Claire saw the shock in his face.
His pupils dilated, eyebrows shot up,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrndSFkoqW
like he’d just seen something that shouldn’t exist in this world.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgm5DKpY7hW
A mix of disbelief and worry twisted his expression—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCS9Paopfe
even his mouth twitched a little.
But she didn’t care what he saw.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTfpNmB8HW
Claire’s heartbeat was still pounding from the quake.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qfjrmcNSX
There was only one thing left in her mind:60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4aEWDKDlZ
Get out.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXZNFSxGjp
Now.
She shoved his hands off, pulled herself free from his arms.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YkhRa4xnu
It wasn’t graceful—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKwAbfNJrV
she practically crashed out of that embrace,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88Wnai8Iu5
her chest still rattling with leftover tremors.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQe8XzQxd5J
She didn’t care.
He said,
“Wait—”
It wasn’t loud.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DZwD9mCZ3
It was quiet, pleading, instinctive.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZj4SMIHxF
But to Claire, it sounded like some pointless prayer.
Wait, my ass, she thought.
She was furious now.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡso0YV8L3Un
She hadn’t come here to wait.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1nLqUpdeT
She wasn’t someone to be protected.
She stormed to the door.
Grabbed the handle.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OH12aGIKu
Yanked hard.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn00aElycIT
No finesse—just pure, animal panic.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNVT3i1Fre
Like trying to tear open the edge of reality.
But it didn’t budge.
The door groaned—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90LZuL7e0A
a horrible creaking, like something was gummed up in the cracks.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEoIVpipNHp
Claire didn’t believe it.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzazGorK09
Used her other hand.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrQFV9pMvH
Pushed harder.
Every muscle in her body tensed.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHBbtD3b3O
Shoulder against the door.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjzXUSXeIB
Feet braced.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTi4FSX1Hg
She looked like a beast caged for too long—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq59Zb5wzgM
and the only thing in her eyes was escape.
Still nothing.
She gritted her teeth.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCGpCfux6H
Her palms reddened.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5435MpnoCB
Her arms shook.
She was about to lose it.
Then the officer came up beside her.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEIan6l9Fa
He didn’t say a word.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FeSynq2oX
Just reached for the handle, adding his strength to hers.
They pulled—together.
Their breathing was all over the place,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VxSYMFJfJ
but their rhythm began to sync,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbaLO92YYU
two struggling bodies tugging in perfect time.
Then, finally—
A ding.
A clear chime rang out from the alert bell above the door,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqFYPpXSHO
as if the universe had just issued permission to flee.
Claire could hear her own pulse echo in her ears.
The door opened.
Cold air blasted in—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqxlyhkDhb
like a beast breaking out of its cage.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbzMhm5rrL
The world outside was chaotic,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVlAEqwe3EQ
but it still felt better than the warped, rattling room behind her.
Claire didn’t stop to breathe.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrc576ELO0
She ran.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkYIxh4BIr
Didn’t even wait to steady her steps—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx31ZbCSLFH
her whole body was moving on instinct,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rpZleYNxL
as if chasing something…60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVq8MELDfSY
or escaping it.
The street was full of confused people.
Someone yelling into a phone.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBa8AvmMwXW
Someone staring at shattered glass.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEoTOS1tGNS
Someone gripping an umbrella, frozen in place.
Everyone trying to process what just happened—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhSm7jDcrO
but all their thoughts were trapped at street level.
No one looked up.
Claire felt that old, familiar loneliness wrap around her again.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTYoH42nBX
Even if the sky split in half,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EdDAE0JBy
no one would see it.
Only she knew it was there.
She stopped.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJk5nMfiYr
Tilted her head back.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9bIL1rCkv
Took a deep breath.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuH8E4X809
Closed her eyes.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtNV1Y6QMZ
And shifted into the Observer.
The tear in the sky was leaking something—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNM7vn7tZz0
slow as syrup.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILxXdZJXCO
Something was dripping out.
Not a natural phenomenon.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEHKAyKKFp
More like... something sick, pulling itself into shape.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4B9JzPd3B
Sluggish.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNKsU6MY18
Inevitable.
Vile purple.
Thick like vomit.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORg25VRXQh
A cursed color.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SOelHwZ0q
She could almost smell it—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9saizZl91
metal, rot, humidity, chaos.
Some of the syrup had already reached the ground.
It was corroding the street.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRxa1TwKXs
Smoke.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCNiXjEflP
Sludge.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00Juz88jZY
Tentacle-like forms.
People screamed.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPijg9WawKr
Some still thought it was just a busted pipe.
One blob dangled just above Claire’s head.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVk8wFnbgiy
Not quite touching the ground—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmfsPo4ZdI
it wavered in the air, like sniffing.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxyri6pzue
Like it had chosen her.
She felt its attention.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQir8bzYrGx
Knew it was watching.
She looked around.
The blue-eyed officer was also looking up—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUiOiUn1Jan
trying to follow her gaze.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltiplSjzhT
Confused.
He saw nothing.
Claire moved.
She snatched the gun from his waist.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRoriT6y8v
Aimed it skyward.
Fast.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDTHCSx6gx
Silent.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjPDyGgnt4
Her fingers moved like she'd rehearsed it a hundred times.
She felt him try to stop her,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIonuqc1xiE
but it was too late.
She was already in position.
“Wait—!”
His voice cracked with panic.
He hadn’t expected her to actually do it.
His eyes were wide with fear.
But Claire—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ361BJeikKl
Claire’s eyes were empty.
Just calm.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xv5KrD9hK
And decision.
Too late.
She already had the gun
60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZxEbll9q6
She didn’t look back.
Just tightened her grip around the cold weight in her hand.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQjpeLFkf6
She knew this feeling.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdMI0aukLJ
The weight of the gun.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2g70hjCtF
The click of the safety.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsnjiu7JUT
Exactly where the catch was.
Bad in strength?60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS21DXT2hsC
Make it up in skill.
She’d long given up trying to win with brute force—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡboN0lZJ7fD
but technique?60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZspoWgEPX
Her technique never failed her.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxeRmQG4Iq7
Form, angle, purpose—everything precise.
She was, after all, the one Batman personally added to the emergency combat class.
Originally it was just a one-time workshop.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgJTzNVVpC
Then Batman took one look at her and said,
“Add her.”
No one laughed.
Everyone knew what that meant.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhWBQ3TUNn
It meant:60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbajLgpmGI2
“You’re not good enough—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwyafQdBOzC
but you might need to fight first.”
Those sessions nearly killed her.
Especially the first few.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbltImAMVeL
Batman just stood there and said coldly,
“If you can’t get through this,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3Wj0SBWyb
this world isn’t yours to look at.”
She vomited on the mat.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBpo5XBUNj
Tore the skin off her palms.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmtGqyu76N
Blacked out once from getting slammed too hard.
And Batman?60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81wMFEO4lk
Didn’t flinch.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nM87hnJJl
Just said,
“Get up. Again.”
She remembered thinking:
If I don’t get up, the world ends.
Her sparring partner?
Robin.
The kid had zero chill—60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8T3JpGkke
but perfect accuracy.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIT5Or9x6Ex
Each correction hit like a needle to her reflexes.
He also taught her how to handle guns.
How to tell the difference between a threat and a survival shot.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HihI3fSOe
How to know when it’s time.
He once told her,
“If you’re going to shoot—don’t hesitate.”
Technically, Nightwing was supposed to be her trainer.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlsOVNqV9R
But an hour in, Batman barked,
“Switch. Robin.”
Nightwing had been too gentle.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrgqS042iW
Too smiley.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIQY7RudT1
Too… encouraging.
Claire almost thought she was in barista orientation.
Robin later said Nightwing had
“too many hand gestures,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8fJ5f6aid
too much explaining,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVCLhqmYSM
and a face that made people want to trust him.”
Batman stood in the back, deadpan.
“Robin.”
So now—
Safety off. Chamber loaded.
Her fingers flicked,60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMHXWA0ibF
metal clicked.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2KN3stVuB
A sharp ka-clack60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tHwZar48n
like her heart syncing into a new tempo.
The air thickened.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCiLh5C2iW
Noise faded.
Claire closed her eyes.
Raised the gun.
And fired at the sludge hanging from the sky.
BANG.60Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyukgPQhb2
