Gift of the Goddess

Chapter 91 - Blood, guns, and Mimes!

"What?"

"Ah! The two butt licking heroes! It took you guys long enough!" A feminine voice called out from behind.

"I'll keep my eyes on the shop, you deal with them," Zack whispered. "But if I die I'm haunting you."

I turned around, and a shiver ran down my spine. A group of four, all wearing red steel beam bandanas. A girl stepped forward toward me. She had a gun in hand and a bandana over her mouth.

I stepped in front of Zack and faced her.

"Look, we can either do this the easy way or the hard way. We've already dealt with your gang before, your last hurrah didn't end so well." I said.

"Nah, it didn't. But it will now, you dump sniffers!" She said,

The skin on her face started to shine against the street lights. Her blonde braids being the only thing on her not covered in this aluminum glow.

"You're gonna pay what you owe!" She roared and started to unload her clip.

I swiftly removed Ascaleon from its shash and sliced the bullets in half. Then sent off an azure blast toward her. She stopped shooting and her entire group dove out the way.

"I'll clean them up, you take the ones inside!" I yelled.

"Right on!" Zack replied.

I dashed forward and increased my speed, immediately ramming the hilt of my blade into one of their sides. Just before I made it to the second one, a hole opened up in the ground below me. I fell forward into it, and someone sprang out and uppercutted me. I fell backwards, and something hard slammed into my face.

"Eat it, pit sniffer!" She growled.

I stumbled back and managed to catch myself, then I quickly summoned armor over me. There was someone standing next to her now. Someone short with a bandana over their face. The short one held up a lit cigarette to the girl. She moved her bandana aside and she started smoking it.

Honestly, that kind of pissed me off. I focused all my strength and prepared for a quick slash with most of my power boosted. Her body felt like steel when she punched me, so I should be able to cut loose a bit.

The woman ran her hands through the smoke that rose from the cigarette and played with it. She must think I'm a pushover. I dashed at her, and just before I grabbed her, she went up in smoke. My hands went right through her. I tried to skid to a stop, but I inevitably crashed into the side of the building. I fell flat on my back and groaned while bits of concrete and siding rained down on my face.

Damn, I took too much time focusing on my strength. I looked back, and they all were gone. Did the hole guy do this? I pushed myself up and ran over to the market doors, and I forgot how to breathe. Zack was laid out on his back on top of a fallen candy aisle. His clones were at his side, but the worst part wasn't that. It was the blood that spilled from the counter.

I rushed inside and saw someone's body laying over the counter. It was the cashiers. I looked him over, and I saw it. The exit wound coming from his head. He was shot. My blood ran cold and I staggered back. I turned toward Zack and I noticed something new, a red flag laying on his chest.

...

"Did you just say a mime attacked you?" Jack asked.

Zack groaned and moved the ice pack from his head.

"Yeah, she was really creepy, but really hot. She shot me with an invisible Glock, and hit me with something hard enough to destroy my solid air." Zack said

"So the other gang members were just a distraction then? For the ones with superpowers?" Donum asked.

"That sounds reasonable. It also seemed like they were weary of you. If they wanted to kill you, tonight was the option. From the sounds of it, they only wanted to send a message." Jack replied.

I leaned back against my couch and held out the red flag. Memories of the cashier's blood scratched at the back of my mind.

"So, this was a declaration of war?" I mumbled.

"Does it mean that losers back?" Zack grumbled.

"Do you mean Joe?" Donum asked.

"Yeah, I thought he died or something," Zack said with a huff.

"We got an anonymous tip earlier this year about his whereabouts. However, when we arrived, no one was there but a few scattered gang members." Donum replied.

"Come to think of it, we never confirmed if he died or not," Zack said.

"Hey Donum, the cashier died, right?" I asked and looked over to her.

Her eyes met mine and she nodded. I took a heavy breath and stood up.

"In any case, Donum. You were on the Red steel gang case for a while right? How likely is it that Joe is back?" Jack asked.

"I think it's more than likely. Considering the patterns I've been noticing. One of the reasons the gang was so elusive was because of his leadership. They rarely struck without a strategy. Even the play tonight seemed like something he'd do." Donum replied.

"So he wants his town back?" I asked and tossed the flag aside. "He declared war a day before the Mors games started. So if I were him, I'd bank on me being flustered about tonight. He probably wants to lure me and Zack in while we're all disabled by the game. Which to me, says he doesn't have the confidence in his people right now to do it." I said and looked over to Jack.

Jack nodded in agreement.

"I'd say that's a fair assessment," Jack replied.

"So either he's been alive this whole time planning, or he got brought back for the game and did his homework. Either way, it's likely he's very knowledgeable." Zack added and stood up.

"And he's just declared war, so if my theory is true. He either expects us to attack haphazardly, or to fall for his breadcrumb trail." I replied.

"So what do you want us to do, leader?" Jack asked.

I turned toward him.

"I'll talk to Penelope tonight about set up, then get Leo on the scent," I replied.

"Leo and I tried tonight, It kept taking us to a marsh pond. The scent was too overwhelming to find theirs." Donum added.

"Got it, so-"

"Let's kidnap one of them!" Zack cheered.

"I'm sorry?" Donum asked.

"No, no, Zack has a point. Let's set up to abduct one of the members." I replied.

"You know I'm still a cop right?" Donum asked.

"And? You act like what you're doing right now isn't illegal." Zack pointed out.

"Shut up.." Donum grumbled.

"And lastly, Donum. Can you give me the Cashier's information? I want to do something for him." I asked.

Donum looked at me with concern at first, then over to Jack. Her face softened a bit, then she took out her notepad.

"Sure, I can do that Hero."

The cashier's lifeless body came to mind. I couldn't escape the image of blood that flowed from his face. The blood that soaked the counter and the floors like a waterfall. I promise I'll do everything to not let your death be in vain.