The Turn: Chapter Thirty-Two

The Turn

Chapter Thirty-Two

~Clash of the Titans – Part 3~

Two Years Before The Turn

Deontay stepped out of the car. He looked around as Vicky walked around the car. Both he and she were at a different airstrip than the ones the others were headed to. It was never really part of the plan to steal a commercial jet. A helicopter would do nicely.

He looked over the edge at the facility below. Deontay looked over at Vicky. She looked a little nervous but she always looked nervous when she was about to do a mission.

“You ready?” Deontay asked.

Vicky smiled, “I guess.”

“Let’s go!” Deontay said as he jumped down.

Vicky followed. She slid down the side of the steep hill. There was a fence around the facility and Vicky brought out a pair of bold cutters from her bag. She cut an opening for the two of them to get though.

Deontay led the way to one of the smaller buildings. They broke in and grabbed basic disguises which included a hat and a jacket with the company’s logo on the front.  They walked out casually with Vicky carrying the duffle bag.

They walked into a hangar. Deontay smiled at the medium sized helicopter.

“This should be about right,” he nodded.

“Go find the car thing. We need to get it out in the open,” Vicky stated.

Deontay looked at her, “Car thing? You sure you know how to fly this thing?”

“Like you know what the car thing is called,” Vicky stated.

“Yeah, but I’m not the one flying the helicopter,” Deontay muttered as he walked away.

While Deontay was away, Vicky walked around the craft going through a checklist in her mind. When he came back with the car they pulled the helicopter out of the hangar. Vicky then hopped in and went through the various checks before they could take to the skys.

“Hey, what are you two doing?” a man asked as he walked toward them.

Deontay climbed into the helicopter, “I think that’s out cue.”

The blades started spinning slowly and the man started running at them. Deontay threw a quarter on the ground. When the quarter struck the ground, it shifted causing the man to lose his balance. Vicky used her wind powers and forced the wind through the blades faster. Eventually they took off.

Deontay smiled, “Let’s go pick up the others.”

Hina crashed through the gate. She crisscrossed through planes trying to slow the vehicle behind them down. Ice suddenly coated the pavement in front of her. With no traction, she quickly felt the jeep slide. The jeep fishtailed and ended up facing the other way.

“Naru!” she looked quickly over her shoulder.

“It isn’t me!” Naru cried.

Hina groaned in frustration and put the car in reverse. Naru melted the ice and they gained traction again. They drove in reverse swerving through the tarmac. Hina’s hand started to glow. She placed it in front of her, palm out. A wave of purple shot forward from her hand.

“Get down!” Fang commanded.

The force hit their car. The wind shield shattered raining glass on those inside. Alister got out one of his automatic weapons and fired on the jeep. Lumin narrowed his eyes.

Ice shot up from the ground and struck the driver’s side of the jeep. The jeep tipped over and flipped onto its hood. Angered, Hina crawled out and got to her feet. Her face was scratched and dirtied. Hina’s arms glowed an ominous purple. She shouted in anger and frustration and struck the ground with her fists.

The wave of energy flipped the car. Penelope suddenly appeared as the car spun in midair. She grabbed Fang and Alister as she touched Blue and Arisa with her feet. In a flash, she teleported them out of the car just before it crashed to the ground and burst into flame.

“Where in da world ‘ave you been?” Alister asked the sprawled Penelope.

“Lying low like any normal human would do after almost dying in a multicar pileup,” Penelope pushed her glasses up her nose.

“Well, her timing couldn’t have been better,” Fang dusted himself off.

Penelope looked at Fang, “Oh, and Shadow told me to tell you that the Tower’s coming soon to clean things up.”

“Let’s get this over with,” Fang muttered, “I’m getting too old for this.”

“You do have a few more white hairs than usual,” Alister observed.

Fang brought out his gun and aimed it at the red head. He glared at Alister, his finger hovering over the trigger.

“But hey! You don’t look a day over forty!” Alister tried to mend the situation.

Fang’s jaw clenched and he narrowed his eyes.

“Thirty?” Alister said seeing that the age didn’t go over well.

Fang tightened his grip on the trigger.

Alister backed away, “Okay, okay, how ‘bout twenty-five? That’s the best I can do! I mean you don’t have any wrinkles! That’s a good thing, right?”

Fang heard something in the distance. It sounded like the blades of a helicopter. He glared at Alister one last time and walked toward the two kids he came for. Alister breathed a sigh of release.  He wasn’t sure what had distracted Fang but he was very grateful for it.

“You idiot,” Lumin muttered as he walked passed Alister. “Never mention Fang’s age if you have a desire to live.”

Alister looked up at him, “How old is he anyway?”

There was a gunshot and Alister crouched down and darted behind Lumin. Lumin rolled his eyes and looked at Arisa and Penelope.

“Would you keep an eye on her for me?” Lumin asked.

“Sure thing,” Penelope smiled.

Lumin grabbed Alister by his collar and dragged him after Fang, “Come on. Let’s go.”

Fang fired his weapon again at Hina. He wasn’t trying to kill her but to maim her in some way. Hina threw an arm to one side creating a force field that deflected the bullet. Fang fired three more but the result was the same. None of the bullets touched her.

“Alister!” Fang looked over his shoulder.

He paused when he saw Lumin trying to push Alister out of his shadow. Fang sighed and rolled his eyes. Lumin managed it somehow and Alister was left in Fang’s line of sight.

Alister loaded and fired his machine gun that was slung over his shoulder. Hina took a defensive stance. She threw one arm to one side and deflected some bullets then she used her other arm in the same manner. Hina was quick and fluid with her movements.

Fang raised his gun and fired. He watched as she defended against Alister’s attack. Fang saw a small point of weakness. Hina heard the shot but she was caught in deflecting the others. An ice wall suddenly appeared and protected Hina.

Hina looked behind her and saw her brother. She smiled and he smiled back. Naru’s legs collapsed and he fell to the ground. Hina ran over to him. By then the helicopter that Fang heard was upon them.

“Lumin,” Fang stated.

The door to the helicopter opened and Deontay appeared with a machine gun and fired on the opposing team below. A barrier of ice protected the three men.

“That’s not gettin’ through,” Deontay stated before setting down his weapon, “I’m gonna go have some fun.”

Before Vicky could say no, he had already jumped out of the helicopter. Deontay pulled his arm back in preparation of a mighty punch and struck the barrier. Fang jumped backwards as ice shards fell. Deontay hit the ground creating a large crater forty feet in diameter. Lumin fell into the sudden crater while Alister jumped back using his powers of wind to say longer in the air. Hina grabbed her brother and held onto them as they fell in as well.

Fang stood on the edge. The air around him grew hard to move through, like there was a force keeping him from moving. He looked up at the helicopter. Fang looked behind him at Penelope. She looked at scene trying to take everything in. Penelope caught eye of Fang and he looked at the helicopter.

Penelope looked at Arisa, “I’ll be back.”

She disappeared and reappeared inside the helicopter. Penelope covered Vicky’s eyes.

“Get off me!” Vicky shouted.

Fang was freed and looked at Alister, “Take down the chopper!”

Alister nodded as the ground shook under their feet. Spikes shot from the earth. Fang dove out of the way in time.

“Lumin!” Fang yelled.

I know, I know.

Lumin got to his feet and ran at Deontay. Deontay clapped his hand together and the ground opened up in front of Lumin. Unconcerned, Lumin formed an orb in his hand and threw it at Deontay. When the orb struck Deontays arm it turned to ice and spread up to the length of his arm. Lumin jumped over the gap. Water washed up from the gap and washed over Deontay. When the water subsided, Deontay was encased in ice, except for his head.

The wind started to spin in a circle around the helicopter. Alarms were beeping like crazy. Vicky was still trying to get Penelope’s hands off her eyes to see what was happening. Penelope suddenly disappeared and Vicky could see again. She gasped when she saw the ground in a way that one wasn’t supposed to in a helicopter.

Vicky got out of the seat and ran for the opened door. She jumped out moments before the helicopter crashed to the ground. Vicky cried in pain when she landed on her hands and feet. She was about to get up when she heard a click.

“I wouldn’t try anything if I were you,” Alister sated as he aimed a gun at her.

Vicky sighed and raised her hands. She saw the Tower coming in the distance. They failed. Again.

The Turn: Chapter Thirty-One

The Turn

Chapter Thirty-One

~Clash of the Titans – Part 2~

Two Years Before The Turn

Zara was shaking. She couldn’t help it. Her breathing came out broken. All she could here was a piercing ringing in her ears. Her head was against the nape of Chaud’s neck. His arms were still around her protectively. Other than that, it was hard to tell if he was even alive.

Shocked, Zara looked around. There was an overturned pickup truck feet from her face. The wind blew smoke and white feathers into her eyes. There was the creaking sound of metal settling.

“Cha-ud,” Zara’s voice came out raspy and her throat was dry.

There was no answer. Zara closed her eyes.

“Chaud,” she tried to say more clearly.

“Mmm,” Chaud moaned, “I’m here.”

A wave of release washed over Zara. Every tense muscle in her body relaxed. Chaud coughed, a trickle of blood flowed down the side of his mouth.

He groaned in pain, “I think I broke a few ribs.”

Zara could almost laugh, “Sorry. I’d get up if I could. My body doesn’t seem to be working.”

Chaud smiled, “Then don’t. There’s no hurry. In our condition, we’d need a miracle to get to the airport.”

A breeze from above blew white feathers everywhere. Chaud looked up at the helicopter hovering overhead.

“Chaud?” Zara opened her eyes.

“Yeah,” Chaud answered.

Zara sighed, “I’m so tired.”

“Go ahead and rest then,” Chaud advised.

“You sure?” Zara’s eyes slowly became heavy.

Chaud coughed and closed his eyes, “I think we’ll be just fine.”

Shadow walked through the wreck. We whistled a tune as he walked around as if he were looking for something. He ended his tune suddenly when he saw something. With a smile he walked over to what had interested him.

Raven kicked open a car door and walked out. There was no telling how she ended up waking up in the back seat of a car. Once the convertible flipped, it felt like the rules of physics took over hard. She held her stomach in pain. Raven swore as she leaned against the car.

“Well, well,” Shadow walked up to her and smiled, “Good to see you alive and kicking.”

“What in the world were you thinking?!” Raven snapped at him.

Shadow decided to play dumb, “What on earth are you talking about?”

“You killed them! Who knows how many others you killed in the process! Ow!” Raven gripped her side.

“Here, let me look at that,” Shadow walked up to her.

Raven hit his hand away, “You’ve almost killed me once today! I’m not about to try my luck!”

Shadow went for her wound anyway, “Keep still. I do this for Fang all the time. And besides, those two are fine. A few broken bones maybe but they are just fine.”

“Oh? And how do you know?” Raven glared at him.

“I just came from where they landed,” Shadow smiled, “The boy was holding her pretty tightly. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say there might be something between those two.”

“You left them?” Raven wasn’t going to let Shadow get away with the fact he almost killed their target, “What if they go through shock and die? I hope Fang has you head for this stunt.”

“That should do it,” Shadow said as he pulled away from her wound.

Raven was fuming, “Have you been listening?”

“Those feathers really are beautiful,” Shadow stated, “It might take a while for his wings to heal though.”

“Wha-?!” Raven looked down at her wound.

Shadow had wrapped her wound with a piece of cloth and pinned it with one of the feathers that were blowing around. Raven looked up at Shadow. He held another feather and was twirling it underneath his nose. Slowly he looked up as the wind started to pick up and smiled. The helicopter hovered overhead and a Tower Med-Flight decloaked and hovered in the air.

“Well, here comes the cavalry,” he stated.

Raven boiled over, “Are you freaking INSANE!?”

Fang swerved to the right. The glass on the right side of the windshield cracked. Arisa squeaked and drew closer to Lumin. Fang swore under his breath. The kid with the sniper was good at his aim. Fang was even having trouble looking into the future. His good vision was the only think keeping the people in the car alive at this point. Fang looked at Alister as he popped back in to reload his weapons. He glanced ahead and sighed.

“We ain’t going to stop ‘em before the airport, are we?” Alister commented.

“Just get back out there,” Fang muttered. He looked over his shoulder, “Arisa, I need you now.”

Arisa looked unsure but did as she was told. She rolled down the window and made her way onto the roof. Lumin sat still. His concern was still too obvious on his face.

Can I please be out there with her?

Even if Lumin had resumed talking there were moments when his words were on his face. Fang had always been the best at reading Lumin, after Arisa that is.

“Stay low,” Fang permitted, “I’ll need you later.”

Lumin nodded and opened the window.

Naru reloaded his gun and watched the goings on in the other car.

“How much ammo do we have left?” Hina asked.

Naru barely looked down, “I’m on my last clip. There’s enough of everything else though.”

“We need to save that for when we’re on the airstrip,” Hina was talking more to herself than to her brother, “Time?”

“36-50,” Naru aimed.

“36-51,” Hina counted, “Thanks. Keep them busy.”

Alister fired a hand gun that he carried. Naru fired a single shot. Naru’s bullet struck the Alister’s lead bullet causing it to tilt a certain way. That caused a chain reaction that stopped all of Alister’s bullets but Naru’s sailed through the chaos without trouble. Alister gripped the side of his face. He looked at his hand and glared at the boy.

Alister slid back into the car, “Do ya see what ‘e did to me?”

Fang glanced. A thin, straight line of blood lined his face. The bulled had grazed him.

“Be glad he missed,” Fang stated.

Alister smiled, “He didn’t miss. I’m gonna teach ‘at kid not ta mess wid me!”

Fang held him down, “Let Arisa do it.”

Alister looked at him, “But—”

Fang glared at him. Alister sat and crossed his arms. Up above, Arisa climbed up onto the roof of the car. She stayed on her hands and knees. Her hair, it was tied into two long ponytails, blew back in the wind.

Naru sat up a bit with curiosity. If they think that sending out a girl was going to make him stop firing at them, they were sorely mistaken. He decided to fire a warning shot.

Though the bullet was nowhere near her, Arisa ducked down with her hands above her head. She opened one eye and looked ahead. When she felt safe again she sat up. She brought a finger to her lips and blew. A stream of fire careened toward the small jeep.

Hina’s eyes widened as she looked in the rear view mirror. She swerved to the left. The sudden movement threw Naru down on the back seat.

“Chaud was right when he said that they won’t hesitate to use their powers,” Hina muttered.

“No problem,” Naru got up.

The two cars were side by side with a lane between them.

Arisa waved at Naru and smiled. She brought her finger to her lips again and blew. Naru looked quickly at the man sitting out the window. The fire blew toward him. Naru put his palm out and crated a water barrier.

However, the barrier didn’t hold. It vanished as fast as Naru had put it up. He ducked down instead as the flames passed overhead. Naru sighed. It was never fun going against someone with your type or powers. At that point it was about who was the most skilled.

Naru grabbed a water bottle from one of the bags and opened it. He manipulated it out of the bottle and stood again. The water wrapped around his arm as he pointed at the opposing car. Lumin twisted his hand and made the water turn back to Naru. The water ended up taking the form of an orb.

Arisa was getting ready to attack again when Naru formed a needle out of ice. He threw it through the orb. It was practically invisible as it slid through the orb. Naru was so fast that Lumin could barely to his movement.

“Aah!” Arisa cried.

An ice needle struck her in the arm. Lumin threw his hand out and the orb grew spikes. Naru did the same and a fanged snake lunched at Lumin. Hina looked over her shoulder and turned left. Naru fell back and the orb was broke. She drove through the railing and kept driving.

“What the heck was that!?” Naru asked.

“We don’t have time for your ego battle! We’re almost there!” Hina yelled back.

“Fine,” Naru looked back at the car.

They drove toward the gated airport tarmac. Lumin looked up at Arisa and helped her back inside.

“It hurts,” Arisa complained.

“Hold on,” Fang stated.

He followed Hina, crashing through the railing. There was no way they were about to get away from him. Once on the scent, a wolf doesn’t stop hunting his prey.

Insanity Chapter Thirty-Two

Insanity

Chapter Thirty-Two

~Voice of the Unheard – Part Three~

Day Twenty-Four

“Fang! You’re sure you know where you’re goin’?” Alister looked around, “The floors all look the same.”

Fang didn’t answer. He walked ahead of the group as if he knew where he was going. The fact was that he felt drawn to something. On the top floor he came across a room. It appeared to be an office. It was dark inside and when Fang entered. There was a heavy dark aura in the office yet something about it felt familiar.

He walked behind the desk and sat Thomas. Upon seeing the body, Blue covered Arisa’s eyes. She squirmed of course but Blue managed to get her out of the room.

“How long ago did he die?” Fang asked.

“It’s weird,” Penelope said, “His body’s freezing cold but there is no decomposition and rigor mortis hasn’t set in. Without the strange temperature, I’d say about thirty to forty-five minutes. We sorta just missed his killer.”

“Someone’s been watching too much TV,” Alister muttered.

“I would like to just get it out there that I was a Forensic Scientist for three years,” Penelope said.

“Yeah?” Alister almost laughed, “Doing what?”

“Cyber Forensics,” Penelope said, “I tracked down bad guys through the computer.”

“And how do you know about rigor and decomp and the like?” Alister crossed his arms.

“It’s not like you live in a bubble when you’re assigned a certain department! You do talk to people you know!” Penelope stomped her foot.

“The coroner was your only friend, right?” Alister shook his head.

“Not true,” her voice lost its forcefulness.

“Well the coroner and his assistant,” Alister added.

“Why I aughta—”

“He looks empty,” Fang said.

Penelope looked down, “Well, yeah he’s dead.”

“I’ve seen many dead people before and they still look like they have life. The color in their skin is still there. Their eyes are still wet. In certain cases it looks like they’re still sleeping. But him,” Fang pointed, “he looks completely empty, like something was taken away from him.”

Alister leaned over to Penelope, “The boss is creepin’ me out.”

Penelope nodded.

Fang stood up, “He’s no use to us now. Let’s get out of here.”

Alister and Penelope did as they were asked. Fang stayed behind for a moment. He walked to the window and listened. There was nothing to hear. Fang’s eyes narrowed. Where were the police? They should have been here by now. Keeping the matter in mind he walked out of the room.

In the hallway, Blue, Arisa, Penelope and Alister were trying to pry open an elevator door. When they opened it, Raven climbed up the shaft and stood there. She looked annoyed. Shadow climbed up after her.

“I told him the elevator was a bad idea,” Raven said.

“It worked fine!” Shadow defended.

“Yeah, until it stopped and started to fill with water and we had to scale thirty odd stories,” Raven walked away from him, “I told you we should have taken the stairs.”

“Yeah, but—” Shadow started.

“Shh!” Fang shushed.

Everyone grew quiet. After a moment Fang ran to the stairwell. The others followed after him.

“Care to fill us in?” Arisa asked as they ran after him.

“A helicopter is coming,” Fang said, “We need to get to the roof.”

As they entered the stairwell they heard a door close above them. They ran faster than ever and when they reached the top the door was stuck. Fang kicked down the door and ran onto the roof. A running helicopter sat ready to leave as its passengers situated themselves. He caught a glimpse of Edonya entering the helicopter. Others still stood out of the craft.

“Get them!” Fang yelled, “Get them now!”

Alister pulled out a grenade from his pocket. Penelope picked a handful of black beads from her bag and threw them. Shadow threw his daggers while Fang fired his gun. Raven dashed forward alongside a strip of flame coming from Arisa.

A man in black stared at them with a grey eye. Their combined attacks seemed to meet their mark. But suddenly a grey shockwave sent their attacks back at them in a form of energy. They were blown back and some almost fell off the side of the building. Raven who was the closest to the wave was one of the ones who fell to their deaths but she clung on to the edge.

Fang got to his feet.

“Oh, Fang,” the man said, “You’re always so quick to finish things off. Now, I’d have loved to kill you now but I have a previous engagement,” The man turned and entered the helicopter, “You two delay them.”

“Yes, sir,” Flare and Rose said in unison.

“Who are you?!” Fang asked.

The man smiled, “Ask your beloved Tower. I’m sure they know a few things about me. I’ll see you later, Fang.”

“Wait!” Fang said, there was something familiar about this man.

Rose flicked the black rose in his hand. The ground shook and a large stem of a plant shot out of the roof in front of them. Arisa stood on shaky legs and shot out her arm, setting the plant on fire. It burned and withered. Flare took a deep breath and blew. A raging fire escaped from her mouth and Blue was directly in its path.

“Blue!” Fang called.

Blue seemed out of it. His eyes didn’t seem to stray from the girl in orange. Words seemed to be forming on his lips but his voice failed to project.

“Blue!” Fang ran at the helpless being.

Fang pushed him out of the way just as the fames passed. On the ground, Fang slapped Blue.

“Blue, are you there?! Snap out of this, Blue!” he said.

Blue didn’t seem to hear Fang. His eyes were still on the orange girl. Flare turned around after Rose and headed into the helicopter. When it was her turn to climb in Blue pushed Fang off of him. He stood and ran a little ways. At that moment, Fang and everyone else heard something they had never heard before. Blue’s voice.

“Kyra!” he shouted.

In surprise the girl turned around.

“Kyra!” Blue sobbed.

The girl was pulled into the helicopter and the door was closed. She returned to the window, banging on and screaming something. The helicopter lifted off the ground and started to leave. Blue ran toward the helicopter. Fang and Shadow were at his heels. They caught up to him. Fang grabbed his left arm and Shadow got his right. They held him back and Blue struggled violently.

“Let me go!” Blue screamed.

Just let me go please! I’m begging—”

“Kyra!”

The tears were streaming down his face. As he watched the helicopter leave. When it was finally out of site he dropped to his knees. He wept and cried as if someone had ripped his hear out. Fang looked down at him. He tried to help Blue up hut Blue pushed him away and screamed.

“Get away from me!” the voice was filled with anger, sorrow and longing.

Fang looked at Arisa. She stood there wide eyes, not sure what to do. She had never seen Blue like this and certainly had never heard his voice. Her eyes slowly filled with tears. She felt helpless. Her legs gave way and she fell to her knees. She crawled to Blue’s side and tried to comfort him. Blue pushed her away. His hand hit her face and she flew to the side. She landed awkwardly, sprawled to one side. Tears started to flow down her face faster. She curled up into a ball and cried silently.

“Kyra,” Blue muttered over and over again.

Raven had just pulled herself from over the edge. She seemed to have heard him as well when he first cried out.

There was a noise that Fang couldn’t make out. Suddenly, the ground exploded in front of them. shadowcraft dropped out of its cloak and flew over them. Fang and Shadow were blown back by the blast but Blue barely seemed to notice. Shadow looked around in the sky. There were several shadowcrafts around. Looked like the Tower caught up with them. He looked at Fang.

Fang got up, “Come on! We have to get out of here! Blue!”

Blue was still unaware of what was happening. Alister walked up took his gun and hit Blue in the back of the head.

“‘E’s not comin’ back any time soon,” he said, “This is the best way to transport him. Penelope you can teleport him to the craft right?”

She nodded.

“You do that and get ‘er started,” Alister commanded.

Penelope ran up to the unconscious Blue. She looked over at Arisa.

“What about her?” she asked.

“I’ll carry her,” Raven said, “I can carry her on my back. Lost my last sword when I almost fell.”

“That sound good,” Shadow looked at Fang, “What do you think?”

“It can’t hurt,” he said, “Whatever we’re going to do we have to do it now!”

Everyone nodded. Penelope placed a hand on Blue and they both disappeared. Raven situated Arisa on her back. Another explosion happened on the roof. Their place of standing was getting pretty small.

“You are surrounded,” the voice sounded familiar.

“Sage,” Fang muttered.

“Resistance is futile,” Sage said, “You are in ownership of stolen property. I repeat you are surrounded.”

Fang looked at the undamaged side of the wall.

“What does everyone think about free falling?” Fang asked.

“Sounds good,” Shadow said.

“Anything to shut him up,” Raven said.

They all ran to the edge and jumped over. Raven ran down the side of the building. Shadow merged with the wall and went down that way. Fang and Alister fell. Alister landed on a parked car and Fang landed on the sidewalk*. Raven jumped off the side of the building and onto the street where she continued running.

They ran down the street. Shadow was nowhere to be seen but on one of the streets they passed a car started. The car drove up to Alister and Fang.

Shadow smiled, “As awesome as you three think you are; you can’t out run a shadowcraft. I’m sorry but that just isn’t happening. Hop in.”

“Everyone buckled?” Alister asked inside.

“You’re kidding,” Shadow said, “I think that this situation can be an exception.”

“Safety first, is all I’m sayin’,” Alister said.

They got in and Shadow sped up. The army of shadowcrafts followed close behind him. Alister sat in the back of the Hummer assembling a rocket launcher*. He looked at the skylight and smiled. Alister broke through it. He propped the weapon on his shoulder as Shadow did some evasive driving.

“Any idea where Sage is Fang?” Alister asked.

Fang rolled down the window and tilted mirror so it looked up. He heard the strange sound that he heard before.

“Shadow, dodge left,” he said.

Shadow did as the ground where they had just been exploded.

“Try the one just to the left of two-o-clock,” Fang told Alister, he looked at Shadow, “Right.”

Shadow drove the vehicle right and the ground to the left of them vanished in flames.

“Is that my two-o-clock or your two-o-clock?” Alister asked Fang.

“Yours,” Fang sighed, “Take this next left, Shadow. Stop!”

The car jerked to a stop, slamming Alister’s back into the edge of the sun roof. The round in front of them blew up. And temporarily they were surrounded by flames.

“Now you can go,” Fang said when the flames dissipated.

“Ow,” Alister muttered.

“Suck it up, Alister,” Fang said, “Three-o-clock, go.”

Alister aimed the rocket directly to his right he fired and watched the rocket reach its target. The shadowcraft exploded in midflight. Alister whistled.

“Look at that,” he said, “Prettier than fireworks.”

“Where’s Raven?” Shadow asked.

“Stay close to the buildings on the left,” Fang said, “She runs faster that this car does. But I’m sure she’ll wait somewhere down the line. Good job Alister.”

“No problem,” Alister ducked down to get another rocket.

“Nice try Fang,” Sage said, “you will have to do better than that.”

Fang closed his eyes, “Twelve-o-clock.”

“There ain’t anythin’ there,” Alister said.

“Turn right,” Fang said.

The ground exploded behind them, almost knocking them over as they made the turn. In front of them was the view of the lake.

“What was that?” Alister asked.

“It’s cloaked,” Fang said, Now Shadow, just survive a few more minutes, okay.”

Shadow looked at him, “Why wouldn’t I?”

“I’m just saying,” Fang said, “Dodge left.”

Shadow did and as usual they barely missed their deaths. Alister ducked his head inside the vehicle.

“Can I drive?” he asked.

“No!” Shadow answered.

They saw Raven just ahead of them. She looked over her shoulder. Her eyes found Fang and she seemed to be asking a question. Fang nodded and she continued running toward the water.

“Fang?” Shadow asked.

“Keep going,” Fang answered, “Left.”

Another explosion.

Fang unbuckled, “Right.

Shadow looked at him in the red glow, “Should I—”

“Unbuckle? It might be easier in the long run if you do,” Fang pointed, “Alister get in the car. Right.”

Alister sat down. Shadow shook his head.

“No, I mean do you want me to—”

“Drive through the railing and dive into the water?” Fang shrugged, “Yeah, that’s pretty much what I had in mind. Increase speed, please.”

“How can you be so calm?” Shadow asked, he was obviously starting to freak out.

“This will work,” Fang said, “If you speed up. This is in no means fast enough. We’ll just end up like pancakes at this rate.”

The car sped up.

“I’ve already almost died once today!” Shadow said.

“Um, guys,” Alister interrupted.

“Now you will almost have died twice,” Fang looked at him, “Speed up.”

“You are going to kill us!” Shadow shouted, “Is this like some form of mass suicide?!”

“Hey um, you might wanna—” Alister tried again.

“You’ll kill us if you don’t go faster,” Fang said still keeping a cool head.

“This is pretty fast already,” Alister stared ahead, “The railing is coming really fa—”

“We still have a ways,” Fang interrupted.

“Like heck we do!” Shadow shouted, he looked forward, “We’re all going to—shi—”

They drove through the railing and into the lake below. Raven jumped over the edge and plunged in with Arisa. From above there was no action as the shadowcrafts tried to find any signs of life.

Moments after the Hummer plunged into the cold waters another shadowcraft shot out of the water. It cloaked itself and disappeared into the night before the other crafts could fire at it.

*I know, I know, not realistic. So sue me.

*Don’t ask me where he keeps them. Just go with it