Chapter 43: Where's Orion?

//Gang PoV - Alleyway on their way back//

Deckard, a kid from a rival gang, lounged about on a box as the gang passed him. He casually called out, "Did you finally get him killed?"

"What?" Vi snapped, coming to an abrupt halt. The four of them turned to glare at him.

Smirking, Deckard hopped off the box. "Everyone saw him running across the Undercity- across topside." His tone was taunting, dripping with venom. "We may not have seen eye-to-eye, but we liked Orion."

"Now here you are," Deckard's smirk faded, replaced by an unfriendly sneer. Two of his friends stepped into view behind the gang, their fists clenched. "An explosion topside, no haul, no Orion. Just covered in blood. I wonder whose?" He mocked with disdain.

Claggor stepped forward angrily, shouting, "We didn't kill him!" Everyone started to tense, readying to fight. Powder wasn't having it either, her little fists balled up, and her face scrunched in fury.

"Then where is he? Did you leave him behind?" Deckard raised an eyebrow, his tone sharp and accusatory.

When the gang didn't respond, he spat on the ground. "Filthy Sump rats! Abandoning one of ours to the topsiders!"

Vi closed her eyes for a moment, exhaling slowly before she opened them again. She raised her fists as anger started taking hold. "We didn't leave him behind. And you talk too much."

With that, the brawl between the gangs erupted. Deckard's gang didn't stand a chance with their heightened anger and emotions. By the end of it, Vi and Powder were stomping on Deckard, not giving him a chance to reach for his knife.

It wasn't until multiple broken bones and concussions that they stopped. They left Deckard's gang groaning in pain on the cold pavement and continued back to the Last Drop.

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//Last Drop - Backroom Lounge//

Vander, breathing heavily, barged through the door.

Word had already reached him. He was waiting for their return, having plenty of time to think about how to scold them. When Vander saw them enter the Last Drop, however, with Vi covered in blood and the others looking bruised, it all vanished.

Vi and Powder were huddled together on the couch, their eyes puffy. Powder especially, had a slight shake in her body from the emotions throughout the day.

Claggor and Mylo sat on the other sofa, silent and pale, flinching when Vander stormed in.

They were all rubbing their bruises and injuries from the street fight. The room was heavy with tension, grief, and upset.

Vander rushed downstairs to Vi. "What were you all thinking, going topside?!" Vander scolded angrily, cupping Vi's blood-smeared face. "Are you hurt? Is everyone alright?"

"I'm sorry," Vi whimpered.

Vander paused. Vi's apology wasn't like her usual self. Something was wrong.

Standing abruptly, Vander rushed to the shelf to retrieve the medical kit. Worry ate away at his heart; the fear of losing her. "Don't worry, we'll get you fixed up Vi!"

"She's fine, that blood isn't her's- mostly..." Claggor's voice cut through the silence behind him, prompting him to pause. 

Vander turned slowly. "Then whose blood is-"

"It's Orion's." Vi croaked.

His pace slowed considerably before he placed it on the table. He heard the tales of a boy running frantically across the city. Vander whispered, "Where is he?"

Vi trembled, unable to meet his gaze, while Powder hiccupped. She clutched Vi's arm, curling into a ball against her. Both Mylo and Claggor looked down with guilt, unable to muster a response.

Vander's voice dropped to a low rumble, his gaze hardening. "Where's Orion?" Vander demanded again, his words sharper as he looked around for an answer.

"Answer me," he growled with a dangerous edge entering his tone. "What happened?"

Vi forced herself to speak, her voice trembling. "Orion, he- he came to stop us. Everything was going fine until..."

"The explosion?" Vander interrupted, his voice tinged with dread.

"There was blood everywhere," Vi said, her voice cracking as the imagery flooded back into her mind, tears swelling once more.

"He's dead?!" Vander whispered in shock, staggering backward as his breath hitched before leaving him in one go.

Mylo's faint voice broke the tension. "We left him..." he whispered, guilt in every word.

Claggor's voice broke through with anger and emotion. "We didn't leave him! He told us to run! Orion didn't want us to get caught too!"

"So is he dead or not?" Vander asked, the dangerous edge returning to his voice as his fists clenched tighter. When no one answered, he slammed one on the table, the sound echoing in the room.

"ANSWER ME!" Vander roared like never before. Some of the commotion in the bar above quieted.

Everyone jumped, startled by the outburst. Powder shrieked and cried harder as she clung to Vi for comfort and safety.

Vi cupped Powder's head protectively and finally spoke through the tears. "We don't know! He said he would be fine!"

"He used magic to save Vi!" Claggor blurted out, voice cracking under the tension.

Claggor and Mylo were both leaning away from Vander's fury in fear. He continued hurriedly, "That's why we don't know! Powder said he could heal himself!"

Vander's fury faltered slightly, his eyes narrowing as it shifted between the group. "Magic? What?" he snapped, his tone losing its sharpness.

Powder whimpered out through her crying from the opposite side, muffled into Vi's side. "It's true! I called him night light because I saw him use it at night!"

She glanced up at Vi with tear-stained cheeks. "He healed her head when thugs kidnapped her and hurt her."

Vander blinked several times, trying to process her words. Shaking his head with frustration, he growled, "And you didn't think to tell anyone? To tell me?!"

Peering out from Vi's protective grip, she whimpered, "He told me not to tell anyone. Because of what might happen..."

Closing his eyes, Vander didn't say anymore. Silent tension gripped the room as Vander started to piece together oddities about Orion- like his unusual strength or speed during times of danger.

When he opened his eyes, and was met with fearful anticipation. Vander sighed with disappointment.

"Listen to me, all of you" Vander straightened, his voice low but commanding. "The Enforcers will be out looking for you. Don't leave here until I get back, understand?"

The kids quickly nodded, and Vander turned to leave.

"If Orion doesn't make it back," Vander's voice was hollow and heavy. "This one's on all of us."

With that, he left, leaving the gang behind in stunned silence.

Powder reached out and grabbed the stuffed bunny next to her with Vi.

"Orion will come back," Powder whispers into it, "He always comes back. He promised."