With a loud rattle, the car drove over a hole in the road. We bounced on the edge of it, prompting a loud curse from Gabi. I rode shotgun, in the back we had Gerrard and the old Doc. They joked and laughed while the scientist ran intermittent radio checks with Stewie who rode in the convoy’s leading jeep.

  People had been busy last night. Some more than others. I glanced at Gabi and felt my cheeks flush.

  In any case, Nyla’s people had gathered enough vehicles for everyone. It hadn’t been too hard to do when we had scientists whose specialty lay with signals. They built some sort of evil skeleton key that unlocked new cars no matter the brand. With it, it hadn’t taken more than one round trip with the fully functioning jeep to gather enough rides. Nyla had spearheaded the journey, leaving me as the prime force guarding the compound. I wished she had told me that.

  The car had seen better days. It still wore scars from yesterday’s bout. Still, riding in a beat up armored car was better than riding in one that had no armor. This morning, people had fought over who should get to ride in it. Nyla put a stop to it and decided for herself. The armored cars were promptly stuffed full with the most important people in the compound. I felt a little bit honored, but not surprised, that I was one of them.

  Gabi’s hand brushed against mine, making me jolt. She smiled at me, making her eyes sparkle in the morning sunlight. It was one of those smiles that made me want to stay. I clenched her hand with mine and bit my lip. But I had to go. I couldn’t risk the lives of others for something I started without a second thought. I couldn’t risk her.

  She saw the determination in my eyes, and the sparkle in her eye faded. The smile remained, but it was a sad one. We’d argued about my leaving all night. I’d told her just enough to make her stop fighting me, but it wasn’t enough to make it true.

  Crackling, the radio transmitted Stewie’s voice. “We’re coming up on the city. Mount the turrets.”

  That meant me.

  Ambling my way out of my seat, and into the open roof, I unslung Jackpot and chambered a bullet. My pockets and bag clattered like it was filled with marbles. Gerrard had worked hard, using up all the remaining materials to make me empty cartridges. Now I just needed the magic juice and they were good to go.

  Once in the turret, I couldn’t help but overhear the old men’s conversation.

  “What about my back?” Gerrard asked. “It’s been killing me since we left for the FOB. I swear I’ve done everything.”

  Doc laughed. “You’re old, Gerry. Not even the world’s best bed can save your back from aging.”

  Gerrard scoffed. “I’m not that old.”

  “Tell me, how many grandchildren do you have?”

  The old scientist just grumbled at that, then returned to the conversation with a brighter tone. “I can’t wait to see my kids again. I wonder if Sunny is worried…”

  “Are you kidding? Of course she’s worried. If it weren’t for you taking this job, she’d be doing it… Give her my love when you see her, yeah?”

  I tuned out of their conversation right then, when they started talking about grandchildren and kids growing up. Couldn’t relate to it being a few decades younger and all. Still, I’d heard the same conversation more times than I cared to remember. It seemed like it was the go to for most old people reminiscing.

  Focusing on the task at hand, I kept my eyes peeled as we entered the city. Towering buildings of polished stone stretched toward the skies to both of our sides. We drove down snaking streets, trying to always keep a high speed, but there were just too many obstacles in the inner city. These streets weren’t meant for driving.

  My eyes whipped from roof to roof, looking for any sign of movement. This time I wouldn’t be so prudent. Shoot first, ask questions later. Nyla wouldn’t like it, but I couldn’t care less at the moment. We were parting ways soon anyway.

  Lucky for her I didn’t see any reason to fire before we came up on our first objective. I stayed in the turret while Nyla and a few others rushed up the building and fastened the antenna. All cars were kept running as we waited. The low hum of the convoy was the only sound reverberating through the city, save for the howling winds rushing down the alleyways.

  Nyla and her people were back down after a minute at most. She hopped into her seat in the lead jeep and gestured outside the window for everyone to follow. The convoy started rolling and no one slipped behind. It almost looked as if they’d done this before. They probably had, I realized.

  Zooming through the city was peaceful in its own way. Fluttering behind me, my long hair rippled in the wind. Not even magic threads could hold it in place at speeds like these. The once lively streets felt serene rather than eerie. After a while it felt like a shame to spend my last time with the squad mounting a roof turret, looking for threats that might not be there.

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  A hand settled on my shin. I glanced down to see Gabi’s sun kissed skin caress mine. I was glad it wasn’t the geezers playing a prank. Up front, Nyla’s car began slowing down when Gabi tugged at me to come down. I squirmed my way inside the car as we came to a full stop.

  Gerrard stretched an arm between the front seats to me. “Take this,” he said and waved a handheld radio in my face. “The range isn’t the best, but with the enhancers we should be able to pick it up unless we’ve left. If you call for us, we’ll come. I promise you.”

  I accepted it and shook his hand, watching as he bit back emotion. The scene of the old men’s solemn faces took me aback.

  Doc slapped my shoulder. “You be safe, alright?”

  I nodded and turned to Gabi. Tears were welling up in her eyes.

  “I’ll see you later,” I said and smiled, pulling at the door handle.

  Before I could leave, she grabbed my collar and pulled me into a hug. Each of her sobs felt like knives stabbing me in the heart. I wavered for a second before I hugged her back, biting back the tears of my own.

  We sat like that, each second dragging for what felt like an eternity before she let me go. She pressed her nose against mine, wiping her eyes with her sleeve, and kissed me. Her lips were soft, and salty with tears. I wanted to stay in that moment forever. Yet I knew from the sound of the crackling radio that my time had come.

  Separating myself from her, I felt the last twang of regret melt away. I was doing this for her, and the others. She smiled. “I’ll miss you.”

  “You’ll barely notice that I’m gone.”

  She laughed a little at that, subdued and hesitant. Her fingers lingered on my hand as I stepped out of the car. I had more things I wanted to say, things I wanted to thank her for, but that would all have to wait until next time.

  The veil fluttered. I cast one last glance at her as the radio crackled to life.

  “Contact!” Stewie screamed.

  My heart lurched to a stop in the split second before a roaring explosion tore through our line. The pick-up truck behind ours burst into flames and rocketed through the air. All the passengers inside were dead before the car landed on the ground again.

  “Go!” I shouted and slammed the passenger door shut. The wheels screamed as they gained traction and the car sped off to the others in front.

  Scanning the rooftops, I spotted a cloud of smoke lingering near an open window. Jackpot blared to life as I fired. The bullet tore into the roof of the room and enveloped it all in flames. Shattering the windows, the explosion raged on and set the building ablaze. A moment later, a burning soldier toppled out of the window like a falling comet.

  Our symphony of bullets shattered the illusion of a quiet city. Screaming soldiers rushed around me, seeking cover as I approached the building and loaded Jackpot with a second vial. My shoulder recoiled back as a bullet bit into my armor. I gritted my teeth and fired back, setting yet another room on fire.

  To my side, a blue blur of lightning dashed up the side of the house at inhuman speeds. Nyla jumped into my flames and tore through the enemy lines like a raging storm. “So much for it not becoming a habit,” I muttered and recalled our conversation from the day before.

  “Cal!” Quinn screamed.

  I cast my gaze her way, seeing a tide of approaching Scourge beasts. The same dogs we escaped a few weeks ago. They were running straight at the cars. I slung Jackpot over my shoulder and drew Stoneflow as I Burst forward. There were too many of them to count. Blessed soldiers of COBA gathered around the cars, establishing a defensive line.

  Kicking my feet against the ground, I jumped over their line and into the tide. The beasts’ eyes were glossed over and emotionless, just like the soldiers. The Puppeteer.

  I gritted my teeth and slashed my blade horizontally, reaping the lives of a handful Whispered Scourge. Twisting my body, I dodged the lunge of one and ripped into it with Silent scream. With cold steel in both hands and Burst enhancing my movements, I turned into a storm of cuts. Blood sprayed wherever I went, but I was just one man in a tide of monsters. More slipped by each second, tearing into the lines of inexperienced Blessed. They fought well, battering the monsters with clubs, slashing at them with swords, some brawled with their bare fists.

  A tower of smoke rose from the rear of our column. This ambush had been planned. With buildings to our sides and burning wrecks blocking our rear, we could only go forward, but that path was blocked with a tide of beasts.

  I locked eyes with Daryl who lead the defence and shouted, “We have to break through!”

  His mouth fell open, then closed as he nodded with resolution. I couldn’t hear what orders he barked to the soldiers, but I could guess as they started moving forward into a wedge formation. The cars followed close behind, not even keep so much as a meters distance between each other.

  Never stopping, I kept slashing and killing, darting around in the tide of monsters like the reaper himself. Whenever I could, I afforded myself a glance back to the convoy, just to make sure they were alright. Flickering blue lights illuminated the burning building every now and then as Nyla dealt with the Puppeteer’s soldiers. If I could only hold out long enough for her to help, we would make it out.

  “Look at your struggle, you pest! Watch as your friends and lovers die!” His voice fell over the battle like a blanket, filling each nook and cranny with its domineering bass.

  My body seized up for a moment, but not for long enough to halt my slaughter. He was here. And he would be next. Low growls accompanied my heavy breathing as I searched the surrounding buildings for his presence. The veil rippled and tugged in every direction at the many activations of blessings. But two forcers were stronger than the rest. One led to Nyla, the other to him.

  A bang and a scream broke my concentration, I recognized the shrill tone of it. Quinn. I scanned the battle, and found her clutching at her stomach. There were no hounds around her, yet blood seeped between her fingers as she went pale. Another bang echoed through the street and Quinn fell to the ground, revealing the civilian pointing a smoking gun at her.

  She wore a large smile and had eyes golden like the sun as she looked up at me. “I told you to watch.”

  Sob