A Sea of Purple Ink Read Free Page B

brush with those, and everyone would know they had been out after hours.
    The gravity field flickered. Reese stumbled sideways as the street-wall beside them seemed to tilt inward. “What’s wrong?” she asked. She stopped and spread her arms, ready to fight for balance. The swaying surface made her knees tremble.
    “Out of practice,” her friend whispered back. She took a few steps forward, away from Reese, and crouched to touch the roadway. “Hang on a minute while I catch my—”
    Zing! White flakes exploded from a brick in the wall, and a deep, concussive sound vibrated off the street.
    Reese tensed. That was a bullet. Time seemed to slow as her inner speed increased. She jumped forward, mental factors analyzing at lightning speed. Her foot came up— flake radius too small for a rebel-made bullet —her knee bent— shot came from behind us and slightly to the right —her body glided forward— the bullet penetrated the gravity shift to reach us —as her foot descended, the factors fell in place. Sniper police force in the building across from us. And it’s not just the police. The bullet got too close. They have a reader, and here come more bullets.
    Her foot hit the ground and she drew her gun.
    “Niela,” Reese shouted, pushing forward in a headlong sprint. “Time for the spiral!” Through the thickening swirl of mist, she saw the barrel of a rifle sliding out a window across the street. Most of them will be in there. With another leap, she reached Niela and wrapped an arm around her waist. A thunderous wave of vibration shot outward from the shifter as they jumped.
    The world turned upside down. Reese’s stomach threatened to jump into her mouth. She clung to Niela as they dropped toward the occupied building. Mists swept across the cobblestones over Reese’s head, and her feet seemed to dangle toward the stars.
    Bang bang bang bang. The police fire, jostled by the gravity surge, careened across the road and shattered the storefront.
    We’ll have to give them something to think about. Reese swung herself backwards, still hanging onto Niela. Her friend’s feet came in contact with the new floor—the occupied building—and Reese sent three quick shots through the window. Glass shattered. A deep voice shouted a curse.
    Gravity lurched again and Niela stumbled.
    A brick wall seemed to fly at Reese’s face. White light burst in her eyes, and, beneath the pain, the analyzation ran on. Not a concussion. Thirty-degree angle. Bit my tongue. Reese shook her head, trying to clear it. “Niela?” She could feel her friend gasping for air. If she runs out of strength, we’re going to fall.
    “Take them out,” Niela gasped, “I can’t—”
    Bang.
    Reese’s vision cleared. A grappling hook was boomeranging out from the window behind them, swinging around towards Niela as it caught in her gravity field. We’ve got to get away. Take it up and over. Reese gripped Niela tighter and shoved off toward the roof of the building, carrying the shifter with her.
    The hook hit bare stone and caught in a spray of sparks.
    Reese felt her leg scrape against the peak of the roof. They skidded down the opposite side and plunged over the side. Reese’s stomach lurched. “Let go,” she yelled in Niela’s ear. “Just drop.”
    They hit the pavement with a hard smack.
    Pain splintered through Reese’s head. She scrambled to her feet, fighting back the extraneous thoughts. The police will be out that back door any moment. Her gaze locked on Niela. Her friend was angry. Very angry. The shifter pushed herself upright, staring hard at the occupied building. She’s not thinking straight. Reese stepped forward. “Niela—”
    Niela ducked her head and clenched her fists. A whirling sensation swept over Reese as gravity began to change. The encroaching mists blew outward in a swirling mass. And then the floor dropped out of the universe.
    Reese hurtled downward, the now-vertical street shooting upward beside them in a