Hellcat

Chapter 50

3rd Person POV

"Behind you!" Foggy could make out from where he stood at the base of the building. Cop cars surrounded the building, blinding spotlights pointed at the roof. Karen stood beside him, watching tensely for the outcome of the fight above. Foggy's gaze snapped to that voice, recognizing it instantly. He saw the blonde figure clad in black leather throw something that glinted in the spotlight. Why was she on the edge of the roof, barely away from the ledge?

He knew who was up there. He knew that two of the people he cared about most were fighting for their lives. He knew they had just saved twenty hostages and now had nobody to save them. But, as he stood beside Karen, he didn't have time to question whether or not Daredevil was in danger because Hell Cat's body jerked once, twice, three times.

Fear gripped Foggy's chest, even as hope still tried to keep its head up. But the moment Hell Cat's body – Allison's body – fell over the ledge, that hope died. People screamed, cursed, and gasped in horror as the blonde in black leather fell through the air. Foggy himself let out a cry of despair, watching with wide eyes as Allison's body hit the concrete with a sickening crack, loud enough to hear even from that distance.

Foggy couldn't stop himself from trying to rush forward. A few police officers held him back, but he tried to push through anyway. Even though his mind knew what he had just witness, his heart couldn't believe it. Hot tears streamed down his face as slender arms pulled him back from the officers.

"Foggy! Foggy, stop!" Karen shouted, her own voice thick with unshed tears. Hearing her voice brought him back to reality, and his heart finally caught up with his mind. He was frozen as Karen turned him to face her.

She took in his tear-stained cheeks and despair-filled eyes. She didn't understand why he had such a powerful reaction to what they just witnessed. Everyone around them, Karen included, was too shocked to move. She hadn't until Foggy did. And now, seeing the absolute absence of hope in his eyes for the first time since she had met him, Karen couldn't think of anything to do but pull him close and hold on tight.

Foggy dug his fingers into Karen's back, his tears soaking into the fabric of her dress as his mind kept replaying that moment in his head. The moment Allison Drake died.

"Behind you!" Matt heard her call out. He heard the whishing of her knife flying through the air. Even the cry of the man behind him that she had cut. But he hadn't heard the first arrow fly. Time froze as he heard Allison's heartbeat falter with the pain.

When the second arrow was released, everything was too fast. He managed to shove Nobu and the other ninja he was fighting away, sprinting across the roof. But he was a second too late as the third arrow was released. Even as he tackled the archer, knocking him unconscious, Matt could hear the arrowhead embed itself into her flesh.

Allison let out a labored breath, the pain in it clear. It was almost like a gasp. Then boots scuffed softly on the ledge. The physical pain in his body was nothing compared to the way his chest tightened at that sound. He knew he couldn't make it to her. She was a good twenty yards away and there was no way he could run fast enough and slow down so neither went over the edge before she fell.

"Do you trust me?" "With my life." Their words rang in his ears as he flung his billy club. One end went whizzing through the air towards her. But it was too late. The scuffle of those boots stopped, only to be replaced with the sounds of terror from below. The sickening crunch of Allison's body hitting the concrete rang in Matt's ears on repeat.

Even as he let out a roar of rage and pain, the noise replayed itself. Matt would never forget the sound of her bones breaking. He would never forget the sound of her once loud and steady heartbeat fade into nothing. Of the two emotions crashing into him in that moment, the rage won out. Even though, if he was honest with himself, Matt would have known it was pain cleverly disguised as he threw himself back into the fight.