Guardians: The Fallout

by Lola St. Vil

  “What the hell is it?” Jay asks.

  “I’m glad you asked. It’s a Divider.”

  “What does it divide?” Marcus asks filled with disdain.

  “Flesh from bone.”

  He slaps Emmy several times to wake her. Once she is awake, he yanks her up and hurls her into the Divider.

  The beam of light latches on to Emmy and holds her in midair.

  She is frozen in fear as we look on helplessly.

  “Now, tell me what you think, because I worked really hard on this,” The Hun says in a sickly sweet voice.

  The beam of light grows and wraps itself around Emmy.

  Her face is twisted in pain as the light begins to pull the flesh away from her forehead. The screaming is inhumane.

  The Hun releases his finger from the small remote that controls the Divider.

  “Now be fair, don’t die until I have taken you to level five at least. This is only level one,”

  “I have an idea,” Marcus whispers to me. Seconds later he is running down the stairs with

  Miku and Rio behind him.

  I try and call for the items in her apartment but with the force field intact, I can barely get the cup on the table to budge.

  “I’m gonna Glide and get all the residents out.”

  “You can only Glide two people at a time. That’s going to take forever.”

  “It’s better than standing here,” Jay says.

  “I’ll help you.”

  As I am about to take off, she calls out to me.

  “Ameana don’t leave me.” Her voice is shaking. Her face is whiter than the snowstorm of Barrow, Alaska.

  “We’re gonna get you out. I’m going to help Jay.”

  “No, don’t leave me,” she begs again.

  Jay looks at me and takes off.

  “Ameana!” she screams as The Hun turns up the power on the Divider.

  “I’m here. It’s okay. It’s okay.”

  “Don’t lie to her, Guardian. She’s going to die.”

  Emmy starts laughing hysterically.

  “I can’t believe this.”

  “What, that your death is so near?” The Hun asks.

  “No, that you’re such a joke.”

  “Emmy—” I warn her. But she goes on.

  “All this time I have heard about how evil and powerful you are. But you’re just a reject from a bad horror flick.”

  “Where is the Triplex?”

  “Eat me,” she says.

  I want to like this girl.

  The Hun turns up the power again and Emmy’s skin is being ripped off slowly. The skin just above her eyes is no longer there. The Divider continues its work; Emmy’s face rains blood.

  “Okay, okay. I’ll tell you where it is. Just make it stop. Please.”

  “I’m not sure I believe you.”

  “Please, I’ll show you; just make it stop.”

  “Where is it?”

  “It’s in a box. I tied it around with Samson string. Only my hands can untie it.”

  “I know how Samson String works. Where is the Triplex?”

  “Only if you make it stop,” she pleads. He turns the Divider up even more.

  “No!” she shouts as yet more of her face is slowly carved off by the light of the beam below.

  “You don’t give The Hun orders. Where is the Triplex? Tell me or I will kill you right now.”

  “Okay, okay. It’s in the hall closet. In a small gray box.”

  He stomps his way down to the hallway closet. I watch as he opens it. Suddenly a big gray cat jumps out of the closet causing the Hun to drop the remote.

  The Divider shuts down and Emmy falls to the ground.

  The Hun hurls the cat into the window. The cat makes a sorry sound and slides to the floor.

  Bleeding and battered Emmy spots the remote across the room.

  The Hun spots it too. They dive for the remote at the same time.

  Emmy gets to it a fraction of a second sooner. The floor beneath them starts shaking. Marcus and the others have found a weak point in the force field. They are attacking it from the apartment below.

  In all the shaking, Emmy loses her grip on the remote. It falls a few feet out of her grasp.

  She reaches for it again but this time, The Hun yanks her feet out from under her.

  She falls face first on to the floor. Emmy feels around for the remote. She is unable to find it. Even if it was in plain view, there is so much blood on her face, I’m certain she wouldn’t see it.

  “It’s over on your left,” I call out to her.

  She searches but makes no contact with the remote.

  “Come human, let The Hun show you death.”

  “No thanks, I’m not looking for new friends.”

  Suddenly, Emmy grabs a hold of something. It’s the cross pendant that’s around her neck.

  She holds it like a weapon, lifts it high above her head and plunges it into the eyeball on The Hun’s neck.

  He calls out in pain and holds his neck. Puss and bile ooze out from the eye socket. Not wanting to give him a chance to recover, Emmy gives him a swift hard kick in the head with her heel.

  He rolls over towards the Divider. Emmy gets hold of the remote but there is no way she can move The Hun closer to it.

  Just then Marcus and the others completely break through the force field from the apartment below.

  “Throw him onto the Divider,” Emmy orders.

  Without a second thought Marcus grabs the Hun and throws him on top of his own weapon. Emmy presses the button. It must have been set to the highest level because the light expands to the size of the building itself.

  It radiates through The Hun’s body. He screams and wails but the Divider continues to do its job.

  “Tell Atourum she’s gonna have to do better,” Emmy says as she pushes the remote to the maximum power.

  The Hun explodes. Everyone in the room is dragged to the ground by the power of the blast.

  All that remains of the once powerful Hun are scattered veins and teeth.

  The force field is down.

  I run inside and survey the damage.

  Marcus checks on Emmy, who is bleeding badly.

  He then consults Rio.

  He reads her wave.

  “We need to take her to Daraquin to get healed, quickly”

  “I’m on it,” Jay says as he picks her up to Glide her to the City of Paras.

  “Marcus…”she calls out weakly, while in Jay’s embrace.

  “I’m here.”

  “My face…”

  “You look beautiful.”

  “Liar.”

  He tenderly puts his hand through her blood soaked hair and her nearly demolished face.

  Jay Glides her out quickly. Marcus asks if we’re okay. We tell him we’re fine and that he can go ahead to Daraquin with Emmy.

  We said we’d clean up the mess and get there as soon as we can.

  Marcus takes off.

  “I can’t believe we’re not all dead,” Rio says as his twin sister shakes her head.

  The relief in the room is palpable.

  “Emmy and the team beat the Hun; saved the day. But we have to face a very sad fact,” Jay says.

  “What?”

  Jay surveys the wreckage left behind from the battle.

  “There’s no way in hell that Emmy’s mom is gonna get her cleaning deposit back.”

  *****************************

  Here’s where being an angel comes in handy. Once we get to Daraquin, they are able to fix Emmy up in a matter of minutes. Since her wounds are human the healers had no problem putting her face back together again.

  You would never know that hours ago she was nearly skinned alive. She looks healthy and aside from a few dark circles, she is no worse for wear. Everyone gathers at her bedside.

  “I can’t believe you’re making me stay here,” she complains to Marcus.

  “I’m not making you stay in a prison full of viciou
s inmates. You are in the city of Paras. Most humans would be happy to be here,” he retorts.

  “But I’m all better now.”

  “Yes, but you need to rest.”

  “Marcus is right. It’s only for a day or two,” Gray says.

  “This is my reward for defeating the Hun, bed rest?”

  “That, and you get to spend the night looking at my face. I mean…c’mon,” Rio adds.

  “Be still my heart,” Emmy says in a southern accent.

  “Gray, have you ever heard of an angel that can shoot fire?” Miku asks.

  “No, fire is a demon quality,”

  “So, no Angel has done that, ever?”

  “No, why do you ask?”

  “She was just curious,” I say before anyone else can answer.

  They all take the hint and remain quiet.

  “I’m gonna go. I got some stuff to do,” I say as I head to the door.

  “Hey, Ameana?”

  I turn to face her.

  “Thanks for staying with me.”

  “Part of my job.”

  Then I head out of the room.

  As fly towards the White Forest, I try to address the question that’s been on my mind for hours.

  Why can I shoot fire?

  “I thought that would be rather obvious.”

  I turn and find the Sage standing behind me on one of the nearby trees.

  “Well, it’s not. So tell me, why am I shooting fire?”

  “Well, your powers are a part of who you are. You’re an Angel; that gives way to Angel-like characteristics such as helping, caring, and fighting evil. But now that you have taken other interests that lay outside the guidelines of good, your powers have done so as well.”

  “So I can shoot fire because I am around someone who can?”

  “No, you can shoot fire because you now understand the hate and fury that fire requires to emerge. Angels normally don’t feel enough hate or rage to make that happen.”

  “This is a bad thing then?”

  “How long can you stay an Angel if the only being you identify with is a demon?”

  I walk past him. I don’t care what else he has to say. I don’t care what anyone has to say at the moment.

  I’d love to find a demon or a Runner, something to battle. Instead of battling myself like I’m doing right now.

  I go back to the city and tell myself that I’m headed for the shops. I tell myself that I’m not headed there. I’m just around the area. But it’s all a lie. I’m headed straight for Rage’s place.

  Yeah, I know, bad idea. But you know what else is bad? Watching the light in my ex-boyfriend’s eyes when he sees his new girl smile.

  Standing by her bedside wondering what she did to make him fall for her. Or worse, what is it that I didn’t do?

  And knowing that I would have to go with him to give him his Rah back…

  We won the battle against the Hun. We’re closer to the Triplex. So why do I feel further and further away from the things I really want?

  Don’t go Mimi. Just do something else. Call Miku and hang out with her. Go to Paris and shop. Go to Cairo, Egypt and explore. Whatever you do, don’t do this. This is so bad for you.

  Even as I say these things, I head over there. The more I know it’s wrong, the more I want to do it.

  When we were fighting the Hun and the Akons it was a great distraction. Now we have no more distractions. So, I’m left to my thoughts and they are always the same; Marcus.

  I can’t stand it. Why didn’t anyone tell me how difficult it was going to be to fall out of love? Had I known that I never would have fallen into it.

  Yeah Mimi, like it’s really that easy.

  My cell phone vibrates. I pick it up.

  “Yeah.”

  “Hey Mimi, Rio and I found out what the date the Council gave us means!”

  “What, how?”

  “We were running a check on all the police files to see if anything looked unusual. And we found a police report filed on the 18th of June, sixteen years ago. It’s a report filed by Emmy’s mom.”

  “That’s the date she was raped by Julian?”

  “Exactly. The Council came to earth on the very day.”

  “That means Julian is an even bigger part of this than maybe even he knows.”

  “You think the Triplex could be with Julian? Could he be hiding it?”

  “No, he would have played that card already if he had it. Knowing how much he doesn’t want Marcus and Emmy together, he would have blackmailed Marcus.”

  “That true. So maybe he has it but doesn’t know.”

  “Rio is going to trace his steps. Look around in the cities he’s lived in and see if anything comes up.”

  “Great. Also, check on Emmy’s mom. I know she’s human and doesn’t know anything, but it can’t hurt.”

  “No problem. Where are you?”

  “Taking a walk.”

  “Alone?”

  “Yeah.”

  “C’mon. Are you off to see some hot guy or what?”

  “He’s kind of hot. Actually, he’s sizzling,” I laugh out loud to myself.

  “What does that mean?”

  “Nothing, Pretty. I gotta go.”

  “Wait, one more thing.”

  “Yeah?”

  “What’s up with you and Rio?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  “Just because I can’t read waves doesn’t mean I can’t read my best friend or my twin.”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Well, I’m a smart girl. Talk to me.”

  “I did something and he’s really mad about it. I can’t undo it, so…”

  “What did you do?”

  “Like I said, something that can’t be undone.”

  “Well, are you sorry you did it?”

  Wow, am I?

  “Sometimes.”

  “Well, just say you’re sorry. I mean it’s not like you plan to do it again, right?”

  I look up and find myself on his block.

  “Hello?” Miku says on the other end of the phone.

  “Yeah?”

  “Are you going to do it again?” she repeats.

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Do I get a vote?”

  “Do you want one?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay, then yes.”

  “I vote you don’t do it.”

  “You don’t even know what it is.”

  “Doesn’t matter. My brother is a very nice guy, even among Angels. If you are doing something that is making him upset, it means you’re doing something that’s wrong. So, whatever you’re doing, stop.”

  “I don’t know if I can, Pretty.”

  “Mimi?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I love you.”

  “You’re so melodramatic.”

  “I know, but I do. I love you very much and I’ll be here when you’re really ready to talk.”

  “Okay. Thanks.”

  I hang up and put the cell back in my pocket. Damn it. Miku is right. What I’m doing is very wrong. But what’s so wrong about having a little fun?

  What’s wrong about wanting to get away from the love of your life now that he has replaced you?

  Screw it. I march down the alley and make my way towards Rage’s place.

  I’m only a few feet a way. The gray rusty metal door awaits me.

  The wind blows slightly, sending chills down my spine.

  I have a flash of Marcus and how warm I felt when he was holding me. How he seemed to make everyone in the world disappear.

  I realized that was the last time I felt safe, when I was in Marcus’s arms.

  Had I known it would be the last time, would I have held him tighter? Would I have asked him to hold me longer?

  The scene plays out before me like something on a movie screen. Only I feel like I am inside of it. I can see the memory so clearly, it’s as if it is happening now.

  It was a few weeks ago. He had
just tracked down a demon that turned out to be much stronger than he thought.

  Marcus took him down but not before he got in a few good blows. I was up on the roof addressing the wounds on his shoulder.

  It was just the two of us up there. It was around two in the morning and for once the city wasn’t vibrating with activity. It seemed calm; peaceful. It was as if New York City was giving us a moment to ourselves.

  I looked at my boyfriend and jokingly asked if he ever thought of just blowing off the mission.

  He laughed at me. I tell him that the two of us could go skiing off the highest mountain we could find. We could go island-hopping, literally.

  Or we could even spend the weekend at Arden’s mansion. There we could drink Coy, dance, party, and not have a care in the world.

  He looks at me. He knows I’m only joking. We sit in silence for a moment then he speaks but unlike me, he wasn’t joking. He was dead serious when he spoke. And like the teardrop tattoos on my body, his words stayed with me.

  “Sometimes Mimi, I really do want to say screw this mission. When I’m being hit with fireballs, acid and daggers…I have moments when I think maybe I won’t make it out of this. But I fight anyway.”

  “Of course you do; this is your mission.”

  “No, I don’t fight because it’s the mission. I fight so that I can come home to you. No matter what fiery fate awaits me out there, I make it my duty to get back to you.”

  A car horn from the street snaps me out of my daydream. A surge of hate rages through me as I recall how much that night meant.

  I don’t need to think about going over to Rage’s place anymore; if he can have Emmy, than I can have Rage.

  I march up to the front door and bang loudly for Rage.

  I wait a few seconds, and then the door swings wide open.

  Standing before me isn’t the leader of the Akons; it’s the leader of the Guardians.

  And he is pissed.

  *****************************

  CHAPTER TWENTY: ORDERS

  “Your boyfriend can’t make it tonight. He’s busy trying to get out from the pile of cars I threw on top of him.”

  “Did you kill him?” I ask.

  “Not yet.”

  “Oh.”

  Marcus rips the door from its frame and sends it halfway down the alley.

  “How the hell could you do this?” he bellows.

  “I don’t have to explain anything to you,” I say as I stomp down the alley and away from him.