"Not now, not yet!"
"Okay." Asia said reluctantly and then she pulled out the data sender and plugged in her devices. The small screen lit up with the data streams of the Code. She initialized the transformation and within moments the language of the streaming Code abruptly shifted to something quite different.
Asia looked up crying at Flicker, "We did it! Oh God, we did it!"
For the first time Asia saw Flicker smile. Flicker reached out and tapped a finger on Asia shoulder gently, "You did it."
Asia shook her head no and pointed upward, "He did it!"
Flicker gave a shrug, as if to say she conceded to Asia's point. Asia stood up held against the stiff breeze by Flicker. For the first time she looked at what was going on elsewhere.
Fires burned brightly out in the savanna and all around in the partially constructed city and even now she could hear gunfire yet ringing out into the night. They'd succeeded in cloaking the Code in confusion, for at least a little while, but at what cost had that accomplishment come?
Flicker had put her mask back on, but she left her helmet off for her hair to blow free. She brought Asia against her front and told the smaller woman to hang on. She wrapped a wire around both of them and twisted it together and then without warning she stepped off the edge.
Thought was impossible for Asia other than the nightmarish fantasy of what an elevator ride plunging toward the basement must feel like. She clung on to the larger statured woman with a death grip, as she felt shards of something raining down on her.
Blinking she glanced up past the blond tornado of Flicker's hair to see one outstretched taloned hand slicing down through glass and steel alike. The tips of her taloned fingers glowed red and Flicker's face showed the extreme effort she was calling forth from herself. She was just like her brothers Asia thought to herself, a living breathing superhero in the flesh.
Seeing her strength helped calm Asia's raging nerves immensely. Flicker swung around and engaged the talons of her free hand and they slowed dramatically, until moments later Flicker stepped free of the building and undid the wire holding them together. They were on the ground already!
Asia stepped back in awe of Flicker, "You're amazing!"
Flicker said nothing, but ducked her head away, as if bashful of something.
"Asia?" Called a voice out behind her.
Asia turned to see a bloodied Maria approaching with hands wrapped around an assault rifle, as if they were fused in place.