“Cass, with me,” she said. “We’re going out the front. We’re coming out!”
Cass fired a final burst and then turned and closed in on Gamble, who was already ushering the boys through the front door.
“Run, boys, run,” Gamble said as they made it to the street. She got them pointed in the right direction, and they both took off. She hesitated, waving Cass on, and then giving her a quick slap on the shoulder as she passed.
The street was littered with dead Weir. Three figures were rapidly approaching: Swoop, Mouse, and Able. Painter and Wren reached them first, but Cass wasn’t far behind.
Able lowered his weapon and caught Wren, and swung him up to carry him. Mouse took charge of Painter.
“Stay right behind me,” Swoop said when Cass reached him. “Right hand on my left shoulder, stand behind me and to my left.”
“Check,” Cass answered, and she slid around behind him into position exactly as directed. Back down the street Gamble was still standing at the entrance, directing the others in their evacuation. Sky was already out, heading their way. Then Finn backed out, but he stopped just outside and kept firing back into the building. A few seconds later, Wick came out backwards in a crouch, dragging his pack with one hand and squeezing off bursts from his rifle with the other. When he was out, both he and Finn went full throttle and unleashed a non-stop torrent of fire.
Gamble pulled something off her vest and tossed it underhanded through the entrance. Then the three of them broke in a full-out sprint towards the rest of the team. A few seconds later a lightning flash silently erupted inside the building, momentarily dazzling Cass’s eyes. Nothing else came out afterwards.
“Get lost?” Gamble said when she reached Swoop.
“Bad directions,” Swoop answered. “Worse neighborhood.”
A Weir stumbled out from the building, wounded or dazed or both. Sky’s rifle hummed and dropped it before it’d gone three steps.
“Cover our withdrawal. Peel back, Swoop’s the anchor. I’ve got the cargo,” Gamble said, and she matched her words with hand signals.
“Check,” Swoop said. He hunched over and brought his weapon up, covering the building. Finn, Wick, and Sky jogged and quickly lined up on a diagonal behind Swoop with about five yards between each of them.
“Cass, you’re with me,” she said. Mouse and Able were already moving with Painter and Wren. “I’m not going to hold on to you, but I need you to stay right behind me.”
“Got it,” Cass said. She lined up behind Gamble, just off her right shoulder. Gamble started guiding her away from the building.
A few moments later, Cass heard Swoop open up with his heavy weapon behind her, a long sustained burst. She looked back and saw him get up and start towards them, and as soon as he had passed Finn, Swoop slapped him on the shoulder and Finn started firing, full auto. A few Weir had come out, only to get cut down by the gunfire. Even so, the sheer volume was disconcerting given how precise and methodical the team usually were with their weapons.
“Keep moving, Cass,” Gamble said. And then she added, “They’re bounding back. Should keep the crowd from following.”
Then Cass understood. Swoop and his team were making a rolling retreat, with the front man providing suppressive fire for a few seconds, and then running to the back of the line while the next man took over. It gave the others time to put some distance between them and the concentration of Weir that had gathered around the building.
Gamble caught up with, and then passed, Mouse and Able, and took point. She kept them all moving steadily, but set the pace quite a bit slower and more cautious than when they’d been headed for shelter. Eventually the gunfire ceased behind them, and a minute or two later the rest of the team rejoined them.
“All clear?” Gamble asked when Wick caught up. She kept her voice low, but it wasn’t a whisper. That seemed encouraging.
“Yeah, last couple of bursts were just for fun. I don’t think we got them all, but I’m pretty sure the survivors finally got the hint.”
“Get us back on track. And try not to run us into any more trouble.”
“Yes, sir,” Wick said, and he jogged up to the front. Gamble dropped back a little, putting Mouse and Able ahead of her, while Finn and Sky moved out wider to either side of the group. Swoop fell in next to Gamble.
“Left a big mess back there,” he said. “Somebody comes lookin’, there’s not gonna be much doubt what happened.”
“We’ll just have to hope the Weir clean up after themselves,” Gamble answered. “Or that nobody comes looking.”