream.

Taylor

Jared burst into my chamber and I turned and stared at him.

"Taylor I just discovered something. The vault, the vault in the old capitol," Jared was out of breath. "It was a fake, the real vault is somewhere in this city."

I jumped to my feet, "Do you know where?"

Jared nodded as he pulled out a map and flung it down onto the table, "Right here."

"I'm going," I told him. "Katrina and I will be there and back before morning."

"Good idea to take her with you," Jared agreed. "Some of the others have been talking about killing her now that you are gone."

I snorted, "Back to your studies Jared. I need to open the other door."

Only one of the three doors in this room could be open at a time. A safety measure to ensure this room wasn't used for quick access by the enemy to other parts of the base. Jared left and closed the door to the lab. I moved over and made sure my room was empty except for Katrina and it was. I turned on the chameleon cloak and opened the door.

She spun around as the wind came rushing out. Seeing nothing she cautiously entered the room, there was talking from the other side of the curtain. I pushed her further into the room and closed the door. It snapped shut just in time to look like she had simply disappeared. She backed away from me but couldn't quite locate where I was.

I turned off the device and waited for her reaction. She gulped, almost thinking it was a deception but after a moments consideration jumped forward and embraced me. It was good to be held by someone who might honestly care, I didn't see how she could, it didn't make sense it was...Genetic memory.

The thought flashed through my mind and I nearly fell over, her grip is all that stopped me.

"You were a genetic experiment weren't you?" I asked.

She nodded hesitantly, "How did you know that?"

I motioned all around me, "I've been studying everything I can about it from The Enlightened One's studies and theories."

"Why do you call him that but you call us the betrayers?" She wondered.

"Because he was enlightened but the army is and always has been full of murderers and butchers," I answered. "But enough of that we have to go. There is something of unbelievable importance we must discover."

"Very well," She said. "But how do we get out?"

I smirked as I tossed her a chameleon belt, "The one you had on you when we were fighting."

"I thought I lost it when the firefight started," She scratched her head. "You really are good at acquiring things."

"Come on lets get moving," I told her as we turned on our belts and opened the doors to the lab.

Jared glanced over but didn't react. We walked out of the secret chamber and closed the door. The invisibility started to flicker.

"They are trying to pinpoint a signal jammer on this location," I said. "Jared let them know to expect company I think they finally found us."

"You are still going?" He asked. "When we need you most?"

"I can fight a few agents at a time but I can't fight an army." We walked out and hurried outside the range of the jammer before the signal was blocked completely. "Alright Katrina, lets get there. It's several miles into the harshest territory of control but you know the patrols and routes so lets go."

We ran off into the setting sun to find the vault and hopefully an answer to our dire situation. We were outnumbered, outgunned, less trained and less organized, we needed a miracle if we were to survive and we needed to survive if earth was to ever be free.