18. Ceara

The fluorescent lighting of the docking bay buzzed overhead, casting sharp and unforgiving lights over the guards' armor and weapons.

The sharp tang of ozone was thick in the air from the plasma rifles, and it stung my nostrils with its pungency.

Around me, acrid heated metal and cool synthetic blends of the delivery shuttle pervaded the atmosphere.

"I'm sorry, my love," I said, pulling Ellie in close for what I feared would be the very last time.

I breathed her in, felt her small warm body against mine, and hugged her close, expressing how much I truly cherished her.

We had tried and we had gotten close… but not close enough.

I pulled back and swam in the tears that quivered in her eyes. "Ellie, I—"

In that instant, as I faced the Supervisor and his legion of guards, a blinding flash consumed my vision.

It wasn't the painful, searing brightness of a physical light but the deep, profound illumination of a Vision.

The sensation was a rush, as if I were being dragged away from this moment and thrust into another time and place.

With it came the muted sounds of waves crashing against a shoreline, the distant laughter of children, the rustling of alien flora in a gentle breeze — sensations from that distant beach with Ellie.

But this was different; it wasn't that Distant Vision but a new one.

In the background of this Vision, I sensed freedom.

The details of our getaway were clear and precise, from the steps we would take to the decisions we'd make.

This was our path to freedom, and it unfolded before me with startling clarity.

As I snapped back to reality, the familiar hum of the prison facility's atmosphere control system vibrated through the soles of my boots, and I felt the weight of my own body, the realness of the current moment.

I gazed deeply into Ellie's worried, beautiful eyes, the myriad of blue hues reflecting the docking bay's light.

My fingers reached out, caressing her cheek with a gentle touch, feeling the warmth and softness of her skin. "It's you," I whispered, my voice laced with gratitude and awe. "It's always been you."

Her expression, previously filled with fear, shifted to one of confusion. "Ceara, what are you—?"

Without waiting for her to finish, I did something that probably seemed insane to her.

I turned away from the safety of our momentary sanctuary and sprinted directly towards the armed guards.

My every sense was heightened.

The metallic clink of their armor adjusting, the sharp and distinctive sound of plasma rifles being readied, the way the light reflected off their visors — all of it came rushing at me with heightened clarity.

Not that I needed clarity because I had seen it all before.

In my Vision, the one that stretched beyond the limiting borders of my usual ability.

Ellie's scream of horror and desperation echoed behind me.

In that moment, it was a heartbreaking symphony of love and fear.

But even amidst the chaos, I could clearly recall the sensations from my Vision, the tangibility of our escape route, and the exact moves I needed to make.

I felt the floor beneath my boots grow slick with some liquid, probably a spilled lubricant from the machinery.

Using that to my advantage, I slid under the first guard, feeling the cold touch of the ground and the rush of air as a plasma shot narrowly missed me.

The tangy scent of singed fabric reached my nose as I realized my clothes had barely escaped the plasma's touch.

"Don't kill him you fools!" the Supervisor bellowed. "Take him alive!"

Using the momentum from my slide, I sprang up, grabbing a crate, and hurled it at another guard.

The weighty thunk and the guard's grunt of surprise were oddly satisfying.

Dodging and weaving, I maneuvered through the guards, using the snippets from my Vision to guide my every move.

With each step, I felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins, and hear the rhythmic beating of my heart, synchronized with Ellie's desperate cries.

When I reached the center of the formation, I realized that all their attention was on me, leaving Ellie momentarily forgotten.

That was exactly what I had hoped for.

* * *

The guards thundereddown the stairs, their metallic boots striking each step with a rhythmic clatter that echoed through the corridor.

It reminded me of a march, one that heralded their doom.

A mixture of their synthetic leather armor and the pungent stench of fear wafted up the staircase, a smell I was intimately familiar with.

It felt satisfying to be on the other side of that fear for once.

Due to the narrowness of the staircase, their overwhelming numbers became a hindrance rather than an advantage.

Their bulk and weight, meant to intimidate, worked against them, making them slow, clumsy, and predictable.

As the first guard reached the bottom, I struck, using the element of surprise.

My fingers snaked out, grabbing him by his armored collar and pulling him into a chokehold.

I could feel the heat of his breath, short and rapid against my arm, and the desperation in his movements as he tried to free himself.

Another guard opened fire, but I had already sensed his move.

The heat from the plasma shot was a mere whisper against my cheek as I dodged, the bright hue reflecting in my peripheral vision.

Without hesitation, I lunged forward, snatching a plasma rifle from a third guard.

I squeezed the trigger, and the rifle hummed to life, spitting out bolts of searing plasma.

One by one, the guards crumpled, their armor charred and smoky, filling the air with a burnt, acrid aroma.

In the chaos, my ears picked up a distinctive sound: the soft shuffling of someone trying to stealthily retreat.

Turning my attention from the fallen guards, my eyes locked onto the Supervisor.

His flabby, sweat-slicked skin glistened under the corridor lights.

The remote control dangled precariously from his pudgy fingers, his ticket to regain control of this situation.

Seeing that he was the focus of my attention, a hint of panic flashed in his eyes, making them widen comically.

I could hear the rapid thumping of his heart and see the fluttering of his pulse beneath the translucent skin of his throat.

Without warning, I aimed the plasma rifle at him.

The shot grazed his arm, the scorching heat causing a blistery wound that forced him to release the remote.

The device twirled in the air, reflecting the chaotic scene of the stairwell in its glossy surface.

The Supervisor lunged, desperation evident in his movement, his fingers splaying out to take control of the remote once more.

But it was in vain.

His short stature and portly figure hindered him, and he was a breath too late.

The remote descended, and as if time had slowed, I extended my arm, feeling the texture of the device's cold, hard casing as it settled into my palm.

The subtle vibration of its active state hummed beneath my fingertips.

I took a deep breath, letting the mixture fill my lungs.

My fingers danced over the remote's surface, accessing its multiple functions.

The Supervisor, his face a mixture of rage and terror, hissed:

"You think you've won? This is only the beginning!"

His voice was raspy, a dryness evident as if the very moisture had been sucked from his mouth in the midst of his fear.

I smirked. "For you, maybe. For us, this is the end of captivity and the beginning of freedom!"

The remote buzzed in my hand, signifying the unlocking of doors and the deactivation of security measures throughout the prison.

The way to freedom was now clear.

* * *

The vibrationsof the shuttle's controls hummed beneath my fingertips, a sensation both familiar and foreign with time.

As we soared into the cosmos, the prison complex shrank in the rear-view monitor.

The dark foreboding structure that once held us captive was now just a speck among the vastness of stars.

Beside me, Ellie's wide eyes were fixed on the stretching starliners ahead.

The golden glow of distant suns illuminated her face, casting a halo-like shimmer around her, making her look even more ethereal.

I could smell the lingering scent of her — a mixture of flowery perfume and a natural sweetness, mingling with the sterile, ozone-like aroma of the shuttle's interior.

It was intoxicating, grounding me in the here and now.

Her voice, tinged with a note of wonder and curiosity, broke our shared silence. "Ceara, how did you know how to escape? There was no way out. How could you see it?"

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts, and faced her, noting the strands of hair that had fallen over her face.

They tickled my nose when I leaned in closer, their silken touch igniting a trail of tingles on my skin.

"Ellie," I began, my voice hushed, "there's something about fated mates that I haven't shared with you."

Her eyes, always so expressive, showed a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"It's a gift," I continued, "a power that is bestowed upon the Blinker when they find their fated mate."

I reached out, intertwining our fingers.

The soft warmth of her hand enveloped mine, sending an electric charge up my arm.

It was a sensation I'd come to cherish, one that connected us in more ways than one.

"When I'm with you, Ellie, when I'm connected to you, I can see beyond the usual ten-second glimpses. With you, I can see into the Distant future. Our future."

My thoughts drifted to the familiar sandy beach, the one from my Distant Vision.

The one where we were together, laughing and carefree.

A soft gasp escaped her lips, and I felt her fingers tighten around mine. "So, you mean… the machine at the facility, you don't need it? As long as you have me?"

I nodded, letting the weight of our discovery settle between us. "Yes. Maybe the machine could never boost my ability. I don't know. All I know is you do. It's you. It's always been you."

The realization dawned on her face, and a smile, bright and beautiful, spread across her lips. "And I'll always be with you," she whispered, her words barely audible over the gentle hum of the shuttle's engine.

I could hear the thumping of her heart, a rhythm that perfectly matched my own.

Pulling her close, I pressed my lips to hers.

And for that moment, everything else ceased to exist.

It was just us, floating amidst the vast expanse of the universe, bound by love and destiny.

Drawing back, I looked into her eyes, finding my future reflected in them. "As long as I have you, Ellie," I murmured, "our future will always be bright, always be happy."

She nestled her head against my shoulder, and together, hand in hand, we navigated our way through the cosmos, leaving the darkness of our past behind, racing towards a future that promised endless love and boundless horizons.