Descent into the Abyss

Chapter 49

He laid low against the roof, watching the swordsman run through the street closing in on another of Detroit's soldiers.

"He has to be the same guy I saw in the lobby, right?" He asked himself. "Haven't seen anyone else use a sword... Well, none that's made it this long."

The soldier below began to raise up, ready to fire with the rifle in his hands.

"We'll need everyone to make it out of the city," He reasoned, pulling free his right pistol.

Sparks shot out from his shoulder, down his biceps and forearm, into his wrist and palm as the pistol began to vibrate in his grip. The energy pulsed outward from his body, an all too familiar sensation, before he rose from the rooftop and aimed down at the oblivious soldier. Electricity shot out in a spontaneous instant, smoke rising from the asphalt as the body of the soldier fell against the SUV and onto the ground. Out of the edge of his vision, he saw the swordsman's partner aim up at him, his instincts flattening him against the rooftop as he scooted back and away from the edge.

Several yards back, he rose up to a crouch and then to a fully upright position before sprinting down the length of the rooftop. Another burst of gunfire drew his attention, this cluster of muzzle flashes coming from the intersection ahead of him and the end of the building. Crouching once again, he surveyed his options.

"I can kill one, but it'll cause the other to focus me," He reasoned, glancing back down the street to the duo who fast approached. "Or, I can let them deal with these two."

Moments later, the two Detroit soldiers in the intersection dropped, the echoes of the gunshots fading.

"They're pretty efficient," He mumbled to himself, beginning to rise back up before another burst of gunfire littered the vehicles.

His eyes scanned the streets, but the only people that he saw were the two bodies in the intersection and the duo hiding behind the white pick-up.

"Who's shooting?" He wondered, gripping the pistol in his right hand, his knuckles going white.

Another flurry of echoing Cracks! as more gunfire littered the truck, but a fainter sound lingered. The sound of broken glass hitting the ground. He rose to a knee, tilting his head a hair to the right and aiming down the irons at the  only other building within the area.

"Hold..." He whispered to himself, feeling the energy surging forward. "I have to wait."

And then there it was, in the flash of gunpowder. In that flash, he saw where the gunner was and unleashed his own flash. The gathered energy surged forward into the weapon, vibrating yet never wavering from his aim. The output sent a tremor up his forearm, his muscles tingling as the light streaked away. He lowered his aim to the ground floor windows, sure they were using at least one. Another burst of gunfire from the building and another streak of light to silence the echoes.

He glanced down to his right, watching as the duo inched forward from one vehicle to another. With a frown he ran ahead to the northern corner of the building, and the slanted roof it had. Holding back from shouting out, he wondered how best to get the duo's attention.

"I could always come out with my hands up," He joked, holstering the pistol and leaning back against the slant of the roof.  "Probably my best bet not to get shot."

"I think it's safe to say they're on our side," Marcus remarked, motioning to the left. Unless this is all some elaborate plot to still attack us."

"Yeah, let's just see if they keep their distance or..."

Out of the darkness of night, a young blonde teenager stepped out of the shadows, eager to reveal their alliance.

"I'm with Chicago. I saw you two in the lobby, back when the General was splitting everyone up," The boy offered, Blake frowning with suspicion.