TWO

Two Days Ago

Four men wearing red skintight outfits and commando gear walked in through the hole in the wall the explosion left. They were carrying submachine guns. Red masks with big goggles covered their faces. Right after they entered a fifth man walked in, wearing the same outfit but instead of the red mask with goggles he was wearing a skull mask.

"What?!" Connor says.

"Oh god! That's The Red Raider" Hank said.

"Get down!" Katie yelled and tackled Hank to the ground. A barrage of machinegun fire barely missed him but hit the special radiation machine. It started to spark and fizzle, then explode. The explosion lifted Katie from her feet, throwing her across the room.

"Take them all out!" The Red Raider said.

"No! Leave us alone!" Connors said, running towards The Red Raider. The henchmen’s guns crack several times. Connors is dead before his body hits the ground.

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"Daaaaaaaaad!" Hank screamed and ran towards his father.

The henchmen pointed their guns at Hank, ready to fire. Katie, having made it back on her feet again could only think of one thing to do. It was either the stupidest or most heroic thing she had ever done. She jumped in front of Hank, the bullets hitting her, but never penetrating her body. They only tickled a bit. She fell on top of Hank. Had a miracle just happened?

"Sorry!" she said, her body covering that of the young man.

"Sorry? You just saved my life! But how can it be those bullets didn't kill you?"

"No time for that. We will have to survive these guys first," Katie said. The adrenaline coursing through her veins was incredible. She just knew there was no time for long thoughts or fear. She had to take action if they were to survive.

"We take the equipment, maybe we let you live," a henchman said.

"No, kill them. You know how it is with these survivors. Before you know it they want revenge and put on a mask or something,” The Red Raider said.

Katie understood this was their last chance. She jumped up, somersaulting, using her cheerleader training and natural athletic ability to the fullest. She landed on top of a henchman. She tackled him to the ground. Gritting her teeth, fueled by anger of seeing Connors getting killed, grabbed his gun and hit him in the face with it.

The other henchmen fired their guns at her. The bullets just bounced off.

"How?! Is she wearing kevlar or something?" The Red Raider wondered.

Katie had never handled a gun in her life but figured it had to be easy enough. Just pull the trigger, right? She squeezed the trigger and as it shook in her hands bullets flew from it just past The Red Raider.

"Damn! Let's get out of here!" The Red Raider said, apparently not sure what to do with someone able to fight back, someone not hurt by gunfire. He ran off, the henchmen following him. The sound of motorcycles starting. Then that of sirens in the distance.

"I think this is the start of a very strange time," Katie thought.