Proving Grounds [Complete]

[Lord Zedd]

Cade dropped down and quickly handcuffed the prime they had been hunting, while Zedd focused his attention on Knox. Even without facial expressions, Zedd’s anger was easy to see.

“Why have you ignored my most basic instructions?” Zedd questioned in seething rage.

“Because there’s a whole shit pile of bad guys coming this way,” Knox urgently answered.

“What!?” Zedd roared as he approached the door, their insubordination immediately forgotten.

Just as he got near it, the entrance to the bar exploded with gunfire, which was enough to make even Lord Zedd leap backwards. He tightened his grip on his staff as he moved to a window, instead. He slowly peaked his head around it to see criminals and gangsters of varying appearances, all heavily armed and creating a perimeter around the building.

“Oh, did I mention that we called for back-up as soon as you made such a stupid entrance?” the Bulldog taunted as Cade pulled him to his feet.

“You probably could have been a bit more discreet,” Laci quietly agreed.

“Maybe have knocked instead?” Knox suggested as he looked out another window at the crowd, while staying on the opposite side of the door from Zedd.

“Be quiet, you inept grunts,” Zedd ordered, then looked to the Bulldog. “That goes double for you.”

“You’re all as good as captured,” the Bulldog did not slow his gloating down. “Except you, prime. I might have to pull some strings and see you banished after this.”

“I don’t know what that means, but I love the sound of it,” Zedd said as he turned to look at the prisoner. “Perhaps after we extract all the information we desire from you we will see that you suffer such a fate.”

“Dude, he is distracting you and they are closing in,” Knox said as he watched the perimeter shrink, and the criminals approach.

“Just ignore him, Zedd,” Grace agreed.

“Stop telling me what to do, dammit!” Zedd demanded as he looked back to the crowd intending to bring death their way.

“Well, you better do something, then!” Cade shouted from behind the apprehended prime.

Lord Zedd let out a growl of frustration as he formed a glowing ball of energy at the top of his staff. He then popped around the corner and unleashed another bolt of lightning from his weapon, but this one caused a greater explosion at the target area. People screamed and panicked at the ensuing carnage, but enough of them also kept the presence of mind to open fire. Bullets slammed into the side of the wall and through the doorway, so Zedd was quick to take cover again.

“Not sure that did much good,” Knox commented.

“I don’t see you doing much with that blaster rifle of yours,” Zedd retorted.

Knox shrugged. It was a good point. He held the blaster through the doorway and blind fired into the crowd. Someone yelled as they were struck, and the others scattered. Knox continued to fire, and Zedd took the time to charge up another attack of his own. It was holding them off, but they knew it wouldn’t last much longer.

“Back door is clear!” Laci suddenly shouted above the gunfire as she rejoined them, having run off to observe the other exit points. “We can make a run through the alleyway.”

“Let’s go, then!” Cade said as he grabbed their prisoner by the arm. “Where’s the nearest elevator?”

“Just a few blocks,” Grace remembered. “We’ll have to move fast.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Laci agreed. “Zedd, did you hear that!?”

“I make the plans and I give the orders!” Lord Zedd shouted as he mimicked Knox’s strategy, pointing his staff through the doorway and firing an attack without looking. “I do! Do you understand that!?”

Grace threw her arms up in frustration, but Knox shook his head as he stepped towards the others, firing a few more shots out the door.

“Cool! We’re going!” Knox announced. Damn this lunatic they'd been assigned to.

Bulldog only put up a few token struggles before realizing that he was definitely coming with this group. Zedd jumped backwards as the gunfire intensified. They were getting closer. The Stormtroopers followed Laci, and Zedd reluctantly trailed after them. He thought about taking a moment to swear his intent to return to this tier and eradicate all life in retaliation for this injustice, but the intense barrage of lead made him decide it would be better to just surprise the residents of this level with that later on.

Laci and Grace exited into the alleyway, each covering a different direction with their raised rifles. Cade and Knox dragged the captured prime out next, followed by the dark lord they were supposed to be taking orders from. Seeing the route was secure, Laci waved her left arm briefly and the group advanced.

With Bulldog playing limp in their arms and making it difficult to move him, Knox and Cade were forced to all but drag him, along with having to listen to Zedd grumble about not murdering all the inferior pests from the back. Though they didn’t say anything, neither were at all thrilled about the prospect of getting into a fight while they were stuck dragging this difficult individual.

Grace, meanwhile, could feel her heart pounding as they all advanced. The gun was trembling in her arms, but she kept glancing to see that Laci looked like she was in total control. It was hard to read the others through their Stormtrooper armor, but she felt like she was the only one freaking out about the prospect of a gunfight erupting.

They rounded the last corner, and the elevator that would lead them upwards was in sight. The Bulldog renewed his struggles, knowing this was his last chance to escape. It slowed the progress of Knox and Cade’s dragging considerably.

“There they are!” a voice suddenly shouted.

“Get to the elevator!” Cade barked, knowing it was mere seconds before they were overwhelmed.

“Nonsense!” Zedd rebuked him. “We fight them here!”

The six turned to a small mob rounding the corner. Everyone froze for a brief moment. Clearly this man had more friends, or summons, than anyone realized. Whatever their source, they were all coming for this prime, and they were coming in great numbers. Gunfire rang out once more, while Grace frantically mashed the button to open the large elevator doors.

“…Get to the elevator!” Zedd changed his tune. This crowd was too much even for him.

The doors opened and Grace jumped in, followed quickly by Laci. The two women returned fire while Knox and Cade pulled the gangster in. As soon as they were in, they threw the Bulldog into a back corner, and joined their female teammates in the barrage of fire. Zedd finally stepped into the elevator, and Grace hit the button to close the doors. Everyone got a few more shots out before the elevator sealed itself and they departed for Tier Three.

“Was he hit?” Zedd demanded, looking to the captured prime.

“I don’t think so,” Knox shook his head.

Zedd walked over to prime as the four Stormtroopers pulled off their helmets so they could breathe a bit and get some air. He looked down at the Bulldog seeing no blood or vital injuries. He was dazed from hitting his head when the two men had thrown him, which Zedd was admittedly fine with.

While the others recovered from such a trying experience, Zedd simply waited. There was no rush of adrenaline from the encounter with the mob. He was used to such battles over the eons, and was already plotting the next one. The scum of the lower tiers would be a fine way to gain his power, so he was sure he’d see them again. Perhaps he wouldn’t make such a flashy entrance next time. He’d ponder his next descent to the lower tiers when it was needed, though. What mattered for the moment was returning the prisoner to Tier One, so he could begin to reap the benefits of Imperial citizenship.