* NiNeTeEn * Turning Point

A Chapter by Allison

Turn back while you can.

Morning arrived, and I felt it. I sucked at waking up at a certain time. My mind would say, "Wake up!" but my body would continue to sleep. I felt my bed sink as if someone was getting on it. I opened my eyes slightly to see Kei hovering over me with his goofy smile. Because I was not expecting to wake up to this, I squealed really loud in fright.
"Calm down, Taryn!" Kei chuckled.
I stopped and looked up at his face hovering over mine closely. "What do you do? Stare at people until they wake up?"
"No, only you," he said, sticking his tongue out teasingly.
"Hurry up, you two!" Koki shouted and pounded on the door.
"Oh, calm down, Koki!" I heard Eeris say with a giggle as if she enjoyed whatever was going on on the other side of the door.
"You heard him, hurry up, sleepyhead!" Kei pecked me on the lips, got off the bed, and went into the other room.
I got up as fast as I could, which wasn't very fast. I got my clothes and put them on with my equipment. I washed and dried my face, so I would wake up more. Then I headed to where everyone was waiting. Everything was set and ready for this battle.

Koki had a map in his face as we walked through the crowded street of the major city, that is still called Tokyo. Koki frowned and twisted the map until he could understand it. Steve and Dan were walking on each side of him trying to help. Behind them, Kei, Eeris and I were following calmly with Kei and I holding hands and Eeris on my right.
I glanced toward Eeris with her fancy spear to see her switch between glaring and looking longingly at Dan. Eeris felt my gaze on her and looked toward me with a blush. I smiled, and suddenly we both ran into Koki and Dan in front of us. My hand was behind me, still being held by Kei, who stopped before he ran into Steve. He chuckled, while Koki and Dan turned around to tell us to pay attention at the same time in the same angry tone. Eeris and I took a quick glance to each other, looked back toward them and said, "Sorry," at the same time. Suddenly, Steve and Kei burst into laughter, while us four looked at one another in wonder at what just happened.
"Anyways . . . " Koki said, clearing his throat to get attention. "Here's the station that I remember passing long ago. Steve, Dan, and Eeris. You three will take out the guards and distract the others, while we go through the back door. Now, let's head to the mansion; it's right around this corner. There's the main gate and a long drive way. You three take that way, while we climb over the wall to the back door."
"Got it."
"Right."
"Okay."
"Here's where we split, see you in a bit!" Koki said, saluting them and waving to Kei and me to follow.
I watched as the trio started for the gate, while the rest of us sprinted to the back wall. Koki vaulted over the wall easily. Kei locked his hands together for me to step up and onto the top of the wall. I went too fast and just lazily rolled on over, expecting to land with a thud in the grass below, but Koki caught me. I gasped and opened my eyes to see him looking at me with pursed lips.
"Were you expecting to land or do a face-plant?"
"I was going to land, thank you," I retorted.
He looked at me, expecting a better answer.
Kei landed beside Koki and me with a thud under his feet.
"I really was! I'm not clumsy!"
Koki put me down to my feet with an order to stay alert, and we headed across the lawn to the back door. Kei silently dealt with the few guards and we made it to the door.
"Stay ready, we're going to check his gun lab first. Just follow me," Koki ordered. Suddenly we heard gun fire from the front of the building: Eeris, Steve, and Dan's distraction for the guards. We watched through the windows as most of the guards ran for the gate. "Okay, let's go."
We walked quietly but with strength and confidence to the gun lab. We were not really expecting to find him that easily, but he was there. Rio was simply sitting at his desk, observing some metal pieces to something. He didn't expect us to come after him? Or did he not know we knew of this place. Rio showed no sign of feeling our presence. I looked at the guys to notice their facial expressions. They must be thinking the same thing. I knew it would not be "fair" to just shoot him without alerting him, but this isn't a game where I need him to be aware of my presence. This is real life, and letting him see or hear us means it will just be more difficult. So I pull my gun over and aim at him down my sights. I take a perfect shot to his chest.

If I had the option to do it in slow motion I could.

In the end, Rio stood up and ran to another table to grab something, leaving my shot and bullet to leave a bang and a clinging noise as the room fell to silence.
Not cool. I lowered my gun afraid of what would happen next.
Rio slowly turned around to look at us. Once he took in our positions, he actually showed his surprise. I stared at him, observing that he was shirtless and only had bandages around the bottom half of his torso with blood seeping through them. His scar across his face was very visible through his now pale skin from too much blood loss. His brown eyes pierced through the air like fire was coming at us.
"You children are very stubborn for your age," he said with a faint grin.
"We aren't children," Kei retorted, knowing it would not change anything anyway.
"You want to kill me? Have at it," Rio stated, calling us to him with the curl of his fingers.
Quickly, I took another shot at him, but surprisingly he moved fast enough to dodge it. Giving up on bullets, I unsheathed my katana and charged toward him. I slashed at him vertically, but he barely dodged it and pushed me back hard. I stumbled backward and tried to regain my footing, but Kei was behind me stopping me from falling on my butt.
"Thanks," I muttered as he stood me back up. I watched as Koki was now facing Rio and trying to take a stab at him. Rio and Koki seemed to dance around the room, until Rio ran into a desk and pulled up a knife of his own. They were dueling now and dodging each of their attacks. Tiring out, Koki was not fast enough to dodge a punch, and he was hit hard in the forehead, getting knocked out for some minutes. Rio looked toward Kei and me, breathing rapidly. I notice his wound from Steve a few days ago open and bleeding even more on the red-stained bandages. Finally I looked toward Rio's face with the scar across it. He was smiling wickedly and still breathing heavily.
"Do you like the power Droi gave you, Kei?" he addressed Kei like he was on his side.
"It's useful, I guess. I don't like it though!" Kei replied rudely.
"Why don't you just come attack me with your super speed and strength?" Rio asked, throwing his arms out on each side of him to signify himself as an open target.
"I suppose I could, if you offer it like that," Kei replied and started to sprint toward him. He made it to Rio and took a punch to his stomach.
Rio hunched over in pain and gasped for air. Then he fell to his knees and looked up at Kei. Kei focused on him and was about to punch him in the head, but he stopped when he saw Rio grin uncontrollably. Kei just stood there, frozen with his balled up fist in the air ready to punch. Rio was still sitting with his creepy grin. Then Rio looked at me.
"What are you-?" Kei slowly asked like saying the words put effort. Kei's body started to move with jerky movements. He put his fist down to his side and turned toward me.
"No . . . " Kei whispered.
Kei ran, and I couldn't see him in that second. He ended up coming up behind me and grabbing my arms. My brain shot panic through my body. What was happening?! Kei was pushing me slowly now. Finally, I tried to get free, but it was no use against Kei's strength. How is this possible!? I tried to calm down.
I said I would make sure no one was harmed. I reminded myself.
I watched Rio stand up as I got pushed closer. Then I looked over to where Koki was knocked out to see him twitching and trying to wake up. Once I was face to face with Rio, he looked down at me fiercely.
"You cause so much trouble for a little girl."
"You started it," I retorted angrily.
"No, your parents started it! They could have given me a few expert-quality guns, but no . . . they refused to even when I offered to pay more than usual!" Rio shouted with a lot of unexpected rage. "So now," he said back in his calm tone, "you can tell me how to get to their plans."
"What makes you think I even know them?" I asked, stalling.
"You were pretty cocky about it with Droi." His anger is rising; I can feel it.
"It's not hard to act like I know," I said truthfully.
"Ah, but why would you act like you know if you don't?"
"I don't know. Because I wanted to?" I asked, trying to shrug but I couldn't with Kei holding my arms.
In a blink of the eye, there was a sharp pain in my stomach. I looked down to find that Rio stabbed me in my side. With that, I was so shocked and spit out blood onto the floor.
"Cocky girl!" Rio shouted and pulled the knife out with my blood flying through the air.
I spit up again, and Kei let me go. I fell to my knees and gripped at the gash. Blood was pooling everywhere. So much more than before. I was getting dizzy. My strength faded, and I fell onto my stomach on the cold ground. I was still conscious though, and I could see Kei move to Koki, who was finally standing up. Quickly Rio, ran to the exit but waited around it. Kei tried to punch Koki, but Koki dodged it. Quickly Koki ran over to me. "What's wrong with him?!" he asked urgently about Kei.
"Possessed," I managed to breathe out. "Don't hurt him."
"I won't," he promised. Koki turned around to see Kei standing with his assault rifle pointed at him. "Kei, you're still in there," Koki said soothingly. "Fight it. Take control."
Kei's face scrunched in concentration. It switched between angry and confused. His gun was put down but lifted back up. Kei was trying to take control of himself. My sight was getting blurry now.
Kei's eyes were glistening. With what was left of my sight, I saw tears fall from his face, and he said something that I could not hear. The last thing I saw . . . was him pointing the gun to his head slowly and shooting himself.
Blackness consumed me . . .

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