SIGNS OF TWENTY ONE ✓

XXIV

The rocket hit the back of the car and lifted their back tires off the ground, nearly sending the Pontiac over the edge of the bridge and onto oncoming the traffic down below.

Josh was ejected from his seat and out the back window. For a moment, he felt weightless, and then gravity took hold, sending him belly first into the emergency doors of an overturned bus.

"Ow... fuck," he said, blood dribbling down the side of his face. Someone in the bus screamed, and Josh focused his eyes on a piece of metal sticking out of his forearm, which he plucked out with ease. He looked around, seeing himself surrounded by petrified civilians.

They can't get hurt because of me, he thought. I can't let them get hurt because of my mistakes.

"Can you all run?" He asked. They nodded. "Okay, I want you guys to go through the emergency hatches and get away from the streets. Try to get any hurt people you come across to safety."

"What about the guy with the robot arm?" One guy shouted.

Josh hesitated. Vanya was back under Gerard's control. If he couldn't find a way to break through to him again-

"I'll take care him."

The people shuffled out of the hole Josh left in his wake, and as soon as everyone was out, Josh ran to the side of the bridge, immediately being followed by the whistle of another rocket. It exploded a car just behind him, the heat stinging his back.

From the edge of the bridge, he saw a small black shape jump off the edge of the bridge, creating a small crater where it landed. Vanya had no goggles on this time, which made it more unnerving, to see the man with your dead lover's eyes look like they're about to kill you.

Everything he wore seemed to be made out bulletproof. His black vest he had only one sleeve for his flesh arm, while the other sleeve stopped at the shoulder of his metal arm, revealing a dark red star painted against the reflective silver. There was an assortment of pockets after pockets full of guns, knives, and the same small smoke bombs hanging from his belt.

He had a rocket launcher in his hand, aiming it at Josh but not loading it. It didn't take him long to understand what he was doing. Vanya was trying to earn him, consciously or not.

Get out, he was telling him. Before you get killed.

Josh didn't want to fight him, but he felt he had no choice. This wasn't Tyler, and this wasn't Vanya.

This was the man who killed his best friend.

Vanya tilted his head and let the rocket launcher drop from his shoulder, pulling a rifle off of his back. He ran, following the sound of gunshots. Josh's stomach sunk, and suddenly he was surrounded by VESSEL operatives, all pointing their guns at him.

He put his hands up, but the Ops scattered when someone's started shooting at them. Ryan poked his head from the top of the bridge, sending him a thumbs up. How he was shooting when he was blind, Josh might never know, and at that point he didn't really care.

"Go help Jenna, I got you covered!"

Josh took off towards the intersection, following Vanya's dark form in the distance. He could hear Jenna yelling, and caught a glimpse of her struggling on top of Vanya shoulders, trying futile to either snap his neck or knock him out. From the distance, he couldn't tell.

Vanya flung her off and Jenna took off running, but just as fast as she got away, she was down, a single bullet piercing her straight in the chest. Jenna disappeared behind a small SUV, and Vanya hopped on top of an overturned pickup, aiming his rifle directly at her.

Josh yelled and tore off a car door, flinging it like a giant metal frisbee. Vanya turned only to get the door slammed into his stomach. He didn't have to recover as Josh sprinted up the hood of the car, blocking a punch with the same car door. A loud vibrating echo made Josh flinch, and Vanya took the chance to kick Josh off the car.

He skimmed across surface of the street and hit a pedestrian post, a sharp pain making his vision turn white for a moment. Vanya had fallen over on his back, aiming at Josh, who was still too stunned to move. He pulled the trigger, looking confused when the gun clicked.

"Out of bullets," Josh said with a breathy laugh.

His eyes narrowed in a way that made a pang of nostalgia jolt through Josh. Vanya rolled off the side of the car. Josh made his way to his feet and grabbed the car door, taking off as he saw Vanya pull a semi automatic off of his hip.

Bullets rang out, ricocheting off the car Josh ran behind. He used one hand to launch himself over the hood and kick the gun out of Vanya's hand, only for it to be replaced with a pistol. Josh ducked behind the car door as Vanya shot him a couple times, circling him until Josh was close enough to punch him. Vanya's head jerked with the force, but still caught the car door Josh swung at him with his metal arm.

Josh punched at his wrist, trying to get him to let go, but Vanya punched him in the jaw, making him lose his balance. With both hands, Vanya grabbed the corners of the door and spun him upside down, essentially making Josh do a backflip and taking control of the Swiss cheese that he had been using as protection.

"Stop fighting me!" Josh barked, gaining no response or reaction from Vanya.

Josh grabbed the gun that Vanya was aiming at his face and twisted it, the mechanics in his wrist whirring as the metal bent backwards until Vanya finally released the gun.

Josh swung at Vanya, both times hitting the car door. Finally, Vanya grabbed his elbow, punching him in the gut and sending him across the street all in one blow.

The silence from Vanya was scarier than the blood splatter staining his forehead and cheekbones that stuck out from underneath his mask. Josh realized that it acted more like a muzzle than a mask.

That was why Vanya didn't want him to remove it and was so scared when Josh pulled off his goggles at Brendon's house. The goggles and muzzle didn't hide just hide his identity; they controlled him.

Josh crouched, staring down Vanya for a moment, who still hadn't moved. Even though he didn't want to feel bad for him, Josh couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt as Vanya stood frozen in front of him, as if unsure whether or not to kill him.

Then, the screaming started. At least, Josh thought it was a scream. A distorted, high pitched sound encompasses the air around them. The noise made Josh wince and cover his ears, but it sent Vanya into an animalistic frenzy.

Like a dog whistle.