Ethernet

Phase Seven: Part One

Jin turned the head of the man who’s breath’s had been so shallow it was a wonder he still functioned, to find that from the ground came a black cord which was now lodged into his brain. He turned back to Daniel to show him what he had seen and the boy finally overcame his fear and entered the bloody mess.

“He is submerged into the Ether.” He stated simply as he pulled the cord from his brain, “This aught to finish him off.”

As the cord left the man’s brain so violently, blood started to spew out like a faucet. Immediately afterwards, his eyes popped open. The jaw of his face had been hanging just near his face so he could not speak. One last moan was able to escape before the horrid Sniper was no more.

“You killed him.” Jin said simply. Daniel shook his head.

“This man was dead a very long time ago.”

Footsteps from behind them caused both boys to jump up and flash their scan cards in the direction of the tunnels which they had come from. Two women were now standing at the wreckage which lead into the sacrificial room.

From their appearance, they both knew exactly where they had come from. Both were very tone and tall women, in leather with weapons at their sides. The taller of the two was a black woman with long, red hair trailing down her back and green eyes. The other was an Asian girl, probably Japanese in decent, with long black hair trailing down her back in a ponytail. They stood strong in battle stance. They were Candelaria’s assassins.

“She told us you would be here.” The black woman spoke in a stern, emotionless voice. She was eye level to both men.

“Who?” Daniel then asked. She shook her head.

“You know who I am referring to.” The Asian girl now spoke, “I am TaeYin and this is Blood. We were sent here to find the two of you and deliver you to our Mistress.”

Jin laughed and stepped forward. He continued to hold his knife in his hand, unwilling to adhere to the women’s commands.

“And who says we will be going with you?” He asked.

Blood stood forward and outstretched her hand. From it came an image of the girl from before. Her face was patched up but there was now a permanent scar across her cheek.

“You exposed her, cut her and then released her. Pardon the Mistress for being curious about both yours and your master’s intentions.”

“You don’t understand, we…” Daniel was cut off by the blade in his mouth. TaeYin had moved behind him so quickly he was unable to stop his sentence before the weapon now inched at his flesh.

“Maybe we should cut you up and see how much your Jin-ko enjoys it.” She asked him.

Jin threw the knife at Bloods feet and raised his hands. He then helped Daniel up and bowed his head to the women.

“Take us to your Mistress.”

Jin, as well as many other higher level gang members in the city, knew very well the rumors about Candelaria’s trained assassins but it wasn’t until that moment had he actually witnessed how deadly they really were. He was not one used to submitting but he also knew it was better than ending up dead and leaving his friends alone in the real world after they risked their lives to save what was left of it by submerging themselves back into Ethernet.

The women silently guided the men out from the tunnels and escorted them to an expensive hovercraft which had been waiting for them on the filthy streets of poverties side of the city. A craft like that so rarely graced the streets of that part of town that the boys had to pause momentarily to take in the wealth Candelaria and her gang really had.