Bane

November 30, 1993

Bane spun on his massive foot, and backhanded Mark. Mark was big - and heavy enough to handle himself in most fights - but the force of the strike drew stars into his field of vision, the world an explosion of agonizing sparkling light as he felt his boots leaft the soft forest floor, he was airborne what seemed a long time, before landing with a heavy, painful thud.

Bane drew the blades out the side of his bloodied neck, and stared at them. He glanced down at Mark, back to the blades, and then Mark again. Bane dropped the small blades, and took a steady step forward.

Mark lay on his back, his jaw broken, the pain only just bearable enough to roll into his side, and begin the slow push for his feet.

Buzzkill... and then some.

Bane reached for his hips and drew his own blade, a long, polished - albeit bloodstained - dagger. He was slow to advance on Mark as the rogue hunter stumbled to his feet. Bane rushed forward, raising his blade and bringing them down with all the force he had.

The force was not enough, not strong enough, not fast enough.

A loud gunshot rang through the air, and pain exploded into Bane's gloved hands, right first, and then left.

Bane stared at his hands as the long blades spun to the forest floor with pieces of his fingers.

He stared a moment longer, and drew up his gaze to see her, the girl from the river.

The girl who served him up a witch without remorse.

Why would she stop him now?

"Let them go. Please don't make me put you down." Gina said, matte black Desert Eagle pistols smoking in each her hands.

Bane narrowed his eyes, and planted a foot on Mark's chest. Gina aimed, and fired a shot past Bane's right ear.

Gina's eyes were close to brimming. "Please. Let them go. They're my fault. They wouldn't be here except because of me."

Bane stared at Gina, eyes now wide, hostile. He pointed at her with the remnants of his mangled right hand, turned it palm up, and closed his fingers tight. Bane dropped his arms at his side, blood running out of his hands over the forest floor in rich, heavy crimson droplets.

"Maybe, big guy... but not today."

Bane stared at Gina a long while, turned and and began walking away from the fight.

Bane looked over his should once, only once.

This is not over.

✟ ☧ ✟

Gina covered her tracks the entire way back as the forest thinned to woods, and then a field that led to the main road.

As she set foot in the asphalt she heard a screech, and saw a pale owl land at the top of a sign post.

"Oh, shit." Gina drew one of her two pistols and aimed it squarely between the eyes of the black eyed owl.

The owl only stared, bobbing its pale feathered head in slow repetition first to the left, and then to the right.

"This is not the time for this. I could have killed you. Let's call this even."

The owl stopped mid motioned and stared a moment longer before spreading it's wings and taking off into it's silent flight.

Gina exhaled, unaware until that moment she was holding her breath, and she was startled by the sound of her own breathing. Mark was in bad shape, limping back to Bishop's with Penelope dangling limp and broken over his shoulder - but at least she was alive.