Terrified, Mina raised her hands as Raven pointed his gun at her. Behind her the fuses were ignited and if he didn't act quick, they'd both go up in smoke. But Mina was too overcome with emotion. "So, you are going to shoot me?! After all we've been through, you horrible jerk?!"

"Yes," Raven said with darkness forming in his already dark eyes. "Goodbye kiddo..."

Mina wanted to close her eyes and greet the ending with a complete veil over them, but instead she kept them open. She'd rather her mentor see the life seep from her eyes and forever be haunted by his misdeeds.

"Do your worst," she said as tears ran down her cheeks. "I may be the one who will die, but you're already dead to me."

Raven smirked, his finger wrapped around the trigger.

Click.

Mina's eyes widened. The gun was out of bullets and was totally useless. Mina feeling propelled by her adrenaline swung high for Raven's head. For a split second, she could have sworn he winked at her. Her fist collided with his head and he tumbled onto the floor, seemingly unconscious.

Mina turned to the fuses which continued to crackle ominously. A thought flashed in her head. Traitor or not, was she really going to let this man who had trained her in the art of being a clever defense attorney explode along with the Aura's evil scheme? For even a traitorous villain should be allowed to face justice.

She ran to grab him, but much to her surprise, he kicked her away. "Go..." he said. "Go on without me...At this point, I have realized what I've done, kid...I even tried to kill those two fops with my remaining bullets..."

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"You knew that gun was empty!" Mina said, her eyes tearing.

Raven flashed a grin. "A suave attorney like me can't give away all my secrets. Now run and be free. Of me...and the rest of this heinous scheme. Go on and become the best and most just attorney there ever was!"

"But..." Mina said, "I thought you would do anything to accomplish your mission, including kill me.."

"Yeah...but problem is, I like you, kid!" Raven said with a thumbs up. "My performance went both ways and now, I removed my mask...Now go!"

Mina's head raced with thoughts. What was Raven's history with the Aura? What had driven him to go this far? And did he really care enough now to let her and his secret plans go?

None of these questions would ever be answered...today, or ever. She just had to go.

"Goodbye...birdbrain..." She said softly and she ran from the room.

She quickly dashed up the stairs and out of the emergency exit where she tried to get as far away from the building as possible.

Police cars had arrived at a safe distance and she made her way to them. The chief was standing there having proudly handcuffed Ritchie Lord and Bunting Dupree. "Quick," Bunting shouted. "Vee need to get as far away from zis place as possible! Much like a bad souffle, this place is gonna blow!"

"We can't go!" Mina shouted in tears. "Raven is in there..."

"The birdbrain is in there?!" The chief demanded, her Slowtoxed face wrinkling. "It's too late to call a bomb squad or anyone...we just need to...duck!"

With her strong arms, Rita pulled Bunting and Ritchie down alongside Mina behind her police car....Just in time for the entire institute to erupt in an extremely orange and red burst of flames. Mina leaned hard against the car, sniffling in tears. She could feel the heat from the eruption and hoped the debris would not reach her body. But even worse, she knew she was not able to save Raven...either from his foolishness of getting roped in with the Aura or getting him out of the building.

Like the mystery itself, Raven would be lost forever in the flames of her own creation.