Space News: The party responsible for stealing shoelaces from the cargo ship heading to Titan has revealed themselves. It's a woman going by the name Ms. Shoelaces. She says she's a big fan of Mr. Shoelaces and he inspired her to get into the shoelace stealing business. She hopes to marry him one day.
Oli and Wolf hid behind a mountain of rubble, buildings burning around them with mutilated corpses littering the ground. Golems stood outside the dining halls chewing dismembered body parts. Sister Mary had ordered them to kill every human—both the newcomers and intruders. Screams poisoned the sky, followed by gunshots and more screams.
Victoria stood between Sister Mary and Sister Ophelia. The only way Oli could get to her was if Wolf caused a distraction. And even then, it was still a hard task.
"Here," Wolf said, handing Oli a light gun. "You have fifty rounds before it runs out of charge. Use it effectively. If you need another charger, tell me. Understood?"
"Yes." With the majority of Coupon City burning, Oli saw no need in fearing the consequences of attacking the nuns because she believed it would be viewed as self-defense and not a hunt—technically, her bounty was Monica Pauly.
"More people are entering the city or heading here. They've had enough with the nuns and want to take them down while they have the chance."
"How duh yuh know?" Oli suspected Wolf had a trick up his sleeve since they met, keeping him one step ahead. If they weren't in a battle with the nuns and golems, she would have pressed him until he spilled out his secret.
"I have my ways." He smiled. "Once I distract the nuns and golems, take Victoria and leave the city quickly. Don't waste time and get captured."
"Yuh too. Be careful."
Wolf nodded. "See you around, hyena."
"See you around, coyote."
Wolf pressed something behind his ear. A helmet materialized, covering his head. He saluted Oli and flew away.
"Yoohoo!" He waved at the nuns and golems, getting their attention. Putting his hands on his waist, he said, "Crazy nuns and ugly creatures of Coupon, today, I, Wolf The Conquerer, shall send you back to... You know what, never mind. Show me what you got."
The golems screeched, forcing Oli to cover her ears.
The noise didn't affect Wolf. He hovered in the air, watching the creatures dart towards him. Laser guns materialized in his hands, and he shot the golems repeatedly, leaving holes between their eyes. The ones who couldn't fly used the buildings to leap at him, but he flew even higher while killing them.
Damn, he's good, Oli thought.
The deacons and bishops spread their wings like majestic beings before going after him. Sister Mary watched Wolf fight her subordinates with a smile on her face. Seeing as she was obsessed with putting on a show, she must've been impressed with the coyote's display.
Human survivors appeared behind The Forgotten Nuns holding plasma guns and fired at the three. The bullets bounced off them, and they seemed unbothered by the intruders. With Sister Mary's focus on Wolf, Sister Ophelia and Sister Patricia charged towards the humans, making them run for their lives.
Victoria was left alone.
Now's me chance. Oli came out of hiding and went to her, grabbing the young woman's arm, startling her. When she realized who it was, she calmed down.
"Let's go," Oli said.
But before they had the chance, Sister Ophelia and Sister Patricia landed in front of them and blocked their path. The former had her hands behind her back while the latter crossed her arms.
Oli shot at them, the bullets bouncing off their bodies until the gun ran out of charge. Dem are indestructible. She let the gun drop to the ground.
"I was waiting for you, hyena," Sister Mary said from behind her before joining the others and standing between them. "Was this your big plan? Wolf distracts me while you escape with Victoria?"
Oli chewed her bottom lip. Victoria's hand trembled in hers. She gave it a light squeeze. The young woman looked at her. "Everyting will be fine," Oli muttered.
"I do not know how you two were able to take down the electromagnetic field, but I am impressed." Sister Mary clapped. "Though, to be honest, I was not surprised by your plan to save Victoria. It was the only way you two could leave with her. One distracts while the other escapes; a decent effort, to say the least. You managed to put on a show by allowing the unworthy to enter my city and burn it." The smile on her face turned into a snarl, sending a chill down Oli's spine. "Victoria." She extended her arms towards the woman. "Come to me, my child. If you do, I will forgive you, and let you live."
Victoria glanced between The Forgotten Nuns and Oli.
"She's lyin' tuh yuh, Victoria. Look around, her city's nuh muh. Eff yuh gwaana her, she'll kill yuh."
"My city is no more?" Sister Mary cackled. "I can have another city anytime I want to. Did you forget what I told you? We are in charge of this system." Her gaze shifted back to Victoria. "I will not ask again. Come to me. Now!"
Victoria let go of Oli's hand and went to Sister Mary.
"Victoria, don't duh dis." After everything she had done to get to her, the young woman gave up that easily? Why couldn't she believe in Oli and do whatever it took to escape? Was this how she wanted to live? Serving narcissists while they stole organs from the innocent?
Victoria stopped in her tracks. "Ah'm sorry, but look aroun'. Wolf is havin' a hard tahm fightin' thuh golems, an' we kin't beat thuh nuns." With her head low, she went to Sister Mary and stood in front of her.
Maybe Wolf wudda have ah betta chance of convincing her. "Wolf!" Oli called him, but he was far in the sky, struggling to fight the golems surrounding him.
"Sister Patricia, if you please," Sister Mary said.
Sister Patricia walked up to Victoria and aimed her fingers at the young woman.
"No!" Oli ran towards Victoria, but Sister Ophelia darted in her direction and kicked her chest, sending the hyena tumbling to the ground.
Pain coursed through her body, especially in her torso, but she didn't care about it. With every ounce of strength she had left, Oli got up and tried to go at them again. But her legs betrayed her, not moving as fast as she wanted.
Sister Patricia's fingers opened up and the tips of the barrels touched Victoria's temple. "May Jesus Christ be with you." She shot the girl, Victoria's dead body collapsed on the ground. Sister Patricia didn't stop shooting; she kept going until Sister Mary raised her hand.
Oli dropped to her knees and bawled like a child. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not like this. Victoria should have been alive and back in Goldhand, resuming her daily life and becoming a better version of herself. And J should have been congratulating her on a successful rescue mission before handing over Monica Pauly's body.
Me cud'n save eeda ah dem. Me ah failure. Oli looked at the sky and screamed, letting out her frustration. When she stopped, she found Sister Patricia standing next to her.
The nun pointed her fingers at Oli and asked, "Any last words?"
Mi nuh waan tuh die. Tears clouded Oli's vision, blurriness hiding everything in front of her. "Will eh hurt?"
"Very much."
At that moment, Oli remembered her adoptive mother's face and smiled. She admired the woman's sharp face, eyes, and strong jawline. Her dark skin went well with her artificial bright blue eyes. She was beautiful. Mada, me will miss yuh.
She thought about J next. Having connected with him recently, she would die without saying goodbye. Sadness seeped through her chest and contaminated her heart with sharp pain. I'm sorry, fada. Me should've come tuh yuh sooner.
Sister Patricia shot her in the ribs first.
Oli fell on her back, finding it difficult to breathe, trying to get whatever air she could while her eyelids slowly closed. She coughed out blood, and it streamed down the side of her face.
Wolf hovered high above her, moving around with speed only the very best coyotes had. With a final weak smile and a tear streaming down her face, she muttered, "Goodbye, Wolf."