by Bryan Cohen
Chapter 47
The twins approached Erica quickly before she could move to protect Natalie. She knew her warrior partner wouldn't need a hand in most fights, but this wasn't a battle Erica was willing to take a chance on.
"It's like my dream all over again, Phil," Jason said. "Me, you and Erica in a three-way-dance. Though I think you were replaced by a big-breasted porn star."
Phil grinned.
"Sounds like a fun dream. I'm jealous."
Phil ran behind Erica while Jason took her straight on. Meanwhile, Nigel moved toward Natalie and the sword.
"The thing with dreams, fellas, is that they don't always come true," Erica said.
When they got close enough, Erica attempted to get some distance with two roundhouse kicks. The first hit the mark, sending one twin backward, but the second wasn't as lucky. Jason caught Erica's leg and lifted her into the air.
"Too slow," he said before he slammed her onto the rocky ground. Just then, Dhiraj came out of nowhere and jumped on Jason's back, trying to choke him.
"Never ignore the Indian," he said.
Erica hoped for the best.
"Can't fault a guy for trying," she said.
Erica spied Natalie out of her peripheral vision. Their words echoed off the cave walls.
"You were the girlfriend in the diner, weren't you?" he said. "You left just before the fun began. If you hadn't, I might be stabbing you to end the world."
"Either way, you'd be disappointed," Natalie said.
When Nigel got too close, she swung the sword in his direction. Natalie was stronger than most, but the weapon was no fencing foil. It was heavy and unwieldy. He easily dodged the first swing and landed a kick in the stomach. Natalie stayed crouched like her ribs were broken.
Erica kick-flipped up and tried to run over toward her, but Phil came from behind and tackled her to the ground. He locked his arms behind her head.
"Not so fast, LaPlante. You think a little kick is going to take me down? I'm stronger than anyone in the world."
Erica's attention remained on Natalie and the sword.
"You can't win," Nigel said. "You can't even hold onto your superhero boyfriend."
Nigel reached for the sword, but Natalie was only playing possum. She kicked him in the knee, sending him off balance. Another kick to the head took Nigel to the ground.
"I broke up with him," she said.
Erica sat up and reached behind her head.
"I always had a crush on you," Phil said. "Who knew we'd have all this special time together."
Erica smiled as she gripped Phil's wrists.
"Love hurts."
She rolled forward with all her strength and tossed Phil across the room into the wall. He hit with a bounce and landed on the ground. Phil tried and failed to get up.
Erica looked over at Dhiraj, who'd been easily shed off Jason's back. The twin was about to drop a large rock on Dhiraj, when Dhiraj pulled a pencil out of his pocket and stabbed Jason in the ankle with it. The rock fell harmlessly to the ground. Jason clutched at his stabbed ankle.
"What did you do?" he asked through the pain.
"Pencil beats rock." Dhiraj said.
As Jason reached down to grab his assailant, Erica sprinted over and spin-kicked Jason at just the right time. The momentum of her leg seemed to turn Jason's neck all the way around, and he plummeted hard. Erica helped Dhiraj up.
"It looks like you've done this before," he said.
"Nah," she said. "I've never fought twins."
Erica looked over at Natalie, who continued to hold off Nigel's advances. As she came to help, Erica noticed three figures in the door.
"Ted?"
The next few moments seemed to last an eternity. Erica's fight with the twins had taken her to the far side of the room. Natalie and Nigel were much closer. Before Ted could say a word, Natalie looked up at him, taking her attention off Nigel for a second too long. Nigel spun around behind her and drew a short dagger. He stabbed Natalie in the back and she screamed. As she fell, Nigel swiped the sword from her hands and went running at the cave opening. The weapons Jennifer and Sheriff Norris held shot out of their hands and skidded across the floor. Ted was out in the open, and Erica was too far away to protect him. She saw Ted try to push Nigel away with his powers, to no avail. Nigel was coming straight for him, and if he couldn't defend himself, the world as they knew it would be finished.
