I hear a low buzz droning on like a mosquito on a hot day. Someone is shaking me; when I open my eyes, I realize it's not someone but something. Dangling upside down, I'm held only by the seat belt.

The urge to scream makes my body tense, and I instinctively shut my eyes tightly, repeating to myself that yelling wouldn't do anyone any good. Going through my mental checklist, I attempt to move, but the shooting pain that radiates throughout my body makes me think twice — droplets of blood trickle through the air, confirming there was an injury on my person.

"Soli. Tonic." I try. 

The beeping continues, and I can't breathe. Stiff, I reach up to grab the respirator and yank it off. The gauge is cracked and faded, indicating the battery life has been depleted; how long have we been dangling here? 

I feel dizzy as I reach over to shake my female companion, noticing some movement from Tonic that at least shows me that he is alive. The truck groans as it rocks back and forth. I use a gentle gust of wind to shift dust from the shattered windshield, only to reveal we are teetering on the edge of the highway shelf. 

Below is easily a hundred-foot drop; we've entirely smashed through the old guard rail, held on by some grace of a deity who wants to see this play out. I swallow hard, a sobering thought as I look at the ground below us and hear the low groan of a vehicle settling on its decision.

"Soli." I try it again.

Her eyelashes flutter, and she grimaces, "Dios Mio... what the hell was that?"

Tonic rubs the side of his head, flexing the mechanical fingers. "Something took control of my arm and my leg. "

"Artifice took control." I remind them both, hatred rolling onto the woman's face. 

She punches him in the arm, and he flinches, cursing at her.

"Idiot!" She snaps at him. "Bringing an Artifice into the city like that. They are so easy to hack there is an excellent chance that someone now knows everything! They know about my business, the water, those people. Tonic, what were you-" She winces and holds her temple.

"Stop." I tell them both quietly, "We don't have time for this; we need to get out of here." Slipping the knife out of my belt, I get to work cutting my seat belt off. It's surprisingly tricky, and with each slice of the blade, the grip on my body loosens. 

With a sharp click, the belt snaps and releases, in time for me to realize that the thin piece of material was the only thing holding me in this truck.

Stupidity gives one a sense of confidence that often betrays the beholder. I lament my shortcomings as I fall onto the smashed windshield. With a loud crack, my body freezes, and the glass begins to shiver and complain. 

Silent, my companions watch as my fingers slowly spread. My mind races with my heart as I struggle to remain calm; looking down at the dizzying ground, my eyes flutter shut as I come to grips with my circumstances. If I fell from here, would I have any magic left to prevent my death?

I was so drained, I must have been trapped in that respirator for some time. Testing my fingers, there is little sensation when I attempt to call on my magic. 

Soli stretches on her tiptoes, fighting her seat belt. The tips of her fingers wrap around the strap that runs diagonally across my body, a holder for a weapon, no doubt. "Hey, stay calm, alright? You're going to be ok, I'm not going to let you fall."

A sick man, her words make me chuckle. I knew the tone of someone speaking to a dead man; I knew what it sounded like when experience dictated that you would not survive.

 Trying to get some of my weight off the windshield, the uneven pressure makes it groan, and small pieces begin to fall free. 

I feel the shards bite into my sensitive palms. 

Part of me wants to beg her to let go, but knowing my fate, I keep my mouth shut.

"Nic," Tonic whispers as if uttering my name will cure my situation.

"Tonic, can you break out the driver's window?" I ask him calmly. 

His elbow crashes through the glass, making me jump, and the truck squeals, cracking and popping as it dangles from the movement. The ledge I'm so helplessly splayed on snaps and grumbles; I hold my breath as the crack expands towards the edge. 

"Grab my feet and throw me out the window."

"Are you insane? What if I miss it? Soli can't hold you on her own."

"Like hell. I'm doing fine." She spits back, sweat mingles with blood as it slips down her arm, soaking into her fingers. 

"You're bleeding all over him; it's going to ruin your grip." Tonic retorts quickly. "Damn it..."

 I can hear the strain of her voice. She was afraid; we all were, but if I can help it, I don't want them to watch me die. Even if Tonic missed, throwing me out the window might get my body out of their line of sight. 

"You won't miss it. It's okay, do it, Tonic." The crack reaches the edge, and I inhale sharply as the shelf explodes under me, spiderwebbing and falling free; I swing my heels up and cover my face with my arms as I feel two hands release me, but instead of going sideways, I'm falling.

 There was a time when I envisioned what it would be like to fly through the air, the tingly sensation in my extremities as I marveled at what the ground would feel like beneath me. There's a lack of flailing, just a blatant acceptance. 

My body almost seems to wait for me to make a grand decision, but I'm coming up blank; between the shock of the crash and the whistling in my ears, fate seems to have decided. It's a futile attempt to call the magic to my palms, drawing a blank on what spell would use the least amount of energy to keep me alive before I hit the ground.

I'd used up every scrap of my reserves to push the truck back.

An attempt might render me unconscious, but I consider my options in the split seconds that I'm airborne. 

A hand grasps my belt, pulling me up. The sharp hiss of a hot, buzzing rope through a mechanism startles me as I'm pulled towards this person's body. I feel frantic hands buckling a strap around my hips, and frankly, I don't have the wherewithal to comprehend my situation.

 The buzzing gets louder, and I note we're slowing.

The intense heat in my back makes me want to arch away, but an iron-like grip keeps me firmly in place. With a sharp jerk, we come to the end of the rope, and I flinch at what I can only describe as being kicked in the groin by the boot of a giant; my thighs feel like they're on fire from the immense pressure of the sudden stop.

Trembling,  we bounce again, and the rope sways with the weight of our bodies. I hear the person behind me breathing heavily and glance over my shoulder to see a full-faced, shiny helmet covering their head. The width of the chest before me indicates that this person holding onto me is a man. 

He's limp against me, but I can see his chest moving and feel his heartbeat under my fingers. With a groan, the man slowly straightens, and I flush as I realize I'm practically sitting in his lap. "Did you forget you can fly?"

Blinking rapidly, it isn't easy to comprehend that I'm even alive.

"I-" I stammer, trying to find my voice. "I use the wind and... and.. the wind does the flying. I mostly just... just- just jump for long pe-periods of time." I hear the rattling click of the mechanism that holds the rope in place, and my body goes rigid, preparing for it to let go, only to realize that I'm the one making it click. 

My shaking hits it, playing out a nervous rhythmic tune of clicks and clacks.

The large, gloved hand collects my cheek, carefully inspecting my face with an intensity that feels familiar with this being. 

"It's alright, darling. I've got you." His arms encircle me, and the moment I feel the warmth wrap around me, I know exactly who's come to my rescue. 

"Randy." I exhale, attempting to cling around his neck, trying to spin around in the harness, which makes us swing. 

"Easy! Easy! We're tied to a lamppost; let's not tempt the devil. Lest you forget that you can fly a second time. Rather not break my legs from this height, yeah?"

"You'd prefer it at any height?" I laugh, bordering on hysterics, unable to stop the bubble of giggles as my body trembles; my pale hands against his suit are startling as I feel the wetness roll over one grit-covered cheek. "I um.. I think I might be going into shock just a bit. I was in an accident. A car accident."

"I saw. I was waiting for them to throw you out the window, but when I heard the glass, I figured you had fallen through. I've got Tonya on standby, I'm going to get you out of here ,then I'll go back for the others-" 

A gunshot rings out, and I look up to see the thick, curly mane of Soli, standing over the edge with a gun pointed at us.

"You have something that's mine!" she yells to us. "I'd like you to give it back."

I hear the low growl in his chest and clutch him, "No, no, she's my friend. Well. She wants to keep me, but she hasn't made a decision yet. I do like her a bit. She is nice. Sometimes. Hmmm.. I'm not doing an outstanding job at this." I giggle again, frowning as he sighs.

I note the deep rope burns on the inside of his scuffed gloves. "Your hands."

Spotting my reflection in the depths of the mask, I've finally noticed what's made him so quiet: the large gash in my hairline that has painted the side of my face and my ear bloody.

 "You know, most people don't have so many friends." The voice is displeased, "You did have quite the whack, didn't you? This isn't like you; your heart is going wild. Here." Verando pulls a respirator out of his backpack and hooks it onto my face. "How about we get out of here, yeah? Then we can meet your crazy new friend."

I breathed deeply, not realizing how little oxygen I was gaining until suddenly, a flood of fresh air was at my disposal. I take large breaths, feeling dizzy all over again. Unhooking the rope from its knot, he starts pulling us up, leaving me in awe more and more at the display of his strength. "When we get to the top, I'm not leaving without you." 

My body refuses to allow me to speak; I can only lean back into him, in a daze, as my body complains. 

"My head hurts. I think I'm... having a hard time staying awake." I manage, fluttering on the edge of what my mind would accept.

"Do you know what day it is?"

"No. Do you?"

I can feel him smiling, "No. Feels like a Wednesday." 

Once again, he had come for me. How had he found me in this haze? How long had he been searching?

A sniffle begins to build, and I hurriedly wipe my eye with my hand, only to inhale sharply at the sting. I'm covered in glass, dust, and grit. 

"Easy, don't touch your face. You're rather buggered up at the moment."

Questioning him seemed silly; falling back into step so effortlessly with him, I can't imagine how I could ever be angry at this selfless man. Rational Nicolas quickly reminds me, with a finely sorted file from worst offenses to awful quirks, exactly how our person could be rather upset with him.

 But for now, I allow my weakened state to take hold and marvel at my good fortune. We near the edge, and I see the metallic hand as Tonic pulls us up. Verando passes me over first and then climbs over himself. 

Dusting himself off, I see him reach for his helmet to remove it, only to have Soli hit him over the back with what I could consider a lead pipe. 

I gasp, covering my mouth as he staggers.

"He saved my life!" I tell her angrily. 

The first words out of my mouth should have been his name. 

"Fuckin' hell! A warning would have been nice!" He snaps at both of us. "Really? A bloody pipe? And what did you hope that would get you, hmm?"

"I wanted to knock you unconscious, but I missed. You're to damn tall." She swings again, this time, Verando catches it in the air and yanks it away to break it over his knee. "Why were you following us?"

In a quick motion, she turns to kick him, but her body is slower; Verando grabs her ankle, spinning her, and throwing her to the ground. 

"Did you mess with Artifice?" Her voice is like venom, and I have no doubt she intended to kill him. Soli kicks his feet out from under him as she turns back on herself.

My warlord hardly catches himself in time; smaller opponents were always his downfall. 

Tonic checks me over, tilting his head to watch my eyes, as if the pair fighting were the most normal thing to happen to us all day. "Are you alright? Nic, who was that?"

"It's Randy! She's fighting Randy!" I manage, swatting his hands away. "Stop them!"

Tonic sputters, floundering between leaving me alone to break them up or letting them sort it out. "Soli!" He tries, but the pair have gained distance, fighting in the middle of the street. 

She aims a kick at his head, and he blocks her, delivering a sharp blow to her inner thigh. I watch her rush at him and knock him to the ground, trying to pin him by his shoulders as they tangle and roll. 

"Holy hell, she's an animal." I exhale, yanking off my hat, desperate to get some relief from this heat. "How does he still have his helmet on?"

"He's never done well with a smaller opponent like that. Would you take it off with her clawing at him like that?" Tonic sighs, putting his hands forward to indicate that I should stay. "Can you wait here?"

I nod; my head is throbbing as I press my palm to my forehead, motioning him to go.

 Tonic trots over, like a man handling a rabid beast, he waits for his opportunity before grabbing Soli from behind and locking her in his arms. He reminds me of someone holding onto a wet cat, trying desperately not to be scratched. 

"Soli, Stop! This is our friend!"

"Your friend's a cheap fucking fighter!" She snarls, spitting at my warlord with every ounce of malice in her body.

"Me?! You're bloody well trying to carve me to pieces!" Verando scoffs, his chest heaves, she was wearing him down, and I find myself uncertain of who would have been victorious. If the heat was affecting me, it had to be slowing him down.

"Mother fucker!" Soli recoils, and she kicks his helmet right off his head. 

Backing away from her, Verando flinches, clutching his jaw at the sudden impact and spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"Miserable bitch!" He snaps, bewildered, pulling out a karambit off his belt. It was a sight to see, I didn't get to witness the man bested, let alone lose his cool, yet she'd managed to crawl right under his smooth exterior. "Ya kick a man in the bits, and you want to toss out that I'm a cheap fighter? You're a damned street urchin with the way you crawl and scratch! Lucky I don't bloody well have rabies; you spat like a damned feline." 

As he tests his jaw, opening and closing it, tonguing his split lip, Soli had gone entirely silent. Cautiously, Tonic releases her, concerned, as he waves a hand in front of her face.

Yanking out of his grasp, shoving Tonic away from her, she takes a measured step forward, entranced. Finally, she brushes her wild mane back, almost timidly, as she observes him.

 Verando inspects the slice in his lycra suit, and it seems like she's trying to decide how to take him in. 

My feet move without my permission. Anyone looking at my warlord for so long was enough to make me uncomfortable. Instinctively, I go to him, without even meaning to. My hands search his body, inspecting the cut on his lip. 

"Are you okay?" I warn her with my gaze, a silent plea not to come for him again.

The gray-haired man glares at the female but nods, "Yes. No worse for wear. Are we done then? A truce? Same side?" As his eyes catch her, hair removed from her face, the tension spreads over him as if it were contagious. 

It's as if they've both become stone, and as they stare at each other, he takes a step back as if he'd seen a ghost.

"I saw you die." His voice is barely audible.

Her body shakes, hands slowly lifting as if she might like to touch him. "Tonic said you had died."

"What is all this? Suddenly, you don't want to kill each other?" I could almost laugh, shaking my head much as it makes my temple throb. "Don't tell me you have friends in the future? How is that even possible?" 

Verando knows everyone, or at least he did back in our time. Soli nods for him.

"He's my husband. Or at least-- he was." 

Once more, I must go through the ache of realizing that he was married before me, that he was married when he met me, and that he grieved her loss so intensely that I nearly lost him. 

My mind races back to that dream; I was following him through the tunnels of his childhood home, and they were chasing Temptrest. She had come out of the crowd to ask me if I was okay. She had longer hair then; she was more slender in that dream than now.

 My eyes shift; Tonic knew? Tonic knew she was alive and still brought me to her.

"Kitten." His voice knocks me out of my trance, and I grip his forearm.

"Doe."

Immediately, my thoughts shift, sobering me from the inside.

 Who the hell brought her here?