Chris dodged another fire ball as his body collided with the pavement after yet another attempt to reach his destination. His throat felt tight as a stray sweat soaked brown lock of hair fell over his face. His nostrils filled with the potent smell of dead flesh and he reluctantly let his eyes drift up to the dumpster he was presently hiding behind.
A lonely charred hand hung out and he quickly swallowed the lump of sickness rising in his throat. He panted as silently as he could and doubt started to seek into his mind. He shouldn't have even tried. It was pure idiocy to move from a safe spot; and that ally had definitely been a safe one. It would have been six months tomorrow of staying in that same ally- making a record. He had never spent so much time in one spot; he'd never been given the opportunity.
But no. Jackson just had to give him that slight bit of hope. Laura. Oh to see her again. Jackson had told him his buddy TJ said he'd seen her about three miles North. But three miles might as well be halfway across the United States in this Demonic Age.
Another fire ball whisked by his face, narrowly missing him, and stirring him indefinitely from his thoughts. Now was not the time to let his mind wander. Just get there. He crouched down again and sprinted to the next block. Random fire balls lit his way as he slipped behind a wall.
Twenty minutes latter he was only eight blocks ahead; and he had almost used up all of his shear luck. He was almost ready to try orbing. But there were too many variables. He was pretty sure he knew her so well he could orb to her no matter where she was. But what kind of demons roamed around? Because there might be some that could sense his orb and trail it. He couldn't bear bringing danger to Laura personally. And if she was…dead…a word he tried not to let enter his brain often…where would he end up orbing to? But this chancing death at each turn was just suicide.
Question was; could he risk it? As another ball nearly singed his hair he closed his eyes and made a choice. He carefully went into some remembered parts of the city. Throwing any person trailing him slightly off. They were after good in general- not him specifically. They wouldn't waste to much time, or rather intelligence trying to find a lone do-gooder. He looked over each similar desolate surroundings and he couldn't help picturing the images Laura had shown him just a few years ago. When they had been together. At first he couldn't believe the crumbled colored images. Of the city twenty years ago. He couldn't fathom that the gray ruble had once been shaped into something so majestic.
He finally went to Laura; and suddenly she was there. Black silky hair shimmering over her shoulders as she held her knees to her chest against a wall. Then her slanted dark eyes raised to him. He opened his arms and she rose into them.
"I thought you'd never come." She whispered.
"How could I possibly stay away?"
"It's definitely good you are here." A thick voice made him turn around.
He realized other people were here; many others in fact. He stood still as he recognized the faces. Some of the only major players fighting for their side. (The losing side, he thought grimly).
The words the idolized man uttered finally became discerned itself and Chris pondered, confused. How would they even know about him; let alone want him here.
"I- don't understand…" Chris finally uttered.
"We have an assignment for you. I believe you're what they call 'our last hope'."