Kyle muttered, “Fire,” around the joint between his lips. He turned up the radio right in time for the drum solo from In the Air Tonight.

Smith launched the Tritan trebuchet, previously hidden beneath the disabled projector. It expelled a steel ball across two miles of terrain. The legion of enemy blood suckers formed in a phalanx sure looked surprised when the ball landed and split in half as designed, releasing all the liquid gold poured inside.

With the joint between his fingers, he pointed further south. “We’ll need to fire in that direction next. Big cluster of them fuckers there.”

The unremarkable-looking soldier asked, “How many more of those did Andrew roll for you?”

“Uh, hmm. Lemme see.” He checked his stash. “Yea, looks like he set me up for the entire battle.”

“Can you spare one? I don’t care for their screams as they’re melting.”

Kyle knew exactly how he felt. “Yea, sure.” He kept smoking the stuff to dull the recall. He could download a billion people’s memories and still never lessen the sight of Rayne’s eyes as Nox—With a violent shake of his head, Kyle passed one on. “Don’t take offense or anything, but I thought you assassin types had a stronger stomach for this stuff.”

Smith shook his head as he took a hit. “I wasn’t there when the targets opened their envelopes.” He gestured at the fallen legion. “Watching the results in real-time changes things.”

Kyle nodded. “Yup. Sure does. Fire.”

The device auto-loaded another gold-filled ball like an evil truffle delivery. Even with the color drained from his skin, Smith lined up the sights and went to engage the weapon. The soldier always followed his orders.

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“Wait!” Kyle cried out as Rayne and Nox formed in the air.

Smith stared in awe as he muttered, “They’re gonna take everyone out with ‘em.”

Rayne backhanded Nox, sending the massive Icarus careening in their direction. Kyle shouted, “Incoming!” He climbed Molly and took cover on the other side with Smith right behind him.

Dirt and trees tore up all around them into a cloud of bullshit. Coughing through the miasma, they both climbed to the top of the rig for a better look. Sure the superhero fight put them all at risk. But it was fun to watch. Popcorn sounded good right then.

Nox stood and stared at Rayne in the sky. Blue and red blood coated him like tar, with the splinters and dust acting as feathers. Kyle couldn’t help himself. High as a kite, he snickered at the King of Cinder.

The giant turned his obsidian gaze on Kyle.

Fuck it. He pointed and laughed outright at the monstrous excuse for a person. Smith jumped an entire yard back when Nox appeared atop the semi beside them. His “royal rapist” gripped Kyle by the tie-dye shirt.

With a tilt of his head, Nox asked, “Have I thanked you, boy, for how much you helped me in acquiring Rayne?”

Kyle grit his teeth, ready for the beat-down of his life. He didn’t care if he died. And maybe this was the fitting end he deserved, but he planned to get in a few shots. That was enough. He let the fight show in his eyes.

“You wish to take a swing at me?” The humor in the Icarus’ voice hurt Kyle’s pride a little. But only a little. Nox released him and stepped back, arms wide. “Go ahead.”

Kyle glanced in his peripheral with a grin of his own. He wanted to show how smug he felt as he attested, “I’m pretty sure she’s got you covered.”

Rayne slammed into Nox, taking them both to the ground. With the staff Kyle made for her, she hit Nox in the head twice and once in the ribs before the giant Icarus broke away. She chased after him. They vanished up the trees and back into the sky where, Tameka rejoined the melee.

“Wow,” Smith muttered.

Kyle nodded, following them with his gaze through the air. “Yup.”

“Hey, did they fuck up your stash?”

“Son of a bitch!”