When Worlds Collide

101) Dalmatians

A/N: this one is very short, but I'm building something intresting, so just go with it. Also, I edited yesterdays chapter because I realized I fucked up the building numbers. Hazel is at 2 o'clock now. 

Nico couldn't process what was happening. It was too much. Too many booming sounds followed by the deafening silence. Too many bright flashes paired with the deep darknesses of the black smoke spilling out of the rubble of a building and the .

It was all too much, so he stopped seeing it. He stopped hearing it. He couldn't let himself get overwhelmed. They were outnumbers, there were still civilians in the area, he had two teammates injured, but he also had a job to do.

He sprinted from the doorway of the building he had been in, at 1 o'clock. Another explosion rocked the ground, but he didn't stumble in his footing.

"GK, back up needed," Piper's voice called. It was gargled with static, but he was close enough to her that he still understood.

There was a battle going on in the center of the buildings. In the place that once had a fountain and benches— a place of quiet tranquility— was a battle. They didn't have the man power to take on the massive force that had appeared, so he had summoned as many skeletons as he could muster and let them take care it. They weren't by any means winning, but they were keeping the demigods from being overwhelmed.

Nico felt a shock run through his nerves and instantly ducked behind what used to be the fountain as a spray of bullets rained down. He waited for them to inevitably run out before darting off again, towards the building there Piper was.

As soon as he entered, he got to work. He took down everything he saw not in the familiar colors of his teammate's uniforms or civilian clothes.

He didn't stop until they were all on the ground and he finally saw Piper, in the corner of the room, shielding 2 children, a knife in hand.

"Thanks," Piper said with a sigh of relief.

Nico just nodded. "Let's get these two to Gem."

Piper gave a nod, ushering the kids to follow her while Nico followed. As they got to the door, Nico stopped her.

"There's at least one, if not more, gunman on the roof at 12."

"I thought we already dealt with the sniper," Piper said, glancing at the two kids who looked terrified.

"We did, but either they're back or there's someone new," Nico said, peering slightly out the door. "I don't think they're trying to hit us specifically. I think they're trying to keep us separated or something. When I was running here, they didn't start firing until it was clear that I was headed to a different building."

"Could we run into the fray?" Piper asked. "Enter the fight with the skeletons and work our way through?"

Nico hesitated. Technically they could. If each of them took a kid, the should be able to protect them through the fight, but there was no guarantee that it would work. They still didn't know who the exact target of the attack was.

The Justice League was no where to be found, so he assumed that the Youth Center was under attack as well, but it could have just been a distraction. Or maybe the attack they were currently dealing with was the distraction. It was anyone's guess.

"No, we can't risk it," Nico said, eyes focused on the roof that the shots had come from. "I'll draw the fire, you take the kids. Run to the fountain and use it as a cover before moving to 2."

Piper looked like she wanted to fight him, but just nodded. "You better not get shot."

Nico smirk. "Shoot me once, shame on you. Shoot me twice-"

Piper cut him off by punching his fully healed shoulder. "Tech is still in building 7. Archer's with him."

Nico nodded. "He okay?"

Piper made a 'so so' motion with her hand. "He was stabbed right below the clavicle. Archer healed it enough to stop it from being critical, but he'll need to spend a few days in the infirmary to be safe."

Nico nodded, looking back out to see if he could get eyes on the shooter. "You see Surgeon at all?"

Piper's eyes filled with understanding as she shook her head. "I would guess he's at 3 with Red. They might have joined up with Gem in the next building over. I'll tell you if he's there."

Nico nodded. "Thanks. You ready?"

Piper nodded, picking up the smaller child and grabbing the hand of the other one.

"Let's do this." 

A/N: Doopy Doop

Vote. Comment. Tell me who your favorite Dalmatian is (I liked Dipstick).