Detonation 5-2

I never thought I would see so many heroes or even villains. Sure I had watched the televised portions of Endbringer fights. Those scant minutes before cities were destroyed and capes died by the handful. Here? Now? Seeing them all in person, being counted among their number, it was… god, I don't even know if there is a single word that can describe it. It was like anticipation, anxiety, fear, curiosity, and disbelief all crammed into the precise moment you jerk awake from a bad dream.

"Relax." Alice put an arm around my waist. "How about we move to somewhere a little quieter?" She pointed me to a rooftop overlooking the assembled capes.

I made sure I had a grip on her and we teleported up to the ledge.

"Holy shit fuck!" A blade came to rest against my neck.

"Gri- ahem, Cavalier."

"Fuck me, you two 'bout lost your heads."

The blade lowered from my neck. It was a large sword held by a woman maybe in her early twenties. She was dressed in black leathers and a loose cloth hood and mirrored sunglasses that hid a skull painted face. "You alight?"

I touched a finger to my neck where the sword had been. "I think so."

"Oh please," huffed the swordswoman's companion. "If Cavalier wanted to hurt you you would be hurt."

"And you soon after." Alice slipped from my side to square off with this other girl.

She was wearing robes of black that hung off a small thin frame. She also wore a hood that shelled a skull painted face, though her eyes were obscured by a veil of cloth tied across her eyes.

"Oh, now she's done it." The swordswoman shook her head. "I'm Cavalier." She introduced herself. "And that's Lyctor." She gestured to her companion.

Alice and Lyctor were exchanging jibes and insults veiled in conversation. I sighed.

"I'm Willow Wisp and that's Alice. Sorry for popping in like that we thought no one was up here."

"S'alright," she sheathed the sword, "It's the same reason we got up here. Lyctor is not the most sociable person if you know what I mean."

I felt my mouth tug into a smile, "I have a fair idea."

"Hmm suppose you do." Cavalier gave a swift grin. "Come on Lyctor there's plenty of roof to go around." She placed her hands on the smaller girl's shoulders and steered her away from Alice.

I grabbed Alice's hand and gave it a light tug in the opposite direction of the black clad pair. "Yeah yeah." Alice huffed. "She started it."

"How?"

"She implied we were stupid."

"No she didn't."

"Well not directly," Alice's hat nor mask could hide from me that she was rolling her eyes. "She said it with her tone. The bitch."

"That's a little harsh." I chided "They are here to help so they can't be that bad."

"Pfff there would be villains here too if the truce was offered to the ones outside of town." She scoffed doesn't make them good people.

"You're a good person and you used to be a villain." I pointed out.

"No, I am not a good person." She looked directly in my eyes. "I'm here for you. For us. Don't get me wrong, it's a way better deal than I had before but if it wasn't for you I would have ducked out of here so fast I'd get a mover rating."

"Do you still want to leave?" My voice was quiet.

"No." She grabbed my shoulders. "You're not listening, dummy. I want to be where you are. End of story."

"But you would prefer we were together somewhere else?"

"I wouldn't say no to a change of scenery." She waved that comment away. "No, no, that's not accurate. There's definitely a few places I would veto."

I wasn't sure what to say. I've wanted to be a Hero since I first saw Alexandria on TV, but Lisa didn't.

"Don't overthink it." Alice smiled at me. "We can talk about it later, it looks like things are about to pick up."

Below us the capes in attendance gathered around the stage on the front lawn of the PRT headquarters. On stage were two people I never thought I'd get to see in person.

Alexandria and Legend.

Holy. Shit.

Legend stepped forward to the waiting microphone.

"Before anything else I feel I must say this, Thank you. Thank each and every one of you for answering the call to aid people in need. There are Heroes and independents here from all over North America and I can think of no better a people than those who would risk themselves for the sake of others. Thank you." He let that hang in the air only a moment before turning the mood. "Let me tell you what we know before we get to area assignments. The biggest point of concern as well as our main target is Bakuda. She is a bomb tinker."

Mutters ran through the crowd.

"Bakuda has shown to be able to cause a terrifying array of effects from her bombs, even going so far as to emulate powers held by some of the most fearsome of capes."

More muttering spread through the crowd.

"Let me make this absolutely clear." Legend's tone silenced everyone. "There is zero guarantee of safety going in. None. There is no guarantee that even your powers can protect you from the Bombs."

I wasn't sure but it looked like Legend may have looked aside to Alexandria for just a moment.

"With that in mind, please consider carefully before continuing to receive your assignments."

Legend stepped away from the microphone and Alexandria pulled it from the stand. We are already pressed for time as it is. Let me tell you what we know of what you will be facing in the field."

She covered everything from a physical description of Bakuda to rules of engagement if she was encountered. She warned of booby traps and outlined locations of targets and the spread of the assisting PRT and National guard forces. But most of all she warned against close proximity to civilians.

"Assume everyone you encounter has been boobytrapped. Whether they know it or not, it is possible. The local protectorate team has recorded multiple cases of civilians having tinker bombs either on their person or implanted within their bodies. Everyone in the zone not allocated to the forces outlined in this briefing must be considered a hazard at the very least and you will all strictly follow outlined containment protocols."

No one said a word as the air grew heavy with tension as the stakes and risks hit home.

"Be safe and good luck."

Silence.

Legend stepped back up to the microphone. "Everyone take your places. If you do not have an assignment, head into the building and-"

I turned to Alice nerves growing in my gut. "Where did we end up?"

"Checkpoint 16." Alice pulled a tablet from her coat and turned it to face me. "Looks like we will have company too."

I looked at the map on the tablet. "Not terribly far. Walk, ride or teleport?"

"Teleport of course." She slipped under one arm and hugged herself close. "Ready."

I thought about where I wanted to go and we jumped.

.

"Wow." I looked over all the soldiers and vehicles arranged in the intersection below.

"Yeah," Alice agreed. "I'm glad for all the extra hands, we are going to be plenty busy. I hope the other capes assigned here are up to it."

"What do you mean?"

She pointed to the bridge a block down from the intersection. "That's interstate 95."

"So?"

"So if you were trying to get out of town and go anywhere in a hurry you would need an interstate highway to do it. 95 is one of if not the biggest highways on the east coast. It goes up to the Canada border and all the way down to Miami."

"Okay."

She huffed. "Meaning everyone trying to leave will properly be thinking of coming this way first."

"And we have to turn them away." It was beginning to dawn on me. "Fuck."

"Fuck." Alice agreed. "Come on, let's go find out who's in charge." She slipped back into my arms. "Just down to street level. We should walk up to the line. Don't want to spook the soldiers."

So I teleported us down to the sidewalk a block and a half from the barricades being set in place.

Even from here I could see guns aimed in our direction.

"Slow and easy." Alice said to me. "Keep your hands in the open and stay out to one side of me where they can see both of us."

"Kay." I trusted her not to get us both shot.

"Follow my lead." She began walking to the line with her hands palm out and off to her sides. "Easy boys were here to help." She called the men on the line. We stared down the barrels of multiple rifles all the way to the edge of the barricade. "Alice and Willow Wisp reporting to Checkpoint 16."

One of the soldiers said something into his radio. "Alright let them through." He called to the men still aiming their weapons in our direction. Once the rifles were lowered he continued, "You ladies head on into the command tent. Look for Captain Cho, he's expecting you."

"Thanks will do." Alice waved me to follow her.

"Johnson, Wheeler, go with them and make sure they don't get lost eh?" The man ordered.

"Yes sergeant." They answered and flanked Alice and I as we moved through the line into the guarded intersection.

"I assume the tent at the center is where we are headed?" Alice asked the man closest to her.

All he gave her was a nod.

Alice pursed her lips over what I knew was likely a snarky rejoinder to the man's dismissive silence. So we walked in silence until we reached a guarded tent.

"Got two Capes here to see the Captain." The man closest to me spoke up to the awaiting guards.

"Yeah we already got one in there now, supposed to be two more on the way too." Replied one of the tent guards.

"Shit more of them? Ain't we got enough problems without having to-"

"Shut your mouths boys." A silver haired man of Asian descent ducked through the tent flap.

All four men straightened noticeably.

"Walker, Johnson, get back to your post." He looked Alice and I over. "Keaton, Burch, you two keep your mouths shut or I'll let these girls use you for target practice."

"Sir!" The two men guarding the tent snapped even straighter.

"Alright inside. Your team leader is already here." He politely held the tent flap for us.

I followed Alice into the tent.

"Hey kiddies!" Mouse Protector greeted us from behind a table.

Alice palmed her face.

"Hey MP," I greeted her with Assault's favorite nickname for her.

"Seems like you at least know each other." The silver haired man said dryly as he re entered the tent behind me. "Saves time, I'm Captain Cho and I'm running the show,"

Mouse giggled.

"Here at Checkpoint 16." He glared at MP. "You ladies will be reporting to Mouse here but for the time you are posted here at C16 you will fall under my command. Clear?"

"Clear." Alice and I said in unison. MP gave an enthusiastic salute.

Captain Cho gave MP a scrutinizing look. "Alright, I don't keep up with things like who does what so you will have to tell me what you can do so I know where best to put you. I don't need your life story or even what you had for breakfast, keep it simple."

Alice started out. "I'm a tinker thinking combo-"

"I said keep it simple." He grunted. "I'm too old to keep up with whatever labels people want to go by now."

Alice took a long breath through her nose. "I'm like a detective of sorts. I'm here to help you identify problem spots and potential non-standard explosives."

Captain Cho ran a rand over his short shorn hair. "Alright I'm sure we can find you a post. What about you?"

His eyes were hard and not exactly kind.

"I teleport and throw fireballs." I summarized.

"Non-lethal and does not ignite flammable material" Alice provided helpfully.

"What kind of fire does not ignite stuff?" Cho asked.

"Working theory is that it is actually a form of energy transfer that is more closely related to the concept of hard light bu-"

"Forget I asked." Cho cut Alice off. "Okay, we got a magic detective and a not-fire thrower. I think I'll wait and see how the other two turn out before we make any plans."

One of the guards poked his head in. "Captain? The PRT just radioed in that they are five minutes out with two parahumans assigned to us.

"Well there we go." Captain Cho clapped his hands together. "Show them in when they get here."

"Sir." The man retreated.

"Oh, I wonder who they are?" MP looked about ready to jump in excitement.

"You don't know?" Captain Cho cocked an eyebrow.

"Nope." MP popped the word cheerily. "Only that I'm supposed to look out for them."

Captain Cho massaged his temples in clear agitation.

"Captain?" Called a voice from outside. "I think you should see this."

Captain Cho strode from the tent and after exchanging a look with Alice, we followed.

Outside flanked by no less than six soldiers, weapons not quite aimed, were the two black clad capes Alice and I had encountered on the rooftop, plus a pair of skeletons. Skeletons I might add that were walking in step with the shorter of the two capes. Lyctor I think her name was.

"Well ain't this just a cheery welcome!" The taller cape, Cavalier was her name, boomed. "I think with a few more guys you might make it a bit of fun. Unless you got some ladies around? Then only one or two would do."

"Cavalier." Snapped Lyctor. "Stop being so crass."

"Ah, you can suck the fun out of anything you know that?" retorted Cavalier.

The pair? Quartet? Did the skeletons count? They stopped a short distance away with Cavalier making a sharp salute to Captain Cho.

He did not salute back.

"You two must be the last of the Parahumans assigned here." He growled. "Or you better be."

Lyctor huffed. "Yes we were assigned to Checkpoint 16. That is here, yes?"

"It is." Captain Cho gestured to the tent. "Ladies first."

.

"So these things explode but don't burn?" Cavalier examined one of the gently bobbing balls of fire about the size of a cantaloupe.

"Yeah, just be careful not to touch it." I warned. "It packs a bit of a punch."

"Oh yeah?" She perked up. "How much?"

"I'm not affected myself but enough to knock an adult back a step or two." I said proudly.

She stuck her hand into the nearest ball and it blew out with a whump sound. "Ouch." She shook her hand. "Think I may have broken a finger or two."

"What the hell?" I all but shrieked. "Are you okay?"

"Hmm? Yeah." She showed me her hand. "Regeneration remember? Still feel the pain though."

I just stared blankly at her.

"So these will work to keep most people out but what happens when someone ranks a car through them?" Cavalier asked.

"I don't know." I answered honestly. "Alice and Captain Cho thought that they would serve as a flashy deterrent for most people and buy us time before we had to resort to escalation."

"Huh." Her hand strayed close to another nearby ball of fire.

"Please don't waste them." I said.

"Oh, sorry." She lowered her hand. "Is there a limited amount?"

I shrugged. "I don't know I've never tried this before. But my count is going to be off if you keep popping them."

"Oh yeah, my bad." She looked thoughtfully at the wall of floating orbs. "Can they get any bigger?"

"Yeah, though I don't know how big. Unless I'm holding onto them they don't move very fast so I've never had to chuck a big one." I kept tossing more orbs to float along the street. I bet when the sun went down the street would look eerie as hell with all the orbs throwing flickers of color onto their surroundings.

"You should totally try to see how big you can make one."

I shook my head. "The bigger it is, the more force behind it. I don't want to try and get stuck holding something the size of a car off the ground wondering how big a boom it's going to make."

"Sounds like a blast." Cavalier said. "Eh? Eh?"

I shook my head.

"Agk you're no fun." She looked around at the street filled with orbs. "You reckon this is enough? I'm about ready to head back."

I tossed another pair of fireballs to float with the rest. "I'm sure Alice and Lyctor are just about ready to rip each other apart."

"Yeah…." Cavalier said wistfully. "We can wait a few more minutes I guess."

I shook my head and thought about Alice and teleported to her side.

Sure enough she was standing across the table from Lyctor mid shouting match that didn't even stop with my sudden appearance.

"And I told you that it's none of your business!" Lyctor snapped.

"I am trying to plan out our response to the inevitable rush of people trying to evacuate." Alice said through gritted teeth. "If you keep insisting on hiding what you can do beyond a pair of shitty skeletons then I cannot plan accordingly."

"That's your problem." Lyctor sniffed.

I placed a hand on Alice's shoulder just in case I needed to intervene.

She looked at me. "We finished covering the ends of the block."

"Where is Cavalier?" Lyctor's clearly suspicious tone set Alice back off.

"She's not talking to you." She snapped.

I rolled my eyes. "Walking back, I teleported."

"Obviously," Alice drawled at Lyctor.

"Alright, alright." Mouse Protector got up from where she must have been enjoying the argument from the sidelines. "You are both intelligent young women, so let us set aside the contest and finish this up."

Alice and Lyctor studiously avoided looking at each other.

MP continued, tone uncharacteristically serious. "I think it would be easiest if we just keep the teams as they are. Lyctor and Cavalier will post up on the north east corner while Willow Wisp and Alice will take the south east corner. I will be on the ground with Captain Cho." She pointed to a building at each corner. "Stay up there and wait until I or Captain Cho say otherwise. We are going to let the Guard handle the civilians unless they request our assistance. We get to handle any potential Cape interference. Got it?"

Alice and I nodded but Lyctor remained still and silent.

"Good."

.

"Jesus I knew there would be a lot, but look at them all." Alice peered over the edge.

I didn't want to look. We had to duck down out of sight of the crowds below shortly after they had resorted to bashing my fireballs with pipes, boards, bats, anything they could get their hands on. It was turning in to a regular mob down on the street and I didn't want to see the fear and desperation on their faces anymore.

I pulled Alice away from the edge by her coat.

"It's fine." Alice soothed. "They are all too busy yelling at the checkpoint to bother looking up here."

"I don't like this." I confessed.

Bright column of light erupted from deep in the docks. The battle with the ABB had kicked off only twenty minutes before the crowd showed up at the checkpoint.

"I hate to say it but it's only going to get worse if they can't take down Bakuda soon." She gestured to the roofs edge and the people below. "When people mob together like this it always gets worse the longer it goes on. It's only a matter of time before someone down there gets trigger happy. Probably soon too."

"You need to tell Captain Cho."

She waved her hand. "He already knows. I spoke with him a bit while you and emo sword girl were out putting up your barricades. He might be a bit of a dick, and hold some of the military's prejudice against capes, but he's a sharp guy."

A staccato of muted pops sounded from the building below us. Out in the street people started screaming.

Alice sighed. "Well he definitely will know now."

"Not funny." I scolded.

"It's a little funny." She retorted. "I know you haven't gotten to do much as a cape beyond practice but when it comes to the life and death stuff you have to bleed some of the tension where you can or it'll drive you nuts."

A crackle came over the earpiece making me jump.

"Wisp?" It was MP.

I reached under my hood to tap the earpiece. "I'm here."

"Need to borrow you for a moment." MP said. "Have Alice maintain visual contact with Lyctor or Cavalier for the time being and you come to the rear tent pronto."

"Copy, be right there." I looked at Alice.

"Yeah I heard." She said with a frown. "Be careful, okay?"

"I will." I teleported to MP inside the rear tent.

"Good way to get yourself shot girl." Captain Cho grumped from behind his desk. "If Mouse Protector hadn't predicted you would pop in here I would have shot first and not bothered with questions later you here me?"

"Sorry sir."

"Don't need to call me sir. You're not one of mine."

MP clapped me squarely on the back. "Are you wearing the extra vest they handed out?"

"Of course." I scoffed. "It's not even all that thick."

"Good." She waved for me to follow. "You and I are going to jump those idiots shooting into the checkpoint." She moved the tent flap to the side slowly and passed me a pair of binoculars. "You see the building you were on?"

"Yes." I saw the corner building I had just left.

"On the second floor of that building there is an open window." She said.

"I see it."

"Three windows to your left in the building there is another window. Can you teleport into that room." She asked.

"I can try." I said. Handing her the binoculars back.

"Not yet." She grabbed my shoulder. "If you get in there I want you to keep moving as soon as you arrive. Get low and grab cover, okay? Keep an open radio the whole time so I know when you land and I will be right behind you."

I took a deep breath. "Got it."

MP picked up her sword and shield. "Ready?"

I nodded.

She smiled brightly. "Let's go."

I thought about the window I had seen and the room beyond it. I jumped.

As soon as my feet hit the new floor I whispered I'm in and ducked behind the wooden desk that took up most of the room.

A weight landed on me from behind pushing most of the air from my lungs.

"Oops, sorry wisp." MP whispered as she rolled off me, and patted my shoulder. "There next time I should be on your right."

I sucked in a breath. "S'okay." I wheezed.

More gunfire erupted from the other side of the wall to our right.

MP poked her head around the desk and breathed out a sigh. "Door's closed so they probably don't know we are here but we should move quick before they wonder why the guard isn't firing back."

I peeked over the top of the desk. We were in a small office.

"Right, here's the plan." MP pointed at the wall between us and the gunfire. "You are going to blow down that wall and I'm going to run in and kick their ass."

"What?" I hadn't purposefully destroyed a wall yet. And when I did in practice it made a heck of a mess.

"You blast this wall and I kick ass. It's a nice simple plan." MP frowned. "You don't like it."

"No, I mean yes, I don't know." I stuttered out.

"Good let's do it."

Blow up a wall.

Okay.

It's what? Wood and sheetrock? That's not too bad. Unless it's brick.

Better a little more power just in case.

I focused on my fire. I built it up in my hands two orbs that I squeezed to wrap up around my forearms and up to my shoulders as I built the power up.

I can do this.

I threw my hands forward, willing my power to twin streams of electric blue fire.

The wall detonated away from us with a roar of power and crackling of wood. Both rooms filled with dust and MP rushed forward into it.

There was a yell, a ripping sound, something slammed into me just under my ribs and I dropped behind the desk.

Oh god it hurt.

I put a hand to where the pain was and only felt my costume and a little warm lump. I picked it away from the fabric and looked at it.

It was a little mushed bit of copper and lead.

Fuck.

I had been shot.

I had been fucking shot!

Fuck that hurt.

"Wisp?"

It was MP.

"Here." I gasped.

MP rushed around the desk and saw the mangled lump of a bullet in my had.

"Shit." She dropped to her knees and started patting me looking for injuries.

"Ow, stop." I gasped as she patted where the bullet had hit. "The vest stopped it I think."

MP breathed a sigh of relief. "Can you teleport?"

I thought about the roof where Alice was but before I could jump my gut twinged with pain.

I shook my head. "Can't focus yet. Need a minute."

MP put a hand to one ear. "Captain Cho? Two shooters secured. Wisp was hit in the vest." She listened for a moment before responding. "Appreciate it, we will be here." She looked at me

"I'm okay. Just knocked the wind out of me." I tried to reassure her.

"Try not to move so much." MP stood and moved to the door. "Cho is sending a couple of guys to pick up our shooters and a medic to look you over before we move.

I tried to sit up but the contracting of my abdomen put a quick stop to that. "Ow."

"The vests can stop a bullet but it will still leave a hell of a bruise." MP peeked into the hall beyond the door, her shield held bodily to her to prevent the very same kind of injury I had received.

"Friendlies!" Called a male voice from down the hall.

"Up here." MP called out. "Last door down."

"Building clear?" The voice called back.

"Just the last two doors." MP called.

There was the sounds of thudding boots on wood and doors splintering as they were forced open.

"Clear!"

"Clear!"

"Clear!"

"All clear. Medic up front!" The first voice called.

A rush of boots on the floor and a woman dressed in the Guard's uniform came around the desk.

"The vest caught it." MP reported. " It didn't seem like it was high enough to break a rib, just looking for an okay to move her Doc."

"Do you mind if I look?" I shook my head and she helped me loosen and pull up the costume to reveal the vest and my thin shirt underneath.

She slid a hand under both to touch gently against the apparent bruise. "Below the ribs." She confirmed. "This may hurt." She shifted the vest up and shined a penlight underneath while she pressed at the area.

I hissed through my teeth.

"It's hard to tell without removing the costume and vest but I'm fairly certain there isn't any internal bleeding. It looks like the impact was spread out pretty good." She pulled my shirt and vest back down and even helped readjust my costume. "She's good to move, but she should get checked out properly."

"Thanks Doc." MP came back over to help me up.

Once I was standing I felt weirdly better.

"Scared the life out of me." MP gripped my shoulder. "Sorry I got you shot."

"All good, part of the job right." My mouth was on autopilot.

MP frowned. "Not really. Come on, let's get you back to the Checkpoint."

"Alice shouldn't be alone." I said. "The lady said I was okay."

"Thought you couldn't teleport?"

"Couldn't focus." I corrected. "I think I can manage now."

She blew out a breath.

Down on the street the mob was ramping up again now that the shooting had stopped.

"Fine, but I'm coming up there with you." She said.

I focused on Alice, the rooftop where she should be. I jumped and the bruise under my ribs twinged abominably. I arrived with a gasp.

Alice was under my right arm to support me before I capsule fall to my knees.

MP appeared right behind her bumping her forward as she was displaced to make room for MP. Thankfully we didn't fall.

"What happened?" Alice turned me around and helped to lower me so I could sit down. "You got shot!" She must have used her power.

"Only a little bit." MP tried to joke.

The look Alice gave her could have killed a lesser being.

"Let me see." Alice started pulling at the belts and clips for my overcoat.

"She was already checked out by a medic from-"

Alice scoffed. "Help me with the corset." She said to me.

"Not a corset." I persisted but helped loosen the garment anyway.

Alice continued, even removing the vest, until I was laying back onto the roof, my abdomen exposed.

"Fuck." She sighed in relief even as she traced the edges of the bruise that was already present. "If it went through the vest it wouldn't have hit anything vital. Well assuming it was traveling perpendicular to you and that the vest didn't change its course at all."

I closed my eyes and just breathed. The pain was nothing like the bomb at the bank. Just breathe. Ignore the pain and put it to the side.

It didn't go away but it no longer had the sharp edge that intruded into every thought.

"I'm okay." I reassured Alice.

"I had to see for myself." She traced her fingers around the bruise and a bit further beyond.

MP cleared her throat. "Probably not a good idea to get busy on a rooftop next to a seething mob."

I flushed red.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Alice responded airily.

I pulled my shirt down and Alice helped me put the vest and costume back on. I managed only a wince as we pulled everything tight into place.

"We catch Bakuda yet?" I asked more as a distraction than out of actual curiosity.

Alice shook her head. "Can still see the occasional fireworks but they are getting farther and farther away each time which is a good sign. If they maintain the momentum then it should be over by nightfall."

"Someone should tell that to the crowd." MP said wryly.

We looked at her.

She looked back confused before it clicked.

"Ohhh right. That's my job I guess." She patted the both of us on the shoulder. "You sure you are alright?"

"I'll be okay."

"Let me know if that changes." She perked up. "Going to check in with Cho and see if we can't get the crowd settled down." She slapped her hand to her shield and after walking to the edge of the roof, threw it like a frisbee out over the Guard's perimeter. After a moment she was gone.

Alice sat down next to me. "So how are you really doing?"

"Sore, really really sore." My voice shook a little. "And scared."

Alice placed her hand on top of mine and intertwined our fingers.

"I got shot." I put my free hand over where the bruise lay underneath my costume. "If that hadn't hit my vest…"

"Stop." Alice squeezed my hand. "You can't go down that rabbit hole. There is nothing good down there, believe me."

I shook my head at her double meaning.

"Listen, you need to focus on the positive. You are alive and you learned something important."

"What?"

"Bullets hurt. Don't get shot."

I choked out a sound that was half sob half laugh. "No shit."

"For real though. If there are guns in play, always, always take cover. If there is no cover keep moving or better yet get the hell out of there." She pulled my hand up to her lips and kissed the back of it. "I don't think I can do this without you."

"What?"

"Any of it."

End chapter.

Hey all, I really appreciate the reviews! Did anyone recognize our guest capes for the chapter?

No long note today cause i got to hustle if i'm going to make it to work on time. Love you all!