"They're trying to surround us." Amelia clicked her tongue in annoyance, her crystal blue eyes scanning everything within view. Thanks to her core ability as a Savant, [Recall], which granted her photographic memory, she had memorized the prison's layout completely, every corridor and junction now permanently etched in her mind.
That was precisely why she could take numerous detours to avoid the guards while still closing the distance between them and Yuri, waiting on the southern side of the prison.
Sam remained silent as they turned right and continued running, his face expressionless even as he spotted guards ahead at the fork in the hallway.
Amelia blinked, a frustrated groan escaping her lips, but before she could react, Sam surged forward, closing the gap before they could properly aim and fire.
His hand lashed out, his fingers clamping around one guard's arm and throat as another raised his revolver and squeezed the trigger. Sam moved with ruthless precision, wrenching the first guard around as a shield and positioning himself behind the man's body.
The captive guard's eyes bulged in disbelief as bullets pierced through his chest, wetness spreading across his uniform.
Blood bubbled from his mouth as he stared down at the ragged holes, but before he could utter a sound, Sam's hands twisted sharply, snapping his neck and ending him instantly.
The second guard fumbled to reload his revolver, hands shaking as he jammed bullets into the cylinder. He raised the weapon again, finger moving to the trigger, but Sam hurled the corpse at him like a rag doll. The dead weight slammed into him, crushing him against the wall as Sam closed the distance in a heartbeat and delivered a savage punch that pulverized the guard's nose, bone fragments driving inward as his head snapped back. Dazed and disoriented, the man didn't even see Sam's hand shoot out to grip his throat. With one brutal motion, Sam tore through flesh and cartilage, ripping out his windpipe. Blood erupted like a geyser, spraying across Sam's face, bathing it in red.
Amelia watched with clinical interest rather than horror, her analytical mind noting Sam's razor-sharp nails. I see... For a Criminal, anything that can be used to kill becomes a weapon... including their own body.
"Younger humans taste better." Sam spat out blood that had splattered into his mouth, dragging a hand across his face before dropping the corpse with a wet thud. He stripped the revolver and holster from one body, tossing them to Amelia, who caught them deftly and secured the holster to her belt. Sam pocketed the ammunition, distributing some bullets to her as well.
Amelia found herself both baffled and increasingly wary. She'd known Criminals were dangerous, the reports had made that clear, but witnessing it firsthand revealed a savage ruthlessness that no document could adequately convey.
Still, she recognized that Sam was different from most Criminals. Despite his brutality, there was something more emotional and human about him, even if he did inexplicably view humans as food. Then again, devils considered everything edible, even their own kind when starvation set in.
Before either could speak, a guard's shout echoed from behind. They glanced at each other, nodding in silent understanding, then bolted forward, boots hammering against the stone floor.
Glancing at Amelia, Sam's brow furrowed, confusion flashing in his golden eyes as he pursed his lips. "Why did you waste time making bombs in the infirmary? You could've made them before the escape started, couldn't you?"
Amelia nodded, her face impassive. "Yes, I could. And I already did."
Sam tilted his head, unable to parse her vague response. "Care to explain? Because Diego died because we wasted time in that infirmary..." His voice dropped, turning cold and piercing. "And be careful with your answer. Say something stupid and your head will divorce your shoulders."
Amelia chuckled at his threat, glancing up at him. Sam towered over her, forcing her to crane her neck as she met his gaze with a wink. "Because they're essential for our escape. The thermite bombs I made earlier are the backup plan... the plan that's going to save us now." She grinned, wiping sweat from her forehead as her breathing grew labored. Even as a Beyonder, she was still Sequence 9, no different from an ordinary human when it came to physical attributes. "Just follow me and you'll find out soon enough."
Sam exhaled through his nose, giving a curt nod. He'd accept that explanation for now. But if Diego truly died for nothing, he'd kill her himself. Sam wasn't particularly emotional, but meaningless sacrifice left a bitter taste in his mouth. "Fine. Lead the way."
She nodded, turning left and racing up the stairs with Sam following close behind. As they climbed higher, unease prickled along Sam's spine. This was essentially a trap. Once they reached the top, where else could they run? Nowhere. The guards would corner them and either drag them back in chains or more likely, put bullets in their skulls. But they still had quite a lot of time, since no one would think to go there. Why would they willingly walk into a trap, after all?
Anticipating the ambush, he drew his revolver from its holster, flicked off the safety, and squeezed the trigger. Two sharp cracks echoed in the stairwell as bullets punched through the skulls of guards waiting above. Their bodies tumbled down the steps, blood pooling beneath them, flowing like a waterfall.
Soon they reached the top floor, breathing heavily. Sam slammed his boot against the door, splintering it open, and instantly scanned the area. Boilers, water tanks, and auxiliary machinery filling the space.
But they weren't alone. A guard stationed in the area rushed forward at the sound of the door breaking. Sam clicked his tongue in irritation, rushing to Amelia as the guard raised his revolver and fired.
Sam shoved Amelia behind a metal tank, but he wasn't fast enough. The bullet tore through his shoulder, making him take a step back and hiss in displeasure. Gritting his teeth, he dove behind a wall, then rolled across the stone floor, using a massive boiler for cover as blood seeped through his fingers where he clutched the wound.
Sam's half-lidded eyes dimmed from exhaustion, a resigned look appearing on his face as he licked his lips. He raised his revolver, studying the steam pipe running above the tank where the guard had taken cover, the same tank Amelia was using for protection as she fired wild shots that ricocheted harmlessly off metal.
Holding the revolver in his left, dominant hand, Sam closed his right eye, steadied his aim, and fired. The bullet punctured the pipe with a metallic ping. Superheated steam exploded outward in a scalding white cloud, engulfing the guard's face. The man's screams were inhuman, raw and tortured, as he collapsed to his knees. His skin blistered and peeled, turning red, then charred black. He clawed desperately at his own melting face, fingernails raking through ruined flesh.
But his suffering ended abruptly as Amelia's next shot found its mark, her bullet drilling through his eye socket and silencing him forever.
"What now?!" Sam shouted, dragging himself forward as he gasped for air. Amelia caught her breath, muttering curses as her chest heaved, her body drenched in sweat.
"Give me a moment." She spat onto the stone floor, pulling tubes filled with greenish liquid from her bag. Then she stood, surveying the area with calculating eyes before nodding to herself and walking to the feedwater tank. One by one, she emptied the tubes into it.
The water took on a sickly greenish hue, the color spreading like corruption through clean liquid. Amelia exhaled, then activated the steam injector, forcing the contaminated feedwater into the boiler.
Meanwhile, Sam stared at his blood-slicked hand, then at the metal bar he'd shoved into the furnace, watching it glow orange-hot while Amelia manually pumped liquid into the boiler. After several minutes, Sam stripped off his jacket, folded it, and bit down hard on the fabric. Eyes squeezed shut as he grabbed the sterilized metal.
"ARGHHHHHH!" His scream tore through the cloth, eyes Wwide open, bloodshot and wild as his entire body convulsed. He clenched his jaw so hard he felt teeth threatening to crack as the searing metal burned into his wound, cauterizing flesh and sealing blood vessels to prevent him from bleeding out. Sam knew the infection risk was astronomical, but he had no choice. All he could do was trust his enhanced physique would see him through. He hurled the iron aside, body spasming as he collapsed, trembling uncontrollably. But through sheer force of will, he suppressed the agony, gritting his teeth as he dragged himself upright just as Amelia finished with the boiler.
"Get over here and help me." She grabbed two shovels, tossing one to Sam. He caught it, gripping the handle tight despite his shaking hands, and began feeding coal to the furnace. More and more coal disappeared into the flames, his teeth clenched against phantom pain, body still twitching as Amelia matched his pace. "We need to raise the temperature as high as possible. Keep going."
"I know," Sam bit out, lower lip trapped between his teeth. Within five minutes, his uniform was soaked through with sweat from the intense heat radiating from the furnace.
"Wait... Do you hear that?" Amelia stopped abruptly, leaning on her shovel as her ears perked up. A wide, twisted grin split her face as deranged laughter bubbled from her throat.
Sam frowned, straining to listen. All he caught was faint screaming in the distance. "So what? Someone's screaming."
"Dimwit, it's much more beautiful than mere screaming." Amelia continued laughing, wiping a tear from her eye. At that very moment, pipes were exploding throughout the prison, overheated steam expanding rapidly, pressure building past breaking point until BANG!
One pipe burst, then another, then dozens more in succession. And because Amelia had poisoned the feedwater tank, what engulfed the prison wasn't steam at all.
It was flammable gas.
"Hahahaha! I'm a fucking genius!" She laughed, hands on her hips, grinning at Sam with haunting satisfaction.
"That still doesn't explain the thermite bombs," Sam said flatly, though deep down, he was genuinely impressed. She's quite remarkable...
"Hmm... Three... Two..." Amelia counted on her fingers as Sam tilted his head in confusion. "And one!"
BOOM!
The entire prison shook. A violent explosion tore through the building, followed immediately by another, then another in split-second intervals. Like dominoes falling, the entire northern wing erupted into roaring, immolating flames that consumed everything in their path. Fire geysered skyward as hundreds of human voices blended into a cacophony of tormented screaming.
"What the hell..." Sam's normally nonchalant voice cracked with shock as he watched pillars of flame rise, devouring half the prison and scorching everyone caught in the inferno.
He glanced at Amelia, who was slapping her thigh and cackling with glee. A shiver ran down his spine as he massaged his neck. Now I understand why the Church restricted her advancement... She's completely unhinged.
His gaze returned to the collapsing structures, mind piecing together her plan. She'd let the gas spread throughout the prison until it reached the kitchens, where open flames would trigger the initial explosion. Simultaneously, thermite bombs placed at load-bearing walls, arches, and vaults, the very skeleton of the prison, had their fuses ignited by the spreading fire. The structural elements couldn't be destroyed by gas explosions alone, so she'd used thermite to ensure catastrophic damage, bringing the entire facility down in a orchestrated demolition.
Damn… she's genuinely insane, Sam smiled in desbilief. Looks like you honor your last name… how ironic. This deranged woman is an Oppenheimer too.
***
[A/N: What did I say? The Paragon Pathway is crazily underrated, and I'm here to squeeze every drop of potential from it! Everything Amelia did was because of her knowledge and a single ability, Recall! Fuckin Recall!
That's why she's the GOAT! The GOAT! We've got a mad scientist here, gang! I didn't give her the last name Oppenheimer for nothing!
Okay… maybe I'm too hyped up. Anyway, enjoy it, gang. Imma go drink something to celebrate the creation of one of my favorite OCs.]
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