originally posted in:The New Dojo
"Why, the mistress and the master of course!" The boy said.
"The mistress and the...seriously? You're leaders are actually called that?" Anne asked in disbelief. All of the kids nodded quickly. "And who is the master and the mistress?" Anne asked them.
"We don't know." A soft feminine voice replied. "They never revealed their faces or names. But we fight for them. And we'll die for them!"
English
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"Next question then, how did they find out we were here?"
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"Well, us!" Said the blond boy. "Like I said before. They had us sabotage the infinite corporations assets here to attract Alex Coldbourne himself. Then, we would capture him and use him as leverage to shut down infinite corp! We found out you were here as soon as you entered! But we forgot about the twilight princess...."
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"Hm, and what does the clan have to gain from shutting down infinite Corp?"
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"Alex Coldbourne made him and his company an enemy of our clan on the day he flew his helicopters over the bridge to the docks and captured our people! The clan sees him as a threat, so we aimed to dismantle him." Alex remained silent for a moment, then spoke. "Well. It makes enough sense." He said casually.
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"Guess so, looks like you pissed off the Master and Mistress. What about this town, is it under your control?"
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"No. We can't control people." The boy said. "We don't occupy and control. We eliminate and deceive. But by now, they already know that all of us have been captured and have this entire building surrounded!"
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"Figured as much, this place have a secret tunnel or something like that at all?"
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"A secret tunnel? What is this the goonies?" Alex asked Sera. "No...its...just an inn." The boy answered. "Well. This is really just...great." Anne commented.
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"Well shit.....How do you wanna play this guys? We have hostages but like the kids said they have us surrounded."
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"I...I'm not sure! Wait! We need to ask another question!" Anne exclaimed. She walked over to the boy. "Your leaders. Are they here?" "No." "Are they close by?" "Yes." "Where are they?" "They have a small base set up at the foot of the Nozama mountains." "Thank you very much!" Anne finished. "Wait..." alex started. "Speedy. Think you can tie each of them up individually then hold them at the same time?"
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"I should be able to do that. Why, what do you have planned?"
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"Well...here's what I'm thinking." Alex whispered as he brought the two girls closer to him. "Sera. You band these kids together, and have them stringed up so they form a barrier around us. That way, we can use them as hostages as we make our way out." "Seriously, Alex?! Child soldiers as shields?! That's how you wanna do this?!" Anne questioned angrily. Her blue face almost turned red with anger. "Ya. I mean, no! No! The kids will be perfectly safe! There's now way the clan would fire on its own people!" Alex said. "How would you know?" Anne questioned again. "It's...well it's a leap of faith, really. Haha?" Anne looked at Alex with quite the furrowed brow. Alex seemed uncomfortable with it as he adjusted the tie he didn't have on. It seemed Sera would have to decide what to do here.
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Sera let out a sigh as she began to think. These children were younger then her, yet Alex wanted to use them as a shield? That didn't sit right with her, so using them wasn't an option. "I'm not really comfortable risking the lives of children, so I might be able to use my magic to form a barrier around us."
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"Might be?" Alex asked. "Well i am more for that idea then the alternative." "I'm telling you they wouldn't be at risk! Most likely anyways! Why would they fire at their friends? Fellow brothers and sisters in arms?!" One of the children spoke up suddenly, likely due to the chains. "Nightingales cannot risk or harm other nightingales unless ordered to by the mistress or master. That's only in extreme cases as well."
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"That may be so, but remember, they want you dead Alex. I think they'd make that risk if it meant they eliminated you..."
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Alex let out a sigh as he saw the girls point. "Ya. No you girls are right. It's too risky." He admitted. Anne let out breath of relief. "Thanks for realizing that Alex." She said to him. "Ya...now it looks like our only option is to fight our way out of here. If they were using bullets or magic I could use my blade as a small force field. But these freaking kids are using arrows for crying out loud! Not only that of we're surrounded our non-lethals will only last so long till we're out of ammo. Especially because as soon as we're out there we'll be in an open plaza with next to no cover...." Alex looked grimly to Sera. "Have you been able to pull of a barrier before?" He asked her.
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"Only in front of me for a short time, but I'm sure il be able to hold it around us."
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"But then our six is exposed..." Anne commented. "It's the only solution we got." Alex stated. "Ya but...agh this situation is just a mess!" "Ya...but we'll get out of it. We always do." Alex said in an attempt to comfort the princess. Anne let out a breath of distress and shook her arms to get back into the game. "Okay...then there's no point in wasting time." She said. "Agreed! Everyone! On the door! Sera keep the kids chained up for as long as you can. Wouldn't want these little shits getting any ideas!" He ordered. Alex drew his blade off of his back and twirled it in his hand as he approached the door of the Inn. Anne followed closely behind him.
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Sera's eyes glowed white as she stepped in front on the two, and her barrier from before formed. It stretched out, and covered the trio from the front. "Alright, let's move!"
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Alex opened the door for Sera so that she could make her way out. As she looked outside she saw that it was dusk, and nearly night. Along with that, there was no one else on the streets...
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She moved forward and out of the inn slowly, watching the streets as they moved out. "I don't see anybody...."
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Alex and Anne followed behind her. They glanced up at the rooftops and the corners, but they still couldn't see a soul in sight. "I...I can't see anyone either." Anne said as she glanced around. "I got a bad feeling about this." Alex admitted as the group made its way forward.
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"Maybe the kids were lying....But they couldn't have been, they were wrapped up in my chains!"
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"That would mean...." Anne started. "We're being watched." Alex then interrupted. The group continued to make its way through the plaza. "We need to get back to the camp. ASAP. Sera, go the way we came. On the north street."
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"Gotcha, just make sure I don't take an arrow in my back." She proceeded down the street, and kept her eyes out for anything out of the ordinary.