F.E.A.R.

Zack stood against a wall as the meeting between all of the officers was finished. Most people left the room with the exception of the people that actually worked at the building they were currently in.

            “Well, that was entertaining.” Mei said sarcastically. Mei was the twenty year old foster daughter of the Rican, the leader of E.D.G.E. inc. that Zack worked for. She was also the highest ranked officer under Rican himself but not because she was his daughter. She worked harder than anyone else in the force. Mei was in the category of first-one-to-arrive and last-to-leave type of girl. She used to be Zack’s “eyes and ears” when it came to missions but Xana now had that job. “I really can’t stand those military types. They’re too serious. You can’t get comfortable around them.” Rican chuckled from the end of the large round table.

            “When you get older and have your life on a leash like they do maybe you’ll understand.”

            “Hopefully, not. We, practically, do the same things that they do but do we act like zombified robots?” Xana scoffed.

            “Zombified robots? More like hollow androids.”

            “There like dead trees.”

            “Moss on rocks.”

            “Growing grass.” Rican threw up his hands.

            “Okay, ladies.” He said but couldn’t help his snickering along with the other three. “I know that the, um,” Rican coughed to help straighten his face. “military members are very serious about their job but that is a good thing. To protect this nation they have probably gone through numerous perils. All of the experience has hardened them to this point.” Mei looked at her watch and gasped.

            “Where did the time go? Your encouraging speech is supposed to begin in five minutes.” Rican rose from his chair.

            “Already? Weren’t we supposed to have thirty minutes after that meeting was over?”

            “Oh, you know old people.” Zack chimed in. “Once they start talking about their stories they’re on a roll and there is no telling when they’re going to stop. Anyway you should be used to this kind of thing.”

            “Could you please remind me what this speech is about and who I’m talking to?” Rican asked as the four of them exited the meeting room and started down the hall. Mei looked at her clear glass clip board she seemed to always have with her. It was a state of the art piece of technology. Instead of paper being on the clip board there was a thin LCD screen that held documents, schedules, maps, and just about anything she needed to be informed and up to date.

            “You’re speaking to the new recruits, remember? You’re giving them an encouraging word. You know; leader stuff.”

            “Ah, Rican claims that he’s always on top of things,” Zack paused, then grinned at the girls. “Except that I’m thinking that ol’ Rican’s gone senile on us. They say memory is the first thing to go.”

            Rican scowled good-naturedly. “Ol’ Rican could easily kick you butt into next week.”

            Zack looked at him mock-seriously. “Yeah, but would you remember it afterwards?”

            The girls started laughing along with Rican while shaking his head. By the time they were drying their eyes the approached the door that lead outside.

            “It seems kind of quiet out there.” Rican said.

            “That’s because you’re talking to a group of recruits. Trained recruits. You’re not the Pope in Europe talking to a rowdy crowd. Now get out there and get them. I have to make sure you read the right things on the display panel on the pedestal. Good luck.” Mei went through another door down the hall and then time came for Rican to finally appear before the newest additions to E.D.G.E. Emergency Dispatch Guardian Elicitation. Most people that joined had some type of background with working as either the military or the police force.

            Everyone was lined up in straight rows that filled the entire courtyard. Rican cleared his voice and started his speech. Zack stood behind Rican looking at the crowd of people for any suspicious activity. Their last threat was well gone now but no one ever knew when a new one would appear in its place. As Rican finished up his speech Zack saw a man in the crowd that stood out. The man was looking off to the side where the gates that lead to the courtyard were. Then the man looked up toward Rican with a deadly look in his eyes. Before Zack could react the man had already approached the podium. Rican was taken aback by the man and didn’t hesitate in swing a punch at the man. Rican’s punch was easily dodged and the man moved around behind him and grabbed a hold of his head.

            The cracking sound reverberated throughout the whole entire courtyard and Rican dropped to the ground and didn’t move. Zack felt that his whole entire body was frozen as several other guards moved in with swords, guns, and stun batons. One by one the man brought down each of the guards with ease using one of their own swords. Zack regained movement of his body and moved in for the assassin.

            “Zack,” Xana could be heard on Zack’s earpiece. “There is an accomplice at the gate not letting any backup in. She’s taking out anyone who even tries!”

            Great. More to add to this mess. Zack thought. Just as the man cut down the last guard he swung his sword at Zack, barely missing as Zack ducked under it. Zack moved in, while there was a brief opening, and kicked the sword from the assassin’s hand. Zack then delivered a thrust kick in the pit of the man’s stomach. The momentum made the assassin fly back several feet.

            “Who are you?” Zack demanded. The man just merely rose from the ground, unshaken, and started walking towards Zack. Zack picked up one of the nearby guard’s stun baton and swung it at the man. He parried the swing with a kick and took another sword and swung at Zack. The attack was blocked by Mei’s own Jian sword.

            “I don’t know who you are but you can bet that for as long as either one of us lives I will hunt you down every second of everyday.” The assassin gave off an evil smirk and Mei made a quick stab at his face. He quickly pulled his head away and grabbed Mei by her wrist, giving her a solid punch to her chest. She immediately coughed up blood. Zack tried to save her from the killer’s next blow and swung his sword at the man’s head. The man let go of Mei and ducked. He then kicked Zack at his ankle making Zack fall forward on his knee. The murderer kicked Zack across the face and finally delivered a kick in Zack’s stomach that sent him flying several yards. The man turned and started to walk away when Mei threw her sword at him, missing by a fraction. He swung his sword at Mei but was stopped by a woman with jet black hair and yellow eyes.

            “The subject is dead. We’ve done enough damage. Let us go before it’s too late.” The woman disappeared followed by the assassin in a cloud of dark smoke. Mei finally lay on the ground, unconscious from the force of the blow along with Zack who was out cold. The recruits seemed to forget their training and were running for their lives through every exit. Some lay on the ground wounded or dead from being trampled on or assaulted by the assassin’s accomplice.

Reviews

[Black_Rabbit]

Hi Vincent, sorry for the late review. This time there's no grammar mistakes in the second half, so I just wanted to write that this chapter is very intresting, I love the action scene, I also found the dialouge funny at the beggining. I'm going on to the the next chapter to see what happens next. :)

[Ninja'sMuse]

Way better grammar here than in the first chapter, and easier to read as well. It drew me further into the story, too. I liked it a lot. I'd work on the first chapter; the beginning of a piece needs to draw the reader in. Most won't wait for the second chapter, and the first was kind of confusing and grammatically hard to follow. Intriguing though! Good work.

[ChloeKirk]

I love a good action scene. They are difficult to write I find, so good work there.