A fast update, yay! So this isn't a particularly long story, I'll prob wrap it up in the next chapter or two. Thank you to those who have stuck around so far and those that are new. Enjoy!- AnUnknownStranger
It wasn't a particularly long walk to Benzo's shop but the awkwardness amidst the group made it feel years away. With silence filling most of the journey to Benzo's, they had finally arrived. "No enforcers are standing guard…" Ekko whispered with a hint of surprise.
"They could be inside so that they don't
draw attention." Caitlyn replied softly with her gun drawn.
"Okay, well with the four of us-" Vi quickly looked around Ekko and Caitlyn and saw that Jinx was absent. "Where the fuck is Powder?" She whispered harshly while looking around.
"Shit." Caitlyn pointed at the roof of Benzo's shop and saw Jinx slipping through a side window.
"Let's go." Vi motioned them forward as they ran to the front door of the shop. They heard yelling and a couple thumps before Jinx opened the door for them. "It's about time." She rolled her eyes and stepped to the side so they could enter. Vi and Caitlyn shared a look before noticing the dead enforcers on the ground. Caitlyn knelt down and placed two fingers on their necks and scowled. She quickly stood and pushed Jinx into the wall harshly, placing her forearm to the arsonists neck. "Did you have to kill them?!" Caitlyn yelled as she pushed on her throat. Jinx smiled, "so they kill one of us and it's no big deal…but kill one of them-"
Vi pulled Caitlyn off of Jinx, "Enough! we don't have time for this!" Vi yelled.
"How much Piltover blood do you need to spill before you've had your fill?" Caitlyn questioned but Jinx had no answer. Instead Jinx jumped over the counter in search for the bomb.
Vi placed a hand on Caitlyn's shoulder. "This all goes according to plan and you'll never have to see her again, okay?" Vi assured her.
"You and I both know that's not true." Caitlyn frowned before also searching for the bomb.
Sevika and her crew arrived at the Hexgates and began sabotaging all of the blimps they could. The enforcers that showed up they would quickly dispose of but to Sevika surprise, the Hexgates didn't seem like the main focus for the Enforcers.
"Where are they?" Sevika mumbled to herself.
"When the bombs go off, they will try and swim to Piltover. The broken bridge won't stop these rats from getting to the other side. You see any movement in that water, I want it dealt with!" Jayce yelled at the barricade of enforcers that now stood guard along the river bank and broken bridge.
"Jayce…I think this has gone too far. Don't the civilians deserve aid and shelter?" Viktor asked with concern as he looked down at the waters below.
"They wanted to be an independent nation and that's what I'm giving them." Jayce replied coldly.
"That is what a crime lord wanted…what the people want may be different." Viktor impressed.
Jayce looked at his partner with disapproval. "Viktor you are either a citizen of Piltover or the Undercity, you cannot be both." He stated firmly.
Viktor looked at Jayce with disgust. "So much for the man of progress." He shook his head and stepped away.
Jayce brought his eyes back to the Undercity and remained firm. "Captain." He motioned for the new enforcer captain to step forward. "Send some more men to the shop." He ordered. The captain nodded and returned to his men, sending several back into the Undercity.
"Found it!" Jinx brought the device up from under the counter and dropped onto the counter with a loud thud.
"That little thing can take out half of the Undercity?" Ekko raised a brow.
"That little thing holds the most powerful and destructive magic in the world inside of it." Caitlyn scowled.
"Well it looks like we have thirty minutes before it goes off." Jinx informed them as she began pulling tools out of her bag.
"Fifteen minuets?!" Ekko repeated at he pulled out his stopwatch. "That's not enough time to disengage that thing." Vi replied nervously.
Jinx began flipping through Jayce's journal to a specific page containing a language the others had never seen before. "You can understand that?" Caitlyn asked in disbelief.
Jinx placed her goggles over her eyes. "Some of it." She gave a small laugh and shrugged. "We're doomed." Caitlyn sighed while Vi guarded her away. "We'll be fine cupcake, she's done it before." Vi reminded her.
"Twice! She's done it twice and now we're suppose to trust her to disengage a bomb? She makes bombs she doesn't unmake them!" Caitlyn argued which made Vi and Ekko slightly amused.
"What other choice do we have?" Vi asked gently. Caitlyn sighed and relaxed only slightly.
Sparks began to fly off of the device as Jinx made her way into the inner panel of it. They'd notice her almost get into a rhythm as she used her tools to learn the devices nature and intricacies.
Ekko was leaned against the counter in front of Jinx with her staff leaned against his shoulder. Vi and Caitlyn sat by the door on some stools listening in case any enforcers showed up.
"You know that day you guys disappeared…I had no one. Benzo had died so really I was on my own till I found the crew I have now." Ekko began.
Vi listened intently, not knowing what had become of her friend all of those years she was in Stillwater.
"I remember one day, after three years of no sight of you-I saw you walk into The Last Drop." Ekko now looked at Jinx who remained focused on the device.
"I thought my eyes had been playing tricks on me or something." He shook his head. "But then I followed you inside and saw you walk up to Silco's office. I thought to myself, no one could just walk up to his office like that past all of his goons and then that's when I realized." Ekko scowled at the memory. "I realized I really had lost my friend that night that Vander died." He looked to Vi who looked saddened by his memory.
"That's touching….really touching." Jinx snicked before continuing her work. Vi winced by both her sisters sarcasm and fist that hit the counter. "Deny it all you want but I know you hate what you've become!" Ekko said angrily.
Vi wanted to blame it on her having to focus on the device but Jinx always had a talent for listening. Ekko didn't quit even with her silent response, if they were going to die in the next ten minutes now, he had to know.
"On the bridge a couple days ago…I could have sworn that just for a second I could see Powder." Ekko relaxed and began speaking softly.
Vi tensed but listened wanting to know why Ekko's sudden change of heart after the bridge. "Well you thought wrong, anything left of Powder died on that bridge." Jinx replied coldly as she continued working.
Ekko sat up from leaning. "You see, I just don't believe that. Maybe a couple days ago I would have but on the bridge I saw the best friend that I thought I lost all those years ago." Ekko stated emotionally.
As much as Jinx wanted to block his words out, Milo's voice was in her head louder. "Powder died just like we did. They don't love you, they loved Powder." Milo taunted.
Jinx brought her elbow back and slammed her tools down. "Shut up!"
"No, I won't! When you detonated that chomper, you weren't trying to kill me." Ekko faced her with an intensity in his eyes.
Vi stood to her feat as well while Caitlyn kept watch out of the window. The voices in Jinx' head got louder and louder as she gripped her ears. Ekko's voice began to drown out until it became unbearable.
"You were trying to kill yourself not me." Ekko's voice finally broke through the others as she uncovered her ears.
Caitlyn looked to Vi who looked broken by Ekko's revelation. Jinx lifted her goggles allowing a tear to fall. "Yes…I did try but just like everything else, I couldn't even get that right!" She slammed a wrench down onto the counter causing it to crack. Everyone fell silent and for once in a long time they looked to her with sadness not anger. "You can't blame yourself for what happened after the bridge. Silco did this to you…" Vi scowled.
"I put him in that position. Was he suppose to just leave me there?" Jinx retaliated as she looked to Vi. Vi new that question was clearly aimed at her, since she did leave her sister that night.
Vi fell silent unsure of what to say. "I would have gone back for you." Ekko replied speaking for Vi. "Maybe we could have saved you…maybe not, but we could have offered you something better than shimmer." He sighed.
"Well…we can't turn back time can we?" Jinx shrugged as her eyes remained fixed on the wires. Recalling the memories of being injected with shimmer was not something she enjoyed. During that time she had experienced not only the worst of pain but the worst kinds of thoughts.
"Guys, we have company!" Caitlyn yelled as she looked out the window. Vi and Ekko ran to the window and saw the new wave of Enforcers closing in.
"Powder how is it coming?!" Vi's worried voice rang. She looked over and saw Jinx carving something around the gem within the device. "We need to hold them off." Caitlyn looked to Vi and Ekko.
Vi held up her fists revealing the gauntlets while Ekko gripped his staff. The door was kicked open and they all jumped into action. "Come with us now!" The captain ordered.
"Captain Glyphcast, please you cannot let this device go off. You know it's wrong!" Caitlyn tried to reason. "Kiramman, you're to come with us or die with these people." He replied firmly.
"I guess Councilman Talis didn't give you all an option? That bomb is going off in less than 5 minutes. That is not enough time for you to leave in one piece." Caitlyn explained quickly.
The Captain lowered his pistol and motioned for his men to lower theirs. "Let her disengage the bomb and we will come with you willingly." Caitlyn holstered her weapon. Vi leaned in, "What are you doing?" She whispered. "Trust me." Caitlyn replied. The captain nodded and stepped back. Everyone's attention was brought to the large blue hue that illuminated the shop. Above the device were markings of a language they couldn't read and encircled the bomb slowly. "Powder…" Vi stepped toward it amazed.
Jinx turned the stone several different ways but it seemed to not be at random. Then just as suddenly as it began, the light disappeared and the room became dark. Jinx lowered her goggles and sighed. "So…did you turn it off?" Vi questioned. Jinx hit it with her wrench a couple times causing everyone to wince and flinch. She laughed, "yes it's off." Everyone relaxed and either pinched the bridge of their nose in relief or shook their head.
The Captain wasted no time to step forward with his men revealing cuffs. "You are all under arrest for treason and terrorism." He stated. Vi and Ekko looked to Caitlyn who seemed relaxed at the situation. What surprised Vi and Ekko the most was the fact that Jinx went willingly.