Wren tensed up beside her.
“Mama,” he said quietly. “It’s not right.”
Cass slowed her pace. He stared straight ahead at the wall, eyes wide, shaking his head.
Gamble was just turning the corner around the wall and getting a view of where the gate was. She stopped short, and Swoop walked up right beside her.
“You gotta be kiddin’ me,” Swoop said. He readjusted his weapon on its sling and started towards the gate.
The rest of the group gathered behind Gamble. Wren called after Swoop. “Don’t go in,” he said. “It’s not safe.”
Now that Wren brought it to her attention, Cass could feel it too. There was a weird energy there. Ethereal, evasive. Wild. Angry. But something vaguely familiar that she couldn’t place.
“Not again,” Wick said.
The gate had two doors, opening inward, and at first it just looked like the people of Ninestory had left it open. It wasn’t that uncommon for towns to let people enter freely during the day. But as Cass drew nearer, it became clear something had gone wrong. Towards the center, the metal was bent inwards, as if it’d been struck by some great force. Near the top of both doors, the hinges had flexed and pulled away. Something had most definitely breached the gate.
“Mama, don’t,” Wren insisted. He was hanging back, away from the gate. Wick and Swoop moved into the enclave with cautious steps. Finn and Mouse followed after, and the four men began to fan out with their weapons lowered, but shouldered.
“Sky, bring it in,” Gamble said. She and Able remained outside the gate with Cass and the boys. “You boys be careful.”
“Wren, what is it? What are you feeling?” Cass asked.
“There’s something in there, Mama.”
There were a number of buildings visible from the main entrance, but they were all closed up, windows dark. For all intents and purposes, the place looked completely abandoned.
“I don’t think there’s anything in there, Governor,” Gamble said.
Think they all left? Able signed.
“Could be. Seems odd, though. Ninestory’s been around for years. Don’t see why they’d pull up and head out now.”
There was a noise behind them, and Cass turned to see Sky jogging up to join them.
“What’s the word?” he said as he drew near.
“Dunno yet,” Gamble answered. “Could be an attack. Could be they up and left.”
Sky let out an exasperated sigh. “Didn’t we just do this?”
“Pretty much.”
“Wasn’t that great the first time, you know.”
Inside the enclave, the four team members were approaching the nearest building. Wick led the way, with Finn right behind him, while Mouse and Swoop held off a few yards and covered their flanks.
“Yeah, Wick, I got you,” Gamble said. “…Check. Just be careful. You see something you don’t like, you come right back out.”
“Please,” Wren said, “please, let’s just go. Let’s go back.”
Cass went down on one knee and drew Wren to her. He was trembling.
“Gamble, I really think we should listen to Wren,” Cass said.
“I hear him,” Gamble said. “Don’t worry, we’re not gonna stay long.”
Wick eased open the front door and flowed in with Finn in support. They disappeared into the darkened building. Mouse and Swoop waited outside, weapons up, casually scanning.
“Check,” Gamble said, and then looking back at Cass and Wren, “Front room’s clear. They’re just gonna check the lower level.”
The words had barely left her mouth when the gunfire barked from inside the building. Gamble cursed, and immediately the whole team switched on, weapons up, closing in on the building. Wren clapped his hands over his ears.
The gunshots continued, and a few seconds later Finn appeared in the doorway, firing his weapon with one hand and dragging something backwards with the other. He was screaming for Mouse.
It took a moment for Cass to realize what Finn was dragging: Wick. He was on his back, and his legs were fishtailing along the ground, trying to help his brother propel him backwards away from the building. Wick still had his weapon up, firing.
Mouse and Swoop started advancing towards the door – right as the first of the Weir stumbled out into the daylight. They both opened up, and the Weir dropped, but it was quickly replaced by another, and then another. Cass’s mind couldn’t comprehend what she was seeing, as a stream of Weir came pouring out into the street.
“Back! Fall back!” Gamble shouted, and all guns were up and firing, cutting down the impossible wave that flowed out of the building. Finn went down hard, fighting to drag Wick further away, but no matter how many they killed, the tide of Weir kept gaining ground. Mouse ran forward and skidded to a knee beside Wick, firing into the advancing horde.