6;FALLEN

The helicopter vibrated with the low hum of its powerful engines, its blades slicing through the smoky air. Inside, Leo and Kai sat on the edge of their seats, their faces pale and drawn. Outside the window, the city below had descended into complete chaos. Fires raged across the skyline, towering plumes of smoke twisting into the sky like grotesque fingers. Giant insects prowled the streets, their monstrous forms visible even from this altitude. Screams and explosions echoed faintly, a distant soundtrack to the carnage.

Leo's knuckles turned white as he gripped the armrest. "We can't just leave them behind," he muttered, his voice tight with frustration.

The pilot, a grizzled man with a hardened face, glanced back briefly. "Stay put, kid. All the scientists have been secured. Your father's probably safe."

Leo's jaw clenched. "Probably? That's not good enough! Turn around. We left a man behind!"

Kai placed a trembling hand on Leo's shoulder. "Leo, we can't go back there. Look outside. It's... it's over."

---

The pilot tightened his grip on the controls, his tone firm but not unkind. "Listen, kid. I've got orders to take you somewhere safe. You're no good to anyone if you're dead."

Kai leaned forward, staring out the cockpit window at the devastated city below. "It doesn't look like the invasion has reached here yet," he muttered, as if trying to reassure himself. "Maybe there's still time for some people to get out..."

The pilot didn't respond, his attention focused on navigating through the turbulent air.

---

A sudden sound broke the tension: a phone ringing.

Leo blinked in confusion and reached into his pocket, pulling out an unfamiliar device. "What the...?" he muttered, staring at the screen. An unlisted number flashed across it.

"Answer it!" Kai urged, his voice sharp with urgency.

Leo swiped to accept the call and held the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

The familiar voice of Delbert, the family butler, came through the line, faint but clear. "Master Leo! Is that you?"

Relief washed over Leo. "Delbert! Yes, it's me. Are you okay?"

"Thank heavens," Delbert replied. "I've been trying to reach you. Are you safe? Is Kai with you?"

Kai leaned closer, his voice shaky but audible. "I'm here, Delbert. I'm okay. For now."

"Good, good," Delbert said hurriedly. "Where are you now?"

Leo glanced at the pilot before answering. "We're in a military helicopter. They're taking us... somewhere."

"Excellent," Delbert replied. "Listen carefully, Master Leo. Tell the pilot to bring you to—"

"Wait!" Leo interrupted. "Delbert, what about my dad? He's still back at the facility. Do you know if he's safe?"

There was a brief pause before Delbert answered. "Your father is fine. He's under the protection of the soldiers. You mustn't worry about him."

Leo let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Thank God..."

But just as he began to relax, the phone emitted a sharp screeching noise. Delbert's voice became distorted. "Master Leo—scchhhvrrch—stay safe! We'll... schhvvvkk..."

"Delbert? Delbert!" Leo shouted, his heart racing.

The pilot shook his head. "You're too high up. Signal's no good here. Don't worry—we'll land soon."

---

Kai pointed out the window, his voice breaking the tense silence. "There! I see it!"

Leo followed his gaze and spotted a large clearing in the distance, dotted with military vehicles and tents. It was a beacon of hope amidst the destruction.

"Yeah," Leo said, nodding. "I see it too."

Kai leaned back in his seat, his expression softening for the first time. "We might actually survive this."

For a brief moment, they both allowed themselves to smile, a glimmer of hope piercing through the darkness.

---

But their relief was short-lived.

A deafening screech tore through the air, sending a shiver down their spines. Before anyone could react, a massive shape hurtled toward the helicopter, its shadow blotting out the faint light from below.

It was a bat—if it could even still be called that. Its leathery wings spanned over thirty feet, and its eyes burned with a malevolent red glow. Sharp, jagged teeth glistened as it opened its mouth wide, aiming straight for the cockpit.

"Hold on!" the pilot shouted, yanking the controls.

The helicopter veered sharply, throwing Leo and Kai against their seats. But the bat was faster. It slammed into the helicopter with a bone-rattling impact, its claws tearing through the metal like paper.

---

Leo watched in horror as the bat's head smashed through the windshield, its jaws snapping inches away from the pilot. The man screamed as the creature tore into him, blood spraying across the controls.

"Leo!" Kai shouted, grabbing his arm.

The helicopter lurched violently, and Leo's eyes widened as he saw the bat turning toward him. Its gaping maw seemed endless, rows of razor-sharp teeth glinting in the dim light.

But just as it lunged, something hit Leo hard from the side.

Kai.

Kai shoved Leo with all his strength, pushing him toward the helicopter door.

"Kai, no!" Leo screamed, his voice breaking.

Before he could grab him, the bat's jaws closed around Kai. The boy let out a choked scream as the creature's teeth pierced his body, blood splattering across the cabin.

---

Leo's world became a blur. The helicopter door had been thrown open in the chaos, and his momentum carried him out into the open air.

Wind roared in his ears as he fell, the city lights spinning below him.

"KAI!" he screamed, his voice tearing from his throat. He could still see the bat tearing into his friend, its monstrous form silhouetted against the flaming cityscape.

---

Something sharp bit into the back of Leo's head. The pain was searing, white-hot, and it sent a shockwave through his entire body. His vision blurred, tears streaming down his face as he struggled to stay conscious.

The wind grew louder, and his breathing became ragged. His limbs felt heavy, and his mind was slipping into darkness.

As his body plummeted, the world around him faded. The screams, the chaos, the destruction—it all became distant, like a bad dream he couldn't wake up from.

---

With a sickening thud, Leo's body hit the ground. He landed on the cracked pavement of an abandoned roadside, his fall cushioned only slightly by debris.

For a moment, everything was silent.

But then the sounds of chaos returned. Insects screeched in the distance, and the faint glow of fires cast eerie shadows across the area.

Leo's eyes fluttered open briefly, his vision hazy. Blood trickled down his forehead, mixing with the dirt beneath him. His chest heaved as he struggled to breathe.

Above him, the sky burned, filled with the smoke of a dying city.

And then, everything went black.