Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Finding Sanctuary ❯ The Pawn's Flight ( Chapter 7 )

I did as I was told. The monitor in front of me blinked to life again. This time it showed a live video feed of a room in a Magitek Facility. The room looked very familiar to me. Sure enough, I recognized the room to be Cid's private office. I had been there only once before. It was when I was granted access to the Magitek Facility due to my promotion to generalship. Cid appeared on screen carrying a stack of documents to his desk, looking irritable.

"Leave him alone, Guardian," I warned dangerously.

"Professor Cid del Norte Marguez is Vector's top scientist. Though already highly-advanced, Vector is still years ahead of its time because of him. His inventive genius is an irreplaceable asset to the scientific community. He is one of the targets whom you've failed to name in your possible list of targets. Ironically, he is the least protected of them all."

I was furious. "I said leave him alone!"

Guardian ignored me. "The professor is expecting a package to arrive to his office tonight. In the package, he expects to find a harmless Magitek assembly part so that his team can test it as routine. What he does not know is that I have replaced the content of the package with an explosive that will detonate when lifted out of its casing. The explosive is disguised to look like something else, of course."

"You wouldn't--"

"I calculate that the package will arrive in his office in thirty-six minutes--more than enough time for you to walk out of this facility and warn him about it." The screen switched back to the 3-D blueprint. It showed the room that I was occupying and the immediate area. "However, underneath this very facility is another Magitek reactor set to explode in fifteen minutes. The explosion will be enough to destroy the floors above it--including yours." The blueprint shifted in perspective to show the location of the reactor. It was several sub-floors below me.

"There are two ways to stop the overload," Guardian continued. "You may head down below to the reactor and enter the code to stop it. However, be aware that the trip down will cost you precious minutes. You will not have enough time to save the professor. The second way is to shut down the reactor remotely. You may do this through a control panel in the Devil's Lab."

"I have no access to the Devil's Lab!" I protested.

"I will provide you access. However, your presence there will raise questions that will compromise your military status. Do not get caught."

"You are forcing me to do something treacherous!"

"The choice is yours, Celes." Guardian wrote the choices plainly on the screen together with the pros and cons of each, as if to mock me.

OPTION 1: Proceed directly to Professor del Norte Marguez.
RISK: Low.
PRO: Save the professor's life.
CONS: Reactor explosion. Many deaths and damages in property.

OPTION 2: Proceed directly to the Magitek Reactor.
RISK: Low.
PRO: Avert reactor explosion.
CON: The professor will expire.

OPTION 3: Breach the Devil's Lab.
RISK: High
PROS: Favorable odds to avert reactor explosion and the professor's death.
CON: The breach would be considered treason. Do not get caught.

OPTION 4: Do nothing.
RISK: None
PROS: You live. You keep your rank.
CONS: Reactor explosion. The professor will expire.

I felt my teeth lock in anger. This was the complete opposite of my plan. I was supposed to have the element of surprise. I was supposed to trick the rebels. Instead, Guardian was openly trying to manipulate me. It was definitely the last thing I needed in my already-complicated life.

"I do not see how this would prove anything, Guardian, other than the fact that you are a murderer!"

"We will see."

"How do I override the sequence?"

"When you get there, I will give you instructions."

"How?"

The screen changed again. It showed a live feed from a security camera showing an empty corridor and a locked door. I recognized it as the same locked door of the room viewed from the outside. A small Magitek drone appeared from the corner of the corridor. It was a harmless drone created and programmed only to carry and deliver mail and small packages to designated areas. I wondered whether it would be the same drone that would deliver the bomb to Cid.

"I have reprogrammed the drone to deliver a package to you, Celes. Don't worry. It only carries with it an earpiece and a microphone so that we remain in contact with each other. Any questions so far?"

"How do I know that the reactor is really set to blow up? Or that you've sent the professor a bomb? How do I know that you're not trying to set me up?"

"You don't," Guardian said coldly. The door made a sound indicating that it was unlocked. I was free to exit the room. "But is it a risk you're willing to ignore?"

I drew a deep breath and stared into the security camera inside the room. "You're bluffing! I'm not going to fall into your trap. I'm staying right here," I said, sounding stubborn. I sat back down on my chair to prove my point. The screen flashed two timers. One started counting down from fifteen minutes. The other, from thirty-six minutes. I tried to ignore them, but I blinked first.

"Damn you, Guardian!" I shouted in anger as I bolted out through the door. I grabbed the package from the drone and started tearing the small box apart with my hands. Inside the box I saw the small devices. I put them on and headed straight for the entrance to the Devil's Lab.

**********

I ran like there was no tomorrow, cursing more at myself than at Guardian. I hated myself for falling into Guardian's hands. I hated myself for gravely underestimating her. It was something I wanted to avoid at all cost. I had only begun the investigation, and already, I was at the mercy of my foe.

Still, I granted my self a degree of reprieve. Though I was caught unprepared about the whole thing, I could find some comfort in the fact that Guardian had a greater advantage in terms of time. Guardian and her accomplice had already infiltrated Vector Compound way before I was promoted to a general. It was Guardian who had the head start.

The plan was useless now. I would have to find another way to chase away the enemies. But for now, I concentrated on the task at hand. The soldiers in patrol stepped out of my way, blinking in confusion as I ran past them. I even bumped into a maintenance person pushing a cumbersome cleaning equipment. The equipment fell onto the floor while the man staggered back for balance.

"Sorry!" I shouted back, not turning my head back nor slowing my pace.

"Oh, I forgot to mention," Guardian said through the earpiece, "You're not allowed to talk to anybody except me. It's a rule."

"Anything else that I should know, Guardian?" I snapped at her.

"Well, it's not a rule but if you want to save both the reactor and the professor, then you're going to have to follow my instructions. Turn right."

"But the Devil's Lab is straight ahead!" I argued, suspecting that Guardian was purposefully slowing me down.

"You need to get past the guards."

"I thought you said you'd give me access."

"Think carefully, Celes. You are about to break into the Devil's Lab with my help. You don't want witnesses. Don't think like a general of the army. Think like an enemy of the army, because your rank won't save you should they discover what you are about to do," Guardian explained. I swore under my breath. Guardian was right again.

I made a right turn at the next junction where a Magitek Drone was located at a sentry point. "Identify yourself," it echoed.

"Stop and override the drone's programming," Guardian said. "Tell me the model."

"Silver drone. GT-20 series," I replied after a quick examination.

"Vector-gamma-five-seven-seven."

"What?"

"That is the override code. Echo."

"Vector-gamma-five-seven-seven," I repeated.

The response was instantaneous. The Magitek drone powered down its weapon and prompted, "Requesting new command."

"Is this how Terra did it?" I asked, intrigued.

"I know nobody by that name," Guardian answered simply. I could not tell whether she was lying or not by the electronic voice alone. But the obvious was overwhelming. "Order the drone to kill the guards."

"I will do no such thing!" she whispered harshly.

"The door that they are guarding is the only way inside," Guardian reasoned.

I thought of an alternate plan carefully.

**********

The two guards were very much awake and determined to keep everybody out. Though, it was only guard duty for the night, it had always been an honor to be guarding the door to the Devil's Lab. It was an easy yet well-regarded task. Just an hour ago they had the opportunity to deny a general access into the lab due to lack of proper clearance. It gave them such a high to have done it. They could brag about the incident the next morning to their comrades.

The guards doubted very much that they would have a hostile encounter at all that night. Besides them, there were other guard and drone patrols in the area. The door itself had sensors and mounted bolt rifles that could either kill or stun. It was easy to feel the redundancy of their presence. They were bored most of the time. The two guards had run out of things that they could talk about. Had run out of jokes to tell and complaints to vent off. Their only salvation for the night was the end of their shift when they would be relieved off duty by the next unfortunate duo. However, the boring routine was about to be broken.

A small Magitek drone approached them. The guards regarded it with curiosity. It was definitely not one of the drones that had been patrolling the area. This was a new drone. A sentry drone, by the looks of it. It was only supposed to guard a specific junction. Yet, there it was, approaching them slowly with its small blasters powered up.

"What in the world is that thing doing here?" asked the first guard.

"Stay clear of that thing. It looks like it's about to shoot," the second guard said as he noticed the blasters. They both parted to let the small drone pass. The drone continued towards the door that they were guarding with no sign of stopping.

"It looks broken," observed the first guard.

The drone ran up against the locked door and stopped moving so that its blasters at point-blank range. Then the drone started spinning in a small circle saying, "Warning: level one malfunction! Please enter manual deactivation code! Warning: level one malfunction…"

"Damn it! What do we do now?" asked the second guard.

"We do what it says. Punch in the code to kill it on its console," replied the first guard. Both of them looked bewildered as they thought of a way to do it. The drone was very much determined to keep going in circles.

"Isn't there a simple off switch for these things?"

"That destroys the purpose of having to rely on them to patrol the area. Imagine an intruder simply hitting the off switches to pass by them," scolded the first guard. "If we could just find a way to stop it from moving long enough for me to enter the code then we should be fine."

"Let me try," said the second guard, trying to be helpful. He took a step towards the malfunctioning drone. It was about four feet tall and mobile with four motorized wheels. The top was dome-shaped with small blasters protruding from the sides. He felt like he was about to wrestle with a pony.

The second guard found a spot to grab on to. With all his strength he tried to stop the spinning drone, but the drone was too strong. Instead, he got dragged in circles along with it. Finally, he couldn't keep up so he let go, falling onto the floor.

"It's stronger than it looks!" exclaimed the guard.

"Let's both try it," the first guard said. They both jumped the drone and tried to drag it down to the ground. The drone slowed a bit but it still continued. The guards heaved with all their might to no avail. "Tip it over!" the first guard said, his face red.

"I'm trying!" returned the second guard. "I've a good mind to shoot this thing with a rifle!"

The drone started slowing down gradually. They felt that it was losing power. They clung to it with their arms. Suddenly, a jolt of strong electric current emanated from the drone's body. The shock was strong enough to incapacitate the two guards. The guards fell unconscious on the floor.

General Chere stepped out of hiding from around the corner of the nearest junction and ran towards the door, carefully stepping over the guards. A spiteful smile appeared on her face when she saw the face of one of the guards who denied her access. She fought the childish urge to kick the guard while he was unconscious just for the very idea of infantile vengeance.

The door clapped loudly as it unlocked itself. The hiss of hydraulics followed when it slid open. She dashed inside before the patrols arrived in the area. The door closed shortly after. From behind the door, she could still hear the faint electronic voice of the drone.

"Warning: level one malfunction! Please enter manual deactivation code…"

She was in a new corridor much similar to where she was before. The floors were made of steel. It was impossible for her to cover the sound of her footsteps.

"The patrols here make a counter-clockwise sweep. Proceed to the right and make haste!" Guardian urged. "The guards will be rounding the corner in about fifteen seconds."

General Chere ran to her right, not worried about the noise that she was making.

"What am I looking for, Guardian?" she asked sternly with impatience in her voice.

"Sub-seven D."

**********
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Author's Notes:

I haven't had the chance to proofread this one so if you see an error, please tell me.

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