A Set Trap

Straight answers had always been the main goal that no one could ever reach. The war was finally over. There was no second-guessing, no groups of stragglers left to kill. Every Locust and every Lambent had been destroyed not more than a few hours ago.

'You're a scientific man. Look at this later and try to understand what I wanted to do and what I had to do.'

Damon Baird held the disk Professor Fenix handed him before the final fight. At least this one wouldn't need an encryption disk to read. The professor's office was the first place that came to Baird's mind. The computers in the room probably held more information than what was on the disk. Baird began to make his way back to the overly lavished building. There was still a bloody mess where they had last fought. And a dead Queen lay with her kind.

"Shame you can't talk anymore," Baird said in his usual sarcastic tone.

There were reasons behind everything she did. The mystery between her and the late professor still gnawed at his mind. Baird continued to stare at her bloodied body while his mind conversed with itself. The only disappointment he felt was that he'd never know what happened. Not from Myrrah's perspective anyway. He was about to continue his path indoors when he spotted an extremely odd detail. The mechanic squatted near the body to get a closer look. It was barely noticeable from all the blood and heavy armor that surrounded her shoulders. A cog tag. A single cog tag. Baird tugged the chain free from around her neck. He wiped some of the blood off of it with his thumb to get a read on the name inscribed on it.

PRESCOTT, RICHARD

"Uh, guys!"

The office reminded Anya of the Fenix estate. She had visited that mansion only a few times. Azura had that similar feeling of being a museum rather than a place to live. For Adam, this office would have felt more like a prison than anything else. It was a large room filled with countless books and multiple security screens. The cameras that monitored almost every main area in the buildings were still running. The only activity they now showed were those of gears. It was still hard to believe all of this existed without their knowledge. The desk was surprisingly organized with only a single computer and a few books and papers neatly arranged on it. Not that she was searching for anything in particular. Anya casually flipped through some of the papers. Almost all of them were notes about the immulsion and the Lambent. One notebook did not. A leather, dark navy notebook stood out from the rest. Anya recognized the handwriting when she opened the cover.

Understand what a world had to do to survive.

All of the repulsed feelings returned to her. Anya was more than familiar with Prescott's secrecy. But Azura was the final draw. She doubted reading his written excuses would change her opinion of him.

'I don't think I could stomach reading any of this,' Anya thought.

She closed the book and was about to leave it but a stray paper corner caught her eye. The edge of a glossy paper stuck out from the top corner of the book. It was a photo. Anya pulled it from its place and saw the most unexpected. The image of the Locust Queen looked right back at her. The photo had been taken close-up and bore no signs of wear or age. Anya picked up the book and hoped that she had not lost the place it had marked. Much to her surprise, there was a slight gap where numerous loose photos were shoved in one spot. Most of the photos fell onto the desk when she opened it. Almost every single one of them had Myrrah's image on it. In some, she was fully armored. In others, she wore only her base suit with her pale blonde hair neatly pulled up. A few others were alarmingly close range pictures of an Armored Kantus. Only one was of Prescott. And all of them looked as if they were taken within Azura. Anya's mind raced in fear of what they meant. She emptied the photos from their place to find a second introduction inked onto the page.

Too many times have I had to ask for forgiveness. I had hoped mankind would understand our actions, my decisions, with so much in this war. If I have managed to find Sgt. Fenix then I have told him that Azura had been captured days ago. It wasn't. I can't remember how many weeks it has been. I wish I was able to apologize for my betrayal to the human race. But I can't. I won't.

The screaming and the gunfire had almost completely died out. The mostly unarmed scientists and civvies didn't stand a chance against the horde that flooded into Azura without warning. Richard Prescott would have escaped sooner had not the encryption key still be in his personal quarters. And the disk from Adam. Prescott hated that it had come down to this. His last secret, human kind's last hope for survival, was about to be exposed. Azura had been kept quiet in order to keep it away from the enemy. How the Locusts managed to find the island was just as baffling as it was frustrating. He had to find help. Prescott had to make it out of here alive. He was greatly outnumbered. Most of the Locusts within the buildings were Armored Kantus and Theron Guards. Opening fire on one would only attract the rest. Sneaking around them was not easy and took far longer than he had wished. His room looked the least disturbed. The Locusts would have left it shortly after failing to find anyone hiding in it. Prescott spared no second as he reached the locked desk drawer. Except that it was already open. Everything was still in place, but the lock was broken from being forced into. The sudden sound of moving water startled him. Prescott drew his pistol again with his full attention at the partially closed bathroom door. The intruder was aware of his presence. He could hear soft footsteps against the tile floor. Footsteps that didn't sound like they belonged to any Locust. The door opened and a completely nude and soaked woman stared back at him.

"Oh, shit! Forgive me!" Prescott quickly diverted his eyes and lowered his pistol.

"What are you doing in my room? No! Better question – Why are you still here?"

Prescott took a quick double-take and saw that she made no effort to cover herself.

"This is your room?" she finally spoke.

"Just...put some clothes on, miss. We've got to get out of here," Prescott returned to the desk drawer.

There are Locusts right outside the door! We need to get out of here now!

Prescott tried to push the new memories to the back of his mind as he went to collect both disks. He had to stay focused if they were to make it out of Azura alive. But he was quickly tackled to the floor. Prescott swore from the sudden pain pounding in his head. The woman was now straddled on top of him. She must have been in the bath for he could feel water beginning to soak his clothes as it ran off of her. Time has never been more crucial in his life and his mind was screaming at him to make a run for it. But his body had other intentions. And getting a good look at her did not help. Her long, blonde hair clung to her shoulders and blue eyes studied him without a single worry about what was going on outside the room. She suddenly leaned in and pressed her lips to his. He could also feel her bare chest against his. That wasn't helping either.

"Where are we going?" she asked when she broke the kiss.

"I...uh...," Prescott muttered.

The anxiety and adrenaline from earlier were being quickly replaced with burning anticipation.

"I really think that we should continue...this...," Prescott drew a sharp breath when he felt the fabric of his shirt being tugged loose," later."

"You talk too much," the woman said as she guided her hand underneath his shirt.

His muscles tensed under her touch and his hand quickly grabbed her forearm. But he made no effort in stopping her touch from guiding further up his chest. A smirk crossed her face in satisfaction to the Chairman's easy surrender. Prescott bit his lower lip trying to remain silent when her other hand began undoing his belt. He never expected any woman to be this hasty. Prescott lifted himself up slightly and kissed her neck. Her hands stopped and her body tensed up for a moment in surprise. But her composure returned just as quickly and her fingers resumed their work. She let out another surprised, but soft, noise when Prescott pulled them both down to the floor. Cold air his skin when his pants were dragged to his knees. She was teasing him now. Prescott could feel her inner thighs rubbing against him. His breathing became more labored and he bucked his hips slightly upward to feel her close to him. She pressed her lips against his in another kiss. A kiss that muffled his moan when he felt herself lower on him. He slightly shuddered at the feeling of her heat surrounding him. Prescott moved his hips upwards again almost reflexively. The woman let out a groan and broke the kiss. Sitting up she put both of her hands on his stomach to keep him still for a moment while she continued to adjust to him.

"Sorry," Prescott quickly apologized for causing her discomfort.

She didn't reply but began to move steadily and slowly. An almost inaudible moan could be heard within her heavy breathing. She seemed more gratified at his pleasure than her own. Even at his release, she ceased her movements, uninterested in reaching her own release. Prescott studied her face, trying to read her objective as he tried to catch his breath. Reality snapped back to him when he heard the bedroom door open loudly.

"Shit!"

Adrenaline rushed through his veins once again as he scrambled to reach for his pistol on the floor. She beat him to it and tossed his only weapon at the Armored Kantus that came through the door.

"Leave this one alive as well."

Complete horror gripped at Prescott's very core. He quickly backed to the far corner of the room while attempting to put his clothes back on.

"You! You're!" he couldn't say it.

Myrrah only smiled cunningly as she made her way back to the bathroom.

Oh shit, what have I done! Shit! Shit!

She reappeared into the bedroom in only a full, red bodysuit with the rest of her armor in hand as she made her exit.

"That was too easy."