A Hero in the Dark: 2nd Edition

Chapter 66: Takeover

~ Number Four's POV ~

It's all so much to take in. Emily took away their energies? She betrayed us? How can that be? I keep telling myself that it's not real, that she'd never do this, but after what the others said... I don't know how true it is. I haven't seen her in so long.

And Sarah... How could she do that to me? I loved Sarah. How can Em be so blindsided as to lead them into a trap so cruelly? I wish I could ask her about it, but I have no idea where she is. Please, Em, tell me where you are. I don't know how to end this war without you by my side. Tell me, and I'll come to you. I'll free you; I promise.

"John, are you listening?" Henri asks, and I snap to. "Come on, John. Now's not the time for shittin' daydreaming. I need you to focus. If what Agent Walker says is true—"

"I know, I know," I say, brushing a hand through my hair. "Sorry. I was just—"

"Thinking. We know," Nine groans. "You're always thinking, Johnny! Thinking of your little human that betrayed us and dumped your ass. Get your head in the game!"

I sigh. "She didn't dump me, Nine, and she didn't betray us. She wouldn't. And for the record, I wasn't thinking about her." Though I'm sure everyone knows I'm lying. It seems I'm always thinking about Em these days, ever since New York City...

"Uh, hello...?" Nine slurs, waving a hand in my face. "Earth to John! Jesus Christ. Quit going all love struck on me. You know how I feel about that shit."

"I wasn't!" I snap, then decide to focus on Henri, refusing to get distracted again. "What's the plan? You have something?"

"Yes, John," Henri drones. "We've been trying to go through it for the past half hour. Are you sure you're fit to be boarding one of those warships like this?"

"Positive." It's not like I can sit back and say no. "We need those cloaking devices. Adam said they're the only way we can get past the shields."

"I can board it," Nine volunteers.

"We're all boarding it," I correct.

***

Lexa flies us up and through the docking bay doors—thank Lore they're open—and Nine and I jump out without wasting a single second. Six is invisible, but I try not to dwell on her location. I fire up my Lumen and throw fireball after fireball at every Mog I see.

They go down easy. Nine seems to be taking far more joy out of it than me; of course he is. Why wouldn't he? I roll my eyes and ignore him.

"How long will it take to dismantle the cloaking devices?" I ask when the room's clear.

"How long do we have?" Adam shoots back.

"An hour? Maybe two. Not sure if we can stay up here much longer."

"I'll try to work fast."

"John," Six chimes then. "Why don't we clear out the rest of the ship?"

"The whole ship?" I look at her stunned. There must be a thousand Mogs on this vessel.

"Yes!!! I'm so down for that!" Nine exclaims.

"It'll give Adam more time, and they'll be less likely for to attack or call for backup."

I nod, because as usual, Six has a point. I keep my Lumen ablaze in one hand; Marina's Glacen in the other. Together, we make our way through the corridors, the corridors of which are long, bright, and aching. A tingle overcomes my heated fingertips—a side effect of Legacy burnout. I try not to pay attention to it.

Pixie and BK wiggle in my shirt pockets; the poor girl hasn't left my heel ever since Em was taken captive again. I let them out and they shift into a hawk and a weasel. Keep an eye out behind us, I tell them, and they respond with distinct snickers.

The weapons den is the hardest to clear out, as it has the most of them—up to forty! But with Nine, well, we barely break a sweat. I guess he does have his uses sometimes.

By the time the warship's clear, I'm in a state of disbelief. A whole warship we just cleared! I don't realize that my shirt's drenched in sweat 'till I shake out my Lumen—when the dampness sticks to my back. "Hell, that was fun," Nine remarks, clapping me on the back.

"Whatever, man. Adam, almost done?"

"No, John," he says in a tone that's slightly annoyed. "I don't know about you but removing three-hundred-some odd cloaking devices is not an easy feat."

"Well, how much longer?" I really don't want to stay up here any longer than we need to.

"Least another hour," he says. "I can try to be done in half."

"Relax John," Six adds. "It's not like there are any Mogs to get in the way. Let him take his time. Stop worrying." I know she's right, but despite that, I'm still worrying...