The crimson dome pulsed overhead, casting the entire ruined city in a hellish, bloody glow. The screeches and howls of the enraged mutants echoed off the shimmering walls.
They were surrounded, and the escape route was gone.
There was no time for hesitation. Julian sheathed one blade, crouched, and in one fluid motion, hauled the semi-conscious Clarissa over one shoulder and the catatonic Dori under his other arm.
"[Shadow Clone]."
Five perfect replicas of Julian, each carrying phantom versions of the women, burst from his position, sprinting in different directions through the rubble-choked streets. The hive mind, furious but not infinitely intelligent, hesitated for a crucial second, its minions splitting to chase the multiple signatures.
