Chapter 4

Chapter 4- C.J

Raton District; Earth

 

            C.J was walking with a handful of electrical wires when the ground shook, knocking her off balance. As she fell the tremors faded and dust clouded the air. She coughed up the dust she had inhaled from falling, her lungs protesting against the force.

“C.J!” Raphe called as he ran up to her. She knew what he was thinking after seeing her on the ground, seemingly collapsed, coughing. He’s seen that happen enough times. But thankfully, this wasn’t one of those instances. “I’m fine. I just fell. What the hell just happened?” She asked.

“I don’t know, but it can’t be good. We have a problem.” Raphe replied, watching her carefully. Her skin was pale, and her eyes glistened from a slight fever. The last thing he wanted was to trigger her.

“Other than the unnatural earthquake just now?” She asked.

“Carlos took the blueprints for the machine Jezebel wanted us to make.” Raphe said bluntly. He knew the best way to deal with C.J was to be honest and straightforward.

C.J froze at what Raphe had just told her. “Carlos did what?” She asked. She couldn’t have imagined it…right? Carlos was part of Archive. Why would he take the blueprints?

Raphe eyed her and explained Carlos’ motives. “He said he wouldn’t let you destroy Archive by giving this to the enemy. His words. Not mine.”

            C.J looked at Raphe and saw how angry he was, and also how worried he was about her. “Raphe, listen to me. I’m fine. Please stop looking at me like I’m at death’s door. I’m going over to Carlos’ place. Get these wires back to the base and start assembling them like they were on the blueprints. I know you remember them. I’ll be back soon.” She assures him and runs off in the opposite direction.

 

Carlos stood in the back of his shack, holding the blueprints close. There was no way in hell he would hand these over to Arkacia. He’d rather die first than to be the cause of Archive’s destruction. How could C.J call herself the leader when she is spearheading Archive’s destruction? Carlos thought angrily. His front door slammed open, and C.J stood against the doorway. “I wont do it! I won’t help Archive be destroyed! This will actually work C.J! How could you give them something that will block our reach to Arkacia?!” Carlos angrily yelled.

She calmly looked at him, and at the state of his shack. He looked like he was ready to die. Which she found both funny and stupid.

“Carlos, listen to me. You know that Raphe has already memorized the entire blueprints. It is pointless for you to do this.” C.J calmly reasoned with him. Idiot. If you wanted to do real damage, then you should have taken them before Raphe even saw them. She thought smugly to herself. Carlos looked at C.J with slight defeat. “How? How can you be so calm about this? You of all people should be fighting for us to get to Arkacia!” He yelled.

“I know Carlos. I know this will work. We have to give Jezebel what he wants. But he doesn’t know his anti-Archive machine is being built by Archive. We know the machine inside and out, so all we need to do is make a counter machine that will make this one useless. It will just take some time.” C.J explained patiently.

Carlos stilled and looked her in the eye. “Can you do that? Can you really make something to counter this?” He asked, with hope.

“Of course I can, Carlos. That’s why I’m the head engineer here.” She explained indignantly. Carlos slowly nodded his head. “I understand C.J. Sorry.” He muttered.

Even though it wasn’t exactly okay for him to take the blueprints like he did, she said it was fine. But now she needed to get these prints to Jezebel. “Carlos, give me the blueprints. I have an hour to run and give these to Jezebel. Get back to base, and help the team out building this damn thing.” C.J. said and took the blueprints from Carlos’s now steady hand.  She ran out of the shack and used all of her energy to the only house left intact. This is where representatives from Arkacia stay when they visit. It is also normally an hour away. If C.J was to make the time that Jezebel set, she would have to run as fast as she could, despite the consequences of doing so.