[Jake's POV]
The flashbang detonated with a blinding, white-hot burst of light and a deafening crack.
The sound hit me first. A spike that drove straight through my skull and vibrated in my molars. Then the light. Even with my eyes squeezed shut and my head turned, it burned red through my eyelids. My ears rang, high and thin, like a needle dragged across glass.
I didn't lose my footing. Vanguard training. Eyes closed, head turned, mouth open to equalize pressure. The concussive wave rattled my teeth and pushed air out of my lungs, but I stepped forward anyway. Blind.
I swept my left arm out in a wide arc, looking for the charge. The air displaced a half-second before contact. A heavy combat boot aimed at my ribs. The impact was sharp, precise. It caught me just under the vest and knocked the breath out of me anyway. Pain flared bright across my side.
