Phantom Thunder

Chapter 16

I didn't remember falling asleep. I didn't even remember choosing to close my eyes, but suddenly Spark was shaking my shoulders. "Ghost" he whispered gently.

I sat up, immediately alert. "What is it?"

"We need directions."

I reached down beneath my seat and pulled out the bag. I unzipped it and retrieved the map. We were almost in range of the lopsided circle Pluto had left on the map for us. "I'll radio Pluto and get him to guide us once we get closer."

It felt strange to be back in a city. This was a new city, but all cities were the same, like cakes but with different decorations. The Academy had felt so perfect, I didn't realize I had a home sick sweet tooth.

The rain had slowed a bit. The lights of the city were still slightly blurred by the water on my window. There were few other vehicles on the roads, but they were generally empty. It must've been some ridiculously late hour, or extremely early, whichever way you look at it.

"Pluto" I said into the walkie talkie. "You awake?"

There was a moment of silence, then I heard Pluto's groggy voice replying through the fuzzy connection. "Of course I'm awake."

I smiled. "Kay, we need directions as close as you can get us."

"The silverblood has moved since Mimble detected them" Pluto replied. "Which means that their initial reason to bleed was not fatal. I don't know how long they've been in their current position for. I can guide you within ten meters, the rest is up to you."

"Awesome, thanks."

"Tell driver to turn left at 29th coming up."

I glanced over at Blake. He nodded.

"Ghost," Pluto said.

"Yeah?"

"Be careful. You don't know what caused the silverblood to bleed."

"Of course" I responded.

"Right."

"Yeah."

"Turn right."

"Oh sorry. Blake."

He swung the jeep to the right, onto a smaller street. It'd stopped raining. Back alleys opened onto the street. Picturesque street rat territory.

"I suggest you park the jeep here, do the rest on foot. The vehicle attracts too much attention. Be ready for anything. You aren't far."

Blake pulled over and cut the engine. Immediately, lifelessness flooded from every back alley and consumed the street. We piled out of the vehicle, six random silverbloods standing in the abandoned darkness.

"Nice neighbourhood" Seth remarked.

It was the kind of neighbourhood where dogs and children fought each other for scraps. And at night, the desperate people would emerge from the shadows, looking for something. Anything. And the desperate people were always the most dangerous. They had nothing to loose and wouldn't stop for anything.

I looked around at my friends. They all seamed fidgety and on edge. Golden light crackled around Blake's fingers. Lillian was already twirling a softly glowing arrow, but she hadn't made her bow yet.

But I was completely at ease. I'd grown up in a place like this. A place exactly like this. It didn't really bring back good memories. Surviving had been tough. I'd always been alone.

With a shock, I realized that I no longer was. I'd always felt so alone, that the idea of not being alone seamed so distant and alienated, even at the academy. But I had a team of friends, all on the same boat as me, living a dangerous life, where one mistake would be our last. But I felt safer than I had in a rich foster house with thousands of dollars of security. Because I had friends watching my back. That's all I really needed.