Above

28

Estelle
"Ready?" September asks, handing me my axe.
I nod. "Are you?"
"Ready as I'll ever be." He shrugs.
Luca slings his quiver over his shoulder. "Let's kick some ass."
Logan clears her throat. "Don't interfere too much, It'll be hard to watch if they shut down the security system."
Leeciy opens Ned's laptop and types vigorously. "I'm in."
I avoid his eyes. "Let's get in there."
***
We run down the dark marble halls, avoiding the officers guarding certain doors.
"Left." Logan orders.
We turn, encountering four armed soldiers.
"Estelle, as a nationally wanted criminal, I am forced to fire if you do not lay down your weapons." He says.
Luca goes to speak, object in some way.
I chuck my axe to the marble floor. "Cuff me up."
"Estelle." Leeciy'e voice rings through my earpiece. "This wasn't the plan."
The officer walks forward, yanking the cuffs from his belt. "Hands behind your back."
I stand still, focusing on the other three officers.
Luca's bow was drawn, a stone-tipped arrow aimed at an officer.
I raise my hand, sending the arrow flying, right into Officer #1's neck.
Luca gasps.
I stomp and a chunk of marble floats up. I flink my hand forward and the marble hits both Officer #2 and #3 in their heads, sickening cracks echoing through the hall.
My hand wraps around the final officer's, the one just in front of me, neck. "Where is Maverick?"
"That's confidential." He chokes out.
I tighten my hand. "It would sure be a shame if your children couldn't see their father."
"I-I can't breathe." He coughs.
I smile. "Well, tell me where my sister is, and maybe you'll be able to."
"Room 48." He chokes.
I let go of his throat. "Have a nice day."
He falls to his knees gasping.
I step over the bodies of the guys.
"Um, what just happened?" September asks, gawking.
"Interrogation," I start. "Wrenton taught that to me."
***
I stand in front of the door with a large 48 on the front, posed to knock.
"You okay?" September asks.
I nod. "Just scared."
"Do you want me to knock?" He asks.
I shake my head. "She doesn't know you."
Luca places his scaly hand on my shoulder. "She's just your sister, same as when you last saw her."
I nod, then knock three times.
There's footsteps, then the door opens.
"Estelle?" Maverick asks, eyes wide.
"Mavie." I breathe.
Luca steps forward. "I'm Luca, nice to meet you." He puts his arm out to shake.
Maverick scowls, grabs his forearm and throws him across the hall as if he were paper.
"Luca!" I yell.
He hits the wall, hard, and falls to the ground.
"Get Luca and get out of there!" Logan yells through the ear piece.
Maverick grabs my arm. "Are you staying with me?"
I shake my head. "We came to save you."
"I am safe, you are not, not with him." She points at Luca. "He is Norisk."
"He's my friend, you'll get used to it."
"Monster." She snarls.
I glance back at my friend, desperately trying to get up. "September, go help him."
"Is that yours?" Maverick asks. "Your young?"
"You could say that." I shrug. "Mave let's get out of here, I need to get Luca to the copter so Leeciy can check if he's okay."
Luca yelps in pain behind us.
"Leeciy Po?" Maverick asks. "He is dead."
I shake my head. "He's fine, he's okay."
"You are staying." She states. "Stay with me, I missed you."
I shake my head. "Maverick, I'm a wanted criminal, they'll kill me."
"Criminal?" She asks. "What did you do?"
"I called a war, I'm part of the other side, Maverick, I don't know if I can fight you." I wring my hands.
She huffs. "I will fight you with pride. You are a coward."
"What?" I ask.
She pulls her fist back. "You will die." She throws a punch.
Luckily, I move out of the way, but she's already recovering with another move.
She knees my gut, hard.
I fall, coughing.
She grabs my chin and makes me look at her. "They were right about you. You always have to be different, make your own path." She puncuates every sentence with a blow to the face.
I spit at her. "You have always been stupid."
She wraps her hand around my neck. "You are going to die."
I try and yank her hands from around my neck, kicking my legs.
An arrow flies past me, lodging itself into the wall.
September yells something, but I can only hear white noise in the inside of my ear.
Black spots form in my vision, taking away the hideous vision of my sister sneering as she chokes me out.
My eyes droop shut, giving up.
Suddenly, the pressure is relieved from my throat.
Two hands push me backward to the floor.
I open my eyes to see Leeciy fighting my sister.
I look behind me to see Luca propped on the wall, his bow clutched in his hand, eyes shut.
September is talking about something that puts a small smile on Luca's face.
I look back to the fight.
Leeciy has the upper hand, a small pocketknife in one hand, while the other tries its best to deflect hits.
Maverick has purple blood running down one cheek her arms, and a black eye forming.
My stomach hurts and I feel useless.
September grabs my arm. "We're leaving." His voice is weird and muffled, like he's talking into a pillow.
I shake my head. "Not without Leeciy."
"He'll be okay, let's just get out of here." He suggests.
I shake my head. "Take Luca, I'm staying with Leeciy."
He nods, running off.
Leeciy glances over at me, giving Maverick the opportunity of taking the upper hand.
She beats down on Leeciy, probably harder than she did to me.
I gather up all of my strength to make some type of handcuffs out if the marble, and slamming Maverick to the wall, stapling her on with them.
And after that, everything goes black.