He pulled the flask of Elixir from his pocket. This would be unpleasant, but this was going to be a multiple-dose kind of night. Then Franks went to the controls and pushed on the throttle. The powerful engine roared and the Zodiac surged across the waves.

* * *

The helicopter was on its side. They’d fallen on top of a structure. Kurst could tell because of the concrete and rebar that had smashed through the sheet metal next to him. It had struck him in the arm hard enough to break the armored bone, causing a compound fracture. He marveled at the jagged white splinter sticking through his forearm before using his fingers to shove the bone back into place.

Smoke was filling the interior. The engines had caught fire. Kurst got up and assessed the situation. The human pilots were dead. A human handler was unconscious. Stricken was . . . gone? The albino’s laptop was wedged between two seats, broken. Kurst had lost track of Stricken during the crash. Perhaps he had been hurled out the door. That would be far more convenient than removing him in a manner which could potentially raise questions that would cause his underlings to throw the kill switch. Only half of his brethren had been in this helicopter, and several of them had already fast-roped out before they’d been hit. The other Nemesis soldiers were extracting themselves. Seven had received a laceration across the throat, severing her windpipe, so she was having some trouble. That wound could be duct taped closed enough to keep her breath from escaping for the duration of the mission. Five had been the unlucky one. When the rotor had come apart, a large piece of the shrapnel had flown through the compartment, slicing off one of his arms and the top half of his skull. There were brains everywhere. Like Franks, they had reserve brain tissue, but the impact had broken Five’s spine in multiple places so the backup was not working.

Kurst placed his hand on Five’s chest. The Fallen spirit was still clinging desperately to the mortal body, but it was slipping. The bond could not be maintained. Five did not have the will sufficient to overcome such wounds.

Go back for now. I will provide more bodies in the future. You will return, brother. Until then tell the host to prepare for war.

The demon let go, drifting away with the rising smoke.

Kurst took hold of Seven and shoved her up through the door. Her blood got in his eyes. He left the unconscious human to the fire. Then Kurst pulled himself out with his uninjured hand.