by Andre Pisco
The secret compartment opened, and a missile appeared on the surface; white plump shell with a red tip.
"Shit." I said, "Hide! Hurry!" I shouted as soon as the beast spun until the missile pointed at us.
Kendra didn't even have time to pick up her whip, which was a few meters from us, outside the building before the beast mooed and cracks burst around the missile's bottom before it was fired into the air. Even though it was still functional, many of its systems were still faulty. The missile swirled mid-air until it gained traction and headed toward us. Higher than the water gushing from the fire hoses, stronger than the bright, soot-covered sky, the missile found no opposition.
They both hid under the stairs and I sheltered them under my arms. I wasn't going to let anything happen to them even if I had to suffer to protect them. We closed our eyes. We heard the explosion tearing through our ears. The splinters popping, the glass being shattered and crumbling into the ground, floors being wiped out in a matter of seconds. And yet we were there. No pain, no boulders falling on our heads and the stairs still stable despite the tremors. The missile had deviated at the last mile and hit the building next door. It was now nothing more than ashes flying up in the air and covering the door of where we were. Maggie had her hands in her hair and Kendra had hers on her face.
"It's okay. We're alive." I said, giving them space to get out of the corner.
"Now what? You don't have bullets, I don't have my whip and..." Kendra started,
"I don't have much energy left. The battery is running low." Maggie's finished.
"Come on, don't give up. If Elisa got the message, then she'll show up. Just a little more." I said.
I wasn't sure she'd show up anymore. Maybe what we had was a mirage. A decoy to take advantage of our information. The doubts began to grow and, as much as I didn't want to believe them, I wouldn't put my hands in the fire for Elisa anymore. After all, she had taken advantage of me to get the letter on our first day, why wouldn't she do it more than once? The sex was great and maybe that was it. Maybe she only existed in a genuine way at that moment and for the rest she wore a mask.
My hands were shaking just like my knees. We coughed and sneezed in shifts. We were tired, powerless and far from a victory. I wanted to be able to tell them that I had a plan, a path to victory, but for the first time I was empty-handed. I could still hear the beast outside, digging up the ground with each step, hammering out the buildings and stores that were left.
No, it couldn't be like that. There had to be a way. If I wanted to become one of the best Hunters of my generation, even ever, I couldn't just give up when everything felt impossible. I walked to the door and peered outside. I used the fog as a cover so I wouldn't get caught. The beast was on the opposite side. It slammed its head against a building, strolling along, until they collapsed at its feet. It had its back to us. Maybe it thought it had already defeated us or didn't care.
The metal on the end of Kendra's whip shone through the brownish haze. I walked, slowly step by step, the sole of my shoe brushing only on the surface of the ground all the way to it. I picked it up and went back to what was left of the hotel. The yellow tile had flown a few meters forward and the entrance that used to be just a door was now a hole about the size of us 3.
"I managed to get this back," I said and handed the whip to Kendra.
"Good, but what are we going to do with it?" She said, fatigued, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude, but I'm frustrated. I couldn't do anything."
"We gave it our best shot. We already knew that a level 6 was too much for us. This must have happened to Ashen and Elisa too. It just means that we have to train more." I said as I stroked her hands.
Maggie used what little energy she had left to generate a tiny flare that warmed and dried us up while we were there. I looked up and at the end of the stairs there was a pool terrace, with a bar, and several plants scattered around the place. Everything was covered under a glass roof that now reflected the moon's white light and dispersed it over the stairs. I rubbed my hands close to the flame and allowed the ember to warm my face. We had reddened noses, cold cheeks, and still wet eyebrows. It didn't take words for the three of us to know what had to be done. They followed me outside and we stood there, waiting for the beast to turn to us. In the moonlight, we were just three defenseless shadows about to face a beast that could crush us with just a pair of clamps, feet, head, really any part of its body.
"I just want you to know that I don't regret anything. Leaving headquarters with you was my best decision." Maggie said and closed both hands, "Till the very end."
"It's mutual. To the very end, so be it." Kendra added.
"To the very end," I said.
Kendra yanked her arm back and threw her whip like a slingshot, the stone being the metallic part of it. It hit the sidewalk and made one of the stones roll over the others. The beast had turned to us and, unlike the previous times, hadn't tarried. Like a wild animal at risk, he raced to us, his head bumping into his shoulders as he did so.
"Look!" Maggie said and pointed over the beast.
The shaded outline of a slender body with a semi-automatic descending, until it landed on the beast. They ran from its neck to its rear, firing, opening it in half, and finally jumping to the ground and not even turning back, standing there. The beast fell a few meters behind them and close enough to us to see its eyes losing power and the cameras shutting down. The bullets had pierced the iron body and had left a trail across the ground. Bullets with a higher acix concentration than mine. They had destroyed not only the entire inner structure of the beast but also the cameras that were spying on us. It was over in a few seconds. Whoever it was didn't want to waste much time there. He was still facing back, with his gun to his chest, and his hair pierced. Spiked. Shit, it couldn't be. Not him. What the hell, why would he be here?
Through the shadows of destruction, a male voice and yet slightly acute breezed, "You can have the experience points. It's not like I need it, is it?" and he laughed before us, who were wounded and still trying to figure out where he had come from, "I haven't fought such a weak monster in a long time. But, hell, I knew I shouldn't owe Ashen any favors. Oh, you guys are okay, aren't you? Hurry up. Let's go."
"Who are you?" Maggie asked him.
I kept quiet. I knew who he was, but I didn't want to give him that pleasure. I had seen him dozens of times in advertisements, on the day I went to register at headquarters and now he was there in front of me. One of the top10 Hunters of today, Foxel, at least that was the name he was treated by, the red-haired boy. At night it seemed more orange than I was accustomed to but still the color didn't go unnoticed.
"Don't you know who I am? What the hell did I come here for?" He said as he walked up to her and held her hand, "You can call me Fox. You must have heard of me."
"No, never. I don't care much for names." Maggie answered him and tried to walk away but he still had her by the hand.
"That's enough. Let her go. We appreciate the help, but you can leave. We'll take care of the rest."
"The rest? I don't think you would have taken care of anything if it wasn't for me. I'm just getting to know the girl." He said, all the while, the yellow teeth shining through the fog.
"We've already seen how good you are. Nobody here cares about that." I answered him. I grabbed his arm and pushed him back, "Don't touch her."
I had never liked him before and now even less so. It was not only arrogance that annoyed me. It was thinking that he could do whatever he wanted and that others had to mold themselves to his will. But that wasn't all. As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. He had saved us. I felt frustrated and his face was as good as a beast to unload my rage.
"But who do you think you are? Just because you're Ashen's protégé don't think I'll spare you." Foxel told me, raising his chest and shoving me too.
His chest stood by my navel, but his hair reached mine. No matter how good his weapons were, one-on-one was not a competition for me
. I shoveled him down and he fell to the ground, drenching his sweatpants and his red hoodie. The gun slid to the ground and slipped a few meters forward. He gnashed his teeth and closed his fist, treading quietly towards the gun, whispering something between his closed lips. He took off the safety guard from the gun and pointed it at my head. He had two fingers on the trigger and his beaky green eyes sharply pointing at me.
"Let's stick to this," Kendra told him, keeping calm, unlike Maggie who already had a fireball in her hand.
"So now you're scared? I can see your eyebrow shaking." Foxel said, tapping the barrel of the gun on my chin.
"It's arched, you idiot. We both know you're not going to shoot. Hunters can't attack Hunters." I answered him, and stepped forward, the pipe rubbing even more against my chin until I felt the circular shape pressing against my skin.
"Do you think anyone will care about a rank C? A Hunter that no one knows if it's not for his last name?" Foxel said.
I knew he was trying to provoke me. Stirring me up to get a reaction from me, a reason to justify shooting at me. But I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction. He raised his right foot to take a step forward but couldn't lift his right. He was stuck to the ground, ice chips wrapped around his entire shoe.
"What is this shit?" He asked, forcing his way out, but his foot didn't move, "Which one of you is doing this? You better stop," he added.
He knelt, leaving the gun at his feet, and started punching the ice until it cracked. His hands were reddish, swollen and there was blood on the surface, trailing along the veins. He had lost control. He didn't even remember us anymore, he just had to get out of there, he had to be free and to show us that we couldn't lock him up.
"Nobody...Nobody can stop me," he repeated, with each punch, the ice splashing his angry face, his eyes one step away from popping out and his hair dripping.
The rain hadn't stopped yet. It was still just us in the downtown area and the fireman and police sound had stopped. The moon stood out even more from above and the disgusting and heavy odor dissipated. None of us moved to help him. A thin bright red river slid over the light blue and transparent ice.
"That's enough, Fox." A familiar voice said in the quiet of the night, "You shouldn't have messed with them." Ashen warned.
"Get it off me! Remove this from me!" He kept repeating, as he stood up and tried once again to pull his foot up, "What do you think you're doing?!"
"They're under my wing. Especially the guy. He's mine." Elisa's silhouette rose among the remains of a building, received by a few hisses from Kendra and Maggie until she re-started, "He's ours. Sorry, girls, it's the habit. He protects us and we protect him. That's how it works. Not that you know it, Fox, you've never had a group for long."
"I have my reasons. Now set me free, quickly. The sooner you do it the sooner I get the hell out of here."
Elisa snapped her fingers and the ice melted. Her glove didn't have as much potential as Maggie’s, but her control was superior. She walked up to us and stood beside me, not without first kissing my cheek, and looking down, where Foxel was still rubbing his shoe to remove a stain on the right side.
"You ruined my shoes, Lisa!" He shouted and before speaking again a line of ice covered his fine lips.
"You know how much I hate being called Lisa. It's not even a diminutive. My name is Elisa. Don't test me. I'm not a Hunter anymore, I don't need to hold back." She said and snapped her fingers again.
"Damn it! Tell Ashen never to ask me for help again. And you better train them for what's coming."
He picked up his gun again and walked until he disappeared into the haze, with it next to his hip, wet strands of hair covering his forehead as big as the rest of his face.
"What did he mean by what's coming?" I asked Elisa.
"First, sorry I'm late. I was working on some stuff." She started, keeping her hands in the pockets of her black leather jacket, "He also knows what the Reapers are up to. You didn't really think you were the only secret group, did you? Ashen is one of the greats but he's not above everyone else. There's someone pulling the strings and organizing all the groups. I have no idea who he is. What matters here is that Friday everything happens. I won't be able to help you, but I'm sure you can handle it on your own. You'll have support on the outside."
"About that... I want you to come with us. We are a team, Elisa. I know how important the other mission is for you but either we go together, or no one goes."
"Do either of you mind explaining it to us?" Kendra interrupted us.
"I suppose this time is as good as any. Where's Ashen's car?"
"Well... There was a little problem... It was destroyed. I hope Ashen isn't too attached to it. Did you bring yours?" I said, feeling my body slowly freezing and losing mobility.
"Let's go to mine. So that we can warm up and talk about everything. You have to be patient with me. I am not used to this. I've been working alone for years and, James, I can't promise you that I'll show up on Friday."
I didn't answer her anymore. The rain poured down heavier. The raindrops were now stiff and each one reached my scalp. Me, Maggie and Kendra ran to the monster. We took the experience points, picked up some coins and called the pickup.
"Congratulations! You have defeated a level 6 monster. 150 experience points have been given to each, as well as 300 hunter points. Do you want to continue as a team?"
I took my Hunter APP out of my pocket and checked my stats.
James Crusher
Rank: C
Experience points: 750/2000 to the next Rank
Money: 1250 hunter points
Weapon: Golden Double-pipe Gun
Chapter XV
We followed Elisa through one of the wide streets that led us to a beautiful villa area, with mowed lawn gardens at each entrance. Her car was in the middle of a two-lane street, blocking the passage, standing out from meters away due to its bright red color. The road was illuminated by four lamps, one in each corner, one of which blinked with a dim light.
We got into her car and the change was instantaneous. The heated seats, the warmth inside, the sound of the rain hitting the hood and the windows, without ignoring the sweet camellia perfume. We were comfortable and finally we could take a deep breath without having to be alert and worried about what could come out of a second’s break.
I sat in the front seat next to her, and Maggie and Kendra in the back seats.
"Isn't it weird that Ashen and Gordon haven't said anything yet? The comms is already working." Maggie asked, touching hers, putting it deeper into her ear as if she thought it was broken.
"Let's go to my house. Ashen asked me to take you in today. They're working on something." Elisa said, the engine snoring behind her voice.
"When were you going to tell us about it?" Kendra asked, "Just secrets and more secrets. You remind me of my sister."
"Lipa? Good girl. Although sometimes she's very impulsive and annoying."
"You know my sister?!" Kendra responded by placing her hands on the top of Elisa's seat and leaning forward.
"We had a common problem to solve. We also spent a few good nights between booze and street fights. I must admit; the girl knows how to fight. “
"Is there anyone you don't know?" I asked, jokingly, before changing the theme, "Kendra is right. Secrets must end. Tell them why you're not sure you can come with us Friday. And why didn't Ashen tell us that they had something to deal with today? What's going on?"
"I'll try to sum it up." She said, taking a detour to a narrower street that ended up leading us to the empty highway. We saw nothing all around us except for what lay ahead of us. And we couldn't even see that well. One of the headlights didn't work and Elisa didn't seem to be the kind of person who cared. In fact, from the way she drove, I didn't think she did it very often, "What we saw... The human-robot prompted all the groups to be on alert. I know that the leaders of all the groups were invited to participate in a last-minute meeting. I also know that Gordon's presence was re
quested due to his knowledge of the new monster and Damien. I didn't want to pressure you, but all eyes are on you. You're the only group that has invitations to Friday's party, and we can't afford to try to put another group inside and get caught, you know? This goes way beyond what we expected, and people are nervous. There's a lot of buzz running around, some have already arrived at headquarters and there is already chattering about groups in the shadows and so on. A handful of the Hunters leadership have already ordered a search of all the groups and taken an anti-secret stance. It's all a cover to find out and eliminate who does the work they avoid. I'm sorry, I'm talking too much." Elisa said, not pausing, but always with her eyes on the road.
"For the first time..." Maggie said and between her still moist lips she let out a soft laugh that spread all over the car, followed by one of each of us, "We still want to know why you can't come with us Friday. Did you see what happened here today... It didn't go very well."
"I'm sorry. I was planning...Ah... I want to attack the council. I've already got a few interested people. Some Hunters and a few police officers, all willing to participate. Friday is our only chance. I know you want me present, but I have been planning this for so long. I can't just put everything aside."
Silence was imposed inside the car. Unlike the taciturnity out there, it was a strange mute, I would even say nervous. Elisa scraped her upper teeth on the underside and clenched her hands around the steering wheel. She drove us off the highway. We entered her city, through an area of poverty, where the streets were filthy with scraps of paper, shards of glass and the walls were nothing more than a canvas for unfinished drawings. Garbage cans burned in the light of the lamps that had not yet fused, the splinters splashing on the floor, and a few people all wrapped around them, rubbing their hands. Others slept outside the buildings or even under the bus stops that seemed to have been abandoned a long time ago. We looked at some people, briefly, at their wrinkled skin and hairy warts, and looked away as soon as some approached the car, begging for alms. We were still in the middle of the long straight street when we heard irons dragging on the asphalt. I looked through the rear-view mirror and saw three men in stained jeans and jeans' jackets over black wool sweaters closing in, with thick iron bats.
