Convergence - The Last Science #2.2 - Heroes and Villains

B2: Chapter 29 - The Battle of Lakewood - III

  Hailey dropped to the ground as soon as she heard the angry popping sounds.

  "Fuck!" Rika pressed a hand over a bloody patch in her side. "The fuck was that?"

  "They've still got guns," Hailey shot back. "Stay down."

  Jessica was flat on the ground, eyes forward. She gestured with her hand. A bright blue fireball appeared and hurtled over the top of the ditch, in the general direction of the truck. She threw a few more, before Rika grabbed her hand. "Ryan's in there!" she shouted. When Jessica just stared at her blankly, Rika turned to Hailey. "Help me out here."

  Hailey took a second, then pointed at where the truck would be, if they were standing up. She mimed grabbing her own arm and dragging herself away, then held her hands up to her neck. She pointed at the truck again, emphasizing it.

  Jessica nodded. A second later, she vanished.

  "Jess!" Hailey cried, but she was gone.

  "Holy shit," gasped Rika. "You can turn invisible now?"

  "She's going after Ryan," said Hailey, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. She doesn't even know who's in there. It's our best move though... She can just walk right up to them. Maybe—

  Jessica cried out in alarm.

  Hailey's heart stopped. Without thinking, she bolted over the edge of the ditch into the open.

  A huge burly beast of a man—someone who looked like he was barely contained by his own skin—was holding... nothing. Except that nothing was struggling against his grip, and he had a pistol up against her head.

  Hailey raised her hands, about to snatch the pistol away, but his other man had a gun on her as well. She froze. She didn't dare move an inch.

  Another gunshot from far down the street, plinking off the truck cab as the men crouched behind it.

  "Do it, bitch. I dare you," the man grunted, spitting blood out of his mouth.

  Jessica reappeared, her face pinched up. She couldn't breathe. Her hands beat at the man's arm, but she couldn't break free. She never learned how to make herself stronger... none of us knew how back then.

  "You can't get out of this," Hailey said slowly. "Your car's toast."

  The guy shrugged. His face twisted into a wicked smile. "So's your girl, if you don't back off."

  Jessica's arms were getting weaker. Hailey felt real pain in her chest, though she hadn't been injured at all. "Let her go," she pleaded, holding her hands up. She took a step away.

  "Fuck you," he said. His finger began to squeeze the trigger.

  Hailey screamed. She hurled herself forward, ripping the pistol out of his hand with her mind. The bullet fired, and a splatter of blood flew out wide.

  Hailey's fist, laced with magic, blew through the man's face. His nose shattered, and his skull probably went along with it.

  The man slammed into the body of the truck. The back of his head flattened against the metal. He slid down the side. She had no idea if he'd survived.

  The other two men raised their guns. Hailey whipped around.

  A crackle of blue electricity flickered through the air. It struck the first man, then jumped to the second. Both fell to the ground, twitching like mad. The bolt of electricity jumped a third time to the truck, before dissipating with a pop.

  Rika lowered her hand, still clutching her bloody hip with the other.

  Hailey fell to the ground. Jessica's face was a mess of blood. Hailey cradled her head in her lap, wiping away the blood from her forehead, trying to see the wound. Jessica twisted around feebly, murmuring something. The graze wasn't deep, but she was really shook up.

  Hailey gasped in relief. She seemed okay, just grazed. She was already starting to mumble something, the usual sing-song tone that meant she was fine and Hailey didn't need to worry. Not that Hailey couldn't worry after something like that. For a brief, terrible moment, she'd actually thought Jessica might be—

  Another gunshot, and another. A final, much louder shot in rapid succession.

  Jessica cried out.

  One of the men on the pavement jerked. His head exploded. Rika dove to the ground, and threw her hand out wide. The other pistol in the last man's grip slid across the pavement a dozen feet, while he continued to twitch on the ground.

  Jessica was clutching her leg, where a bloody hole leaked fluid at an alarming rate. One bullet had flown right through her left shin and another through her thigh, missing Hailey by an inch. The man had barely managed to aim and pull the trigger despite being tazed by Rika into submission... and Jessica had been shot.

  "Jeremy!" Hailey shouted, her voice ragged. She threw magic into it heedless, raising it to deafening volumes. "Call an ambulance!"

  She barely heard an acknowledgment, still clutching Jessica in her arms. Rika crawled over next to her, pointing out where to hold the wound and apply pressure. Her hands were slick with blood, but Hailey managed it. The flow stopped. Jessica looked like she was getting better already, though she kept writhing and trying to get away from Hailey's grip.

  "Oh sweet God in heaven..." Jeremy gasped as he finally came around to the back of the truck. He stared down at Hailey, tear-streaked and desperately holding Jessica's leg in place while she moaned in pain. "It's on the way, Jess. Hang in there."

  "Jess?" Hailey whispered.

  Jessica looked around, eyes fluttering. She saw Hailey and smiled.

  "Ryan," Rika groaned, pulling herself up the side of the truck. She opened the cab door, digging through the backseat. "Holy shit. Ryan, wake up."

  Sirens preceded the ambulance, swerving around Jeremy's truck at the end of the street. It pulled up next to them, within just a few feet.

  The EMTs bolted out, and grabbed Jessica up out of Hailey's arms. She clawed after them, but Jeremy held her back. They worked quickly to stabilize her wound as best they could, before they loaded her into the back. Hailey took an awkward step toward the ambulance—and the rending, earsplitting cry of metal tearing apart stopped her in her tracks.

  Hailey whirled around. Rika was lugging an unconscious Ryan away from the suddenly bisected truck. Jeremy had his pistol drawn and was backing away from a huge, faceless golem.