Maya Stark

Chapter 78: The whole world is watching

Sam and I come in from the top. He smashes through a glass ceiling and I follow in after him, careful not to cut myself on any glass. I speak from experience, glass hurts like hell. The second we land, a flag smasher comes flying down the steps and slams into the wall. Walker comes walking in from the same direction, way too nonchalant for a normal person.

We watch as Walker takes hold of the flag smasher's pole and bends it in half carelessly. My blood turns cold as he forcefully shoves another guy into a wall. I see a flag smasher run off, Walker right on his tail.

'What did you do?' Sam asks as he passes us.

'They've got Lemar,' was all he said, not stopping to even look at us.

Sam goes to follow Walker and I stay frozen for a millisecond before I follow after them as well. 

The three of us enter into what looks like a workplace and three flag smashers land behind us. Walker throws the shield, hitting all three of them, but not having much of an impact.

I quickly use my powers to knock one of them into the wall, barricading them with a force of electricity. Walker and Sam take the other two as one of them pulls out a knife.

'What's with all the knives?' Walker asks.

I roll my eyes again. It seems to be becoming a habit.

I turn to my left to lift a guy into the air, building up enough momentum to slam him badly into the ground. It was such hard work. Really, I think I'm breaking a sweat. Walker was fighting two now and I watch intently as one of their knives goes flying past my ear. I turn quickly to see where it lands and lock eyes with Bucky. Love that we're on the same page already. Another flag smasher had come in and was eyeing Bucky. I pull out a knife and throw it straight past Walker's head, barely missing his face. Bucky catches it without hesitation and flips it in his hand, looking hungrily at the flag smasher. Walker glares at me, making me too late in avoiding the punch from my right. My momentary distraction allowed the guy I was fighting before to get up. He was just about to tackle me, but Bucky came charging towards his head, knocking him out cold.

'You're welcome,' he said. I rolled my eyes at him as Sam knocks out his guy.

Before I could even catch my breath, another guy comes running in, grabbing Walker from behind and pinning his arms. Another figure runs across, who's hair looks like Karli's, but before she could get there, Lemar comes flying in and tackles her first.

They get up quickly and I wince as Karli punches Lemar, making him fly back into a pillar and breaking it. He slumps down, unmoving. The guy holding Walker lets go quickly and backs up. Karli takes off her mask, obvious panic in her face.

Walker walks over to Lemar, trying to wake him up, but nothing happens. My ears ring and I stumble back slightly. I see Bucky look at me through the corner of my eyes, but I can't stop looking at Lemar. Bucky quietly grabs my arm, moving me behind him, shielding me from the view of the dead body. I was too on edge to be surprised by the gesture. I needed someone to be there. I couldn't bare another lifeless body. Not another one.

The flag smashers in the room, including Karli, run quickly from the building. Sam jogs in the same direction, so Bucky follows, and I move aimlessly after them. I walk rather quickly, wanting to get out of the room. I meet them outside but Karli is nowhere to be seen.

We circle back to the main courtyard where a crowd had gathered. I push my way to the front, all of us freezing when we see what happened.

Walker stood over the guy that had held him. There was a lot of blood. So much blood. He positioned the shield back on his arm and my eyes locked it on it. There was blood on the shield. There had never been blood on the shield. My breath was caught in my throat. I felt like I was going to be sick. My vision blurred slightly, and I blinked hard. I tried to swallow down the panic. I couldn't look away. I was frozen. Bucky again, moved so that he was standing in front of me. I tried to blink out the tears, forcing my eyes to focus on his back.

I saw Sam glance over at me, but my mind wasn't there anymore. I was blocking everything out, I felt it. Pushing everything down and away. My chest was tight, and I just closed my eyes. I wished I could have stayed shielded from what really happened in the world. For the first time in my life, I wished I were still seven years old.