Chapter 17
Unexpected incident
“Laban, you take one o’clock, and I’ll take the other one,” Gerome said to one of his teammates.
“Got it,” Laban acknowledged, adjusting his position to the right and opening fire.
Meanwhile, Gerome ascended higher, skillfully evading shots fired from the opposing team. He noticed someone tailing him closely, and to his surprise, it wasn't a member of the other team.
It was Spence Cartell.
Glancing at the cockpit screen, Gerome could see Cartell's details right behind him, dangerously close. Cartell mimicked his every move, making it challenging for Gerome to shake him off, even with swift maneuvers to the right and left.
What is he doing? We are on the same team for goodness sake!
Gerome's frustration soared as Cartell seemed utterly unhelpful. Despite being right behind him like a persistent shadow, Cartell hadn't fired a single shot at the opposing team.
“What are you doing, Cartell? We are on the same team!” He shouted through the communication device to Cartell.
Casually and without any hint of emotion in his voice, Cartell replied, “Waiting for you to beg me for mercy.” Gerome glimpsed Cartell's evil smirk on his control panel display.
“What is wrong with you?” Gerome couldn't believe Cartell's audacity and felt utterly exasperated at his teammate's obnoxious reply.
Cartell unleashed a ximeon missile towards Gerome's jet, catching Gerome off guard. Despite seeing it coming, Gerome had little time to react and couldn't avoid the incoming projectile. The unexpected attack left him startled and shocked. He never anticipated that Cartell would actually take such a hostile action against him.
The ximeon missile struck the rudder and one of the stabilizers, causing significant damage to the rear of Gerome's jet. The impact triggered emergency lights and warning tones in the cockpit, flashing red and blaring loudly. Gerome's throat went dry, and his heart skipped a beat as he realized he was now facing genuine peril.
It was an actual ximeon.
Cartell had unleashed a genuine ximeon, the most potent type used in wars and battles, with the clear intention of destroying Gerome.
Bastard.
Gerome felt his blood boiling with fury, coursing through his veins like an unstoppable force. The voice of panic inside him was loud and clear, warning him that this situation was life-threatening and destructive. He fought to regain control of the jolting W-shaped steering wheel, but the jet's partial damage was evident—it seemed incapable of staying airborne for much longer. The reality of facing potential death any moment now was terrifying and unexpected. Still in a state of shock, Gerome struggled to gather his thoughts and devise any escape plan.
No, I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die because of Spence Cartell. It’s not worth it.
Ignoring the ear-piercing warning tone, Gerome pushed his jet to go faster. He knew that if he didn't take action, Cartell would have more opportunities to fire additional ximeons. However, despite his efforts, the jet refused to go any faster, and he could feel the imminent threat of it potentially exploding at any moment.
Read more of Velvet ( A Saga of Technomantic Conquest) now available at KOJI and GUMROAD.
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