Joey huddled in the storage room with the other employees and the two customers who'd been in Green's when the attack started. He had no idea what was going on outside, and he wasn't sure if he should expose himself as Jumper. If it got bad enough, Cleo would probably text him, right?
The doors were locked, the front lights were off, and they'd pushed crates of vegetables in front of the storage room door to block it. Only when the military told them it was safe to leave would they remove the barrier. Joey, Justice, and the other employees were catching their breath after moving so many heavy crates in such a short amount of time, but it would keep them all safe.
One of the customers was having a panic attack, while Justice did his best to calm him down. The others huddled away from the door, doing their best to keep level heads.
Joey's phone buzzed, and he checked it. A text from Cleo.
"They could use you out there. Want me to move you?"
He chuckled slightly. If she was saying so, he was probably necessary to ensuring that Team Chaos didn't get what they wanted. It took him all of ten seconds to text her back.
"Ready when you are."
Almost immediately, a portal opened up under him and he yelped in surprise as he tumbled into his room in the Underwing. He wouldn't worry about the terrified expressions on his coworkers' faces as he fell. For now, he was Jumper, and he needed to get changed.
Courtney used the ice to her advantage as she slid around Cold Snap, trying to buy enough time for Sawyer to get all the civilians out.
"Stay still!" Cold Snap growled as she stomped her foot and made pillars of various size grow out of the ice covering the ground. Each one was meant to box Courtney in, but she was getting the hang of using her foot to push off into a slide around the area. Her Miracle was at a disadvantage here because there was no traction, but she was learning to navigate around it. Using the slipperiness of the ice to her advantage, she skated around Cold Snap, trying to find an opening where she could hit her.
At the very least, Courtney had to keep moving fast enough that Cold Snap wouldn't be able to freeze her feet in place.
She cursed as another pillar grew up around her, finally blocking her in. Courtney glared at Cold Snap through the gap and threw her weight against the ice. Somehow, it held firm. Another hit like that could easily mess up her arm or shoulder, so Courtney would have to find another way out.
"Now I've got you," Cold Snap said with a grin as she turned her attention back to Sawyer and the last two people he hadn't gotten out. Courtney tried jumping over the pillars, but they were too high and slippery.
Sawyer glanced at Courtney, then at Cold Snap, then the civilians.
"Don't worry about me! Get them out of here!" Courtney yelled. Sawyer glanced at her, still torn, and she wanted to scream at him.
"Help Lightning!" The voice was accompanied by two long vines reaching from the level above them, grabbing the civilians and pulling them up.
"Thanks!" Sawyer called back, running for Courtney. She watched the vines crawl up the building, surprisingly fast for plants, and couldn't help but smile.
"Damn you!" Cold Snap threw a few icicles at Rose's vines, but he sent down more to intercept them. Meanwhile, Sawyer got to Courtney and ripped one of the icicles away from the ground, making it look so easy that it was a wonder Courtney had struggled to get out before.
Next, Sawyer threw the massive chunk of ice at Cold Snap. She didn't quite notice until it was too late to dodge, and the pillar landed on her, making her let out another string of curses.
"Thanks, Rose!" Courtney called. "Take care of the civilians for us, will you?"
"Got it," he called back, helping the two people up over the railing. They were injured, so he pulled them out of sight, presumably somewhere they could rest safely until a medical team arrived.
"Have some of this." Courtney glanced up, surprised to see Jo with Rose. She tossed a couple bottles down, and Courtney made sure to grab them so they didn't smash on the ice.
"What are they?" she asked, keeping Cold Snap in her peripheral as she struggled to get out from under the pillar Sawyer had thrown at her.
"Something to keep you from getting frostbite or hypothermia," Jo replied. "Don't worry about us. We'll handle the civilians. I brought plenty of healing potions."
Courtney nodded her thanks and turned back to Cold Snap, who'd just thrown the pillar off of herself. Sawyer ran up beside her, cracking his knuckles.
"Ready, team?" he asked, his grin betraying none of the anxiety he probably felt.
"Let's take her down," Courtney replied with a nod. Now that Rose and the Alchemist were taking care of the civilians, there was nothing holding the two powerhouses back.
Cold Snap's career was over.
Conrad stepped forward and plunged his sword into Twinblade's shoulder again, once again feeling a surge of relief when it didn't draw blood. The scythes came at Conrad again, so he leaped back, determined to keep Twinblade from hurting anyone. It would be best if he could finish the fight quickly, but his opponent's weapon seemed to be the better of the two of them in this scenario. It took all Knight had just to stay even.
"Can't you just die already?" Twinblade growled, swinging his scythes to try and take off Conrad's head. He managed to duck under them, then stuck his sword in the other man's stomach. Once again, no visible wound. Twinblade hissed from the pain, but didn't seem to let it stop him.
If Conrad wanted, he could probably have his sword do real damage. Cause a real wound. But he couldn't let himself go there. If he did, he'd be past the point of no return, and he'd be no better than the evil he fought.
He had to take down Twinblade somehow, without resorting to letting his sword cause real harm.
They danced a while longer, Conrad wishing he had some way to call Achilles for backup. An outsider would quickly push the fight in one combatant's favour, and Conrad did not want it to be a member of Team Chaos. If only he was able to contact Barrier Maiden, or one of Lightning's team.
The scythes came in fast, knocking Conrad off balance just enough that Twinblade had a chance to end the fight. He knocked Conrad on his back, then leaped down and brought the scythes down towards his neck. Conrad managed to block them with his sword, but it quickly changed to a contest of strength. If Conrad couldn't hold out, Twinblade would probably kill him here.
Time seemed to slow as every muscle in his body fought against the two larger blades. He tilted his sword to send them both off to the side, but they were on him again before he could do anything.
"Maiden!" Her name was the only one he could think to call, but of course no one was there to save him.
"No one's going to save you. I'm going to kill you here," Twinblade growled, grinning in delight.
Conrad closed his eyes, unable to bring himself to witness the moment his life ended.
But the moment never came.
A thud came from above him, and the pressure from the weapons lessened before Twinblade fell on top of him. Conrad snapped back to reality, shoved the villain off of him and scuttled back, looking around for his saviour.
There was no one. Just a metal pipe on the ground next to Twinblade, who was now unconscious and weaponless.
Conrad couldn't stand. He just stood there panting, wondering how he'd managed to be saved. His entire body shook so bad he wouldn't be useful to anyone. The best he could do would be to stay and make sure Twinblade didn't wake up before someone was able to restrain and arrest him.
"Justin down," Rayne murmured into her phone, now far enough away that Knight Errant wouldn't notice her.
"Good work," Jase replied. "Two blocks stern and one block starboard from you and down three levels is your next target. Most of them are starting to gather in larger groups, but this one's still on her own."
"Got it. Moving out."
Rayne glanced back at Knight Errant, who was shivering uselessly. She'd hated them. Hated the whole Legion. But looking at that boy, she couldn't bring herself to act on her hatred. As much as she'd wanted to kill him when Jase had first told her that she'd be intercepting a fight between Twinblade and Knight Errant, she wouldn't hurt someone so helpless.
That would make her no better than the man who'd killed her beloved.
