To the neighbors it would have looked like some sort of alarm had gone off within Jack, Marco and Sarah’s apartment. The entire place was flooded with red light suddenly and one of the windows cracked. But then everything was dark, illuminated by street and car lights.
Marco ducked down and stumbled backwards as the scythe came around for his head. He jumped backwards, hopping over another swing and then flipped over bringing his gun around. He fired at Jack hitting him in the chest with a trio of bullets sliding backwards into the TV. Jack spun his scythe around deflecting them away and carving a slash across his leg.
Hopping backwards and grunting he looked at his fiancé. Spinning the barrel of the gun he settled on blue and started firing, creating walls around Jack until he was surrounded and enclosed. Jack hooked the scythe around his shoulder and then spun, tearing through the blue with a grinding noise.
Spinning the barrel again Marco settled on yellow but before he could fire he jumped backwards as Seth came down with an explosion of purple breaking their couch. But he wasn’t focused on Marco. Sarah came down swinging down one of her axe’s hard. The window shattered under the blow and suddenly the fight had transitioned outside and onto the streets.
She flipped forward rolling across the ground as Owen chased her down. Between Seth and Owen she was going back and forth dual wielding her axes to block and avoid the fists of fury on each side of her.
Turning the weapons around she caught them both and leaned backwards squaring her feet. “Where the fuck is Cal!”
“No idea but he can’t get here soon enough,” Marco replied jumping out the window setting the gun on purple. Taking aim he rained bullets down hitting both Owen and Seth giving Sarah breathing room. But then Jack came after him again kicking him in the side. He blocked with his gun setting it onto red. But before he could fire Jack grabbed the barrel of the gun jerking it down.
“You should know that I know all of your tricks handsome,” Jack said getting closer. “You won’t win like this. Show me that new power of yours!”
The scythe came down and he blocked with his gun, the blade inches from his face. Stepping back slowly he glared at his fiancé’s face. And he could feel that Jack was in there. Jack’s stone was burning in there but he could feel the influence Legion as well, like a terrible taste in his mouth.
Jack kneed him in the chest and then kicked him backwards. He leaped after him and Marco righted himself firing the red bullet in his chest. He disappeared landing down the street giving Marco some space. At least that’s what he hoped for until he felt a hand on his chest. He felt the giant hand of the guardian as it turned and tossed Marco right back to Jack.
Marco slammed into the ground, grinding through the asphalt. When he finally stopped sliding, he looked up and saw Jack with his scythe already raised in the air. His eyes went wide and crossed his arms in front of his face.
A sword shot in front of his face catching the blade of the scythe. Jack scowled behind his helmet as Cal turned and a clone slammed into him knocking him backwards. A third helped Marco to his feet before sprinting after Sarah to give her a hand.
“Sorry I’m late,” Cal said. “Couldn’t figure out where you guys were but then I started following the light show. All the damage we’re doing I can’t imagine why people even like us.”
“Yeah well when you save the city a couple times, we tend to get some leeway,” Marco looked at his gun and rotated the barrel slowly. In his other hand he manifested the white stone. “Go help Sarah. I’ve got Jack.”
“You sure? Cause beating up your fiancé isn’t easy.”
Marco laughed but shook his head, “I can get to Jack. At least I’m going to try.”
Cal started to question him but shook his head, “If you think you can get to him then you can get to him. I trust you leader. Just don’t go getting possessed. Cause we really won’t be able to handle that.”
Cal ran off and Marco turned the stone in his hand slowly looking at Jack again. Jack came forward swinging the scythe back and forth slowly. No witty banter or comments. Just intent to take down the opponent before him. Marco gripped the stone tightly and it was already starting to glow.
Marco slotted the stone into the gun and fire. Jack tensed expecting some kind of attack. But instead white light flooded backwards. It covered Marco’s body, turning his armor white, with new designs. The gold shield on his chest changed into one like a prism, changing through a variety of colors as the light moved and a simple white cape and a bright red visor.
Jack hesitated staring at the form again. The second time that he had seen it even if it had been brief the first time. Once bitten, twice shy. He didn’t know what this power was, none of the astro knights demonstrated it. And simply being a psykik shouldn’t warrant such an increase in power.
Marco looked at Jack and it was almost as if he were moving in slow motion. Crouching he jumped forward and was suddenly standing beside Jack in a blur of white. Jack started almost jumping away but he wasn’t fast enough. Marco moved his gun and pressed it against Jack’s forehead.
Focusing his red gaze onto Jack he lurched forward. “I know you’re in there Jack. And I’m going to bring you back. Hear my voice. Don’t let this alien keep you trapped in your own mind Jack! Come back to us!”
He spun his gun around and fired it against Jack’s forehead. The white light exploded engulfing the pair of them. The ground shook, car alarms blared, and electrical feedback raced through anyone close enough to hear it. But then everything went silent. The car alarms stopped, the shaking ceased and the light faded. Marco sank down to his knee holding onto Jack as tightly as he could. Jack’s legion armor was gone entirely, leaving him in his street clothes from before.
Marco’s chest was heaving, the white light from his armor fading away, his shield a bright green. Chest heaving Marco looked down at him and pressed a hand to Jack’s back and felt his breathing. Felt him going steadily.
He stirred slowly and then looked up at Marco. His eyes were clear of Legion’s influence, “Is. Is that really you Jack?”
“Yeah handsome,” he closed his eyes again and sighed. “You saved me.”
The Harlequin Library 