Then it came to Vincent. They had been working on this little by little since that night at the hotel room when Reese showed him how to scent out Bennet. He pushed out at Reese. Vincent craned his neck, looking over his shoulder at him. When Reese noticed Vince’s eyes go completely black he tilted his head on one side.
He felt the brush of Vincent's mind. He was working hard to get his attention. Reese could not shield from Vince’s emotions. But he could block out the rest of that connection. Reese took in a deep breath letting his shields drop just a touch. He stumbled as the weight of Ellie's emotions punched him in the gut. Reese had no idea what this was doing to her. He did now. That anguish brought tears to his eyes. It was only a shadow of what she felt and still it nearly floored him. Reese wanted desperately to raise those shields again.
He pushed back at Vincent, letting him know he was there. Vincent could feel the urgency. It confused him. He slowed down enough for Reese to catch up to him, to run abreast. Reese looked down at Ellie. Vincent pushed the thought, that he needed him to take care of her during the fight at him.
Reese nodded physically. Communicating through emotions was still not something Vincent was very good at. The basics were there. Reese could feel his rage at Edward. Reese could feel his need to keep her safe. He could feel Vince’s need for Reese to keep her safe. It was something he had planned on anyway. Vince was the stronger of the two of them, the faster. Reese wouldn't hang back, but should Edward even consider going at her, he would be there to stop him.
Confident that Reese understood what he wanted Vincent stopped trying. Happily, Reese raised those shields again. Vincent took off, nearly doubling his speed. Leaving Reese to wonder, did Vince feel that way the night Vince killed him? Was he that conflicted? Did he hate himself for even thinking it, a tenth of as much as Ellie did this very moment? Reese pushed all those thoughts to the back of his mind. He could ask Vince when it was over.
He forgave Vince. At least, Reese thought he had until earlier when Ellie asked him, her voice so full of hope. What Reese said was true. Vincent was right to put him down. She was right to put Edward down. Yes, he forgave Vince, Reese decided. In this moment, he felt the worse for having put Vince through it. It had all come full circle.
Chapter 53
Vincent slowed down, looking around him at the landscape. The trees were thinning out. He could hear the sound of the river crashing over the rocks in the distance. The ground around them was a carpet of colored leaves, and pine needles. Large gray boulders piled atop one another spilling down the line of the riverbank.
The leaves were bright splashes of green, orange, and yellow. The water looked black with a heady white foam that burbled at the top. Across the water, the pine trees grew heavy and thick once again. Vincent glared at their surroundings. Edward was here, somewhere. Vincent could feel him, sense him, but he couldn’t smell him. It worried Vincent to know that he couldn't pinpoint Edward’s location exactly. Vincent frowned, setting Ellie on her feet.
He shrugged out of the backpack, handing it to her. Ellie stared at him. The look on his face worried her. “He's here?” Ellie asked.
Vincent chewed on his bottom lip, nodding, scanning the trees. Ellie unzipped the backpack, digging inside for the Zippo lighter. She pulled it loose and slipped it into her jeans pocket. Ellie pulled out two plastic encased flares putting one into each of the wide pockets on either side of her parka. She hated this coat. The fake fur around the hood tickled her neck making it itch. She caught herself reaching up to scratch twice. Ellie pulled out the Tupperware cup full of thermate. She tested the top. She could loosen the lid with just a push of her thumb. Ellie didn't intend to use it, but again, the Boy Scout motto.
She zipped the backpack most of the way back up, leaving an opening about the size of her fist. So she could simply push inside to grab one of the pipe bombs. Ellie pushed the thermate into the little mesh side pocket on the right side. A sound made her look up with wide eyes. Ellie let out a breath when she realized the rushing water had caught a branch of the fallen log that lay over a pile of rocks jutting out into the river.
Ellie stared for a long moment at the twigs and leaves that swirled at the water’s edge. She blinked her eyes a few times. Ellie swallowed the fear in her throat and looked up at Reese. He tilted his head to the side, meeting her gaze for a moment before he went back to keeping a lookout. Ellie exhaled a breath she hadn't even realized she’d been holding, and stared at Vincent. She had a million questions, but Ellie didn’t want to break his concentration.
She set the backpack on the ground at her feet. Reaching first for the Heckler, then second-guessing. Instead, Ellie pulled out her machine pistol. Her nerves were so frayed that even though she knew it was fine, she checked the safety. popped the clip, checked the firing pin. Ellie slapped the clip back in and chambered a bullet. Vincent took three strides toward the water. Ellie’s heart jumped into her throat. She pushed the safety down to three round burst, mentally going through the checklist Reese taught her.
Ellie was overthinking this. That didn't mean she could stop herself, though. Ellie stopped trying to hear him. She never would, not over the rushing water, or the sound of her own heartbeat. Instead, she watched Vincent, taking her lead from him. It was a shame this was the spot. It really was kind of a pretty place. Ellie sat down on one of the larger boulders. It was half on the land, half out into the river. Best place to keep the explosives, she figured. Not that it would make much of a difference when it came to the thermate.
Their silence was doing nothing good for her nerves. Their quiet bothered her, made it difficult to think. Ellie’s mind raced at a million miles an hour. Finally, she gave up. Frowning, she exhaled. “Should I call for him?”
“He knows you're here, El,” Vincent told her. “He knows we're here.”
The knowledge of that pissed her off. It was the straw that pushed her from terrified, to angry. He was playing with them. After everything that happened, Edward considered this some sort of a fucking game. What she planned to do here was more than gravely serious. Edward forced this choice on her, and he was playing.
With a nod of her head, Ellie stood up taking three strides away from the river. “Then come out you coward,” she said through clenched teeth, her frown deepening as she spoke. “You son of a bitch! You killed her. You killed Anna!” Ellie screamed, her voice echoing off the trees. Her hands shook. Ellie hadn't let herself feel it until now. It was all about what she had to do. She was so angry at Edward for killing Anna, for nearly killing Lucky, for all of it.
The sounds of a tree falling deeper into the woods made the three of them turn. Reese smiled. It was anything but pleasant. He wanted her to be angry. Be angry, but think. That’s what he always told her. Vincent closed his eyes. He could feel Edward. He was so damned close. It was like something was muffling his sounds. Something was hiding him from them.
Vincent’s eyes slid over the gently swaying trees. The leaves caught on the stiff breeze that blew across them. Ellie paced back and forth in a small circle to his left. Her grip on the Glock was so tight Vincent could see the veins standing out on her arm. Her knuckles white, lips pressed together in a long thin line. Vincent had to concentrate to hear her heartbeat over the racing water.
That's when it hit him. Vincent opened his mouth to warn Reese. Two black arms shot up out of the water wrapping around Reese as Edward exploded from the river. His claws ripped across Reese's chest. Edward pulled him back, their bodies crashing into the water as Edward dragged him down. Ellie screamed Reese's name. The water gurgled, and churned. Blood spread out across its surface like ink.
Vincent grabbed her, pulling her back away from the water. Ellie went careening to the rocky bank, rolling twice. Edward rocketed out of the water colliding with Vincent. His claws rent Vincent's flesh. Blood splattered against the rocks in a splashing arc. Vincent hit Edward with a powerful punch to the gut, then another that turned the bones in his face to paste. Edward may be strong. Vincent was fast
.
He went down on one knee lashing out with his left claw that ripped around the curve of the inside of Edward's thigh. Vincent's right dragged across Edward’s belly, his guts slipping through the wounds. Vincent swept out with his leg. Edward's arm shot out closing around the back of Vincent's neck, much like the loving way Ellie pulled him in to press her forehead against his. Edward drew Vincent’s head in, holding it close to his body. Slamming his fist into the underside of Vincent's chin, Edward ran his claws across the side of his face.
Reese dragged himself out of the fast water with the help of the fallen tree. Choking and sputtering, his back was so much raw meat. Bloody water cascaded over him. He grabbed for another handhold as the bones in his arm began to shift. Inky darkness flooded into his skin. Ellie watched as the bones in his face shifted. His jaw elongated to fit the rows of jagged, razor-sharp teeth. Reese’s eyes bled black. The violently red sunburst at its center flashing as it burned itself into his iris.
Edward lashed out with a backhand that cut long clefts across Vincent's chest, his throat, sending him staggering back into the knee-deep water. Ellie lifted the gun pulling the trigger, and three bullets made Edward's monstrous body jerk. Taking him inches below his right shoulder blade. Ellie pulled the trigger again. The bullets hit higher, this time, the top of his shoulder, and one in the back of his neck. Blood spewed from his open mouth, spraying over Vincent.
Vincent grabbed Edward’s head slamming it down hard on the side of one of the rocks. Ellie could hear the sound of the bones shattering from where she was ten feet away. She took the time to come to her feet. To take up the shooters stance Reese taught her. Vincent closed his hands together and brought them down hard on Edward's back. Just to do it again seconds later. Edward’s hands closed around Vincent's leg, pulling it out of its socket. Vincent staggered off balance into the rushing water. He cried out, gnashing his teeth as he went down.
The second Edward came up Ellie took another shot, sending three bullets slamming into the side of his head. They didn't even slow him down. Edward was on his feet, rushing toward her head on within seconds. More bullets hit him in the chest. Ellie took in a shuddering breath, preparing herself for the hit when Reese's Monster slammed into Edward, and the two went tumbling into the trees to her left.
Ellie threw her last three bullets at him without even looking to see if they hit. She popped the button on the clip. It clattered to the rocky ground at her feet. She slid the new clip home just in time to see Reese fly through the air, blood dripping into the leaves. Ellie pulled back on the slide, her thumb pressing the safety switch all the way down when Edward hit her. He rode her to the ground. Ellie shoved the gun into his chest and pulled down on the trigger. Full auto from centimeters away turned his chest to a red ruin.
Vaguely, she was aware of the raised claw. It caught the sunlight at its zenith. Vincent's monster was there. He grabbed that arm at the elbow nearly tearing it from Edward's body. His teeth ripped into Edward’s throat. Blood gushed down the front of him. They came down hard over Ellie. She lost the gun when they hit the ground. Clawed hands closed over her shoulders, tearing her loose from the pile with a scream of pain. Her shoulder dislocated once again.
Reese ran with her toward the trees at their back. Ellie pulled her Heckler, flipping the safety off as she drew. Edward used both hands to slam into Vincent's chest knocking him back a few feet. The rifle had slipped down most of the way. Vincent tore the strap loose, hitting the safety. He pulled down on the trigger. Full auto with the AR15 made Edward stagger back a few steps. It tore a hole through his chest. Empty, Vincent let it fall to the ground with a deafening clatter.
Vincent stepped into the punch that Edward threw, ducking it to come up on his left side. An uppercut to his chin bowed Edward's back. Vincent’s secondary claw attack Edward blocked with his forearm. He slammed his fist into Vincent's forward thigh, shattering the bone. His eyes went wide with the pain. Vincent reached out from his knees wrapping his arms around Edward's legs, pulling them out from underneath him. Vincent slammed the back of his fist into Edward’s face, buying time for the bone in his thigh to forge.
Ellie was half running, half sliding along with Reese. She looked up when something dark came flying through the air. Reese lashed out catching it with one hand. He stopped them, shoving her backpack into Ellie’s arms. Ellie’s eyes narrowed, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion. Then she saw Vincent running toward them. She reached in with shaking hands pulling a pipe bomb free. Ellie twisted her finger around the fuse, breaking it off with only an inch sticking out. She tried twice to light it; her hands were shaking so hard. Even with the divine rush of adrenaline, she could feel the pain of her shoulder ripping through her. The shortened fuse sparking, Reese took it from her. He chucked it.
The explosion nearly knocked her to the ground seconds later. Earth and tree branches flew into the sky. Ellie was fishing for another one when she saw Edward stagger toward them. He reached down pulling a long, warped piece of metal from the front of his thigh. There was no way she could get another lit by the time he would be on them. She saw Vincent rushing at him. Ellie pulled the bomb free anyway, just in case. It's not like her bullets were doing a hell of a lot of good. Reese was gone.
Vincent hit Edward, a staggering right hook. Edward's leg slammed into his chest, pushing him back two feet. Vincent's body jerked right, dodging a claw, then left as he evaded another. Vincent took a step, launching himself through the air in a somersault inches above a sweeping strike. Vincent hurled three jabs, one after the other to Edward's upper body.
He threw a fourth, but this one Edward caught in his fist. His left claw slashed through Vincent's side tearing through inches into his body above his right hip. His knee buckling, Vincent dropped down nearly a foot. His body twisted with the force. Reese came in from behind, stabbing four claws deep into the curve of Edward's neck and shoulder. Reese pulled back ripping them down, and out of Edward’s back.
Edward let go of Vincent's fist. He spun round to face Reese, lashing out at him. His claw tore across Reese’s shoulder and upper chest. Reese moved into it, stabbing at Edward’s chest. His fingers cupped, Reese gave a sharp twist rending the flesh. Reese pulled back for leverage, just to push in again digging them deeper, trying to rip the very heart from Edward’s chest. Edward slammed his fist into the side of Reese’s head, again and again. The force of it threw Reese rolling to the ground.
Ellie didn't have time to think. She pulled the thermate from its pocket on the side stuffing it into her jacket. Ellie screamed out in frustration as she tried to hold the pipe bomb in her left hand. Ellie dropped it, unable to get her fingers to work with her arm out of its socket. It rolled away into a pile of leaves and underbrush. Ellie closed her right fist around the Zippo so tight her knuckles went white. She hated being so damned useless.
Ellie took in her surroundings. Spotting a tall birch tree, she rushed at it, slamming her left shoulder into the trunk of the tree. The first hit did nothing but make her cry out. Ellie clenched her teeth and threw her shoulder into it again. This time, she felt it pop back into place. Ellie staggered back, her body shuddering from the pain. She used it. Ellie concentrated on it to focus her anger, force her to think.
She sniffed, swallowing a scream. Ellie grabbed the bag, staggering forward a few clumsy steps. She pulled out another pipe as she went. With shaking hands, she managed to light it. Ellie dropped the lit bomb back into the bag. A minute and a half, that's how long she had. Ellie hooked the shoulder strap over her right arm. Reese caught sight of what she was doing as he dragged himself to his feet. His eyes narrowed.
Edward came around with an elbow to Vincent's face. Dropping low on one knee, Edward leaned back closing his arms around Vincent’s upper body. Flipping him, Edward brought Vincent down with a force that shook the ground they were standing on. Edward came down with an arcing fist that shattered every bone in Vincent's chest. Vincent’s raw, pain filled cry tore a gasp from E
llie looking on.
Ellie raised the Heckler in a shaking, two handed grip. Taking a shot that ripped through Edward's chest. A step, a shot hit him in the back of the head. Edward screamed out in rage. “You like to pick on girls, huh, Edward? Why don't you come pick on me!” Ellie growled at him. She took another step forward, pulling the trigger again. This bullet slammed into his forehead right between the eyes. Suddenly, Reese knew exactly what she was doing.
Edward climbed to his feet, blood dripping from his lips. Ellie let her left hand holding the gun fall away. Her right arm dropped at an angle that let the backpack fall to the leaf covered ground at her feet. Ellie knew it when he didn't gut her near the water that Edward wasn't in the grip of blind rage. He wasn't in the grip of blind rage when he attacked her at the house, either. He’d called her name. Edward rolled his shoulders. “What's wrong, Squirt? Angry I'm picking on your boyfriend again?” His raspy voice snapped. He took a few steps in her direction. She held her ground. Ellie raised the Heckler. She shot him again, this time, one handed. She looked at Reese over Edward’s shoulder giving him wide eyes.
Vincent tried to get up. The pain was fire curling in his chest. His face grimaced, teeth on edge. The bones were healing, forging, just nowhere near fast enough. He could hear Ellie taunting her brother. Where was Reese? He was supposed to be protecting her. Vincent rolled like a turtle trapped on its back. Blood bubbled up inside his mouth. The shattered bones of his chest turned Vincent’s lungs into swiss-cheese. He rolled onto his side.
Edward stopped, wincing with the pain of the bullet that hit him in the chest. “You know, that is really starting, to. Piss. Me. Off,” he thundered. Enunciating every word, the way he did when he got truly angry at his baby sister.
“Then come do something about it,” Ellie roared. Her body shook. She gulped, but couldn't get enough air. Ellie swallowed past it. “Or are you afraid of a little girl?” she taunted, her grip tightening on the gun. Ellie needed him to come closer. She shot him again, her bullet tearing through his chest.
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