Chapter 10
"Nat! Nat! Bos! Get out here now!" Alex ripped the scope off the dart
gun and slammed it onto her rifle. This is going to require live
rounds, she thought, bringing the scope back up to her eye. Nat and
Bos hopped out of the van as the first sonic boom rocked the cars in
the parking lot; alarms shrieking. People were running to their cars
and bikes and getting the hell out of Dodge--quickly. Nat and Bos ran
towards the suv, shoving people out of their way; but it slowly rolled
away, following the crowd.
"Forget that! Forget that!" Alex shouted, kicking away the
camouflaged blind, the butt of her rifle resting on her hip. Nat and
Bos stopped and turned around. She pointed to the horizon.
The portrait of Vasilescu was unnerving her; she didn't like standing
so close, like he was watching her behind those glasses. Watching her
rattle the key around in the lock. It squeaked as she turned it;
lifting up the heavy lid, she let out a sigh. A friggin' rock thingy.
Great!
She picked it up and almost dropped it as a shooting sensation went up
her arm. She was getting used to the random magical events, but
didn't have time to stop and wonder about it.
It was lighter than she thought and also not a rock, but petrified
wood. Almost black, save for a few bright sparkling points embedded
in the wood that seemed to hum a little. What the hell is this? And
why is it in this box? Why? Why? Why? Why ask why? She put it back.
Somehow she would have to make the Thin Man talk to her tonite at the
safe house. Perhaps, she could dangle the necklace as a carrot?
Would that make him talk? Would she have to threaten him? And what
the heck could she, of all people, threaten him with?
She walked back to the portrait of his parents. Murdered parents,
sent away to an orphanage to the secret aunt, wants to legally break
his guardianship, threat of shock therapy, runs away. Becomes
disciple of madman. Becomes invincible assassin. Becomes...becomes
what? What happens next for a man like him? Perhaps he's tired of
taking orders. Wants to become his own boss?
She picked up the letters, undid the ribbon and began to read the
tight, Romanian script. She stopped for a moment. Hey! Look, Ma! I
can read Romanian! Shaking her head, she sat down, still reading.
Another sonic boom rippled across the industrial park and Alex jammed
her eye to the scope. Nothing! Damn! She slung her rifle and picked
up her gun bag; heading for the stairs. "Nat, let's go get Max!"
Max continued to fall; his ears thrumming with the sound of beating
wings and this horrible buzzing noise; like the sound of a thousand
cicadas swarming around him. He clenched his knees and screamed as
something flew by him; clutching and scraping at his neck. Max
couldn't see, the sky was writhing with small inhuman bodies. He
grabbed his handlebars as the bike's nose started to dip.
The Thin Man saw Max turn towards him in the air, just as he had flown
off the edge of the bridge towards Max. He gripped his cane and
brandished it over his head; his eyes wide, not flinching even as a
clawed wing scraped his face...
Max grabbed his head as beating wings buzzed around him. He started
to lose his breath, the air hot and suffocating and smelled like
rotting garbage. He could feel the ground's closeness accelerate
towards him and screamed again.
The Thin Man closed his eyes and hummed; finding just the right note, the
right cosmic note that would kill. His cane shook and a large crack
of white light streamed from it and clapped like thunder. For a
moment, time stopped. Max and the flying things hung there like the
silence that hung between the flash and boom of lightning.
The van screeched to a halt as Bos, Nat and Alex looked at each other.
Something just fell on top of the roof. "What the HELL was
that?"said Bos, "and don't be thinking that I'm the one going to
check, either."
"Let's just wait a minute," Nat whispered. Alex jumped as dark bodies
thumped to the ground. They all screamed as one flew into the
windshield, throwing glass into their faces. Bos had already pulled
his gun and emptied a couple of rounds into its body. Their skin
crawled in revulsion as they stared into the creature's many, many
eyes. It's wings small and fleshy, body furry like a small dog's.
"God, that's disgusting. It's like a big hairy fly-monkey thing!" Bos
shouted. "AAHH!!" More bodies dropped to the ground as fallout from
the second sonic boom continued.
The Thin Man let out all the pent up fury that has been in him for so
long. The force of his power rippled and folded the sky, stunning and
killing the swarming attackers. The fool had miscalculated!
Time began again and he nosedived for Max.
Max dropped into the ravine, his head slamming onto the gas tank;
blood trickling into his left eye. But he had hung on and managed to
stay on top of his bike. His hand shakily revved the accelerator and
woozily rode his bike up the hill.
Nat, Alex and Bos, creeped out at the still crawling thingys, had
taken to driving and shooting the bodies as they fell out of the sky.
"Ewww!"Alex cringed as something splattered onto her arm.
"Alex! Get ready, I see them!" Nat cried, Bos turned the wheel
and the van sped towards Max emerging from the ravine.
Alex put her scope back on the dart gun. She could see Max, face
bloodied; the Thin Man right behind him, his cane raised, eyes crazed, a bloody gash across his eye..."Alex, shoot him! Before he gets Max!"
Bos yelled.
She got him in her sights, steadying herself as the van sped up; aimed
and squeezed the trigger. The dart lodged itself right above the Thin
Man's heart. His eyes glowed and he looked right at Alex through the
scope. He stopped the bike and was sitting on it with a stunned
look of fury creasing his brow.
Max and the van skidded to a halt in front of each other, as Nat
jumped out to help Max into the back. Alex was already waiting with
alcohol and bandages. "Hurry up!" Bos shouted as Nat slammed the
sliding door shut. Bos had already gunned the van and was heading
towards the Thin Man.
The Thin Man was in shock. He had been played the fool, as he
suddenly realized the extent of this set up. The Angels had been
compromised and had joined the ranks with his enemies.
Dylan was not with them and he let out a scream at her betrayal. And
even though he could feel the tranquilizer start to take effect on his
system; he knew that he would exact revenge. He gunned his bike,
turned it around and sped out.
"Alex! He's heading home! And he's looking mighty pissed!" Nat
shouted back. "Yeah, I'm on it! She's not picking up!" Alex had her
cell phone pressed to her head, frustrated that Dylan wasn't answering.
"Look!" Max pointed through the windshield. The suv had just turned
around and was speeding down the main access road from the industrial
park.
"Alright, folks! Hang on, we're going to follow that car!" Bos slammed
his foot on the gas and they took off after the black suv.
Dylan paused in her reading; there had been a war. An ancient war.
The details weren't specific, but what she could glean from the
various letters was that a kind of truce was about to happen. His
parents were somehow key; their son, a living symbol of that new
peace. But then his parents were murdered, hope for peace shattered....
She went back to Vasilescu's shrine and pulled open the top drawer.
News clippings with photos of his slain parents. The DA's
investigation. Inconclusive and still open. The coroner's
reports...she paused over cause of death. Bullet through the heart
for her; one through the head for him. My God, he was a witness, she
muttered, no wonder he was mute; traumatized by the murder of his
parents before his eyes.
She shuffled through some more papers. So, he's the mole! He's been
feeding the Attorney General's office with the leads! She looked back
up at Vasilescu's portrait and another piece clicked into place. This
was a shrine for revenge, not adoration. Overwhelmed she sat down.
But she didn't have long to rest as she looked up at the sound of a
piercing scream. What the hell?!!
The Thin Man appeared before her, towering; eye bloodied. And she
gasped as he raised his cane; bringing it down with such force the
floor cracked. Her eyes widened as the cane appeared to suck energy
from the very ground. His eyes flamed blue and he had the look of
hell about him as he hurled a huge ball of pulsing green fire at her.
She shrieked and tried to jump up to dodge the attack; but its
force knocked her off her feet and threw her against the bureau under
Vasilescu's portrait. She gritted her teeth as the corner jabbed her
in the side.
He stopped. They faced each other. She wasn't hurt. Both
simultaneously realizing that the necklace protected her. He sprang
on her and pinned her against the bureau; clenching her shirt and
ripping it down the middle.
Buttons popped and rolled around the ground as Dylan gripped the
wrists of the Thin Man. "What are you, f#@% nuts?!!" He clawed at her
throat, trying to get his hands on it. But for some reason, couldn't
get his fingers under the necklace. It hung heavily around her
neck as he futilely grasped at it. Dylan pushed against his chest
just enough to break their bodies apart and threw her knee into his
crotch.
Gasping for air and exhausted, he collapsed into the chair. "It's nice
to know THAT at least still works!" Dylan gulped for breath as she
clutched her scratched throat. They stared at each other across the
room. For whatever reason, the necklace wouldn't come off for him.
The Thin Man slumped in his chair and Dylan ran forward to catch him
before he hit the floor.
"Nat! Nat! Bos! Get out here now!" Alex ripped the scope off the dart
gun and slammed it onto her rifle. This is going to require live
rounds, she thought, bringing the scope back up to her eye. Nat and
Bos hopped out of the van as the first sonic boom rocked the cars in
the parking lot; alarms shrieking. People were running to their cars
and bikes and getting the hell out of Dodge--quickly. Nat and Bos ran
towards the suv, shoving people out of their way; but it slowly rolled
away, following the crowd.
"Forget that! Forget that!" Alex shouted, kicking away the
camouflaged blind, the butt of her rifle resting on her hip. Nat and
Bos stopped and turned around. She pointed to the horizon.
The portrait of Vasilescu was unnerving her; she didn't like standing
so close, like he was watching her behind those glasses. Watching her
rattle the key around in the lock. It squeaked as she turned it;
lifting up the heavy lid, she let out a sigh. A friggin' rock thingy.
Great!
She picked it up and almost dropped it as a shooting sensation went up
her arm. She was getting used to the random magical events, but
didn't have time to stop and wonder about it.
It was lighter than she thought and also not a rock, but petrified
wood. Almost black, save for a few bright sparkling points embedded
in the wood that seemed to hum a little. What the hell is this? And
why is it in this box? Why? Why? Why? Why ask why? She put it back.
Somehow she would have to make the Thin Man talk to her tonite at the
safe house. Perhaps, she could dangle the necklace as a carrot?
Would that make him talk? Would she have to threaten him? And what
the heck could she, of all people, threaten him with?
She walked back to the portrait of his parents. Murdered parents,
sent away to an orphanage to the secret aunt, wants to legally break
his guardianship, threat of shock therapy, runs away. Becomes
disciple of madman. Becomes invincible assassin. Becomes...becomes
what? What happens next for a man like him? Perhaps he's tired of
taking orders. Wants to become his own boss?
She picked up the letters, undid the ribbon and began to read the
tight, Romanian script. She stopped for a moment. Hey! Look, Ma! I
can read Romanian! Shaking her head, she sat down, still reading.
Another sonic boom rippled across the industrial park and Alex jammed
her eye to the scope. Nothing! Damn! She slung her rifle and picked
up her gun bag; heading for the stairs. "Nat, let's go get Max!"
Max continued to fall; his ears thrumming with the sound of beating
wings and this horrible buzzing noise; like the sound of a thousand
cicadas swarming around him. He clenched his knees and screamed as
something flew by him; clutching and scraping at his neck. Max
couldn't see, the sky was writhing with small inhuman bodies. He
grabbed his handlebars as the bike's nose started to dip.
The Thin Man saw Max turn towards him in the air, just as he had flown
off the edge of the bridge towards Max. He gripped his cane and
brandished it over his head; his eyes wide, not flinching even as a
clawed wing scraped his face...
Max grabbed his head as beating wings buzzed around him. He started
to lose his breath, the air hot and suffocating and smelled like
rotting garbage. He could feel the ground's closeness accelerate
towards him and screamed again.
The Thin Man closed his eyes and hummed; finding just the right note, the
right cosmic note that would kill. His cane shook and a large crack
of white light streamed from it and clapped like thunder. For a
moment, time stopped. Max and the flying things hung there like the
silence that hung between the flash and boom of lightning.
The van screeched to a halt as Bos, Nat and Alex looked at each other.
Something just fell on top of the roof. "What the HELL was
that?"said Bos, "and don't be thinking that I'm the one going to
check, either."
"Let's just wait a minute," Nat whispered. Alex jumped as dark bodies
thumped to the ground. They all screamed as one flew into the
windshield, throwing glass into their faces. Bos had already pulled
his gun and emptied a couple of rounds into its body. Their skin
crawled in revulsion as they stared into the creature's many, many
eyes. It's wings small and fleshy, body furry like a small dog's.
"God, that's disgusting. It's like a big hairy fly-monkey thing!" Bos
shouted. "AAHH!!" More bodies dropped to the ground as fallout from
the second sonic boom continued.
The Thin Man let out all the pent up fury that has been in him for so
long. The force of his power rippled and folded the sky, stunning and
killing the swarming attackers. The fool had miscalculated!
Time began again and he nosedived for Max.
Max dropped into the ravine, his head slamming onto the gas tank;
blood trickling into his left eye. But he had hung on and managed to
stay on top of his bike. His hand shakily revved the accelerator and
woozily rode his bike up the hill.
Nat, Alex and Bos, creeped out at the still crawling thingys, had
taken to driving and shooting the bodies as they fell out of the sky.
"Ewww!"Alex cringed as something splattered onto her arm.
"Alex! Get ready, I see them!" Nat cried, Bos turned the wheel
and the van sped towards Max emerging from the ravine.
Alex put her scope back on the dart gun. She could see Max, face
bloodied; the Thin Man right behind him, his cane raised, eyes crazed, a bloody gash across his eye..."Alex, shoot him! Before he gets Max!"
Bos yelled.
She got him in her sights, steadying herself as the van sped up; aimed
and squeezed the trigger. The dart lodged itself right above the Thin
Man's heart. His eyes glowed and he looked right at Alex through the
scope. He stopped the bike and was sitting on it with a stunned
look of fury creasing his brow.
Max and the van skidded to a halt in front of each other, as Nat
jumped out to help Max into the back. Alex was already waiting with
alcohol and bandages. "Hurry up!" Bos shouted as Nat slammed the
sliding door shut. Bos had already gunned the van and was heading
towards the Thin Man.
The Thin Man was in shock. He had been played the fool, as he
suddenly realized the extent of this set up. The Angels had been
compromised and had joined the ranks with his enemies.
Dylan was not with them and he let out a scream at her betrayal. And
even though he could feel the tranquilizer start to take effect on his
system; he knew that he would exact revenge. He gunned his bike,
turned it around and sped out.
"Alex! He's heading home! And he's looking mighty pissed!" Nat
shouted back. "Yeah, I'm on it! She's not picking up!" Alex had her
cell phone pressed to her head, frustrated that Dylan wasn't answering.
"Look!" Max pointed through the windshield. The suv had just turned
around and was speeding down the main access road from the industrial
park.
"Alright, folks! Hang on, we're going to follow that car!" Bos slammed
his foot on the gas and they took off after the black suv.
Dylan paused in her reading; there had been a war. An ancient war.
The details weren't specific, but what she could glean from the
various letters was that a kind of truce was about to happen. His
parents were somehow key; their son, a living symbol of that new
peace. But then his parents were murdered, hope for peace shattered....
She went back to Vasilescu's shrine and pulled open the top drawer.
News clippings with photos of his slain parents. The DA's
investigation. Inconclusive and still open. The coroner's
reports...she paused over cause of death. Bullet through the heart
for her; one through the head for him. My God, he was a witness, she
muttered, no wonder he was mute; traumatized by the murder of his
parents before his eyes.
She shuffled through some more papers. So, he's the mole! He's been
feeding the Attorney General's office with the leads! She looked back
up at Vasilescu's portrait and another piece clicked into place. This
was a shrine for revenge, not adoration. Overwhelmed she sat down.
But she didn't have long to rest as she looked up at the sound of a
piercing scream. What the hell?!!
The Thin Man appeared before her, towering; eye bloodied. And she
gasped as he raised his cane; bringing it down with such force the
floor cracked. Her eyes widened as the cane appeared to suck energy
from the very ground. His eyes flamed blue and he had the look of
hell about him as he hurled a huge ball of pulsing green fire at her.
She shrieked and tried to jump up to dodge the attack; but its
force knocked her off her feet and threw her against the bureau under
Vasilescu's portrait. She gritted her teeth as the corner jabbed her
in the side.
He stopped. They faced each other. She wasn't hurt. Both
simultaneously realizing that the necklace protected her. He sprang
on her and pinned her against the bureau; clenching her shirt and
ripping it down the middle.
Buttons popped and rolled around the ground as Dylan gripped the
wrists of the Thin Man. "What are you, f#@% nuts?!!" He clawed at her
throat, trying to get his hands on it. But for some reason, couldn't
get his fingers under the necklace. It hung heavily around her
neck as he futilely grasped at it. Dylan pushed against his chest
just enough to break their bodies apart and threw her knee into his
crotch.
Gasping for air and exhausted, he collapsed into the chair. "It's nice
to know THAT at least still works!" Dylan gulped for breath as she
clutched her scratched throat. They stared at each other across the
room. For whatever reason, the necklace wouldn't come off for him.
The Thin Man slumped in his chair and Dylan ran forward to catch him
before he hit the floor.