Flashf0rward

Chapter 41: Payback Time

Connor

The ambush was slowly turning into a retreat for Matthias's men. As we pushed them back into the woods, I hoped that we could still continue our plan with a few less soldiers than we'd originally set out with. As I blew a few others away, making the trees rustle around me, I looked around, and realized that I couldn't see Ivy anywhere.

My eyes widened, and I spun around, seeing Katrina hiding behind a tree, yanking some of the guns out of the enemy's hands with branches. "Katrina! Where's Ivy?!" She turned back to me, an exhausted look on her face. She'd clearly never used her powers to this extent before. "We got separated! I don't know where she is!"

That sent my senses into overdrive. If she was alone, I knew that something had to be wrong. Rushing back towards the area where we first got ambushed, I looked around, trying to find any sign of her. Then, something caught my eye as it glinted in the moonlight. Looking down, I saw what it was, and it made my heart stop. A small puddle of blood reflected in the night sky.

Clenching my fist, I felt the anger and fear rise up inside of me. Whoever did this would pay dearly. Seeing that the blood wasn't just in a puddle, I noticed how it seemed to trail off towards a group of bushes. Knowing that Ivy was smarter than she looked, I ran to investigate, praying every second that she was still alive.

Rushing through the bushes and leaves, I made a path, trying to find the blood in the mishmash of green and brown. Then, something whizzed over my head and hit the tree next to me, missing me by only a few inches. Someone with a raspy voice shouted to me. "Stop! Hands up and turn around!"

I complied, knowing that he probably wouldn't miss again, and I turned towards the voice. My blood ran cold as I saw that it was Giles, holding Ivy against his body, with his machete to her throat in one hand, and a pistol in the other. Keeping my hands up, I looked into Ivy's eyes. She was afraid, but I knew she was staying calm.

Looking at Giles evenly, I stood still. "Alright. You got me. What now, huh?" Cocking the hammer back, Giles had a hint of a smile on his face, the corner of his lips twitching upwards every so often. "Now I get to finished what I started back in the city. Both of you sinners will answer to Him, by my hand." I saw his finger tighten on the trigger.

Then, Ivy sprung into action. I saw that her hand was covered with blood, and she had gotten the idea of cutting herself in order to leave a trail for me to follow. Gripping her fist, she moved her hand up towards Giles' face as if to slap him, but in reality, she wished to blind him. Her blood sprayed into his eyes, making him wince and groan in pain slightly.

Seizing my chance, I rushed forwards and shoulder-charged Giles, knocking him back and allowing Ivy to slip out of his grasp. Wiping the blood from his eyes, Giles shot his gun at both of us. Flicking the bullets away with my wind, I rushed forwards and aimed a punch straight at his head. It turned out he was a bit more nimble than I'd thought, and he easily dodged it while sweeping my legs, knocking me onto the ground.

With my breath knocked out of me, I tried to regain my composure, but Giles was already there, standing on my chest and aiming his gun at my head. As he pulled the trigger, Ivy kicked his arm, making the bullet barely miss me. Growling, Giles swung his machete at her, missing several times as she ducked out of the way, but landing a single swing on her shoulder, making her cry out in pain.

Blowing Giles back while I was on the ground, I got back up, and saw that it didn't take him long to get back up on his feet either. Looking at Ivy, and her injuries, I panted. "You alright?" I said, and she nodded. "We have to do this together." Ivy said, and I couldn't have agreed more. Putting my fists up, Giles rushed at us again.

Both of us knew to lean back in order to dodge his machete this time, but I wasn't letting him get another pass. Grabbing and locking his arm, I twisted it slightly, making him drop the blade. Ivy contributed with a right hook, but Giles was nothing if not resourceful. Pistoning his leg out, he kicked Ivy in the solar plexus, knocking her backwards while he headbutted me.

I felt my skull ring with the hit, and I could tell he'd stunned himself too. Holding my head, I tried to focus, as I knew he would be coming back with a vengeance. I saw, however, he appeared to be looking at something else. Following his gaze, I realized he was staring at the gun on the ground that was behind me.

Giles rushed forwards suddenly, and I tried to push him back with a directed gust of wind. But, seemingly expecting that, he dutifully stepped to the side, then ran past me with a flying punch. As his fist connected, I felt something crunch under his knuckles, and judging by the pain, I knew that my nose was broken.

Holding my face, I tried to stop the flow of blood when I saw Giles aiming the gun at me, about to shoot. I knew there was no way out. I was caught. Suddenly, I heard a voice shout. "No!" We both turned to see Ivy rushing at Giles, trying to stop him. Giles, with his fast reaction time, instead turned his gun from me to her.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Ivy's outstretched hand, Giles's finger on the trigger. I had to do something. Then, I began to see my sister's face, feeling her voice call into my mind, shouting my name in pain and terror. My breath began to quicken, my stomach clenched harder than it ever had before. That was when I leaped.

At first, I only meant to jump in front of the bullet. But when my legs left the ground, they didn't seem to want to come back down. I wasn't just moving up then down, like in a jump. I was being propelled forwards, like a bullet from a gun. I flew towards Ivy, taking her in my arms and then turning upwards into the sky, barely feeling the bullet zoom past me.

We were above the canopy, the moon illuminating the both of us. I could feel Ivy breathing heavily in my arms, and she finally opened her eyes and looked down. "Oh my god! We're-you're-" I nodded. "I know. Hold on." She gripped me tightly, and I rushed back down past the trees, placing her on the ground, then rocketing straight towards Giles. He barely had time to know what hit him as I grabbed him and threw him against a tree.

He let out a choked scream of agony as he slumped back down against the trunk, his body bruised and battered. He wasn't getting back up anytime soon. Coughing, he looked up at me. "You think you'll win? He will judge you, all of you! You will not be the first to escape His wrath!" He shouted, blood dripping out of the corner of his mouth.

I looked at him, a determined look on my face, and I picked up his machete. His eyes widened, and he turned to me. "You wouldn't." Stepping forwards, I looked into his eyes. "You're right. I won't." With that, I stabbed the machete into his arm, pinning his clothes to the tree. "See if He'll save you from that." I muttered, then punched him one last time, knocking him unconscious.

Running back to where Ivy was, I saw her look at me and hug me tightly, the two of us embracing. I took her face in my hands and kissed her hard, savouring her. "I thought I lost you." I said, and she smiled slightly. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, flyboy." Looking at her, I couldn't help but smile back. "Told you I could do it."

Someone cleared their throat behind us, and I turned to see Katrina, Yuko, Max, and Julie standing there, smug looks on their faces. "We interrupting anything?" Julie said, her arms crossed. Both of our cheeks flushed, and we slowly stepped apart. "Everyone alright?" I asked, and Katrina nodded. "We managed to push them back or captured them. Lost a lot of men, but we still have enough."

Hearing the sounds of explosions and gunfire behind me, I nodded. "Then let's move before things get worse for them out there." Before we could move out, Max spoke up. "Wait! Julie and I saw something while we were separated. A swarm of hypermorphs is here." Everyone's eyes widened. "We need to get out there now." Max put his hand up. "Wait. We thought of something. I have a plan."