All the Time to Lose (Wormverse)

Ch 8: Demons Among Men

My best guess? Coil sent us with a sniper team. Sundancer glances at me "And you?" I look back at her. "Anubis. Let me know if you see Oni Lee or Lung. I can't really help with Bakuda except for clearing a blast area."

I look at Vigilant "Hang back and let us know if anything comes to you." I then look at Newter "I'll join you on the second floor." He nods and Skitter sends in her bugs. Not long afterwards, we hear explosions go off.

Skitter says they might be motion activated and she sets off another bomb with her bugs. The people inside are panicking as we head towards the building. As Bitch, her dogs, and Newter run to the building, I teleport right to the window.

I grab the side of the building before I can fall and punch in the glass, clearing the window so Newter can get inside. I slide in just as Newter arrives at the window. We take turns knocking ABB members unconscious.

Newter just has to touch most of them and they fall unconscious. As I run ahead to deal with one guy holding a semi-automatic, I hear what I can only describe as a 'poof' sound before there's a thud.

I turn but all I see is some kind of smoke or powder. I don't see Newter. "Newter?!" I call out. Nothing. I teleport to the window and climb out, holding onto the side of the building. I'm just in time to hear Skitter yell into her phone "Oni Lee is in the building!"

'If that fucking assassin killed Newter I'll rip his head off!' I think. Vigilant calls out to me but I only hear my name. I teleport to him "What?" "Newter's down and Lung is here." My heart drops and I look at Labyrinth.

I sigh. "Lung is a priority." Before I can go, I hear Skitter talking on the phone. Vigilant speaks up "Kaiser's taking on Lung with Fenja and Menja. He's blocked the way with his knives." I groan as Sundancer looks at me "Shouldn't you go there and stop Lung?"

I shake my head "At this point, Lung's probably already started to change. Skitter is right. Oni Lee is an assassin and a priority." I look around as Bitch comes out of the warehouse on Brutus. Skitter runs to her.

I'm still looking for Oni Lee when I hear Skitter yell "Bitch!" I see Oni Lee get shot twice before exploding into ash on the ground next to Brutus. Then, the sniper rifle the mercenaries were using falls from their building.

He's fast. I teleport to a roof and look around. I spot Oni Lee leave a copy behind to hold Skitter while another moves to kill her. She manages to kick one and they both explode into ash. Lee manages to stab Brutus and bury a throwing knife into Skitter's mask while I watch.

I teleport down right behind where he appears next and throw a punch. It connects and he stumbles a bit. He looks up at me. When he doesn't move right away, I teleport away. Just in case.

Turns out, I was right to do so. Oni Lee was trying to use that as a decoy as he sneak attacked me. I purposely pull down my bandana, showing the most skin I have all day. I grin at him, holding my arms out to the side as I yell "C'mon Little Oni! You and me! Let's see who's faster!"

Oni Lee nods and I teleport onto the roof of the warehouse, only to quickly teleport back to where he was standing a moment ago to destroy his copy. This way, I force him to follow my movements, only for me to destroy his copies as he makes them.

It soon becomes clear that, with my cyclic rate, I am the faster and better teleporter. I grin as the world shifts, twists, and bends to Labyrinth's will. I have discovered through this fight that Oni Lee, unlike me, cannot teleport to a spot in mid-air.

This makes for some fun for me as I teleport to a location just before Labyrinth makes it sink into the ground. I reach Labyrinth and squeeze her shoulder. "Atta girl Labyrinth. I'm gonna finish him off. Make a path for me?"

She nods and I teleport through the tunnel she makes for me straight to Oni Lee. He teleports a few times but Vigilant is quick to call out where he's gone, and I am even faster at getting to him. I finally manage to grab him. The real Oni Lee.

I grin as I teleport with him and slam him into the ground. I start pounding into him. The Oni Lee below me explodes and I feel something hit my back. I glance over my shoulder and teleport behind him.

I punch him in the back just as he teleports away. I could feel it. The split of himself from the copy. I swing my leg up into the copy to take it out of commission. It takes me a few tries to pin him down again, but when I do, I focus my power on him.

I can see him frantically look at the ground upon which he stands, and I know I have him. I grin, striding up to him and grabbing his collar. "See, that's the fun part about being me. I can make you a normal, weak, everyday bastard gang member."

He is so fucking scared right now. I can't help but wonder if I should kill him. ...No. That goes against Faultline's central dogma. So instead, I kick him in the head, knocking him out. I pull off his mask, just to be sure he's knocked out.

I pull out a spray bottle filled with Newter's sweat. The bottle is no bigger than my middle finger, and I spray Oni Lee's face before putting his mask back on and teleporting down the the group. Skitter has instructed Labyrinth and Vigilant to take care of Coil's man that fell from the roof.

When did that even happen? Regardless, I join them as Skitter and Sundancer join Bitch on Brutus. Skitter apparently wants to check on Newter. I teleport onto the back of the second largest dog, rubbing the remains of its ear to calm it a bit.

Bitch shoots me a look but doesn't say anything. Bitch argues that we should leave Newter and go fight Lung. Sundancer argues how horrible that is but Bitch shrugs saying she wouldn't be surprised if people left her (Bitch) to die.

Skitter leans in and whispers something to Bitch. I don't hear what it is, but I do know that it only sort of works. Bitch stops Brutus at the bottom of the stairs. The dog I'm on stops just steps away from them. I hop off, scratching its neck as I do in thanks.

I wait for them the climb the stairs before teleporting to the top of the stairs behind them. The dust cloud has cleared since I was last here. My heart drops at the sight that awaits us. Newter is lying in a pool of his own blood, not moving.

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