Previously [25]

[26]

The whole lab blinked in red lights when Ake the Murblard broke his way through the glass walls, throwing large objects to clear his way. The green giant was unstoppable, he barricaded the elevator on his way, so the many “code red’s” the doctors bellowed into their communicators were useless; no help was able to arrive.

He got to Derek just in time to throw the med bot with the syringe aside.

“Ake! Anouk! She’s somewhere in here! We gotta get her!” Were Derek’s first words at the sight of the Murblard.

“I know. I heard her. And you. Murblards are not just dumb green animals, as the Rebels say. We also have hearing far superior to human’s,” Ake said calmly and revealed what he held close to his chest. Baby Anouk was lying tiny in his giant palm, whining and frightened, but safe. Derek never realized a creature as strong and huge as Ake could be so gentle. He single-handedly wrecked the whole lab whilst holding a baby.

The remaining doctors and their android servants were scrambling their way through the glass and rubble with tranquilizer guns in their hands, to get a clear shot of Ake and Derek.

Derek took the baby from Ake, Anouk calmed down instantly.

“What now, Ake? We’re not getting anywhere…”

The green giant cocked his head listening.

“Our ride is here,” he said, before an enormous noise shook the whole building; a ship had crashed straight into the glass walls of the lab. Derek and Ake climbed toward the object.

“Need a lift?!” Jimmy bellowed, jumping out the Gravedigger ship Vulture05. “Them fine glass constructions ain’t no match for ol’ Vulture here! Jump in, Cap!”

Derek and Ake got in.

“We need to get Doc Liz and Sophie!”

“That’s where we’re headin’ Cap! Good thing we kept our old transmitters! Doc Liz was the one telling us when and where to get you. She sniffed the information out good!”

Jimmy flew the Vulture05 out the wrecked lab floor. They moved fast, the Rebel guard ships were flying toward them.

“Dumbasses! Their tech was too fine to perceive our communication!” Jimmy laughed, “hospital floor! Going in!”

Vulture05 torpedoed the glass walls of the hospital floor. Derek trusted Jimmy with the baby, he and Ake jumped out the ship, running through red-blinking lights.

“Cap!” Doc Liz yelled with her face bleeding, injured by the impact. “Sophie is here! Be careful!” She waved, trapped in a pile of shattered glass and concrete.

Ake freed her, while Derek ran into Sophie’s ward. She stood by the bed completely fine, with no signs she’d undergone brain surgery. Nolan stood near her.

“You took us by surprise, Captain Derek. A bold move. Stupid, but bold. It’s a pity you didn’t want to join us. We are the future, while you are the past. Sophie, dear! Finish him off. I want to see it. The sight of the past relics dying always inspires me,” Nolan said smiling at Derek coldly.

The look in Sophie’s eyes was the same as Nolan’s - cold and ruthless. It wasn’t Derek’s Sophie but some stranger, and assassin on her mission. She attacked Derek, he tried to hold her back.

“Sophie, it’s me! What have they done to you??! Please… stop!”

Sophie might have been smaller than Derek, but she was a skilled fighter, she tripped him down in no time, grabbed a glass shard from the floor and was about to cut his throat.

“Stop, Sophie! Anouk, your baby needs you!” Derek begged trying to find his Sophie in the cold eyes of the assassin. She stalled at the mention of Anouk’s name. That was enough for Ake to break into the ward. The green giant didn’t need explanations; he grabbed Sophie, her attempts to stab Ake failed, they ran to the Vulture. Nolan pulled out his gun, firing at the fugitives. They nearly made it! Doc Liz collapsed, hit by a bullet at the very entrance, shielding Derek.

“Leave me! Run, Cap!” She managed to yell.

“No way!” Said Derek, picking her up. As he jumped into the ship, Derek fell to the floor along with Liz. Nolan’s next bullet had reached its target.