Shoreline

34

We were suddenly interrupted by an explosion in my drive. "What was that?" Arthur and I exchanged glances. We ran out and my truck was on fire.

"Come out! Whoever you are!" Arthur yelled. A man dressed all in black leather emerged.

"Friend of yours?" I asked looking at Arthur and folded my arms over my chest.

"Do I know you?" Arthur asked.

"You killed my father!" he exclaimed removing his helmet and throwing it on the floor.

"Arthur!" I exclaimed.

"Ava, not now," he said and pushed me behind him.

"I want to make you pay!" he growled.

"How have you not got over it yet?" Arthur teased getting under the young man's skin.

"Stop!" I said again trying to stop him from talking.

"I am The Black Manta and I will kill you!" He exclaimed racing toward us. My face dropped.

"I know you!" I exclaimed and raced toward him throwing the first punch. "You broke my equipment with your sub!" Before any more words could be exchanged he kicked me back winding me, Arthur rushed to me and pushed me out of the way.

"This is my fight!" he exclaimed.

"And mine!" I said hauling myself off the ground and rubbing my head.

"Stay down!" Arthur ordered me.

"Stay down little girl, or you're going to get hurt," Black Manta teased me.

"Take that back," Arthur growled.

"No," he said. A blade shot out of his wrist guard and attempted to stab Arthur. He sliced him several times, his wounds weren't healing straight away.

"Arthur!" I cried and rushed to him. Black Manta kicked me back and broke my nose.

"G...Get away from her..." Arthur wheezed.

"Make me," he said and punched me in the stomach, I felt a few of my ribs give way. I dropped to my knees. He wrapped his arm around my neck, almost cutting off my oxygen.

"A...Arthur..." I wheezed and tried to reach for him but he pulled my arm behind my back.

"You're coming with me!" he exclaimed and dragged me away with him.

"Arthur!" I cried.

"Shut up!" He growled and threw me over his shoulders. He took me to the harbour and threw me into his sub, I fell hard against the metal wall. Dazed. He shut the door and tore away leaving Arthur to bleed out on my lawn. I pushed myself off the floor and leapt onto his back.

"You will pay!" I snarled and wrapped my arms around his neck but he threw me off with ease.

"No, he got what he deserved and now you are mine," he said.

"I don't belong to anyone!" I spat. He rolled his eyes, huffed a laugh and continued to pilot the sub.

"Arthur will find me," I growled and clasped a hand to my side as my broken rib gave me pain.

"He has to track you first, but where we're going he won't be able to," he said as he dived deeper under the dark waves. I looked at the equipment on the table, it was all Atlantean.

"You're in league with Orm!" I exclaimed.