Triple Point

Chapter 35: Countdown

First, Camilla turned to the three trainees that could control liquids. "ML's, fuse your energy with these waterways and keep pulling up water from the units." To the lead rookie, one of the gases-liquids, she directed, "If you feel a new water line open down there, draw it up here."

Next, she turned to the two gases-only controllers. "MG2's, fly along the opposite end of the building and evacuate any non-metas that you see."

Camilla nodded at the meta that could only control solids. "Take the MS1 with you. Unless told otherwise, follow evacuation protocols for compromised structural integrity and fire." Then, at their confused looks, she added, "MS's and strength CT's on structural stability; MG's and speed CT's on evacuation. CR3's on ground support as healers, ML's on fire control."

"Ma'am!" the lead rookie called out to her, slightly panicked. "Incoming! Three of them, ETA forty seconds!"

It was more like thirty-five seconds, but it was a close estimate. Camilla quickly sent the others off to their assignments, ignoring the confused questions they asked each other about her orders, and worked on building another wall of water with what the rookies collected.

The additional waterlines had helped immensely, especially since now they were up against three simultaneous attacks. It took no time at all for the four of them to complete their defensive measures, and Camilla began pouring energy in the wall to release against the attack at the moment of impact. As a backup, she turned to the ML2 liquids-solids guardian from the stairs.

"You, stabilize the building." 

"But, it's like fifty stories!" the kid said helplessly, wasting what little time he had to actually follow Camilla's orders.

"It's forty, and just focus on this side of the building. Hurry!" Camilla didn't have time for babysitting when the three fireballs were mere seconds aways. "Brace for impact!"

She just had to hold out for four more minutes.

As soon as it hit, Camilla released the energy she had stored within the water, pushing each of the balls of flame to a complete and sudden stop. Still, the building must have felt some of the impact, as the whiny ML2 guardian let out a startled yelp and hunched over on the ground, cradling his hands. The other two rookies fared much better, but even they were knocked off their feet at the unexpected force. Regardless, their defenses worked yet again, and like the previous time, the fireballs sizzled with a cloud of steam even denser than the first time.

Suddenly, something clicked in Camilla's mind. There had to be a reason that the enemy kept sending fireballs, especially now that it was proven more than once that they could be nullified. And if the attackers were guardians, which Camilla was sure they were, then they would know that it was standard guardian procedure to always counter fire with water, as it was the most effective and least destructive method.

The enemy knew that any experienced guardian would use water to defend an area filled with so many civilians, and that the Barracks held more than enough water to keep up a solid defense. They had to expect that the Barracks would be defended by water; what if they actually wanted the steam?

They were going to use the tactic that the US team used during the Games. They didn't care if they didn't have visuals. They just wanted to blind the Barracks.

"Get rid of the steam!" Camilla ordered the two MG3 guardians, ignoring the one that was still hunched over on the ground who would've been no help anyway.

The entire rooftop was shrouded in a cloud of steam, but with the two rookies, they managed to thin it out just enough to see another wave of attacks coming at them, set to meet them in thirty-five seconds.