Wednesday, May 30

  Extraction Point Mission:

  Survive:

  - Again

  - Again

  - And Again

  One glance at my armor. One glance at my Perk. One chance to make this all work.

  “Clear!” The shout echoed through the dim aisles, a sharp command slicing the tense silence of the library. I crept forward, weaving between towering bookshelves that loomed like silent sentinels, their spines a mosaic of faded colors and forgotten titles. Footsteps clapped in erratic rhythms, scattering toward every corner—hunters closing in on their prey. I peered through a narrow gap between stacked volumes, the musty scent of paper thick in the air.

  Three figures approached, their silhouettes sharp against the flickering emergency lights. TSA spies, geared in sleek black tactical suits, wands humming faintly at their sides.

  I glanced down at my armor—its metallic weave pulsing with latent energy—and deployed the harpoon with a soft whirr. As the first spy rounded the corner, I fired. The cable snapped out like a lasso, snagging him mid-stride. He yelped, yanked forward in a cartoonish blur, arms flailing as the others emerged behind him.

  I caught him mid-flight, pivoting to hurl him at lightning speed toward the rightmost enemy. They collided with a bone-jarring crunch, smashing through the shelf in a cascade of splintered wood and tumbling books.

  The survivor didn't hesitate—his wand leveled, firing bolts that streaked like angry hornets. But with a swipe of my finger, I redirected them, the air warping around my Perk's influence. Pages exploded into confetti, fluttering like snow as the shots embedded harmlessly in walls and floors. I charged, fist cocked, and unleashed a punch that whistled through the air. He ducked, countering with a swift elbow aimed at my jaw. I intercepted it with my left hand, twisting his arm while jabbing his ribs with a sharp hook. Then, with a surge of power, I launched him upward.

  He slammed into the ceiling with a thud, dislodging dust and tiles, before plummeting back. Mid-fall, I seized his legs and slammed him into the ground. Blood splashed across my visor, warm and metallic, but my eyes locked onto something else: his dropped wand, glinting on the floor like a fallen star.

  “Seven o’clock! Seven, seven!” A frantic voice barked from the shadows.

  I whipped around. Four more spies burst into view, wands blazing. Bolts erupted in a rainbow of destruction—purple arcs crackling with electricity, red flames licking the air, black voids sucking in light, white bursts exploding on impact. They hurtled toward me in a deadly barrage.

  To my left, a shelf groaned under its weight. I grabbed it with both hands, yanking it forward as a makeshift shield. The bolts hammered into it, obliterating the wood in a shower of fragments. The force propelled me backward, slamming me onto the floor. I skidded across the floor, shards embedding in my skin like fiery needles, pain blooming in sharp waves.

  Before I could rise, another body tripped over me—a straggling spy, tumbling in surprise. He scrambled up, helmeted head jerking toward me. Though I couldn't see his eyes, the panic in his posture screamed volumes. He fumbled for his sidearm, aiming wildly. I deflected his arm with a sweep, the shot going wide. From my elbow, a concealed blade extended with a snick. I drove it into his chest. He yelped, hands splaying open as his gun clattered free.

  Snatching the weapon, I pistol-whipped him across the face—glass shattering in a web of cracks—then stomped down twice for good measure. I averted my gaze from the mess; the sight alone might have turned my stomach inside out.

  The original four spies thundered down the hall now, boots pounding like war drums. One knelt, wand striking the floor with a resonant thump. Energy rippled outward like a tidal wave, the wooden planks buckling and splintering into jagged spikes that raced toward me.

  “Shoot...” I muttered under my breath, the word barely escaping.

  Through the armor's interface, I activated inverse gravity—a risky maneuver, but necessary. The world inverted; I rose weightlessly, jerking my body forward to avoid cracking my skull on the ceiling beams.

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  “What the—” one spy stammered, staring up in disbelief.

  Worth every last drop of those 1900 MP, I thought, the drain tugging at my core like a phantom ache.

  I evaded the wooden onslaught, hurtling toward them mid-air. Nausea churned in my gut, so I deactivated the field, dropping like a stone. Channeling my Perk, I slammed my fists into the ground upon landing. A shockwave erupted, blasting them backward in a tangle of limbs. Nearby shelves disintegrated into clouds of wood and paper, debris hanging suspended for a heartbeat.

  With a focused thought, I froze it all—time seeming to stretch as I scanned left and right: five spies on each flank, closing in with grim determination. Then, like unleashing a storm of shurikens, I hurled the fragments their way. They sliced through the air, embedding with wet thuds. Blood sprayed in arcs, painting the chaos in crimson.

  In moments, the library transformed into a wasteland—as if an EF5 tornado had birthed itself amid the stacks, leaving only ruin and echoes.

  I stood amid the devastation, chest heaving, mind reeling. What just happened? Not even five deep breaths could untangle the frenzy in my head, the sequence blurring into a haze of motion and power.

  Then, faint sounds pierced the silence—incomprehensible at first, like muffled chokes or pained coughs. Feminine, fragile. My eyes widened, heart skipping.

  I bolted toward the noise, vaulting over toppled shelves, scattered books, and fallen foes. But as I rounded the final corner, the source revealed itself in the worst way imaginable.

  September—my September—dangled in Mari's grip, a hostage in the crossfire. Mari looked sharper than I'd imagined, shedding her usual oversized hoodies for a form-fitting black long-sleeve shirt, utility belt cinched tight around her waist, tactical pants tucked into sturdy boots that clicked with authority. Her smile twisted into something revolting as she pressed a gun to September's temple, the barrel cold and unyielding.

  “Don’t attack yet,” Mari warned, her voice smooth as silk over steel. “You’d end up killing both of us—especially her.”

  My blood simmered, a slow boil rising to fury. “I will make sure your end is nothing short of agonizing if you so much as scratch her.”

  “We only face the end once,” she countered, unfazed. “Not much for comparison. Either way, you can take me out and doom her in the process, or... surrender yourself. You or her. Simple choice.”

  “You’re twisted—”

  “You just wiped out an entire squad,” she interjected, gesturing at the carnage with a tilt of her head. “I merely lifted some intel. Who’s the real villain here? Not like your side can’t rebuild what I took. These people? They’ll never see their families again. Yet you paint yourselves as the heroes in this grand charade.”

  September shook her head weakly, a silent plea in her eyes.

  “Stop moving,” Mari snapped, tightening her hold. “I won’t warn you again.”

  “Don’t you dare do a thing,” I hissed, drawing my own gun and leveling it at her chest.

  “Haven’t lifted a finger yet,” she replied coolly. “Look, we’re all just pawns in the same game—you and I especially. Pushed by higher-ups with their own agendas. But deep down, those agendas align more than you think.”

  “Align? Really? Because bombing innocents, kidnapping me, stealing secrets—that all screams ‘same side’ to me,” I retorted, sarcasm dripping like venom.

  “It’s all a big misunderstanding, boiled down to basics,” Mari said, her eyes gleaming with feigned empathy. “Come on—did you choose this path, or were you shoved into it?”

  I drew a deep breath, the truth stinging. This whirlwind of events had swept me up; control was an illusion I'd clung to.

  “Exactly my point,” she pressed on. “Join me, and that could end this mess. Do you really think this war helps anyone? Society? The world at large?”

  I shook my head, teeth clenched, gaze dropping to the blood-streaked floor.

  “But imagine uniting our strengths—to truly safeguard the everyday people. We could be that beacon. Are you willing to risk it for something bigger?”

  “Then release her,” I demanded, lifting my eyes to glare. Her expression shifted, darkening into reluctant defeat.

  “I need your word—commitment.”

  “I’m not committing to anything until September’s free.”

  “September won’t fall for your recklessness. This isn’t some fairy-tale romance; it’s survival. Think logically. You expect me to let her go so you can blast me away, then skip off into the sunset like lovebirds?” Mari reasoned. “Drop the gun and approach. We won’t harm you—I give my word. She’s worthless to us; no reason to end her.”

  “Don’t listen—” September wheezed, voice strained.

  Mari huffed in irritation. In a blur, she fired—two shots into September’s legs. A piercing shriek tore from her throat as she crumpled.

  My heart lurched into overdrive. I squeezed the trigger repeatedly, bullets flying—but they struck an invisible barrier, rippling like water disturbed by stones. I narrowed my eyes, frustration mounting.

  “Keep your end of the deal,” she affirmed, unmoved.

  Rage consumed me, a red haze clouding my vision. I surged forward, shattering the barrier with sheer force. My arm glowed crimson, fist aimed straight for her chest like a guided missile.

  Her eyes widened in genuine fear as the punch connected. She vanished in a burst of displaced air, hurled backward into obscurity.

  September collapsed, gasping in agony. I dropped to my knees beside her, heart hammering. “Okay, I need to—”

  “No... just go. I’ll manage... somehow,” she groaned, wincing. “Give me a moment.”

  “What? No—we have to get you out—”

  Suddenly, the library wall exploded inward, a roaring wave of fire cascading through the breach. I shielded September with my body, arms wrapping tight as my back ignited with protective energy. The flames hammered against us, heat pressing like a forge, but I held firm—diverting the inferno around us in swirling eddies.

  When the blaze subsided, I released her slowly. She glanced back first, eyes widening. I followed her gaze. There stood Mari, radiating an unnatural red glow, as if flames coursed through her veins. Crimson lines traced her skin, fingertips alight with embers, eyes bloodshot and blazing with unbridled fury—no smile, no smirk, just pure, seething rage.

  She’d stolen my Perk.