Fallen

Chapter 28

We passed the next three hours or so waiting for Toby and mentally preparing ourselves for the battle ahead. The others had not been happy to hear that our feathery friends would not be sending any help that was worthy of the word.

"Why did I see this coming," Eliza had said, throwing her hands to the sky. Nathan had shook his head in disappointment and despair, but he'd tried to put a good spin on it.

"Maybe they're right and they can handle it," he'd said, but it was hard to believe the words when they lacked the conviction of a two year old telling his mother that he'd stop coloring on the walls.

"And maybe the Easter Bunny is actually a thing in the bible. Just hidden in the context," I'd answered distastefully. "Believe me, it's going to be ugly, and we'll have to clean up the mess. You can hope, just be prepared when it all goes to hell." Nathan hadn't argued the point further. He'd just helped Eliza load a few more magazines. Odds were if she was conservative with her normal rate of fire, then she could squeeze out seven of her super shots before she started losing all of her strength. If she pushed it, she could get maybe another one or two, but that would be putting her very close to death. I hoped it wouldn't come to that, but odds were this was going to be an all out battle, and she was going to need every shot she could get.

Toby arrived with just under half an hour to spare, he looked troubled and was shaking only slightly. Far better than anyone else in his position had ever handled anything on this scale. After all, he was really the least armed person for this mission. Still, he'd refused to leave it in our hands. God help him, the honorable idiot.

"The park has been emptied and cornered off as a quarantine. Hopefully that will keep people out," he said, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "I posted the other Enlightened cops on the force as guards. They'll get out once the fighting starts."

"Good. You should do the same, Toby," I insisted once again. "This fight isn't going to be a cakewalk. You're a good fighter, and a braver man than most any I've ever met, but there's no need for you to put your life at risk like this."

"This city is my home," he replied sternly, the shake in his step disappearing just like that. "I'm not going to back out of a fight for its safety when I could have done more to help."

"Fine, just stick to Nathan like glue. If anyone needs your help, it's going to be him," I said, resigned to the fact that all of my friends were going to be in danger this time and that there was no talking sense into them. After all, they were my friends. "You may need to change his diaper."

"Haha, I forgot how to laugh," Nathan replied sarcastically as we all climbed into Toby's mustang.

"Oh no, I guess I'll just have to help you remember. There was once a man from Sparta..." I began, eliciting a collective groan from my companions. It made me laugh at least.

We drove in almost total silence, the tension in the car so thick that I probably could have cut it and served it in a sandwich. I doubt it would have tasted very good, but if you were hungry enough I guessed. Night had fallen on the city, and the cold air had forced most people indoors. Good, that would keep them out of harm's way, hopefully. Still, I couldn't be sure of that. If Gaius and I fought at full strength, there were no guarantees. We arrived at Prism Park just as the rift in the realms closed. I felt the vibration like a door slamming shut in the fabric of space. We were on our own.

"Everyone be on your guard," I said, completely serious, losing my sense of humor. I was sad to see it go. We'd grown so close over the years. "We don't know what Gaius is going to do with the Sign, so be ready for anything."