Reconciliation

Ketna signed her intent to remove the collars.

"They say they'll be able to deactivate them." As the interpreter perked up with the news.

"You can do that, you're sure." One asked again just to be certain.

Ketna nodded.

That seemed to be enough to comfort the group, as they all seemed to exhale or exchange looks and hopeful mutterings.

"Wait, so that announcement about an invasion, that's you? That's to get us out?"

Ketna nodded again then signed an elaboration.

'I know that this is terrifying but I am here to get you out and I will keep you safe. Work with me and each other, and we will get through this.'

"They say they know that we're scared, but they promise to keep us safe. And that we need to work together to get through this."

"That's a relief," Another spoke up. "Here I thought this was just a show."

Ignoring the sarcasm, Ketna continued with her purpose for being there.

'Who here can't walk?' Ketna signed, the unprepared interpreter spoke up a bit more quickly than last time.

One was quick to raise their hand, the same that had been snide earlier. "Fucked up their spinal graft. Ain't movin' less you move me."

A few others offered up their ailments.

"I can physically walk but I get really dizzy."

"I can't get very far without pain."

"I might be able to if I get some crutches."

Before Ketna had a chance to form her next inquiry, others of the group chimed in.

"I can walk with you."

"Yeah I can help someone walk, too."

The helmet hid the brief smile that crossed Ketna's face. In times of crisis, people are more willing to help than not. It was the light she looked for in any bleak setting.

'Good, I will be the one to carry you.' Ketna signed and pointed to the difficult woman on the bed.

The patient with the spinal issue scoffed after being pointed at.

"They said they'll carry you." The translator relayed.

"Yeah- I got that." She snapped back.

'Don't worry about it, you're doing good. Not your fault she's being a shit.' Ketna signed as soon as their translator's face was in her direction.

The reluctant translator gave a slight laugh.

"There's some wheelchairs around here, wouldn't that be easier?" A voice offered.

Ketna turned to the patient, she was about to ask when they spoke up on their own.

"I don't know exactly where they're kept but I remember seeing empty ones being moved down that way." They pointed toward a door on the opposite side of the room.

Ketna nodded in acknowledgement of that information, but any investigation she could do was interrupted by another inquiry.

"What happens after?" One of the patients piped up.

Ketna turned her head in the direction of the new voice, and He continued when he had her attention. "What are we supposed to do after we get out? Go to a hospital? With what money? I don't know about everyone else but I can't afford that."

"I was thinking the same thing, too." Another patient confessed.

Ketna signed a simple response for their concerns.

"They... have a plan?" The interpreter's own voice slipped from concerned to hopeful.

Ketna nodded, some of the group looked relieved, some were not so moved.

"That's it, you have a plan." The financially concerned one piped up again.

Ketna nodded once more, but before she could elaborate further, banging on the door caught her attention. Muffled yelling from outside the door didn't sound much like the demands of a guard but Ketna went to investigate with a measure of caution. The rest of the patients hid behind what they could in a hurry, just before Ketna slowly opened the door.

"Don't shoot! I'm here to help!"

The new arrival immediately called out, hands up and cowering slightly. He was unarmed by the look of it, and had no protective gear to speak of. Sensing no immediate danger, Ketna grabbed him firmly by the shoulder and pulled him inside, locking the door behind him.

"I'm just one of the maintenance guys," He elaborated, talking quickly, likely further frightened by Ketna's silence. "After the warnings went out some of the other non-combatants bailed, and I thought, 'there's a whole bunch of people that can't defend themselves what's going to happen to them' so- here I am." He shrugged a bit sheepishly.

Ketna stepped back from the man upon hearing his explanation for his presence.

"I mean, if you need help that is-" He hesitated nervously at the lack of affirmation. "unless I was completely off in how I read this situation." He muttered to himself.

"They can't talk." The interpreter piped up.

Ketna nodded and tapped on her neck.

"Oh OH, for a minute there I was sure you were determining how to kill me." He stood up straighter in his relief.

Ketna stepped away, positioning herself so that her interpreter could see her arm movements.

"They uh- they say you would have already been dead if they wanted to kill you."

"Goodtoknowgoodtoknow- so uh-" He glanced around the room still looking a bit frazzled. "You're, getting everyone out of here?"

Ketna nodded.

"Do you need help with that? I'm not a fighter by any means but-" He paused when he noticed Ketna's arms were moving, then looked to the interpreter for the translation.

"They.. Need help moving the people that can't walk on their own."

"Oh yeah I can do that- actually you know there are wheelchairs in the storage, right? I can get that." He pointed in the same direction the other patient had pointed and went off to do just that.

"What were you saying about a plan?" One of the patients piped up, seemingly annoyed the topic had been previously interrupted.

Ketna nodded to the patient to let them know she heard them, then presented her response to her interpreter.

"Yes," The interpreter stated, their face falling into slight bewilderment at what they were witnessing. "They have... already arranged a facility to take us. They say we don't have to worry about the costs." The interpreter's voice ended with an inflection almost of that of a question.

There were murmurs of surprise and relief among the group.

"How do we know that's true." The patient with a spinal issue piped up.

Ketna signed her answer.

"They say you'll just have to trust them- and that anyone is welcome to stay."

"I'll take my chances with the psycho that broke into the underground secret facility." One patient piped up rather quickly, she seemed the most ready to leave of the group.

Her framing motivated others to move as well.

In the time Ketna had spent on her explanation, the volunteer had already brought in two wheelchairs and patients were already assisting one another into them. There was another crucial component she needed to look into before they could leave. Signaling to her interpreter her intentions, Ketna left the general infirmary area to find a computer that would give her access to what she needed. She may have had hospital arrangements set aside but little good that would do without more details on what happened to them while they were being held here. And there was also the little matter of the shock collars.

Munin was limited by what access he could get on wifi on the phone, using a computer with a direct line connection was necessary both for access to anything that was secured. Doing it from the medical computers had the added bonus that patient files were accessed regularly, making it much faster to locate them. It was also likely the most direct means of disabling the collars. Hooking up her hackbox to the computer, she returned to her phone to check in on what new information she might have missed in the time she was 'talking' to the abductees. There was a lot to catch up on, as Munin had been providing regular updates on Xerxes' movements through the facility, from what he could keep track of via the communications he had access to.

There was a sense of relief that washed over her, in knowing Xerxes hadn't been backed into a corner in that time she was unavailable, followed by a confliction at that very experience. She could tell herself the relief was about her back being covered and she could safely focus on the abductees, but she knew that would be a lie. But now was not the time to dwell on that.

It did not take long after giving Munin the instruction for him to find the necessary information. While those files were being collected, Ketna checked in on the patients.

The moment she was within his sight, the Volunteer flagged Ketna down while wheeling in a couple more wheelchairs.

"Hey so, how are we getting out of here anyway?" He asked.

Ketna held up a finger, hoping it would be enough to indicate 'One moment', while she got in view of her interpreter to answer.

'We're going to the loading dock and stealing a van or two.' Ketna answered and her interpreter relayed it as is.

"Oh yeah Machine transport is out but there should be plenty of other vehicles." He glanced over the group, eyes and head bobbing to each one in the rather obvious indication he was counting. "Definitely two, minimum."

Ketna gave a thumbs up just to indicate what she had heard before checking in with Munin. As she left their view there were sounds of gasps and relief.

"Holy shit, it's off." One abductee exclaimed. Followed by the sounds of many solid objects clattering to the ground as they all wasted no time in getting the restriction off their necks.

Munin always worked fast, and having connection with a landline gave him access to anything that was left closed circuit. They had what they needed and what software he needed to continue his remote access was left behind. Retrieving her hackbox from the computer she was ready to make everyone move.

Emerging from the corner of the room she signaled to her interpreter to be loud.

'If everyone is ready to move, we're leaving, now.'

While the timid interpreter did their best to announce to the group, Ketna informed Munin that she was moving the group and the number she would be transporting on her way to the door. Unlocking the door she checked down the hall and so far the conflict had not reached that wing of the building. Xerxes had been doing a very good job keeping them preoccupied. Hopefully he had enough time to check his phone for instructions to move in direction of the loading docks. She was confident the opposition would be easy to deal with, but what she was not confident about was the returning transport and whatever it might be that they would bring.

Before she opened the doors to everyone, Ketna had one more thing to do. From a pouch on her side, Ketna withdrew cards with information she had arranged specifically for the abductees; the plan she had vaguely referred to. They contained references to specific doctors to talk to, and a code meant to be scanned by the recipient, likely the doctor or staff in question. One by one she handed them to each of the patients that waited, ready to go.

'When you reach the hospital, ask for one of the doctors on that card and provide that. They'll know what to do from there.'

Ketna signed to her Interpreter, who relayed what she said.

"And this will work?" One of them asked.

'I've done this before, yes, it will.'

When the Interpreter finished relaying the assurance, Ketna leaned outside once more before ushering the group to follow her.

Though the halls near them were empty, sounds of conflict could be heard from down the halls as they progressed closer to the docks. Opening a set of double doors to the next junction, the conflict was considerably loud, loud enough that it was likely going on around the corner not far from them. Ketna kept herself between the group and the slowly approaching conflict, ready to meet whatever arrived to impede them or harm her group.

A flash of purple leaping back into view from the corner of the far hall provided Ketna a wave of relief for a tension she had not acknowledged she had been carrying till then. Xerxes looked no worse for wear, scuffed enough to have taken some hits, but nothing that appeared life threatening. He appeared in high spirits, brandishing a mini gun he had likely lifted from someone else in the fight. Ketna signaled for the group to hang back while she caught up with Xerxes, keeping an eye on the only other direction new units could pile in from.

Xerxes caught her movement before Ketna tried to find some means of grabbing his attention.

"That alla them?" He shouted out at her before picking off unseen targets hidden by the corner of the hall.

Ketna was waiting for Xerxes to turn his attention back to her, when one of the patients spoke up with a loud "Yes!" before following the rest of the group.

When Xerxes' head whipped around to follow the unknown voice Ketna nodded her confirmation as intended. Firing a few more shots down the hall, Xerxes dashed down the hall. The abductees muttered scattered statements of nervousness as he drew closer to them.

"That friend a'yours got the turrets and mechs on our side, was fuckin great." Xerxes grinned broadly, paying a cautionary glance back behind him. "Some fucker bout shit himself when the mech next to him decked him into the wall."

Not wanting to waste time with a phone, Ketna pointed to the mini gun and followed with a thumbs up.

"Yeah, y'like?" He grinned at his prize. "Relieved some exosuit of his toy, he wasn't makin' good use of it."

Ketna couldn't help but smile to herself beneath the helmet, but he would never know that. She made a motion with her head to follow them to the large set of doors down the next hall that fed into the loading dock. The group had been waiting nervously by the doors, not wanting to venture further without their escort. Catching sight of Xerxes behind Ketna as they approached, did not particularly help with their unease. A few of them had the look that they might recognize exactly who he was.

Ketna was the first to check the doors, propping it open enough to see if there were any armed guards nearby. Xerxes hung back, watching to see if the remaining guards were behind them, when he caught some of the abductees were very obviously nervous around him. He made a mocking intimidation lunge at the group, testing to see who would flinch or yelp, and chuckling lightly at the few that did. Ketna heard the shuffle behind her, pulling her head back in to barely catch the aftermath of Xerxes harassing the group.

Ketna placed a firm hand on Xerxes' arm, hoping that would be enough to indicate 'stop it'. He glanced at her hand, there was a brief look of confusion, before glancing at the group and looking back at Ketna's expressionless helmet staring at him. He gave a brief eyeroll, then motioned his head to the bay doors.

"We good to go or what?"

Ketna released her hold on his arm and returned to the doors. The loading bay was mostly empty save for a few people, a few guards likely there to assist with the return vehicles, and no laborers that she could see. She rushed out first to take care of the guards. Despite killing dozens earlier, she pulled her punches with those that remained, trying to prevent what deaths she could, if she could. She couldn't warn them by voice so the only option she had was to incapacitate them, and that wasn't particularly difficult. They were on the ground before the Volunteer poked his head in to see what was up. Ketna motioned for the group to follow her inside, on the other side of the doors.

From the other side, the sound of exchanging fire could easily be heard, making it clear why the group was eager to move. What forces that remained inside had finally dealt with the automated defenses that occupied them and were already mobilizing down the hallway. The volunteer broke off from the group, dashing toward some far-off cabinet where he fumbled with his own keys.

Whatever he was doing, Ketna had the sense as though he knew what he was looking for. Leaving them to it, Ketna dashed back up to the hall to provide support for Xerxes. His fire was metered and deliberate, not a senseless bullet spray, Ketna had a suspicion why before he spoke.

"Got half a drum-" Xerxes announced as Ketna came into his periphery, confirming her suspicions. "Wouldn't complain if you wanted to get in there and thin them out."

Ketna needed no other suggestion, dashing ahead on the other side of the hall to meet the group head on. Blind fire around the corner glanced off armor, a couple caught in her suit but none enough to be a deterrent. Rounding the counter she got a good view of the remaining forces they would be dealing with. Between Xerxes and their own automated defenses turning on them, there was not much left of them. And what was left, appeared to be the most skilled.

Her first kill was easy, unprepared, the knife found their neck before they could block. The next was not so quick to go, alerted by the death next to them, they managed to delay their own execution by a few seconds though it did not save them for long. The closest guard attempted to take advantage of Ketna in the moments she focused on the other, but she sensed her movements leaning enough to catch her off balance. Those seconds of miscalculation was all it took to give Ketna the opening she needed. A few more, back and forth, the occasional parry, a toss to get one out of the way, but each target she went after fell before long. Occasionally around the corner, one of the guards would slip just enough into Xerxes line of sight to take a round or two.

Quickly, the rest of the pack began to wise up to Ketna's movements, understanding the significance of the threat they were dealing with. One guard with significant cybernetic work got in close to keep Ketna busy while the rest moved to surround her. The one that took her head on was clearly more skilled than the rest she had encountered, inhuman speed kept up with her. It became a dance of contending with the combatant that tried to keep her close combat attention while the rest attempted to take their shots at her. She was conscious enough of her surroundings that this did not cause her too much hindrance, but it did change her approach. Moving quickly, making it difficult for anyone to get a shot on her without hitting their ally, leaping out when it was least expected to take out one of the guards that thought they could stay out of dodge off to the sidelines. And the guard next to them that attempted to intervene, was caught by the arm and flung over the shoulder into the line of fire.

When the familiar sound of mini gun fire did not occur, Ketna suspected Xerxes would turn to a different firearm when he depleted the rounds of the mini gun, only to see him dash around the corner and slam the nearest body into the wall. After the one he pinned sputtered, he grasped his victim by the head and slammed it back into the wall until her head was no longer a human shape. Satisfied his first victim was no longer moving he leapt to the nearest target, a panicked flurry of bullets weren't enough deter Xerxes, as he reached in to grab his next victim by the arm and hoist them like a flail down on the closest guard in range.

Whatever they had planned to deal with Ketna was completely undone by Xerxes' decision to go close combat. They couldn't decide who was the priority target, scattering to find cover from what was looming. Ketna now could give all her focus on the combatant that attempted to take her head-on before. They were skilled but without the advantage of cover fire as before, the lack of experience they had in comparison to Ketna, showed. A fast but miscalculated dodge was met with a knife to the hip that took out any chance they had to avoid its next resting place.

Both Xerxes and Ketna engaged in close combat together highlighted the different way they did things, though terrifying for their own reasons. Where Ketna's kills were fast and efficient, Xerxes lingered on his executions just long enough to savor his acts of brutality. While they were distracted or shocked by Xerxes' grandiose actions, Ketna was in fast and close, surgical stabs of her knife in just the right places before they noticed her presence next to them. One by one, the remaining forces that chose to press on were killed.