1 + 2

by Kristie Lynn Higgins

  "Don't stop," Kim reminded them before she ran back, reentered the side door, cautiously moved to the broken window, and glanced out. The smoke loomed, blanketing everything on the platform, and she couldn't see a thing, but she heard a scuffle. Kim opened the side door facing the platform, exited, paused, and listened, and she heard the men grunting as they fought each other and ran in that direction. She ran to where Nikolai and Johnson wrestled. Nikolai had him in a headlock, and Johnson's gun lay on the ground about three feet away from him as he struggled against Nikolai. Kim took aim.

  "Shoot!" Johnson yelled through labored breath. "Kill him!"

  "I don't have a clear shot," she yelled.

  "Shoot!" Johnson insisted. "Shoot!"

  She shouted, "For Ares' sake! Fine!" Kim fired.

  The bullet struck the outside of Johnson's thigh, and he cried out in pain.

  "Puck! You hit me!" Johnson yelled. "Setna's plight be upon you and your household!"

  Chapter Forty-six

  Happily Ever After

  Earlier...

  After leaving the front car, Kat moved to the walkway careful of her steps. The smoke was like darkness in that it made her unsure of her footing, and it was like a maze in that it made her feel lost and isolated. she would have to rely on her instincts. The smoke smelled like chemicals, and the dry almost nothingness of its touch on her face made her feel vulnerable. It had a hold of her, but she could do nothing to it, so she slowly continued on barely able to see her feet. Kat shuffled her way across the platform toward the back of the train or at least, she believed she was moving in that direction.

  Katharine's view...

  I put my hands out, searching for anything I might run into as I wonder if I'm walking in circles. I wish I had more control of my abilities. I mastered the Beta Phase, but the Alpha and Delta Phases are only triggered by the presence of a bio-mecha, and the ability to sense my enemies would come in handy right about now.

  The creepy quiet puts me on edge, and I have no idea where the Raven and the Wolf are. I thought I heard a sound, and that's why I left Chad and the others in the care of Johnson and Kimberly.

  I scan the area. Maybe I should go back to the subway train and... A metal object flies out of the smoke, cutting me across the shoulder. I hear the object hit a car behind me with a ping as I quickly move to the side and back toward the front of the train. I raise my gun, but hesitate, knowing I can't fire. I have to be sure of what I'm hitting.

  Another knife flies out of the white towards my neck, and I dive sideways, scarcely evade the attack, and land on my stomach. That one was close. I scan the ghostly mist. How did the Closer know where to throw the weapon? Is the Closer hearing me or does she have equipment that allows her to see?

  I crawl to the train, find two throwing knives lying in front of a car, and pick them up. I think I figured it out. The first throw was a blind throw. I touch my shoulder, a very lucky blind throw. The Closer heard me move after the first attack and threw again in my direction. Maybe I can use the same method. I fling a knife handle first so not to hurt anyone, and the knife hits a wall, so I throw a second time and hear it hit a wall again.

  "You have discovered my method," Natasha yells.

  To have any chance in this fight, I need to get clear of this smoke, and maybe I can draw the Closer back to where we came in. I sprint across the platform and clear the mist. Knives fly out of the smoke after me, and they miss.

  "Where are you going?" Natasha asks. "Are you fleeing or do you hope to drag me out of hiding? Maybe I will leave you for now and look for Ms. Odin or the Phoenix."

  So much for my plan, and I charge back into the smoke and lift my arms to shield my face. I run to a wall and put my back to it, expecting knives to fly at me. The smoke slowly dissipates as I look beside me and see one of the framed posters from earlier with the writing, Wish you were somewhere else?

  I do wish I was somewhere else and anywhere would be good right now. I slide along the wall, bump the frame, and the poster rocks. It's loose, so I remove it, rush through the mist, and spot Natasha. I can tell she towers over me like a Lantern Pine towers over a blade of Transgenic Grass.

  Natasha's view...

  I see a blur charging out of the smoke and throw a knife then a second. The blades strike with a thud... thud... It sounds like my Sweets hit wood.

  Katharine's view...

  That was close! I stare at two blades embedded in the wood inches from my face as I continue my charge, holding the three by five foot poster mounted on a wooden back as a shield. The knives embedded deep through the thin backing. I increase speed when I see Natasha reach for her wrist sheath again. She pulls another knife, but by then, I ram into her and slam her into the wall. The blow knocks her head against the concrete blocks and breaks the poster in half. Natasha drops the knife she removed, grabs her head, and collapses to her knees.

  End Katharine's view...

  "Mongrel..." Dazed, Natasha stood and removed another knife. "You think you can win against me?"

  For a split second, they stared at one another, and then Kat noticed she held the knife differently as if she was ready for hand to hand combat. Kat dropped the broken poster and removed the Beretta from the back of her pants waistband, aimed, and shouted, "Don't move."

  She saw that Natasha moistened her lips with her tongue and smirked as she looked past her. Kat made a face, wondering what she was doing and what she was looking at and then heard heavy footsteps and turned as a large hand flew at her out of the smoke. Nikolai seized the Beretta, stripped her of the weapon, and pushed Kat into the wall.

  He walked to his sister and spoke, "Tasha, she's all yours."

  "Thank you, my brother." Natasha removed a second knife. "Not that I needed your help."

  "I did not think you did." He walked past her. "She was in my way, is all. I will take out the last bodyguard then we can both kill the Phoenix."

  "Promise."

  "Yes that is a promise," he replied as the smoke in their area vanished slowly.

  "See you later at the Phoenix roast then," Natasha said and then lunged for Kat.

  "Oh, crap!" Kat uttered after she regained her bearings and saw the Amazon of a woman running at her with two blades, and then Kat quickly pushed herself off the wall, searched for a piece of the broken poster, found one about two feet long, and picked it up. Natasha struck, bringing her knives down to gouge out her eyes as Kat blocked with her left arm and swung the wood for her head. Natasha pulled back and blocked the wood with her fists that were locked around the knife handles, the wood smacked her knuckles, and Natasha side kicked her in the stomach. Kat stumbled back, holding onto the poster. The Ravlek Vest took the blunt of the kick.

  "You are not very good at hand to hand," Natasha commented.

  "Sheez... Is it... that apparent?" Kat gasped and grabbed the broken poster with both hands. "I was hoping to hide that fact."

  "You would think one in your line of business would be better trained."

  "I mostly shoot and run away. There's not much training needed there."

  Natasha commented, "You do not seem like any of the bodyguards I have encountered. If that is what you are. You did rescue the Phoenix. Why would a bodyguard save a Closer intent in killing the one they are protecting?" She paused and then said, "Or are you the Phoenix's partner? Is this a trick to get close to Ms. Odin?"

  "No," Kat insisted. "I'm a protector not a murderer."

  Natasha whipped around with a spin kick, and Kat ducked, dropped the poster, and whirled with a backwards sweep kick. She made contact, and Natasha fell to her side, but quickly rolled to her feet.

  "Maybe I spoke too soon. You have some training." Natasha charged with her knives. "You are merely not that good."

  Kat picked up the poster, brought the wood over her head, and chopped with it like a sword. Natasha blocked with the blades.

  "Tell me. What is your nam
e?" Natasha asked through the mask's intercom.

  "It's Kat."

  "Such a simple name Cat, Kitty Cat."

  "Actually, it's short for Katharine."

  "Katharine? Did you tell me your real name?"

  She nodded as they fought and then Kat questioned, "And you? What's your name?"

  "I am the Wolf."

  Kat glanced in the direction Nikolai had walked off in. "So that would make your brother the Raven?"

  "You are so acute to deduct so." Natasha pulled back. "But enough with the idle talk. I did come here to kill you." She lunged for Kat, swiping both knives at her.

  As Kat moved backwards to evade the slashes, it reminded her of when the Rogue first attacked her, and Kat lifted the wood and blocked Natasha's right arm. Natasha swiped with her left, but found she couldn't cut through her vest. She was wearing body armor but only her chest was protected, so Natasha came back across and cut her right shoulder. It was deeper than the first cut, and Kat winced for the pain. In strength they were about the same, but height wise, the Wolf had her beat. She pushed her block forward, then withdrew the wood, and leaped back. Kat put her hand to her cut shoulder; it hurt, but she could still use it. She checked to see how much blood covered her palm. The cut wasn't as bad as it hurt, but she did need to find something that would win the battle. She didn't have her gun, and with it Kat would have had the advantage now that the smoke was gone, but she had to focus on what she had, not on what she lost.

  "You don't seem that experience in fighting," Natasha said as she charged again and brought her knives over her head as before. "Is it an act to throw me off my guard or are you only a fool?"

  Kat lifted the poster to block, and Natasha stabbed the wood then released the knife that was in her left hand and grabbed Kat's right wrist. Natasha released the other knife, dropped her free hand under the broken poster, and punched with an upper cut.

  "You are a fool," Natasha said. "And soon you'll be a dead fool."

  Kat didn't see the fist till it was a blur of pain in her face. She stumbled back and dropped the poster as Natasha came at her with a roundhouse to the head. Kat fell to the floor with a bloody nose. Everything around her whirled. She was going to lose if she didn't think of something.

  Natasha kicked the poster to the side and strolled to Kat. She grinned at her prey and watched the trickle of red plasma run down her face. Kat started to move, and Natasha kicked her in the ribs.

  Kat grabbed her side as she couldn't focus her eyes. She needed Kim's help.

  Natasha sat on her stomach, put her left hand on her cut shoulder, and stared into her hazel eyes. "By now you must know, there are sweets that are treats..." She removed a knife from her left sheath and glanced at the blade as it glinted in the subway lights. "And Sweets that can kill?"

  Katharine's view...

  Think... I have to think of something. I feel her weight as she sits on my stomach, and I can hardly breathe. I have to get her off of me.

  Her left hand has my right arm pinned down as I grab at her mask, but Natasha bats my arm away and slaps my face. I wince again. I have to...

  End Katharine's view...

  "It was not very nice what you did with the little sweet at Bes Hotel," Natasha said. "Making us think the candy was an explosive or poison." She stared at her knife with affection as she continued, "Now, I will let my Sweet deal with you, but before I do that." Natasha leaned to her ear and whispered, "From Moscow, with love." She removed her WM-D, bent to kiss her on the lips, but Kat turned her head and received the Executioner's Adieu on the cheek.

  Natasha straightened amused by Kat's innocent-like shyness and spoke, "I did not notice before, but you are cute like a little girl." She stroke her face as if Kat were her own child. "Are you afraid of a little lip-locking with your enemy? A pity... You could have enjoyed one last sweet before death." Natasha replaced the mask, put her knee on Kat's right arm, and grabbed the top of her hair to hold Kat so she could slit her throat. Kat grabbed her arm as she seized her hair. Natasha made the motion to cut her across the throat and paused as a sound in the distance distracted her, and Natasha looked to the curved walkway that connected the stations as something moved their way.

  Step. Drag. Step. Drag.

  "Who is that?" Natasha questioned.

  Kat strained to lift her eyes so she could look behind herself to the curve, but Kat could only move her head a little in Natasha's grip.

  Step. Drag. Step. Drag.

  Kat couldn't see who was coming.

  Step. Drag. Step. Drag. Andrews appeared, dragging a leg and holding his side as blood covered him. "Did you forget about me?" he shouted.

  "Apparently yes, I thought you were dead," Natasha replied. "But I can simply rectify that. Foolish man, you should have run when you had the chance."

  Chapter Forty-seven

  Sacrifices

  After leaving his sister, Nikolai breathed through the WM-D as he walked through the thick smoke and continued across the platform after taking Kat's gun. He looked at the Beretta; he had gained another trophy. Nikolai tucked the gun in the front of his pants, quickened his pace, and ran beside the length of the train. He saw the shadow of a man's head in the last subway car, walked over to the window, and smashed through it. He grabbed the man, dragged him out, and then wrestled with Johnson. Nikolai had about a hundred pounds on the man. Nikolai grabbed his gun hand and slammed it on his own knee. Johnson dropped his weapon, and they continued wrestling as Nikolai put him in a headlock. The ghostly mist started to dissipate and through the white, Nikolai saw Kim raise her gun and aim for him.

  Minutes later...

  "Setna's plight be upon you and your household!" Johnson shouted.

  "Did you just put a curse on me?" Kim yelled. "You Isis heathen! Take it back! Take it back or I'll..."

  Nikolai felt the bullet penetrate his own leg, but refused to let go of the bodyguard.

  "Heathen?" Johnson snapped and then grunted for the pain in his leg as he tried to free himself. "Aren't you the pot calling the kettle black? You Sphinx wretch!" His face reddened as he couldn't break free of the Closer's vise grip. "You want me to take back the curse or you'll what?" Johnson collapsed to his left knee. It was the leg where the bullet had hit. "You'll shoot me again?"

  "Oh hades! Stop your whining! It's like I'm talking to Katharine!" Kim took aim again.

  Johnson lifted a hand and yelled, "Don't shoot! Don't shoot! I take back the curse! May blessings fall upon your house!"

  "Hold still!" Kim yelled. "Or I'll miss my mark again."

  "Miss again?" both men shouted.

  "It would help if you both held still!" she snapped.

  Johnson's view...

  Puck! She's serious and if I don't do something, she's going to kill me.

  End Johnson's view...

  He fisted his hand and hit Nikolai's leg, and Johnson hit the leg several times till he struck the bullet wound. Nikolai bellowed like a Medved and released him, and Johnson rolled away from him and went for his gun. Nikolai pulled the Glock 25 from his shoulder holster and fired, and the first shot missed. Johnson fired, hitting him in the shoulder, and Nikolai fired again, hitting him in the forearm. Johnson dropped his gun and held his injured arm as blood flowed.

  Kim fired and hit Nikolai in the chest, and Nikolai wildly fired at her as he fell back. Kim dove to the ground, and then Nikolai roared and stood. He lifted the Glock 25 to shoot her when he heard a man's voice then his sister's in the distance, and he turned to the front of the train. He saw Natasha shouting at a man while she was sitting on someone else. Nikolai realized the man nearing his sister was one of the bodyguards they left for dead. He and his sister had been careless, but his sister would fix their error. Nikolai turned back and focused on his current situation as he and Kim stared down the barrel of the other's gun.

  Johnson spotted Andrews in the distance and yelled, "Get out o
f here! You're in no condition to help us!"

  Near the front of the subway train...

  Step. Drag. Step. Drag. Andrews walked the curve connecting the two stations as he held his fisted right hand close to his chest while the other uselessly dangled by his side. Blood dripped down his injured arm, and several bullet wounds darkened his black business suit. He could still help. He could still make a difference. He wouldn't let another client die. Step. Drag. Step. Drag.

  Near the back of the subway train...

  Kim was too close, and if she shot the Closer, he would fire back and hit her at this range. She had to make a kill shot, and she wasn't that good with a hand gun. She kept her eyes on Nikolai.

  Near the front of the subway train...

  Some distance from Andrews, Kat still had trouble breathing with Natasha on her and where she had kicked her in the ribs. She tried again to look at Andrews, but couldn't see him. "Run," she tried to yell, but nothing came out. She tried again and was able to utter, "You have to..."

  "You can wait!" Natasha punched her in the face as she yelled, "Be quiet!"

  Kat lost consciousness.

  Natasha stood and spoke to the bodyguard in the distance, "Foolish man, you should have fled when you had the chance. Instead, you chose to come find us." She threw a knife and hit him in the left shoulder. "You must be seeking misery."

  Andrews paused as the blade struck, but continued on as if he didn't feel pain. Step. Drag. Step. Drag. He left the curved walkway connecting the stations and stopped.

  "You are seeking punishment!" Natasha ran at him and ran some distance and then she spin kicked, knocking him to the ground. "Foolish man... It would have been less painful if you waited for your death at the first subway station."

  She watched Andrews land hard, but he managed to keep his fisted hand to his chest. He rolled over to his side and tried to get up, but as he tried she walked over to his side and kicked him so that he lay flat on his back. She sat on his crotch, parted his suit jacket, and moved her hands up and down his bloody shirt, feeling his muscular form beneath the wet material. "Your foolishness will also give me some time to play with you." Unsheathing a knife, Natasha forcibly ran the blade along the front placket cutting off buttons and then she ripped open his shirt. Several bullet wounds seeped blood as she placed her hands back to his chest and smeared the red liquid around as if she were playing in warm mud. She leaned down, deeply breathed of the iron-like scent, and the familiar aroma aroused her and their foreplay started as she let out an elated gasp. She bent to his ear and excitedly whispered, "From Moscow, with love."