Average Joe (2018)

51

Police and SWAT vehicles surrounded the tall building, the lights from it may be the only thing that lit up the dark city. The city rang eerily quiet as the officers swarmed in and around the building. The first floor of the building seemed to be completely abandoned, though one corner of it was on fire. Everdale and his minions were hidden on the upper floors of the building. The cops and SWAT team unified, bringing out their guns and loading them. Captain Lowe got out of his car and started delivering orders.

"Let's get a sniper on that roof left to the tower!" He commanded. "Let's also get men monitoring the building and we need to set up a perimeter." Just as he spoke, the hard pavement shook, and the sirens on the cruisers went off with the impact.

"What the hell was that?" The Captain demanded.

Several officers rushed to the side of the building, as a shape came hurtling down from the shaft of the skyscraper. The captain dropped to the floor, as the shape crashed into the side of the police cruiser, crushing it back ten yards. The object seemed to be a burning piece of rubble. The officers all pulled their guns. The captain's radio crackled, a voice coming through.

"Captain! The top floor! Right there!" It was the sniper on the roof.

The captain and the other officers turned their heads to the top floor of the building. On the side of the building was a cracked hole in the wall, its concrete edges burning. Through the hole were two figures, one was tall and feminine and stayed in the shadows. The other was submerged in bright-white flames. The two figures circled each other, a fight raging on.

"Sniper, shoot them down!" The captain ordered.

Two shots were heard and the shadowy figure rolled away from the first shot. The officers watched as the second bullet melted as it neared the burning man. The man ran from the opening, cornering the other figure.

At the top of the building, Ted neared Sabrina, the heat radiating from his body, melting everything around him. Sabrina couldn't go near him without her skin stinging.

"Ted, please listen to me!"

"I'm done listening!"

Ted charged, his boots stomping against the ground. Sabrina unleashed her frost, shielding her against Ted's flames. Sabrina punched Ted across the face, his head jerking back. Ted responded by swiping Sabrina's ankles, knocking her to the ground. Ted jumped, his form crashing back onto Sabrina, the floor beneath them crumbling. The two fell onto the floor below, their bodies crashing into the slick, concrete floor.

Sabrina rolled and jumped up, throwing her sharp ice daggers at Ted. Ted knocked three out of the way, before one sliced his cheek.

___

The place was catching fire. The bottom-left side of the building was engulfed in flames, the bottom three floors burning. Tori tossed two more bottles.

"That probably got their attention," Tori proclaimed.

"I'm hoping it did," said Cora.

"Guys!" The trio turned to see a figure running from the flames and toward them.

"Bryan?" Darwin exclaimed.

Bryan jogged up to them. Bryan looked severely different. He had a black eye and twisted nose, with bruises and burns running up his arms. He had bags under his eyes and looked like he hadn't slept in days. There was also something Tori didn't fail to notice - black spider web marks running up the side of his neck. Tori felt uneasy seeing him.

"It worked!" Cora exclaimed, almost too excited.

Bryan stood outside the blaze, his arms wide open, his smile almost too wide. Tori's stomach turned. Something was deadly wrong with the situation and she knew it. Cora rushed forward, Tori grabbing her arm.