𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 ~ 𝘚𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘯𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘴

~ 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙏𝙚𝙣: 𝙍𝙪𝙣! ~

Outside the Academy, the Sparrows piled into a long black van. Ben and Fei sat in the driver and front passenger seats while the rest sat, or in Christopher's case, hovered above their metal seats. Sloane stared out the window as the car moved through the city, and no matter how incredible the view may have looked from inside the van, her fear for Astrid's life grew stronger and stronger.

~~~~~~~~~

"My turn!" Astrid smiled, searching the wooden board for a matching set of blocks. It was Mahjong Monday at the hotel, and the Hargreeves figured one game wouldn't hurt while they waited for their enemy to show up. The Shadow Girl's eyes scanned the markings, trying to find the other matching block, and after a few seconds, she finally found it. "So, do we have a plan yet?" Luther asked. "Just follow our lead, and it'll be fine," Allison replied, sounding calmer than she was previously.

"Uh-Uh, nice try. We don't take orders from you," Diego tsked. But before either Viktor, Allison, or Astrid could respond to their brothers, they heard the sounds of patrons chattering and gathering near the front of the hotel. And for just a second, they could've heard the people mention the Sparrows. "Shit! They're here early!" Astrid's eyes widened. They immediately vacated their seats, watching as one by one the Sparrows entered the lobby. First Ben, then Jayme and Sloane, and finally Alphonso, Fei, and Christopher.

The five out of seven Umbrellas stood on the opposite end of the lobby, locking eyes with the few threatening faces, but as Astrid stood in front of her secret lover, she noticed Sloane's worried look, and it seemed like she was trying to mouth something. "Well, thanks for coming," Viktor spoke up. "Oh yeah, super glad to be here," Jayme rolled her eyes. "Where are the rest of you?" Ben folded his arms across his chest.

"What? Are you taking attendance? They'll be here," Diego smirked. Allison inquired about the briefcase, realizing from the looks of it, they failed to bring their end of the bargain. "Where's our brother?" Ben squinted. "Maybe we should try this again before I lose my temper," Allison took a menacing step forward, hands digging into her pockets. Astrid tried to make out the words Sloane was trying to say, but no matter how hard the gravity girl tried to subtly warn her, she didn't get the hint.

I don't get what you mean. She mouthed back to her, also confusing Sloane with her lip reading. Sloane glanced over to her siblings, jerking her head slightly. Something about the Sparrows? What about them? Astrid wondered. From Sloane's fourth or fifth attempt at trying to get her message across, it looked like she was trying to say... Run. "MOLOTOV THIS, BITCHES!" Stanley came running in with a flaming bottle clutched in his hand. "Stanley! Not right now!" Diego hissed. Before Stanley could respond, the Molotov Cocktail slipped out of his grasp, breaking into pieces and setting one of the banners ablaze.

The hotel guests clamored and hollered, trying to get away from the inferno, and with the Umbrellas distracted, it was the perfect time for the Sparrows to strike. "Power up!" Ben instructed. With a snap of his fingers, the Sparrows powers were activated. Christopher the cube spun around a few times, glowing with a menacing red. Fei arched her back, releasing a few of her ravens. And although she didn't want to hurt the woman she loved, Sloane had no choice but to activate her powers, her hands glowing white. 

The Umbrellas barely had time to prepare themselves, as Ben called on Christopher, and within a split second, the Umbrellas fell to the ground, tightly clutching their ears as a piercing noise filled their heads. Astrid screamed at the pain, instinctively curling in a ball though she tried desperately to stand up and fight against it. Sloane's eyes widened to the size of saucers as she felt the loving urge to protect her. 

"Kill them!" Ben glanced at Jayme, Alphonso, and Sloane. Jay and Alp glared as they approached their enemies, whereas Sloane could already feel a lump form in her throat as she approached her withering girlfriend. She couldn't kill her, not the woman she considered her soulmate. By some miracle, someone swiftly arrived to protect the Umbrellas, and with a loud shout, a wave of yellow rays flew toward the Sparrows. Within that tiny five-second window she had of no pain, Astrid saw it coming and quickly tackled Sloane to the ground, shielding her from the blinding rays.

Fei and Ben quickly ducked down before the rays could hit them, and Christopher hit the wall between the two entrances before his cube clattered onto the ground. But Jayme and Alphonso were at the center of the blast. Unable to duck down in time, the yellow rays hit them, searing their faces and sucking the life out of them. 

After what felt like forever, the yellow rays diminished, and Jayme and Alphonso's bodies fell to the ground. "JAYME! ALPHONSO!" Fei screamed at the loss of her siblings, while Ben just looked around in shock. "FALL BACK!" He shouted before he, Fei, and Christopher piled into the revolving door and drove off in their van.

With the remaining Sparrows retreating, Astrid cradled Sloane's head in her hands, embracing her unconscious body in a bear hug. "Sloane? Sloane, wake up!"