Ruin // Danger Days (Book 3)

26.

Sunset grabbed her brother's hand and darted back up into the lobby, but found that it was impossible to move around. Everyone was shoving themselves out the door, readying themselves for the fight.

"Sun!"

She turned around and saw Val running towards her. He pulled her into his arms, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Val, is everything alright?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to see you."

Sunset laughed and pulled away from him. "Okay then, Casanova. We'll stay together."

Storm was watching them in what seemed like amusement, which was a change from his usual blunt opposition to Val. She was happy that he had finally accepted him.

"General! There you are," Cherri Cola's voice sounded as he ran towards them.

Storm smiled at his second-in-command. "Ready for this?"

"Well, I don't think anyone is. But I have an assignment for you, if you'll take it."

Storm shrugged. "Anything to help the cause."

"You're one of the best shots out of all of us," Cola told him, "So General Riptide and I want you up a few floors sniping. He'll be there too, of course."

When he said sniping, Sunset pictured a fifteen-year-old Lucas looking at an Analog weapons catalog and talking endlessly about the sniper guns.

As if on cue, with his eyes bright, Storm replied, "With handguns? Or did you get..."

"Sniper guns, yes. And of course, we don't want you on the front lines, so--"

"I'll do it," Storm grinned. Then he turned to Sunset and crushed her in a hug. "I'll protect you from above, okay?"

"You don't need to worry about me, big bro," she told him. Then she pulled away and took Val's hand. "See you on the other side!"

Storm only laughed as she began to walk away, though his eyes told a different story. "I love you, lil' sis!"

"Love you too!"

The second Sunset stepped outside, she saw them. A line of vans, seeming to cover the whole horizon, all heading towards them.

No one was speaking. The tension in the air was thick, and the radiation was thicker. It seemed even the air knew what was about to happen. A clash of the gods, of the fates. There was death already surrounding them; the Phoenix Witch was preparing for her duties.

Well, Sunset thought, at least I know I won't die here.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and saw Cola's face smiling down at her. Then, he stepped forward to the front of the crowd of Killjoys, heading the battle.

As soon as the BLI vans stopped and the Dracs unloaded, he thrust his arm forward and yelled "CHARGE!"

And before she even knew what was happening, Sunset's legs were carrying her forward, into battle.

Val was a bit hard to keep up with, but she managed. She saw him heading towards one of their vans and guessed what he was doing. She dodged blasts left and right, getting grazed but not caring. Then, she leaped forward and landed directly on the hood of the van they'd targeted.

Val was already on top of it, shooting at the enemies who tried to pull him down. But he beamed at her anyway. "Nice move, Sunshine!"

"Thanks," she told him, then pulled out her dual guns and started firing.