by Carver Pike
“Bring the ship to the ground,” Slither called out. “Thissss should be done immediately!”
As the ship lowered, Changeling moved to Slither’s side. Slither turned to look at the rowers and other servants aboard the ship.
“Arm yourssssselvessss! We could be in for a fight!”
The zombie-like men grunted and moaned as they stood up and searched for weapons.
“I don’t see Viking,” the manly Changeling growled.
“The boy sssseeeemsss to be alone,” Slither agreed.
“The brute will surely be missed,” the female Changeling said with a hand on her hip.
The boy walked towards the ship as if he owned it. Slither was amazed at his lack of fear.
“Boy, we’re here for you!” Slither yelled down at the child approaching the ship.
The boy stopped in the ship’s shadow, raised one hand to his chin, and rubbed at it, like a scholar about to dazzle them with his all-important theory.
“Of course you are,” he replied.
“What is your name, little one?” the female Changeling asked.
“What’s yours?” he snapped back.
Changeling laughed.
“Isn’t he a doll?” she joked.
“We’ll be asssking the quessstions,” Slither yelled down at him.
“You’ll be getting your throat slit open if you don’t mind your tongue, you ugly snake.”
Slither didn’t know what to say. The boy was bold, braver than he expected. How do you respond to a little kid’s violent challenge?
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” he replied.
“Pretend whatever you like. I go by many names, but here I seem to be called Vincent. Are you prepared to fight by my side?”
“Fight by your side?” the male Changeling laughed aloud.
“You either fight by it or fall by it.”
The boy stood with his hands on his hips, staring up at them, and for a moment, Slither was sure he saw a flash of red in the strange boy’s eyes. Then he changed. He grew to about the age of sixteen, the age when images suddenly appear on the dark side.
Slither’s mouth dropped open. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The boy’s face looked more chiseled, his hair was long and black, below chin length, and even his clothes seemed to have adapted to the sudden change in size. The boy was skinny, but looked strong.
“I can’t believe it,” Changeling’s feminine voice said.
“Did he jussst?” Slither asked.
He couldn’t finish. He didn’t need to.
“Amazing,” Changeling’s masculine voice finished.
The boy rolled his shoulders, cracked his neck, and then his knuckles.
“Growing pains are a bitch,” he said.
“I wasss told there’d be two of you,” Slither said, still in a bit of a stupor.
“That other pussy’s inside. We’ll take care of him later.”
From one of the shadows of a nearby building, two soldiers rushed out, with a net stretched between them, obviously planning to scoop the boy, now a teenager, up and carry him away. Changeling reacted quickly. He threw one of his trademark weapons, his spiked balls on razor wire. The weight of the balls wrapped the razor wire swiftly around the neck of one of the soldiers, cutting his throat instantly.
Vincent smiled and nonchalantly turned around. He clapped and slid his right palm off of his left. The second man’s neck, seemingly on its own, twisted completely around. The man fell to the ground. Vincent bent and picked up the net. He balled it up and then tossed it up to Slither.
“Could come in handy later,” he said.
“How did you do that?” Slither asked.
“Magic, of the darkest sort.”
Vincent looked up at the building, to the rooftops high above, and called out. “I hope you witnessed what happened just now! I am not yours for the taking. In fact, you might say that you are more mine than I am yours. I will be looking for soldiers, General. Yes, I know you’re there in the shadows. I can feel your black energy. I will come for you at a later date. As of now, I advise you to take your troops and leave this area. Things are about to get bloody.”
Much to his amazement, Slither watched as the soldiers peeking over the edges of the rooftops seemed to vanish. Their interest in trying to kidnap the boy disappeared.
“We should go,” Slither suggested.
“But the fun is just about to begin. Look,” Vincent said.
Slither heard the engines roaring before he saw the warriors arrive, driving their dune buggies, their motorcycles, and their horses.
***
Traven and his gang had ridden far for the chance to snatch up the babies, and he wasn’t surprised to see the ship parked at the front door of the Observatory. He halted his horse and ordered his troops to park for a moment while he surveyed the situation.
Up top he could see soldiers moving around, but they seemed to be pulling back, retreating for some reason. The citizens of Chi-Killian could also be a problem. Many of them had lost their minds and lived below in the sewers. Plus, he’d heard the stories of the sick and twisted military leader who ruled the city. Add to that the group of gypsies traveling with the parents of the babies, and his men could have one hell of a fight on their hands.
“Fight dirty and bring me those babies!” Traven ordered his troops.
He’d lost many men in the last battle, and had picked up several more along the way, but he knew many of his remaining troops would not make it out of this fight alive. He doubted his own chance of survival. Traven spurred his horse and moved forward.
***
Gabe ran through the lobby with Hawks by his side. He knew he should be concerned about launching his body through the door, having no idea what waited for him on the other side, but somehow the need to reach his son and try one last time to talk sense into him seemed more important than his own wellbeing.
Gabe exited the building and slid to a halt when he saw the maniacal group of road warriors that had attacked the gypsy camp earlier. They were approaching in the distance. Their numbers seemed to have dwindled, now at only about seven or eight guys, including the leader.
The clan ship was parked nearby. A tall guy with long black hair stood just in front of it. Where was Vincent? Two other dangerous looking foes stood atop the ship. When the young man finally turned around, Gabe knew it was Vincent. He’d aged again. The whole situation was getting crazier and crazier.
“Who’s the gothic chick?” Hawks asked as he spotted the young man in front of the clan ship.
“That’s my son,” Gabe informed him. “Unbelievable. He’s…he’s older again. Maybe you should go back into the building and let me handle this.”
“I’m right by your side, pal. Not goin’ anywhere.”
“The Bounty Clan!” the leader of the Wraithern army yelled from far away, his voice carrying on the wind. “I suppose you have come for the babies, too. No doubt Lord Shiva wants a piece of this action.”
“Babiessss?” the serpent-like man on the ship said with a laugh. “Traven, that issss your name, right? Well, you should have a clossser look.”
“Lord Shiva never takes just a piece of the action,” the other male on the ship said, his voice changing to that of a female as he continued. “He likes to take it all.”
Gabe was only getting more confused. His son had aged, a snake on two feet was wearing ninja garb, and the man he’d just heard talking, well, Gabe could swear he just turned into a woman, then back to a man.
“Did you just see…?” Hawks started to ask, but Gabe held out a hand to silence his friend.
“Slither and Changeling, yes, I’ve heard of you pieces of trash. I’m sure that Viking friend of yours is around here somewhere,” Traven said. “Let’s make this easy. You give me one baby and you keep the other. That way Colossus and Shiva are both satisfied.”
“There are no fucking babies,” Vincent spat.
Changeling threw one of his razor wire
weapons at Traven, but Traven caught the wire with his sword and flung it into a brick wall, where it embedded in a spray of shattered brick.
“Kill them!” Traven yelled as he pointed his sword at the clan ship and charged forward on his horse.
“Vincent!” Gabe screamed, wanting to save his son from danger. There was an ache in the pit of his stomach as Vincent flashed him an icy stare.
“Leave now while you have the chance. There is no stopping me and this will be your last warning.”
“I can’t leave you. You don’t have to be what they say you are. You can change all of this.”
Vincent smiled and stuck out his tongue, which slithered out, forked, like the tongue of a serpent.
“Why would I want to do that?” he asked.
“You’re wasting your words, Gabe.” Gabe turned to see Vision, also aged, his thick chest rising and falling with each breath.
He looked identical to Vincent, but with an ivory mane. A silver glimmer seemed to shine off his eyeballs as he approached. Vision passed Gabe and stood with his back to him, his hands folded in front of his chest, filling the space between Gabe and Vincent.
“There’s no need for more bloodshed,” Vision advised. “The jewels are what you want and you know you won’t find them here.”
Vincent smirked, his black hair flowing around his face, floating on the wind.
“The jewels are just the end game. Bloodshed is part of the journey.”
Gabe sensed a lot of movement going on around him. He heard Vincent call out to the general, inviting the ruthless military leader back into the fray, and he saw soldiers rushing out of alleyways to join the battle. He knew Traven’s army was advancing, but somehow all of that other action felt like a movie scene taking place in the background, as if he were in a bubble with his two sons, watching the real story unfold. Through the bubble he saw men leap from the ship onto the road warriors, knocking some of them off of their horses and motorcycles. It seemed that all of the fighters were screaming, but to Gabe, it was all muffled.
“Gabe!” He heard his name, but it seemed to be coming from far away.
He was yanked back to reality when Hawks’ hand shot out, grabbed him by his shirt, and pulled him to the ground. Hawks rolled off him and swung a hatchet out to the side, hitting one of the general’s soldiers in the kneecap. The man howled.
“Where did he come from?” Gabe asked.
“Right in front of your face, brother,” Hawks said. “You need to pay more attention. If you haven’t noticed, the shit is hitting the fan.”
Another of the soldiers swung a sickle at the crown of Vision’s head, but the white-haired boy was too quick. He turned, and with a wave of his hands, launched the man off his feet and drove him head first into the brick building. The man’s neck snapped and he fell to the ground.
“Gabe!” Lisa called. She stood in the doorway with her gun raised, watching the scene unfolding in front of her with a slack jaw.
“Lisa, get back in the building!” Gabe yelled.
Vincent shoved him out of the way, slamming him into the solid wall of the building, and stormed towards Lisa. Gabe’s eyes blurred as his forehead smacked against the wall. He fell to his knees and tried to regain his composure. He saw Vision throw an oncoming soldier through the air and then stalk after Vincent.
“You don’t think you hurt, brother?” Vincent called out as he continued after Lisa. “I’ll show you pain.”
“Mom, run!” Vision yelled.
Lisa ran into the building, just as Ayana exited, with her bow raised, two arrows at the ready. She let them go and sent them soaring into Vincent’s chest. The force of the impact threw him off his feat. He slid across the ground, and then lay there for a moment, looking at his chest, seemingly amused that she’d gotten the jump on him.
Seeing Vincent hit the ground gave Gabe a sense of hope and he forced himself to his feet. He tried to run to his wife’s aid, but was halted by an attacker. Something struck the back of his head, and he nearly blacked out.
He’d been so focused on Lisa’s safety that he’d turned his attention away from the fighting going on around him. His legs went limp and he stumbled, trying to stay on his feet, but he fell to his knees, scraping his hands against the asphalt. His attacker swung the pipe once more, and he rolled out of the way just in time. The pipe slammed against the concrete. Gabe reached out, grabbed it, and yanked. The man fell down on top of him. A fist hit his forehead, but Gabe snapped out of it and rolled the guy over. He pushed the metal pipe against the man’s windpipe and felt it crack.
He crawled to his feet and watched as Vincent sprang to his. His son flexed his chest and the arrows pulled loose, falling to the ground. Vincent was on the hunt again, going after Lisa, but this time Vision was instantly on him. Gabe watched as his sons went to war. Vision swung a right fist that connected with Vincent’s jaw. Vincent crashed against a car door, shattering the already spider-webbed window.
***
Slither hadn’t left the ship. He hadn’t needed to. He was a fighter, but more importantly, he was an assassin. He valued the sneak attack, and now that this battle was in full tilt, he’d lost the element of surprise. He didn’t even have any babies to kidnap. The babies were nearly full-grown men.
Would Lord Shiva even want them now? Wasn’t the baby thing the whole point? Slither was tempted to call his servants back to the ship and take off for calmer waters. This trip seemed like a death sentence for all involved. He heard the yelp of one of his men and knew that someone had unexpectedly boarded his ship. He turned to see the tough brawler standing behind a fallen servant.
Slither stood for a moment, relaxed. He was in no rush. He was fast, definitely quicker than any street rat, and that’s exactly what this guy was. Sweaty hair, scarred arms, and a solid, square jaw. Nothing but a street rat with rugged good looks.
“I know you sssomehow,” Slither said.
“I don’t think so, Sho Kosugi,” the man answered.
Was the man speaking Japanese? Sho Kosugi? What was that?
“I never forget a facccce,” Slither replied.
“Ever fight in a ring?”
That’s where he recognized the guy. Viking had gotten really drunk once while passing through a small gypsy town. He’d barely been able to stand when he challenged this guy in the ring. And this guy beat the living shit out of Viking.
“Ha, a friend of mine did onccccce. You made a fool of him. What’ssss your name again?”
“They call me Tact, ‘cause apparently I got none,” Tact said as he pulled out a pistol and pointed it at Slither.
“You would shoot me? A champion ssssuch as yoursssself?”
“Who sent you after Vincent and Vision?” Tact asked.
So that was the other one’s name. Not that the names mattered.
“Lord Shiva of Bala Nishta sent us.”
“Colossus didn’t send you?”
Slither glanced over the edge of the ship and nodded at the warriors on the ground.
“I believe Colossusss sssent them.”
Tact barely shifted his gaze, but that was all the time Slither needed. With one fluid movement, he pulled his sword from his sheath and drove the point of it toward Tact’s neck. Tact was no slowpoke himself. He fell backward, just out of reach of the blade, and bumped into a wooden pillar.
“You done fucked up, punk,” Tact said.
Slither tried a second attack, but again, Tact stepped quickly to the side, and this time he swung out his arm, clotheslining Slither’s chest. Slither felt the world spin as he flipped around and landed on the deck, smacking his head against the solid wood.
He opened his eyes just in time to see the brawler point a gun at his face. He kicked sideways with a powerful blow, and Tact’s knee popped. The gun went flying as he fell to the ground, holding his leg.
***
Lisa could see the fighting going on outside. She didn’t know what to do or where to go. Taking the elevator up to Oddity�
��s penthouse didn’t seem like the smart thing to do. All the windows had been blown out. She was afraid. Up there she could be tossed out the window. But down on the ground floor, everyone was an enemy.
She watched as Ayana nocked an arrow and sent it into the neck of a Wraithen warrior. Vision and Vincent, her two boys, fought savagely, as though they wanted to kill each other, but how could that be? Less than an hour ago, they’d been her precious babies, infants born into a childless world. Everything had changed in an instant.
Now, she watched as Vision shoved Vincent’s head through the shattered car window. When he let go, Vincent fell to the ground. He looked dead, but somehow she doubted he was. She wasn’t afraid of Vincent. Something inside told her she probably should be, but how could she be afraid of her baby boy, the tiny little thing she’d given birth to only days before?
