Free Rain Saga by Riley Barton

on the shoulder. “Don’t you worry about a thing, Miss McKelly. We’ll get you out of here in one piece, even if it’s the last thing we do.”
    That’s what I was worried about, she thought, chewing her lip nervously. I didn’t ask if I would be getting out of here — I asked if we would.
    “Terence, where are you?” Keith shouted through the team comm, the sound of his voice causing Luna to wince.
    “I’m in the air, away team. Closing on your position,” Fox replied. “I’ll try to set down on the edge of the city about a block away from your current position. ETA … any minute now. Get yourselves to the extraction point ASAP! Fox out!”
    “All right, people!” Keith shouted. “Double time it on my mark! Luna, get up. We’re moving out!”
    She surged to her feet, every muscle in her small body wound tight in anticipation. Keith and the other agents readied their weapons and took up positions around Luna. A moment later they were racing through the open street, weaving their way toward the sound of the V-244’s roaring engines.
    There was a burst of automatic gunfire to their right, and Luna stumbled, crying out in pain as she felt the projectiles impact on her armor. She glanced down at the dented metal plates attached to her pressure suit, fully expecting to see blood pouring onto the ground as she ran. Much to her relief, it seemed Agent Rosa had been right about the suit: it really was bulletproof.  
    They darted around the crumbling ruins and fought their way toward the waiting Stratocruiser, the agents continuing to exchange fire with the nearly invisible Swampers as they reached the chopper’s loading ramp.
    Luna scrambled into the aircraft first and ran to her seat, followed by the agents, who paused momentarily to return one last departing salvo.
    “Terence, get going!” Keith shouted, leaping into the aircraft. “We’ve got to get out of here!”
    “Roger that, Keith.” Agent Fox replied, shakily. “Strap in—this could get bumpy!”  
    Luna fumbled with her seatbelt, frantically trying to secure the straps as the massive aircraft began to rumble into the air. The rear door was still open, and she could feel the suction from the passing air current pulling at her. Instinctively, she braced her feet against the floor to keep herself in the seat while she tugged furiously on her shoulder straps. They were stuck!
    “Keith!” she called, “I can’t get my seatbelt on!”  
    “Terence, close the hatch! I need to help Miss McKelly!” Keith shouted.
    “Roger! Closing door.” The hatch began to ease shut, and Keith unstrapped himself, slowly making his way to Luna. He’d almost reached her when the chopper lurched violently, throwing him to the floor. A bright fireball erupted outside the Stratocruiser’s window, sending jagged chunks of shrapnel crashing into the fuselage.  
    “Holy—” Terence muttered under his breath. “We’re hit! Hang on everyone!”  
    Keith pulled himself into the nearest chair and strapped himself down.    
    “Hang on, Luna!” he shouted frantically.  
    What do you think I’m doing? Her mind screamed. Just then a massive explosion shook the aircraft, sending it into a violent dive as the entire tail section—ramp and all—was torn away in a cloud of flame and pulverized metal.
    Luna screamed, feeling herself being ripped from her seat by the powerful suction. Frantically she fought to catch hold of something—anything—as her body tumbled through the stricken aircraft toward the gaping hole and the darkness beyond.  
    There! One of the storage compartments had been torn open in the blast, offering her a purchase in the plummeting aircraft.  
    She desperately reached out and wrapped her hands around the twisted metal, holding on with all her strength.
    The chopper’s deadly decent began to slow as Terence fought to regain control of the crippled aircraft, and she could see Keith crawling toward her.
    “Luna! Hold on!” he shouted.