A year, a year I have disappointed my viewers with neglecting my duties as a fanfiction writer. My crimes? Not updating my much beloved story. Using my time on useless things like school (bwadr), work (shudder) and worst of all…social interactions with my friends. I am truly a horrible human.
There is only one way I can redeem myself. I must perform seppuku.
Now, while I find my tanto blade, I would like to thank all my amazing supporters
OSR4evr, Madison Angel Kaiba, TheRageOfSea, kisayaka, ladydaisys, MayaPatch, Prime's sparkling, Sette Lupe, , Icecreampopstar, OCLover89, The Third Biker Scholar, chasesgirl2, xStarlitskyx, Tiamat1972, miceaholic, bluefox93, RainbowLuvr17, LabyrinthQueen180, Spades24, fallen angels sky, Ellmarr, Horrorfan13, godshinin300, willowOlive, ackpanda, chisana kit, jokersgirl10, Warm as Fire, Morning(, Dream lighning(, Hot toppings, DESGUARDIUS, Tatsurion, clary2008, Dream Lightning (, Hot toppings, DESGUARDIUS, Randall Boggs, unknownownknu, windheartyuki, kittehWolf, justanamelessGirl, Otaku-GamerGal, 0553140, delunatic, InsaneAlex5, pkmnsurvivor19, Sarah, Celtic Black Rose, Destiny of the Cursed, delunatic, FreedomFighter13, Jaden Kismet, carefree007, amber, kittycatcharlie, PlayingGalaga,
Aiyaki, MercenaryBunny, Blackwitch31, Anon, Gyromice89, Melodig
And of course my lovely Beta Reader: Skidplanir (who actually hasn't read this chapter but I was way too excited to wait)
Now enjoy the story….now where did I put that blade?
Chapter Eleven: In Hindsight
In hindsight, it probably hadn't been very smart. In fact, it was more like stupid or perhaps reckless.
But Julia liked to think it as brave, instead of stupid. Of course, the situation begged the differ.
Julia could blood from her cracked lip, trickling down her chin, pooling just under it and sometimes a drop of crimson blood would fall onto the gray marble floor. Her knee wasn't much better either, but that blood had dried out and the only reason she noticed it was the stinging pain that came from it being squashed to the hard, cold floor. She couldn't move, or rather it would be very foolish to move.
It wasn't the strips holding her in place, no robe or tape. Nothing bound her to the ground.
Nothing, but the cold, black gun barrel staring straight between her eyes, waiting for an excuse to spill more of her blood. It was hard, but Julia averted her eyes from the polished metal and followed it upwards, until her blue eyes met green, venomous ones who were glaring down at her, a malicious glint in the green.
The eyes were the only thing Julia could see, but she could see that the gun holder was female and Julia could also hear it when she spoke.
"You shouldn't have done that" she said, her face behind the black mask twisting up into a scowl. Julia could see it on the eyebrows, that were very light, and how her cheekbones moved beneath the fabric.
Julia knew that. The female didn't have to remind her.
She knew she should probably just have held her tongue, remained silent and not attract any attention to herself. She just couldn't.
When Julia had been just a little girl, she had never been able to look the other way if someone was being hurt or treated unfairly. Every time she came home from school, knees and arms covered in new scrapes or her clothes drenched in mud from protecting the ones who got bullied or teased, her dad had always laughed and said she had a 'Hero-complex'. As she grew, Julia learned that everyone didn't need saving and not every conflict was hers to butt into. Still the urge remained and throughout high school and even a bit of college, giving her the nickname 'Julia the Just' and also, less glorious 'Julia the meddler'.
Now Julia chose her battles carefully, thinking of multiple ways to solve the problem or conflict she was seeing. Unless it had to do with someone who were helpless. Animals counted, as they had no voice and rarely could fight back against abusive owners or people.
Also: children. Small children who had no chance to stand up against themselves or even grasp the situation they were in.
That was why Julia didn't keep quiet and instead regarded her own safety, not just once.
It had been the little girl. The one with red, curly hair and stuffed unicorn, standing in line in front of her with her mother.
The two of them had been placed only a person to her left and for whatever reason, the girl had suddenly started crying uncontrollably, sending high pitched echoes through the bank.
The mother did everything she could to hush her daughter, but without being able to hold her and soothe her, the mother's word had done little to nothing.
It had captured the attention of the female robber, the most dangerous of the robbers Julia had witnessed when she knocked out one of the employees that tried negotiating.
"Shut that little brat up!" she had shouted, only startling the already frightened girl so she cried even harder. This seemed to enrage the female robber and it looked as if she was about to do something very nasty to the girl, while her mother began begging through her own sobs.
As in Julia's nature, she just couldn't keep quiet and instead shouted "Leave her alone, she's only a kid!"
It hadn't been her intention to say it quite that fiercely, but she hated bullies and those who picked on the weaker. It had worked, kind of. The attention was off the little girl, but the woman had turned to Julia, slowly like a snake, as if she couldn't believe someone actually dared speaking.
It had made Julia gulp in fear, her fierceness gone.
Looking back, Julia was quite sure that the woman had not meant to kill the child but it was too late to rethink her decision.
The green eyed woman had walked, slowly and calculating towards Julia with the gun in her hand. If the robbers had not tied their hands under their legs, someone might have been able to grab the gun, but Julia guessed that was one of the reasons they had chosen such a binding method.
"And what do we have here?" the woman had stopped in front of her, towering over her so Julia had to crane her neck to look at the robbers face, though she tried avoiding the eyes.
"She's just a kid, she can't help it" Julia said, this time much lower and without attitude.
She heard a tsk sound from the woman and then suddenly her hair was ripped upwards by a forceful hand.
Julia let out a cry of agony as almost her whole body weight was now upheld by her hair and it had hurt like hell. Why did bad guys always grab the hair?
Through clamped, damp eyes she heard the woman snarl, "You think I care about that?" she said in a tone that didn't included an answer. Then she slammed her into the door. Another gasp escaped Julia and her eyes opened for a brief moment. It had hurt so badly, still did as her hair had been pulled out by the root, leaving her scalp sore and bruised.
"Just shut up and keep still, what I do to that child is none of your concern," she snarled once more, then her toned changed into a mockery and she added "I mean, it's not your child, so why should you care if I batter her pretty little face up?"
Julia had not known what had come over her, anger she guessed, maybe even hatred for the insane woman. But whatever the reason was Julia might have had, Julia turned her head and did the only thing she could think of. She bit her.
Clearly the woman had been caught off guard, not expecting a hostage to resist. She howled when Julia had sunk her teeth into the flesh of her hand, biting as hard as her mouth could.
Julia had once read that the human's biting pressure was enough to rip an ear off and some could even pull whole cars and vans only by their teeth. So Julia wasn't really sure how hard she had bit the woman.
It had only lasted a second before she threw Julia to the ground, cracking her lip when her chin hit the marble floor. A little blood had seeped into Julia's mouth, tasting metallic.
"You fucking bitch!" the woman had screamed at Julia who had become very dizzy from colliding with the floor.
"What's going on?" a deep, male voice spoke from above her, sounding like the one who had shouted for everyone to get down on the floor.
"That bitch fucking bit me! It went through the fucking glove!" the woman shrieked, her voice sounding hysterical (A/N: Think Bellatrix Lestrange).
Julia hadn't been able to keep a small smirk off her face because of her accomplishment.
But the victory had only been short as she was suddenly yanked up again, this time by her t-shirt and dragged away from the door. It had been hard breathing. Not only had blood seeped into her mouth and she had practically been drowning in it, the hold on the fabric had given a chocking effect, leaving Julia to cough and spit out blood.
Finally the hand had let go, leaving Julia to fall to the ground and struggle to get up.
Around her whimpers and crying had become noticeable and Julia had regretted her last decision a bit. She had given the robbers a perfect way to set an example for the others.
"Finish her" the male voice said with no emotion at all.
Yes, in hindsight, what she had done had not been very smart.
Back to the woman, holding her gun and Julia having no way to move or anything like that, Julia suddenly began thinking of her family. Not in those 'my life just flashed by my eyes'. Not really.
It was more like her thinking about all the stupid things she had fought with her mother and sister about.
The arguing about the house and bike seemed to incredible childish now, so very pointless.
It was amazing how a life threatening situation could set everything in another light.
She thought of Ria and Will, wondering what they were doing.
Lastly she thought about Charlie and the guys.
She really didn't want to die, not without saying goodbye to all of the people in her life. She wanted to know more about Mars and Throttle's home. It dawned on her that she had never asked.
Why? She suddenly wanted to know everything about their home planet, about how it used to be and the people they cared for.
"Any last word bitch?" the woman said maniacally, bringing Julia back to the situation and the gun that was about to literally blow her mind as she clicked the safety pin. Julia didn't really have anything to say and simply decided to look up to where the windows were. She wanted to see the blue sky instead of the venomous, green snake eyes of the woman. But blue wasn't all she saw. Something furry and tawny was there too, making Julia smile. She looked down at the woman, smiling.
"Yes," Julia said, the woman looking very confused at her smiling face.
"Duck" and that was all the warning that the woman had, before a smaller explosion sounded above them.
The woman looked quickly up and Julia took her own advice. With all the strength and force she had, she used her knees to kick herself backwards, landing very awkwardly on her side just before something hit the floor heavily. Smoke, seemingly coming from nowhere filled the room, making everyone blind.
The hostages began screaming in fear, not knowing what was going on and the robbers were shouting into the gray gas. Things like: "What's going on!", "What the hell happened!", "Grab the box and let's get the hell out of here".
The last one caught Julia's attention. What box? Hadn't it been the money they came from? Or was it really just a deposit box and if so, what was in it that would be so important?
She didn't get any time to think before a familiar voice called out her name "Julia!"
"I'm here" she shouted, her voice a little croaked. She tried getting up but it was nearly impossible.
She could still hear the screams and coughing, but in between that she could also hear what sounded like groans and shouts of shock followed by things hitting the floor with heavy thumps.
It made Julia grin, knowing exactly what and who it was unlike her fellow hostages.
For a moment she wondered why she couldn't hear the familiar roar of engines, and then came to the conclusion, that with all their AI-technology, they probably could make the bikes soundless.
"Julia!" the voice came again, shouting, closer than before.
"Here!" she shouted back, still trying to wriggle her way out.
A figure began forming in the smoke, tall and dark. Julia smiled relieved by the prospect of getting free and hug her friend. The relief was however very short lived, for out of the smoke, like a shadow from fog, came not her friend, but the female robber.
She was still wearing the mask but her intentions were clear by the lightning in her eyes, the black gun still secure in hand.
'Fuck' Julia swore, a sweat drop trailing down from her temple.
She still couldn't move and her friends wouldn't be able to find her in the smoke.
"You fucking whore" whispered the woman, her voice shaking with anger and pure hate, her eyes gleaming murder.
"I don't know how you did it, but you are going to pay!" she shrieked loudly like nails on a chalkboard.
She pointed the gun to Julia who this time closed her eyes and tried curling up into a ball, protecting her vital organs.
A sudden loud thud happened and something fell on the floor. Not being dead, Julia opened her eyes to find none other than Charlie standing above the woman who looked knocked out, a heavy looking wrench in her hand.
She smirked at Julia and said "Almost as good as a frying pan".
The joke made Julia laugh, but that led to her cringing as both her cracked lip ripped and her side was sore from being thrown around and lastly jumping out of the way.
Charlie was quickly by her side, pulling out a knife which Julia wondered a bit why she had, then remembering that Charlie had once told her, as a mechanic, Charlie rarely went anywhere without a knife.
At the time it had sounded more like a scout than a mechanic, but Julia hadn't said it. You don't mess with a knife-wielding woman.
While cutting her bindings, Charlie asked if she was alright. Julia nodded, rubbing her wrists where the flesh had become red and tender.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little battered" then she remembered the other hostages.
"We have to help the others" and they both went out to the doors, the smoke having cleared to a bit.
Though it had felt much longer, only three minutes had passed since the explosion in the roof and the mice's entrance, but Julia had no real sense of time as she and Charlie freed as they could. Julia had first gone to those with children, feeling the need to get them out and then instructing a man who looked reliable to free the last ones, wanting to find Throttle and the others who still moved unseen through the smoke. They needed to round the robbers up and the guys needed to get away before anyone saw them, especially the police, who Julia suspected would storm the place anytime.
"Police!" a voice shouted and heavy footsteps could be heard, helping people out.
'Damn' Julia muttered.
"Don't worry Julia" Charlie said, seeing the younger woman's concerned face.
Julia turned to the mechanic who had reached into her pocked and pulled out a oval, metal device that Julia recognized. It was a communicator.
Pressing a button, a light on it shined red, indicating it was working.
"Charlie to biker's. I have Julia, retreat" she said into the device, smiling because she loved feeling like a secret agent or something.
The device gave off a crackly sound before Julia heard Vinnie's voice.
"Julia! How are you girl?"
"Julia ma'am, good to hear" that was Modo.
"Is she alright?" that was Throttle, his voice oddly stern and also…Julia couldn't really describe it. Desperate?
Julia took the communicator and pressed the same button as Charlie had.
"A bit bruised but otherwise fine. Guys you have to get out of here, the smoke won't last forever and the police are storming the place. Find another route out, your entrance is bound to have caught their attention and they might be watching the roof".
"Wait there angel, we'll come get you two" Throttle answered, his voice now filled with relief but Julia was not.
"No! Get Charlie and then leave". This statement apparently shocked both Charlie and the guys.
"Not a chance sweetheart" Vinnie said, sounding like if he was offended.
"Not without you we don't" Throttle said, sounding now angry and Modo kept quiet.
Frustrated Julia pressed the button again, cutting off any other complains.
"You have to! Don't you get it? I can't just disappear from the bank, most people will remember me being there after dragging me out in the middle of the room and-" she was cut short by Throttle who shouted,
"They did WHAT!"
Sighing frustrated she tried calming Throttle down, "It's nothing, I'll tell you when I get home but for now I have to stay so I won't cause any suspicion"
The smoke began clearing and now Julia could actually see Throttle across the room, it almost seemed as if his fur was bristled. She didn't know mice could do that.
"Go now!" she exclaimed.
I found it. It was in the kitchen; apparently I have used it to slice cheese with.
Now (dramatic!) I will restore my honor by performing seppuku… Goodbye cruel world.
(STAP!) . . . hmm? (Stap…stap…stap…stapstapstapstap!) Why isn't this working!
Well why I figure out why I'm not dying, please review this chapter and tell if it's good or crap.