Dark Empathy by Archibald Bradford (inspiring books for teens TXT) 📕

hear or wouldn’t listen, instead ducking and weaving through the melee, letting loose one knife after another into any foe that blocked her path towards her chosen target.

Franticly trying to reload his devastating weapon, the man didn’t see the leather clad Katje sprinting towards him.

Only when he placed the cannon back on his shoulder did he finally spot her, but he was too late to do anything more than yelp as she threw herself at him, her knives bisecting his windpipe as his devastating weapon fell into the pile of assorted metal with a heavy clatter.

She tarried beside him just long enough to ensure he was dead before launching herself back into the fight with a spitting hiss.

Despite the death of the Aegis operative and his two bond-mates, Erica hadn’t been lying: the taskforce was steadily and ruthlessly dismantling all resistance.

The weapons fire was more often than not blocked by a Golem, her earth magic working in tandem with Linda’s clay to erect solid barriers just like the one that Miranda was huddled behind, the thick slabs popping up like dominoes all over the place to protect the Aegis personnel and hem in their quarry.

They would likely have suffered worse casualties though if it weren’t for Nina keeping nearly half of the attention on herself, the criminals simply had no answer for the little giant; even their biggest weapons only seemed to piss her off.

“COME ON YOU PUSSIES! IS THAT ALL YOU’VE GOT?!” She roared and brought her hammer down and crushing yet another unlucky perp, the impact shaking the earth.

Meanwhile, the pair of tiny Spriggin were invariably targeting their little arrows at those whose weapons posed the greatest threat, just as Erica had.

And when their opponents tried to rally around the perimeter of Nina’s rampage, Bruti found them.

In the heat of the pitched battle, the Grizzly had let loose with all of her rage, and it made Nina look only slightly miffed in comparison.

Whoever the circling Wolfen pack didn’t take down, the enraged bear tore apart with brutal force, her thick talons dripping with blood and gore as her bestial roars resounded around the scrap-yard.

Like the mighty Gigas, she drew no small amount of weapons fire, but what injuries she suffered did nothing to slow her down.

Within a few minutes of Miranda getting shot, workers were throwing down their arms, while the last few who were committed to fighting to the bitter end soon got their wish.

In the lull immediately after the last couple men died or surrendered, Miranda sat up from her place on the ground to take stock of the situation, her hand clutching her bloody side.

All over the scrap-yard Bethany’s cohorts were being stripped and restrained.

“Anybody who can move help those who can’t! Our workday isn’t over yet!” The wounded operative shouted; “Benjamin! You alive?”

From his place on the back of someone he had just taken to the ground, the stout man responded tersely.

“I am.”

He had a nasty cut on his cheek and a burn on his shoulder, but was otherwise unhurt.

“Good. I’m wounded, don’t know how bad yet. You’re in charge now!”

“Copy.” The even tempered operative nodded as he smoothly began giving orders; “You heard her people, anybody got eyes on Sinclair?”

There was a chorus of negatives as the Aegis swarmed the scrap-yard and some headed back into the shop, searching for the wanted fugitive.

With the shooting done, Nameless gingerly poked his head out from behind cover; when he had come into the scrap-yard and seen what was happening he had one thought above all else.

Fuck that shit.

He had then unashamedly hidden, knowing that trying to get involved in the Aegis team’s coordinated assault would very likely result in his own death or someone else’s.

Neither were outcomes he could live with.

“V-Volka has her! She’s in pursuit with Milly!”

Benjamin whipped around, his eyes searching for the face to go with the words.

“On your feet cadet! Which way?”

As ordered Nameless scrambled to stand, then closed his eyes, silently feeling for his Valkyrie.

“East, not far. Where the scrap-yard meets the cross-street, she caught up to them but she still has a couple men with her, they are heavily armed, some kind of rapid-fire weapons.”

He could see Benjamin working his jaw as he came to a difficult decision.

Like Miranda, and most everyone else present, he knew the value of the young Empath.

“Lead on, but if there’s any more shooting get behind Semper and his girls.”

Grant was there in an instant with Bruti and Linda, bleeding from a scrape to his forearm but otherwise unharmed.

And he did not look happy to see Nameless.

Nameless swallowed, but nodded.

“Yes sir.”

Chapter 40:The Cost of Justice

Volka braced her shield as the two gatlings unleashed their fury on her, the rapid fire weapons spitting their projectiles with deadly intent.

But the shield of Volka Gundrsdotter had withstood far worse, and the glowing woman braced her shoulder against it as she slowly pushed her way ever onwards, the weapons pelting uselessly against her shield non-stop.

Why neither of them aimed at her exposed legs was a mystery.

After a full minute, the onslaught halted as the two shocked men took in the sight of the still standing Valkyrie.

She called out to them in a voice as clear as a bell.

“Throw down your arms brothers! Do not die for this vile woman’s greed!”

Carol, dragging a terrified Rebecca along by the forearm likewise screamed at her subordinates.

“I told you to kill her! She’s just one monster girl!”

“We tried! Her shield is like magic or something!”

Having lost her cool at the arrival of the armoured angel, the arms dealer stomped her foot in the dirt of the street like a petulant child.

“I don’t care if it’s made of cheese! Take her