OUTWORLD: Ott and Cold

OUTWORLD: Ott and Cold Part 12

Skip felt her maw hang open as she stared dumbfounded at Roofus. "What did she do to you?"

Roofus sniffed. "Nothing."

"No," Skip mumbled, unable to comprehend what was happening right in front of her. "No! Lydia, you get out of him!"

She started forward, but Roofus' Witch Blaster stopped her. "Fleer, this is me talking," the Fox ground out through his teeth. "Look, I told the others to fall back so I could come out and talk to all of you."

"You traitor," Skip growled, taking a few steps back.

"I'm not the traitor here, Fleer," Roofus said, his Witch Blaster still pointed at her nose. He uttered a bitter laugh. "I do everything right. I hew to the rules, toe the company line. Keep my team happy. For what?" He motioned to Skip. "So they can torture you? Screw me over? Screw us all over?" He laughed again. "Yeah, I heard everything Ontiveros said. She didn't scream enough if you ask me."

Skip swallowed. "So, that's it, then? You're with Lydia?"

Roofus nodded. "Oh, yeah. Think I've burned my bridges with Etobicoke." He glanced at Rachel. "Right, Tedeschi?"

Rachel gave a stentorian nod. "Yuh-huh."

"Lydia's insane, Roofus!" Skip cried. "You know what she did to Ontiveros!"

"Oh, I know she's insane!" Roofus barked. "But you know as well as I do that we can't fight her. Anyone who does..."

Another voice joined the exchange. "Yeah, we know what happens to them, Wellard!" Sally Hoot yapped angrily. "What happened to Felicity!"

"Round?" Roofus mumbled, his resolve seeming to falter for a moment. It passed. "Doesn't matter." He returned to Skip, fingers tightening on his Blaster. "Fleer, we both have a common enemy here. Etobicoke." His teeth flashed. "We join Lydia, we can get the backing of the ICW and burn it all to the ground."

"Step aside, Wellard," Sally growled. "I'm taking Felicity's body back to her family, and you are gonna find a way to be okay with that."

"No!" Roofus shouted. "We're all staying here!"

Skip whimpered as she saw the intent in his eye. He'd gone over, and there was no calling him back. There was one more question to ask, though, and Skip had a feeling Roofus might have the answer. She had to try. "Where's Tilda? Tell me where she is, and I'll do whatever you say. I just want her."

Roofus shook his head. "I don't know, Fleer. I sent Cecily McTeer to the medbay a while ago, and Dawes wasn't there. She could be anywhere." He sighed. "I wish she were here right now."

So do I, Skip thought. She felt a little hope despite everything else.

"Wellard, you stay right where you are!" Sally yelled, her Witch Blaster aimed in his direction. "Redridge, get scrying and find Fehn's lot! They're taking too bloody long!"

A sudden burst of noise came from the direction of the tram station door; it was shuddering, and starting to glow.

Skip squeaked in fear and brought Lizzy's weapon up into Roofus' face. "Time to pick a side, Roofus!" she told him loudly. "Them or us. You think Lydia's going to stop at Etobicoke?"

Roofus' maw worked, spilling out strangled obscenities. He fumbled with his Witch Blaster, his eyes darting between her and the door. He chose fairly promptly, shoving the weapon directly into her face, finger going to the trigger, the scream of light from inside it flaring...

...and then he was flying backwards, a cometary trail of smoke and flame following in his wake as he smacked into the nearest bulkhead, hit the deck, and lay still.