The air filled with the sound of bullets ripping through the sky and the tear of metal from gears. Deafening and terrifying. It was a chilling sight to see how little the AI's cared about hitting each other with bullets. They didn't care about themselves or each other. Vale felt several bullets try to rip through her metal arm as she transformed it into an ax, swinging it wildly in a large arc, and was surprised by the sight of blood and the pain that ripped through her back as she moved.

Vale remembered the bandages across her back. She had moved too fast, ripping the bandages from her raw skin. Dash is going to kill me.

Her ax met the AI she had hit in the face with her sword as it moved to its feet. The ax tore through its chest and electricity leaped forward, cracking angrily out of its body, a dangerous snarl that could kill her if she had been anyone else. But she had earned her nickname for a reason. She could manipulate lightning, taking it, bending it, and using it like the wild creature that it was.

She shoved the lighting back into the AI's body, using the ax as a conductor, and added an extra jolt. The AI lit so bright that Vale had to close her eyes. She shoved her ax forward and pushed the creature into another AI. They both lit brighter, fell backwards, and over the side of the hoverbike.

Two left. Suddenly Dash dropped onto the platform, moving in a flash to the driver. He whipped out his small scalpel and pierced it into the AI's eye with expert precision. Two cuts later and the AI dropped to the ground like a sack of gears, dead and nothing but scraps.

Vale was suddenly lifted into the air by a large steel hand. It wrapped around her throat, closing her windpipe. She swore silently, cursing herself for being distracted. What's wrong with me?!?

The AI leveled its free hand up at her, bringing its glistening gun up and readied to fire, it was too close to miss this time. Vale wrapped her embarrassment and anger around herself and quickly turned her ax into a spear, piercing the AI in its face before it could shoot her with its free hand. She was out of lightning and the AI refused to let go. Its grip on the gun loosened and Vale used the rest of her strength to swing out and kick the gun out of its hand.

The AI showed its displeasure by squeezing her throat tighter. The world began to blur, as she struggled to breathe but its grip was too tight, causing her aim to be off. She couldn't think well enough to use her metal arm.

The hoverbike suddenly tilted, sending the AI stumbling to the right. It hit the side of the railing, sending Vale's body swinging over the side. Her body hung in the air, hovering over the road below. "Hold on Vale!" Dash shouted over the roar of the engine. Vale could see a blur of Dash, his hands working the hoverbike, attempting to get it to turn. Vale blinked and felt her world grow dark.

She barely registered the feeling of falling until the pressure on her throat was suddenly gone. Her body hit the road shoulder first with a loud clang. It shot a ripple of roaring pain up her shoulder and across her ribs. She rolled eight feet before coming to a stop in the middle of the busy road.

Vale gasped, pulling in air, ignoring the sting that filled her throat, doing her best not to be terrified of the thundering sounds of vehicles around her. She took several deep breaths and forced her eyes open. She needed to move. She couldn't get left behind.

Vale shot to a sitting position and took in her surroundings. The two hoverbikes were still roaring after the hover vehicle where Mortem was most likely still barking orders at Sparrow. Vale's vision was suddenly blinded by two twin lights. She had enough time to drop back down to the pavement before the double-decker hover bus roared overhead, half a foot above her, sending her hair whipping wildly around her face and the road beneath her shaking with its heavy engine.

Waiting for the hover bus to pass, Vale transformed her metal arm into a hook and hooked it into the bumper. Wrapping her fingers around the bumper, Vale removed the hook and plunged int into the bus several feet higher. Letting go of the bumper, she swung her body out to get a better look at her wanted destination. The hoverbikes were moving too fast. She wouldn't be able to catch it if she stayed on the hover bus.

Climbing up the side, she reached the roof and ran to the front. Spotting a speeding hovercar off to the left, she took several steps back and jumped. She hadn't allowed herself a moment to second guess her decision before she was flying through the air. She felt her stomach whirl and fought the urge to scream and close her eyes.

Vale landed and rolled, doing her best to keep the pressure off her knees. The roof was slick sending her sliding off the side. She turned in time to rip a hole into the car with her hook before hitting the pavement below. She heard several startled cries from inside and the car swerved widely.

Vale cautiously climbed to the roof again and ripped a hole so she could see the driver. An eighteen-year-old with a large pattern of freckles stared up at her, his face red with rage. He shouted several profanities up at her until she transformed her hook into a metal fist. "Keep your eyes on the road or we're both gonna die!" she growled.

Suddenly terrified, the boy turned to look at the road. "See that hoverbike over there? Get me close to it and I'll leave you alone."

The boy nodded furiously and drove like a maniac, wanting to get her away from him as fast as possible. Vale watched the hoverbikes grow larger as the boy speed faster than legally allowed. She saw Dash struggling to keep the hoverbike steady while keeping the final AI at bay. The second hoverbike wasn't making it easy, attempting to slam into his hoverbike.

Vale positioned herself for a jump, looked down at the driver, and offered an amused grin when he shot her a questioning look, almost as if to ask "now what?" She gave him a nod. "Thanks for the list. I'll leave you alone with your new sunroof." Then she lept, sailing through the air until she crashed into the AI, shoving it off of Dash. Spinning, she kicked it over the side and sent it colliding with the second hoverbike, like a bug on a windshield. It burst into several pieces and hit the ground.

"Vale!" Dash shouted in relief. "How the hell did you get back here?" He asked over his shoulder as he swerved their hoverbike to the side, trying to keep the other hoverbike still full of AI's from hitting them.

Vale gripped the railing, steadying herself. "Oh you know, caught a bus, then took a car. Not all of us have hover boots."

"Jet boots," he corrected.

Vale rolled her eyes and threw up her arms in exasperation. "Sorry! I wasn't aware that I needed to get the wording right when we are in the middle of a fight with AI's!"

Dash chuckled, amused. Vale swallowed her retort, attempting to be civil, at least until they were out of danger. Dash swore and swerved again as the AI's tried to pass them and go for Sparrow's hover vehicle. "We need to get the AI's to follow us. They keep taking shots at Sparrows ride. And I'm pretty sure Mortem will be pissed if we let them total the ride."

Vale nodded. "I got an idea." Turning, she leaned over the side of the hoverbike and transformed her arm back into a hook. "Get me close to the vehicle." Dash swerved, nearly sending Vale falling over the side. She caught herself and bellowed. "Dash! Turn straight!"

Dash laughed. "I thought you said turn. You're being very unclear."

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?" She shouted, her face red. "Turn, but not like a drunk! Turn like you know how to drive!"

"I'm a healer! Not a traveler!"

"You should know how to drive! You are a captain of a ship!"

"Yes, a ship, not a bike. This thing is totally different! I don't know what I'm doing! I thought that was obvious! Just be thankful that I'll be able to patch you up after this is over!"

Vale let out an angry huff and focused on the other hoverbike as Dash inched closer to it, doing a better job of keeping control of the vehicle now that she had screamed at him. She wondered if he enjoyed making her life hell, or if he was just that terrible at picking up cues.

As they reached the railing of the other hoverbike, Vale used her hook to grip their railing. "Turn left, down that alley!"

The AI's started to run for Vale. "A fast turn? You're being very unclear again." Dash asked, amusement clear in his tone.

"Like a drunk! Turn like you don't know how to drive! Go! Go! Go!!!" she bellowed, ignoring his banter. Dash turned so fast that the hoverbike tilted, Vale's hook pulling the other hoverbike with them. They were yanked towards the alley, and Vale realized a moment too late that there wasn't enough room for both hoverbikes. They were going to crash.

They flew into the alley, both vehicles shoved together. The brick walls screeched as metal sparks lit the alley like fire. The two hoverbikes buckled under the confined space, crushing under the pressure, the metal of both vehicles attempting to consume itself and each other to survive the lack of space. 

Vale stumbled to the control panel and pulled a lever, pushing their hovercraft faster, hoping to push past the AI's hoverbike, and save them all from being ripped to shreds. But the railings of the two crafts had warped together in their new crushed state, making it impossible to get free. 

She ran back to the railing and turned her metal arm into an ax again. Vale began to hack at the metal in a frenzy. Finally, she felt it give way like tissue paper under her force. Then with a sudden jolt, they scraped past the twin AI hoverbike and bolted forward, sending Vale tumbling the ground as they picked up speed.

After several quiet moments, Vale let out an uneasy breath. They had survived. She just needed to keep the AI's close until she was positive Mortem and the others got away. But her peace of mind suddenly shattered as the air filled with the sounds of gunfire. She heard Dash gasp and crumble to the ground. He'd been shot.