The Cimalian Princess: Clone
by AJ Marks
Part 20
Meia felt herself lifted again going from the table back to the gurney while trying to look around a bit. She spotted Trina looking back at her and her eyes held something strange and then a barely noticeable wink. There was something in the look and Meia had a feeling she had to figure it out quickly and hoped she had someone on her side for a change. Perhaps the situation wasn’t as hopeless as she first thought and maybe her escape might be easier.
The guards wheeled her out of the room and she took a moment to study them both. They were the same ones who had taken her out of the cell earlier in the day as her senses sharpened in anticipation of the area she spotted no cameras at, her one opportunity to escape. The guards appeared unarmed which would help her, in small way, but hinder later on as she wouldn’t be able to secure a weapon.
They made the turn and Meia came to life jumping up and off the gurney surprising both guards.
“What the?” one said before taking a foot to the face spinning around, slamming into the wall and slumping down having been knocked out by the force. Meia spun to face the second guard who appeared stunned into inaction but managed to recover a bit too quickly for Meia’s plan.
The guard attacked throwing a clumsy punch which she avoided causing him to lose his balance when he failed to strike a target. Meia too that split second to counter-attack burying a fist into his stomach which caused him to double over.
He took out a communicator while backing up slightly. Meia saw it and quickly kicked it out of his hands before rounding about to deliver a kick to the guard’s chin knocking him unconscious.
Meia now stood alone in the hallway with two knocked out guards knowing she had to move quickly to ensure her escape. Quickly checking the guards for any weapons, but found none but each had a communicator. She stilled when one activated.
“Pass, what’s taking so long? Pass come in?”
Meia understood she had to act quickly now as no reply would bring even more guards to her spot looking to see what happened. She still had to figure out an escape route and the moment she came out a camera would spot her. She had managed to escape her guards but now felt stranded in the hallway.
“Pass, what’s wrong, come in immediately,” the communicator chirped again.
Even as she tried to think the clink of a door caught her attention as it opened slightly. Taking a chance she hoped it would lead to an escape route, or she would be captured again.
*****
The security guard watching the monitors felt nervous now and reluctantly turned to his superior.
“Sir, we have a problem,” he managed to say watching his superior turn and glare at him.
“What type of problem?”
“I’ve lost contact with the guards carrying the package back to the cell, they won’t reply,” the guard replied back to him.
“No reply, what about on the screens, you should be able to see them idiot.”
“Sir, they are in the blackout corner,” the guard replied, the one spot they had no cameras.
The superior walked over to his console keying the mike himself. “This is control come in. You are in violation of protocol, respond at once.”
Seconds ticked by with no reply and the guard looked back up at his superior for more guidance, he was the commander here and a beta.
“Send a security detail there at once, armed,” his superior finally said.
“Yes sir,” the guard replied quickly switching his communicator to the guard room. “Attention, possible prison break in blackout area, detail head there at once armed. Prisoner is considered extremely dangerous.”
He waited for a reply that the guards were leaving when he noticed something else wrong, a flashing security break.
“Um, sir, we might have another problem, we could have multiple security breaks,” he said looking back over at his superior who looked on as well at the flashing lights.
“What in known space is going on?” his superior said. “Full lockdown, now!”
“Yes sir,” the guard answered initiating the start up for full lockdown but with that came other problems as it meant no one could get in, or out. Another light went off to add to his problems and the guard ignored that light, he had enough problems than worry about one light.
*****
Meia waited, watching the door open ready for anything. Instead the face of an older woman appeared who Meia recognized.
“Whoa, Meia wait, I’m here to help but we must act quickly, the guards won’t remain silent for long and have probably already sent a detail here to see what happened,” Trina stated.
“You have a plan?” Meia asked hoping she had something to get out of this building. Once out Meia could formulate her own plan.
“First, get you out of here, I have some friend who will help,” Trina said. “Come on.”
Meia followed Trina, not really having much choice and entered the room and realize the woman had a weapon in her hand. She wondered how Trina managed to get a weapon in their society, it was punishable by death, especially a lower class citizen.
“A weapon?” Meia decided to ask as they stepped into another corridor. Trina seemed to hesitate for a second at the question looking down at her hand then back to Meia before replying and continuing on
“Wasn’t easy to secure, I smuggled parts for a long time, we’re almost there,” Trina said before stopping. “Hades.”
Meia looked at the end of the corridor seeing a group of guards turning the corner as both groups stopped shocked they ran into each other. Meia heard a weapon fire and looked over to see Trina’s arm outstretched and aiming the weapon. Looking back at the guards the lead guard clutch his side before falling over and the others seemed to snap out of their stupor and shot back.
Trina fired back a few more times missing most of the guards but hitting another one in his leg. Meia counted another four guards turning the corner before taking charge.
“Here, let me, I’ve more weapon training than you,” Meia stated holding out her hand.
“All right,” Trina said finally handing over the weapon which Meia studied for a few seconds. It was a hard laser technology, not much penetration but she could fire rapidly without overheating.
“So, where to next?’ Meia asked taking aim and firing causing the guards to duck behind the corner to take cover.
“That door over there,” Trina stated, pointing to a door a short distance away on the other side of the corridor.
“Then we need to go,” Meia said, firing several more rounds off as a few guards poked their head around the corner. Taking aim she waited until the guard appeared again and fired striking him and he slumped to the ground followed by cries by the other guards.
Meia used the distraction to quickly run towards the door firing a few more rounds at the corner to keep the guards pinned. She had to keep firing otherwise they might manage to stop her escape as she reached the door waiting for Trina to join her.
Ass Trina ran two guard jumped out firing wildly as Meia returned fire striking one before the second ducked back behind the corner again. Trina joined her at the door.
“Let’s get out here,” Trina said, her voice a bit strained.
Meia didn’t wait and bolted through the door which turned out to be an exit from the building. They barely cleared the doorway when it slammed shut and a large steel door closed it leaving Meia a bit confused by what happened.
“Lockdown, the guards won’t be able to leave, “ Trina said making Meia feel a bit better yet they still had to get out of the area before any other guards came by.
They started to head away and Meia put her weapon away not wanting to stand out anymore than she already did. She turned as Trina slowed down and looked over spotting a red dot on the ground.
Meia pulled her into an alleyway before Trina could say anything and looking her over carefully. Now she spotted the deep red stain spreading on her side.
“We need to get you help,” Meia said quietly but unsure where they were.
“No,” Trina said, her voice now strong. “I have some friends who can help. Go to the corner of Yaal and Charles, down this street, there is, a friend named Carl and Ewa, they can help you.”
“I can’t leave you,” Meia said, her duty towards others coming through, something she learned while at the Alliance and with Randy.
“I’m not important, you are,” Trina whispered, her strength failing her.
Meia had no idea what to say now and could only watch helplessly as the woman passed away having sacrificed everything to help her. She lost another person who knew her and could have told her about her mother and, perhaps, her father, who they were.
Standing she made a point to make it to Charles and Yaal in hopes this Carl and Ewa could help her. Hiding the weapon she started out and glanced at the street signs, seeing she was on Charles already and headed off down the road hoping things would get better, and Trina’s friends didn’t double cross her upon her arrival.
*****
Emperor Henry sat in his chair behind his desk knowing that the Alliance would send a fleet to him. Once that fleet had been destroyed his own forces could move the rest of the pathetic Alliance defenses and crush them once and for all. Evan as he plotted in his mind rushing footsteps alerted him to something else as a guard ran into the room stopping in front of him.
“Sire, sorry to interrupt but this message came in from the laboratory,” the guard said, handing over the message.
Normally Henry would be incensed, but the message held an official seal to be send straight to him. He quickly read through the message seeing the laboratory had multiple breakouts including the one person he wanted under tight control, Meia.
“Damn her,” he growled tossing the datapad away in disgust, before buzzing his secretary. “Get me the head of security at once, we have a problem on our hands.”
“Yes sire,” the secretary replied handing up as Henry glanced at the trembling guard in front of him. “You are dismissed, don’t’ come back for a while if you wish to live.”
“Yes sire, thank you sire,” the man said, bowing before running from the room while Henry watched on emotionless.
Meia consumed his thoughts, he was so close to his final goal for her to disappear now. She was part of his plan and he had to have control over her. He hoped his enforces would be able to find her, and his other contacts would probably help, its where she probably would go. He looked up as a man walked into the room.
“Sire, you summoned me?” he asked bowing and waiting for his orders.
“Yes, we have an escaped prisoner running loose in sector D-14,” Henry replied. “I want you to increase the patrols to find her, here is her picture and make sure every enforcer has her face memorized. She is to be killed on sight.”
“It will be done as you wish,” the man said, bowing and leaving to carry out the order quickly.
Henry sat back in his chair impatiently waiting to see what might happen next. He thought about a suitable punishment for the head of security at the laboratory for his failures, it could cost him everything in his careful planning. He’d come too far to allow anything to happen. He thought about bringing Jezic back in, the man wanted his revenge and this might be his opportunity for it.
“Problems?” a child-like voice said from the shadows.
“Nothing major yet, only an unexpected surprise,” Henry replied a bit annoyed.
“Meia then, you should have expected it then,” the voice replied back. “You should have killed her when you had the chance, I would’ve.”
“Do not tell me how to run my Empire,” Henry said turning towards the voice to see a child about five years old with blonde hair, the spitting image of Meia at that age. “I can still have you eliminated, it would be best to remember that.”
“Of course father,” the girl said before disappearing into the shadows leaving Henry to wonder how she did that. He would consider that later, for now he had more pressing matters to attend to, the capture of Meia.
End part 20