Across A Bottomless Abyss

Chapter 15

As the sky showed me how devastating the whole place was, my tears fell no matter how hard I tried to suppress the pain.

I can't even think about anything right now except for the fact that my mother is missing!. The situation is very hard to absorb and understand. How can they do this to us? Who's behind this chaos? How can we possibly live peacefully if each one of us are slowly dying?

"Lieutenant, please give us your order," the girl, named Eisel said..

I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to compose myself. This is not the right time to dwell with my personal feelings. I'm one of the highest officials so I need to be brave enough.

I slowly stood up and thought about a rational way to start this plan. They need my command.

"Contact Seeker, Hadley and tell her that I'll wait for her at the command office. I need her there after 5 minutes," I said pertaining to the girl in front of me.

She nodded and immediately disappeared. I looked at the man who reported the most crucial news to me. I sighed heavily before I could give him my order.

"Follow Captain Astronoum and report to me everything," I said as I emphasized the word everything.

He blinked for a moment when he heard my order. Despite the confusion, he managed to give me a salute--giving answers to my command.

I closed my fist as I tried to lower my suspicions towards him. I know that this is not right, he's the Captain and I'm his Lieutenant but I gave orders to follow him secretly. I don't want to think about negative things but all of these chaos are somehow related to him.

He's the only fire manipulator who can turn the whole place into ashes in just a matter of seconds. I really hope that he's not behind all of these. After all, he doesn't have any reason to do all of these things.

I created an ice ladder connected to the building of where the command office is. When I reached the terrace of the 16th floor, I quickly opened the glass door. I ran fastly inside and looked for the command room at the end of the hallway.

I gasped when I saw the soldiers, lying on the cold surface of the ground, full of blood and burnt marks--lifeless.

This is insanely brutal!

If I count all of them, I might end up wasting five hours. How could they kill these innocent people? They have nothing to do with their greed.

I slowly walked towards the command room, -trying to avoid the bodies of every soldier in front of me. I closed my fist as a proof of anger and hatred. This is not right anymore. Their way of scaring us is killing thousands of our people!

The only thing that breaks the annoying silence of the whole place was the sound of the heels of my boots. I can already feel the cold sensation within my palm. When I looked into it, I didn't even realize that there were already ice daggers in my hands.

Someone pulled me beneath the walls which made me very alert. She gasped for air when I held her neck upward, raising her through the upper space.

"Lieutenant!" Hadley whispered as she gasped for air.

I immediately withdrew my hand when I realized that it was Hadley. She coughed for a moment and tried to make her breathing steady.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that it was you. Are you okay?" I worriedly asked and rubbed her back gently.

"My gosh! I almost lost my life," she exaggeratedly hissed when she recovered.

I punched her right shoulder when I realized that she's fine. I almost forgot that she's a seeker, she's also strong.

"Why are you so angry? Your hands are very strong and cold," she said.

I sighed heavily and looked outside. My eyes grew bigger when I saw a raging bullet coming towards us.

"Down!" I shouted as I pulled Hadley downwards.

"What the hell!" Hadley angrily said when she saw the bullet stuck on the wall, 1 meter from her back.

I focused and tried to feel the surroundings. I can sense deep tension just 7 meters away from us. I can clearly say that my 6th sense is very helpful in this kind of situation.

"Hadley. 7 meters," I said without looking at her.

Seconds have passed but I did not hear any response. I worriedly looked back, only to see her vines crawling at the walls. My brows furrowed when I did not see her.

"Come on!" I heard her from my back.

I immediately stood up and saw her in front of me while holding the feet of one unfamiliar stranger.

"Did you just move without telling me?" I accused her.

She raised a brow and showed me the man she's holding. It's now lifeless and covered with vines.

"It's 6.9875 meters away from us, Lieutenant. And for your information, I moved after hearing the details from you," she said.

I chuckled and gave her a short clap. Right, she's one of the greatest seekers of the city. She's too good at finding and catching unwanted people.

"Should I throw this body away?" she innocently asked, as if she hadn't killed the man.

"Leave it here. We have things to do. You already killed him. He can't escape," I said as a matter of fact.

She mercilessly kicked the dead body towards somewhere. She's really quick.

"The east wing of the building is already in ashes. Until now, the strategy team can't find out the people behind this," Hadley seriously said.

I nodded as I let my rifle appear in my hand. I can still hear the commotion outside. When we reached the command office, Hadly opened it for me and locked the door after she entered.

She covered the walls with her vines to maŕke us both safe and undisturbed. When the three people in charge of the room saw us, they all bowed.

"It's good to know that you're all alive," I said.

"They're lucky, Lia. Within this floor, the command office is the safest place. And hello, they have 

invisibility powers," Hadley said before taking a seat in front of one of the monitors

It's a good thing that their abilities can save them. Besides, the command room can detect people with dark intentions that's why no villain can go inside.

"I found Matthew." Hadley said after a few seconds of playing the keyboard. She's really good at this.

"1 kilometer to the East. He's with his team. What great teamwork," he said.

I looked at the three agents. They bowed lightly and waited for my order.

"Connect me to Captain, Astronoum and Lieutenant, Astronoum," I firmly said before finding a good spot.

They hurriedly moved and sat in front of the monitors. When I found a good spot, I placed my hand on the glass wall surrounded by Hadley's vines. I created a whole by freezing the specific spot in a circular manner.

"I found Lieutenant Astronoum," one of the agents said.

They're incredibly fast!

"Location?" I simply asked without looking at them.

I was too focused in finding a spot for my rifle. When the agent told me about Alayah's location, I abruptly stopped.

"5.6 kilometers away from the target," he said.

My brows furrowed when I realized that she's too far from the target. Why is she there? Did something happened?

"Lia, she's too far. Is it because she can teleport or something happened?" she worriedly asked.

"How about Captain?" I asked, now facing the three of them, avoiding Hadley's question.

"I can't find his location, Lieutenant. His signal is off," he said, still clicking the keyboard.

"What the hell happened to the both of them?" Hadley asked in confusion.

I think deeply about the situation. My suspicions just grew bigger because of what's happening now. Things are too complicated and not easy to decipher.

"Hadley, tell Matthew to focus on the west wing," I told her.

"But the explosion and commotion is at the east wing," Hadley confusedly asked me.

"It's just their bait, Hadley," I said before I positioned my rifle.

"Cooperate with the strategy team," I said, pertaining to the three agents.

"Copy, Lieutenan," they answered in chorus.

The target building is just at the back of the building where we are right now. I can clearly see what's happening outside using my rifle.

"We're in contact with Strategist, Stroum. What's your command, Lieutenant?" one of the agents asked.

"Tell him to pull out the troops inside the building. Send all the agents at the west wing and kill those who are not with us," I firmly said before shooting one of the guys in front of the west entrance.

Just like what I've suspected, the commotion at the east wing was just their bait. They intended to make us focus and look for them in that location while they're busy with their agenda.

My hands started to tremble when I realized what's in the west wing. I wearily looked at Hadley who's still busy with the monitor.

"Where's Max, Hadley?" I asked.

"He's in training," she answered confusedly.

"Let me out, Hadey. Open the door for me" I said in panic.

They were all confused because of my sudden command. I literally go here to attack from afar but the situation is too hard to analyze.

"Why, Lia?" she asked.

"Just open the door for me, Hadley. This is a command," I hurriedly said before letting my rifle disappear.

She's still confused because of what's happening but she opened the door for me.

"Never ever leave this place. Do you understand? Do not let anyone in," I firmly said.

Hadley was about to protest when I added the most crucial command that I have never used since I became a Lieutenant.

"This is a command coming from the daughter of the General," I said before running too fast.

I know that after I said those words, no one can disobey me. Aside from the General's command, the order from his son/daughter will follow the list. If I didn't say that, Hadley would surely follow me. This is the only thing that can make her safe.

I used my ice blades to attack those who are in front of me. My heart is beating too fast because of too much hatred. I am pretty sure that Max is in the west wing. His ability is under machinery that's why he's having his training there.

When I reached the rooftop of the building, I aimlessly jumped towards the target building and created an ice rope.

I heard another gunshot and huge explosion. I covered my face using my right hand to avoid the heat.

My earpiece suddenly created a sound, exactly when I landed to the west wing. Why am I even wearing this?

"Amalia, get out of that place, right now!" I heard my dad's stern voice.

I'm pretty sure that Hadley reported to him. I know he's busy dealing with things here. After all, he's the General. Knowing that his wife disappeared, I know he's deeply worried.

"No, dad. I need to deal with this. Max is inside this damn building. I can't let someone harm an innocent kid like him," I answered.

When I saw one suspicious man entering the west door, I formed an ice dagger and threw it in his knee. He fell on the floor while trying not to shout because of the excruciating pain.

I also created some ice blades to lock the main door. When I entered the west part of the building, I saw a lot of dead bodies. My heart began to beat faster again. Am I too late?

My father is still on the other line, trying to stop me from what I'm doing but I'm too hard headed to stop.

"Max!" I called for him.

My voice echoed to the whole place, giving me enough answers that there's no one left here.

"Max, where are you?" I almost cried when no one answered me.

No, this can't be happening. Max is too young to handle this. I roamed around and opened every door that I can see but I can't see anyone alive! They're all dead!

I was about to fall on my knees when I heard a creaking sound. When I saw a glint of light at the corner, I came closer.

Just a meter away from me, I saw Xipher carrying Max while looking at a familiar figure of man in front of him.

I gasped after he pulled the trigger of his pistol causing the death of the man in front of him.

"Amalia," he calmly said when he saw me at his back.

I fell on my knees when I heard his voice. Max is alive.

But he killed the agent I sent to follow him.