Liffguard

This is the nucleus for a short story I'm planning on expanding. It's supposed to be an introductory piece for a selection of other stories based on a universe not of superheroes but just people with superpowers looking to use those abilities to their own advantage. Anyway, any criticism would be appreciated but I'm especially looking for anything wrong with the basic structure of the story.

Oh yeah, and "frack" is a blatant homage to Battlestar Galactica.

Gifted thieves

The plan had been standard, Torin reflected as a ricochet whistled past his ear. Sho had hit the roof vertically under Leora’s watch. Keeping in the ceiling shadows he had ghosted down through the building and let Garvey and Torin in through the back door. Torin was there for the electronics, Garvey to keep an eye on any future problems. The execution had been nearly flawless. In this business, “nearly” flawless was at least a jail term, usually a quiet, unofficial death. Sho’s intelligence had been off. There were four camera circuits, not three. He missed one.

The only warning they got was when Garvey went rigid and dived to the floor.
“Cover!” he screamed. Nobody messed about, everyone hit the deck. Two seconds later the air was full of the sound of gunshots and the dull thud of bullets impacting the wall over their heads. Garvey pulled out his pistol and let off a few covering shots for his team-mates before following them round a corner.
“Torin, can you fry these bastards?” he asked through gritted teeth. Torin tapped the wall.
“No can do, boss. Marble don’t conduct so good.”
“Frack! Leora, do they have backup?”
Leora’s voice came crackling through the team’s earpieces.
“Two squad cars, ten minutes out. Job’s a wash-out guys, get out of there.”
Garvey swore again before glancing around. Briefly, he closed his eyes and his breathing slowed. Torin kept his hand pointed at the end of the corner. Tiny arcs of static danced between his fingertips. He had enough charge to fry one of the guards at least, and maybe that would be enough to see the rest to running. Never mind that he’d be useless afterwards, exhausted and blind. It was the only shot he had.

When Garvey opened his eyes again he saw Torin sweating and trembling, his arm extended.
“I got a better idea,” he said quickly before Torin had a chance to act. “I can see the bullets coming but I can’t dodge em’ all. I need something to keep those bastards off-balance. Reckon you could give me some fireworks?”
Torin grinned.

Garvey calmly walked out into the corridor with his hands behind his head. He’d already seen that the guards wouldn’t fire if he did nothing threatening. Slowly, he counted down in his head.
Three…two…one.
The air around Garvey exploded into a lightning storm. Torin couldn’t put enough effort into this little display to cook anyone but still, it wasn’t pleasant. Two of the guys shielded their eyes; the others lowered their guns and gaped. Garvey wasted no time. Dropping to one knee he drew his pistol out of his back pocket and started shooting. One man went down with a round through his shoulder, another screamed and clutched his elbow. The remainder started firing but couldn’t get a clear aim through the incandescent streaks of static bathing the hallway. Garvey nimbly dodged those few shots that were on target.
“Frack it,” he yelled, “the plan might be tits-up but hell, this is fun.”
Another guard dropped to the floor trying to stop the bleeding in his knee. With obvious reluctance, the others fell back.

Sho was already on his feet.
“You two get to the ground floor. We’ll all go out the way we came in. I’ll stick around and draw them up to the roof,” he shouted. Torin responded with a nod. He grabbed Garvey’s shoulder and hauled him to his feet.
“Gotta move, boss,” he hissed. With a final parting shot from Garvey the pair turned on their heels and ran. Sho counted to five before taking off himself, making sure that he was clearly visible.
“Forget those two,” one of the guards told the rest, “the cops’ll get ‘em outside. The kid’s trapped inside now.”
Sho allowed himself a small smile that they had taken the bait. Keeping just ahead of them he dodged and weaved along the walls and ceiling as he made his way to the roof.

*** *** *** *** ***

Sho was young, fast and agile and had had no trouble keeping a safe distance. He waited, perched on the edge of the building, the gaping sky behind him. The guards finally blustered onto the roof, their guns trained. His little acrobatic display had obviously impressed them, or maybe scared them. Either way, they weren’t taking chances.
“What the frack are you, you freak?” one of them spat.
Sho flashed them his best smile.
“Me? Let’s just say I’m…gifted.”
With an exuberant shout he fell backwards into the sky.

__________________