A Beast with a Smile {Book 1}

Chapter 6 (Scavenger): Gravity

I teleported to the middle of the cafeteria. I could see through Cloney's eyes that there was sixty or more guards surrounding him. His armor had been torn to shreds. The couches around him in the corner waiting room looked like swiss cheese, the bullets were never ending, and the walls were barely intact.

Cloney would occasionally pop up to shoot randomly around to clear some space. Atom's men moved closer and closer; when one group ran out of bullets they switched with the team immediately behind. They were in ten groups of six and formed a wall, shoulder to shoulder, marching through the hallway.

Cloney would shoot for the bullet proof vests but one would always shoot back before he could aim. Everytime he shot, the soldiers would not even flinch.

They must be extremely confident in Atom's signature armor that is supposed to be impenetrable from bullets.

They wore full body, head to toes, suits that project a magnetic field around itself to protect the wearer from injury. Atom has made a fortune from his design, but he keeps the best versions for his own personal army. Cloney only has a bullet proof vest that Atom also created, but is vastly outmatched to sixty well built soldiers in bullet deflecting suits.

I ran over to the corridor where Cloney was facing off with everyone. I hid behind a pillar just before the war ground and focused on the vent above them. The roof began to shake and ceiling tiles feel to the carpeted floor.

The shaking got faster and more powerful until almost all of the soldiers were looking up. The pipes began to come loose and fall through. They fell, but bounced harmlessly to the ground. Soldiers began to shoot at the vent, but realized it wasn't a person making it shake.

I pulled as hard as I could and the top floor merged with the first. I heard screams and saw nothing but smoke. Through Cloney's eyes I could see the sun going down, leaving red and orange clouds in the light blue sky. I could see the vast nothingness of green fields of and small hills for miles.

Cloney looked down at his leg and I could see bullet wounds covered his entire lower body. I tried to tell him to stand, but every time he tried he would fall. I took a couple steps into the room and felt like every bone in my legs had just gotten sawed in half. I grabbed the wall and tried to convince myself that I had not been hurt. A few moments later I regained my strength.

"Cloney, I am coming for you. Just hang in there buddy," I said in the back of my head.

He responded with a thumbs up. I walked over the rubble that the hospital had become. Although a large portion of the roof had fallen through, there was still a few rooms intact on the floor above. I continued to gaze up and saw a few heads peek out from behind their doors. Their fear was practically tangible. I waved and mouthed sorry to them.

I stalked off to the waiting room where Cloney was perched on the arm of demolished couch. There was blood everywhere. The floor was covered and his body was shot from head to toe. He looked at me with the face I must be giving him.

I touched his shoulder and said, "You're a man of many words aren't you?"

I gave him an awkward smile and he gave it back to me.

I see how Scarlett hates it. I'm not sure if you can die, but if you can these might be your final moments.

He looked at me and nodded.

He took my hand and put it on his. Our palms touched and his image flickered and turned into light flowing into my hand. My vision became one again, but the blood that Cloney had spilt was still covering the floor. It didn't look like normal blood. It was shinier and had a black hue to it.