Episode 4: Gunpowder Art.

Arresting Artist:- "You! Get over here!"

Arresting Artist:- "You're an artist too, right?"

Veronica:- (Whatever he's making, he's clearly having a lot of fun!)

The man pulls out a book of matches and strikes one alive.

Arresting Artist:- "Will you do the honours, love?"

Veronica stares at the flame as a dark, smoky smell rises from the floor.

Veronica:- (Wait...this isn't sand!)

Veronica:- (It's gunpowder!)

Veronica:- "Gunpowder art?"

Veronica:- "I’ve heard about this, but I've never seen it live!"

Arresting Artist:- "I can show you plenty of things you've never seen before."

He winks at Veronica.

Veronica:- "You seem pretty confident."

Veronica reaches for the match but he pulls it away.

Arresting Artist:- "Think you can handle a little heat?"

Veronica:- "Oh, I can handle it."

Arresting Artist:- "I don't know if I'm convinced."

Veronica:-"You're the one who picked me!"

Veronica:- "Besides, it's not dangerous, right?"

Veronica:- (Who'd give him a gallery spot, otherwise?)

His eyes burn brighter than the flame between his fingers.

Arresting Artist:- "All the fun's in the danger."

Arresting Artist:- "Isn't that just life?"

His grin is so excited that Veronica can't help but return it. Veronica takes the match from him and throws it down at their feet.

The gunpowder catches, and fire zips down the carefully drawn lines like they started a fall of dominoes.

But a spark catches her eye, and her heart leaps to see the trail veers away from the display.

Veronica:- (Hey, where is that going?!)

Veronica:- (I can't let it set fire to the rest of the gallery!)

Veronica starts to run after it, but the artist is faster, turning her around.

He throws an arm around her shoulders, his jacket stretched over her like a wing.

An explosion rocks the room, making her ears ring and sending her stumbling to a knee.

The artist keeps shielding her as glass rains down from the broken ceiling.

Smoke fills the room and is just as quickly whisked away by the roaring blades of a helicopter.

Veronica:- "What's going on?!”

The artist doesn't answer.

He sprints for the vase, snatching it up and then jumping onto a ladder rolled out of the helicopter.

He throws Veronica a casual salute and a wink.

Arresting Artist:-  "Thanks for your help!"

And then the helicopter rises and he's gone.

The gunpowder scatters under the wind, but the scorch marks on the floor remain: in the shape of a flower.

Not just any flower, a poppy.

Veronica:- (This is the symbol of the Gilded Poppy.)

????:- "Are you alright?!"

A man appears in front of Veronica while the crowd screams and scrambles.

An Angel?:-  "I saw the whole thing."

An Angel?:- "For a second I thought that guy was going to drag you into the helicopter, too."

He looks Veronica over with tender eyes and then lifts a hand toward her face.

An Angel?:- "There's glass in your hair. Here."

She's too bewildered to speak, but when she doesn't protest, he gently brushes it out.

Remy:- "My name's Remy."

Veronica:- "Veronica"

She murmurs it on instinct, trying to process the explosion.

Veronica:- (Why does his name sound familiar?)

Remy:- We have to get you out of here."

He takes her hand, just as gently, and that unfreezes her feet. They hurry through the crowd.

Veronica:- "Wait, where are we going?"

Remy:- "I know you're not wrapped up with the Gilded Poppy, but security might act first and ask questions later."

Veronica:- (I hadn't even thought of that!)

They make it out into the street, and she gulps in a breath of the clear air.

Veronica:- "What should I do?"

Remy:- "Let's get you home."

Remy:- "You're innocent."

Remy:- "You don't deserve to be detained to answer a bunch of questions."

The thought sends a chill down her spine. He squeezes her hand before he lets go.

Veronica:- (Oh, wow.)

Veronica:- (Is Remy really that handsome, or is this adrenaline talking?)

Remy:- "Do you have your phone?"

Remy:- "Let's get you a ride."

Veronica fumbles her phone out of her bag and struggles to pull her rideshare app up with shaking fingers.

...★★★★★ TO BE CONTINUED★★★★★...

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