Chapter 3: And Now It's Wednesday

What makes a good plan? In my experience a good plan is something that comes together after much thought, careful consideration of different outcomes, and of course lots of preparation. A bad plan however is much easier to come by. I should know, as about 90 percent of my plans end up being bad plans. My experience with bad plans gives me an edge in the territory of badness of plans.

And right now, that expertise is going to come in very useful in putting together this encounter with Alcatraz and his men. I've got a grand total of one guy with me I trust (Kit Lee) and one other guy who can apparently fight (Roy Karl, the kid from the forest), and if I'm being completely honest, I've faced worse odds completely alone.

The three of us stand at the edge of town, Roy's shield flung across my back. I've also loosely bound his wrists, just in case he needs to break out quickly. Kit is just to my left, armed with his sword.

Standing front and center, I watch the approaching shadows of the six mercenary's. The slowly rising sun just peaking through. Alcatraz is giving me one last chance to give up the kid. But he won't hesitate to turn his weapons on this town. I could see that in his eyes.

"Are you going to give me up?" Roy asks from behind me. I'd reassured him that we're doing the right thing, but I hadn't said more than that.

With a glance at his face I decide to push through with that line of thinking. "We're doing what we have to do. Just don't jump to any conclusions."

Kit shuffles his feet through the dirt. "So we aren't going to die right?"

"No, not today kid, we aren't going to die." I mutter, shifting my weight.

"You don't sound sure."

I roll my eyes and sigh. "I'm sure."

Roy clears his throat. "Is six a lot?"

"Depends."

"On what?" He asks.

"On the context. For money it's not very much at all."

Kit groans, and plays with the hilt of his sword. "And in this context."

"I'm not sure yet." I reply. I try not to let my uncertainty show. But I think it comes through a little. I can feel the discomfort from Kit. I can't let the kid die, not here, not like this.

Alcatraz and his goons approach, and it's immediately clear they're ready for a fight. The six of them could easily shred this town to the ground and not lose a single man. At least if I wasn't here.

Alcatraz stops in front of me, neither of us breaking eye contact. His men fan out from him and block the exit. "Well?" He grunts.

I sense Roy shift next to me, but I don't take my eyes off of Alcatraz. "Take him."

Alcatraz blinks and glances over his shoulder at his men. All of whom look just as taken aback as he does. Next to me Roy's entire body has stiffened.

"I can," Alcatraz pauses licking his lips. "Take him?"

"That's right."

Kit moves in close so he's right on my shoulder. "I didn't think we were going to do that." I silently shoot him a look, urging him to be silent. Kit swallows hard and backs away back to where he was.

Alcatraz swallows, and starts walking, the air seems to freeze as he passes me, not lifting his eyes from my own. At long last though he reaches Roy, the two, weathered former soldier and the young fighter, face off themselves. I watch carefully as Alcatraz turns his piercing eyes onto Roy.

"Craster, Lilliana, check him," he looks back at me over his shoulder, something like a smile on his face. "Look for a tracker."

I school my face before it moves, but he'd caught me. Oh well, knew it was a long shot. Now we do plan B.

The two soldiers Alcatraz had called come forward and start patting him down. It's only a matter of time before they find it, and eventually they do. Pulling out a small chip, handing it over to Alcatraz, who turns back around to face me.

"Really Požar?"

I shrug, sliding my foot back. "Sorry Al, but it was the only way."

His eyes snap to my foot and they widen, before he can shout the chip pops and then explodes a light that's blinding even with the light of sunrise. But I'd come prepared, and equipped the three of us with contacts that block the light out. Without hesitation I slap my watch activating my other traps, then I move into Alcatraz, pulling out my escrima sticks, slamming one into his stomach without hesitation. He shouts, stumbling and falling from the force and pulse of electricity. I'm about to follow up when a movement to my left draws my attention, and a fist flies towards my face. I duck, hook the attacker's knee with both escrima sticks and pull them off their feet.

"SHOOT HIM." Alcatraz bellows, but his order is met with silence.

"Sorry Al," I snarc, "Your snipers are out of service."

Looking up the soldier I knocked down was attempting to get up, another running up to me, baton at the ready. Just to the side Kit and Roy are fighting two soldiers together. Roy is fast, even with his hands bound.

Turning my attention back to the immediate threat I prep and activate the electricity, and hand spring onto the downed soldier, electrocuting him, and flip over the second one. She snaps around to face my and gets a stick to the face. Her body convulses and then she collapses.

"Maybe I was wrong." Alcatraz snarls, rubbing his robotic eyes. I knew the light would hit him the hardest. He's accompanied by the last soldier he'd brought with him. "You're still combat ready."

I slip the escrima sticks through my hand and fall into a combat stance, arms raised, feet braced. "Not to mention your people suck."

"And you missed one." I blink, I missed one? What does he mean. Without warning there's a stinging in my shoulder, and I flame back, a dart sticking from shoulder.

"Non-lethal?" I question, raising an eyebrow.

Alcatraz smirks. "Bringing you in will fetch a pretty penny."

I sigh. "I'm serious, what happened to you?"

"Nothing." He snaps, and checks his watch, then frowns.

Taking advantage of his distraction I charge him. As expected the other soldier runs forward to intercept me. He swings the baton and I dodge back and send my stick straight at his chest, but he deflects it off his plastic wrist guard. He grabs my know outstretched wrist and tries to twist it, but I hold strong, he looks up in surprise and I knew him between the legs. His eyes bulk and he lets go stumbling back. I kick him back, throw the escrima stick into his chest, where it sends a quick charge through his chest before I flick my wrist and I draw it back with a projected string.

I breath in, spin, swinging hard with both sticks, but Alcatraz was waiting, and he deflects them both with his own plastic gauntlets. I push into him hard, grinning into his tense face.

"How aren't you down?"

"You must've used one of the many poisons I'm largely immune to, sorry bud."

His eyes widen. "How?"

I spin back around with him and push him away, behind him I spot Kit lying on the ground unconscious, Roy struggling against the two soldiers with his bound wrists.

But I force my attention onto Alcatraz, and smile at his question. "I'm me, plus a really long process of small injections."

"Bastard!" He flips his baton at me, and I deflect it easily, keeping my eyes on him as he draws a long sword off his back and runs at my. He swings quickly and heavily, forcing me to deflect each attempt without countering.

I push the blade to the side and aim for the wrist of his sword hand with my other escrima stick. He manages to grab my wrist locking on us in a struggle to overpower the other.

"You should have never come to this town!"

"Why not, this is a peaceful place? Full of good people!"

He almost laughs, but the struggle makes it die down. "Where are the good people now?"

"Safe, from you."

He tries to yank my arm away from him but I hold strong. "There's no such thing as safe, you know that!"

"There is, this town is good-"

"This town made you soft! You were an assassin, unbeatable. Now what are you."

I push into him, trying to get my escrima stick to hit him. "Happy and unbeatable!"

"Let it go Požar, you can't win!"

I push hard, trying to knock his sword down. "Says who?"

"Me!" A voice shouts and I duck my head, a baton grazes my neck and smacks Alcatraz in the face. Alcatraz drops to the ground, his sword slides away.

I turn to Crastor and raise an eyebrow. "Dude really?"

He growls and swings his baton and I dodge it easily. I swing my escrima stick at his face and he manages to deflect it with his baton. I put pressure on him, aiming to knock him flat on his back and electrocute him, but he's just fast enough to block each of my blows. Just as I get bored of the endless blocking, I hear Alcatraz whisper something.

My mind moving quickly I remember the sniper. I drop my escrima sticks, kick Craster's knee and grab him pulling him in front of me, just as four darts land on him in quick succession. Keeping Crastor up as a shield I get behind a building.

"Give up Azure, or I'll kill the kid." Alcatraz shouts. I glance around the corner and his gun is pointed right at Kit. No, I can't let the kid die. I won't.

"Fine, I'm coming out!" I call, lifting my hands. I walk slowly up to Alcatraz who watches me carefully.

"You always wanted to be a hero not a killer, I guess now you're neither."

I glare him down. "What does that make you?"

"Wealthy."

I scoff, looking at the two unconscious boys. "I wonder what really matters."