Shadow Mutation (Book Seven) [UNDER MAJOR EDITING]

Chapter 31: Seeing Them Fall

Casey moves down the street, his land skates rolling smoothly along the concrete as he racks his mind for memories of where the Necromancer's laboratory is. He can't remember the exact spot, just various landmarks near it.

He slows to a stop, bracing himself against a lamppost as he grips his ribs again. He inwardly curses the quartet of shadow beasts that attacked him, knowing that if they hadn't knocked him off a building, he'd be getting to Zilla a lot faster.

He clenches one hand into a fist and pushes against the post, his dark brown eyes narrowing as he forces himself to look past the pain. He isn't going to let a little bit of discomfort stop him from saving her.

"Just keep going, Casey Jones. Keep going," he urges himself as he starts off again.

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Casey keeps his arms crossed over his chest, his face scrunched as he stares at the keypad outside the secret laboratory. He'd be lying if he said that he hadn't forgotten about this part of the rescue mission, something that makes him less than happy about his current situation.

There's a soft rush of wind behind him. He tenses, his shoulders squaring as he slowly turns around. He nearly jumps as Destiny smiles at him. Although her mouth is happy, her eyes hold a look that tells him that she could be less than pleased with his decision making.

"Wolfie?" he asks, lifting his hockey mask. "Why are you here?"

"A better question is why are you here?" she responds coolly, her dark tail flicking as she tightens her wings against her back. She crosses her arms over her chest, the leather jacket she's wearing shielding her from the cold wind. "Please tell me you didn't think you could take on the Necromancer by yourself."

"No," he insists, his tone almost whining.

"We told you to go home and rest," a second voice cuts in from directly beside him. He pivots swiftly to see Sarina staring back at him, her eyes flashing once. "Hence why we followed you home to make sure you actually got home."

"But no, you go home, get your vigilante gear, and go after the baddie. Great job," Destiny adds.

He snorts. "I wasn't going to fight the guy. I need to get Zilla out of there."

Both girls blink as their eyebrows crease with confusion.

"Who is Zilla?" Sarina inquires.

"Did you meet another new person?" Destiny wonders incredulously.

Casey purses his lips, shuffling his feet as he taps his fingers together. "Uh...no, Shadow's actual name is Zilla. I found out a day or so ago."

Sarina's eyes flash as she gasps. "Of course, it makes sense!"

"Huh?" the other two mutants ask.

The cyborg shrugs. "Zilla means 'shadow' in the Hebrew language. It makes sense if that's her name."

"Woah...talk about irony," Destiny comments.

"Yeah, almost like it was her destiny," Casey adds, wiggling his eyebrows at the wolf-raven.

She rolls her eyes. "If you weren't hurt, I'd elbow you in the ribs right now."