MIDAS ⇾ THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY

~ VIII ~

Alexis looked over, startled.

"Is that...?"

"Gunfire," finished Allison, as their eyes met.

The two women sprinted down the stairs, towards the bedrooms. The bullets were ricocheting off the walls, echoing through the house. They stopped at the end of one of the corridors, Allison holding a finger to her lips. They sneaked into the main room instead, and dropped behind one of the cabinets and Diego ran in to join them. The noise of gunshots was still loud elsewhere in the house.

"I need to find Luther," said Allison, getting up.

Alexis grabbed her sleeve and gave her a concerned look.

"I'll be fine," Allison said, looking at Diego, who nodded.

She ran off. The gunfire was getting closer. Diego, knife in hand, looked at Alexis.

"She knows what she's doing. Stay with me."

She nodded.

The sound began to grow closer, and Alexis steeled herself. It was just like she'd done with Diego many times - nothing new. Footsteps entered the main room as the gunfire paused momentarily. Diego raised his knife, and threw it. One of the intruders shouted in surprise - and began to move towards them. Their heavy boots echoed across the floor, but halted as other people entered. Alexis and Diego looked up to see Allison and Luther in combat with the intruder, who appeared to be wearing a children's mask. 

Alexis pulled herself up and ran over just as another person appeared - also in a mask, but this time a woman. Alexis came up behind her, and knocked the gun from her hands - it clattered to the floor. The woman spun, and Alexis blocked her punches, and gave some in return. The two of them fought for a few seconds, exchanging kicks and punches. Blood dripped down the side of Alexis' face from a cut somewhere. She used the combinations she had learnt from Diego as the two of them danced around each other. Out of the corner of her eye, Alexis saw Allison watching and gesturing at her wildly.

Alexis shoved the woman with all of her weight, sending her flying away. She sprinted towards Allison's outstretched hand, grabbed it, and the two ran off together down the stairs. Rapid gunfire followed them as they dodged around corners, trying to avoid the bullets. Diego and Luther were nowhere to be seen. They dropped behind the pool table as they caught their breath. Allison grabbed a pool cue as someone entered the room. It was the woman.

Alexis watched from behind the table as Allison and the intruder sparred with the pool cues, her gun getting knocked away for the second time. They kept moving, blocking and hitting. Alexis crouched as the woman managed to strike Allison, who fell momentarily.

"You wanna rumour this psycho?" said Diego, entering.

"I don't need to, because this bitch just pissed me off," she spat, and turned.

"We just want the boy," said the woman.

"Oh, well, in that case..."

They continued to fight. Alexis advanced on the woman, whose back was turned. She crept up behind her, grabbing her neck and pulling her away from Allison. The woman turned and Alexis dodged her pool cue. Again, they exchanged punches as Allison caught her breath. Whoever this person was, she was good. Alexis cried out as the woman hit her in the stomach, and she doubled over involuntarily. She saw the woman's next strike coming, and grunted in pain as the punch landed.

Stumbling back, she fell into the table, crying out as the sharp edge cut into her back. She crossed her arms defensively in front of her face as the woman advanced quickly. They made contact, and energy thrummed, fast. Alexis fell back, losing consciousness. The last thing she heard was the others crying out together.