ColorBlind (Book #2 of S.H.A.D.E.) ✔

Turning the Tables

2.

I suck in a breath, attempting to calm myself down.

I don't have Copper operating my reactions anymore, enhancing my bodily abilities. This is all on me right now.

Viridian strolls around to where Onyx has fallen between the coffee table and couch, loosening his tie in a irritable fashion. He glances down at his stop watch, and for just a second, something manic passes over his features.

"You know," I hear his muffled voice speak through the glass, "I do hate tedious matters. People waste so much time in the run of a day. It's just not efficient." He kicks Onyx over, and this stirs the boy enough so that I see him come to, his eyes glazed over, a groan escaping his slacken mouth. "You see, the world is the perfect machine, wouldn't you say? A giant clock, if you will. And I have a penchant for following that clock's hands. S.H.A.D.E. should be a reflection of the world it is saving, the world it is perfecting. But people like you," he stomps down on Onyx's head, once, twice, three times before continuing, "people like you who cannot understand efficiency and accuracy could never perfect the world. Could never be its keeper."

The whole time Viridian is ranting this madness, Indigo is staring wide-eyed at him, twisting his hat in his hands.

I understand the feeling. I must act, or Viridian is going to kill Onyx.

"If you would simply tell us where Miss Scarlet is, we could end this matter in good time," Viridian  finishes, straightening his tie once again. "What do you say?"

Of course, Onyx doesn't say anything except giving him a bloody cough in reply. Viridian's face darkens. "You know what you do with a broken machine?" he asks.

Keeping hidden, I pound my fist against the window, catching their attention. Then I whistle loud and clear to the others down below.

I don't think I'm going to make it back to them.

The patio door flies open, and I spring on Indigo, who is prepared. Though I hit him in the jaw with a sturdy punch, he recovers quickly and grabs my arm, kicking a leg out at the same time so that my feet are swept out from under me, and I fall onto my back, hitting my head off the metal of the fire escape landing.

My vision is a series of black dots for a moment, but when it clears I see the barrel of a gun pointed directly at my face.

Indigo's hand shakes as he aims the gun down at me, a look of confliction all over his face.

"What are you doing?" I hear Viridian's voice growing closer. "Take her out!"

Indigo closes his eyes for a mere second, his face taking on a sort of calm, then swiftly turns and shoots Viridian in the head.

The man stands there, a red flower of blood blossoming in the center of his forehead before he drops abruptly to his knees, and then falls flat on his face.

Indigo turns the gun on himself, but I kick his legs so that he falls, pistol and glasses clattering to the ground. I grab the gun.

The man before me, on hands and knees, is whimpering, his face now a mask of guilt and shame. "I-I just wanted to help. I j-just wanted to help," he sobs to himself.

But I still can't feel sorry for him.