Blades 21 (NaNoWriMo)

"W-what do you mean, problem?" I asked.

"Come see."

I walked over to the window and peered through. And at once, I knew there was a problem indeed. "Damn it, we got company guys!"

It was two black vans parked right outside the building. Men were coming out, six of them carrying a heavy cylindrical object - a battering ram maybe?

"That's an EMP machine," Frost said, standing beside me now. It was as though she knew what was on my mind.

"Electromagnetic pulse, huh? They'll shut down the house's defenses with that," Kendrick said, loosening his bandages as he grabbed his sword. His wounds were now black scabs - [perhaps he did have regenerative abilities accelerated by sunlight. Everyone else was getting prepared as well.

"I'm going to get the emergency kits. Vince, come with me," Frost said as we went upstairs and grabbed backpacks, throwing a few energy drinks, pastries, and some bills in them.

"There's money here?"

"There has always been money here. It was always a temporary hideout - we're moving to the permanent site. And the place where it'll be better to have the showdown with Maverick and that Yami guy or whatever."

"There's still a lot I need to know," I started, looking at her.

Rising to peck my cheek, she smiled. "And now you're going to learn it all in a blur. Let's go," she said as we dashed downstairs. There was a low din, a buzz, and a vibration. The lights went off for a second, then came back on.

And then there was the sound of machine-gun fire downstairs.

"The hell is going on?"

"There are backup systems in case of the use of an EMP. And once the door is opened without the biometric authentication, the machine guns in the corridor leading to the door activate," Frost said.

This place was a real fortress, but...

"That's not gonna last, is it?" I asked.

"Just to buy us some time. You guys, grab your backpacks and scatter. We'll let them bring the battle to us. Divide and conquer tactics. Kendrick, you're not in top form, but you have the best assault at the moment. You stay here and handle the first batch. When that's done, move to the stairs. The rest of us are going upstairs," Frost said, taking control immediately.

"Aye aye, captain," he said, standing ready.

"Here's a comm," she said, tossing him an earpiece connected to a mic. "We all have one, use it."

We all headed upstairs, Frost up ahead as she stood in the corridor and asked Lance to stand beside her, facing the room. I was told to go to the other end where the Low Gravity Training room was,

Nodding at her, I walked in and closed the door.

In a few seconds, I heard Kendrick say in a low voice, "they're here."

******

Kendrick hid beside the fridge, having a clear view of the door. Six men entered, the first batch it seemed, and looked around. Just as they were about to spread out and search the room, he tapped his feet on the ground and moved.

It wasn't his top speed, but he couldn't start drawing on the stored energy in the sword. Still, his movement was faster than their eyes could keep up with, and in less than five seconds, there was a pile of dead men on the ground.

"Moving up to the stairs," he said over his comm as he walked away.

******

There was no reply from the first unit to move in. Yami smiled. Of course, there was a chance that there was another very skilled swordsman in the room, but he could bet his life that this was the doing of that speedy a-hole.

"Send another unit," he said, smirking as the men looked at him questioningly before complying nonetheless. "I would like to confirm something."

******

Kendrick stood at the middle of the stairs, knowing in what pattern the men would approach the stairs. About four marching alongside the middle while two stayed by both sides of the base of the stairs, unseen to anyone approaching from upstairs and thus vulnerable to counterattacks.

It was a solid system nonetheless, but one that was dependent on their quick reflexes.

In summary, it was futile when his 'Halo' was used.

As he watched the hid behind the curve of the stairs, he watched the two hide behind the edges as the men began climbing. Luckily, there was enough space to walk side-by-side on the stairs, and as the men were walking in a single column down the middle, he could drop their bodies to either side of himself and move on.

"Halo!"

Before the men could react, a bright light flooded the room. Kendrick cut through all four men, accelerating down the stairs and grabbing the hand of the man hiding on the right and stabbing through his heart. As the light faded, he drew the man's limp body and used it as a shield as the other one quickly opened fire.

It was a futile effort.

Dropping the body, he impaled the other one through the chest, pinning him to the wall as he grabbed his gun.

"Now I can rest my swords. Thanks," he said, moving up to join the others.

******

Yami smiled as he confirmed his suspicions. There was only one round of gunfire, and it stopped as soon as it started. It was him alright.

"I'm going up myself this time. Alone. Proceed with the explosives after fifteen minutes if I don't return."

"But that's not the..." the man next to him started. In a flash, his head was off his shoulders.

"Does anyone have any other objections?" he asked, looking at the men. The fear on their faces said it all as they nodded in the negative.

"Great."

******

@Leo_kitti, @Hanzell, @Gwenie, @gertu13 Another showdown ahead?