Chapter 1
The muted glow of the city’s neon signs reflected off the rain-slicked streets as Aura crouched behind a dumpster, her team huddled close beside her. Her gray eyes scanned the alleyway, searching for any signs of movement. Latro, his blond hair tousled, leaned in close, a mischievous glint in his green eyes. “So, captain, what’s the plan? We gonna wing it or actually follow protocol this time?”
Aura shot him a pointed look, her voice low and steady. “Stick to the plan, Latro. We’re here to gather intel, not start a firefight.”
Reed, his wiry frame tense with anticipation, nodded in agreement. “We need to be careful… or another accident could happen.”
“That wasn’t our fault,” Shift spoke up, his short hair lying flat against his skull.
Aura glanced at Shift, he had a frown and she could sense his unease. He wasn’t completely wrong, but they couldn’t dwell on the accident with Whisper.
“Remember, get the info and get out. We’ll meet on the northern docks where Jax is waiting for us.” Aura straightened.
“Shift, you’re with me,” Aura said, her tone leaving no room for argument. “We’ll take the rooftops, get a better vantage point. Latro, Reed, you’re on ground level. Keep your comms open and your eyes sharp. Any signs of trouble, back out.”
Latro grinned, a flash of white teeth in the dim light. “Aye, aye, captain. We’ll be the distraction while you two do the real work, eh?”
Aura ignored his jibe, her focus already on the mission at hand. She turned to Shift, studying his face for a moment. “You ready for this?”
Shift met her gaze, his expression unreadable. “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”
Aura nodded. They were the best of the best. Their missions didn’t given the option of failure.
Aura and Shift moved swiftly, their footsteps barely audible as they scaled the side of the building, their power infusion allowing them to find handholds where none should exist.
Aura tapped into her wind, using it to lift herself silently onto the rooftop and Shift, slid up his form papery thin before he solidified next to her.
Aura breathed in the damp air, the Coastal Metropolis stretched out before them, a glittering expanse of light and shadow, the distant crash of waves a constant backdrop to the hum of the city.
Aura paused, her eyes scanning the horizon. “There,” she said, pointing to a cluster of warehouses near the docks. “That’s our target.”
Shift nodded, his expression grim. “Looks heavily guarded. We’ll need to be careful.”
“Careful is my middle name,” Aura quipped, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. She tapped her comm, her voice low. “Latro, Reed, you in position?”
“Affirmative,” came Reed’s reply, his voice thin over the comm. “Ready when you are.”
Aura took a deep breath, the weight of command settling on her shoulders like a familiar burden. She knew the risks, knew the price of failure.
“Alright,” she said, her voice steady. “Let’s do this.”
The warehouses loomed ahead, their corrugated metal walls casting deep shadows in the moonlight. Aura and Shift crept closer, their senses on high alert, their power thrumming beneath their skin.
And then all hell broke loose.
A cacophony of shouts and gunfire erupted from within the warehouse, the sounds echoing through the night like a discordant symphony. Aura’s heart raced as she realized that their carefully laid plans had been compromised and that the enemy had somehow been alerted to their presence.
“Latro, Reed, get out of there!” she barked into her comm, her voice laced with urgency. “It’s a trap!”
But even as the words left her lips, she knew it was too late. The warehouse doors burst open, and a swarm of heavily armed soldiers poured out, their weapons trained on Latro and Reed below them.
Aura dove for cover behind the chimny stack, her mind racing as she assessed the situation. They were outnumbered and outgunned, but retreat wasn’t an option. Not with Latro and Reed pinned down.
Nobody was going to die on her watch. Not tonight.
Gritting her teeth, Aura summoned another gust of wind, using it to propel herself up and over the crates. She landed in the midst of the soldiers, her body moving on muscle memory as she engaged them hand-to-hand.
Aura reacted on instinct, her Augmentations flaring to life as she summoned a gust of wind to knock the soldiers off balance. Beside her, Shift phased through the hail of bullets, his form flickering into nothingness as he closed the distance to their attackers.
She glanced over at Shift, who had solidified long enough to disarm two soldiers before phasing again to avoid their counterattack. His movements were fluid, almost ethereal, but Aura could see the strain in his eyes. Stretching himself took a toll, both physical and mental.
The Dominion had trained her well, honed her into a weapon, but Aura was more than that. She was a leader, a protector, and she would not let her team down.
“Aura!” Shift’s shout cut through the chaos. “Behind you!”
Aura spun, barely bringing her arm up in time to block a vicious blow from a soldier who had managed to get behind her.
The soldier’s baton crackled with electricity as it collided with Aura’s forearm, sending a jolt of pain through her body. She gritted her teeth and pushed back, using her Augmentation to summon a blast of air that sent the soldier flying.
But there was no time to catch her breath, she ran straight toward Latro and Reed.
“Aura?” Shift asked, joining them. “What’s the plan?”
More soldiers were closing in. Aura’s mind raced as she tried to formulate a plan, her eyes darting around the warehouse for anything that could give them an advantage.
With her abilities she could pull one of them onto the rooftop with her, that’d allow two of them to escape. But that wouldn’t work, she could report how she had left to of her team behind and failed to get the warehouse inspected.
“Shift, Reed. Get inside the warehouse as soon as their is an opening.” She turned to Latro. “You’re with me, I need your enhancement.”
Latro grinned, despite the gravity of the situation. “You got it, boss. Let’s show these tin soldiers what real power looks like.”
“Be ready to move quickly. Reed, break through the locked doors.” Aura turned to face the oncoming wave of rebel forces. She felt Latro’s presence at her back, his Augmentation amplifying her own abilities until the very air around them crackled with energy.
She glanced at Latro, wondering how even in this situation his stupid grin remained in place. “On my mark,” Aura said, her voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through her veins. “Three, two, one...now!” She summoned another gust of wind, this time focused into a concentrated blast that slammed into the approaching soldiers like an invisible battering ram.
“Go!” Aura shouted to Shift and Reed.
The two men didn’t hesitate, sprinting for the warehouse door as Aura and Latro provided cover. Shift phased through the metal barrier while Reed wrenched it open with his enhanced strength, disappearing inside.
But for every soldier they took down, two more seemed to take their place. Aura’s mind raced as she tried to formulate a new plan, a way to get her team out of this alive.
“Aura!” Reed’s voice crackled over the comm, strained and breathless. “We got proof of illegal goods, their is an esc-”
His words were cut off by a burst of static, and Aura’s heart seized in her chest. She couldn’t lose them, not like this.
“Into the warehouse!” She ordered, she launching herself into the fray, her wind powers whipping around her in a furious maelstrom. She would not let her team fail.
Latro followed close on Aura’s heels, his amplified power intertwining with hers, creating a force that even the rebel soldiers struggled to withstand. They moved as one, a deadly dance of wind and energy, carving a path towards the warehouse entrance.
Inside, the cavernous space was dimly lit, the air heavy with the scent of metal and oil. Aura’s eyes scanned the shadows, searching for any sign of Reed or Shift. Her heart pounded in her chest, fear and adrenaline mingling in her veins.
“Reed, Shift, report,” she barked into the comm, her voice echoing in the stillness.
For a moment, there was only static. Then, a crackle, and Reed’s voice broke through, strained but alive. “We’re in the back, near the loading dock. There’s a hidden exit, but it’s guarded.”
Aura exchanged a glance with Latro, a silent understanding passing between them. “Hold your position,” she ordered. “We’re coming to you.”
They moved swiftly through the maze of crates and machinery, Aura’s senses heightened, alert for any sign of danger. Behind her, Latro’s presence was a reassuring constant, his power thrumming in sync with her own.
Aura and Latro burst through the final row of crates, wind swirling around them in a protective cocoon. The loading dock came into view, a chaotic scene of flashing powers and flying bullets. Reed crouched behind a forklift, his face tight with concentration as he manipulated the metal to shield himself and Shift from the onslaught.
They moved swiftly through the maze of crates and machinery, Aura’s senses on high alert for any signs of an ambush. Latro watched her back, his presence a reassuring warmth in the chill of the warehouse.
As they neared the loading dock, the sound of shouting and the sharp crack of gunfire reached their ears. Aura’s pulse spiked, and she put on a burst of speed, rounding the corner just in time to see Reed and Shift pinned down behind a stack of metal barrels, rebel soldiers closing in on their position.
Without hesitation, Aura unleashed a blast of wind, sending the soldiers flying backwards. Latro was right beside her, his energy beams taking out the stragglers. In the momentary lull, Reed and Shift sprinted towards them, Reed clutching a small data drive in his hand.
“The exit’s just ahead,” Shift panted, his form flickering at the edges as he struggled to maintain his density. “But it’s heavily guarded. We’ll never make it through without a distraction.”
Aura’s mind raced, calculations and strategies whirling through her thoughts. “Reed, get as small as you can and go to our rendvue.” Then, with a grim set to her jaw, she turned to Latro. “Theft my power. You can fly Reed out. I’ll buy you as much time as I can.”
Latro’s eyes widened, a protest forming on his lips.
“That’s an order, soldier.”
Latro hesitated for a fraction of a second, his gaze locked with Aura’s, a silent communication passing between them. Then, with a curt nod, he reached out and grasped her hand, his fingers interlacing with hers. A surge of energy flowed through their connection, Aura’s power merging with Latro’s own.
Despite having practiced this many times before, it still felt strange as if a cough was threatening to escape her throat. But she held herself still, determined not to let it happen.
As the transfer finished, Aura staggered, her body adapting to the sudden void. It wasn’t a true stealing of her abilities, but rather a duplication; Latro had the power to mimic anyone’s powers with a simple touch, but it only lasted for sixty seconds - and they were running out of time.
Latro steadied her, his touch lingering for a moment. “I’ll come back for you,” he promised, his voice low.
Aura managed a tight smile. “No, you’ll see everyone out safely.”
She turned to Shift. “Ready?”
Shifted nodded, his body already beginning to shrink and compress. In a blink of an eye, he compressed into a compact ball, disappearing into the shadows.
More soldiers were flooding into the warehouse. Aura would follow her team once she made sure they were safe. For now, her priority was protecting them.
Aura summoned a gale, keeping a wall of wind between Latro and Reed and the enemy bullets.
With a final glance at Aura, Latro summoned the stolen wind, the air swirling around him in a miniature cyclone. He grabbed onto Reed and they levitated for a moment before shooting towards the exit with the speed of a bullet.
Aura watched them go, a mix of pride and fear churning in her gut. Then, squaring her shoulders, she turned to face the oncoming soldiers, “Let’s give them hell,” she murmured.
The rebels closed in, their weapons trained on her, their faces twisted with determination. But Aura was not afraid. She had faced worse odds before and come out victorious.
She reached deep within herself, tapping into the well of power that always simmered just beneath the surface. Even without Latro’s amplification, she was a force to be reckoned with. The air around her began to swirl, picking up speed until it howled like a living thing.
The rebels faltered, their eyes widening as they realized what they were up against. But it was too late. Aura unleashed the tempest, and the warehouse erupted into a maelstrom of wind and debris.
Crates and barrels went flying, slamming into the advancing soldiers and sending them sprawling. Aura moved through the storm like a wraith, her movements fluid and graceful as she dodged bullets and energy blasts. She lashed out with precise strikes, her hands and feet finding vulnerable spots with unerring accuracy.
Aura couldn’t shake the sense of unease that gripped her. The reinforcements kept coming, an endless tide of heavily armed soldiers. And with each passing moment, the risk to her team grew.
“Shift, status update,” she barked into her comm, her voice strained with the effort of maintaining her powers.
There was a crackle of static, then Shift’s voice, tense but steady. “Almost there. Just need a another minutes.”
Aura gritted her teeth, summoning another gust of wind to fling a group of soldiers back. They were running out of time, and options. Her powers were already dimming and she could feel the fatigue starting to set in.
She summoned another gust of wind, using it to propel herself forward in a blur of speed. She slammed into the nearest soldier, knocking him off his feet and sending his weapon clattering across the floor.
“Aura, we’re clear,” Latro’s voice crackled over the comm, strained but triumphant. “Get out of there!”
Relief flooded through her, but it was short-lived. The soldiers were closing in, their weapons trained on her, their faces grim with determination. Aura knew she had only one chance.
With a final, desperate surge of power, she summoned a whirlwind around herself, the air crackling with energy. The soldiers stumbled back, shielding their faces from the stinging debris.
Aura used the momentary distraction to sprint for the exit, her heart pounding in her ears. Bullets whizzed past her head, but she didn’t dare look back. She could feel her power waning with each step, the wind around her losing its force.
Just a little further...
