Ascension

Lorelei

I spent the afternoon with Indiana trying to figure out a plan. So far it hasn't gone the way I would have liked it to have gone.

"So you found out how far it is?" Indiana asks.

"Yes, Indiana we have been over this several times already." I complain.

"Tell me again why we are going to the Darkness and not our Bunker? What if they can't get there in time?" Indiana asks.

"Then we will go off on our own and try to find them."

"Lorelei, this plan still isn't that well planned."

"Listen. If we can get our people out that is all that matters.

I will consider it a success if we can just get everyone out of Headquarters."

"If by some miracle they get it how will they decode it?" Indiana asks me.

"Elijah knows what it means." I assure him.

"What if he doesn't?"

"Indiana, listen to me, Elijah knows because the place means something to him."

Indiana was still weary of this idea but he stopped complaining.

"Indiana?"

"Yes."

"When do we need to go?"

"Probably tonight." He sighs.

"Okay."

I walk out of his room and I am surprised by the chaos that has ensued.

"What in the worlds?" I whisper as I gaze upon the madness.

Guards are everywhere. Some are guarding doors and others are hunting down people. I look across the room desperately searching for Laine. I spot her she is calmly discussing something with a guard.

She looks over at me.

"What are you doing?" I mouth.

"Saving my skin. I'm sorry Lorelei." She mouthed.

I didn't have time to react. She turns back to the guard she was talking to and points her finger directly at me. I feel like everything around me has frozen. I take off and run for the nearest exit.

As I'm running I pull out my com and com Indiana.

"Indiana! Get out as soon as you can. Don't bother grabbing anyone. They can't be trusted." I yell into the com.

Indiana doesn't have time to say anything before I hang up. I sprint for the rooftop entrance. Before I get to the top I grab several things of rope and begin tying them together.

Before long I have reached the top of the roof and I am ready to finally leave this place. I tie the rope tightly to the roof and begin my descent down the building. It is terrifying going down that rope but I know it is my only chance of survival. I climb that rope floor by floor until I hit the bottom of the rope.

I glance down at the ground. I am still a few floors up.

"Oh heavens, save my soul." I whisper silently.

I let go of the rope. I watch as my feet hit the ground. A spasm of pain runs up and down my left leg. I drop to to my side and hear a crunching noise as my shoulder hits the hard floor. I muffle a scream and roll for a few feet.

"Ugh!" I groan.

A warm liquid rushes down the side of my face. I reach and feel a puncture wound in my forehead. Great.

I groan as I push myself up with my good arm. I try and stand with both legs but a sharp pain shoots up my left one and I fall to my knee again. I grit my teeth. This is not how I will be captured. I push myself up and limp off into the way I hoped was west from Headquarters. After an hour or so I stop to attempt to set my leg. I'm not sure if It was broken or not but better safe than sorry and it hurt less when I limped. My arm, I ripped my shirt and made a sling for it.

It definitely hurt whenever I even moved but hopefully this would help me recover a little. I stood up again and kept walking. Then I remembered Indiana. I pulled out my com and called him on it.

"Indiana, I got hurt getting out. If I don't make it to the rendezvous in three days tell them to wait for me." I tell him.

"Wait Lorelei are you okay? Do you need me to come find you?"

"No focus on getting to the rendezvous. Focus on the mission."

"Lorelei you are my mission."

"I'm not anymore. You are going to focus on getting to the rendezvous."

"Lorelei-"

I don't let him finish. I hang up before he gets the chance and I keep pushing my limits. My whole body hurts after a few miles. I continue to push until tears spring into my eyes. I feel pretty good about myself. I get to the point where my body doesn't feel like it's being torn apart. Then I trip.

Remember when you tripped and fell as a kid. Or skinned your knee and it felt like the worst pain imaginable so you would burst into tears. This is what it was like tripping. I fell over a rock so I basically face planted into the earth. Everything exploded into pain once again and it felt like I fell off that stupid rope again.

"Ugh!" I moaned.

I gritted my teeth and kept my mouth shut tight because if I didn't I felt like I might scream.

"Ahh." I winced as I tried to move again.

Tears form in my eyes and fall effortlessly down my face. Then I notice a different type of pain in my leg. I pull the pant leg up and look down at my left leg. Down in is a big gash. I gasp at the sight. I inspect it more carefully and notice it isn't that deep.

I then remember a first aid book we were required to read in our 12th year. It was about wilderness survival. I remember a section talking about infection and how to prevent when you are lost in the wilderness. Burn the cut. I gulp. I start to build a fire. When the fire is large enough I catch a stick on fire and press it against my leg.

This time I cannot suppress my scream. It burns so bad.