Citron City had no idea it was watching a war.
To most people, it looked beautiful.
Three streaks of light raced across the sky.
Blue.
Orange.
Purple.
They flashed between skyscrapers like fireworks.
Like a celebration.
Like entertainment.
Nobody knew the truth.
Nobody knew one of those lights was desperately trying to survive.
◇ ◇ ◇ Far below, civilians stopped on sidewalks.
Families looked upward.
Workers paused during their evening commutes.
Children pointed excitedly toward the sky.
One little girl tugged on her mother’s sleeve.
“Look!” Above them, three glowing trails crossed the clouds.
The child smiled.
“Fireworks!” Her parents smiled too.
They didn’t know any better.
Kirran wished they were fireworks.
Fireworks didn’t usually try to kill you.
The explosion slammed into Mach’s armor.
Kirran cried out.
Pain shot through his shoulders.
His chair spun wildly through the air.
The city became a blur.
Buildings twisted together.
Lights streaked past.
The horizon flipped upside down.
Then right side up again.
Then upside down.
Again.
“AGH!” Behind him, Jarrick laughed.
The sound echoed through the comm frequencies.
“COME ON, DUMBSNAT!” Another blast exploded nearby.
“GIVE US A CHALLENGE!” Kirran gritted his teeth.
His entire body hurt.
Cuts covered his face.
His helmet visor was already cracked.
And somehow— Jarrick still looked like he was having fun.
Mach’s icon appeared.
“We should probably leave.” “You think?!” “I am becoming increasingly confident in that assessment.” Another blast flew past.
Too close.
Far too close.
Kirran jerked the controls.
Mach rolled sharply.
The attack missed.
Barely.
Unfortunately— A skyscraper did not.
A skyscraper did not.
Glass exploded.
Employees screamed.
Papers flew through the air.
Computers crashed to the floor.
Kirran and Mach tumbled through an office space before finally skidding to a stop.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Kirran groaned.
“Oww…” Mach’s display flickered.
“Are you alive?” “Barely.” “I shall categorize that as a yes.” Kirran slowly pushed himself upright.
His helmet had a massive crack running across the visor.
One side was nearly shattered.
“Definitely need a better helmet.” “I concur.” The office workers wisely chose not to get involved.
Most had already fled.
The rest looked frozen in place.
Which was understandable.
A flying wheelchair had just crashed through their building.
Kirran began standing the chair upright.
Then he saw it.
The reflection.
Two figures approaching.
Fast.
Very fast.
Jarrick.
And Zyla.
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.” They hit the building like missiles.
The entire office shook.
Glass exploded again.
Desks overturned.
Employees screamed.
Jarrick grinned.
“We should just kill you now!” Kirran’s stomach dropped.
For a split second— He realized Jarrick wasn’t joking.
And that terrified him more than the explosions.
The office exploded behind him.
Glass rained into the streets below.
Alarms blared throughout the skyscraper.
Employees rushed toward emergency exits.
And in the middle of the chaos— Kirran launched back into the sky.
“GO GO GO GO GO!” “I am currently going!” “GO FASTER!” “I am currently going faster!” Mach’s thrusters screamed.
The city blurred beneath them.
Unfortunately— So did the Wheelers.
They were still gaining.
Jarrick accelerated first.
A trail of fire exploded behind his chair.
The distance between them vanished.
“COME ON!” He laughed.
“YOU’RE GETTING SLOW!” “I’m literally running for my life!” “Yeah!” Jarrick grinned.
“It’s fun!” Kirran couldn’t decide whether Jarrick was insane.
Or simply the most dangerous person he’d ever met.
Possibly both.
Ahead— A blue wall suddenly appeared.
Not a building.
Ice.
Massive frozen barriers erupted between skyscrapers.
Kirran jerked the controls.
Barely avoiding collision.
“WHAT THE—” Zyla hovered above the city.
Calm.
Focused.
Precise.
Unlike her brother.
She wasn’t enjoying this.
Which somehow made her scarier.
“Kirran.” Her voice echoed through the comm channel.
“We need to talk.” “You can talk from over there!” “You witnessed something dangerous.” “Yeah.” “I KNOW.” The ice walls multiplied.
Closing escape routes.
Limiting movement.
Herding him.
Like prey.
Mach immediately noticed.
“She is controlling the battlefield.” “Wonderful.” “I would classify it as very bad.” “I KNOW IT’S BAD.” The trap tightened.
Every direction narrowed.
Every escape route disappeared.
Jarrick approached from behind.
Zyla blocked the front.
For the first time— Kirran realized he might not get away.
His pulse quickened.
His hands tightened around the controls.
The city seemed smaller.
The sky seemed smaller.
Everything seemed smaller.
Then Mach spoke.
“Kirran.” “What?” “I have an idea.” Kirran didn’t like the way he said that.
Not one bit.
“What kind of idea?” “The dangerous kind.” “…Of course it is.” Mach opened several targeting windows.
Weapon diagnostics flooded the visor.
Power readings spiked.
Warning indicators flashed.
Kirran immediately frowned.
“Why are there so many red warnings?” “Because this is a bad idea.” “Then why are we doing it?” “Because we are running out of good ideas.” That was unfortunately true.
Very true.
The plasma cannons emerged.
Energy gathered along the barrels.
The chair vibrated beneath him.
Power surged through every system.
Mach hesitated.
“Maximum output exceeds recommended safety parameters.” “By how much?” A pause.
“All of them.” Kirran stared.
“What does that mean?” “It means Gear specifically told us not to do this.” “Oh.” Another pause.
“How angry would he be?” “Very.” Kirran sighed.
“Do it.” “Understood.” The cannons charged.
The city illuminated beneath them.
Blue-white energy crackled across the barrels.
Power readings climbed higher.
And higher.
And higher.
Warning messages filled the visor.
MAXIMUM OUTPUT EXCEEDED SYSTEM STRESS CRITICAL REACTOR TEMPERATURE RISING Mach looked concerned.
Kirran looked concerned.
Neither stopped.
Jarrick finally noticed.
His grin widened.
“Oh.” “That’s new.” Blaze appeared beside him.
“I like it.” Ahead, Zyla immediately slowed.
Her eyes narrowed.
Blizzard’s hologram appeared.
“Warning.” “Energy levels are increasing exponentially.” Zyla’s expression changed.
For the first time during the chase— She looked worried.
“Kirran.” Her voice became urgent.
“Do not fire.” Kirran laughed nervously.
“That’s usually not something people say when they’re chasing you!” “Kirran.” “Little late for that!” The power continued building.
The entire chair shook violently.
The air distorted around him.
Energy screamed through the cannons.
And suddenly— Everyone realized the same thing.
This wasn’t a normal attack anymore.
This had become something much bigger.
Much more dangerous.
Something none of them were completely sure could be controlled.