Redemption

Redemption Part 14

The wind howled in my ears. My heart thudded hard in my chest. My lungs ached. But still, I ran.

Fear thrummed through me, but I tried as best I could to push it away. My stomach twisted in knots, but I ignored it.

Yes, Dazzle could swoop down and get me. But I could also be the one to find her. And then, this would all be over. And I could go home.

I turned the corner and stopped short. Blade was already at the coordinates. He and a group of Ms were examining the area, some of the Ms flying and some of them scaling the wall. A few soldiers were there as well, glistening in their black and red uniforms, glaringly conspicuous compared to Violet's spies, who always blended in and could be literally invisible.

One of the soldiers was Ray, my cousin, who was leaning against a wall and talking with another soldier. He said something and she laughed, then he joined in.

"Ray!" said Blade. "Why don't you at least look like you're doing something useful."

"Ah, we all know that the Ms don't need any help. We just get in the way."

"Everyone is to do their part, no matter if the Ms do it better. We need all eyes on this task. You're on dangerous ground as it is. Do you really want to risk more discipline?"

"This is M's or spies' work. It's beneath us."

"This is an unprecedented situation. And I don't care if you're Pyre's son. You sure don't act like it. In fact, you're acting more like Jet."

His words stabbed my heart. I pressed back against the building, in the shadows with Sym and Sol.

"Ha—Jet? I could snap him like a twig."

"That's not the point. It's his blatant disregard for the rules I'm talking about. Your attitude is worse, because you're not just a random. You could do a lot more damage."

"More than what he caused?" said Ray.

"If you keep this up. You're not taking this seriously."

"I took it extremely seriously, if those dead regs are anything to go by." He laughed.

A swift shuffle, a muffled cry. I peered beyond the wall to see Blade holding Ray by the arm, towering over him, lightning flickering over his fingers. "Don't ever let me hear you talking like that again."

"No—o-of course not," said Ray. Though his mouth twitched.

Blade released him and he nearly lost his balance before recovering and brushing himself off as if nothing had happened, a rakish grin reappearing on his face. He got to work, but it only seemed cursory; he looked back at the female officer and seemed to be flirting with her. Not that that was something I was especially well-versed in....

I couldn't exactly step out and announce myself. I slid back along the wall and we dashed away into the shadows.

The sun blazed down on me. I never found it oppressive when I was flying, basking in its light. But now, heat radiated from the red pavement, shimmering in the air. I tried to stay out of the sunlight as much as possible, where the shadows shielded us from its worst.

We walked past some stores. Holo-ads jumped out at us, but we waved them away. Most of them were ads for Jet merchandise. There were holodolls, and action figures, and games all plastered over the windows. It made me feel incredibly strange and I got out of there as fast as I could.

"Hey, there's a café!" said Sym. "Are you guys hungry?"

"Now that you mention it—" said Sol.