Last time, if you recall, Team Nevins had gone through a lot of torture in India, suffering a minor blow to one of their allies, Reginald Hadigan the 3rd, who was shot and killed by Birch Small, The Emperor. But now, with Rook recovered and out of the equation, still alive, Team Nevins tread onwards, heading North, on a set of wheels, leaving India, and to their next stop: Pakistan.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey, Steven Cooke and Mundy Gooden were heading back to New York, ending the bizarre moments in Jersey… or so they thought.
Aboard the BattleVan, Mundy was at the wheel, as Steven was groaning in pain. Mundy said, as he heard news from Scarlet, "The others are alright. Farra and Asahi are safe, while the rest of them are headed to Pakistan, the next stop."
Steven asked, "Does Farra miss me?"
"Probably… Something about her seemed odd. It was like she's a newer Farra, and not the fiery, bitchy one that I met, long ago."
"Figures. She's changed…"
Mundy was driving, only to feel concerned, looking at a car in front of the van. He asked, "Huh? The road's getting narrow… but… Why is that guy in front of us?"
He then sighed, "I'm gonna drive around it…"
He drove past the red car and called, "Drive normally, next time, mate! We have a proper etiquette for the rules of the road!"
Steven huffed, "You're rather polite…"
Mundy said, "Yeah… At least I'm not anger-induced, like you…"
Steven grumbles, and the pouts, "Just drive. We don't need any more trouble, today. Enzo Amore's on his own in Jersey, and I'm done being his handler. The sooner we meet the others in Cairo, once they arrive, the better."
Mundy stopped the van, and gasped, seeing a woman in long platinum blonde hair, wearing a black leather one-piece jumpsuit and jacket. She winked, as she hitched a ride to them. Mundy asked, "Hello… Who's this beautiful koala?"
Steven asked, as he viewed the window, "Who? Is that-?"
He grumbled, as the woman waved to him, "Oh, good fucking grief… The last person I want to see, at a time like this…"
The woman waved her long hair, and then giggled, "Sexy Steven~! My love… Long time, no see~! Got room for one more?"
Mundy asked him, "Eh? You know her?"
Steven huffed, "Long story… She wants a ride, fine. But if she's robbing us, kick her out."
Mundy said, "You Americans…"
The BattleVan drove pass her, as Mundy stopped. He called, "OI! Hop in the back door, love!"
The woman approached the back doors and opened them. She hopped in and said, "Wow… So roomy…"
Steven barked, "Shut up and sit down!"
Kandy sobbed, "Aw… You don't remember me? I'm Kandy Kane… You know? The woman that loves you…"
Steven huffed, "You're also the catalyst of why I am in a bad mood…"
He explained to Mundy everything, as they were driving off. However, the same red car was following them, far away from them. It continued to tail them, as the BattleVan was heading to New York.
Episode XXIX – Chapter 1: Gang's Road Rage!
The Wheel of Fortune!
Kandy said, "Look, jail time changed me, being I did kidnap you, back in Miyagami Academy. You never wrote to me, call me, or anything, since we're boyfriend and girlfriend. Sexy Steven, you are so rugged and muscular… despite that horrible scar on your chest. It's been four years, and you never spoke to me, or anything."
Steven growled, as Kandy jabbered on, telling that she misses him. But then, the car returned to the BattleVan, chasing after them. It honked its horn, as Steven huffed, "Hey, it's that car we passed. Looks like we cheesed him…"
Mundy sighed, "Fine… I'll let him pass."
He rolled the window down and signaled to the car to pass them. The red car went in front of them, as it started to slow down. Mundy groaned, as he was calm, "Come on… I let the bloke pass… So, why the hell is he slowing down?"
He called out, "OI! Mate, are you tired out? Pull over and rest a bit! Open road driving isn't for you!"
He sighed, "It's a good thing this van is an all-terrain four-wheel drive…"
Steven said, "He's probably angry that you drove passed him. Did you get a look at the asshole?"
Mundy said, "No. The windows were like mirrors. I believe they were covered in thick dust. Couldn't see a thing."
"Neither can I. Could be… but be careful…"
The red car rolled its window down, as an arm was sticking out, waving to Mundy. He said, "Huh? Now he wants me to pass. Maybe he knows that he's too tired, or how shitty his car is."
Kandy said, "We can go past him. The guy has a bad car."
The van drove past the car again. But as it went in front of the car, a huge white semi appeared from the other side of the road, heading towards them. Mundy cried, "WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?"
Steven cried, "NO USE! HANG ON!"
They buckled up, as the BattleVan took a sharp right, passing the giant truck.
CRASH!
Unfortunately, it managed to smash onto the left side of their vehicle, demolishing the headlights and fender. The BattleVan flew off, about to crash, but Mundy slammed the button on the wheel, and it flew off into a huge circle. The van landed on its wheels, as Mundy gasped, "That was close! That semi almost crushed us, but thanks to my expert tech on this vehicle, we would've been demolished."
Steven said, "Obviously. It could be some annoying sick bastard, or one of the Spirit Users. That guy that signaled to us… I believe he wants us dead."
Mundy barked, "I'm going with BOTH the former and latter here! Of course, he's one of MIO's lackeys!"
He looked at the window and said, "Well, minor damage, but what about the truck? No one is around, but we'll be able to head back to New York and have this big guy repaired."
Steven smirked, "Easy. Steven Cooke says that the BattleVan needs repairs. Leave the huge truck, and pretend we never saw it."
"Eh?"
"Simple as that. Apparently, no one was around… We're off the hook, for now…"
Kandy blushed, as she was amazed, "He's so cooooooool~…"
XXXXX
On the interstate, Steven and Mundy were headed to the New York-New Jersey border. Mundy said, as he was about to go through, "Well, I'll explain to the guy at the gate that we had an accident. And flying off in this huge tank is out. That truck ruptured a bit on the flight engine. Can't fix it, right now…"
Kandy said, "OH! A roadside garage!"
She pointed at a huge garage and said, "I passed that, after my chopper was having a flat… It should be done, by then."
Steven said, "Great. We'll stop here, and then get a bite to eat. Steven Cooke needs an appetite, and hopefully ignore the road-rashed road hog."
They brought the van into the garage, as Mundy was explaining the story of their van in a huge fender bender. The mechanic said that it's possible to fix the chrome and engine, but it will take some time.
Mundy stepped out, only to see a red car, parked in the parking lot. He cried, "AH! IT'S HIM!"
Steven said, "You stay here. I'll deal with this bastard. Come along…"
He and Kandy head off, as Mundy asked, "HEY! Why me?"
Steven said, "You built the BattleVan. The mechanic may ask you a question about the vehicle…"
Mundy paused, and said, "Uh… okay…"
He asked the mechanic, "OI! Who parked that red car there?"
The mechanic said, "I don't know, sir. I have never seen it before…"
Mundy thought, "Bloody hooligan… He's messing with us… But then there is but one option…"
The car revved, as Steven and Kandy stopped. The arm stuck out, as it started to spew black ominous smoke. It drove away, as Steven asked, "He drove away? What's going on?"
Kandy whispered, "It could be some sort of madman… but… That man has no sense of manners on the road."
She hugged Steven, as he growled, "Poor pathetic bastard…"
Mundy said, "That dumbass… He thinks he can be so arrogant?"
He called to a man in a blue SUV, "Excuse me, sir? We're commandeering your vehicle. Someone is tailing us, and we need to get to the bottom of this!"
A man in a business suit and blonde slick hair pleaded, "Uh, no! I need to get to a job interview in one hour!"
Mundy said, "I'll charter a cabbie for you! I'm sorry, but it's an emergency!"
The man shouted, "WAIT! My car isn't insured!"
Steven barked, "MUNDY!"
He said, as he replied, "That's not how you commandeer a vehicle… Leave the poor guy alone."
The man smiled, as he said thanks to Steven. But…
He glared at him, "OUT!"
The man cried out in fright, and jetted out of his car. Kandy stopped the man and gave him money, "I'm so sorry… Here. You'll make it. Forgive my boyfriend. He can be so intimidating… it arouses me…"
The man asked, in confusion, "Huh?"
XXXXX
After that, they decided to leave the BattleVan in the garage, and took the SUV to follow the suspicious red car that was following them. Mundy said, as he was behind the wheel, chasing the car, "Bugger! For a scrap heap, it got some great mileage…"
They arrived at the fork in the road, as the car took a right turn. They took a huge turn into a mountainside, as Mundy growled, "Strange car… I am going to give him the biggest ticket ever… Running a red light, agitating an ICPO agent…"
They made a sharp turn and saw a huge spot with a bridge on the other side. However, the huge mountain plateau has no road left.
"A DEAD END!" Mundy shrieked, "WE RAN OUT OF ROAD!"
He stopped the car and was going out of control. The SUV stopped, nearing a huge cliff, almost sending them flying off to their death. Mundy asked if he flew off the cliff. But then…
SMASH!
The car rammed the SUV from behind, as Steven yelled, "IT'S HIM! He's trying to push us off the road!"
Mundy snarled, "Smarmy bastard! That punk was trying to kill us! How the hell did he get behind us? DAMN IT! IT'S LIKE FIGHTING A TANK!"
The red car was easily pushing the SUV off the cliff.
He cried, "WE HAVE NO CHOICE! JUMP OUT, NOW!"
Kandy yelled, "YOU'RE MAD! You cannot step out, without the rest of us! You have to hold down the brakes!"
Mundy gasped in horror, "uh… Sorry…"
The red car rammed the SUV, and the huge car was sent flying off into the chasm, below. The driver in the red car snickered, as Mundy roared, "HIEROPHANT SNIPER!"
He held up his rifle and stuck in a hook and rope. Steven yelled, "IDIOT! You can't kill the bastard, while we're on death's door!"
Mundy said, "Apparently, we had this talk before. I'm used to survival, even when I use my newfound powers. I'm NOT a fool!"
He shot out the hook, and it latched onto the red car's bumper. The SUV was hanging on, as Steven said, "I get it! You shot out rope, using the car's winch, instead of ammunition. I gotta say… You're good. But I have to ask…"
He stepped out of the car and headed to rope, "YOU LIKE SUMO? ESPECIALLY DEADLOCKS FROM OUTSIDE THE RING? IT'S EXCITING, HUH?"
He grabbed the rope and pulled really hard, "DIVINE MOON!" and easily pulled the red car off the cliff, with a massive right kick. But the mass and weight of the car suddenly sent the SUV flying, and heading back into the road. The red car, however, was removed of its tether, and plummeted down below.
KABOOM!
The car fell to its fiery end, as Mundy said, "Yeah. I'm a fan of it. But in Sumo, it's against the rules to punch and kick your opponents."
They stepped out and viewed the huge fiery debris. Steven said, "He's all show… but… He was just a guy with an axe to grind."
Kandy said, "Yes… But still, how did he get all the way behind us? Was he a magician?"
The radio spoke, as it was the driver of the red car, "Actually, little lady, it's not a trick! I was able to do it, because of my Stand, A-Fist!"
They gasped, as Steven cried, "THE RADIO!"
Mundy yelled, "IMPOSSIBLE! He knows Steven's name, so that confirms it. He's a Stand User!"
The driver called out, "BEHOLD! THE WHEEL! OF! FORTUNE! My Stand will lead you to your maker!"
Steven growled, "The Wheel of Fortune?!"
The cliffs began to rumble, as Steven asked, "Now what? I have a bad feeling about it."
Mundy cried, "Everyone! Back to the car!"
Steven yelled, "NO! DON'T GO IN THERE! IT'LL KILL US!"
Mundy asked, "Wait… If that is the case… Then, that means…"
Kandy cried, "HE'S BELOW US!"
The Wheel of Fortune, the red car, emerged from the ground, and smashed through the SUV, coated in a black aura. The others were in shock, as the car burrowed up to the ground.
Mundy said, "I think it's pretty obvious that the car is his Stand, and the User is the driver."
The car started to bulge and contort, turning into a huge roadster with spikes on the hubcaps, and a blood red metallic coating on the paintjob.
"WHAT THE WHAAAAAAA?" Steven cried.
Mundy gasped, "NOW what is it doing?"
Kandy cried, "It's like the car's alive!"
The roadster headed straight for them, as Steven prepared to fight, "Okay… I'm going to fight it! Maybe I'll find its weakness!"
But as he prepared, his arms suddenly get shot and was bleeding from his small holes. Steven growled, "Damn! I didn't see it…"
Kandy cried, "SEXY STEVEN!"
Steven moaned, "What was that? How did he get the jump at me?"
The driver cackled, "BWAH, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA! Don't even know what hit you, eh? You'll soon find out, the moment you CROAK, THAT IS!"
The car leapt off, and head straight for Steven. Mundy pushed him out of the way, but is stung by the same thing as does Steven. He cried, "AAAAGH! GODDAMN! WHAT DID HE HIT ME WITH?"
Kandy screamed, "AAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
He, too, was wounded. He growled, "Bastard! That guy shot me with something, but I cannot see what it was!"
Steven said, "I don't know what it was, but he's got good aim."
The car headed towards him, as the driver jeered, "I'll pulverize your legs, so you won't escape! And that way, you cannot use your flimsy kicks at me! BECAUSE I'M RUNNING YOU OVER!"
Kandy shrieked, "EVERYONE! RUN BETWEEN THE BOULDERS!"
They ran off, as Wheel of Fortune was chasing after them. They ducked into the rocks, but the car, suddenly moving and contorting, was digging its way through. The driver shouted, "WHAT'S THE MATTER? Why are you running away? What are you, roaches?!"
Mundy cried, "That freak! He's like a sort of idiotic, demonic car, on a hellish road rage!"
Steven roared, "JUST KEEP RUNNING!"
They kept running, as Kandy tripped down. She was on the ground, as Wheel of Fortune was heading closer. Kandy sobbed, "Ow… HUH? IT'S COMING CLOSER!"
She cried out, "SEXY STEVEN! MR. MUNDY! WAIT! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME HERE! I CAN'T KEEP UP!"
She bawled, "ALRIGHT, I'M SORRY THAT I KIDNAPPED YOU, AND I'M SORRY YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING TO ME, BECAUSE OF THIS! I WAS JUST LONELY, AND I WAS IN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT, LONG AGO! NOW, I'M GOING TO DIE!"
Steven suddenly appeared, as he grabbed Kandy's arm, "Bite your tongue, you bitch…"
Kandy asked, "Steven?"
He held her, and they started to climb up, "If you would've said something, just run away."
Kandy bawled, as she was happy, "I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, SEXY STEVEN!" and cried on his bare chest.
Minutes later, they headed back up to the top of the cliff, as the driver called from down below, "GO AHEAD AND CLIMB! There's no path for you to take! No way to escape, no way to survive, and most importantly, NO FUTURE! And that's because this Wheel of Fortune is going to grind you into mincemeat!"
The tires sprouted up spikes, like metal cleats. Mundy cried, "WHAT IS THAT THING? IT'S INHUMANE!"
The driver called, as it was driving up, "I'll splatter your bodies in blood red, all over me, and paint the roads red with your guts!"
Mundy roared, "PERSISTENT BASTARD!"
Steven growled, "Is there anything this car can't do?"
He called, "The rest of you stay back. He's mine. When he climbs up, his underside will be bare. Then we'll see just how strong he is."
Mundy and Kandy escaped, as Steven prepared to fight. The car appeared, as the driver called out, "You may be faster than me, but not too bright. Your body reeks, and you haven't noticed? Try paying attention!"
He gasped, as Mundy sniffled himself, "Come to think of it… He shot us with a mysterious weapon… But…"
He remembered, as he cried, "YOU'RE KIDDING ME?! He shot gasoline at us?! We reek of an old gas station!"
Kandy barked, "WE?! I didn't get coated in gas!"
The car shone in a red aura, as he shot out more droplets of gasoline. Kandy cried, "OF COURSE! You guys got shot by gasoline drops, at fast speed, like they were BBs! Incredible!"
Mundy cried, "So, he wasn't shooting us to death! We're covered in this stuff! And I believe I noticed something!"
The driver called, "Looks like you finally caught on, but it's faaaaaaaaaaar toooooo laaaaate! At least, for YOU, at least! Now, all you need is A LITTLE JOLT!"
He held up the side mirror, ripping it out, as it sparked electricity from the wires. The spark ignited onto Steven, setting ablaze. Kandy shrieked, as Steven was caught on fire.
Mundy cried, "STEVEN! HANG ON, BLOKE!"
Kandy yelled, "NO! DON'T GO CLOSER TO HIM! YOU'RE COATED WITH GASOLINE, TOO!"
The driver cackled, "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I WIN! THE FIVE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR BOUNTY IS MINE! AND THEN SOME! TRIPLE H MADE THE BOUNTY ON YOU, WHILE LORD NEVINS PAID ME TO OUST YOU GUYS IN NEW YORK! THE VALIANT A-FIST, THE MAN WITH THE HEART SCAR, HAS FINALLY BITTEN THE DUST!"
He cackled, as Steven was burning alive, turning into charred skin. He laughed heroically, as Steven Cooke was finally burned away, killed by fire and his corpse set ablaze.
"Really?" A voice called, "Hey, Mr. Narrator, if I die, who will replace Steven Cooke?"
The driver gasped in shock, as Steven emerges from the ground, smashing his fist out. He called out, "Lemme guess! Steven Cooke is replaced by you, you road-hog!"
The driver shrieked, "WHAAAAT? YOU'RE ALIVE?! YOU BURROWED INTO THE GROUND, WHEN YOU WERE ON FIRE! So, the only thing that was burning was your shirt!"
Steven smirked, "Look who finally caught on. A little parting wisdom."
He got out of the ground, and continued, "Remember your theory on paths and roads? You're dead wrong. In life, you forged your own path. No one can do it for you, so I'll offer you some guidance."
The driver shivered in fear, as Steven was shining in a gold aura, "But first, you have to go through a little pain! Let's send this R-S-T-L-N-E A-Hole to the COMPACTOR!"
He roared, bulging his bare muscular chest, and rammed a barrage of punches to the Wheel of Fortune.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAH-ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH-ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA!"
Kandy cried, "GO, SEXY STEVEN!"
The driver roared, as his car was being crushed into a crumpled pile of scrap, "I'M… I'M BEING CRUSHED!"
Steven resumed his punching, "ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA! WAH-TAAAAAAAAA!"
He slammed one final punch onto the car, and the driver is sent flying out of the driver's seat, and into the ground, leaving behind a huge dirt skid.
"Hokuto! Hundred Fist Rush!"
Steven smirked, as he exhaled, "That… is how it's done. And you just paved your own path. Congrats on being a fast learner. But it's pretty obvious, being a road rage Stand User, like you. Here ends the lesson."
The driver reveals to be a skinny guy in huge muscular arms, and a potbelly, with black hair and dark skin. He was wearing dirty clothes, and he was shocked in fear. He shrieked, as Mundy asked, "Odd lad… His arms are the size of a bodybuilder's, but his entire body is frail and skinny. Talk about a bluff."
The driver crawled away, as he was frightened. But Steven caught him, slamming his foot onto his back. He then said, flashing his badge, "If you really work for Steven Nevins… or one of The Authority's hired goons, you're under arrest."
The driver pleaded, "AAAAAAGH! Please, don't kill me! I was only following orders! I just did it for the money! I SURRENDER! HONEST!"
Mundy and Kandy laughed, as the driver's car suddenly changed back to normal, into a small red compact, though with a plethora of dents and scratches, thanks to Steven Cooke's onslaught.
Mundy giggled, "Oh, look at that. His Stand is now nothing more than a small red convertible. Kinda reminds me of sheep, back in Sydney. We have a bunch of sheepherders that shear their wool off, all for resource. What a pathetic hunk of junk~!"
They laughed, as Steven grabbed the driver's neck. He said, "I am NOT going to kill you… I said, you're under arrest."
[Wheel of Fortune – Retired]
XXXXX
Moments later, the driver that rode his now-retired Stand, was chained down to a rock, bent backwards, and stuck tight. He gagged, not saying a clear word, as Steven placed a sign onto the rock.
"Cy-Bo-Div,
Pick up this road rage Stand User, and have him incarcerated. But be careful with him. He's on a "Journey of Guidance", and does not wished to be disturbed.
From AAW-New York"
Steven said, "It'll be long enough, before Yakumo arrives with the cadets, and take this road hog away. He's not going anywhere now."
Mundy said, "Well, then, we should head back to the garage, and pick up the BattleVan. We'll take his car, now that it's retired. Only fair, since he destroyed ours. I'll drive."
The driver cried, "HELP! HELLLP!"
They drove away, as Steven said, "That reminds me, you have to leave, too…"
Kandy sobbed, "WHAT? WHY?"
"Your bike is in the shop, right?"
"Yeah, so?"
"I am on-duty. I don't need you to hound at me, all day long."
"AW, NO! I wanna go with you!"
"I SAID, SHUT UP! You're the LAST person I want to stay with! Now's not the right time, okay?"
They continued to argue, as Mundy sighed, "Such youth, and young love…"
BANG!
The motor and vehicle made banging sounds, as Mundy groaned, "Uhhhhh… If they keep arguing, this car may die… I don't blame you, mate. We might not even make it back to New York, by then."
As they drove away, the driver hollered out, still chained down.
"HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLP!"
Back in Egypt, Enyama was crying in the middle of the room, bawling and screaming in tears.
She hollered, "IT CAN'T BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! ALL MY SEVEN ASSASSINS HAVE BEEN DEFEATED! THE GANG IS NOW THE DEATH OF ME! HOW COULD THEY BE CRUSHED LIKE THIS, SO EASILY? THE SHAME! I CANNOT BEAR TO FACE LADY MIO OR LORD NEVINS!"
She banged her head on the floor and hollered out, "DAMN YOU! GODDAMN YOU! CURSE YOU, YAMABUKI SUOU! CURSE YOU, HEATHER DUNN! CURSE YOU, ASAHI SAKURAI, FARRA STEVENS, AND THE ANDROID! CURSE A-FIST, PRINCETON, MICHELLE NEVINS, AND THE REST OF THEIR WRETCHED RECKLESS VIPERS!"
She ran off and shrieked, "GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I, ENYAMA RUMIN, WILL BE YOUR NEXT AND FINAL OPPONENT! I WILL FIGHT WITH MY VERY OWN SPIRIT CALLER, THE STAND OF JUSTICE!"
Oh, boy… With the seven assassins bested, all that's left is Enyama's Spirit Caller.
We were focused on Steven and Mundy that we never saw how the others fared. Next chapter, we see how Asahi is doing with Myu Momochi, and her Spirit Caller, The Lovers.
To be continued…