Chapter 45: Chapter 45

"Are you loosing faith in our love?

Questioning my trust in our bond.

Fuck relationship, well that's all.

I don't wanna be an emotional heart wreck.

Are you really saint or a demon?

Hiding under the facade of our love.

Devil in disguise, well that's you.

I don't wanna be an emotional heart wreck.

I fell for you,

Thirst for you,

You made me really swim in your ocean of lies,

Fell for you,

Thirst for you oh oh oh

Look at what you've done to me yo,

Now I'm just a shadow of myself.

Now I have lost faith in the word, love.

My world is now a dark cold Void."

Those were the lyrics of ROUSEY- D. I. D (Devil In Disguise) that deafened Lola's ears through her Droypods. Her eyes were closed and all she could see sweet memories she shared with The Trainer. Except this time, they weren't joyful anymore. She didn't want to believe her innocent Trevor, was a monster. A devil in disguise. But somehow, some part of her chose to believe her teammates.

Ariel's gentle tap on her right arm, jerked her back to reality. They were inside a Taxi, stuck in traffic with several vehicles honking agitatedly. But that wasn't what Ariel called her attention for. It was the news blaring from the radio.

"Breaking News!" The reporter pitched like her life depended on it. "Another bomb blast just happened few minutes ago at York City's subway. Unfortunately, claiming at least lives of hundreds with several people severely injured--"

"This peaceful city is slowly wrecking into havoc." The driver groaned while she gasped. Her heart thumped and her hands trembled. Just yesterday, these explosions had claimed lives of people including Doctor Roberts and Rita. As if that was enough, it started this morning again. Which led her to a puzzling question. Were The Revolution going to attack sooner than expected?

"What the hell is this?!" The Driver asked in disbelief as he popped his head closer to his windshield. Lola frowned, noticing few people alighted from their vehicles, all glaring at the --

She alighted from the cab to get a proper view. Lola's heart pounded harder as her mouth went agape. Every -- to advertisement boards and -- all had the same message.  The Revolution.

It also had a countdown of five minutes which made her anxiety rage on a terrific level. The Revolution were attacking sooner than expected. Much more earlier and the worse part is, The Agents of The Shining were all scattered across York City.

Lola briskly opened the rear door, signalling for Ariel to slight while she pulled her briefcase. She paused remembering how she had gotten the Queen inscribed briefcase.

************

"Then where the hell is he right now?!!" Collins had barked, his eyes a roaring brimstone and his breaths sharp enough to cut through her boldness. Then her phone suddenly beeped.

"Chef McCarthy's mini restaurant. Come alone." The anonymous message read. She immediately thought this was from The Trainer. But on second thoughts, why would he ask her to meet him alone in a turbulent time like this. Several doubting questions began to scale her mind but regardless, she needed to be at Chef McCarthy's.

"I need some air." She sternly stated before brushing past Collins and out under the starry night which felt cold. Or perhaps it was her status that made her think that way.

"Taxi!" She waved her hand so the blue car gently came to an halt. She glimpsed at the house again where the rest were probably still provoked by their drama. And then lowered into the Vehicle's rear.

"Chef McCarthy's mini restaurant please."

As she emerged into the bright building of Chef McCarthy's, greeted by luxurious red velvet chairs and tables. Her eyes easily found Ariel seated at the far end of her right.

Lola trotted towards her with furrowed gaze and a tiny smile forcing it's way to her lips.

"Ariel! Thank Goodness you're safe!" Her voice almost screamed. "How ar-"

The little girl cut her off with her palm held forward in midair. Lola frowned whilst patiently waited. Ariel carried a notebook inscribed with written ink.

"No." Lola muttered in a whisper to voice as Ariel flipped the page. "Questions. Please."

"No questions please." She mumbled to herself while Ariel slipped a black briefcase underneath her table, placing is horizontally so Lola could see the large Queen Chess piece. Donning a shade of white inscribed on it's center.

Ariel carried her notebook again. Flipping it's page.

"Doctor Roberts insisted I should give you." Lola mumbled as she read briefly from the note. She gulped her saliva, her heart picking abnormal pace again. In a strange way, she knew whatever was in there was something familiar and one she loathed.

*************

Lola's heartbeat felt like exploding through her eardrums. Her hands shivered as she lurched amidst the busy road with Ariel alongside. She clutched unto her briefcase while the other pressed on her Droyphone. Dialing each number of her teammates which didn't go through.

With every passage of second, it felt like her fear was going to choke her. As she glared at another advertisement board, her mouth went agape but no air toured out. The Revolution were going to attack in less than one minute and nobody could stop it or save these thousands of people rooted at different places.

"Theodore!!" She blared through her phone.

"No this is Michael!" The voice returned. She frowned for a split moment.

"Where's Theodore and the others? The Revolution are attacking in less than thirty seconds!" She screeched.

"I can see that too! I'm stuck in traffic at the iconic square to--"

"Michael, Michael are you there?!!" She yelled but the phone call ended abruptly. She looked to the advertisement board again which displayed a countdown of five seconds. Coated in red.

"Five, four, three, two, one."

Lola gasped as she exchanged confused gazes with Ariel. Then suddenly she felt a surge of wave brush past her, extending it's length beyond her. The advertisement board suddenly went off as well as most electric oriented machines. She fearfully gazed at her phone. It was a dead black.

"The EMP!" She uttered. Her eyes widened and her whole entirety freezing on spot. The EMP was already activated. She was still reveling in her worrisome thoughts when cars started exploding from underneath. Buildings followed too. Exploding dangerously, it's force alone separated her from her briefcase. She thudded to the ground alongside Ariel, while people's screams filled her ears as they ran for their lives.

"My briefcase!!" She screamed and without thoughts stormed towards the box which was just metres away. As she grabbed it's handle, the building beside her exploded from the top. Lola froze as she glazed in horrific awe as tons of heavy metals and concretes were landing towards her head. Was this how she was going to die? Watching helplessly how weights would crush her to the ground. But that nightmare soon ended. The materials hung mid air and realization struck her, Ariel was by inches away from her, holding it back with her Telekinesis. Without thoughts, Lola ran on her heels, scooping Ariel alongside so the debris crashed noisily to the ground which quaked.

As they ran breathlessly amongst flames from cars, buildings and bloods of dead people. Warm tears trickled down her face. She was watching people die yet she couldn't save them. This fine continent had now turned into a battleground.

Soon she found swarm of birds trotting haphazardly in the air but when they shot rapid laser bullets. Shooting helpless people down, she concluded this wasn't birds but drones. But regardless, she kept on running even though they both had no aim. They needed to take shelter before any of them got hit or dead from laser bullets.

##############

**This is Michael, can anyone read me?**

**I repeat, this is Michael. Can anyone read me?!**

**Michael!** Lola blared through her Tele-Talkie. She remembered Doctor Roberts saying their Tele-Talkies walked only withing thirty metres.

**Lola!** Michael answered in a bit of relief.

**Are you safe?!**

She heaved a sigh before looking around the already burnt shielding her and Ariel from the drones range.

**Yes, I'm at Albert road with Ariel.** She replied as she glanced at the little girl. Which by her expression, she didn't show any bit of anxiety.

**I'm with Theodore at the Iconic square tower!** He answered. She heaved another sigh of relief, The Iconic square was just few walks away. It was something worth the risk.

**Stay there, we're coming!** She replied.

**Please be safe. Drones are on patrols.** He sounded while She and Ariel took stealthy paced towards the Iconic square road.

As they entered into the already damaged road, she noticed the center statue of the tower was already destroyed in half. And there, she found Theodore and Michael with a car shielding them off from Drones range. She stormed towards them alongside Ariel in the most stealthiest way possible.

"Ariel!" Theodore almost screamed as he hugged her tightly.

"Thank Goodness, you guys are safe." Lola said in an extremely worried tone as she reviewed Theodore's white shirt, decorated with holes and stained in dry blood. Whatever happened to him, was something she'd know later. But now, Utopia is at war.

"We're glad you you both are safe too." Michael answered in a worriedly fashion.

"What's that briefcase in your hand." Theodore furrowed his gaze at her hand.

"How did you even find Ariel?" Michael added.

"It's a long story." She replied. She was already weary and talking about the past only stressed her the more.

"Where's Marcus?" She asked as she held their gazes.

"We don't know. We left him at Kira's house but we doubt if he's still there." Theodore answered while smokes toured past them, richly filling their nostrils.

"Where's Collins?" She asked and the boys shared a gaze she couldn't quite decipher.

############

HEATHERS

"Cuck a doodoo!!"

The crow of a rooster which sounded beside Collins, jolted him awake. He quickly arose, reviewing his environment carefully. The stench of pig dung and the sounds of chicken easily drew him to conclusion. He was in a farmhouse. But how did he get here? How could he have survived being blasted by a grenade?

The last he remembered, was trying to teleport away from the grenade before it exploded. And it did, he knew the grenade exploded. The only logical explanation that dawned in his mind was, he teleported right after the force of the grenade. Which explains the pain he was experiencing in several parts of his body.

He began to wobble towards the exit when he recalled Timeron's words.

"Tomorrow, Utopia is going to fall. And you wouldn't be able to do shit."

He gasped as he delved into critical thinking. York City never supported farming let alone building large farmhouses like this. Which meant he wasn't in York City.

"Oh no!" He shrieked at his thoughts. Rubbing through his low cut air, frantically before deciding to teleport back to York.

He fell through a portal which landed him on top of a building. The second tallest after the Chief-in-Power's. But what baffled him was seeing swarm drones shooting sporadically and most part of York City in flames. He walked to the edge with mouth agape and his heart beating like it would soon explode. Only then did realization strike him, The Revolution had begun their move.

He thought of his teammates, where they were or if they were still alive in the least.

Then he heard rumbling sounds behind him. Collins gulped down his saliva, as he turned to his back only to be welcomed by swarm drones, their laser guns poised at him.

"Holy Shit!" He yelled as the machines immediately shot at him ceaselessly but before any of those laser bullets could pierce him. His legs slipped.

"Arrgghh!!!" He screamed as air blasted his eyes, filled his throats as he fell towards the ground. Where he was certain he would die a quick and gruesome death if he didn't do something.

He quickly warped out a portal below him and it diminished immediately he fell through it. The Portal opened at another location, where he crashed to the top of a car.

"Oh shit!" He grunted as he panted heavily. Feeling pain rage throughout his body. These past hours of his life has only been filled with one disaster or the other and he hated it.

He rolled to the ground, staggering to a stance only to see awestruck faces of Michael, Theodore, Lola and Ariel. Their fine suits tattered in one way or the other.

"Oh hi guys!" He sarcastically toned before gnashing his teeth.

"For a split moment, we thought you bailed on us again." Theodore was the first to answer.

"I never did." He retorted while a flash memory of Dé Deluxe Piano Concerto, inadvertently played in his head. How he had deserted them.

"Well you did once." Theodore ascertained.

"Guys this is not the time for pointless arguments!" Michael suddenly interjected which surprised Collins. His friend always giggled stupidly but this time, he was overly serious.

"Collins where were you?" Michael asked. "What happened?"

"Oh nothing much!" He flashed Lola a sarcastic smile as he tucked at his burnt and tattered suit. "I happened to find Lola's boyfriend hanging out with Timeron who tried to kill me with a grenade!"

He furrowed his gaze at her hesitant expression.

"We found him with Timeron too." Theodore added while Collins arched his left eyebrow upwards.

"He almost killed me," he pointed at his blood stained shirt. "Thanks to Michael who saved me."

"Lola you have to believe us, The Trainer is an enemy." Michael toned wearily. Collins watched her sigh heavily. He knew how heavy the truth would be for her. He couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of turmoil she was passing though.

A swarm drone interrupted their moment, aiming it's gun at them. To which Lola exploded with lightening protruding from her palms.

"What the heck are these things?!" Michael groaned.

"Swarm drones." He curtly replied. "They're like an army programmed to do heinous tasks and in this case." He pursed his lips as he looked at the scattered debris of the drone. "They are programmed to kill any human on target."

"What do we do now, it's obvious we can't save a whole continent." Lola's asked.

"We need a plan and have to act fast before Utopia becomes Area X the second."  He answered as he glanced across their faces.

"You're right, who knows when the nuclear power plant might explode." Michael responded.

"We'll have to use Doctor Roberts original plan." He muttered after long minutes of silence amidst them.

"Saving the Chief-in-Power. Even though we're ignoring lives, it's the only logical thing to do." He explained.

"We can't have The Revolution getting nuclear codes that could launch nuclear missiles into our beloved continents." He stated as a finishing note.

"You're right." Theodore said while the rest nodded slowly.

"Where are we going to find him amidst this ruckus?" Michael asked.

"We'll have to try our luck at his office." Lola answered while Collins nodded in agreement.

"Let's just pray he's useless ass is there." He rolled his eyes while Michael sauntered into the Car. Ariel and Lola following suit.

"Aren't you coming?" He narrowed his gaze at Theodore.

"I can sense the enemies coming afar off." Theodore replied while he peeled his shirt off.

"Are you trying to be one man army? You'll die."

"I'll try to keep them off from reaching the Skyscraper and of course I'll try not to die." Theodore flashed him a cocky smile before he loosened his hair. So it fell while tiny orange waves emanated from his body and encompassing the whole road. It was enough to tell just how powerful Theodore was.

"Well if you die, it's not my problem." He remarked before lowering into the barely damaged vehicle. He could have simply teleported there but he felt the need to reserve his energy.

As they alighted off the vehicle, they quickly stormed into the Skyscraper which already cried signs of being attacked. They were about to enter through the shattered glasses door when a woman engulfed in flames landed in their front.

"Alexa!" Lola pitched on an overly terrified note. Collins could easily sense the fear which reeked off his teammates.

He gritted his teeth at her devilish smirk and his palms curled into a fist.

"You guys go, I'll handle her." He forced every nerve in his body to pronounce those words. It was like singlehandedly trying to push a truck. He didn't know why he was being the good Samarithan but he just felt the need to save their asses.

"Are you sure you'll be fine?!" Michael asked behind him.

"I said go inside before I change my mind!" He yelled and they immediately sauntered into the building.

"Okay Alexa, let's do this." He mumbled to himself trying to assure himself, nothing could possibly go wrong.