“Go left!”

  I sprinted to the side, heading in the direction Clockblocker noted. Not a moment too soon, as a bolt whipped through the air my head had just vacated. God dammit. I narrowed my eyes at the source and began to charge, ignoring Clockblocker's shout to stop. The shooter was reloading, we had a chance to end it now. I was suddenly taken off my feet and slammed to the mat with a loud 'whoof' of breath.

  “Amaranth you--” Clockblocker's voice was cut off by a strangled noise of pain. “Fuck, time!”

  The weight holding me down vanished and a silvery hand entered my vision. I grasped it and grunted as Weld helped me to my feet, a disapproving look on his face. I wasn't sure why he looked so sour when his team had just won, but maybe he was just a sore winner. I sighed and crossed my arms as Clockblocker pulled a blunted quarrel from his costume.

  “Okay,” he said, handing the projectile to Flechette as she joined us. “So that sucked.”

  “I had a clear path to Flechette,” I complained. “If you'd had my back I--”

  “I had no idea what you were doing,” he countered. “I told you to go left so you could handle the big guy, you know, the thing your force-field makes you good at.” A strangled growl rose in my throat.

  “Clock you can freeze people with a touch,” I said. “Meanwhile I get thrown around like a dog toy. Sending me against 'the big guy' is stupid when I could get through to the shooter without being hit.”

  “Oh I'd hit you,” Flechette chirped. “Not sure it would go through your field but, well, I wouldn't put money on it not, you know?” I groaned.

  “Still, could have frozen Weld and then tackled you together,” I replied, crossing my arms.

  “Maybe if you'd told me what the plan was,” Clockblocker retorted. “I see why Miss Militia said your communication needs work because damn. Didn't you play soccer or something when you were a kid?”

  “No,” I said, rolling my eyes.

  “Well, whatever, we'll put you on the basketball team when school starts again,” he grumbled. “Take five, get some water, we'll try again.”

  I turned on my heel and headed into the locker room, cheeks burning. This team exercise crap was a bunch of work for nothing but frustration. It was worse because someone in their infinite wisdom looked at the roster and said 'yes, put her with the boy scout who doesn't like her and the asshole'. I went to the sink and ran the water cold, splashing it on my face.

  Cooled down, just a little, I raised my head and met my eyes. Despite being back in relative comfort for days, I looked worse than I had after just getting back. My eyes were ringed with ugly bags, dark enough they almost looked bruised. My lips were chapped, cracked, and chewed ragged, and I'd broken out on my chin again. I pulled my mask back up as the sound of footsteps echoed in the changing room.

  “Amaranth?” Flechette's head popped around the corner. “You okay?”

  “Fine,” I replied. “Just cooling off. Be right there.”

  “You were doing okay, you know?” she said, leaning against the wall. I turned back to the mirror, poking at a nasty zit coming in right between my brows. “A lot better than some Wards I've seen”

  “I'll do better,” I promised. “I will.”

  “I believe it,” she said, sighing. “Don't push yourself too hard though, you're still not sleeping well are you?” I shot Flechette a look that made her roll her eyes. “No, you're not waking us up, the rooms are better soundproofed than that. You're just always up at odd hours.”

  “Maybe I'm a Noctis cape,” I said sarcastically. God I fucking wish.

  “A what?”

  “Don't need to sleep, like Miss Militia doesn't,” I explained.

  “That why you look like a raccoon?”

  “Thanks.”

  “Amaranth...” Flechette sighed and crossed her arms. “Sorry. I'll get off your back.”

  “No Lily I...” I groaned and bumped my forehead against the mirror, bloodshot eyes staring back at me. “I'm sorry, I'm being shitty, you guys don't deserve it for just trying to help. Tell the guys I'll be back in a minute?”

  “Alright,” she said, turning on her heel. “See you out there.”

  I washed my face again after she left, running the water as cold as it would go. It helped me to feel slightly more awake, more like a person, more like me...or Lia.

  I wasn't sure how much I liked that.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Okay, put it down!” the fireman called to me. I nodded and took a deep breath, then stepped back.

  The concrete slab I'd been holding up crashed to the ground, breaking in a few places. I held still as a cloud of concrete and glass dust billowed up and over me, none of it making it through my projection of course. Once the dust settled, sped up by the torrential rain, I returned to the trucks to keep helping.

  A building, damaged during the fighting with the Nine, had partially collapsed. The crane they'd tried to get on site had broken down on the way, so I'd offered my services to the PRT. It took them a few hours to debate it, a piss off, but eventually let me go and help. Good thing too, since there had been a lot of people squatting here.

  “Good work,” Battery said tersely, holding her half-arm close to her side. I wasn't sure how she'd lost it...but I wasn't stupid enough to ask either. “The chief has his men doing a final sweep, once they're sure the building is empty, we'll go.”

  “Okay,” I replied, glancing back at the many, many casualties. “Should we help with them?”

  “Paramedics and firefighters have it in hand,” she said with a shake of her head. “We'll just get underfoot if we try.”

  “Story of my life,” I muttered, leaning against the back of the PRT van. “Um, thanks for coming out here. I know you should be recovering but I--”

  “These people needed help,” she cut me off. “And you offered it, the right way. Besides, supervising is hardly a strain on my recovery.”

  “Okay,” I said hesitantly. “Um, sorry.”

  “For what?” She sounded confused.

  “The trouble,” I answered. “Like...for everything. Sorry.”

  “I...apology accepted.” Battery still didn't sound like she got it, but didn't sound pissed either. “I'm sorry you got hurt.” I shrugged, flexing my shortened fingers.

  “My fault, I was the one that ran away.” My eyes flicked to her arm, then away. She sighed.

  “You can ask,” she said, though she didn't sound happy about it. “Jack Slash, if you're wondering. At least I assume it was him, since he didn't get close and I still lost the arm.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Nothing to apologize for,” Battery assured me, setting her good hand on my shoulder. “Heard you and Panacea were the ones responsible for curing everyone. It could have gone a lot worse if...if someone found me like that, still affected.”

  “Still, sorry,” I said, shaking my head. “Jack was the one that nominated me, remember? He...he stuck around for me.”

  “He would have stuck around even without you,” she countered. “He's the one leading that pack of psychos, he wouldn't have taken them away from their fun.”

  “Well...that's true.” I knew it was, in fact. “Thanks.”

  “You're welcome.”

  We continued watching the first responders work, keeping an eye out for trouble. Sure, the worst may be over, but there were still gangs all over the city. I glanced at Battery and saw her gazing off to the side. I followed her eyes and grimaced. A number of bodies covered in white sheets, some surrounded by people who probably cared about them. Too many.

  The worst was over, but there was a long way to go before things would be okay.

  The TV blared, some movie that I'd stopped paying attention to long ago. My eyes were shut, I was breathing steadily, my heart was slowly beating along. I wasn't asleep, not really, but I didn't mind that right now. Amy leaned her shoulder against mine, rocking slightly as she quietly snored, a warm, settling weight.

  Apparently Amy had nothing to do and asked me to hang out. Since I had another day off, I agreed. It had been pretty nice, all things considered. I'd helped her bake a loaf of bread, since she'd enjoyed my recipe, then we'd just watched crappy comedy for a while. It was a bizarre contrast to last week, where we'd spent half of it running for our lives.

  Amy snorted and shifted slightly, then sighed and kept snoozing. I wasn't sure when she'd fallen asleep, whether it was before or after she decided to use me as a throw pillow. I had been a little annoyed, but found the weight helped me...relax. My projection had quickly settled on my shoulders, and soon I'd shut my eyes to try and join Amy in a little bit of sleep.

  It hadn't worked, I wasn't so lucky. Still, it was a hell of a lot better than laying down on the lumpy mattress in my quarters and staring at a blank wall for hours. I knew it was getting late, I probably needed to get back to my quarters and try sleeping for real...but I was in no rush. I shifted slightly as pins and needles pricked at my shoulder, and the weight on my arm suddenly vanished.

  “Sorry,” Amy whispered. “I fell asleep, I didn't mean--”

  “It's okay,” I cut her off gently, not bothering to open my eyes. It was nicer with them closed. “Really, it was alright.” A few heartbeats of silence later, there was a gentle touch against my shoulder.

  “Thanks,” she said quietly after a few minutes. “It was nice to hang out.”

  “Agreed, thanks for letting me come over,” I said, a smile briefly touching my lips then vanishing as fast. “I should go.” I felt her take a deep breath.

  “Okay,” Amy said, her voice small. The minute contact of our shoulders broke again. “I'll...hopefully see you around?” I rose from the couch and gave her a nod.

  “Sure,” I replied, an easy promise to make. “See you soon, Amy.” I caught her small grin just before I turned to head out.

  The PRT headquarters was quiet. That wasn't much of a surprise, it was getting late and the city had apparently been quieting down. Well, relatively of course, but it certainly wasn't the fever pitch it had been. It let my shoulder relax a hair more than usual, my heart didn't beat quite as quick while rushing through the halls to my quarters, the little noises of the elevator didn't make me flinch. I'd have rather spent the night at Amy's but that would be...weird. No, better I use my slightly better mood to try and sleep in the place I'd be living until they kicked me out.

  “Move!” I started and leaped out of the elevator as Gallant, Vista, and Clockblocker rushed in.

  “What's going on?” I asked bewildered, tiredness forgotten.

  “Skitter's assaulting the mayor's house,” Gallant snapped, then the doors shut and they were gone.

  I walked numbly back to my quarters, stripped, and laid down on my bed. I stared at the wall I couldn't see in the darkness, eyes wide and heart thumping rapidly. It was too soon, way too soon. It hadn't even been a week since the Nine were driven out of town and they were already on the offensive? God damn them. If I'd just remembered that every last one of them was clinically insane, I could have seen this coming, or at least with more warning than I did. I dove out of bed and grabbed my phone from my discarded costume, dialing Gallant as quick as I could.

  “What?” He demanded when he answered.

  “Bring epipens for Triumph,” I said, then hung up and sat back down on my bed.

  I couldn't do anything to help them, but I could at least warn them about the problems Skitter would cause. I pressed my palms against my eyes and laid back down with an exhausted groan. There it finally fucking was, the other shoe plummeting from the heavens and landing squarely on top of me. Soon, I wasn't sure how soon, Coil would be dead. After that, Echidna would be unleashed on the city, and I'd be forced back into the fight.

  I shut my eyes and tried to ignore the alarm ringing loudly in my ears.