Coming to, I verbalized my first thought, “I don’t see the Commander, what's taking so long?”

“Acting like you're in control, huh? Pathetic, the only person you’re convincing is yourself.” she spoke without taking a glance at me.

“I’ve already taken out most of your people.”

“HA, weren’t you listening to me? Those were nothing but some kids with issues. The commander brought over two dozen agents with him, so keep dreaming.”

Two dozen huh? My little nap gave me back some energy, I think. But my body is beyond the point of exhaustion. Not like that will stop me! I know once I start slicing them up I’ll have all the energy I need.

“Tubby! Do you hear that?”

“Yeah, it sounds like a war zone.”

“That’s not good Tubby, it’s coming from the Commander’s direction.” The two halted, the one holding me looked to the other. “We’ll get close to see what’s going on and wait it out.”

We moved faster than before but not without caution. I could smell the fear and hesitation on them. This definitely wasn’t a part of their plan, but it was part of mine. It must be Red tearing up everything and one in her path. It’ll be nice to…

“What the fuck, I thought you had a hold of him!”

“He wasn't trying to escape-HEY, stop that!” The blob of fat reached for the knife that I held to my neck.

“DON’T FORGET WHO’S IN CONTROL!!!”

Oh, calm down drama queen. I won’t do anything to Red, don’t forget I’m you. So as long as you love her you’ll have nothing to worry about, right?

I won’t hesitate to take out anyone who tries to hurt her, including me!

“Dammit Tubby take the fucking knives away from him! We need him alive!”

My chain was ripped out of my grasp. “You’re the one who told me to bring it anyways!”

“Jesus, hold him in one arm and the chain in the other! I knew he was crazy, but damn, we can’t have him offing himself before he gets to the commander.” She stared me down while he repositioned me under his arm. If I had tried to escape all she had to do was poke me. “I want you to know the reason we’re bringing your little toy is in case I have to set you loose. We might need a distraction if things go south, after all, you're not much use without it.”

Not wavering, I matched her gaze, “You don’t have to worry about that, I was just having a little disagreement with myself.”

“Crazy fuck, you got someone else in there with you?”

“No, but he likes to think we're different.”

She went to say something in response but was cut off by an unusual sound. Partly animalistic, partly human, the sound surprised us all. Our instincts caused an involuntary spasm of adrenaline to rush through our bodies.

Rushing to the exit they stopped just before it, gazing around the corner. What we saw was beautiful. Flesh being peeled off the bones of people like it was chicken and destruction of everything darring to stand in its way. Her way.

“What is that!” They looked at the battle between a dozen agents and one beast with nothing but shock.

It was hard not to smile, “That’s just a little girl looking for her mom.”

“That thing is a little girl?”

Spikes jutting out her spine, a ribcage and hands that have doubled in size, and a jaw open wide enough it must have been dislocated. All these things disguised her. “...Carnie.”

The slimy-bitch looked at the fat-fuck, “My whole family has transformation abilities, but i’ve never seen anything like this. It looks like she changed species, or made a new one.”

“So, what’s your play now?” I looked towards the speechless girl who had been ‘oh so confident’ just moments ago.

“I…” She could see the bodies, well what was left of the bodies of the fallen agents and the ones still fighting. Neither looked good. Except one. “The Commander, he’ll be able to take her out. We'll wait until then.”

So he’s the one I'm looking for. It’s hard to tell from his movements what his ability is. It was clear Carnie was targeting him but he seemed virtually unharmed as he tossed her around every time she tried to attack him. His clothes were in tatters so it must be a physical buff. Or so I thought, Carnies bodies seemed to be struck mid air in her next attempted attack. It could have been one of the many agents involved in the battle but the timing of his movements seemed to say otherwise. A split second after he had raised an arm is when she was struck and hurled to the side… and so was he? Looking at the ground beneath him he had clearly been forced back by something? The streaks in the dirt in front of his feet made it obvious. It looked familiar somehow.

Pulling out a few metal marbles from his pocket made it clear. It was Push’s ability, or something eerily similar. The metal marbles flew out of his hand then through Carnie.

Was Push just holding back when he fought me or is this guy stronger? Wait! That can’t…

The marbles stopped in the air and flew back through Carnie, landing in his hands. That’s Pull’s ability!

Carnie wasn’t stopped for a second by the holes in her body, charging him without hesitation. An agent tried to step in front of the Commander but he waved an arm and the agent went flying.

Shouting at the agent as he flew through the air the Commander prepared for the impact of Carnie, “You idiot, you're too useful. Stand down! All of you! The more of you I lose the less chance I have of taking her down.” Just able to block it, he was launched back by Carnie’s blow.

It’s obvious what the outcome of this fight will be, “If y’all don’t help them they’ll die.”