An instant later, a flash from outside caught Vex’s eye, but Aurora was already moving. She snapped her hands and the window beside her flew apart. Air rushed in as she reached out, and it was all she could do to deflect the rocket into the ground. The explosion shunted the plane sideways. It hit the landing strip and spun. Vex cracked his head and bags fell and a terrible screeching rose from beneath. The plane came to a sudden stop. Vex was out of his seat before he even knew what he was doing. He staggered for the door, Aurora right behind him, throwing it open and jumping to the tarmac.

Across the airfield, a figure in black sunglasses reloaded a rocket launcher. Vex’s insides went cold as he watched Billy-Ray Sanguine bring it to his shoulder and fire.

Aurora brought her hands in, catching the rocket in a tunnel of air, veering it away just before it struck the plane. The rocket did a loop, returning to sender, but Sanguine was already sinking into the ground.

The rocket struck where Sanguine had just been crouched, the explosion almost masking the sound of a high-powered rifle. Aurora grunted, spun sideways, falling to one knee. Another shot, from the tower, barely missed her. Vex filled his hand with energy and returned fire, but his aim was off. A bullet whined past his cheek like an angry insect. Up there, the sniper had all the advantages. Vex grabbed Aurora, dragged her back to the plane. Frightening was there to haul her in. Another bullet found Vex’s leg, but he managed to throw himself sideways and Frightening did the rest.

The gunman opened fire on the cockpit, and Gracious and Donegan dived back, falling on to Vex and jarring his injured leg.

“What are they doing?” Wilhelm was screeching. “What are they doing?”

“Away from the door!” Saracen shouted. “Move back!”

Someone, probably Frightening, grabbed Vex and pulled him backwards. Gracious had Aurora, who was bleeding from a wound in her side. Vex glanced at the door in time to see Sanguine rise up from the ground outside and throw something in before disappearing again.

“Grenade!” Vex roared.

But Aurora was already on it. Both hands splayed and a cocoon of air shimmered around the grenade and the explosion rocked the plane. Vex fell on top of Frightening and someone fell on top of him, but his eyes were closed and he couldn’t hear and he didn’t know what the hell was going on. He smelled smoke.

He opened his eyes, waited until he could focus again. His ears were ringing. His body was dull. He could feel the tangle of limbs in which he was caught – someone’s knee was pressing into his back, an elbow was digging into his jaw – but they didn’t hurt. He couldn’t even feel the bullet in his leg.