A stray rocket from the terrorists' hover-bikes slammed into the grand staircase, sending a wave of pulverized marble across the VIP lounge.
Xavier grabbed Lorde by the shoulder and hauled him away from the debris, while the three mutineers scrambled after them, their eyes darting between the ceiling assassins and the radicals.
"Guys! The ballroom is too hot! We're pushing for the roof!" Xavier shouted, his voice carrying over the crackle of fire and the hum of the streaming drones.
Klatos didn't need a second order. He vaulted off a ruined piano, his bladed wings catching the updraft from the shattered windows. He intercepted a mid-air hover-bike with a brutal spinning kick, sending the rider tumbling into the abyss below. Klatos stabilized the bike and hovered it near the VIP balcony.
"Rin, Lyra! Secure three more! We're taking the targets with us!"
