Page 153 of Tapeworld Induction

Blue sparks rayed out of Astrid’s hands. “You’re gonna bring the King’s wolves here with that weapon. You’ve ruined me!” She weaved her hands in a summoning motion.

“Touch him and die, bitch!” Dylan shouted.

Astrid screamed, her hands outstretched, shooting bolts of lightning at Isaak.

Dylan ran at her, deftly dodging the rays. Each step landed heavier and heavier on the marbled floor.

Isaak fired the Gunkatana.

Just as Dylan was about to hook-punch Astrid, the Gunkatana’s blue-red bolt hit her in the chest, pushing her closer to Dylan. Dylan’s punch hit Astrid square in the face, the white knuckle-duster scarring her cheek, a line of light particles flying into the air.

Astrid let out a shriek, pulsing with sharp pain and fury. “You meddling bitch!” She grabbed Dylan by the neck. Her nails dug into her skin, drawing pixelated blood.

“Let her go!” Isaak shouted.

“And why the fuck would I do that?”

Dylan struggled to break free.

Isaak aimed down the Gunkatana’s sights.

No. It was too risky. He might hit Dylan.

“Come on, Gunky!” He jumped in the air, sword raised.

“I’m not sure about this course of action,” the sword said.

Astrid lifted Dylan with both hands and tossed her towards Isaak like a rag-doll human shield. Isaak’s blade was already swinging in their direction, too late to stop.

No! I’m going to hit Dylan! “Stop, sword!”

Something blasted into him from the side, ramming him away from Dylan and Astrid, and smashing a crater in the tarmac with his bulk.

Everything hurt.

Dylan careened away from Astrid. She spread her arms and rotated in mid-air, taking control of her fall and manoeuvering a three-point landing, knee, foot, and one hand on the floor.

“Dee-lan!” Miss Kitty leapt from Isaak into Dylan’s arms.

He watched as Dylan embraced her, stroking her tawny-brown coat. “You’re back!”

“He was about to be a silly goose…” the cat said. She sniffed Dylan’s nose and started licking.

“Oh, my beauty. I can’t believe you’re okay! Ow, ow, you’re biting me.”

“Sorry Dee-lan.” The cat rubbed her face on Dylan’s nose by way of an apology.

Isaak got up, shaking off the broken bits of rubble clinging to his clothes. “Thanks for the save, Kitty.”

“This is all very touching…” Astrid’s voice soured the moment, and all of them instantly turned to her again. “But aren’t you forgetting something?” She beckoned Talia’s cage towards her.

Before Astrid could touch her again, Isaak raised the Gunkatana and fired, muzzle-flash like a crack of lightning.

The bullet hit Astrid in the chest, tearing a chunk out of the metal armour.

Astrid grunted and jolted backwards from the impact, releasing her telekinetic grip on Talia. Pain twisted her body. “That hurts. More than it should be hurting!”

She waved her hands at them, but nothing came out of her fingertips. She looked worried, and suddenly a lot less terrifying. “What… What’s happening?”