They fell over themselves and Rose sucked in a painful breath his weight slammed into her. Her broken rib felt like it was on fire. Adonis swore and held himself off of her. He gently probed the tender flesh around the brush. A touch that desire skating through her. Oh, come on, Rose snapped at herself. You can like the pretty boy later. That though was swallowed pain as he touched to close to the break. Agony shrieked through her and nearly tipped her into the darkness that threatened to swamp her.
"Sorry, we need to get you to the hospital." Biting her lip against the scream that had rolled up she shook her head.
"Look Adonis, I hate hospitals. That aside, if you sent Daisuke back to get Gale. He can heal me, better and faster than any doctor, Just get me to him before something else gets broken."
"Tad." Rose was trying to breathe through the pain so it took her a moment to realize what he was talking about. She laughed,
"Rose, I'd say pleasure to meet you, but I'm in enough pain that I'm losing all manners, so let's get out of here." People were yelling and shouting outside the door, but no one had come to check on them. Rose chuckled to herself, she'd make them regret that. Tad helped her to stand, but was careful not to jar her ribs any more. Together they limped to the door and Tad slid it open a crack. The door groaned, but Rose got the feeling that everyone was a bit more distracted. There was shouting, yelling, screaming, and even gunshots going off. Tad stiffened as he saw something that made him afraid. "What is it?" She whispered.
"I'm not sure." Whatever it was he clearly didn't believe what he saw. He careful opened the door which still made a grinding groan. Rose grit her teeth and prayed no one noticed them. The door opened enough for her to see into the larger factory floor. The front of the building had large area that looked like a giant had tried to rip the building in half by the two large loading bay door. Pipes had exploded open and were gushing fountains of water. Glass shards were strewn everywhere along with junks of concrete, crumpled metal beams, and patches of shingles. Everything looked either soaked, burnt, or broken. However the carnage wasn't what they or the few people who were cowering behind debris were staring at. Two tall serpentine like things were attacking people who ducked out of safety.
Both creatures had gleaming blue center. Rose focused on that and recognized Gale's shields. He had molded them into giant snakes. But that was all. The one close to Rose had flames coating its entire body. They smell of burnt flesh smoke hung around that one. The second looked like it's skin was constantly moving and shifting. It took her a moment to realize that water ran along that shield much like a raging river. The snake was the practically violent. It would lash at the hiding spots of the people closest to it. High powered jets of water would burst through even the smallest spaces and rip through soft flesh of the people.
A figure stepped up from the torn door way. The giant elemental snakes stopped their attacks and moved protectively closer to the young man. Rose would recognize that gold mane anywhere. She held Tad to stop him from doing anything. It took her only a moment to see the gleam of anger in Gale's eyes. She did not want Tad to suffer Gale's wrath.
"You have one of my family members. If you-" A man off to the right shouted as he jumped from cover and opened fire on Gale. Rose Held Tad, knowing he would rush to help Gale. Gale didn't need help, she knew, but that man as good as signed his death certificate. The fire snake curled around Gale and the bullets bounced off the snake's inner shield. It then uncoiled and stretched so tall it towered over everything. Rose thought the snake had opened its mouth to hiss, but instead of sound a wave of distorted air came out. It rolled over the man and everyone hiding beside him. They all gasped and dropped like stones. A heat wave. Gale cleared his throat before beginning again, "If you hand over my family and swear you will never hunt anyone under my protection again I will let all but your leader walk out of here, right now.
Rose saw several men on the water side exchange looks, two of them grabbed a man beside them and hesitantly stepped out from behind the slab of concrete they had been hiding behind. The water snake roiled and bubbled but slid back. The only way for them to get out was to go right past Gale. They stepped warily up towards him and shuddered at the look in his eyes. Each man was briefly transfixed by Gale's gaze. He was wiping their memories of this. But if she was a betting type, she'd bet Gale would leave a little bit of fear that might actually scare some of them.
Most of the men who could leave did. Then there was a roar and a scream from up in the office. Gale's eyes flicked to the bent rail just above Rose. He smiled without humor, then his eyes fell on Rose and Tad. Something dangerous flickered behind his eyes and Rose felt Tad stiffen.
"Gale he's on our side." she wheezed. He looked to her and his anger seemed to drop from boiling rage to just a simmering anger. He nodded curtly. Two large shapes fell in front of them. Rose gasped as she saw Daisuke in a huge panther body dragging the sleaze ball by his neck. Sleaze ball whimpered but didn't fight or try and twist away. Good, Rose thought angrily, a quick death on those sharp teeth was too good for him. Daisuke dragged him to Gale then sat down holding him. Then and only then did the two snakes vanish like they had never been. Phoenix, Snow, and Riptide picked their way over rumble to Gale's side. "Let's get over there."
It took them a moment to weave their way through the rubble, but when they finally did Sleaze ball looked pleadingly to Tad who ignored him.
"You threatened my family. You hunted my family. And you harmed my family. Where I come from that is cause enough for your execution by my hand." Sleaze ball whimpered and squirmed a little until Daisuke applied a little force too Sleaze ball's already exposed neck. He stilled instantly. "However I have a better idea." Rose looked up at him sharply. Then his plan was laid out before her. Sleaze ball or Pete would take the fall for all this damage. He had set a trap in the form of a bomb.
"That's all well and good, but I'm not so forgiving." Rose stepped out of Tad's grip and took a swift kick at Pete. His eyes rolled and he gasped grabbing his crotch as tears rolled down his face. "That was for everything you did to my home and threatening those kids." She smiled at his pained face and kicked a second time, this time aiming for his ribs. The was a sickening crunch as several of his ribs broke. "That was for the kick you gave me earlier." She was about to kick him again when Tad stopped her. She glared at him.
"If you don't stop Gale will have to make an entirely different story to explain the extra injuries." she glared sourly at him but heaved a sigh that made her wince.
"Fine."
