Final Apocalypse: Infant

Saved by the bang

 She opened her eyes and saw Jordan staring in shock at six giant bullet holes in his chest. He looked down at Elizabeth, then stumbled back and over the edge of the roof. She heard him hit a car seconds later.

She rolled her head over to see the person that had saved her. A man in a black leather coat. He wore a black plague mask and fedora. In his hands, he held two massive pistols, their barrels smoking. Fifty caliber, she had no doubt. She remembered his name. Agony. Her mother used to talk about he and Colt's rivalry all the time.

He helped her up and holstered his guns. "Seemed like you were in a bit of a pinch."

Elizabeth winced as Tamara took control. "Who the hell hired you?"

Agony pulled off his mask, revealing his pale white face and blood-red eyes. A mop of long grey hair fell over his shoulders. "Anonymous contract."

Tamara sat against the vent and groaned. That strike from the pipe gave her a massive migraine. Foolish to think he wouldn't see it coming.

"Let me guess, Calvin?"

Agony shrugged. "No clue. As I said, anonymous."

A metallic creak made Tamara jump. Alex was still on the fire escape. But the roof was rigged with hair-trigger explosives. How was she going to get to him? She looked around at the blinking red lights. Were they just duds? Fakes? She had hit them earlier and nothing had happened. She walked over and inspected one of them. Wrong. They were definitely real. She cursed and leaned over to look at Alex. The fire escape was leaning dangerously toward the street. It wouldn't hold much longer. She whirled around to ask Agony for help, but he had already disappeared.

"Elizabeth, help me please."

Elizabeth took over and inspected the situation. Tricky, but not impossible to get past. She wrapped three tendrils around the vent and stepped back. She had to hope the catapult trick worked. When she was sure she had enough tension, she jumped and launched herself over the edge, her shoe barely grazing the laser line on the explosives. She heard a timer start to click.

She landed on the fire escape next to Alex. He groaned and sat up. Elizabeth lifted him with a tendril. "This is going to hurt. Just hang on." She jumped over the rail and used a tendril to swing herself into the alley next to the building. She set Alex down as the explosives went off. They watched together as rubble rained onto the streets of Manhattan.

"I have something for you, Liz."

Elizabeth winced. "So you do remember?"

Alex pulled the necklace out of his coat pocket. A silver promise ring hanging on a golden chain studded with sapphire.

"Of course I do. How could I ever forget?"

Elizabeth sat against the wall and stared at the necklace. "I've spent all this time parading around as Tamara. I locked myself away in my mind. I let her take over and assume my role. Nobody really knew the truth. My father even edited my birth certificate to suit the change."

Alex strung the necklace around her neck. "I told you I would never forget you. I've always kept my promises." He brushed her cheek. She turned away.

"No. We can't. There's too much blood on my hands. I would just be a burden."

She stood to leave and Alex grabbed her hand, stopping her. "Do you think I care? My father was a murderer. A master assassin. My mother loved him anyway. And I love you. I won't let you deny that."

Elizabeth slammed her fist against the brick wall. "Three more days. Meet me here in three days. If the police are here, then meet me at the bridge where we used to walk to school together. Can you promise me that?"

Alex kissed her and held her close. "I can."

"I'll see you in three days, Alex." She pushed him away and ran away into the darkness. 

Alex cursed to himself and clutched at his arm. He needed to get to Calvin's house. He could receive medical attention there. The only problem was that his car was still at Red's house. Far from his reach. On the other side of the city. It would take him a while to get there. He pulled his coat off and tied it into a makeshift sling, then limped off into the night.