Page 13 of Wrong Squad, Right Mess

Rebecca twisted, and I steeled myself for the inevitable. The thing would take her to the ground under its massive weight, then tear her to pieces. I couldn’t stop it, couldn’t do anything but watch, but try to keep her siblings from seeing it.

She raised her hand, and flames left her fingers, consuming the beast until only ash fell to the ground. She stared in horror at her own hand, as if she didn’t understand what had just happened.

Rebecca stumbled backward, but the monsters charged her, all at once, as though they’d just found their new and favorite target. She appeared to operate more by instinct than thought, another blast of flames leaving her as though sparked to life in the space around her. She cowered, and heat seared my skin.

Instead of protecting her siblings from monsters, I now protected them from her.

I shifted, keeping my body between the flames and the younger children, but the flames moved as though alive, leaping from one monster to another, not burning so much as disintegrating the creatures, melting them and turning that to dust. What had been an insurmountable number of enemies quickly transformed to the sickening scent of burned hair and flesh, not touching the trees but leaving white ash in the air.

Soon only the big one remained, and Carter and Ingram had the smarts to back off, as though they could guess what was coming next. Ingram was beside Yun in a heartbeat, a hand on her arm as though ready to pull her away if needed.

Rebecca looked around, confusion written all over her too-young face, before collapsing to the ground just as a rush of heat so intense it had me gritting my teeth exploded around her. I did my best to block her siblings from it, but I had no idea if it worked, couldn’t check until this was over.

The beast screamed, though that cut into a gurgle, then silence. I forced my head up to find Rebecca on the ground, still, and no monster left alive, no sound of wings or claws or roars.

We’d just witnessed the awakening of an esper, saw the danger they posed, and watched the entire future that little girl spoke about disappear. She hadn’t just torched the monsters, she’d torched all her dreams at the same time.

Sleeping was probably the best thing she could do right now…

Chapter Eight

Yun

Usually wind elementals showed up to retrieve civilians, so it didn’t shock me when a pairing of two arrived about twenty minutes after everything had gone quiet.

Rebecca had woken, though she hadn’t said anything. Instead, she’d watched carefully as Kenyon had healed the youngest child, who’d ended up with a few burns to their hand despite Kenyon’s best efforts.

I’d avoided any burns, given Ingram had shifted us to the shadows just as the blast of heat had rushed out from the young girl. It hadn’t been a direct hit, which was why those who did get hurt had only sustained minor burns.

It didn’t seem Rebecca felt quite so relieved, though.

“So you’ll come with me,” one of the two espers said, speaking to Rebecca. “And they’ll take your siblings. We’ll travel fast, so we’ll be to the portal in just a minute or two.”

Rebecca nodded but refused to meet anyone’s gaze.

It made my chest hurt, reminding me of when I’d realized what I’d become, the loss of everything I’d thought I’d have in my life—it proved a heavy burden.

The esper who had spoken cast a sharp look our way, one full of disdain. I’d almost gotten used to those looks when we were still at the base. Maybe because we’d all been so busy with life, I’d stopped noticing the scathing glances, the barely concealed hatred, but here?

It stood out so much more clearly.

The two espers gathered the kids and took off, after dropping off more locators with us in case we needed them.

It had me turning toward Carter, unable to stop the questions that consumed me. “What happened?”

Carter itched his cheek and answered slowly. “Monsters attacked. You were there, Yun. What do you mean?”

“I mean last time in The Pitt. I know the story, but it’s not possible.”

“How can you say it isn’t possible? You know us.” He held out his arms, one of those fake smiles on his face. “We’re not exactly trustworthy.”

I shook my head. “You wouldn’t have risked yourself for them if you didn’t give a damn about saving people. You’re selfish, sure, but you don’t just leave civilians to die. I didn’t think what really happened mattered, but I need to know.”

Carter blew out a long breath, his smile fading, seeming to realize that there was no chance of getting out of this thing without answering me. “Okay, fine, but you’re not going to like what I have to say.”

“Not here,” Ingram added. “The ash isn’t that great to breathe in—feels like I’m eating sludge every time I take a fucking breath. Sounds like that way about ten minutes is a nice little shelter, already cleared out. Might as well take a break there and eat.”

“There’s nothing but meal bars,” Kenyon said. “Hardly a feast.”