Chapter 1

My back hit the wall as I tried to retreat further into the old deserted gas station. I never took my eyes off of him. It felt like I was staring down a wild animal, a cobra, unable to flee. He stalked forward from the dust. A small smirk crossed his lips as he smelt my fear, like a predator drinking in the terror if its prey. His dark eyes glittered amidst his dirty face.
I stood, frozen in fear. I could do nothing. He was superior to me in every way. His strength, I could not hope to overcome. His speed, unlikely I could ever defeat it. His desire... There was no escape.
"Look who's stopped running..." Agent M. Kruger growled mockingly. "I was wondering if you'd eva stop, my little gazelle."
I spat in his direction, snarling angrily. He was only feet from me now. I could smell his rancid breath on the wind.
"Ooh, you're a fighta," he mused, "I like that."
He did not advance any more. He only stood there, staring me down. Intimidating. Terrifying.
I couldn't imagine what he planned on doing to me. He was well known for his cunning intellect in combat and was an expertly efficient killer. I had destroyed his home, torched it as if it were some peasant's; worst mistake of my young life. He was the devil incarnate, and it was fleeting that he would show me mercy.

The tension was suffocating me.

Hoping to entice him, I yelled, "Shut up, you motherfucker! Come at me, if you dare!" My faux intimidation failed. Kruger immediately sensed the weakest point in my routine.
"If I dare, eh?" He chortled before striding towards me, filling the gap between us in a second. "Or what, princess? What will you do?"
My legs began to fail me, my body started to shut down. My flight instinct had left me, I was exhausted. The fight in me was quickly diminishing.
Agent Kruger, famed serial murder of Earth and Elysium, stood breathing down my neck. It was like staring into the face of hell, and hell had two nasty little eyes and a dirty, unkempt beard.
"I d-didn't d-d-do it... I... I d-didn't..." I could only stammer weakly as I plead innocence. I had been told to do it, under threat for my life. I thought I could get away before Kruger found me. I was so wrong.
"Shush, shh, shh, shh..." Kruger hissed from above me. His hands snakes around my wrists and held them at my side. He leaned forward, closing what little space was left between us, pressing his chest against me. "Poor little girl neva stood a chance anyway," he whispered in my ear. His hot breath dripped down my neck like steam.
I closed my eyes tightly, choking back desperate sobs.
"Don't be so scared, princess... Imma make you my queen..."
Kruger's lips crawled across the tender skin of my neck, placing gentle kisses pain-stakingly slow around my most vulnerable flesh. My blood ran cold at the physical connection of our bodies. He could do anything he wanted now. I had heard stories of him ripping out his victims throats with his bare teeth. Perhaps I would be one of those lucky victims.
I could feel Kruger staring down at me, his eyes level with mine. It was a long time before I was quietly told to open my eyes. I felt his rough hand turn my chin to face him. He repeated his demand, louder, more forcefully. My eyes snapped open to meet not black eyes, but green. If fear had not so thickly coated me, I would've been surprised.
"You're coming with me," he growled simply. My brow must've furrowed in confusion. I had forgotten why I was here amidst the adrenaline pumping viciously through my veins. "Don't you know it's against the law to destroy someone's property?" He smiled manically. "You destroyed mine pretty badly."
"Please," I cried softly, "please, I didn't do it, M-my boss... H-he m-m-made me d-do it. He threatened my f-f-family..."
"Muh, muh," he mocked, pouting sarcastically. "You should have thought betta before you torched my hut! Now come along like a good little princess!"
Kruger's grip tightened immensely around my wrist as he wrenched me to my feet. He dragged me stumbling and fighting out of the abandoned gas station where I tried to hide.
"You see, princess, around hea, I'm the boss! I make the rules." He turned to face me. "You're not on Elysium anymore, princess..." He roared so loudly that my ears began to ring. The fact that he knew I was from Elysium, terrified me. What else did he know about me?
He barked a command towards his shoulder, signaling for his men to meet him. I cried out desperately and fought against his iron grip harder. I begged and plead louder for him to let me go, that it wasn't my fault, and that I wouldn't do it again.
"It's too late for that now, princess. You broke the rules. My rules. Now you git to face the consequences." He shot a terrifying glare at me, one so poisonous it could kill a mamba. I crumpled like a burlap bag beneath a stone. If one look from this monster could paralyze me, I could only fathom what his hands could do.
I heard the MCK-030211 before I saw it. Its trademark camouflage colouring, and its painted springbok silhouette hovered above our heads. One of Kruger's men leaned out of the side door, smiling down at his boss and his captured prey. Kruger yanked my hand into the air and waved it around.
"Lookie what I found boys! My little pyrotechnic!"
The aircraft touched down several feet in front of us. I could hear the dogs in the ship snickering maliciously. Kruger re-adjusted his grip on me. I felt his arm snake around my waist as his other hand grasped my shoulder heavily. He held me close as we boarded the aircraft. I fought harder, but to no avail. I flailed my head around hoping to hit Kruger's face. The back of my head connected with nasal cartilage and I heard a pained hiss come from behind me.
Kruger flung me into a seat after he bound my wrists behind me. He fastened the buckle around my waist and chest. He seized my throat. I choked and sputtered as he glared down at me. A drop of his blood trickled down from his nose and lost itself in his matted beard. With failing vision and limited breath, I spat weakly at him. He only laughed at my feeble attempt to fight.
I had been born on Elysium, it was true. I was only twenty when they deported me to Earth for stealing from the government. I had hacked into the elites' bank system and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars. I sent the money to Spider, a selfish computer hacker on Earth, who organized the immigration revolution. The money was to fund escape crafts' development. Better, stronger metal was hard to get under the poverty line. When the funds reached Spider, he must've sent several crafts out. Stealthy crafts were meant to remain undetected as they attempted to reach Elysium. As soon as I sent the funds to Earth, the government was able to track me down. If I were caught, I would be deported and have my citizenship suspended or terminated. My family would be left behind, without me to protect them. I tried to cover my tracks as best I could, but a man of high esteem, the man I now worked for, caught me almost immediately. He had only revealed his name once; Mark Delacourt, husband of CCA Secretary Gabriella Delacourt. As I was being deported, he approached me with a task. He claimed that he was for the revolution and with the immigration rights of Illegals to Elysium. Like a fool, I believed him. I was told to discover if my efforts had paid off. He said he would reward me with the safety of my family and my citizenship re-instated. Three years later, I had come fleetingly close to completing my task. My capture set me back dramatically. When I got out of Kruger's grasp, I'd have to create a new identity, and vanish completely from L.A. If I ever got away.
"What are you even here for, princess..." Kruger mused, looking down at me. "What did you do...to come to hell..." He released my throat and stalked away, barking orders at the pilot.