The Last Signal

Chapter 7: First Mission

The plan was stupid.

"I hate this plan," Scar-face said. Arms crossed. Staring at me like I was about to get her killed. "It’s reckless. It’s dumb. It’s gonna get us all killed."

"Noted," Ryker said. He was checking my vest. Making sure the wire was hidden under the tactical shirt. His fingers brushed my ribs. "Any other problems?"

"Yeah. She’s gonna panic. She’s gonna use her power too early. She’s gonna get captured for real and then we’ll have to rescue her AND the other kids."

"I won’t," I cut her off.

"You don’t know that," Scar-face snapped. "You’ve been a Signaler for what, 3 years? Running. Hiding. I’ve been hunting The Static for 8. I’ve seen what they do to people like you."

"And how many have you saved?" I asked. Quiet.

The van went silent.

Big Guy looked at the floor. Park adjusted his glasses.

"Enough," Ryker said. Final. He finished with the vest. Tapped my chest twice. "Positions."

We drove in silence to Sector 4.

The substation was 2 blocks away. Burnt from last night. Police tape still up. But the ash signal was still there.

'COME FIND ME`

Like it was waiting for me.

Ryker turned to me before we got out.

"Last chance to back out," he said. Low. Just for me.

"I’m not backing out," I said.

"Rule 2," he said. "No power unless I say. You wait for my signal."

"I know."

"Rule 3. You don’t leave my sight. Even when you’re the bait."

"I know."

"Rule 4. You don’t lie to me."

I met his eyes. "I know."

He nodded. Then louder, for everyone: "Comms check."

`Scar-face: Loud and clear.`

`Big Guy: 5x5.`

`Park: Ready.`

`Me: Peachy.`

Ryker pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don’t say peachy on comms."

"Why not?"

"Because it’s unprofessional."

"Fine. I’m ready."

"Better," he muttered.

At 10:00 AM. I was alone.

On purpose.

The substation smelled like burnt metal and rain. The police tape flapped in the wind. And in the middle of it all, the ash circle.

I walked to the center. Sat down. Cross-legged. Like I was meditating. Like my heart wasn’t hammering at 120 bpm.

My earpiece crackled.

`Ryker: You good?`

I didn’t answer out loud. Just tapped my ear twice. Our signal for yes.

`Ryker: They’re watching. 3 rooftops. Northwest. Don’t look.`

I didn’t.

`Big Guy: I have eyes on two. Armed. Wires.`

`Park: One near the fence. Mask on. No gun visible.`

`Scar-face: Still no Null. Repeat, no Null.`

Good. The Null was the problem. If he showed, this plan was dead.

I closed my eyes, and I listened.

The city was loud.

Cars on the highway.

A dog barking.

But underneath... static.

And voices. Faint.

`...take her now...`

`...boss wants her alive...`

`...the bait worked...`

They were close.

Footsteps. Crunching on broken glass. 4 of them. Coming from the fence.

I opened my eyes.

Static masks. 4 of them. Smooth black. No eyes.

Wires coiled in their hands. Guns on their backs.

The one in front stepped into the ash circle with me.

"Hello, Galiana," his voice was distorted. Like a robot underwater. "You came alone. Good girl."

Rule 2 was burning in my head.

Don’t use power unless I say.

I stood. Slow. Hands up. "What do you want?"

"You," he said. "And your Signal."

He grabbed my arm. His glove was cold. It was wet.

`Ryker: Wait for it...`

They dragged me toward a van. Black. No plates. Back doors open.

My heart was pounding so loud I was sure they could hear it.

One of them whispered to another. "She smells like fear."

I smiled. "You should smell this."

And I screamed.

Not with sound.

With power.

Lightning shot out.

Not from my hands. From my chest.

From my skin.

360 degrees.

A wave.

It hit all 4 of them. Dropped them instantly. Bodies convulsing on the concrete.

`Ryker: NOW!`

The team moved.

Scar-face dropped from the roof. Landed in a roll, and shot the van’s tires. Big Guy came through the fence like a tank. Tackled two guys who were trying to run. Park was on comms, calm. "All targets down. Perimeter secure."

And Ryker...

Ryker was already in front of me.

He grabbed my face, he then checked my eyes, and my pulse.

"Rule 2," he said. But he was smiling. Small. Proud.

"You waited."

"You said wait for it," I said. Breathing hard. "I waited."

"You did good," he said.

That’s when the air went cold.

10 degrees colder.

Static.

The smell of ozone.

The Null stepped out from behind the transformer.

Like he’d been there the whole time.

Watching.

"Impressive," he said. Clapping. Slow. "But you used too much. You’re leaking."

He raised his hand. The 10 meter radius.

My Echo died.

The noise in my head cut out.

I couldn’t hear Ryker.

Couldn’t hear the team.

Couldn’t hear the city.

Just silence.

Deafening silence.

I panicked.

Ryker saw it. Stepped in front of me. Gun up. "Back off."

The Null tilted his head. "You can’t stop me, Vega. Not this time. Not without her."

He reached for me.

And Scar-face shot him.

3 times. Center mass.

The bullets went through static. I did nothing. I passed through him like he was smoke.

The Null laughed. "Thanks for trying."

Then he grabbed my wrist.

I felt pain. White noise. Like every radio in the world tuned to static at once.

I screamed.

And something answered.

Not me.

Me.

`Galiana...`

My own voice. In my head. From the Static.

They were using my Echo. My copied Signal.

The Null’s eyes widened behind the mask. "What—"

I grabbed his hand with both of mine.

And pulled him.

All the noise in the city. All the pain. All the fear from the last 3 years. All of it. I shoved it into him.

He screamed. Sounded like glitching radio. Like a dying broadcast.

And he vanished.

Gone.

Silence.

I dropped to my knees. Shaking.

Ryker was there instantly. Arms around me.

"I’ve got you," he said. "I’ve got you. Breathe."

Scar-face walked over. Looked at the empty space where the Null was.

Then looked at me.

"Huh," she said. "Maybe you’re not completely useless."

"High praise," I muttered.

Park ran over. "We got 2 of them alive! The others are dead! No major injuries on our side!"

Ryker didn’t let go of me. "Good. Interrogate them. Find the base."

He finally looked at me. "You used your power."

"I did," I said.

"Why?"

"Because he was going to take me," I said. "And I’m tired of running. I’m tired of being the thing they hunt."

He nodded. Once. "Fair."

We stood. Together.

On the ground, the ash signal was gone. Burnt away by my lightning.

But in its place, new words. Scratched into the concrete with something sharp.

`YOU’RE LOUDER NOW`

And now we're back at the safehouse. We are at the interrogation room. One-way glass. Fluorescent light buzzing.

Inside: One Static member. Wires guy from the train station.

He was cuffed to the table. Bleeding from his nose.

Scar-face was in there with him. No gun. Just her and him.

Through the speaker:

"Where’s the base?" she asked. Calm.

He smiled. Bloody teeth. "You’ll never—"

Scar-face slammed his head on the table. Once.

"Wrong answer."

I was watching with Ryker and Park from the other side.

"She’s intense," I said.

"She’s the best we have," Ryker said. "She doesn’t play."

On the other side, the guy cracked after 5 minutes.

"Sector 11! Old power plant! Please— she said not to talk—"

Scar-face came out. Wiping her hands on a towel. "We have a location."

Ryker nodded. "Gear up. We leave in 20."

He turned to me.

"You’re not coming," he said.

"What?"

"You’re staying here. With Park. Guard duty."

"No," I said. "I’m part of this. I found the location."

"You’re the reason they have a location," he said. "If we fail, they’ll come for you next. I need you safe."

"Then let them come," I said. "I’m not hiding anymore. Not while there are kids in cages."

We stared at each other.

Scar-face sighed. "She’s right, Vega. We need her. She’s the only one who can track them if they run. She’s the only one who can hear them coming."

Ryker looked at me. Really looked. Tired. Mad. Proud.

"Fine," he said. "But you follow orders. You stay behind me. You don’t use your power unless I say. And the second I say run, you run."

"Deal," I said.

He held out his hand.

I took it. His hand was warm. Calloused.

"First mission," he said. "Let’s not die."

"Let’s not," I agreed.