𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐤

24⇢wounds

JAMIE

"Are you ready?"

I turn at the sound of Sam's voice and nod my head, putting my mask on. "Are you?"

"Yeah. Shoulder's still a bit iffy, but I'll be okay," he responds, and I roll my eyes.

At an ungodly hour yesterday morning, Sam stumbled through the balcony window with a dislocated shoulder, and I had to take him to the hospital. They only gave him a sling and some pain killers before sending him away.

But considering our plan, I ended up popping it back in place when we got home and maybe used my powers to heal the joint as much as I could.

Every second he's not Phantasm, he wears the sling. Even though he doesn't like it (a.k.a. whines and pouts about it), I force him to wear it.

But now, he has to take it off. Now, we're about to face Voltar — for the first time as a team.

Was I nervous? Hell, yeah. Was I going to let it stop me? ... Well, I hope not.

"You got the tracker?" I nod at Sam's question, patting the pocket on my leg.

"You got the fake one?" I nod again and hold up my closed fist. "Okay. Let's go."

He exits the living room onto the balcony, and I follow, both of us making our way to the roof.

When I land atop the concrete, I hear a snicker, and my head instantly flies up at the sound. I watch as Sam protectively stands in front of me, and I grip the small box in my palm.

Voltar's purple light brightens as she turns around, and I envision a devious smile under her mask. "You wanted to meet with me?"

Neither of us respond, both of us glaring daggers into her mask. She takes a moment to look between the two of us.

She gives a hearty laugh before stepping closer. "What do you think you're going to do with that tracker of yours?"

My lips part, and I instinctively grip the box in my hand, causing Voltar to chuckle. "You really think I didn't hear your little talk about how you'll 'defeat me'?"

Before I can counter her words, her arms shoot out, firing purple electricity my way, but Sam isn't fast enough to step in front of me. Hot, searing pain flares up in my abdomen, and the force of her power sends me off my feet.

I feel myself flying through the air, but I never make contact with the ground. I hear Sam's muffled scream. "Jamie!"

Without thinking of which way I'm falling, I vibrate the air around me, and I land—somewhere—with a thud. I struggle to make sense of where I am when I open my eyes.

I look above me and see Sam peering over the roof, sighing in relief. I look below me and see the lit streets and buildings, and I sigh in relief.

I skyjump back up to the roof and face Voltar, a grim line set on my lips, but she laughs wickedly. "Where's your tracker now?"

My eyes widen before looking down to my empty palm, and I look up at Sam, both of us faking our looks of fear. "Shit."

Sam clenches his jaw before turning back to Voltar, who—in my imagination—smirks under her mask as she takes a step closer.

"Guess Plan A didn't work out for you, huh?"

I watch as Sam looks at me from the corner of his eye, and I smile at her words. "Plan A never works."

"Which is why," Sam continues, "we came prepared."