Alexander never seemed far behind as we fled the once believed to be safe house his rhythmic splashing steps an echo of my own as we ran down the pavement dodging tents and mounds of assorted junk barely illuminated by the lightposts guiding our escape.

The sound of helicopters and prerecorded warnings becoming a white noise that filled my mind all other sensations dropping away as if the noise itself was painted over them.

Something clamped around my arm stealing all my momentum, I jerked forward as energy ripped itself free of me

“Alastor where are we going.” turning, I faced Alexander as both he and the world around us came into focus, I took it all in doing my best to find a street name as quickly as possible “Alastor, where is the car.”

I searched my vision darting one way then another until finally I found It “It should be just another block down this street, if we hurry we can get away without any more complications.”

I turned attempting to running, but Alexander didn’t budge nor did his grip waver as he began to speak.

“Alastor, calm down and look down that street, very carefully.”

At first, his words just made me want to run as some primal instinct kept telling me to bolt and leave him behind after all the street was dark I could easily vanish down it, but then his words clicked.

The street was quiet and no lights whweren in the buildings or the street, then I saw it, there was another of those things like the one that had been standing over me when Alexander arrived, and it was pulling someone out of the building with no resistantes despite the fact the individual looked fully aware, they stood tall eyes open and followed along behind the creature one of its tendril of pink flesh connecting their heads.

That was until a shot rang out and the creatures main brain like mass became a paist stretching across the street and leaving a splatter across my shoes as its quary faling to the ground tendrill falling away, alexander stepping up beside me rife in hand.

He didn't lower his gun despit the fact that the creature was certanly dead, instead, he leaned over and spoke as quietly as his helmet would allow

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Alastor we need to find another path to the cab, that wasn't me.”

CRACK alexander vanished from my sight the street in front of me going with him I could feel strands of my weave shoting out and slithering through the air as alexander shouted and someone tackled me all senses exploding in a chaotic malstrum.

I threw my hands over where my face should have been and started to weave it back together focusing my will and attention into sealing the crater.

When my palms finally filled my vision I let go of my head allowing everything to come into focus, a rushing black slate filled my vision interrupted by some movement, and a jostoling sensation, the realasation that I was looking at the ground as it rushed by alexander's legs pumping as he ran joseling me with every step as helicopters raddled near by and lights moved over the buildings around us throwing shadows into the alleyway I found myself in was less than dignifing.

“Alex, what happened ?”

Alexander immediately wipped in my direction and looked at me in what must have been his puriforal vision “your, alive,?”

Why is he so surprised I mean he must have suspected i would live after all who would carry a corps when fleeing the authorities “Yes I'm fine but I would like to run on my own .”

Stoping for a moment he set me down with about as much grace as he carried me and handed me my briefcase then wasted no time taking the lead and running so fast I thought he would leave me behind.

“Our exfil is on this next street, so when we exit this ally we will both dash right and follow the road till we meet the cab.”

Alexanders tone shocked me more than the fact that he carried me for who knows how long, It was like that of a carrier soldier rather than the spoulid rich kid I had been dealing with over the past week.

So In silence we ran reaching the end of the ally and banking right just to stumble directly into a three-man squad of IXCU officers about three feet infront of us their backs turned, but before a single one turned around Alexander slammed his rifle stock into the closets ones head causing Their weapon to clatter across the pavement, following the motion Alexander smoothly transitioned into a firing stance an released two rounds into the back of one's neck before they could move, Alexander shifted to fire at the third but this one was faster getting his shot aliened before Alexander could.

CRACK Alexanders helmet took a hit fiberglass shell flying off as a small crater formed, Alexander rifle went off in a burst landing an unfocussed blow to the gut of the armored individual

Their weapon misfiring as they crumpled

“MOVE!”

Alexander bolted forward falling before he made another step in our rush we had both forgotten about the first soldier that was currnetly gripping his cave so alexander kicked out slamming his armoured foot into his apponates face plate so hard it crummpled falling forward like a destroyed windshield

Alexander was on his feet in a moment rifle pointing at what musted have been the officers exposed head, “Get to the car”

I looked up at alexander “Al! get to the car!”finally registering what he said I dashed pasted him the sounds of helicopters getting closer as I ran for the same thing that had caught this squads attention, a yellow cab with such a basic design that it was almost suspicious.

Once I was within ten feet the doors opened of there own free will, I rushed to it diving in only to be surprised by someone landing on me a few second after I made contact with the seat a metallic echo sounding as rubber screched against pavement.