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Perry darted out of the woods, passing Roar and diving into the Dragonwing. Then Brooke emerged and took her place behind the two Guardians who continued their careful approach, unaware of their fallen teammate at Roar’s feet.
“Put your weapons down!” Brooke yelled, raising a gun. The two men spun and froze as they saw her. Aria drew her pistol from a concealed holster. It felt awkward handling the weapon with her non-dominant hand, but she doubted she’d need to use it.
The four Guardians had been neutralized: Perry would have the man inside the Hover handled. Roar had taken care of the Guardian outside the craft. She and Brooke had the two in the clearing.
Everything was under control. Just like they planned.
Until Soren reached behind his back and drew a gun.
12
PEREGRINE
Perry crashed into the Dragonwing’s cockpit, spotting his target, the Guardian who’d stayed behind, in the pilot seat.
The man grabbed for the gun at his belt. His hand never touched the weapon.
Perry jammed his knee into the Guardian’s face. Not the blow he’d intended, but the space was tight. He caught the slumping Guardian by the collar and dragged him to the bay door, tossing him out into the rain, where he landed a few paces from Roar’s man.
Perry jumped down from the Dragonwing. He didn’t need to say a word to Roar, who knew exactly what to do.
“I got it, Perry. Go,” Roar said before his feet even hit the mud.
Perry sped past him, running toward Brooke. Across the flooded field, smoke still spewed from beneath the tail of the Belswan. He was struck by how small Aria, Soren, and Jupiter looked against the Hover. Brooke stood halfway across the field, between the two Hovers, pointing a gun at the pair of Guardians she’d surprised from behind.
The two men still held their guns as they assessed the situation. Perry watched them consider their overpowered teammates lying in the mud at Roar’s feet. Then Brooke and Aria, both with guns. And finally him, jogging up.
The Guardians had no options. They would recognize that and yield. They should’ve already seen that by now, but something didn’t feel right.
Perry was twenty paces away from Brooke when he spotted the gun in Soren’s hand.
“You heard her!” Soren screamed at the top of his lungs. “She said put your weapons down!”
The Guardians looked from Brooke to Perry to Soren, their movements jerky. They drew together, back to back, their guns raised.
“Do it!” Soren screamed.
They will, Perry wanted to shout. Give them a chance and they’ll do it!
He bit back the words. Panic fed panic. Yelling would only make matters worse.
Soren’s arms straightened, his gun swinging between the Guardians. “I told you, weapons down!”
A single pop broke into the air, muffled by the patter of the rain but unmistakable.
Soren had fired. He jolted back, absorbing the recoil.
An instant later, shots exploded into the air as the Guardians fired back.
Brooke cried out as she dropped to the ground. Aria, Soren, and Jupiter scattered, running back to the Belswan.
Every muscle in Perry’s body wanted to sprint toward them, but he threw himself down. Wet earth coughed as bullets struck around him. He rolled, splashing through rainwater. In the middle of a field, there was nowhere to find cover.
The shots stopped, the drone of the rain filling the quiet. He lifted his head. The Guardians were running for the woods.
The shorter man of the two turned as he fled, unleashing a barrage of shots at Roar, who crouched by the Dragonwing.
Roar launched himself beneath the craft, disappearing to the other side.
