She still sounded distracted, which Alexei didn’t like. It meant Kyle hadn’t been located yet.
The loud sound of several heavy-caliber sniper rifles going off seeped through Alexei’s ear protection. Half of Matthew’s team of Strike Force operatives had finally caught up to him, providing much needed support and cover fire as snipers cleared what enemy Alexei hadn’t burned out past the intersection.
Matthew offered Alexei a hand up, and he took it. Once he had his feet underneath him, Alexei scanned the area. The police still alive and with him were regrouping on both sides of the street.
“Shield is down,” Matthew said. “Hearing chatter the Sons of Bitches are trying to bring it back up.”
Alexei smiled, showing his teeth. “Not happen. Wraith take anchors out.”
“We’ve got orders to get a perimeter around the Capitol Building. Still got people sheltering in place inside it.”
Alexei really didn’t care about politicians right now, but then, he wasn’t in the mood to care about anyone other than his family and team. So it was probably a good thing Jamie was the one in charge.
Inferno, I need you and Killjoy to meet me at the United States Supreme Court Building. Be advised, the nullification field has shifted from the White House up to the Capitol Building into Third Street. We’ve still got civilians in the Capitol Building under attack,Jamie said, his mental voice cutting through Alexei’s thoughts.
“Copy that, Apollo,” Matthew said.
Alexei figured Jamie was contacting Matthew over comms, since his own were out and telepathic communication with non-metahumans tended to leave behind raging migraines. Human brains weren’t built to handle sustained psionic contact. They couldn’t afford any of their people to be incapacitated right now.
Wilco,Alexei replied.
“Still got five blocks to go before we reach the rendezvous point,” Matthew said as he left the small front yard for the street. “Your pyrokinesis is gonna get snuffed out in two and there’s a lot of traitors between here and there.”
Alexei flexed his fingers around the grip of his weapon. “Not be problem. Need cover.”
Matthew spoke rapidly into his comms, passing along Alexei’s request since he couldn’t. On either side of the street, Alexei could see Matthew’s snipers resetting their positions. Down the street, the Sons of Adam were regrouping, bringing forward an MRAP with a remote gunner station pointed their way.
“Curious how they got all this military hardware past the city’s borders with no one noticing,” Matthew grunted as he hopped the low garden fence and landed on the sidewalk.
“Declan is former Special Ops. Also have CIA help,” Alexei replied.
“Know that for sure?”
Alexei shook his head, bracing his weapon against his shoulder as he moved into the street between two damaged cars. “Nyet. But CIA read in on mission for tonight. Not believe Bennett not help.”
“Oh, so we’re using names now, are we? Isn’t that a little slanderous?” Matthew wondered as he ducked down behind a different car while their snipers laid down suppressive fire.
Alexei signaled for him toshut the fuck up, which of course, Matthew didn’t obey.
“Nah, who am I kidding. The CIA can go fuck itself,” Matthew said.
Alexei managed a tight smile at that as he let go of his weapon and braced his hip against the car bumper. He extended his arms, spreading his fingers wide. Fire crackled at his fingertips as he pushed his pyrokinesis outward, letting it form in the center of the street in the shape of a large fireball that moved like a live thing in the air.
Alexei pulled one arm back before wrenching it forward. The fireball followed his motion and careened down the street, invisibly guided by his hand. Alexei let it zig and zag, drawing fire from the men and women still hunkered down behind their barricade of vehicles. The Sons of Adam fighters could hide behind a barricade all they wanted, but not if Alexei set the damn thing on fire and didn’t move the flames.
Which is what he did.
The MRAP’s remote gunner managed to shoot for only a couple of seconds, but the person controlling it on the inside only aimed at the fireball, which did fuck all. It made Alexei think the people inside that vehicle weren’t military, but men and women playing at being a soldier. That always made him roll his eyes.
In the grand scheme of things, they were definitely easier to kill.
Alexei set the barricade of vehicles on fire, not moving from his position as enemy fighters ran away from the area screaming, bodies on fire with no hope of putting it out until Alexei wanted it out.
Which, at this rate, would be never.
Brilliant balls of energy suddenly rained down from the sky directly above the barricade Alexei was burning. When they hit, the explosions shattered the vehicles with violent force. The people not dead already from Alexei’s flames were subsequently carved up by hot metal shrapnel if they weren’t immediately blown to bits.
“There’s no kill like overkill!” a cheerful voice shouted from above.
