Archive of Our Own ^beta

When Chief’s legs give out, Zoya is there to catch her. Blearily, the woman blinks up at her, and Zoya knows it’s over. Fighting to keep her composure, she flashes an approximation of a reassuring grin. “There you are,” she utters, slowly placing a tender kiss on Chief’s forehead. Her strength gone, Chief’s eyes slip closed, breaths evening out.

Then, and only then, does Zoya allow herself to sag.

“Is- Is it over?” Limping over, Hella’s metal pipe scrapes against the broken concrete under her. She’d taken a heavy beating during the fight, same as Hecate, and it’d be some time before the two kids were in better shape. Cradling her ribcage with one arm, she unceremoniously falls into a kneel beside Chief. “She’s okay?”

When Zoya draws the girl’s pleading stare, eyes filling with tears, she’s about to respond in the affirmative, but there’s no time.

A burning sensation erupts along her arms; looking at the source makes her stomach drop. The Mania crawling along Chief’s body isn’t dissolving. It’s spreading. All too late, Zoya’s gaze tears skyward, taking note of the still-intact Black Ring surrounding them.

It isn’t over. “Shit!” With a shaky hand, she fumbles for her pockets, snatching every spare Hypercube she can find. “Hold her,” she all but yells at Hella, unceremoniously dumping the woman from her hold, using her now-free second hand to press every one of the damn things along Chief’s body. Zoya thinks it worked for the briefest moment, judging by how the Mania starts to chip and break away.

But then, for the first time in her life, Zoya watches Hypercubes drain to a lifeless grey, shattering. Like clockwork, Chief writhes in silent agony as the Mania spreads with renewed vigor.

Zoya’s mind scrambles to rein itself in. “Cubes!” The others are drawn in by her shouting, expressions in varying stages of alarm as the realizations hit them. “Move your asses!” Throwing out her hands, Zoya’s teeth clench, counting the agonizing seconds it takes Hella, Hecate, and NOX to get their shit together.

Hella jerks back, frozen in fear, as Zoya snatches her by the shoulders, her sky-blue gaze piercing. “Focus or she’ll die,” the last word drips with venom as the younger sinner sits shell-shocked.

Clicking her tongue, Zoya gives up. “Fine.” Pushing the sight of Hella’s tears from her mind, the former Legion Commander rifles through her coat, grabbing every last Hypercube. Turning back to Chief, her heart plummets further.

Mania is crystalizing over skin past the arms, leaving cracked, inhuman patterns behind. Considering the ring’s still intact, it isn’t farfetched to think Chief’s infested with corruption.

Much as the hulking claws don’t belong on such a small frame, Zoya focuses on Chief’s face–anything to keep her recognizable. This time, more and more begins to chip away, but past a certain point, nothing works. Growling, she hauls the woman into her arms, keeping one hand free to switch out Hypercubes as they break. Unfortunately, her and Hella’s stock won’t last.

Throwing NOX and Hecate a scalding look, Zoya restrains herself from losing her cool. “You two. Over here. Now.”  

Point taken–NOX abandons their spear in favor of putting the pieces together. In a feverish blur of movements, the group’s remaining cubes have been deposited on the curve of Chief’s stomach, held in place thanks to Zoya’s hold. 

All at once, the Mania’s growth freezes–that’s all Zoya needs.

Throwing her head to Hecate, Zoya tells NOX, “Grab her.” And to the girl, “Still got enough energy to use that beast of yours?”

Now riding piggyback, the young sinner nods. “Yes.”

Sending Hella a look to do the same, Zoya rises to her feet, unbothered by the strain of carrying two extra passengers. “Clear us a path.”

Hella’s only visible eye hardens to steel. “Understood.”

…

What could be minutes, hours, or days later, the quartet stumbles outside the ring, lungs heaving in gulps of fresh air. On the other side, the crowd of FAC soldiers startle at their approach, weapons drawn. Paying them no mind, Zoya watches the final working Hypercube break into pieces, allowing the Mania to surge once more.

Ignoring the other three, the former Legion Commander stomps to the nearest soldier, demanding, “Get us back to the Bureau now! And some cubes!”

Infuriatingly, the man doesn’t move, hands shaking and throat bobbing as he stands stock-still, eyes flicking between the two sinners.

He’s willing to let her die, she realizes.

When Chief mewls in her arms, wheezing, Zoya snaps. Standing mere centimeters from the man, she latches one clawed hand on his shoulder, leaning in to whisper, “If she dies, I’ll make a show of tearing you apart.” Tightening her hold on the man, she draws back, flashing a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “Your whole unit will drown in their blood before anyone fires a shot.”

Gripping the soldier hard enough to draw blood, she pushes him away. “Get to work.”

Scrambling back, he nods, following her orders to the letter.

Overcome by a sudden wave of exhaustion, Zoya sinks to her knees as the trio catches up. Looking down, Chief is dangerously pale and feverish. Slowly leaning, she kisses her forehead again, ignoring the gruesome burns festering along her arms, now creeping on her chest.

“I’ll bear it if that’s what it takes.” Wincing, she watches a crate of Hypercubes being hauled in their direction. “Just don’t die on me, Chief.”