The Sixth | Ekko

Chapter Fifty-Six

Six's stance grew pointed as she spotted the rapidly approaching airship. If it kept its course, it would hit their ship. She glanced back at Ekko, her instincts screaming at her to go to him. To reveal that she was still alive before it was too late.

She saw that he was already looking at her.

Could he tell it was her? Had her darts given her away?

She stumbled once more, the ship shaking again, but to a greater extent. This time, she lost her footing and fell on her ass, a keening pain igniting at her tailbone and firing up her back.

The goon that had taken control of the ship diverted its path, while the person steering the other did the same.

A sharp shriek erupted from the metal-on-metal scrape, sparks flying and wood splintering. The ships skimmed each other, a full collision ultimately avoided.

Six used a nearby crate to pull herself up from the floor then looked back, making sure Ekko was still okay.

She saw his shoulder shift slightly, the paralysis starting to wear off.

She looked away, facing forward as her mind raced. She wasn't sure what to do next. Daunter had forced her to lead his goons in guarding his exports, but beyond that, he hadn't really given her any other instructions. She refused to hurt anyone. Their ship was damaged and wandering with no designation. Their opponents were relentless.

Things wouldn't end well if they stayed.

As the second ship passed by, Six caught a glimpse of blue at the head of the ship's gondola, igniting her blood with fresh adrenaline. Her thoughts grew quiet, her mind emptying, worries disintegrating like smoke in the wind.

Her body moved on its own, her legs bringing her to the edge of the ship. She climbed onto the railing, her footing steadying. She launched herself forward, propelling into the air.

The other airship's flight path was slightly lower than theirs, causing her to freefall until she managed to catch herself on one of the protruding wings. Her fingers clawed at the jagged metal sheets until they hooked into one of the creases. She hauled the rest of her body up onto the wing, crawled towards the main part of the ship, then climbed over the railing, her body refusing to stop until she confirmed what she saw—who she saw—was real.

Once she stood, her bones locked up and her feet grew heavy on the ground.

Jinx turned around, her thin white hoodie crop top rustling in the wind, the black hood blowing down and releasing her hair to flow over her shoulder. She looked the woman up and down and arched an eyebrow, seconds before her lips adopted an amused smirk.

"Nice mask. Really adds to the dramatic entrance." She pulled her pistol from her toolbelt and held it up, aiming at the mysterious woman's head then clicking the safety off. "Wanna test how bulletproof it is?"

Six's gaze flickered to the gun then back at her adoptive sister. She was alive. Powder—Jinx was alive.

...And she was pointing a gun at her face.

"You're... alive."

She cocked her head to the side, her magenta eyes narrowing. "Disappointed?"

Starley rolled over the railing, plopping onto the ground next to Six, the golden gauntlets on her hands clunking against the floorboards.

Jinx shifted her aim to the newcomer, her eyes darting back and forth between the two women, both wearing the same attire.

"Huh, look at that, your twin decided to join us." She started to tap her foot, her head tilting to the other side. "Twiddledee—" She returned her aim towards the masked woman. "—and twiddledumb."