Ch 8: Always Listening. Always Watching.

The bulky truck drifted sharply around a right turn, leaving burning tire marks on the asphalt. One of the black cars followed, while the other continued straight.

Ace pulled a sharp right, tailing the truck. The distance between them was closing fast. Too fast. He slammed on the brakes. The rapid change in momentum caused whiplash; the tires ear-splittingly screeched as they ground to a halt.

Now both hands free, he grabbed the rifle slung across his back. The grip was slippery against his palms.

With the sound of distant rumbling growing louder, Ace turned to face the way he had come from, where the other black car came to a stop.

Hiro. This isn’t looking good.

He snapped his head back and forth between directions as they began leaving their vehicles. Seven. No ten people in total. Five on each side.

Quick. Think of something.
Ace glanced back over to Hiro’s motorcycle. Was it too late to escape?

The sun’s rays diffracted through the smog, casting a spotty glow on the street. Ace squinted through the light, picturing the shot and the aftermath. Logically, it was impossible—ten vs one with no way out.

Was this it? Failing on the very first mission? What a joke. Perhaps jumping from that building would’ve been the easier way out compared to whatever was about to happen to him. Electrocuted, burned alive, or frozen in ice. Ace envisioned the kinds of death that awaited him. The type of magic he hadn’t survived long enough to learn.

He took a small step back as the guards began approaching. A cutting pain jabbed the sole of his right foot.

Ah. The blisters have opened again. Ace sighed as he felt the blood oozing through the dried scabs. A familiar sight popped into his head, silky sheets and snowy pillows. Delicately sinking into the spongy cushioning. That’s where he belonged. Nothing greater than that.

I can't do this. Not me.

For a second, Ace thought that maybe with Hiro’s help, he could prove himself wrong.
Hiro had taken a chance on him, even at death's door, believing in him even when he hadn’t believed in himself.

Readjusting the rifle, he pressed the stock deeper into his shoulder. At the very least, Ace sure as hell wasn’t going out without putting up a fight. One eye shut, the scarlet holographic ring rocked up and down like a steady ship as he breathed. They say smooth currents never made a skilled sailor, but it didn’t mean anything if the sailor never made it back to shore.

A woman with two horns peeking out of her brown hair. Ace shifted the sight to the side. The longer he saw their face, the stiffer his finger. He couldn’t hesitate. There was no window for error. With a deep inhale, Ace was looking for the break; in those fleeting seconds, nothing could distract him.

KABOOM!

A rambunctious cacophony blared out from the truck, but Ace’s vision didn’t waver.

With heads turned, Ace took his chance.

There it was. The break, his father used to call it—the moment when everything in the world seemed to stand still.

A searing bolt of blue, then a clap of thunder. The body hit the floor. Ace held his breath for another shot. Sparks ricocheted onto the car, marking a burning trail on the hood.

Sparks and shouts resounded, but Ace remained peering down his sights.

“Watch out!” A guard screamed as the rune circle began to form on his palm. But it was too late, Ace could see the break—two more.

A ball of flames. Ace ducked, the heat grazing his shoulder. The fireball crashed into the motorcycle, erupting once more, leaving it a tangled mess of fire and charred metal.

Oh no.

“NOOOOOOOOO MY BABY!!!!” Hiro screamed, voice tearing from his throat.

With a wave of force, the blazing motorcycle flew forward, crashing into the mage.

One more on the left!

The guard charged the spell in his hand, beads of light swivelling around a crux.

Too slow.

Ace pulled back the trigger, planting his legs firmly. He felt like time had slowed down after firing, wait - maybe it had even stopped.

THWOOM.

Everything in Ace’s vision deformed into a blur. No longer feeling the ground beneath his feet, his stomach leaped into his chest. Before he could process what had happened, the coarse asphalt grazed his skin.

Again. A fabric of light began weaving together. Ace clawed at the ground, trying to scramble. But his body wouldn’t listen.

He choked and sputtered before sharply inhaling, still unable to fill his lungs. With no other choice, he watched as it charged up. Emitting a dazzling blue light that resembled the reflection of sunlight on ocean waves.

A small crack formed at its edge. Then it shattered like glass.

The mage showed a brief look of confusion before being wiped away by a flash of light. He collapsed to his side.

“You're welcome. Again.”

“I had him. I pulled the trigger and everything.” Ace said, between rapid breaths.

“No aether left probably. It’s still a prototype after all.”

“Your prototype almost got me killed.”

“And guess who still saved your life?” he replied with a smug look.

The only ones left standing were the captives, who were now dispersing with their newfound freedom. The fight had ended faster than it started.

“Wretches,” Hiro muttered, inspecting the sintered remains of his beloved bike, lighting a cigarette from the tip of its flames. “Huh…So they took the road to eleven after all. But there’s nothing over there. Where the hell…”

Hiro walked between the bodies on the ground, kicking each one. One of the bodies came back to life, coughing. He easily hoisted the skeleton of a man just off the ground by the collar. His cheeks sank inwards, and his hair was thinning, retreating at the edges.

“Oi. Where were ya taking us?”

The man, waking up from his daze, shook his head violently.

With a heavy fist, Hiro swung into the man's face.

“Let’s try that again. Where were ya taking us?”

"NO. Don’t ask questions, please. Please,” he begged, distraughtly skimming the surroundings.

Hiro’s knuckles landed with a thud, hitting nothing but bone, blood now trickling to his arm.

“I’ll ask you one last time. Where were ya taking us?!”

“SHHHHHH,” his hands were shuddering while his eyes darted frantically.
“They can hear us! They’re always listening. Always watching.”

“They?”

“SSSSSSHHHH”

The man clutched his chest, wheezing on rapid, shallow breaths. His voice was fading to whimpers. “No…No…”

“HEY!” Hiro raised his fist to throw another punch, but stopped as the man’s pleas turned to wails.

POOTH!!

Hiro jostled backwards, his arms reeling for balance.

The man reached behind him.

“WATCH OUT!!” Ace screamed, eyes wide.

Before the two could react, it was already too late.

BANG!!!