Search and Defuse

{ BACK TO THE PRESENT }

"Sorry about that again. I didn't mean to affect you with my ability at the time…" Ian scratched his head with guilt.

"It's okay," Gian-Luca assured him. "I think what matters right now is just finding this bomb before we're all blown to pieces."

Veronica checked her device, staining its screen with her bloody hands. The timer read that just two hours remained. "It's either we find this now or run away as far as possible. The announcer said the bomb's 'powerful,' and I don't want Vidia's death to be in vain."

Gian-Luca frowned with this. "If this is for Vidia, then we must definitley defuse the bomb. If we waste our opportunity and just leave without accomplishing anything, then her death would truly be for nothing."

"I guess you're right," Ian sighed. "Then we gotta search fast. Every second counts."

The three dispersed in different directions, immediately looking for signs of the bomb.

"Where is it?!" Gian-Luca threw some rubble aside. He checked inside deteriorated buildings and under piles of debris, but nothing stood out to him. On the other side of the city, Ian searched frantically through creaky floors of abandoned skyscrapers, when he was alarmed by a sound that approached his location.

"Stop!" He immediately yelled out. The footsteps that followed his direction came to a halt. Turning around the hall to see who his perpetrator was, he was surprised to see Veronica frozen in place.

"That's your third violation of the Pact now, Ian."

"Tsk! Release!" Veronica could move again. "Why were you following me? Didn't we all agree to split up?"

"We did… But I wanted to tag along with you. I've been around you the most these days anyways."

Ian discreetly rolled his eyes. "It's less efficient this way. We could've had more ground covered if you'd gone another direction, you know."

"I know, I know," Veronica sighed. "I just don't feel safe on my own out there, especially after what happened to Vidia… Whichever bitch did that might still be out there somewhere."

"But I'm unarmed. Gian-Luca's the one with the specialized weapon, why didn't you go with him?"

Veronica smirked. "Because you're stronger, even without one, Ian…" She leaned in towards him. "I can sense how much strength you've garnered in that ability of yours."

"Is that part of your ability? Sensing strength in a person?"

She shook her head. "Nope. But I can sense emotion in a person, and from what I can tell in yours, you're a really confident one. Noticing that surprised me, you know. You've always seemed quiet, but on the inside, there's something loud and outspoken about you. Outspoken, yet, unspoken at the same time…"

Ian furrowed his eyebrows. He could tell she was catching onto something that he rather she didn't. Veronica then leaned in closer, wrapping around Ian's shoulders. She sniffed his neck, "You smell like an Anemone."

"Anemone?"

"You have a strong, strong scent." She suddenly backed away. "It lingers heavily in my nose, like something being manifested as it rests. I dislike it."

"So why—?"

"Yet, it intrigues me." Veronica swooped back in. She came face-to-face with Ian. "Mysterious men intrigue me. Their uncertainties make more than just my nose tingle, you know…"

"Enough." Ian moved her back. "Trivial matters like this become even more trivial when there's a bomb ticking down to our deaths. Focus, Veronica." He turned his back and continued down the hall he was searching.

"Hmph!" She crossed her arms. "You're no fun… Too serious all the time…"

The two searched from floor to floor, checking each and every room. They observed every crack and gap where bombs of all sizes could be hidden. Nothing was to be found in the building they searched.

"1 hour left…" Ian exhaled his frustration.

Searching another area of ruin, Gian-Luca frantically heaved in and out of debris. No ticker could be heard, meaning the bomb was nowhere close.

"There's only one place left where the bomb may be."

They all looked towards the centre of South City, the Heart of Jenzaya, its remains of a fallen skyscraper. Eventually, Ian, Veronica, and Gian-Luca found themselves back together, all on their way towards the Heart of Jenzaya.

"We probably could have saved a lot of time if we realized that the more concentrated the groups of defenders, the more likely the bomb is in that area." Ian pointed towards the fallen building. "Look."

Surrounding the messy ruins of what was Jenzaya's Heart, masses of Angels and Cherubim circled with intimidating presence. Veronica took her device back out and looked at the timer. "Just 30 minutes left, guys. There's a lot of them too… I knew we should have just left—!"

"Stop it." Ian told her. "You're underestimating us."

He began walking forward, towards the clear indication of the bomb's whereabouts. "I'm going to get this protective charm. You two can join me if you want."

Stunned for a moment, Veronica didn't know what to say. "But—! There's a lot!"

"You're underestimating the Sin of Sloth, Veronica." Gian-Luca walked forwards, joining Ian. She now stood back, alone, and unknowing of what to do. With no choice left, she forced herself forwards and joined the rest of them.

"Get your weapons ready," Ian told them. "On my word, I want you two to massacre these fools."

They nodded. Now coming within range of notice, the groups of Angels all turned their heads towards them. A rumbling sprint had begun.

"Complete Freeze!" Ian shouted loudly. The rumbling instantly stopped. All the Angels and Cherubim that were marching so heavily towards them had all frozen in place. It was as if time stopped in the moment.

"Now!" He told Gian-Luca and Veronica. The two dashed forwards, unsheathing their weapons. Targeting all the vital points, the Sins weaved through each Angel until every one was slashed effectively. Blood sprayed everywhere, displaying the lifeline that left the Angels as they stood paralyzed, unable to do anything.

"Release!"

All of them dropped to the floor in an instant. They joined the puddles of blood they'd formed below their feet, and now swam with the rest of the dead that accumulated in the South City.

"See? Wasn't too hard, was it?" Ian chuckled.

The two Sins were catching their breath. "Yeah…"

Veronica looked back at her device. "10 minutes… Only 10 minutes remain!"

The Sins rushed into the lobby of the building and began searching through every level attainable. They checked the rooms, the floors, the ceilings, and looked through every hole in the wall possible. Five minutes in, it was clear that the bomb was no where in the base of the building.

"You guys think it might be somewhere near the higher ground?" Veronica fidgeted.

"Like the roof?"

"Yeah!"

Ian shut it down. "All the staircases leading to the floors three or higher are destroyed. We can't access up there."

"Doesn't mean it couldn't be up there though, right?"

Ian was getting annoyed by Veronica. "Tsk… We're all going to die!"

Before any more pessimism followed, a consecutive sound of floors breaking was heard approaching their level. Suddenly bursting through the roof above, a loud slam landed before them.

"Huh?"

Within the smoke omitted from the landing, a green glare stared forth.

"Secondary Form: Akimbo Amplified."

Two blue rays of light suddenly came flying towards them.