So Night Follows Day Pt. 23

Mander watched her seem to passionately kiss empty air for a moment, then checked behind them to see where they'd have to break cover to sprint for and up the stairs. After everything else he'd experienced with Contessa Helena de San Finzione, the idea that she'd choose this moment for a snog with The Invisible Woman was absolutely within the realm of possibility.

"Of fucking course!" Helen had to remind herself to whisper when the kiss was done. "Thanks, Suzy-Q. Hey, think there's other stuff you can do? Like, can you go there and see if they're coming in yet?"

Suzy-Q shrugged, looked at the rear wall of the bar, with all the bottles behind it, and stood up. She tried to walk through it. Although she didn't disturb anything on the shelves, she was unable to go through the wall.

"Looks like I don't get to be your Al, Helen. It's probably like how The Thing works," She said. "Where I have to be near you. I'm probably limited to your immediate proximity. But I'm feeling the pull back now. Maybe because I've told you everything I can think to that'll help. Everything except one thing."

Helen looked up at her, knowing what that one thing would be, and saying it in unison with Suzy-Q.

"Don't die."

Knowing what she did now, she rose to her feet and darted up the stairs, shouting to the Ultimados.

"They're coming up over the balcony!"

Mander followed after her.

"That what Suzy-Q told ya?"

"Yeah," Helen said, reaching the top of the stairs. "We took guards off the balcony to watch the fire exits, because we've got the stee..."

Helen didn't get to finish the word before an explosion rent one of the steel shutters over the windows, sending fire, glass, and hunks of metal flying into the suite. Helen and Mander both fired into the cloud of smoke entering the room from the explosion as the shockwave knocked them to the ground, causing Helen to land on her still-bruised thigh; when another shutter exploded. This one was in front of them, between them and the Panic Room.

The Ultimados took positions behind the furniture, guns aimed at the two breached shutters. Helen's hearing was still recovering from the explosions when the lights in the suite went out. Mander picked her up and hoisted Helen onto his shoulder in a fireman's carry, running back down the stairs.

The Ultimados, night-vision goggles active, waited for him to bring her to cover, then turned their attention to the men entering through the breaches.