Chapter 17: Dangerous Game Part 2

"Let him go!" Marcus said.

"I will as long as you do as you're told," the black tiger shark said. He gestured with his karambit just keeping it mere inches from Long's throat. "If you do not the boy will die."

Blade glared at the tiger. "You would stoop so low as to threaten an innocent boy, Ryder?"

Ryder like at his brothers stood 7'5" tall and was onyx in color with eyes that green-blue in color and long shaggy hair that was silver in color. He wore a tattered blood-stained vest over a baggy filthy v-neck t-shirt, fingerless black gloves and baggy tan cargo pants that were held up with a rope. "I'm surprised you're still alive, Blade." He grinned nastily before he raised his other hand snapping his fingers. "Come to me, my ninja."

Marcus and Blade found themselves surrounded by eight well-skilled ninjas all armed with various ninjutsu weapons. Behind Ryder were another group of ninja who calmly stood by waiting for orders. 'This is not good,' Blade thought as he glanced over to Marcus who was looking at Ryder with unbelievable hate.

"The rest of you search the house and find the white one," Ryder said.

"As you command," they said before vanishing into the shadows.

"The white one," Marcus realized Ryder meant Riptide. "Like hell, I'm letting you take my grandson, you bastard!"

What happened next neither Ryder nor his ninja was prepared for. Marcus seemed to disappear before their eyes and the next thing the black tiger shark knew was the ringing pain alongside his skull. The mako had struck him with his shield, spinning around on the heel of his foot and getting between the threat and a very frightened Long.

Ryder went flying backward slamming into the outside wall of the old healer's home. He was surprised by Marcus' attack and he wiped the blood from his nose with the back of his hand. "How?" he asked.

"Like I would waste the breath explaining anything to you," Marcus said. He shifted his attention to Long, "Are you hurt?"

"No Sofu," Long said with a slight squeak in his voice yet he shivered with fear. "Scared though."

"That is understandable," he looked back to Blade. "Oi, you okay Blade?"

"Don't ye be worrying about me," the sawtooth said. "Ye need to get to yer family! Ye be needed there more."

He had no sooner said that when there was screaming that came from inside Masta's home. The screams made everyone who heard make their blood run cold and Long had buried his face into his grandfather's chest, clearly terrified. For Marcus, he knew because those screams made him remember something that had happened to him. "It can't be," he muttered, "It just can't be."

~~.~~.~~

Riptide was awake and resting being been given the antidote for the poison that was in his system. His breathing was better, which was a relief to Masta and his family. He felt sleepy yet for some reason he could not something was wrong and he slowly felt that strangeness beginning to awakening within him. The strange root had helped some but not all the poison was out and it was affecting him. His pulse was pounding louder and louder in his ears as it became harder to breathe. His vision became blurry just as he heard his grandfather yell, "Like hell, I'm letting you take my grandson, you bastard!"

Two ninjas slipped into the room and paused at the sight of Riptide. It was a fatal mistake. The white hybrid snapped as he went on the attack and the screams of the ninja filled the air and the home itself. Hearing their comrades more ninja rushed to help and froze at the sight before them. The white saw tooth had his teeth bared as he slowly advanced, gripping tightly to his kiribachi, his brown eyes reflected a wild madness and his dorsal fin was straight as it shivered. With a roar, the hybrid came charging. Riptide was among the ninja so fast they never knew what hit them.

Nami, Destiny, and Shen with Masta had heard and came rushing into the room. Nami saw him and her blood went cold. "Oh dear God," she said. "Not again. Please not again."

Masta blinked and he quickly moved all three women outside where Marcus and Blade were fighting for their lives. With a roar as Blade slammed straight into the ninjas. The old saw shark forced them back as Masta joined him in the fight. The ancient crab man like Herman held up his new formed claws looking more than ready to fight.

"Are ye sure ye are up to this?" Blade inquired as he and Masta stood side by side.

Masta cackle with laughter. "Back in my younger days, I was quite a fighter. I need the workout as well."

Seeing Nami, Marcus eased up the grip on Long who raced to his mother. "I haven't seen him like this since he was twelve and that time-," her voice stopped.

"What happened? Tell me!" Marcus was not liking this.

"Riptide-," Destiny said, but she couldn't even finish.

"We were attacked by some pirates one time and two of them found the children, but when he threatened to kill me ...Riptide attacked him," Nami said as she embraced her youngest son. "He killed him. Destiny and Long saw it. They were so frightened, but for Riptide it was worse. He's nothing like Arlong and yet he did something that only his father would do."

Marcus looked at Blade and Masta and realized they were in danger. "Get the hell out of there. Now," he screamed.

Masta had turned and seeing Riptide who came outside covered with blood, quickly shoved Blade aside as the hybrid came charging. Riptide was among the ninja so fast they never knew what hit them. Destiny buried her face in her hands as screams filled the air. Marcus had seen many things in his life before nothing like the carnage his own grandson now wrought. Armed with his kiribachi, Riptide cut them down as if they were nothing more than blades of grass.

"Hidden fury," Masta said. "Never have I seen it so stronger in anyone."

His words caught Nami's attention as it did with Blade. "Hidden fury? What is it?"

Marcus knew. He knew all too well. "Hidden fury is a very rare form of fury mode and not many of our race is born with it, but to see it in him," he shook his head. "It's far more dangerous."

"How is it more dangerous?" Blade asked.

"He has no control of it and with no control, he is no more than a rogue shark with a killing rage. The older he gets the more dangerous and unpredictable he will become."

Marcus' words alarmed Nami. "Please, is there any way we can help him?" She didn't want Riptide to become like his father.

"There is a way, but first we must get him under control and quickly," Marcus said.

Riptide had turned and fixed his gaze right at Ryder. His eyes narrowed as he snarled, moving toward the black tiger's direction. Marcus without thinking quickly got between Riptide and a terrified Ryder. His actions caused Riptide to pause. "Rip, you're not going to do it," he said.

"Stand aside," Riptide's voice was full of rage.

The mako wouldn't budge. "I won't!" He knew he was the only one who could stop Riptide from his uncontrollable fury.

Riptide snarled as he lunged at his grandfather who not only avoided him but the mako got behind him with unbelievable speed. The hybrid had turned just as Marcus slammed his shield into his chest which sent the young sawtooth a few feet back. He skidded on his back his breath knocked out of him. Riptide hadn't even moved when Marcus had him pinned down fast.

Masta blinked in disbelief and surprise. "I can not believe it," he said.

"What?" Blade asked.

"Marcus," the crab man said. "He is using Hidden Fury."

Blade looked at Marcus before he looked at Masta. "Wait, are you saying-,"

The old healer nodded. "Yes, Marcus appears to be using his own Hidden Fury."

"Then he can stop Riptide," Nami said as she watched the mako with hope.

~~.~~.~~

Ryder was still rattled by what he just witnessed and he was trying to decide what he should do when one of his surviving ninjas appeared by him with an unconscious Ruby over his shoulder. "What has happened?" The survivor asked his own eyes wide in horror.

"Hell," Ryder said. "Let us go before he spots us."

"But the white one-,"

Ryder glared at his ninja. "Forget the white one," he hissed. "If we stay any longer we will be joining the others in hell."

"What will you tell Stryker?"

"I do not know but I rather face my brother than that boy," Ryder said before he shook his head. "This white saw tooth is far stronger than we guessed. We better be more prepared if we are to capture him. Now let us leave."

Having witnessed the hell Riptide had wrought he turned and with his ninja, who still had Ruby vanished into the shadows.

~~.~~.~~

Marcus had wrapped his arms around Riptide holding the boy tightly to him. Riptide's fury combined with the poison that was slowly leaving his system was making it difficult to maintain his hold but he was determined to get his own grandson calm. He felt the wild pounding of Riptide's heart against his chest. This is Not Good! He's almost a rogue killer! What could have triggered this to have this come on?

He saw movement from the corner of his eye and to his own horror, he saw that Blade and the others were daring to approach. "All of you stay back!" he ordered. Nami had come to another step. "Damn it to hell, woman! I said stay the hell back!"

"I can-," Nami was on the verge of tears.

"Keep back," Marcus repeated the order firmly. "If he gets free, he will kill you."

Nami refused to accept what she was hearing. "No, he wouldn't," she said, shaking her head. "He didn't before."

"How old?"

She looked at Marcus who fighting more to keep Riptide under control. "What?"

"How old was he when this first happened?"

"He was twelve!"

Without warning, Riptide managed to get his footing and had shifted his weight so quickly that he twisted his body, slamming Marcus onto the ground. The impact caused his grip to loosen enough for the blood-drenched hybrid to get free. Brown eyes were locked upon Nami and she saw clearly the wildfire that was within them as her own son stood up facing her with teeth bared. She had her Sorcery Clima-Tact out, but the mere thought of using it against her own child was tearing her up inside and the mere thought of calling Zeus out was far worse.

"Mother!" Destiny and Long screamed seeing the danger their own mother was in.

"Nami, get clear," Shen yelled. "I'll-,"

"NO!" Nami's tone was loud and commanding. It made Riptide flinch hearing it. Nami saw the reaction and she knew her precious baby boy was still there. He would listen like the good son he was. "Rip, listen to me and you listen well do you hear me?" He gave no indication that he did, but Nami knew her son. She closed the space between them reaching out with a hand to rest in alongside his scar cheek.

"Listen to me, sweetie," she said. "You need to calm yourself, please. This isn't you and we all know this. You know this better than anyone here. What have you always told me since you were young? Do you remember?"

Marcus was more than ready to stop Riptide if he should try to attack his own mother, but what he was witnessing had no words. Nami knew her son better than anyone and to witness how much love she had for him, how much faith she put in him showed how strong her instincts were as a mother. 'She really knew how to handle him. I doubt her ability as a mother.'

Riptide heard his mother's voice and he focused on that alone. He didn't like the dark place he was at, it frightened him dearly. The smell and the taste of blood made him ill and he could feel his mother's touch. His legs felt so weak and he dropped to his hands and knees, breaking down. ''I'm a monster! Deep down I'm a monster like him. I'm like him a damn killer!''

"You're not a monster," Nami said. She was kneeling by him, her arms wrapped around, hugging him tightly. "Don't you ever think that."

"Mo...Mother," He was afraid to look at, afraid of what he might see in her eyes. His eyes shift to his left hand and he was horrified to see that his own skin was not white but red...red with blood. He brought his hand up and saw that blood went from his hand down his forearm. He felt his mother tightened her hold on him and he knew that she had seen, knew what he had done. He opened his mouth to scream but nothing came out. It couldn't.

"It wasn't your fault," his mother said.

How could she say that? He killed again but it was worse was it not? He was covered in blood, the blood of those whose lives he took. He became aware of another hugging him tightly not only him but his mother as well.

"Your mother speaks true," It was Marcus who held them both. "You had no control over your Hidden Fury so you can not blame yourself for the actions you have done."

"Hidden Fury," Riptide said his voice almost a whisper. "This strangeness I felt before was this Hidden Fury?"

He felt fingers curling under his chin lifting his head up until he meets the eyes of the man who was his grandfather. Brown eyes stared into orange eyes that reflected so much pain and guilt. "You and I are not so different," Marcus said. "We're both the same in a strange way."

"How?" Riptide asked.

"Because your Hidden Fury was passed on from me."

Well, talk about surprises. So the question now is can Marcus help Riptide learn to control his Hidden Fury? Like always Read and Review.