Dante folded his binoculars and tucked them into a pocket, though his eyes remained fixed to the warehouse door. Even on the roof of the squat building where he was standing, the air was still, and the clouds above were an angry grey. Hopefully they could get out of here before it started pouring down.

The girl had entered the building a few minutes ago. Gunfire had followed. Dante had considered calling for backup, but then everything had gone quiet. And from the shouts that came after, it sounded like Lawson’s crazy plan had worked. That man could be scary when he set his mind to something.

He turned with a sigh, checking his watch, even though he didn’t have anywhere else to be tonight. But it was easier to give in to old habits than get rid of them. They’d caught the girl now, and he would take the train home to his apartment and-

He saw something move from the corner of his eye. Someone was leaving the warehouse, and it looked like it was Lawson. He fumbled with the binoculars, pressing them to his eyes. “What the hell…?”

Lawson wasn’t alone - he was being escorted outside by one of his own men. At gunpoint. The pair positioned themselves next to the warehouse. More men followed, until there were five of them, all standing guard around the Commissioner. It was always a risk working with an unfamiliar team, and this was why. It looked like the whole damn SWAT team had been paid off.

Dante put a finger to his earpiece. Calling for reinforcements would be the best thing to do. Although, it almost looked like the SWAT bastards were staring in his direction...

He froze.

He left his earpiece and put his hands in the air. “Shit…” he muttered, looking down at the laser dots on his chest. So much for that plan.

*

One of the SWAT members pushed him, and he stumbled, almost colliding with the Commissioner. “Asshole,” he spat at the guard, who ignored him . He turned to Lawson, testing the handcuffs, “Small world, huh?”

Lawson chuckled, “Small world indeed.”

Dante waited for him to say something. When he didn’t, he lowered his voice and leaned in closer, “So what the hell actually happened in there?”

“I got a phone call.” Lawson said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Hyperion?”

“Someone working for him. He’s on his way here as we speak, though I doubt he’s in a rush.”

“They want the girl, huh?”

Lawson shrugged, “Not the girl so much as the suit. Although Hyperion has been known to take an interest in other… rebels.”

Dante shook his head, “No way he can recruit her. She has a personal vendetta, that’s all. Isn’t he too self-righteous for that kinda thing?” He looked over his shoulders at the guards watching them. His hands were handcuffed in front of him, but Lawson’s were free, clasped behind his back. That, coupled with the amused expression on his face, gave him the look of an old man waiting for the train. Dante lowered his voice further, “Are we gonna stop them?”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Lawson raised an eyebrow, “I don’t approve of all of Hyperion’s methods, but we do have a working relationship. Arresting the girl now would be an act of rebellion.”

Of course. Hyperion had helped fund the police, something Lawson owed him for. Just how deep their relationship went, well… they could talk about that some other time. “A man like him must be fond of rebellion, no?”

Lawson fell silent, and Dante could see real concern on his face for the first time that evening. “Perhaps. But if he really does want the suit, then it’s risky trying to keep it for ourselves.”

Dante knew Lawson was thinking about his wife and kids. It was unlikely Hyperion would do anything as drastic as murder him, especially since they had a working relationship, as Lawson said. But Hyperion worked at both extremes of mercy and brutality. There was no telling what he would or wouldn’t do.

“I’ll take the blame,” Dante said, giving him a nudge with his shoulder, “we have to take a stand, and if he comes after me, I got nothing to lose.”

“Are you sure?”

He shrugged, and Lawson smiled, “You’re a good man, Dante.” he nodded at the guards, “What’s the plan?”

“Er…” Dante looked around again. The five guards standing behind them seemed distracted, anxious, even, but he had no doubt they would shoot if he or Lawson tried anything. He frowned.

Lawson sighed, “Nothing? Well, so much for-”

Inside the warehouse, someone shouted and fired their rifle. The officers around them turned, hesitant. Dante raised his eyebrows at Lawson, who nodded.

Dante stepped towards the guard closest to him. Even with the handcuffs on, he managed to pull the pistol from his belt, firing at his legs. He dropped. Another guard aimed his weapon at Dante, but Lawson got to him first, swiftly disarming him.

Three to go.

Dante threw himself at one of them, and the startled guard fired into the air as he fell to the ground. Scrambling to his feet, Dante managed to empty the rest of the magazine into the guard’s arm, turning just in time to see Lawson lift a man from the ground and toss him aside. But there was another officer behind him, and his gun was pointing straight at Lawson’s back.

“Hey, watch out!” Dante yelled. He pulled one of the mags from his belt, fumbling to reload his pistol. The handcuffs dug into his wrists, and he dropped the mag. Shit. He glanced at the rifle beside him and lunged for it while the officer told Lawson to put his hands up.

Lawson turned and rushed towards him.

The officer fired as Lawson grabbed the rifle with his bionic arm, and the bullets pinged, as they were deflected in a few directions. He crushed the rifle with one hand, then smacked the officer, who landed in a heap a few feet away.

Dante got to his feet, dazed. Lawson chuckled, flexing his arm,

“Well, it’s for more than just signing papers.”

“You don’t say.”

Lawson shot the handcuffs, Dante slotted a mag in, and they rushed into the building.

Bodies were strewn all around the warehouse, and the girl’s suit was standing on its own somehow, while she stood beside it in her helmet. It was a lot to take in, but one thing standed out to him first - a man on the mezzanine pointing a gun at a scrawny figure in a balaclava. The man turned in surprise as they entered, and Dante managed to fire a few shots at him. He dropped.

“Release!” the girl yelled, and the suit opened up. She stepped right up to it, and it closed up again. “Traitor,” she said, looking at Lawson.

Dante exchanged a glance with him. He had a grim expression on his face. He removed his overcoat with one hand, folding it neatly, and passing it to Dante with a smile. “I assure you,” he started, addressing the girl, “what I did was for the best of this city, and perhaps… yourself, too.”

“You’re just like the rest of them,” she spat, and then she charged towards him like a silver bullet.

Lawson flexed his arm again, planting his feet and holding it out in front of him, palm facing outward.

Dante took a step back.