​     "Noel, where are you?" Estelle said into her com. "Why aren't you here yet?"

     "We spotted some civilians. We're getting them out of here."

​     "You need help?"

​     "Not really. You should probably stay where you're at. There's more shrapnel than air out here right now."

     "I can hear it bouncing on the outside of our van. Still, I need to help."

​     "Are you sure you're up to it?" Noel asked.

​     Ooo. The question stung. The plain fact was, Estelle didn't know whether she was up to it or not. Blood seeped from several of her wounds to pool at her feet.

​     "I'm good," she lied. "I can't just sit in here. I'm coming out. And, uh...Noel? I'm afraid I've got some bad news for you."

     "What?"

​     "I'm going to have to take the top of the dining table with me."

     "No!"

​     "I need a shield, Noel."

     "We've only had that van for a month! It took me almost a year to get another one after we..."

​     "I know. I know" She tore it loose from where it was attached to the wall and floor. 

​     "I'll go with you," Brock said, although he didn't surround himself with an azure force field the way he usually did when he felt ready to take action. He looked at Shawnacy. She still hadn't moved. Her eyes were furious, like she was yelling at Estelle and Brock to ​get me out of this predicament already!

​     Christ, what had that Belle bitch shot into her, anyway?

     "Noel, I think I'm going to have Brock stay here," Estelle said. "I'll call for him if I require back up." 

​     "If you need to, come on," Noel replied. "But, if it was up to me, you'd both stay where you're at. We should have these people out of here in a couple of minutes, then I'll rejoin you all." 

​     "You do that," Estelle replied as the door to the van opened and she stepped out into the auditorium. "So, where are you again? I can...okay. There you are. I see you."

​     The seven of them were nearly to the exit door by that time, Gramps, Noel, and the five council members that remained alive.

     Estelle held the table top over her head. 

​     She watched as two Azure and algrim warships touched down on the floor of the auditorium without being shot out of the sky first.

​     Their hatches opened.

​     Out flooded dozens of algrim and Azure soldiers.

​     It was time for a little hand to hand combat.

     Just my kind of fight, Estelle thought.

​     She started towards them.

​     She got four paces when a bit of shrapnel meteored one corner of the table top to break it loose. Another piece of shrapnel embedded itself in the enamel. If not for Estelle's super strength, the impact would have   knocked her to the ground. She figured that, probably, within a minute or so, the shrapnel would tear the table to pieces to the point where it could no longer be used as a shield. 

​     Okay, this is stupid, Estelle thought. Noel was right. I should never have left the van.

     Then,

​     WHAM!

​                                                    CONTINUE

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