Rusty red metal groaned as Felix’s iron boots landed atop a grimy old fire exit, on the roof of the building near his destination. Directly in front of him was the burning warehouse where he was supposed to go.

Bits of rust fell as he descended, waves of intense heat brushed against his face with every step he took. The red flames and smoke towering over him.

When he made it halfway through the creaking staircase, a luminous white streak blasted through the warehouse.

He watched the glowing beam pierce through the smoke and cinder and rift apart the rain clouds forming above.

He pressed into his earpiece once more; “Sir, there appears to be a beam of light tearing through the buildings.” He remarked as the line of light reflected in his blue iris.

“You mean like a laser?” They asked.

“Yes siiiiir—!” The beam descended towards him like a sword swung downwards, slicing off a portion of the brickwork, as well as the staircase he was standing on.

Felix leapt out of the staircase before it could collapse, and quickly grabbed onto the leaky old pipes of the building beside him.

He watched as the staircase crashed down with a loud groan, and saw the beam dissipating into white particles, leaving behind a charred black line on the brickwork.

He let out a sigh of relief, only for a loud creak to return his sense of urgency. The old pipes could not handle his sudden weight, and the rusty old screws snapped off, leaving him to tumble down.

“... Bollocks…” He said, resigning to his fate.

He fell straight down with the pipe falling on his chest.

“Blue Phantom, what’s the situation?” The voice on his earpiece suddenly spoke.

He groaned in a deep pain as he arched his back against the sharp, jagged rubble, “Sir… may I… urgh… request assistance…”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The Chief’s voice then interjected, saying, “I’m afraid we can’t do that. There appears to be an agent already present inside who requested assistance. You are that assistance, and we cannot lose face.”

“R-right…”

“Emergency teams and first responders take too long to get there. Put a stop to what’s happening, and assist the operative inside before they get here.”

“Understood, sir.” He answered as he slowly crawled back up.

“Hurgh! Marie was right, my back’s still not healed yet.” He groaned and spoke in an aching, gravely voice, “Oh, I think it might be worse than before.”

“Mister, are you alright?” A voice asked from behind.

Felix’s eyes widened as he quickly turned to look behind, “A civilian?” He blurted out as he saw the young man in a green jacket.

“That was a hard fall, I should call the ambulance.” The young man asked as he pulled up a phone.

“No, I’m fine. Can you tell me what happened here?” Felix asked.

“I don’t… I don’t know.”

“Then can you help me get over there?”

“But… that’s… it’s on fire? Shouldn’t we wait for the fire department?”

“There’s no time… If I don’t get in there, someone might die.”

“You called me a civilian. Who… or what are you?” He asked nervously as he helped Felix get back up.

“That doesn’t matter, all you have to do is get me close enough. after that, you should get out of here.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Hmph?” Felix mumbled curiously.

“I’m scared… someone I know might be there.”

“Then just get me close enough and wait…”

“Ah, alright” The young man nodded.

“For me to be getting help from a civilian… How pathetic can I get?” Felix muttered to himself in a low voice as he was assisted to walk towards the building. “Hopefully Marie’s having a better time than I am…”

*

Silhouettes danced against bright lights as Maria slaughtered the men inside with a single combat knife. Her face covered in blood as she mowed down her enemies one by one with delighted laughter, swiftly slicing their necks open.

The deafening noise of car alarms and gunfire filled up underground parking.

Her target, the barcoded man, hid behind the armed men, quite a distance away from her, “What are you?!”

She slid under one of the men’s legs and quickly threw her knife against the back of his head, then quickly rolled over the concrete and hid behind a pillar while a barrage of bullets fired towards her.

Her breathing turned sharp and ragged as she clutched her lower abdomen. Blood covered her palms, “Shhhhhit. That stings.”

She ducked as bullets started to tear through the pillar she hid behind, “Hopefully Felix is doing better right now.”

Maria pulled out another knife from her thigh and leapt out the other side of the pillar, racing towards her barcoded target.

“FUCK!” The barcoded man quickly retreated while the group of armed men kept firing at her.

“Get back here and give me the key!” She yelled, several bullets grazing at her skin.

~