Ablaze {Marvel} ||2||

27. The Pentagon

Todd and I joined Clint up front when we reached the Pentagon.

Fires lit up the area around it, and people who were using my siphoned power were getting closer and closer. They were making FBI and CIA agents roasted where they stood. This casualty number was going to be the highest yet.

Well, not if we stopped this.

We circled the battle zone, trying to get the army distracted. Some of them noticed us and shot fireballs, determined to down the jet. I ended up falling sideways when Clint veered the jet out of the fire paths.

"You're gonna have to jump out!" Clint said.

"Are you crazy?!" Todd exclaimed.

I pulled myself to my feet, dragging Todd back to the back of the jet. "Arm yourself, Todd. This isn't playtime."

"Who are you and where's Kiara?" he teased half-heartedly.

"Kind of wish I had a proper outfit for this." I looked down at the black attire I had been switched into thanks to Kasey. Another reason why I wanted to fry her. "This'll have to do."

In the next minute, Clint lowered the jet's hatch down, and the noises floated up to our ears. I grabbed Todd's wrist, carefully inching us down. Todd jumped back when a fireball came our way, but, as though it was nothing, I sucked the fire into a thin line and made it disappear into my palm. The warmth spread through my veins.

"Follow my lead, and don't do anything stupid," I ordered. "You're going to have to trust me on this."

"Trust you on what?"

I yanked Todd forward with me as we dove off the jet. Surprisingly, he didn't scream. I helped break our fall in the midst of chaos, and Todd did a roll away from me, turning up on his knees, firing at the enemy.

Kia! Long time no see! I heard Tony in my head. Where the hell have you been?

Talk later. Kick ass first.

I left Todd, charging my way into battle. I threw a warning shot to grab some attention for myself. I ducked on instinct at gunfire around me. I searched the mass of people for Kasey or Ethan, or even Seth if he was stupid enough to be present for this.

Are any inside? I asked Tony.

If they are, Capsicle and Romanoff are dealing with them. I'm out here for moral support for our government. And, you know, taking out the bad guys.

Well, now you've got Todd and Clint. Where's Bruce?

He wanted to sit it out. Not risk more lives, you know?

I thought about the Hulk and the times I'd seen him in action. I could understand why Bruce would want to stay away. If the threat was much larger, I'd bet he would've brought the Hulk to the fight. I'm heading inside to help out Steve and Tasha.

I threw a continuous stream of fire at the enemy. Some of them jumped back, others cried in pain. Some actually threw their own fire back at me, which I either dodged or stole for my own purposes. The army was closing in, and Tony shot at them from above. Todd was a bit ahead of me, having taken cover by an abandoned car. The transformation in him briefly startled me.

We've got it, Girl on Fire. Go help the dynamic duo.

Inhaling deeply, I turned on my heel, running past all forms of police and government to make my way inside the Pentagon. I knew a few fire wielders had broken in judging by how flames licked at a broken entrance. I jumped in, and I let my senses take over.