A solid metal shutter blocked Felix's view completely, keeping him in darkness with only dim green lamps illuminating his view.
Unable to see the outside, he swung his fist into the metal, only to recoil in pain, "Bollocks!"
Frustrated and biting his lip, he pulled out the silver pistol from under his coat, repeatedly firing at it with a pained growled, to no effect, "What is this wall made of?"
The symphony of gunfire persisted outside.
"She's still fighting."
Heaving, he held his wrist and raised his palm, "Come on… work…" Holding his breath, a bead of sweat ran down his cheek. Blue particles started flickering out like glitter from his fingertips, only for the seconds to pass, and for him to gasp and lose focus.
Agitated and alone, he closed his eyes and pressed his head against the wall, taking a moment to catch his breath. As he leveled his breathing, he bit his lip and plucked out a slug from his shoulder.
"Tss…" He exhaled between his teeth, blue electricity crackling from his shoulder.
Above him, he noticed a security camera in the center of the ceiling stared intently at him with a glowing red dot. Scowling, he flicked it towards the camera, shattering the only other light source besides the faint blue glow of his left eye.
"There might be another way to let her in." Looking at the fountain unevenly glistening under moonlight, he began combing through the walls, getting closer towards it, "There has to be a switch or something."
Lifting his gun in anticipation, he moved deeper inside the facility towards the fountain.
Just a few steps beyond the entrance, he saw a silhouette of the interior, cascading floors illuminated through the glass ceiling. But the fountain rattled, its waters splashing wildly — shockwaves rippled from the ground, the loud boom from behind the iron wall, demanding his attention.
"A bomb?" He rushed back.
Digging his fingers under the wall, he grumbled, "Dammit V.V, don't make me fail my first mission!" Only for him to stagger back, unable to pull it up.
As he stumbled down and the shaking faded, all he could hear was the uneven sputter of the fountain. It took a few seconds for him to realize that it was the only thing he could hear.
Silence hit him.
The gunfire had stopped.
A bead of sweat rolled across his cheek, placing his ear next to the cold iron wall. "No, no, no…"
Shaking his head in disbelief, the chief's words echoed in his head;
'Before you say anything, it's not simply your incompetence to work with technology. Maria is a professional cracker, her skills are top notch. Your job is to protect her. Keep her alive and safe.'
"I'm not gonna fail my first mission!" Fabric stretched into lines and threads as he ripped off the torn uniform and once again pulled out his pistol.
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.
Gunfire rang through the entrance, rapidly and rhythmically emptying his ammunition. Yet not a single dent left on it.
Exhaling, Maria's words suddenly rang in his head.
'As long as you're around, what do I have to worry about?'
Felix's expression shifted from shock to anger. For a moment, he was back in winter, looking at face of the horrified heiress.
The pistol clattered to the floor as he clenched his fist.
Both of his eyes shined bright azure, and a faint outline formed around his fist.
"MARIA!"
With a spherical flash from his fist, the darkness was briefly lit up as it burst on impact, scattering little blue particles with a loud metallic bang.
Felix staggered back, the knuckles on his glove scraped off. Every heartbeat pounding in his knuckles, and every breath sliding between his teeth, his heaving drowning out any other sound.
In front of him, a sliver of light seeped in from the cracks.
Steel stretched outwardly, bending into a round crater.
"I can't do this…" He huffed, blood sliding down his damaged glove, "…Not without you."
"But if you're not here…" Felix picked up his silver pistol and turned marched toward the facility, continuing into enemy territory.
Only for a loud rumble to stop him in his tracks, nearly tumbling him over. Another explosion rippled through the entrance, quivering above his head and beneath his feet.
"... Huh?" He turned around.
Followed by another explosion, causing the crater to cave in.
Felix pulled out another magazine and filled up his gray gun, scowling as he raised it towards the iron wall.
Until —
Iridescent particles came bursting through, blasting the dented iron inside and fading nearly instantly. From behind the yellow sparks stood a black-haired woman, with a sweet, cheerful smile on her face.
He lowered his firearm, and his expression filled to the brim with disbelief.
"You're… okay?"
She crawled through the hole, wiping her face with a freshly stolen uniform, "Can't get rid of me that easily, partner."
"How… did you survive?" He asked, helping her get through the stretched steel.
"Let's just say a rogue firework came to my rescue. Or a couple… dozen…" She beamed, taking his hand.
"I don't think fireworks can…" He sighed as he pulled her through, "Right, sometimes things just don't make sense when it comes to you."
"I'm glad you finally get it." She got up and patted his shoulder.
"Argh!" He gasped.
"My bad…" She said, lowering her gaze towards the torn uniform on the ground. "The fireworks wouldn't have broken through without you cracking it open, so thanks."
His chest filled with a cold numbness, "…I was afraid I was gonna have to do this alone."
"You don't have my mad hacker skills." She said as she began putting on another stolen uniform.
She picked a bullet off his forearm, "Bullet-proof coat, huh?"
"Ah, yeah… better than just a vest." He stammered.
"Now to hide it again." She threw the other uniform over his face.
"... Again?" He grabbed it.
"Useful, right?" She buttoned up.
"Right…" He breathed a heavy sigh of relief, his gaze dipping with a faint smile.
"What's the problem?"
"I was afraid that…" He stretched his arm into the blood-stained uniform, "No… I failed to keep you safe. I'll do better."
She began buttoning up his beige stolen uniform, making him scratch his cheek.
"Then I'll be counting on you, partner." She smiled.
"Right." He nodded confidently, turning his head towards the facility, marching on, "Let's go, partner."
She nodded and walked beside him.
The two operatives made their way into the building alive. Behind them, the cracked camera stared silently, its fractured lens still fixed on their figures.
Inside a dimly lit surveillance room, a man in a top hat stood over three corpses.
His face illuminated by the flicker of broken screens, watching the two of them. He held up a damaged data storage against the screen, and grinned.
~