The Numbers

[Hyzenthlay]

"Crash and..." XVIII fired a dark orb into a pieve of rubble and watched as it disintergrated, "Burrrrrnnnnnnn!" he smiled and blew the end of his finger as if it were smoking.

"I cant even tell you how cool this is." He said as he looked forward at XVI and XVII.

"Good. Save it." Said XVII angrilly, "you're little trick is boring me now."

XVI was at teh head of the group, XIX at the back. He was rounding a corner of the roof which stuck up like a huge rock from the ground. Instead of ground a crater lay next to it, XVI peered down it as he walked past. Below teh facility was completely in ruins. If the others didnt make it out, they wern't getting out. Then, he heard a noise. A desperate voice in foreign tongue,

“Aide-moi quelqu'un.”

He stopped dead and held up his hand, flat with all fingers pointing upwards. The other behind him stopped. XVII slowly and carefully came to his side.

"What's up?" He asked in a whisper.

"I heard a voice, it sounded in pain. Agony." Replied XVI.

"What did it say?" Said XVII, surprised. He tilted his head to the side as if he were able to see around the corner.

"I don't know. It wasn't english."

"Do you want to take the risk of walking into a person in agony? What if the person that had caused the pain is there?" Said XVII wiping his nose with the back of his hand.

"What if it's one of 'us'. A survivor, maybe?" Replied XVI without looking at XVII.

"We arnt taking the risk. You can, we arnt." Said XVII, knowing what was on XVI's mind.

"Fine. As much as I'd love to find others, I agree." XVI forced himself to say this. He wanted to find others above all else.

XVI turned back and started to walk the other way. XVII watched XVI walk back, raising his eyebrow but followed anyway. XVI headed towards a city nearby, wrecked, ruined and deserted. He supposed that there must be shelter, food and water there at least. Then, maybe, some new clothes. He could hear XVII using his power behind him, blowing up rocks and bits of debris as they strolled past. This may prove to be a good thing if they ran into trouble. His aim would be perfect. Then XVI's headache returned but, this time, he felt the images coming. He almost knew how to stop it, but he couldnt. An image flashe before them all and they stood still, XVI was on his knees. A basement. On it's walls hung pictures of people holding musical instruments. The floor was covered with an persian rug. A sofa lay against the back wall, a guitar lay down on it. Then, XVI was visible, emerging and decending down stairs to the left. HIs hair was long and dreadlocked. He wore jeans and a blue t-shirt. A cigarette was in his mouth. The image faded. Reality sprung in. NOt just the reality of the world around him, but, he was the one causing the images. THat reality was the worst of all. It made him feel strange rather than good. He didnt feel the excitement XVIII did. He felt scared, like he wanted to hide down in that basement and keep safe. As if the world and it's creator was aginst him. He rocovered and stood taking a deep breath.

"Nice do, dude. I love the dreads!" Jested XVIII.

"Shut up, kid." Barked XVII. "Can you not see him!? You okay sixteen?"

He was about to ask what XVII meant when he realised he was sweating heavily. His nose bled a little, too. He wiped his brow and nose on the sleeve of his shirt and continued walking. Ignoring XVII. They were now on the edge of the city, they faced a wide street with tall buildings on either side. XVI stopped and looked around for a second. He felt that odd sense of malevolence again. His heart pounded yet he stepped forward and continued to walk. XVIII was gasping in amazement somewhere behind, blasting walls and rubble; smiling to himself as tehy went. He heard XVII shout but ignore it. Then he shouted again and XVI heard what he had said.

"Sixteen. Stop!! Look up."

XVI did so and before him was a pack of the strangest dogs you had ever seen. The bared their teeth at him and growled un-naturally. Shocked XVI started to walk back. As he did so the dogs began to dash forward as one. The nearest tok a lunge at XVI but was hit with a hard black orb to the skull. XVI heard it shatter and turned to sprint. XVIII held up his hands in the shapes of pistols and charged the orbs. He fired one after the other, some connected and left the beasts yealping, some missed and simply landed in the street with a loud bang. XVI was now beside XVII who readied himself for the hounds, he held his arms out and spread his legs. XVI put a finger to his temple and tried furiously to create an image that may be able to help. More yelps, more cracks, more bangs. Nothing. No image came to their rescue. Still the dogs outnumbered them 7 dogs to 4 men. One was now upon XVII, it pushed forward snapping at his throat. With a crack XVII broke its neck and tossed it to the side. Another dark orb flew past XVI's head crashing into the pavement sending bits of grey into the air. A dog jumped through a cloud of dust striking XVI and pushing him to the floor. XVI crossed his arms and pushed its head upwards with all his strength. He heard XVII call him, he sounded worried. Then XVII was at his side. He dragged the canine from him and threw it to the side to be shot but XVIII. XVI rose to his knees and rubbed bits of dust from his eyes. He heard the last dog yelp and opened his eyes. He rose to his feet and looked around through hazy eyes. XVII was on his knees beside him. Directly behind XVIII was smiling, blowing on his index fingers and pretending to insert them into holsters. XIX was behind him, looking directly ahead and beside him... XVII stood. XVI rubbed his eyes again. The second XVII ran at the one beside him and walked into him, dissapearing. Maybe XVI's gift had worked, afterall?

"Right. That was... So weird. Why did I create two XVII's?" Asked XVI.

"Create? Baby, that was allllll seventeen. Go seventeen, it'sssss your birthday." Said XVIII with a laugh.

XVI looked down at XVII beside him. He shook and was looking at his hands. He looked up at XVI without saying a word and then back at his hands.

"I don't... How... I don't know what just happened. I feel weak. Nothing hit me but I can feel scratches on my back." XVII sounded scared. He sounded the same way XVI had felt when he had the realisation just a while ago.

"Don't think about it right now. We have to get indoors, before more come."

XVI helped XVII to his feet and looked to the right side of the street at a building. It had a door. That was good enough right now. He headed towards it, stepping over a dog body on his way. The others followed close behind. XVIII was the one on the rear this time, holding his hands up and close to his sides. XVi grabbed the door handle and turned it slowly. It wouldnt budge. Seemed liek something heavy was blocking it from the other side. He rammed it with his full weight and it opened a tiny bit. He peered inside and looked around making sure it was safe. Once he was sure he shifter his weght onto the door and pushed. It was heavy but it opened enough so that the could all get inside. XVIII walked to the middle of the room and look around with dissaproval. XVII pushed the door closed behind them and the wardrobe that blocked it off back into place. Heading to look upstairs XVI saw a man slumped against the wall opposite, on the landing. His arms were limp at his sides and his head hung downwards onto his chest. He was covered in blood. No scratch marks were on his body but he had strange marks on his skin. As if from an acidic burn. So deep was the burn in some places that you could see the bone. This was the case on his knuckles. He was wearing a set of white clother teh same as theirs. He was from the facility, maybe? XIX had awoken before them. This person must have, too. XVI pressed his finger to his neck gently. No pulse. The man was dead. He then heard a moan from the side. There was a door to another room. Shaking he stood, now paying careful attention to his footfalls. He heard XVII talking to XVIII downstairs and prayed whoever was in the room wouldnt hear it. He places his hand gently on the handle and turned it. The door flew open and a woman lay there. She held he chest tightly and was dragging air in so heavily she sounded like a vacuum. He noticed the same burns on her and the same lab wear. Her ribbes were exposed through a deep burn on her chest. She looked at him and blinked.

"Is 'Thor' okay?" she asked weakly. "Did he find you? I knew he'd find help. I knew he'd save us."

XVII felt a lump in his throat. This 'Thor' was obviously the man in the hall.

"He, erm. He'll be fine, lady. Don't you worry. What's your number... Erm... Name?" He asked looking at her and trying to look positive.

"My name is 'Spark'. Can I see Thor!? I want to see him." She said. Her words were taking more effort, XVI could see it. She wouldnt survive much longer.

"He's resting. Don't worry. He's resting, he's peaceful." He said swallowing hard. "What happened to you both?" He asked averting his eyes.

"They... They found us, again. Thor couldnt stop them. His lighthening wasnt enough, not nearly enough. 'Minerva' was too quick. I tried to help him, I shone and burned my brightest. I tried to blind her. She can't aim if she cant see... 'Spear' got in the way. He, then... Then... 'Hector' he threw Spear through a wall. He died, I know he did. I ran to him but she got me. She burned me. I fell down. Thor got angry... He... She got him. Oh, no. She found us. We hid but, she found us. Then she left us to die. She, she found us..."

The woman looked terrified. Eventually the woman smiled gently at XVI and lay out a hand to touch his as he knelt at her side.

"You'll make sure he's safe, wont you?" Again she smiled.

XVII mustered a smile back and watched as her strength gave way and she fell silent looking up at him. He had to shield his eyes as her body turned to flame. It burned so bright that it made her impossible to see her. He heard her breath leave her and the bright light dimmed to a dull glow. Then, it faded. He sighed and looked at her. He wished they had got here earlier. She could have been saved.