Rise and Fall [[BEING MOVED TO ANOTHER ACCOUNT]]

Chapter Eleven

                    My thoughts take a military turn, then. We aren't prepared for -or even have the means for- an airstrike. But that's if our attackers play by the rules, and honor the Parity Law of Elemental Combat. We've entered Fall. The Air season. And we don't have any air weapons. A gun is all well and good for general attack and defense, but -in this season- only when fired from somewhere high off the ground. Trees? Yeah right. More like helicopters. That's what they used to come for me. That was Summer following the law. But why follow the law to catch and

kill one boy when you've murdered so many already? Forget using the proper element in the proper season. Murder is murder.

                    I can tell by the tightness of Stefan's jaw that he doesn't plan on playing by the rules if we're attacked, and it's sort of comforting. If we're being hunted like fugitives, might as well go the whole nine yards and become fugitives.

                    I shake my head. My mind is going too far. We’re not being attacked, and we’re not going to be. We’re going to make it to the Winter House safely. It’s not something I can guarantee, but I can will it until it’s true. And that’s exactly what I plan on doing.

~*~

                    I stare out the window. Dusk has fallen, and mist has yet again enveloped the land. Sealing us up like a letter. One that no one wants to open. Except for Summer. They want to tear the letter open, and burn the contents. Burn the hope.

                    "What is that..."

                    Sasha's hesitant voice reaches me from the driver's seat. I lock my eyes on the windshield. From out of the haze, I see what she has. Two pinpoints of light. Slowly getting bigger.

                    I know she knows what it is, but it's the gunshots that make her do something about it. She honks her horn three times, and throws the car in reverse as shots pepper the armored glass.

Tires screech as both caravans reverse. I whip around, and catch a glimpse of Victor's mask of a face in the rear lights. He drives one-handed. Cradling his gun in the other.

                    I whip back around as I hear a loud pop, and our vehicle lurches to one side.

                    "They're taking out the tires!" Jacie yells as another shot finally begins to crack the glass.

                    "Get down!" Stefan yells at Sasha, then grabs her and hauls her into his seat as her flustered eyes meet his. With expert movements, he grabs the gun from the passenger seat, and checks the clip. Cocking it, he maneuvers himself into the driver's seat. Aiming the gun at where the crack has formed. The one-sided gunfight becomes fair as Stefan slams the butt of the shotgun into the crack -shattering the windshield- and opens fire on our attackers. I watch his face in the rearview mirror. It's composed. Even calm, if for the worry crease knitting his brows together.

                    "Shit!" he swears. Ducking down behind the dash. "Alek!"

                    I don't think. I rummage through the ammo box that barricades me into the back seat, and grab the nearest clip I can find. Tossing it up to him. He catches it, and throws the empty one to the side. Slamming the new one in, and sitting back up, he opens fire once again.

                    The left door opens then, and Jacie and Sasha scream. Jacie raises a small handgun.

                    "Are you insane?!" Tallan yells. Climbing as smoothly into the car as he can with a crossbow strapped to his back. Stefan catches sight of it as he ducks again to reload.

                    "Are you?!" he yells over the roar of multiple firearms as I throw him another clip. "You're really concerned about the Law right now?" Bows of any sort are considered Air weapons in Parity.

                    Tallan gives him a haggard grin. "Not exactly. Here."

                    Stefan takes the crossbow, and without a second glance at Tallan, aims and shoots it out the hole.

                    The world lights up as the arrow finds its target, and explodes in a fireball reaching the treetops. I catch a glimpse of a single armored vehicle before the flames consume it completely. The shooting dies, and Stefan sags in the driver's seat. "Damn," he says in wonder, and Tallan laughs grimly while the rest of us smile in relief.

                    We're alive.