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Post by Shogun Liquid© on Nov 17, 2008 22:01:58 GMT -5
The Cairo University holds an alarmingly large number of branches and faculties for people to choose as their higher education.
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Post by Lunapocalypse on Feb 10, 2011 5:36:31 GMT -5
[Matthew, Tyson and Aya have entered from the Market Place]
Humor might have been evident with the scarred smiley face's slurred and logy voice while he drifted towards the unconscious realm; only concern was etched into the petite girl's expression. Aya patiently waited until certain Matthew were fast asleep before lifting an eye lid up to check dilation, a wide iris showing a perfectly opaque, dark abyss.
"The fuzz knew what they were after," Aya suddenly deducted and announced to Tyson, "Any method of tranquilizer would have been broken down by Progenitor before being able to affect his system. This is something different," she gently lifted Matt's arm from around her, placing it at his side and laying him across the seat before climbing into the front, "Medusa are aware Matthew is in Cairo."
Needle cap snapped off in curious hands, steady so as not to spill any of the remaining substance. Taking a subtle sniff, "Bitter," mumbling a word before doing the unthinkable. Aya let a drop fall to her tongue, wincing briefly, "Isocyanide..." her jaw feeling slightly numb afterward, "Bloody hell-" Aya pushed the cap on, folded the needle, cramming the syringe into the empty ashtray.
"Cyanide is about the only thing I can think of that would put Matt - or me - to sleep," the pale girl rubbed her chest in a rhythm, Progenitor acting rebellious to fight off the toxicity, "Its negative effect would be directed to his mitochondria. Energy can't transfer without ATP, driving heart rate right down," looking back over her seat at the snoozing enigma, "It won't kill him. Even the most able person in Chemistry would be hard pressed to discover a compound which could. He'll wake soon."
Counting beats like judging the distance of thunder; Matt's wrist pinched in Aya's hand, her thumb pressed against the vein; each beat could be compared to a roll of thunder. Tyson made a sound of broad conjecture taking Aya's attention back to the road ahead.
It was simple to speculate the black and yellow strips waited for them, yet the police at the road block seemed unprovoked at their cab or any other vehicle moving towards the plastic tape barricade. Aya climbed into the back, pulling Matthew's arm over her shoulder allowing his head to lull at a rest once more. She herself propped her head against the window, pretending to admire the dull, dusty street outside.
They were waved into a bypassing street; pulling a fake expression of wonder to why they had been redirected, Aya was able to see a crowd past the tape surrounding a rabble rouser shouting Anarchy on his soap box, "This is bad," sitting up, "The Uni is just down that road," her view was lost once they turned the corner, "Park somewhere," Aya insisted while shaking Matthew from dreams.
Slowing to a halt down an alley full of yellow dirt, the buildings either side seemed to lean inwards imposing on anyone with claustrophobic tendencies, "If a riot breaks out we'll want get Nancy free of the Uni before the first Molotov flies," urgency in her voice turned their scenario cold, "Cairo's been in civil unrest for years now. Unlucky for us, we've probably landed right in the thick of it."
Helping Matthew out of the cab, "Give it a few before taking any heavy steps," her bedside manner keeping him collected, "Just lean on me for the moment," Aya shut the taxi door with her heel.
"Okay. Let's go."
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Post by Mikey on Feb 10, 2011 8:18:11 GMT -5
Tyson listened to Matt start falling asleep, wondering if he had been hit with one of the tranquilizer darts the cops had been shooting around willy nilly. Wondering slightly how it was possible for him to be knocked out by one of them, Aya went about with her investigation and answered the question before he got the chance to ask anything.
She explained in detail that the cops had known what they were trying to apprehend, the chemical in the darts, how it would have been the only thing to work as a sleeping agent. Good god… They weren’t dealing with **** ants or radical maniacs anymore. Calm and collected people with the means and resources to deal out concentrated and precise strikes like that.
He watched her fold the needle like it was a tooth pick and toss it into the ash tray, looking over at her for a moment and wondering if there was anything she hadn’t answered for him… No, that was about it.
He got a bit nervous when he saw the barricade ahead, letting a hand drift to his side, toward his Glock. But when he saw the cop simply waving people away from that street, he wondered what the problem was. That was when he saw the crowd, scratch that, the mob in the middle of the road. Some jerk off with a megaphone was spouting out his anarchist bullcrap when he didn’t know the real meaning of the word, inciting the crowd. This could go violent in an instant. The match in front of the powder keg was lit, someone was just waiting to drop it.
He pulled into the alley and turned the cab off, fishing the cabbies license out and putting it on the dashboard like he had promised. He got out and pulled out his gun, slipping it into the rather deep pocket of his pants and kept his hands in them. He hunched down and gave the impression that he was trying to keep a low profile, all the while ready to shoot someone if they so much as took an angry step in his direction.
They got inside the university by giving the mob a wide berth, Tyson stopping at the directory that hung on the right wall and checked for a name. Nancy Harper, PHD.
“Third floor, office three twenty nine.” He told them, walking toward the elevator and calling it to their floor. No one said anything to him. There was hardly anyone here. He could see a few people going about, hurried. Probably either retrieving things or wrapping projects up before they got out of here as well. He imagined any classes that had been going on were cancelled as well. He held the door for his companions and let it close as soon as they were in, hitting the button for floor number three right after.
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Post by .Merios on Feb 10, 2011 13:03:11 GMT -5
Matthew stumbled into the elevator, still feeling a little wobbly and weak in the knees. He took a step forward and leaned against the back wall, cradling his head in his arms. He felt the weight of the sheathes on his back, but they were beneath his jacket this time- he didn't remember putting them back on. His right hand drifted to his side to feel the un-concealed auto-revolver in his holster. He let out a breath of air- he was always worried that thing would get lost, it's been his lifeline for years. He heard the mechanical ding and the doors slid open consequently afterward. He followed Aya and Tyson out, beginning to move normally now and breaking out of his stupor.
"Twenty one.. Twenty four.. Twenty nine."He stopped in front of it, leaning on the wall next to it. His eyes scanned the nameplate beside it.
"After you.."
His right hand instinctively wandered to his side, resting on the grip of his Mateba as his fingers danced to unclasp the leather strap.
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Post by Lunapocalypse on Feb 10, 2011 13:38:16 GMT -5
Entrance and ascension were interesting. From the way they had entered it seemed the three foreigners were the only individuals visiting the University. Everybody else left like a bomb threat had just been announced. All of the residents were high class, either well paying students or well paid lecturers; most of them weren't even Arabic. Down the street multiple downtrodden folk held placards and pumped fists to the air, embracing the sky with angst.
Once Matthew could take a step without a stumble Aya let him walk freely, holding out a helping hand whenever the effects of the dart still made his balance clumsy.
People packed into the 3rd floor elevator like sardines; Aya found herself shoving several rude students as they bumbled in before even remotely allowing the three to leave, cursing an Asian student in Mandarin for his insolence.
Many of the windows were open to the hot air; from where they stood the echoes of rabble were heard clearly. The people of Cairo were furious of their leader, his brink of dictatorship destroying any fairness and quality of life for the Egyptians. Leaning out, looking towards the wall of the front courtyard, "20 minutes," she calculated, "We'll want to be out of here after that," speaking to Tyson specifically.
As much as this might be an emotional visit for him they wouldn't be able to stay for tea; past the pale girl and through the window a line of riot police could be seen, overlapping their shields into an iron wall, bracing for impact from the crowded fury.
Picking up the pace, "3-29," Aya repeated the numbers she read, jogging briefly as if to invoke haste on them all. She stood to the side of the office threshold, the name Harper imprinted in bold on its clear glass. Her knuckles rapped against the fragile window twice, grabbing the attention of a woman stacking papers and files into an suit case.
Aya turned away in reluctance, pressing her shoulder blades against the plaster wall and giving Tyson a firm stare. This was his door to open.
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Post by Mikey on Feb 11, 2011 13:47:47 GMT -5
Tyson stopped for a moment, seeing her face in person for the first time in his life. He’d almost forgotten it, forgotten how much she looked like her mother. Her short form crossed the room and opened the door, standing in the doorway for a moment before she spoke.
“Can I help you?” She asked, slight impatience in her voice. “I’m in a bit of a hurry. I assume you’ve looked outside.” She said. She gestured for them to come in as she went back to her desk to continue packing up whatever was important. Tyson stepped inside the office and closed the door behind him. Just after he flashed two fingers at Aya, signaling that he’d be two minutes.
“Uh…” He began, words dropping off. How in the hell was he going to explain this? Forget explaining anything, how could he start? He walked over to the desk and stood on the other side, looking down at it for a moment. She had research papers and things that didn’t make any sense to him in stacks on her desk, quickly putting them into her case. The thing that caught his eye was the picture. He knew both woman in it. One, standing just in front of him. He guessed it was about ten years old. The other woman was her mother. He reached out and picked up the picture, and Nancy stopped fussing with her papers for a moment.
“Me and my mom.” She said, reaching out and plucking it from the giants hands.
“Ya, I know.” Tyson slipped, seeing Nancy freeze and give him a look. Skepticism, it looked like. “I knew your mother. She… Well, she…” He began.
“What did you say your name was?” Nancy asked.
“Tyso…” Tyson began.
“..n Salem?” Nancy finished. Her look softened. She knew who he was. “Before she died, Mom showed me all the things she’d kept on you. The papers and pictures.” She said.
He didn’t know what to say to this… He’d think it over in the car.
“My friends and me, we came to find you. We need your help with some Egyptology.” He said. “Their good people, trust me.” He said. It seemed good enough for her. He went to the door, opening it and motioning them inside.
“Ask what you need to ask.” He said, going to the window to take a look at the riot outside. The riot cops hadn’t stepped up to put the mob down, the mob wasn’t lighting fire bombs yet, they still had some time.
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Post by .Merios on Feb 12, 2011 16:59:25 GMT -5
Matthew spun inside and sunk against the wall to the side of the door. He scanned the room, checking out the trinkets and books, making note of a picture on the table that Tyson had recently moved as well as the chaos out the window in the back, seeing a crowd beginning to gather further away. He looked the woman up and down, eying her a bit. He wasn't sure how much an Egyptologist would help them find Medusa, but he guessed it would answer a few questions. He reached into his back pocket and withdrew the newspaper, tossing it in her direction, not watching to see if she caught it or not.
"The staff was stolen from the museum. Odds are, a PMC by the name of Medusa has taken it- it's not just a hunch. I'm telling you this because Tyson here vouched for you, not because I trust you."
He pushed away from the wall, walking over to the window and looking out.
"Any idea why?"
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Post by Lunapocalypse on Feb 12, 2011 23:38:19 GMT -5
"Ankh Ba Odja'Naral Khenty-Imentiu."
Only picking up on the fragment of name Matthew's contact spoke; Nancy must have announced the entire title of the staff, rolling off her tongue as natural as white on rice.
"Yes. Anybody in the ancient history profession heard about that."
Speaking over her shoulder as she pulled individual books from their shelves, single pieces of written work the hieroglyphics auteur held most close to heart, dropping them into a box. One slab of paper in particular she opened and began to flick through; Aya thought she had heard the woman mumble 'disrespectful', whimsy in her voice, her opinion towards the theft.
Everything on the professor's desk jumped several inches as the tome was slapped onto the oak wood.
"Most speculate it's a key judging by the carving in the tail."
A slim, nimble finger pointed to the illustration of the staff.
"Of course nobody was given the privilege to test the theory, seeing as the staff is one of the oldest artifacts in Egyptian history. It is assumed, though..."
Nancy turned the page for another illustration which reached the borders of the worn paper. It displayed a well drawn room covered in hieroglyphs, a door at the far end with an after edit square over a conspicuous hole at its centre; the next page over enlarged the selection.
"Fragments of Egyptian history that talk about the staff also talk about this room, or more the room past this door. Holding the shrine of Anpu-"
"Anubis?" Aya quickly interjected in spite of Tyson and Matt's confusion, speaking the more mainstream name out loud. She felt the sneaking suspicion it would be a lost cause as neither of the men seemed to immediately care; they probably weren't building theories like she were.
"The same. He was considered the conductor of souls, as you can see on this rough representation on the door's cartouche. He stands upon a hill with dark flowers at his feet, the mighty stand beside him while the departed lay in the well of souls cut around the shrine."
It took only two words for a bitter sensation in Aya's throat to emerge; looking at Matthew with dire straits in her eyes, "Now we know what Medusa are after," the thought stabbed at her imagination spilling concepts of a world in decay; everything she fought for returning to dust, all in vein.
Aya took several strides to the desk, pointing her finger accusingly at the illustration of the room, "Where is this?" she asked, Nancy shrugged.
"Nobody could tell you."
Polaroid pictures whipped the desk as Aya produced her evidence, "Then what can you tell me about that," pointing to the blue hatch she had found underneath the Citadel. Nancy's rather edgy composure shifted to curiosity as comparisons between the illustration and hieroglyphs on the hatch could be made, pulling the photograph towards her in conjecture that both were connected.
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Post by Mikey on Feb 14, 2011 20:09:35 GMT -5
Tyson would be the first one to admit that he knew nothing about Egyptian history or myth or whatever they were talking about. It sounded like a bit of both, to him. He’d heard of Anubis in his life, the name. He knew he was a big boy as far as mythological figures went. But this was the first he had ever heard anything about him.
"Now we know what Medusa are after." Aya said, and he looked at her with a furrowed brow.
“Wait, you think there is actually something to this? That there is actually something down there that they could use?” He asked.
“It’s possible.” Nancy said. “So many of these ruins are unexplored or lost, anything could be hidden down there.” She said without looking away from the pictures Aya had tossed onto the desk. It made him think, considering the flower that Progenitor stemmed from had been found in some hole-in-the-ground cave. Could the Egyptians have come across something of that magnitude and sealed it away?
“It looks like the hieroglyphics are matching up.” She said after a few moments of comparing. “Their the same door.” She said.
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Post by .Merios on Feb 15, 2011 1:04:41 GMT -5
He sighed, getting annoyed about how much this woman knew but also how much she was in the dark about this subject. He turned away from the window, glancing at Aya with a look of disgust on his face when Nancy had explained that she had no idea where to start. He grossed his arms, the wrinkles around his mouth forming into a slight frown with the twisted smiley carved into his cheeks still smiling away.
"Thanks for the information, but you didn't really help."
He slid away from the window and headed around the desk and back towards the door, putting a hand on Aya's shoulder and let go as he passed. He faced the door and stopped, not turning around.
"It sounds juvenile, but I could care less what this staff is about.He turned around,"We need to know where this 'door' is, and if you don't know, what's the point in learning all this about it if we can't stop their plan?"
He was frustrated and let out a grunt. He should have known not to trust a contact from an ex-Merc. Sure, they gave him the benefit of the doubt for his own friend in the Markets, but his patience was running thin.
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Post by Lunapocalypse on Feb 15, 2011 7:42:54 GMT -5
"Matt, everything is pointing to what Medusa want being beneath the Citadel. If this staff is the key to them discovering a gold mine of Sonnent Reppe, I feel it's something we should be concerned about," Aya procured the photographs from the desk, holding the image of the hatch up to Matthew, "I was jumped by three guards while examining this, probably watchmen set by Medusa. They likely know that someone has sniffed the place out, and considering they already have the staff we can't take our chances with anything else."
"I couldn't find any way to get it open, but I figure a bit of C4 would do the trick," Aya spotted protest from Nancy as she addressed Tyson with the issue, the girl seemed to hold it in, "Only thing is we'd definitely get somebody's attention, regardless of how far underground we would be. I don't know what to expect once we're inside, either," looking to Nancy, "If you wouldn't mind, Nancy, your assistance in the matter would be helpful," her words blatantly contradicted what Matthew likely thought, an possibly concerned Tyson; having somebody with knowledge on the subject would be a helpful asset going into such a deathtrap.
Checking to see whether Matthew was against the proposal; not particular of Nancy joining them, more if he were happy they went straight for the Citadel instead of searching for Medusa's whereabouts further.
A flaring sound outside the window of Nancy's office was heard, the tinkle of shattered glass joining it. Aya rushed to the window spotting a second Molotov fly over the perimetre wall and splash through a nearby office window, "Time's up. Nancy, if you would be so kind as to remain close to Tyson while we proceed out the building. Matt, with me," heading back towards the office door and bursting out.
Aya removed her FNP-9 from its concealed holster, flicking the safety lever, and heading down the hallway a piece, "These folks aren't going to care who we are, but they're civvies. Non-lethal shots only where it counts," her call would ring well with Matt; it was clear from their time together that he mostly preferred non-lethal methods.
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Post by Mikey on Feb 18, 2011 7:06:33 GMT -5
The flare and crash was all Tyson needed to hear. Their time had expired, in less than the estimated twenty minutes. Tyson moved to the door and took a look outside, wondering if the mob had began an assault on the building as well. Not quite. He pulled out his Glock 21 and waved them toward the door, waiting for Nancy and taking a step to ensure that he was next to her at all times. He’d heard what Aya said, he would agree within reason. If he shot someone in the kneecap and they didn’t go down, he may end up with no choice. His definition of ‘innocent civilian’ got a bit blurry around the time a person was willing to go against riot police and firebomb schools.
“Do you have a car here?” He asked her. They wouldn’t be able to get out the front and to the cab they had brought.
She simply nodded back. “There’s a parking lot out back, my car is there.” She said. It was good enough for him. He opted for stairs instead of the elevator, better to see what was going on. What was coming their way, instead of having a set of doors open and being in the middle of a real s*** storm.
He waited for the pair of super humans to pass himself, figuring he would let them take the brunt of any danger they may be confronted with. Tyson had something more important to do.
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Post by .Merios on Feb 18, 2011 12:50:54 GMT -5
Matthew heard the whoosh of the molotov as it soared in the air and collided with the window, creating an awful mix of a small explosion followed by a vortex of glass. He's always hated those. A second one snapped him out of his stupor and he watched as Aya pushed past him and burst out the door with her pistol in hand. Non-lethal. Honestly? He didn't have anything non-lethal. One shot from his hand-cannon would paralyze if not kill any living person, and he couldn't live with the consequences of doing that to an innocent, if not misguided individual. He followed Aya out the door and to the right, securing his jacket over his sheathes, covering them almost completely without too much of a bulge- just the handles slid out of the back of his hem.
"We're taking the stairs. It's going to be too difficult to take the elevator with this sort of chaos going on."
He broke away from Aya, moving down a hallway to her left towards a set of stairs they had passed when they first left the elevator. He moved to the stairs for a moment and then hesitated, looking back to the elevator. Matthew turned and took two steps towards the elevator and stood in front of it. With a grunt, he brought his right knee up and onto the metal- a loud TING resounded throughout the hallway as metal collided against metal and the door bent against the pressure, giving a deep impression in between the two doors, insuring they wouldn't open correctly- or close, for that matter.
He quickly moved back to the staircase and threw the door open, taking a step in and tensing up, hearing footsteps down further. He stood on the top step and held his hand out the door way, signaling for Aya to be a bit quieter as he whispered, knowing she could hear him.
"Four..Maybe five. Heading up."
He took the next floor quietly with caution, hearing the footsteps and muffled voices get louder and louder- he couldn't see anyone over the railing quite yet, which worried him. They could be around the next corner.
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Post by Lunapocalypse on Feb 20, 2011 1:53:25 GMT -5
Aya's humor tickled when Matthew put the elevator out of service. The resounding ping of it reaching their floor followed by creaking metal pushed a single, contained laugh from her diaphragm. Even being in their dire scenario she had to reward such a clever act on a whim.
Just outside the door to the stairwell, Aya's lowered posture marked her body language to the Grin signaling to keep quiet. Matt's voice met her ear; a mob of frenzied protesters were on their way up. Hearing the kerfuffle after joining next to the railing, "Damn. Stairs're our only option-" Aya was cut off when an echoing bang bounced up the well, a door at ground floor had burst open spilling a block of light across the marble floor; two shadows were seen in a tussle, the end of one signified when the shadows of a liquid spill flung through the air.
"Second floor. Go." they had to descend somehow, Aya figured they could at least make things easier by being a whole story lower. Leaning out the stairwell door, "You two, c'mon," ushering Tyson and Nancy in their direction.
Iron sights held steady over the stairs leading up, three white dots all light perfect with each other, "Keep an eye out below," Aya asked of Matthew while putting her ear to the door. Uncertain activity could be heard on the other side; it felt close.
Aya booted her heel against the door stepping through in a cloud of busted plaster and splinters, FNP-9 aimed precisely in the direction of the struggle. A protester had a fire axe pressed against the throat of a student, crouched over him in the frame of a doorway leading out. Aya's sidearm jumped after a round reported, crash landing into the protesters shoulder, the exit and spray cascading across the floor. A wave of pain engulfing him was visible as he dropped the axe, putting a hand to his shoulder and looking to the person responsible. He took to his feet and took to flight down the opposite direction, following several people being chased into the next corridor at the end. The student crawled back into the classroom for safety.
Each door either side of the hall represented either a lecture theater or an office; putting her hand out to the right while she spoke, "Check the windows in any of the rooms, see if we can find a way safely down to the ground or at least to the next floor,"
[OoC: in case you haven't spotted Mikey's thread saying he's gone on holiday, it'll just be us two posting for a bit so go ahead and post on next.]
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Post by .Merios on Feb 20, 2011 23:29:28 GMT -5
Matthew followed closely after Aya, watching her clip an engaged combatant in the shoulder and made both sides flee. Interesting concept. His eyes moved to the axe on the ground, then to Aya as she spoke, signaling for him to check the windows to find a way to the ground or next floor. Matthew nodded and jogged forward, stopping at the axe and slipping his right foot underneath the wood of the axe and kicking upwards, leaning back a bit as it spun and catching it with the wooden handle with his right hand, twirling it right-side up and slinging it over his shoulder.
Taking a few strides forward, he tried the knob for a nearby lecture hall on the right- locked. He grunted and twisted the knob harder, hearing the insides snap against the pressure as the door creaked ajar. He brought the axe forward and used the head of it to push the door open slowly as he creeped inside. Should have checked his corners. Two steps in, he felt the hot sting of an impact on his back which made him reel forward a step or two. He instinctively turned around and dropped to a knee to get a look at his assailant.
A female, rather attractive but with a wily and aggressive look in her eyes. He heard some muffled voices behind him as well- a trap. He sighed, standing up as the woman gripped the pipe in her right hand, clasping the end in her left hand. She walked forward, making Matthew take a few steps back, gripping the axe a bit harder in his hand. He glanced over his shoulder as he bumped into the two men behind him who reached for his arms. He didn't want to hurt anyone, so he let them grasp him and grapple him into a hold. He grunted, staring at the woman who reached down and snatched the axe, comparing the axe to her lead pipe and quickly dropping the pipe. Words didn't need to be spoken- she was out for blood.
He could feel the hot breath of the men on the back of his neck, almost snarling. She brought the axe up and brought it down. As soon as she moved her hands downward, he threw out his right foot and caught her in the gut, making her recoil forward in pain. He took this opportunity to snap his head back at an angle and catch one of the men in the nose- hearing the cartilage break, he shook the injured man off and grasped the other by the shoulder, pulling his arm over and using his weight to throw him to the ground, sending him skidding few feet to the wall. He quickly backed up a few steps as the woman retrieved her weapon. Matthew had to think fast.
His hand moved to his Mateba and he quickly un-holstered it and spun it forward, facing her, his right thumb moving up to cock the hammer back. She stopped in her tracks.
"Drop it and take off. Bring your henchmen with you."
She hesitated. He moved the gun an inch to the right and squeezed the trigger, sending a thick round smacking into the wall next to her, the report echoing throughout the building.
"Now."
The three students scrambled to their feet and swiftly exited the room, tripping over themselves to rush out of the hallway. He brought his Mateba to his side and holstered it, moving to the other side of the lecture hall and pressing up against an open window. He leaned a bit out and noticed a fire escape with a piece of wood attached to the edge of the railing leading to the building's edge a few feet to his right. Must've been where they came from.
"Aya! I think I found something!"
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