Chapter 39 - Seen

Seen
Rokiahi immediately turned round with fear to see Chamber rush into the room.

"Rokiahi, we need to go! Now!" he called, urgently.

"Chamber, download this story," she called back, standing up and tapping the monitor aggressively, her mental stress showing through.

Chamber, aware of Rokiahi's serious military history, trusted her instinct, not protesting, "This story had better be important." A black cable from his back, ending in a USB head, lodged into a port of the computer, "And other chapters?"

"As many as you can, please," nodded Rokiahi, standing up, getting ready to leave, "Try to read it if you get the time and tell me if there's anything we should be aware of."

"Uh huh," replied Chamber, uneasily, as he read the text on the monitor. He retracted the cable, "Let's go."

The two left the room as White and Rulia ran to them. "Gensokyo are bringing the big guns," White growled, "We need to get to get you out and fast."

Sora and Void came down another corridor. "The Enterprise is in District 1," Sora explained, "We need to leave."

White nodded, elbowing out the nearby window, the glass raining down on the ground below. "Chamber, would mind holding onto the others?" Before Chamber could answer, White jumped out the second storey window, flying into the air despite no wing movement. Sora followed, activating her rocket boots. Chamber wrapped multiple cables round Void, Rulia and Rokiahi, flying after them.

Nishinomiya-Kita High School was high on a hill, so they could immediately see the rest of the city below. But to the north in the sky was the gradually growing spacecraft, approaching at a fast pace led by the Luxiole, once Haruhi's favourite spacecraft.

As the three flyers rushed through the air, Rokiahi called out, "So why was this high school chosen as our stronghold?"

"We have a heavy presence in District 1 but not in District 0," explained White, "However Gensokyo still outnumber us considerably. Do be careful."

"But we're nowhere near Tokyo." Rokiahi was right, Tokyo was over five hundred kilometres away, over five hours away by train. They had only just entered the airspace above the main city.

"There is very little newcomer presence around. Native supporters of Gensokyo are no threat. We were not prepared to properly protect you in District 1 in case of a sneaky surprise attack."

Sora was getting nervous, her eyes on the flying fleet, "We'll be in their weapon range soon, if we aren't already," noted Sora, "We should land."

They went back to ground, Chamber releasing his hold on the others. But as Rulia jumped off Chamber's back, a gunshot rang out. Rulia screamed, painfully collapsing on the road tarmac. Sora ran up to Rulia in horror. White put a finger to her mouth, signalling to the others for silence. She looked around for the shooter.

Sora sat a crying Rulia. Rulia was in intense pain clutching her right ankle, "It feels like its squirming around," she gasped quietly, her voice gone with her scream, "It's cutting inside of me."

Sora coaxed Rulia's hands from her ankle. No blood. No wound. However, it was very red and looked swollen. Unlike her usual nature, Sora was at a loss at what to do.

Rokiahi, however, had focused her attention elsewhere, looking up at the roof at the nearby three storey residential building. She had recognised the sound of the gunshot. On the roof stood a black silhouette. Despite being afternoon with the sun high in the sky, none of the person's features were distinguishing, as though the being absorbed the light around it. But Rokiahi recognised the person's shape immediately as well the rifle the clearly female person had slung her shoulder. The female still for a moment before turning and walking out of view.

Rokiahi suddenly felt her arm tugged. She turned to see White pulling her down the road. Rokiahi stood fast, "What about Rulia?" she whispered firmly to White.

White turned her head to face Rokiahi just as firmly, "She's making too much noise. We need to leave her behind," she insisted, also at a lower volume.

"On her own?"

"Sora's going to take her a different direction. Hopefully find a safe haven. Remember, it's you who they're going for, not her."

Rokiahi looked over at Rulia who was struggling to stand, even with Sora's aid. Sora looked very distressed, it was her order that essentially allowed Rulia to be shot. Rulia was gasping loudly with pain, making their attempt to stay quiet pointless. Remembering what she had read earlier that day, Rokiahi walked up to Rulia. As Rulia raised head to look at her, Rokiahi elbowed Rulia sharply on the side of the head, instantly knocking her out. Rokiahi turned around, allowing Rulia to fall forwards onto her back.

"What are you doing?" protested Sora, not sure of Rokiahi's intentions.

Rokiahi readjusted Rulia's position, "It's too dangerous to go off on your own. We need to stick together." Chamber made no comment.

Sora decided not to respond, instead looking over at Chamber, the two communicating electronically, "You saw the shooter, right?"

"Yeah... I did," answered Chamber, "Just without the colour, or helmet."

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