A woman in uniform appears within my sight. She carefully holds me up and puts a coat on me. 'Damn she's pretty strong too,'
'The woman from earlier... The deputy chief was it?' I glanced at her, taking in her teal hair, pale skin and icy blue eyes.
Sorry, I'm late. Are you hurt?"
"Just a scratch," I muttered gesturing to my face. "I'll be fine,"
She looked it over and nodded in affirmation.
"I-i know you're the deputy chief thanks to the guards from earlier, but your name is....?"
"I am Nightingale, your adjutant." She spoke.
"The consciousness repair program got disrupted, so your memory is severely damaged. You must be very confused right now, but..."
"The intruder stole your bio-information just now. She will use this disguise to break through all security systems and cause an even larger riot." Nightingale sighs.
I blinked. "Ah fuck," I groaned.
"You're in extreme danger. Time is running out. Please leave with me now."
"Alright," I held out my hand and she helped me up.
"But I don't follow, why target me? Who am I? Everyone keeps calling me Chief-" I protested.
"You are the top authority here, the new Chief of Minos Bureau of Crisis Control."
".... Those were words..?" I scrunched my eyebrows in thought. In my subconscious that sounds right but to me, that seemed unreal.
I am escorted by more mechanical armor clad guards through the confined corridor under the glaring lights and alarms. A huge guarded area appears before your eyes.
"Not a moment goes by without those rioters wanting you dead." She added helpfully.
I wanted to argue with an automatic self depreciating joke but something said not to say that. Following this was a loud blaring alarm.
"Level 1 alert! Level 1 alert! Sinners escaped! Sinners escaped! Alert!"
"She works fast..." I muttered as we simultaneously increased speed.
"Here we go..." Nightingale remarked.
"This is Minos Bureau of Crisis Control, the jail for the most vicious criminals."
"Whoa..." I looked around, letting my eyes dart obviously so it was clear if I was staring or not.
Every criminal here is a great threat to the world, and you, Chief, are supposed to be the strongest force to restrain them." Nightingale informed me, grabbing my attention again.
I bit back a shiver of uneasiness. "Right that," I hummed absently.
"But now, an intruder has sparked off a riot. The prisoners are completely out of control. The first thing these rioters will do is..." She trailed off.
I looked at her just as a loud bam sounded and I shielded Nightingale from the initial which sent a few tiny pieces of glass.
The second impact sent me to the floor.
"I feel it in my soul today is a Monday. I hate Mondays," i grumbled fixing my jacket so I was actually wearing it, instead of donning it like a cape.
The tempered glass in front of me suddenly exploded. Nightingale immediately protected me behind her and blocked the few people who burst out.
"Whoa," for a moment I had a concerned expression on my face but then I forced it down and made my expression neutral.
"Hey, isn't this Adjutant Nightingale?" A rioting prisoner asked.
"...Chief, stand back." She ordered. I stood up.
"Don't tell me that guy behind you is the new...Heh, look at his dumb face. I bet he's still just a loser." He smirked. I glared angrily, threatening silently for him to repeat that.
"I didn't expect to be free again. I planned to just run away, but since you guys have taken such good care of me, how could I not repay you?" He continued.
"Kill him! We can only be truly free if that man is dead!" He yelled.
I tackled Nightingale as a different prisoner threw something lethal.
"Chief, Adjutant, get behind me!" A guard yelled.
"Can you move, Chief? Quick, get out of here! That Sinner can trigger EMP and will destroy this kind of trap in no time."
I got to my feet, trying to ignore the wound on Nightingale's head.
"At least it's a minor one.' I thought, rubbing at my wrist.
"Adjutant Nightingale, take Chief away. You've got me here!" The guard captain
"Thanks!" Nightingale remarked.
She turned around and pulled me into the secret passage. The surviving guards let out a final roar behind me, which is soon swallowed up by rioting prisoners' maniacal laughter.
"Die! Die! The world doesn't need jails!" The rioter yelled.
I rolled my eyes. Note to self, smack that guy upside the head later,'
I glanced at Nightingale who seemed unbothered by her head wound.
She dragged me out of the secret passage and pressed a hidden button on the side. The wall opens, and an elevator door appears. The light indicates that it's approaching.
"Get in, Chief. The elevator will take you to the hidden mezzanine. You will be safe staying there. Don't leave until help arrives."
"What about you? Aren't you coming with me?" I blinked in disbelief.
"I'll divert them." She spoke with finality. I watched as Nightingale reloaded her guns. The shouts of the approaching pursuers grow near. Her eyes and guns are trained ahead while the wound on her forehead continues to bleed.
The bright red irritates my nerves and pokes at the unknown corners of my fractured memories. It seems familiar. But I can't piece together why.
"Don't hesitate, Chief. Your life is most valuable, more so than everyone else here." She spoke. I frowned.
'My enemies are here to kill me, and the persons in front of me may die to save me.'
'...They all call me Chief and say my life is valuable.'
I gritted my teeth. "There must be something I can do,"
The rioting prisoner's voice echoed in my head. "Look at his dumb face. I bet he's still just a loser."
'"Kill him! We can only be truly free if that man is dead!"'
I vaguely sense that these desires to kill me mask their fear of me. Fear...
'The prisoners fear something that I have not yet realized or remembered. I have the potential to control them again.' I clenched my fist.
"..You want to fight like this?" Nightingale asked.
I nodded and Nightingale shot me down. "No way! You've only just woken up from the disrupted repair program. Your body is still very weak, and your memory is..."
"Then I'll let you be my guide. This is the decision I make as the "Chief.'" I spoke. I hoped my determination showed on my face.
"...I've crossed the line. Chief, you're stronger than we think." She relented.
"Copy that. Since you've chosen to fight, it's my duty to assist you as your adjutant." She agreed.
She then changed the command on the elevator, which changes the destination floor, and a red warning light suddenly flashes on the screen.
"The Bureau can no longer hold on until reinforcement arrives. There's only one way to bring an end to this crisis." She announced.
Nightingale looks at me. "Chief, a forbidden power lies dormant in the depth of this cage. It's more dangerous and powerful than any of our enemies."
"That's your power. Awaken it. I'm sure you can control it."
'I have a "power,"' I noticed.
Ding!
The elevator doors open while rioters appear from around the corner. Before their bullets reach me, Nightingale pushes me into the elevator.
"Hold on. Don't die. I will come back to save you." I told her seriously.
"...Go ahead, Chief." I frowned at her lack of response to my declaration. The moment the door closes, a powerful blast rocks the entire space.