Alex fell back and everything seemed to slow before his back hit the plywood and lightening seemed to arch from his chest. His grip on Grasscutter failed, and the sword rolled to tumble off the scaffolding and far below, hitting the dirt with a weak clang that Alex could only just make out. He watched US Agent approach as the life drained from his body, and even before he spoke their code words, Alex recognized him, pupils dilating and breathing strained as he tried to look after him.
He hadn't seen that coming.
The irony of that had him smiling weakly and rolling his eyes. Of all the things he'd seen, that was the one thing he'd never seen coming for him. It had been Nick all along. That was a lot to process while the life slipped out of you, and for now Alex could only blink numbly at the flood lights, vision growing dim.