Chapter 6: Pick Your Weapon
I stood at the entrance of the alley, watching the trashcans squeak and move. Normally, I’d be disgusted, but something about this alley made me feel at home. Whedontown was still the same sort of crime infested section it had always been and now it was possibly more dangerous. Somehow I didn’t feel as out of place standing her as I should have. People were too distraught about the red sky and the world burning around them to notice me. There was too much fear and paranoia to notice even me.
“The alley where you first sought out heroics.”
I shivered at the voice. I looked down, not daring to stare back at the source of the voice.
Steven’s lips brushed the back of my neck, “Remember when we knew nothing of each other. How fun it was getting to know each other?” he purred.
“I was supposed to meet Maksim.” I frowned.
His husky chuckle chilled me even more, “His failure caused me to come myself.” He stood beside me, looking into the alley now.
“You attacked my team.”
Steven chuckled, “Your team? You don’t do teams, remember?” he asked.
“You almost killed people.” I frowned, “Good people. Look, normally I wouldn’t give a rat’s ass, but…”
“I understand. You’re seeing in yourself what I’ve always seen, what attracts me to you. The goodness.” Steven said proudly, “The world will bow to me, wouldn’t you like to be on the side that wins?”
I stared him, “No. As much as it pains me to say this, I’d rather be on the side that does the right thing.” My eyes traced the scars on his face and I paused at the over-the-moon look on his face, “Medusa did this, not the world. Can’t you see that you’ve changed…you were never squeaky clean but destroying a city?”
“This city has been destroyed for a long time. This whole world…is falling to pieces.” Steven said, “And you’re trying to save something that is already damned. It is noble…but it is not a smart move.”
It was then that I noticed that his guys were surrounding us. His eyes never left me, even as I was realizing this.
“You will come with me, do what we do best…and I let my brother live.” Steven said slowly, “At this point, we know I have no qualms about killing him.”
“I feel sorry for you.” I said just as slowly, “I’m not going to help you destroy anything else.”
Steven nodded, “The first invasion will look like a walk through the theme park.” He said, “Capture him.”
I twirled around, throwing smoke bombs at the ground around me. While his men were dazed, I ran and jumped on the hood of a car, hopping off and onto the neck of one, spinning and taking him to the ground! I crossed the street and began to run as fast as I could when I saw a black van whip around the corner. I stopped and ducked into the alley before spotting a fire escape. I pushed my hand into the air and let my zip line shoot out and snap around the ladder, bringing it down to me. As I was about to crawl up the ladder, someone grabbed me and threw me into the wall opposite the ladder. I groaned as I hit the wall and turned to the person. Steven. I gasped as he grabbed me by the throat, muttering some quip about rough sex, which I ignored as I slipped from his grip. I landed behind him, kicking him in the back and grabbed the ladder, swing from it to kick him in the face. He chuckled and looked back at me as I swung a fist, but missed. He pushed his palm out to me and hit me in the chest, knocking me off my feet as I flew backward and smashed against the chain link fence. I looked up to see him advancing slowly towards me.
“It didn’t have to be this way.” Steven said softly, his voice conscious not to scare me, “You’re not one of them. You’re a thief. You’re the bad guy.”
I picked myself up slowly, staggering to stand, “I’m beyond it.” I said breathlessly.
“I’ve needed you. I’ve always needed you.” Steven’s face became a shadow of itself. I felt fear within him, “What’s the use of saving the world from itself if you have no one to revel with?”
Without another word, there was a strike of lightning overhead and he looked to the sky, as if he were surprised. I used this opportunity to use the zip line again, this time to take him off his feet! I quickly grabbed the ladder and began to climb as fast as I could, reaching the roof. I ran to the edge of the roof and stopped. I turned back in time to see Steven glide onto the roof and land in front of me. I looked to the edge and took off, full sprint, jumping across the gap. I rolled to a stop and watched as Steven prepared to jump it too. I frowned as he jumped, reaching for any weapon I could but I didn’t find anything. To my surprise, a bola shot out from behind me and wrapped around Steven as he crashed to the ground below. I turned quickly to see Vaughn, my former mentor. He was just as I remembered him, if not a bit cleaner. He swept over to me, quickly helping me off the ground. I told him to follow me as we quickly climbed down off the building and we made our way back to the tower.
The Redeemer Page 15
