I'm His

19

The factory entrance yawns out in front of us, endless, pitch black...and empty. Steeling myself, I follow Chance as he leads the way, sure-footed even in the dark. "Just stay close to me." I nod even though I know he can't see me.

"Don't need to tell me twice." Hurrying up, I have to fight the urge to reach out and take his hand. More than anything I want the solid comfort of his touch, the way he is always so flawlessly cool and fearless. Then I remember what he told me, about how often he feels helpless. "I've got your back, Chance." He looks at me over his shoulder, my heart melting at the spark of muted joy in his eyes, held back only by the necessity of our situation.

The air is damp and humid, each breath feeling like it might drown me. Half the roof is collapsed, allowing in rainwater and undergrowth to take up root between the cracks in the floor. Crawling vines wrap around columns of steel and cement, casting ghoulish shadows over us by the light of the moon as we find one of the access hallways. "Okay, we've been in here fifteen minutes. By now, Ash..."

BOOM...

A satisfying, low-rolling rumble shakes the whole building like a distant thunderclap. "Right on time." I smile.

"It's nice having people to rely on." Our job is to secure all the possible exits, making sure that we control where and when people leave. With a handful of his own grenades, Chance starts blowing apart the exit routes while I watch his back. I shudder as another tall plant brushes my calf. "Be careful not to-"

"GOT YOU!"

I gasp, not having enough time for a yell as a thick arm wraps around my neck. My wrist is grabbed, twisted until I see stars and I'm forced to drop my gun. I try to say Chance's name, the last grenade rolling away from me with the pin out. Driven by pure panic, I struggle harder as Chance aims and fires once with deadly accuracy. There's no time for any other words; grabbing me from the other man's loosening grip, Chance lunges and rolls, covering me with his body as the last grenade goes off. It's deafening. For a moment the world spins, and then Chance is there lying next to me, lips moving. "Are you okay?" I nod, hazily, and he pulls me to my feet. The next thing I know I have my arms wrapped around him, kissing him furiously. He returns with equal fever, hands shaking as they stroke down my back.

"Come on." His arm rests over my shoulders for a split second as we walk down the hallway, the way we always walk. Then he remembers himself. Staying in front of me at all times, he keeps both his hands on his gun, ready for anything. Outside, I hear the first chirp and wail of sirens as the police circle closer. Through the broken segments of building, I can see the red and blue flashing wildly, a promise and a threat. "Derek better know what he's doing." In trying to take down all our rival gangs at once, we had to enlist some unusual help again.

"Just like when we took down Giovanni last time. If we aren't careful, Chance, we might actually turn out to be vigilantes..." I trail off, my lips pursed in a thin line.

"Aren't you the one always telling me you're a superhero?" I can hear the smirk in his voice.

Running into the main room, we find chaos. Rubble is everywhere, strewn among the bodies. Working like a well-oiled machine, Hideyoshi cuts off any stragglers with well-aimed punches and kicks, cracking skulls and taking names as the others start tying up our new prisoners. "Good job, Hideyoshi." Chance praises, looking at his work. Standing next to him, Derek claps a hand on the yakuza's shoulder.

"Careful not to push yourself too hard." I'm about to dive in and help when an unfamiliar voice shouts at us.

"Santora! Should've known it was you. You and that old man of yours planned this from the beginning!" Chance bends his knees so that he's eye level with one of our captives. Pressing the barrel of his gun flat against the other man's cheek, Chance taps his face softly.