Chapter 10 – Final Fight
(Penultimate chapter, people! Glad you've enjoyed it so far. Thanx 4
reviewing before – please do so again!)
Piranha waited.
"Right," Kell said. "I'll come help you set up. See you later, Cube.
Onishima ain't getting his hands on you. You're staying here."
"Oh, still my beating heart," Cube snapped.
The door opened and shut, and Piranha heard Cube sigh.
Carefully, she opened the cupboard door, and stepped out, praying no
one was watching them.
"You okay?" she whispered to Cube, who had gone pale.
"How – how did you –"
"I'll explain later." Piranha dashed round to the heating pipe and began
untying Cube's wrists from it, glancing at the other girl as she did so. Cube's
eyes were red, there were cuts on her face and several burn marks on her neck
and arms, but she seemed unharmed apart from that.
"Quick." She led Cube across to the cupboard. "Get in."
"Huh?"
"Push the back. There's a secret passage. Hurry!"
She stepped in after Cube, carefully closing the cupboard door behind
her, and then they set off up the stairs again.
Cube giggled as they walked. "I can't wait to see Kell's face."
"Hey, cool it. We're not out of the woods yet."
They reached the exit, wriggled out of the passage, and then crept back
onto the balcony. Below them the hall seemed empty.
"What's she planning?" Piranha mouthed.
Cube shrugged.
They waited.
Then the main door opened, and Beat crept in. He looked quickly
around, then nodded, and the other GGs followed him. All except Mew.
Piranha wondered where she was, but she didn't dare break the silence.
The GGs had reached the middle of the floor. They were looking round
whispering among themselves.
"Should we go down there?" Cube mouthed. Piranha shook her head.
Where were all the Love Shockers?
"I don't like it," she whispered. "It's too quiet…"
The shadows on the concrete floor were moving.
And then someone yelled, "Lights!"
Far up in the darkness that was the ceiling, white industrial bulbs fizzed
into life.
"Camera!"
Kell's voice.
The shadows had retreated into the corners. Beat and the other GGs
stood in a cluster like reluctant actors on an empty stage. Piranha squinted at
the darkness in the corners of the floor. Where there figures standing down
there?…
"Come out and show yourselves, you bunch of whores!" Gum yelled up
at the dark balconies.
"Gladly! Action!"
There was a puff of pink smoke from above them, and the Love
Shockers – five of them – leapt from the highest balcony, flipped over, and
landed neatly on their feet in front of the GGs. (One girl landed on her butt,
but we'll ignore that.)
Kell and Beat stood facing each other, she with hands on her hips and
smug smile, he with arms folded and a glare on his face.
"What do you want, GG?"
"Give us back our gang member."
"Why should I?"
"Because if you don't…" Beat began shaking his spray can. "You'll be
the one derudiefied around here."
"Oh, really."
Yes, there were definitely figures, waiting in the corners. But Piranha
was pretty sure all the Love Shockers were out in the open. Who could it be?
"Go on," Beat said. "Where's Cube?"
"Maybe you should ask him that," Kell said, gesturing to a corner. At
the same time another Love Shocker skated over and flicked on more lights.
Onishima, plus what looked like all the Keisatsu in Tokyo-to, was
standing there. And the smile on his face made that on Kell's look half-hearted
and gloomy.
"You sneak!" Gum yelled. "You cow! You traitor! You –"
Kell laughed. "What's your problem, GG? Can't handle a little healthy
competition?"
"You made a deal with him?" Beat said. "How'd you do it? Bribery?"
"You could say that," Kell said, and grinned at Onishima, who glared at
her. "Anyway…any last words, GGs? I heard Cube's. They weren't exactly
eloquent."
Piranha saw Slate go pale, and heard a crash as Combo dropped his
ghetto-blaster.
"No? Oh, well, then." She surveyed her troops, and then called,
"Attack!"
Mew sat in Noise Tank HQ, trying to ignore the whispering behind her as the
other Noise Tanks worked.
"Anything on the radio yet?" she called.
Her Noise Tank shook his head. "Not yet."
Mew sighed, and clicked on her own radio. 'Recipe For The Perfect
Afro' was playing, and she longed to turn it up louder, to drown out the voices
she could hear.
But it was no good.
"Such a bimbo…listen to that voice! Did you hear what she did…I was
there…she was such a pathetic Noise Tank it's unbelievable…"
Shut up, Mew thought. Just shut up and leave me alone. She bit down
on her lower lip, remembering how she'd once yelled that at her parents.
"Okay, I've done it!" her Noise Tank shouted. He'd taken off his mask,
and Mew had been surprised to realise he was quite good looking.
"Done what, Gamma?" someone replied.
"I've managed to hack into your friend's wrist recorder," he said,
addressing Mew. "Listen up…"
There was a hiss of static, and then they heard someone whispering, "I
don't like it. It's too quiet."
Mew recognised Piranha's voice.
Hiss for a second, then "Lights!"
"Huh?" a Noise Tank said. "Making a movie?"
"Ssh," said Gamma.
"Camera!"
Mew heard Gum shout, "…and show yourselves, you bunch of whores!"
"Gladly!" It was the voice of the Love Shocker who'd tried to scar her.
Mew shuddered. "Action!"
They heard the sound of skates clacking onto concrete.
"I've got to get there!" Mew gasped, getting to her feet. "I've gotta help
them!"
"Why? You can't do anything," someone said nastily.
"Well, I can try." And I wouldn't stay here anyway, she added silently.
"I'll come too," Gamma said. He looked round the rest of the Noise
Tanks. "Come on, guys. You may hate the GGs, but the Love Shockers have
gone too far this time!"
"No way," said a Noise Tank. "No point."
"Fine," Gamma snapped. "I'll go alone." He took Mew's hand and led
her to the door. "Cowards."
Outside the air was icy and the Benten-cho traffic growled above them.
"I'm sorry," Mew said. "I guess I should go alone."
"No way. I've seen you puke, get shot in the leg and shriek at my
driving. We're bonded now."
Mew laughed. "Prove it."
He leaned forward and kissed her. Mew felt heat rise up inside her, and
closed her eyes.
"Okay," she said at last. "You proved it."
"Great. Now let's go."
(A/N – NoiseTank13, I did like Beta and Mew's relationship and considered
putting him in here but I decided that they have too much of a history for me to
incorporate him into this fic, so I made up a new Noise Tank. Hope you don't
mind!)
Cube watched in horror as each Love Shocker raised a gleaming knife in one
hand, and a paint can in the other. The cops hefted their truncheons, and
Onishima whirled his gun around his head and laughed.
How could she have slept with him? Cube wondered.
And then she realised what to do.
"Hey, everyone! Listen up!" she shouted, rushing to the edge of the
balcony.
Kell glanced up, and her mouth fell open. "You – how the hell did you
do that?"
"I've got news for you Love Shockers! And the cops as well!" Cube
heard her voice echoing into the depths of the hall. "Do you know the reason
why Kell's got Onishima on her side?"
She saw Onishima stop, glancing at Kell in fury. The Love Shocker
leader's eyes narrowed.
"She slept with him and then used it to blackmail him so that he'd help
her destroy the GGs! Love Shockers, your leader's a cop-lover! And Keisatsu,
he was stupid enough to let her in the first place!"
"She's lying!" Kell and Onishima both said.
"No, she's not!" Beat yelled. "I heard the entire conversation you two
had. Cube transmitted it to us!"
"That is gross," whispered Piranha.
"Come on, Love Shockers, why are you supporting her? Remember
San!" Cube clenched her fists, willing them to listen. "Remember how Kell
threatened you in the bus terminal? And now she could sell you all out if she
wanted, and she will one day! She loves power, you must know that! And
she's got it over all of you!"
"And remember Alex?" Piranha suddenly shouted. "Ever wondered
what happened to your old leader?"
Kell looked up at them both, her features contorted into hate.
"Yeah…what did happen to Alex?" a Love Shocker said. "Kell, you
told us she got caught by the cops…"
"She's in this building! Kell's got her locked in an old office!
Sometimes when she's feeling bored, she'll go mutilate her a bit!"
The Love Shockers were looking at Kell in disgust, moving away from
her.
"Why are you listening to them?" Kell shouted. "Two dumb
GGs…they're lying, and even if they weren't, so what? I was trying to help
you! I was trying to get them –" she pointed to the GGs – "out of the way.
And so was he!"
She indicated Onishima, who shouted back at her, "Don't bring me into
it! All I wanted to do was catch a few rudies, okay?"
"You know, we're gonna have to work on the difference between 'catch
a rudie,' and 'fuck a rudie,'" muttered a cop.
"Oh, shut up!" Onishima fired his gun into the air. "Anyway, what are
we waiting for? Nab'em all!"
"Yeah, come on, girls!" Kell appealed to her gang.
There was silence from both groups, and then finally a Love Shocker
threw down her knife and paint and said, "Give it a break, Kell. I'm not gonna
smush the GGs now. At least they're not cheating."
"Yeah," said another one. "Sorry, but you are so low."
All the Love Shockers threw down their weapons, and walked away.
Kell growled. Cube heard it echo round the hall and shivered. Then,
quick as a snake, she stabbed out at Beat, who dropped back, then she leapt,
and ground along the first balcony rail.
Gum screamed, and Cube saw her face was dead-white. She dropped
down next to Beat. The other GGs clustered around him, but he got up, blood
dripping from the cut on his face, and said, "I'm fine. Let's get her!"
They did so. But Kell already had a head start. Laughing, she reached
the next set of stairs, and skidded up the banister. Now she was on the same
level as Piranha and Cube.
"Right," Piranha murmured, shaking her own can of spray paint. "It's
payback time."
Cube wished she had some paint with her, but no luck. As Kell shot
past them, Piranha's arm flew out and tagged her back.
Kell stopped, jumped off the rail, and turned to face the two girls. Cube
felt fear creeping up her throat. She felt Piranha grip her arm.
"You'll pay for that," Kell said, her voice deadly.
"Oh, I'm so frightened." Piranha's voice was steady, though her fingers
dug into Cube's skin. "Don't bother. I know you, and Cube's right. You are
just a warped Kogane kid."
Below them the other GGs stopped. The cops were looking up,
listening.
Cube saw Kell's eyes click to her, and then the Love Shocker hissed,
"What's the matter, GG? Scared?"
"I'm not scared of you," Cube said, wishing she could believe it.
"Well, you should be." Kell dragged out her own knife. "You can't
even skate."
Cube watched as Kell came towards her, and remembered hands,
touching her body, scratching, stroking…
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" she screamed, and punched Kell so hard
her knuckles ached.
Kell flew backwards, and landed on the ground. She got to her feet, eye
already becoming purple, and said, "Big mistake."
"I don't fucking care!" Cube shouted. "I have had it with you!"
Her hands ached with anger. "You go around hurting and hitting and
scaring people and I am sick of it! Come near me again and I'll break your
face!"
Kell actually looked slightly surprised. This was nothing to the look on
her face when Yo-Yo finally reached the balcony, dashed up and tagged her.
She whirled, sliced him across the face, leapt back onto the rail, and ground
away.
"Get after her!" Yo-Yo yelled, panting, rubbing blood across his face.
"Tag her to hell! Yo! I…I think I'm gonna black out…"
Piranha stayed to look after him, Cube ran on, feet pounding on the
metal floor. Behind her she could feel the vibrations as the other GGs reached
the balcony. Kell had got to the steps. Cube forced her aching legs to move
faster, but the night had taken its toll, and she was losing speed.
But then she saw Garam dash round towards Kell in the other direction
– as she tried to climb the steps he threw himself forward, grabbed her round
the waist and tagged her back. She twisted his wrist viciously and then kicked
him away, but she'd been slowed down. Cube ran on.
Now there were six GGs in the chase – Cube, Combo, Slate, Beat, Gum
and Tab. They were on the top balcony. As Kell made for the door Cube and
Piranha had come in by, Tab reached her, tagged her – she stabbed out and
caught him in the shoulder. He dropped back, and fell to his knees.
Kell ran through the door and slammed it behind her.
"Damn!" Beat kicked it. "She's locked us out."
"Like hell she has." Gum wrestled with the doorknob. Finally there
was a crunch, and the door swung open. The GGs crept into the shadowy
corridor.
Mew stood at the bottom of the fire escape. "Right. This looks like the place."
"How'd you find it?"
"Piranha told us the route." Mew gripped the rusty banister. "Let's go."
Up and up they crept. Mew's leg started to ache, and she felt queasy as
she looked at the blood seeping through the sheet. Below them Shibuya-cho
dwindled into a maze of lights.
Finally they reached the door, and crept into the building. Mew looked
around the corridor, and gasped as she spotted the GGs – well, some of them –
clustered at the other end. They all had spray paint cans and murderous
expressions.
There was a large cupboard on her other side. Mew looked around,
wondering what was going on. She walked towards it. Gamma whispered,
"Careful…"
Mew saw the shadow thrown onto the floor. A spiky-haired, vicious
looking shadow. A shadow thrown by a girl who was standing right next to
her.
She turned as she heard a voice yell, "You need another scar?", saw the
knife glitter as it bit into her face, and then she grabbed a paint can, dodged
under Kell's arm, and jammed her finger down on the nozzle as hard as she
could.
There was a hiss of paint, and Kell snarled like a dog. Mew felt hands
grab her shoulders, push her back against the cupboard, and then there was a
thud, and black pain spread through her skull as her eyes closed.
Gum shivered as Mew went limp. The Love Shocker dropped her on the floor,
rubbed her hands on her shorts, and then sped on. The GGs sped after her.
Gum noticed a Noise Tank bending over Mew, but most of her attention was
occupied with Kell.
The Love Shocker reached a door at the other end of the corridor,
struggled with the handle. Combo reached her first this time, and tagged her.
Gum grinned. How many was it now? She couldn't remember. But it was
payback enough.
Kell hissed at him, "Too scared to punch a lady?"
"You ain't no lady," Combo said. He casually leaned over, holding the
door shut.
Kell stabbed the knife into his stomach.
"Damn," Combo muttered as she wrenched it out again. Blood spots
pattered onto the floor. But he kept holding the door.
The other GGs had reached it.
"You can't just box me in," Kell said. "It has to be a chase."
"You didn't play fair," Slate said. "Why should we?"
She sneered at him even as he tagged her. Gum got ready to follow suit,
but then Combo dropped to his knees, let go of the door – and Kell dashed out
of it.
"Get after her!" Slate yelled. "I'll take care of him."
Cube looked back, but only for a second, then hurried out onto the roof.
Outside it was cold, and the wind whipped at Gum's face as she stepped
onto the roof. Far below she could see the silent roofs of Shibuya-cho. It
seemed a long way down.
Kell stood there, on top of the flat concrete roof, a smile on her face.
"Come on, GGs," she called. "I already put seven of you out of action.
I can deal with you three."
"Like hell you can!" shouted Gum.
"You can't tag me," Kell taunted her. "You shouldn't be wearing those
skates. You're an ex-rudie. How pitiful is that?"
Gum charged forward, clutching the paint can so hard her knuckles
ached. She grabbed Kell's shirt, and growled, "Give me one good reason why
I shouldn't break your face."
"Don't bother. You're not a rudie. Even if you tagged me twenty times
it wouldn't make any difference."
Gum's mouth dropped open. "You sneaky little –"
"Temper, temper," Kell purred.
"Uh-oh," Beat muttered to Cube. "She shouldn't have said that…"
They were both keeping back.
"FUCK YOU!" Gum screamed, rage building behind her eyes. She
drew back her free hand and punched Kell in the face. The Love Shocker was
knocked back, her nose bleeding, but then she brought up the hand holding the
knife, and stabbed out. Gum took it half on her paint can, half on her arm. She
let go of Kell, and the two rudies circled each other like enemy alley cats.
"Come on," Kell taunted. "You scared?"
"Of a Love Shocker? In your dreams!" Gum shook the can, hardly
noticing the blood soaking into her sleeve. "You see this can? I'm gonna
break your skull with it!"
"I'm so scared." Kell stood, arms folded. "Whatever you do to me you
still won't be a rudie."
"I don't care. I don't have to be a rudie to kill you."
"No more skating," Kell said, stepping carefully to the edge of the roof.
"No more tagging. No more Jet Set Radio."
"I can do all that stuff now."
"Yeah, because you're screwing the leader. We all know you're not a
rudie really."
"At least I didn't screw Onishima! No rudie does that!"
"It worked, didn't it? The trouble with you GGs is you're weak."
"Yeah, right."
"You are! Everyone knows it. And you're the weakest of all. Strutting
around in a mini skirt thinking you're as good as the guys." She snorted. "Oh,
please."
Gum charged towards, hardly able to breathe for rage. But even as she
tried to grab Kell, the Love Shocker sidestepped –
And Gum felt herself begin to fall.
Beat threw himself forward. "Nooooo!"
Gum fell.
As he passed Kell, he tagged her twice, and yelled, "One for me and one
for her!"
Then he jumped onto the fire escape a few metres away, and skimmed
down the banisters.
Cube realised that she was the only one left, and her heart began to thud
in her ears.
"Well, looks like it's just you and me," Kell said, coming towards her.
"And I do believe you've got the last chance left to tag me. Just so you realise
what's at stake, if you fail I'll kill you. Then I will go back down and find your
friends. I will kill them too. The GGs will be kaput, and it'll be all your fault."
Cube's fingers tightened on the spray paint can Beat had given her, but
she couldn't think. Her brain was frozen with fear. How could she tag Kell?
She didn't even have skates.
And Kell had the knife. Cube bit back fear.
Kell began skating around her, closer and closer. Cube's neck tingled so
much that it ached. She felt her breathing speed up. Soon she'd start choking
and then Kell would get her and then – oh, god, what was she gonna do?
Fight.
As she felt the Love Shocker's hands brush down her back, the fury
came back, and she whirled, sprayed out – Kell dodged, laughing, as the paint
speckled her arm.
"Have to do better than that!" she called.
The wind grabbed handfuls of Cube's hair. She felt her blood tapping
out a battle beat. She watched Kell move, watched her circle closer again.
Watched the knife.
And then, as Kell's arm flew out, the knife catching what little light
there was, Cube grabbed her wrist, bent it back, twisted it, wrenched at Kell's
fingers, tore them from the handle of the knife, ignoring Kell's other hand
scratching, punching, concentrating on nothing but that knife…
She had it.
Kell stumbled away, gripping her own wrist, covering the finger marks
Cube had left on it. She said nothing.
The knife was warm in Cube's hand as she walked towards her enemy.
"You wouldn't," Kell said. "And you can't. I'm too fast for you."
Cube didn't answer. Insults seemed unimportant now. She had the
knife and she was going to kill.
She carried on walking.
Kell was surreptitiously looking around for a way of escape. Cube
considered the possibility. But the rooftop was basically a large concrete
square, with both the fire escape and the door into the building behind Cube.
She carried on walking.
Kell actually looked a little scared now. "You won't do it," she said.
"You're weak – you can't –"
"I'm not weak," Cube said. "And I can."
Kell stopped backing away. She stood, waiting.
Cube reached her, and then Kell slapped her round the face.
Cube only lost strength for a second, but that was enough. Kell pushed
her backwards, her head struck the ground, and dizzily she felt Kell's hands
struggling to get the knife back. Cube clung on, fighting not to lose
consciousness, feeling Kell's long nails digging into her hands, ripping through
her skin.
Kell twisted her wrist like she'd done a minute ago. The pain was
vicious but she tried to ignore it. They were rolling over and over, the gritty
roof scratching her back, the view twisting and dodging in front of her eyes,
she tried to get the Love Shocker away from her, she was too close, hands
gripping her shoulders, oh god, get off, get away from me, stop it, stop it
please…
Suddenly the edge of the roof slammed into her shoulders. She
tentatively moved her head back, and her heart jumped as she realised there
was nothing between it and the ground but air.
Kell was on top of her, hands on her shoulders. And she had the knife.
Silently Cube began to curse herself, and Kell, and everything that had
got her into this situation.
"I am sick of you," Kell snarled. Cube felt angry fingers pushing her
head back, felt her hair hanging down, saw skyscrapers upside down at the
edge of her vision. Her eyeballs ached as the blood rushed into them.
Cube saw the knife lashing down towards her throat, and remembered
the spray paint can in her other hand – raised her arm – stabbed down on the
button – she smelt the paint as it spattered Kell's back.
The Love Shocker's face went pale. But not with fear. With fury. For
a moment she froze.
Then, "You bitch," she hissed, and stabbed down.
Cube threw an arm across her throat just in time, and the knife sliced
down it. She felt a few specks of blood flick onto her face. Desperately she
tried to push Kell off her, tried to get back up, but Kell punched her. It
knocked her dizzy, but the punch had dislodged the knife, which fell. Off the
roof.
Good thing, Cube thought. "Hope it didn't hit anyone," she said, feeling
blood well up around her tongue. Her teeth felt looser than normal.
Kell didn't even bother replying. Her visible eye was narrowed and
burning with rage. Cube wondered if Kell had any ancestors who might have
been sabre-tooth tigers. Her own primal instincts were giving out a clear
message: Run.
And then Kell's hands closed around her throat.
Cube struggled to get her off, feeling the blood bulging in her face. Her
lungs were frantically trying to take in air, but it was useless. The night sky
was darkening. She was trapped. And she was dying.
Beat screeched down the fire escape, his mind numb. All he could think of was
Get Gum. But he had to be too late. She'd be smushed by now. He
shuddered. No. This couldn't have happened.
"Gum!" he shouted. "Answer, why can't you? Are you okay?"
His voice echoed out into the darkness. There was no reply.
"Gum!" he yelled again.
Still nothing.
Beat felt his stomach lurch. If she was dead – if she was dead –
He looked down at the city rushing past him. A quick jump would be
very easy. Why not? It wasn't like he'd got much.
"Gum!" he shouted for the last time.
And a voice called up from below him, "Beat?"
He looked around. There was still a few storeys left to go. Where was
she?
"Down here…" She sounded tired.
Beat leapt off the rail, onto the fire escape, and looked over.
Gum was clinging to the edge of a smashed window.
"Are you okay?" he gasped, running down to her.
"I – I've got glass cutting into me," she said. "And I think I've hurt my
arm – when I grabbed onto this – but aside from that, I'm fine."
Beat reached out to her. His fingers brushed her arm, but he couldn't
grip onto her properly.
"Can you move along a bit?" he said.
"I'll try."
Carefully she inched along. Beat tried not to look down. His hands
were clammy. One slip…
Now he could grab her. She reached out for the banister of the fire
escape. He gripped onto her arms. He saw her hands were crisscrossed with
blood, and she was gritting her teeth.
"Come on…" he whispered.
And now he was grabbing her round the waist, dragging her up, over the
fire escape, and then they both dropped onto the metal floor, and they hugged
for some time.
"We'd better get back up there," Gum said. "Cube and Kell…"
Beat nodded, not entirely enthusiastic. "Let's go."
They dashed up the stairs as fast as they could, skates clattering on the
metal. Finally they got there.
Kell was kneeling on top of Cube, and she was strangling her.
"Shit!" Gum dashed across before Beat could stop her, grabbed Kell's
shoulders, and tried to drag her off. Kell let go of Cube for an instant, turned
and punched Gum in the stomach.
Beat rushed over himself and grabbed Kell's wrists, dragging her off
Cube. The Love Shocker was struggling, clawing, and he was having difficulty
holding on.
He saw fresh paint glistening on Kell's back. He shouted, "Too fast for
you, was she?"
"Get off me!" Kell screamed. "Get off me now!"
Her eyes were wide, blazing…terrified?
Beat held on. Her wristbones cut into his palms. He shouted, "I knew
you'd never beat us!" His words echoed up into the sky. Now he was no
longer just taunting her, he was really angry, letting out the frustration he'd
been feeling for so long. "Just another Love Shocker, that's all you are! A
bitch! A slut! A dumb kid!"
Kell screamed, "Shut up!" She was crying, mascara wriggling down her
cheeks like black worms. "Please – please – I didn't – you did it – leave me
alone –" She gulped air. "Please let go of me! Please!"
Beat, more than a little freaked out, did so. She stumbled back,
trembling. Looked round at them all. She blinked a little, and said, voice
shaking, "I'm sorry…"
They looked at her. She didn't seem to be focusing so much on them.
Beat wondered what was happening to her mind.
She clawed at herself, shuddering, lips trembling. They stayed back.
"I'm sorry…" she sobbed again. "I didn't mean to…it wasn't my
fault…"
"Whose was it, then?"
Cube's voice rang out in the small-hour air. Beat looked at her. She
was pale, her fists were clenched…she looked sickened, and angrier than he'd
ever seen her before.
"They started it!" Kell wailed. "It hurt…it always hurts…"
"You're damn right it always hurts." Cube was trembling. "You know
what you did to me. I hate you. I hate you. I wish you were dead."
Immature words, but there was venom behind them that you could
almost touch.
"You hate me?" Kell laughed, but it was weak, feeble. "That's what I
wanted to say! But they wouldn't listen – I yelled at them – they wouldn't –"
"Me too." Cube walked towards Kell. And Kell backed away.
"Power," Cube spat out at her. "That's all you want. Don't worry about
who you hurt. What you do." Beat could see her shaking, but he wasn't gonna
go help her. He wanted to get out of there, but he couldn't leave a fellow GG.
"I didn't mean it – I don't – I don't understand –" Kell whimpered.
"Please don't hurt me –" Another sob stamped on the rest of the sentence.
"I want to scratch your eyes out," Cube snarled.
She raised her hand, ready to hit.
A mask seemed to drop off Kell's face, leaving behind nothing but mad,
raw terror.
She ran, backing away –
Her foot caught on the edge of the roof –
Cube stopped – hand still outstretched – but whether to hit or to save
Beat couldn't tell –
And Kell was falling…screaming…a scream which echoed up the wall
of the building…a scream which couldn't be stifled…a scream which went on
and on and on…
And then nothing.
(I thought about changing this ending after some people asked to borrow her,
but if you want her you can always say she – uh – got caught on a ledge or
something. Use your creativity. Anyway, what did you think? R+r please!)
(Penultimate chapter, people! Glad you've enjoyed it so far. Thanx 4
reviewing before – please do so again!)
Piranha waited.
"Right," Kell said. "I'll come help you set up. See you later, Cube.
Onishima ain't getting his hands on you. You're staying here."
"Oh, still my beating heart," Cube snapped.
The door opened and shut, and Piranha heard Cube sigh.
Carefully, she opened the cupboard door, and stepped out, praying no
one was watching them.
"You okay?" she whispered to Cube, who had gone pale.
"How – how did you –"
"I'll explain later." Piranha dashed round to the heating pipe and began
untying Cube's wrists from it, glancing at the other girl as she did so. Cube's
eyes were red, there were cuts on her face and several burn marks on her neck
and arms, but she seemed unharmed apart from that.
"Quick." She led Cube across to the cupboard. "Get in."
"Huh?"
"Push the back. There's a secret passage. Hurry!"
She stepped in after Cube, carefully closing the cupboard door behind
her, and then they set off up the stairs again.
Cube giggled as they walked. "I can't wait to see Kell's face."
"Hey, cool it. We're not out of the woods yet."
They reached the exit, wriggled out of the passage, and then crept back
onto the balcony. Below them the hall seemed empty.
"What's she planning?" Piranha mouthed.
Cube shrugged.
They waited.
Then the main door opened, and Beat crept in. He looked quickly
around, then nodded, and the other GGs followed him. All except Mew.
Piranha wondered where she was, but she didn't dare break the silence.
The GGs had reached the middle of the floor. They were looking round
whispering among themselves.
"Should we go down there?" Cube mouthed. Piranha shook her head.
Where were all the Love Shockers?
"I don't like it," she whispered. "It's too quiet…"
The shadows on the concrete floor were moving.
And then someone yelled, "Lights!"
Far up in the darkness that was the ceiling, white industrial bulbs fizzed
into life.
"Camera!"
Kell's voice.
The shadows had retreated into the corners. Beat and the other GGs
stood in a cluster like reluctant actors on an empty stage. Piranha squinted at
the darkness in the corners of the floor. Where there figures standing down
there?…
"Come out and show yourselves, you bunch of whores!" Gum yelled up
at the dark balconies.
"Gladly! Action!"
There was a puff of pink smoke from above them, and the Love
Shockers – five of them – leapt from the highest balcony, flipped over, and
landed neatly on their feet in front of the GGs. (One girl landed on her butt,
but we'll ignore that.)
Kell and Beat stood facing each other, she with hands on her hips and
smug smile, he with arms folded and a glare on his face.
"What do you want, GG?"
"Give us back our gang member."
"Why should I?"
"Because if you don't…" Beat began shaking his spray can. "You'll be
the one derudiefied around here."
"Oh, really."
Yes, there were definitely figures, waiting in the corners. But Piranha
was pretty sure all the Love Shockers were out in the open. Who could it be?
"Go on," Beat said. "Where's Cube?"
"Maybe you should ask him that," Kell said, gesturing to a corner. At
the same time another Love Shocker skated over and flicked on more lights.
Onishima, plus what looked like all the Keisatsu in Tokyo-to, was
standing there. And the smile on his face made that on Kell's look half-hearted
and gloomy.
"You sneak!" Gum yelled. "You cow! You traitor! You –"
Kell laughed. "What's your problem, GG? Can't handle a little healthy
competition?"
"You made a deal with him?" Beat said. "How'd you do it? Bribery?"
"You could say that," Kell said, and grinned at Onishima, who glared at
her. "Anyway…any last words, GGs? I heard Cube's. They weren't exactly
eloquent."
Piranha saw Slate go pale, and heard a crash as Combo dropped his
ghetto-blaster.
"No? Oh, well, then." She surveyed her troops, and then called,
"Attack!"
Mew sat in Noise Tank HQ, trying to ignore the whispering behind her as the
other Noise Tanks worked.
"Anything on the radio yet?" she called.
Her Noise Tank shook his head. "Not yet."
Mew sighed, and clicked on her own radio. 'Recipe For The Perfect
Afro' was playing, and she longed to turn it up louder, to drown out the voices
she could hear.
But it was no good.
"Such a bimbo…listen to that voice! Did you hear what she did…I was
there…she was such a pathetic Noise Tank it's unbelievable…"
Shut up, Mew thought. Just shut up and leave me alone. She bit down
on her lower lip, remembering how she'd once yelled that at her parents.
"Okay, I've done it!" her Noise Tank shouted. He'd taken off his mask,
and Mew had been surprised to realise he was quite good looking.
"Done what, Gamma?" someone replied.
"I've managed to hack into your friend's wrist recorder," he said,
addressing Mew. "Listen up…"
There was a hiss of static, and then they heard someone whispering, "I
don't like it. It's too quiet."
Mew recognised Piranha's voice.
Hiss for a second, then "Lights!"
"Huh?" a Noise Tank said. "Making a movie?"
"Ssh," said Gamma.
"Camera!"
Mew heard Gum shout, "…and show yourselves, you bunch of whores!"
"Gladly!" It was the voice of the Love Shocker who'd tried to scar her.
Mew shuddered. "Action!"
They heard the sound of skates clacking onto concrete.
"I've got to get there!" Mew gasped, getting to her feet. "I've gotta help
them!"
"Why? You can't do anything," someone said nastily.
"Well, I can try." And I wouldn't stay here anyway, she added silently.
"I'll come too," Gamma said. He looked round the rest of the Noise
Tanks. "Come on, guys. You may hate the GGs, but the Love Shockers have
gone too far this time!"
"No way," said a Noise Tank. "No point."
"Fine," Gamma snapped. "I'll go alone." He took Mew's hand and led
her to the door. "Cowards."
Outside the air was icy and the Benten-cho traffic growled above them.
"I'm sorry," Mew said. "I guess I should go alone."
"No way. I've seen you puke, get shot in the leg and shriek at my
driving. We're bonded now."
Mew laughed. "Prove it."
He leaned forward and kissed her. Mew felt heat rise up inside her, and
closed her eyes.
"Okay," she said at last. "You proved it."
"Great. Now let's go."
(A/N – NoiseTank13, I did like Beta and Mew's relationship and considered
putting him in here but I decided that they have too much of a history for me to
incorporate him into this fic, so I made up a new Noise Tank. Hope you don't
mind!)
Cube watched in horror as each Love Shocker raised a gleaming knife in one
hand, and a paint can in the other. The cops hefted their truncheons, and
Onishima whirled his gun around his head and laughed.
How could she have slept with him? Cube wondered.
And then she realised what to do.
"Hey, everyone! Listen up!" she shouted, rushing to the edge of the
balcony.
Kell glanced up, and her mouth fell open. "You – how the hell did you
do that?"
"I've got news for you Love Shockers! And the cops as well!" Cube
heard her voice echoing into the depths of the hall. "Do you know the reason
why Kell's got Onishima on her side?"
She saw Onishima stop, glancing at Kell in fury. The Love Shocker
leader's eyes narrowed.
"She slept with him and then used it to blackmail him so that he'd help
her destroy the GGs! Love Shockers, your leader's a cop-lover! And Keisatsu,
he was stupid enough to let her in the first place!"
"She's lying!" Kell and Onishima both said.
"No, she's not!" Beat yelled. "I heard the entire conversation you two
had. Cube transmitted it to us!"
"That is gross," whispered Piranha.
"Come on, Love Shockers, why are you supporting her? Remember
San!" Cube clenched her fists, willing them to listen. "Remember how Kell
threatened you in the bus terminal? And now she could sell you all out if she
wanted, and she will one day! She loves power, you must know that! And
she's got it over all of you!"
"And remember Alex?" Piranha suddenly shouted. "Ever wondered
what happened to your old leader?"
Kell looked up at them both, her features contorted into hate.
"Yeah…what did happen to Alex?" a Love Shocker said. "Kell, you
told us she got caught by the cops…"
"She's in this building! Kell's got her locked in an old office!
Sometimes when she's feeling bored, she'll go mutilate her a bit!"
The Love Shockers were looking at Kell in disgust, moving away from
her.
"Why are you listening to them?" Kell shouted. "Two dumb
GGs…they're lying, and even if they weren't, so what? I was trying to help
you! I was trying to get them –" she pointed to the GGs – "out of the way.
And so was he!"
She indicated Onishima, who shouted back at her, "Don't bring me into
it! All I wanted to do was catch a few rudies, okay?"
"You know, we're gonna have to work on the difference between 'catch
a rudie,' and 'fuck a rudie,'" muttered a cop.
"Oh, shut up!" Onishima fired his gun into the air. "Anyway, what are
we waiting for? Nab'em all!"
"Yeah, come on, girls!" Kell appealed to her gang.
There was silence from both groups, and then finally a Love Shocker
threw down her knife and paint and said, "Give it a break, Kell. I'm not gonna
smush the GGs now. At least they're not cheating."
"Yeah," said another one. "Sorry, but you are so low."
All the Love Shockers threw down their weapons, and walked away.
Kell growled. Cube heard it echo round the hall and shivered. Then,
quick as a snake, she stabbed out at Beat, who dropped back, then she leapt,
and ground along the first balcony rail.
Gum screamed, and Cube saw her face was dead-white. She dropped
down next to Beat. The other GGs clustered around him, but he got up, blood
dripping from the cut on his face, and said, "I'm fine. Let's get her!"
They did so. But Kell already had a head start. Laughing, she reached
the next set of stairs, and skidded up the banister. Now she was on the same
level as Piranha and Cube.
"Right," Piranha murmured, shaking her own can of spray paint. "It's
payback time."
Cube wished she had some paint with her, but no luck. As Kell shot
past them, Piranha's arm flew out and tagged her back.
Kell stopped, jumped off the rail, and turned to face the two girls. Cube
felt fear creeping up her throat. She felt Piranha grip her arm.
"You'll pay for that," Kell said, her voice deadly.
"Oh, I'm so frightened." Piranha's voice was steady, though her fingers
dug into Cube's skin. "Don't bother. I know you, and Cube's right. You are
just a warped Kogane kid."
Below them the other GGs stopped. The cops were looking up,
listening.
Cube saw Kell's eyes click to her, and then the Love Shocker hissed,
"What's the matter, GG? Scared?"
"I'm not scared of you," Cube said, wishing she could believe it.
"Well, you should be." Kell dragged out her own knife. "You can't
even skate."
Cube watched as Kell came towards her, and remembered hands,
touching her body, scratching, stroking…
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" she screamed, and punched Kell so hard
her knuckles ached.
Kell flew backwards, and landed on the ground. She got to her feet, eye
already becoming purple, and said, "Big mistake."
"I don't fucking care!" Cube shouted. "I have had it with you!"
Her hands ached with anger. "You go around hurting and hitting and
scaring people and I am sick of it! Come near me again and I'll break your
face!"
Kell actually looked slightly surprised. This was nothing to the look on
her face when Yo-Yo finally reached the balcony, dashed up and tagged her.
She whirled, sliced him across the face, leapt back onto the rail, and ground
away.
"Get after her!" Yo-Yo yelled, panting, rubbing blood across his face.
"Tag her to hell! Yo! I…I think I'm gonna black out…"
Piranha stayed to look after him, Cube ran on, feet pounding on the
metal floor. Behind her she could feel the vibrations as the other GGs reached
the balcony. Kell had got to the steps. Cube forced her aching legs to move
faster, but the night had taken its toll, and she was losing speed.
But then she saw Garam dash round towards Kell in the other direction
– as she tried to climb the steps he threw himself forward, grabbed her round
the waist and tagged her back. She twisted his wrist viciously and then kicked
him away, but she'd been slowed down. Cube ran on.
Now there were six GGs in the chase – Cube, Combo, Slate, Beat, Gum
and Tab. They were on the top balcony. As Kell made for the door Cube and
Piranha had come in by, Tab reached her, tagged her – she stabbed out and
caught him in the shoulder. He dropped back, and fell to his knees.
Kell ran through the door and slammed it behind her.
"Damn!" Beat kicked it. "She's locked us out."
"Like hell she has." Gum wrestled with the doorknob. Finally there
was a crunch, and the door swung open. The GGs crept into the shadowy
corridor.
Mew stood at the bottom of the fire escape. "Right. This looks like the place."
"How'd you find it?"
"Piranha told us the route." Mew gripped the rusty banister. "Let's go."
Up and up they crept. Mew's leg started to ache, and she felt queasy as
she looked at the blood seeping through the sheet. Below them Shibuya-cho
dwindled into a maze of lights.
Finally they reached the door, and crept into the building. Mew looked
around the corridor, and gasped as she spotted the GGs – well, some of them –
clustered at the other end. They all had spray paint cans and murderous
expressions.
There was a large cupboard on her other side. Mew looked around,
wondering what was going on. She walked towards it. Gamma whispered,
"Careful…"
Mew saw the shadow thrown onto the floor. A spiky-haired, vicious
looking shadow. A shadow thrown by a girl who was standing right next to
her.
She turned as she heard a voice yell, "You need another scar?", saw the
knife glitter as it bit into her face, and then she grabbed a paint can, dodged
under Kell's arm, and jammed her finger down on the nozzle as hard as she
could.
There was a hiss of paint, and Kell snarled like a dog. Mew felt hands
grab her shoulders, push her back against the cupboard, and then there was a
thud, and black pain spread through her skull as her eyes closed.
Gum shivered as Mew went limp. The Love Shocker dropped her on the floor,
rubbed her hands on her shorts, and then sped on. The GGs sped after her.
Gum noticed a Noise Tank bending over Mew, but most of her attention was
occupied with Kell.
The Love Shocker reached a door at the other end of the corridor,
struggled with the handle. Combo reached her first this time, and tagged her.
Gum grinned. How many was it now? She couldn't remember. But it was
payback enough.
Kell hissed at him, "Too scared to punch a lady?"
"You ain't no lady," Combo said. He casually leaned over, holding the
door shut.
Kell stabbed the knife into his stomach.
"Damn," Combo muttered as she wrenched it out again. Blood spots
pattered onto the floor. But he kept holding the door.
The other GGs had reached it.
"You can't just box me in," Kell said. "It has to be a chase."
"You didn't play fair," Slate said. "Why should we?"
She sneered at him even as he tagged her. Gum got ready to follow suit,
but then Combo dropped to his knees, let go of the door – and Kell dashed out
of it.
"Get after her!" Slate yelled. "I'll take care of him."
Cube looked back, but only for a second, then hurried out onto the roof.
Outside it was cold, and the wind whipped at Gum's face as she stepped
onto the roof. Far below she could see the silent roofs of Shibuya-cho. It
seemed a long way down.
Kell stood there, on top of the flat concrete roof, a smile on her face.
"Come on, GGs," she called. "I already put seven of you out of action.
I can deal with you three."
"Like hell you can!" shouted Gum.
"You can't tag me," Kell taunted her. "You shouldn't be wearing those
skates. You're an ex-rudie. How pitiful is that?"
Gum charged forward, clutching the paint can so hard her knuckles
ached. She grabbed Kell's shirt, and growled, "Give me one good reason why
I shouldn't break your face."
"Don't bother. You're not a rudie. Even if you tagged me twenty times
it wouldn't make any difference."
Gum's mouth dropped open. "You sneaky little –"
"Temper, temper," Kell purred.
"Uh-oh," Beat muttered to Cube. "She shouldn't have said that…"
They were both keeping back.
"FUCK YOU!" Gum screamed, rage building behind her eyes. She
drew back her free hand and punched Kell in the face. The Love Shocker was
knocked back, her nose bleeding, but then she brought up the hand holding the
knife, and stabbed out. Gum took it half on her paint can, half on her arm. She
let go of Kell, and the two rudies circled each other like enemy alley cats.
"Come on," Kell taunted. "You scared?"
"Of a Love Shocker? In your dreams!" Gum shook the can, hardly
noticing the blood soaking into her sleeve. "You see this can? I'm gonna
break your skull with it!"
"I'm so scared." Kell stood, arms folded. "Whatever you do to me you
still won't be a rudie."
"I don't care. I don't have to be a rudie to kill you."
"No more skating," Kell said, stepping carefully to the edge of the roof.
"No more tagging. No more Jet Set Radio."
"I can do all that stuff now."
"Yeah, because you're screwing the leader. We all know you're not a
rudie really."
"At least I didn't screw Onishima! No rudie does that!"
"It worked, didn't it? The trouble with you GGs is you're weak."
"Yeah, right."
"You are! Everyone knows it. And you're the weakest of all. Strutting
around in a mini skirt thinking you're as good as the guys." She snorted. "Oh,
please."
Gum charged towards, hardly able to breathe for rage. But even as she
tried to grab Kell, the Love Shocker sidestepped –
And Gum felt herself begin to fall.
Beat threw himself forward. "Nooooo!"
Gum fell.
As he passed Kell, he tagged her twice, and yelled, "One for me and one
for her!"
Then he jumped onto the fire escape a few metres away, and skimmed
down the banisters.
Cube realised that she was the only one left, and her heart began to thud
in her ears.
"Well, looks like it's just you and me," Kell said, coming towards her.
"And I do believe you've got the last chance left to tag me. Just so you realise
what's at stake, if you fail I'll kill you. Then I will go back down and find your
friends. I will kill them too. The GGs will be kaput, and it'll be all your fault."
Cube's fingers tightened on the spray paint can Beat had given her, but
she couldn't think. Her brain was frozen with fear. How could she tag Kell?
She didn't even have skates.
And Kell had the knife. Cube bit back fear.
Kell began skating around her, closer and closer. Cube's neck tingled so
much that it ached. She felt her breathing speed up. Soon she'd start choking
and then Kell would get her and then – oh, god, what was she gonna do?
Fight.
As she felt the Love Shocker's hands brush down her back, the fury
came back, and she whirled, sprayed out – Kell dodged, laughing, as the paint
speckled her arm.
"Have to do better than that!" she called.
The wind grabbed handfuls of Cube's hair. She felt her blood tapping
out a battle beat. She watched Kell move, watched her circle closer again.
Watched the knife.
And then, as Kell's arm flew out, the knife catching what little light
there was, Cube grabbed her wrist, bent it back, twisted it, wrenched at Kell's
fingers, tore them from the handle of the knife, ignoring Kell's other hand
scratching, punching, concentrating on nothing but that knife…
She had it.
Kell stumbled away, gripping her own wrist, covering the finger marks
Cube had left on it. She said nothing.
The knife was warm in Cube's hand as she walked towards her enemy.
"You wouldn't," Kell said. "And you can't. I'm too fast for you."
Cube didn't answer. Insults seemed unimportant now. She had the
knife and she was going to kill.
She carried on walking.
Kell was surreptitiously looking around for a way of escape. Cube
considered the possibility. But the rooftop was basically a large concrete
square, with both the fire escape and the door into the building behind Cube.
She carried on walking.
Kell actually looked a little scared now. "You won't do it," she said.
"You're weak – you can't –"
"I'm not weak," Cube said. "And I can."
Kell stopped backing away. She stood, waiting.
Cube reached her, and then Kell slapped her round the face.
Cube only lost strength for a second, but that was enough. Kell pushed
her backwards, her head struck the ground, and dizzily she felt Kell's hands
struggling to get the knife back. Cube clung on, fighting not to lose
consciousness, feeling Kell's long nails digging into her hands, ripping through
her skin.
Kell twisted her wrist like she'd done a minute ago. The pain was
vicious but she tried to ignore it. They were rolling over and over, the gritty
roof scratching her back, the view twisting and dodging in front of her eyes,
she tried to get the Love Shocker away from her, she was too close, hands
gripping her shoulders, oh god, get off, get away from me, stop it, stop it
please…
Suddenly the edge of the roof slammed into her shoulders. She
tentatively moved her head back, and her heart jumped as she realised there
was nothing between it and the ground but air.
Kell was on top of her, hands on her shoulders. And she had the knife.
Silently Cube began to curse herself, and Kell, and everything that had
got her into this situation.
"I am sick of you," Kell snarled. Cube felt angry fingers pushing her
head back, felt her hair hanging down, saw skyscrapers upside down at the
edge of her vision. Her eyeballs ached as the blood rushed into them.
Cube saw the knife lashing down towards her throat, and remembered
the spray paint can in her other hand – raised her arm – stabbed down on the
button – she smelt the paint as it spattered Kell's back.
The Love Shocker's face went pale. But not with fear. With fury. For
a moment she froze.
Then, "You bitch," she hissed, and stabbed down.
Cube threw an arm across her throat just in time, and the knife sliced
down it. She felt a few specks of blood flick onto her face. Desperately she
tried to push Kell off her, tried to get back up, but Kell punched her. It
knocked her dizzy, but the punch had dislodged the knife, which fell. Off the
roof.
Good thing, Cube thought. "Hope it didn't hit anyone," she said, feeling
blood well up around her tongue. Her teeth felt looser than normal.
Kell didn't even bother replying. Her visible eye was narrowed and
burning with rage. Cube wondered if Kell had any ancestors who might have
been sabre-tooth tigers. Her own primal instincts were giving out a clear
message: Run.
And then Kell's hands closed around her throat.
Cube struggled to get her off, feeling the blood bulging in her face. Her
lungs were frantically trying to take in air, but it was useless. The night sky
was darkening. She was trapped. And she was dying.
Beat screeched down the fire escape, his mind numb. All he could think of was
Get Gum. But he had to be too late. She'd be smushed by now. He
shuddered. No. This couldn't have happened.
"Gum!" he shouted. "Answer, why can't you? Are you okay?"
His voice echoed out into the darkness. There was no reply.
"Gum!" he yelled again.
Still nothing.
Beat felt his stomach lurch. If she was dead – if she was dead –
He looked down at the city rushing past him. A quick jump would be
very easy. Why not? It wasn't like he'd got much.
"Gum!" he shouted for the last time.
And a voice called up from below him, "Beat?"
He looked around. There was still a few storeys left to go. Where was
she?
"Down here…" She sounded tired.
Beat leapt off the rail, onto the fire escape, and looked over.
Gum was clinging to the edge of a smashed window.
"Are you okay?" he gasped, running down to her.
"I – I've got glass cutting into me," she said. "And I think I've hurt my
arm – when I grabbed onto this – but aside from that, I'm fine."
Beat reached out to her. His fingers brushed her arm, but he couldn't
grip onto her properly.
"Can you move along a bit?" he said.
"I'll try."
Carefully she inched along. Beat tried not to look down. His hands
were clammy. One slip…
Now he could grab her. She reached out for the banister of the fire
escape. He gripped onto her arms. He saw her hands were crisscrossed with
blood, and she was gritting her teeth.
"Come on…" he whispered.
And now he was grabbing her round the waist, dragging her up, over the
fire escape, and then they both dropped onto the metal floor, and they hugged
for some time.
"We'd better get back up there," Gum said. "Cube and Kell…"
Beat nodded, not entirely enthusiastic. "Let's go."
They dashed up the stairs as fast as they could, skates clattering on the
metal. Finally they got there.
Kell was kneeling on top of Cube, and she was strangling her.
"Shit!" Gum dashed across before Beat could stop her, grabbed Kell's
shoulders, and tried to drag her off. Kell let go of Cube for an instant, turned
and punched Gum in the stomach.
Beat rushed over himself and grabbed Kell's wrists, dragging her off
Cube. The Love Shocker was struggling, clawing, and he was having difficulty
holding on.
He saw fresh paint glistening on Kell's back. He shouted, "Too fast for
you, was she?"
"Get off me!" Kell screamed. "Get off me now!"
Her eyes were wide, blazing…terrified?
Beat held on. Her wristbones cut into his palms. He shouted, "I knew
you'd never beat us!" His words echoed up into the sky. Now he was no
longer just taunting her, he was really angry, letting out the frustration he'd
been feeling for so long. "Just another Love Shocker, that's all you are! A
bitch! A slut! A dumb kid!"
Kell screamed, "Shut up!" She was crying, mascara wriggling down her
cheeks like black worms. "Please – please – I didn't – you did it – leave me
alone –" She gulped air. "Please let go of me! Please!"
Beat, more than a little freaked out, did so. She stumbled back,
trembling. Looked round at them all. She blinked a little, and said, voice
shaking, "I'm sorry…"
They looked at her. She didn't seem to be focusing so much on them.
Beat wondered what was happening to her mind.
She clawed at herself, shuddering, lips trembling. They stayed back.
"I'm sorry…" she sobbed again. "I didn't mean to…it wasn't my
fault…"
"Whose was it, then?"
Cube's voice rang out in the small-hour air. Beat looked at her. She
was pale, her fists were clenched…she looked sickened, and angrier than he'd
ever seen her before.
"They started it!" Kell wailed. "It hurt…it always hurts…"
"You're damn right it always hurts." Cube was trembling. "You know
what you did to me. I hate you. I hate you. I wish you were dead."
Immature words, but there was venom behind them that you could
almost touch.
"You hate me?" Kell laughed, but it was weak, feeble. "That's what I
wanted to say! But they wouldn't listen – I yelled at them – they wouldn't –"
"Me too." Cube walked towards Kell. And Kell backed away.
"Power," Cube spat out at her. "That's all you want. Don't worry about
who you hurt. What you do." Beat could see her shaking, but he wasn't gonna
go help her. He wanted to get out of there, but he couldn't leave a fellow GG.
"I didn't mean it – I don't – I don't understand –" Kell whimpered.
"Please don't hurt me –" Another sob stamped on the rest of the sentence.
"I want to scratch your eyes out," Cube snarled.
She raised her hand, ready to hit.
A mask seemed to drop off Kell's face, leaving behind nothing but mad,
raw terror.
She ran, backing away –
Her foot caught on the edge of the roof –
Cube stopped – hand still outstretched – but whether to hit or to save
Beat couldn't tell –
And Kell was falling…screaming…a scream which echoed up the wall
of the building…a scream which couldn't be stifled…a scream which went on
and on and on…
And then nothing.
(I thought about changing this ending after some people asked to borrow her,
but if you want her you can always say she – uh – got caught on a ledge or
something. Use your creativity. Anyway, what did you think? R+r please!)