Page 121 of Jump or Fall
For some of them, having Dawson as a neighbor had probably been a selling point. The safety and prestige of living right next to the head of state security could only be matched by living next to the Archon.
A few more booms rattled the ground beneath her feet.
“Bringing the mech back to break the gate,” Silva reported. “Silvers that followed have been eliminated.”
Gunfire erupted from the house as the mech returned. A bullet struck Mara’s pauldron. She swore under her breath and pressed herself against a car for cover.
Gordon retaliated, but she couldn’t tell if he’d hit anyone. She checked her remote and found a suit still close enough to use. A quick command sent the Silver attacking his own.
The mech limped forward, each step grinding metal against pavement. Its body was covered in dents and scorch marks, but it was still going.
Silva’s order was swift. “Retreat.”
Bullets pinged off the mech, but it was unfazed—even by shots to the head. Silva must have reinforced it after seeing how easily they had taken down the last one.
“Take cover,” Viktor said.
Gordon reacted instantly, throwing himself over Mara even though they were already sheltered behind the car.
The explosion lit up the night, a burst of fire that seared the sky.
The fireball’s reflection off the damp road sent white-hot pain lancing through the left side of her head. She drew in a sharp breath through her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut.
Fuck. Fuck.
A low groan escaped her.
Gordon switched to a private channel. “What's wrong?”
“My eye. It was too bright.” The sharp pain faded, but was replaced by intense itching and burning around the scars on her face.
His voice softened. “What do you need?”
With a few deep breaths, she opened her eyes. Her vision had adjusted.
She flipped up her visor and tapped her forehead to test the thermal vision. A dull ache radiated through her head, but nothing like before.
She was about to test the synth-mind when Silva cut into the feed. “Gate path is clear. Moving in. Split up between the entry points.”
Gordon didn’t move, still waiting for her response.
“I’m fine,” she said. “Let’s go.”
He hesitated, then flipped up his visor. Dark eyes locked onto hers. “I love you.”
Mara leaned in, tapping her helmet against his. She wished she could reach him for a kiss, to feel the warmth of his lips. “I love you, Gordon.”
They stood together, taking in the wreckage. The gate was obliterated—twisted metal and shattered stone barely resembling anything.
Armored figures swarmed the house. Gunfire. Shouts. The roar of another explosion.
The front door blew apart, the flash sending another pulse of pain through her head.
Protect your eyes.
They advanced, stepping through the rubble-strewn path.
With each movement, memories clawed their way in, shadows from the past reaching up, trying to drag her down. The weight of it pressed against her chest. She swallowed hard, forcing down the lump in her throat.
