6.05

My legs gripped Judas as he moved, and I got a glimpse of the city below. Tattletale clutched me tighter from behind. Bitch’s whistle signaled our cue, and a moment later, Brutus, carrying Bitch and Grue, jumped off the roof. Judas followed. Falling, the wind stole my voice. My hands clung to Judas’ neck.

Three stories down, Judas kicked against the wall, pushing away from the building. He gripped a patio’s edge, then leaped out, away from the building. The wind whipped through my hair as we soared towards the Forsberg Gallery, twenty-six stories tall, resembling a Jenga game made of tempered glass and steel, illuminated in pink and orange.

Brutus crashed into the glass roof, and Grue nearly fell off but grabbed Brutus’ tail. Judas, Tattletale, and I followed, smashing through the glass. We landed on the Gallery’s top floor, amidst people in fancy attire and heroes. Regent and Angelica joined us, Angelica carrying boxes.

The Protectorate—Armsmaster, Miss Militia, Assault, Battery, Velocity, and Triumph—stood by the stage. The Wards—Clockblocker, Vista, Gallant, and Shadow Stalker—mingled with guests, including Glory Girl. A PRT squad, armed with nonlethal flamethrowers, guarded the entrance.

Among the guests were the mayor, a possible actor, and Emma, my former friend, with her family. Tattletale laughed nervously as Grue darkened the room, leaving only our area and the room’s edges visible.

“Bitch, Regent, go!” Grue shouted, pulling me off Judas. Tattletale followed as we ran to the front, while Bitch and the dogs headed to the back. Regent released the boxes, and my bugs swarmed out, heading towards the crowd, including Emma.

Bitch and Regent would delay anyone venturing into the darkness, while Grue, Tattletale, and I handled the rest. My bugs reached the front first, giving me a sense of the layout. I drew my knife as Grue revealed part of the PRT squad. I slashed a hose, and a PRT member elbowed me. My mask absorbed the blow, but it still hurt.

Foam began to fill the doorway. Grue kicked one squad member into it and incapacitated another. Tattletale and I wrestled a weapon from another, and she blasted him with foam. Grue revealed the last member, and Tattletale foamed him.

The PRT’s containment foam expanded rapidly, flexible and porous enough to breathe through but resistant to impacts and tearing. We took the tanks from the incapacitated PRT members.

Grue pointed, and we aimed at the Wards and Glory Girl. Tattletale taunted Glory Girl before we fired, Grue targeting Clockblocker, and I, Shadow Stalker. She dodged, but Tattletale and I combined our fire, trapping her.

“Next!” Grue yelled. We targeted Battery, Assault, and Triumph. Battery, already charged, kicked Assault towards us, using his kinetic manipulation to propel himself. Grue’s foam slowed him, but he still hit Grue.

Tattletale and I focused on Battery. She was too fast, but she stumbled into a table, then threw it at us. I pushed Tattletale away, and the table knocked the weapon from her hands.

I drew bugs to Battery as I recovered, spraying her with foam. A shockwave hit me—Triumph’s sonic shout. Grue tried to foam him, but Triumph used a table as a shield and blasted me again.

Brutus charged through the darkness, slamming into Triumph. Shadow Stalker began to free herself, but I buried her under more foam.

“Skitter! Move!” Grue shouted. I dived as Armsmaster appeared, leveling his halberd at me. He used an EMP, disabling my weapon. He quickly incapacitated Grue and Tattletale.

“Call off your mutant,” Armsmaster ordered. Bitch whistled, and Brutus retreated.

“You were moving like you could see in my darkness,” Grue noted.

“I’ve studied your powers,” Armsmaster replied, tapping his weapon, killing all bugs nearby. “This was over from the moment you stepped into the room.”

Miss Militia emerged with Regent as her hostage.

Fuck.