CROSSROADS II

Lena's POV As I slouch behind the desk, the air is charged with anxiety and the bitter scent of gunpowder stiffs my nose. Around me chaos breaks out as Finn and Jake go back fire and bullets ricochet off the walls. As I peep over the desk attempting to evaluate the circumstances, my pulse rushes and the adrenaline surges through me. The dark sound of Beckett's laughter resounds in the anarchy, cutting through the noise. "You believe you could pull me down? Just now is the start! " Shut down!" I yell back, frustrated and afraid of entwining. I look at Finn, attempting to push back the security personnel. Always the consistent one, he is the one who grounds us. Still, he appears tense; his brow is wrinkled in focus. "Lena, we have to get out!" Finn shouts; his voice almost heard over the gunshots. I chew hard as my thoughts run wild. Fighting like this is not sustainable. Our outgunned and outnumbered count are Regarding the window, "What about? I advise pointing to the big pane behind Beckett's desk. "We could run away in that direction!" Jacob turns back at me, wide-eyed. "It carries too great a risk! We really should concentrate on bringing him down! "Riskier than getting killed here?" Feeling the weight of the occasion, I shoot back. "We can gather outside and figure out a better approach to knock him out." Finn mods and fixes my eye. Let us do it. We will set aside some time. Cover for us, Jacob. Jacob pauses then nods, his countenance changing from uncertainty to will. "Okay, but we have to be fast!" I can feel the anxiety sinking into my gut as we get ready to relocate. Right this is it. This marks the transformation in all things. I grab my gun securely and glance at Finn. His eyes catch mine, a mute comfort sent between us. We confront this united regardless of what transpires. Finn says, counting down with his fingers, "on three." "One... two... three!". From our shelter, we sprang forward toward the window. As Finn and I lunge for the glass, Jacob starts a flurry of gunfire keeping the soldiers busy. As we smash through, the sound of breaking glass rings in my ears and I can feel my heart hammer in my chest. Outside we fall and roll to absorb the shock. I start to breathe and search for Finn. Right next to me, his demeanor combines urgency with relief. "Are you alright?" His voice quiet but urgent, he asks. My heart racing, I say, "Yeah, I'm fine." But we cannot stop. We need to leave here! We get to our feet and look for any indication of our squad. From within the complex, the anarchy spills out onto the street, and I hear distant sirens. "Over there!" Finn gestures toward an alleyway, and we dash in that direction, dodging into the darkness. I slant against the wall attempting to collect my breath once we are hidden. Though I can feel my body shaking, the adrenaline is still raging. "What now?," asks I probe, looking about. Finn pulls out his phone looking for any texts from the others. By now they ought to have reassembled. Until we can come up with a fresh strategy, we must locate a safe area to lie low. Jacob comes with us; his face is white yet firm. "We cannot wait simply. Beckett never will cease visiting us. We have to figure out how to call this quits. I nod, then anxiousness floods over me. "What if we flip the rules? We may compile proof of his activities and provide it to others worldwide. We may bring the authorities into play. "Getting the authorities involved is dangerous," Finn warns, wrinkled brow. "What would happen if Beckett had ties? We would be endangering ourselves far more. "Maybe," I say, "but if we do nothing, he will simply keep pestering us. We cannot allow him to dictate our destiny. "Then let's find something we can use," Jacob says, his voice gathering power. "We need to return inside." Though I know we have no option, the idea of returning to an awful place shivers down my spine. "Okay," I said, staring at Finn. "We shall be cautious." I sense the stress building once again as we go back into the complex. Every stride seems weighty, our goal pushing down on me. I look at Finn; she looks immersed in contemplation. "What else is on your mind?" I question softly. His voice low, he says, "I just... I don't want to lose you." "This is perilous, Lena." Already we have lost so much. Trying to soothe him, I say, "We won't lose each other". "We are more powerful taken collectively. This far we have made it. He nods, but his eyes clearly show concern. "Just promise me you're careful." I say, my heart bursting with will. Fear will not control my behavior any more. I can see the anarchy inside has grown as we go back to the complex. The guards are on great alert; shooting and yelling permeate the air. We have to locate another entry, I whisper as I look about. Over there! Jacob gestures to a side entrance that seems less under protection. "If we can sneak inside, we can get to the main office undetected. Heart thumping in my chest, we slink toward the door. As we get closer, I can feel the surge of adrenaline; I inhale deeply to help me to calm myself for what is ahead. Finn responds, his voice calm, "On my count." "One, two, three!." Hearts racing, we open the door and slide inside into a poorly lighted corridor. There is a great buzz in the air, and I could feel the strain pulsing around us. "Let's find that evidence," I say, treading carefully down the hall. We negotiate the narrow passageways, the sound of anarchy resonating far away. I sense doubt weighing down on me as we descended inside the complex. Should our search fail to yield what we are seeking for? What happens if we are late? We hear voices ahead just now. One guard replies, his voice anxious, "We need to secure the perimeter." "Beckett wants this situation under control." "We cannot let them escape once more!" Another guard lets off a snap. "They already have cost us too much." "We cannot fight them all," Jacob says, worrying, into his voice. "We are outnumbered.". Then, my heart beating, we must be wise about this. "We cannot permit them to see us. Allow us to veer another direction. We swiftly back off in search of another approach to reach Beckett's office. As we negotiate the darkness, my heart is racing and every sound magnifies my anxiety. At last we get to a set of double doors leading to a storage space. We slide in as I open them, shutting the door silently behind us. Trying to slow my beating heart, I remark, "This should be safe for a moment." "What's the current plan??" Finn probes, looking about the area loaded with boxes and containers. "We hunt for anything that might benefit us," I say, a spark of will igniting me. "Evidence of Beckett's actions, anything we might turn against him." Jacob nods and then gestures toward a stack of crates. I'll review it over here. The stress is rising once more as I begin sorting through the boxes. Every second that goes by seems like an eternity, and I can't get rid of the sense that we have limited time. I suddenly hear a piercing, urgent Jacob's voice. "Guys, come over here!". Heart racing, I dash over to see what he is carrying. This is a thick document folder. "What did you find?" Peering over his shoulder, I inquire. "Blueprints," Jacob says, enthusiasm coloring his voice. "Blueprints of the compound and shipment records. We might just need exactly what this offers. Finn picks up the folder from Jacob and runs over the papers. With wide eyes, he says, "This is huge." "Everything Beckett has been doing will be revealed if we can get this to the authorities." I urge, looking back toward the entrance, "Let's get out of here before anyone sees us." I feel pressure rising in my chest as the outside noise gets louder. Footfall resonates outside the storage room as we begin to relocate. My heart collapses. "We're not alone," I gasp, terror rising in my chest. The door opens before I can respond, and two fiercely expressive guards enter. One of them barbs, "What are you doing here?" "Run!," Finn yells, dragging me back toward the rear of the space. Adrenaline flooding me, we dash toward the back exit. Behind us, the soldiers are yelling, their footsteps hammering on the floor as we flee. Breath rushing in frantic gasps, we broke through the rear door and into the cold night air. "Where now?" Jacob probes, looking about madly. "down the alley!" Finn makes pointing gestures.