Saxifrage Fire

0036

Ezi slammed on the brakes before they rammed into a barricade of trucks half way up Capitol Street.

Thea jumped out and immediately dropped to the ground as the bullets cracked in the air nearby. 

A few dozen Pyros were hunkered behind the barricade returning bursts of fire at the Garda surrounding the Capitol.

She laid on her belly and crawled to one of the front trucks, peeking beneath to get a better view of their opponents; the Garda were stationed behind concrete road blocks and a few amber shields at the base of the Capitol stairs.

Ezi dropped down beside her and they laid side by side, quiet for a moment, like children watching a movie on a laptop.

"Any second now..." Ezi muttered.

Thea reached for her radio with a powerful impulse to check in with Hitoshi, but stopped realizing it could give away their position. She pushed up and sat with her back against the bumper to wait for the roaring explosion that would clear out the Garda and neutralize whatever toxin dispensers the Garda were waiting to unleash.

The sound of gunfire beat against her head, so she closed her eyes and covered her ears trying to settle her nerves. It was all happening too fast. In moments, they could all be dead or they could be rushing the Capitol in victory overtaking the only home she'd ever known. She pulled Alex's necklace from her pocket and clutched it close to her heart remembering the night Ezi had shut down her suppressor and she'd envisioned Alex's death. That same fear gripped her now and she wondered how she was functioning through it.

If they didn't take the Capitol, if they died or retreated, Alex would be lost. 

She heard a radio buzz and watched Ezi answer. 

It was Oshi.

"We've placed the bomb but... Alexius is here.

Thea lost her breath and met Ezi's gaze with wide eyes.

"Hold off."

"DUH!" Hitoshi griped. "But..." his voice lowered like he was trying not to get caught, "... the blonde devil has her strapped with toxin dispensers." 

Thea froze and stared down at the necklace in her hand. She knew, that if she were in Alex's place, she'd want them to disregard her life and do whatever they could to neutralize the toxin. But, she wasn't in Alex's place, and she didn't care if it put lives and victory on the line: she couldn't sacrifice her sister.

She met Ezi's teary eyes.

"Is it Sera or Koro of me to choose Alex's life over... everything?"

A tender sort of smile slipped Ezi's face.

"It's only human, Thea. We'll do everything we can, okay?"

She bit her lip to keep it from quivering and nodded urgently.

Thea tensed as she heard a shrill voice screaming her name from up the hill.

"Alethea! I'm not in the mood for hide and seek! Come out!... I've got your sister all geared up with toxin and I'm about to press the button. Try and stop me!"

She clutched the bumper of the truck and tried to steady her breathing as she tried to analyze the hysteria in Thalia's tone. Releasing the toxin would stop the attack on the Capitol; if Thalia was being practical, she'd shut up and release it. The sound of the gun Thalia had fired into the sky instead of her head echoed in her memory. She'd chosen to spare her even though that meant directly disobeying her mother.