Van Terra

Chapter Sixty-Eight ~ Not Our Circus

It became harder and harder for Grace to hold still as they moved closer to the front of the line. She fiddled with her hands and hair as she ran through the messy plan Jasper had laid out again and again. Her concern wasn't that she couldn't do everything, but that she would forget what she was supposed to be doing.

"Don't stress if you have to improvise," Jasper had told them. "This is about showing off our abilities. As long as you look like you know what you're doing, we'll be fine."

Grace took a deep breath.

A worker looked them over returning her gaze to her tablet. "Next party, follow me."

"I've got control of their lights," Thea muttered as they approached the big tent. "And speakers." She turned a sphere over in her hand. "The music Jasper wanted was—oh, here we are."

Holly pulled her hair up. Jax shook out his hands.

Grace shrugged off her jacket as they entered the tent.  Her wings stretched out, revealing a key component of their plan: temporary gold spray paint coating every last feather. It made it much less likely anyone would realize she was Governor Starr's biggest target.

Her heart quickened at the sight of workers waiting for a show, the sight of empty stadium seating towering over them, the sight of the tent ceiling barely visible in the darkness above.

"Whenever you're ready," a man said.

Grace tossed the jacket to the ground. She only needed confidence for a few minutes. Like Jasper had promised, various props and parts were set up around the back of the arena, including a ramp that needed to be moved in front of the tent entrance. Grace's job.

"Everyone ready?" Thea asked.

The team nodded. Thea snapped her fingers, and the lights went out. Music took over the tent's speakers.

Grace took to the air and flew to the ramp, having only her memory to guide her in the darkness. Her hands found it, and she dragged it toward the entrance.

Meanwhile, a spotlight fell on Holly, revealing she'd changed her hair color to purple. It went out and came back on to illuminate black hair, then flashed once more on her red hair. A second spotlight appeared on Jax.

"Jasper?" Grace whispered as she let go of the ramp.

"Ready," Jasper replied. "I've got eyes on all of you."

Grace swooped down, emerging from the black to grab Holly and Jax and throw them into the air. She winced at the strain on her arm, but her pain quickly shifted to apprehension. If Jasper wasn't fast enough—

An engine revved. Jasper shot in through the tent entrance. She hadn't bothered with her suit or helmet. Not that Grace had expected that, since it would give away her identity.

The two spotlights combined and moved onto Jasper as she flew off the ramp and passed under Holly and Jax. She released the handlebar and reached out her arms, one to grab Holly and one to grab Jax. They both took hold of the motorcycle.

More lights came on, shining white and red on them as they landed. Jasper slammed the brakes, sending Holly and Jax back into the air. As they landed, Jasper flipped over the front of the motorcycle, touched down and threw it into the air. Holly and Jax caught it together and barely kept it from touching the ground.

The white lights combined into one and moved up to where Thea stood on the trapeze tower. The drones she'd begrudgingly agreed to sacrifice formed a swarm and flew toward Jasper, who stood in the red spotlight.

Grace's turn again. She darted down to the motorcycle, grabbed the sword strapped to the side, and tossed it to Jasper. Despite Jasper's insistence she could catch it, Grace's heart refused to beat properly until Jasper had the sword safely in her hand.