by Roaming Tigress and Shelley Inks, creator of Keleen Vanderchill
Chapter Fourteen:
Unsettled Scores
As Steelbeak came into his house, he knew right away that something just wasn't right. The cause of his anxiety became apparent following a bullet that harmlessly pinged off his beak. It didn't take him long to figure out who shot at him, for the culprit calmly came up to him, sipping a glass of red wine.
"What . . . Are youse doing?" He asked slowly, feeling an inner rage build up upon the very sight of Javert. "I don't remember invitin' youse over."
"Welcome back. We were missing you!" Javert grinned, purposely bumping into him and spilling the wine on Steelbeak's white Armani jacket.
"Sit down, relax, enjoy a nice bullet to ze brain! It will go well with that stain, you know. You wouldn't know it was there!"
Another bullet was fired at Steelbeak's direction, and this as one struck him in the shoulder. Javert was so sure of himself that he bought only three bullets, thinking one each would suffice to wipe out the family. How wrong he was!
"Youse 'ave made de woist mistake in your life, Frenchie!" Steelbeak growled, grabbing hold of the intruder by the collar of his shirt. Hearing his daughter cry out, he turned his attention toward her and released the trespasser.
"I'll settle for ya later, Javert. Youse and I will meet again . . . "
"Indeed we will, Steelbeak, and next time you and your family won't be so lucky . . . " Javert sneered, making a cowardly retreat into the Jacuzzi room.
In yer dreams, Javert.
In the kitchen, Victoria held and comforted Tatiana while Keleen cleaned the wound. It was only the sight of his wounded daughter that had stopped Steelbeak from killing his mortal enemy. Family came first, crime and taking matters into his own hands came second.
"Who did this? What 'append?" Steelbeak demanded, seeing the would the bullet had left. "When I find out who did dis, someone is gonna die!"
"Javert . . . " Victoria replied through clenched teeth. "He came in here like he owned the place, shot me, then got Tatiana."
"It's only a grazing wound, she'll be just fine!" Keleen explained to him, patting Tatiana on the head. She looked down at the small child who hugged her, and with her smile there was what looked like a tear in her eyes.
The fury in the rooster's silver eyes had died down, and he bent down to kiss his toddler on the head. "Glad to hear it," he said gently, and then, suddenly, his anger returned with a vengeance.
"Javert won't be okay when I'm t'rough wit' 'im . . . " He added, storming off into the direction of where Javert had gone into hiding.
Two thoughts gnawed at Keleen's mind, both of them conflicting with one another. What am I to do? Should I stop Steelbeak and defend Javert? Or should I let him get what he may just deserve?
"Wait . . . !" She cried out, hearing a fracas from down the hall. Quickly, she handed Tatiana back to her mother and ran down the hallway. She had decided to defend the young murderer, for all she wanted was to make things right between Javert and herself.
Keleen had arrived in a scene of chaos, but just in the nick of time. There was a small amount of blood and scattered feathers on the deck, and in one corner Javert laid half-conscious. Steelbeak was strangling him with one hand, and on the verge snapping his head back with the other. On a cruel twist of fate, Javert the hunter was becoming Javert the victim; his confidence was getting the better of him.
"Did I not tell youse to stay away from my family?!" Steelbeak roared, pounding Javert's head against the pool deck. A trickle of blood seeped from the back of his head and ran into the Jacuzzi's water.
Keleen knew she had to act quickly, or loose her partner -- and potential soul mate. Without a concern for her own safety, she got right into the brawl and gave the rooster a direct kick to the kidneys. This didn't at all seem to phase him, and it was then that she had decided to go to drastic measures. She realized that Steelbeak had a family to protect, but also realized she didn't want Javert taken away from her for eternity.
Using her ice creating powers, she produced a knife-shaped icicle and stabbed Steelbeak directly in the back with it. She held onto it tight as he thrashed about violently, and froze it in place.
Steelbeak let out a horrifying howl of pain, immediately ceasing his attack. The yell was so unnerving to Keleen that she had frozen his beak shut to silence him. He tried desperately to pull the icicle out, but no avail.
Quite suddenly Steelbeak felt a sharp pain to his chest, and dropped to his knees. He had suffered from a small heart attack, and his posture was that of defeat. Surrendering was one of the last things he would ever consider doing, but in the condition he was in he had no other option.
"I can't stand to see an animal suffering, so . . . " Keleen scornfully glared at Steelbeak, looking away from the pain he was in. To ensure Victoria wouldn't help him, or so that he wouldn't make an escape, she froze the door shut.
"Serves you right, you loathsome hyena . . . " Javert weakly groaned as his assistant bent down by his side. "What are you doing here, Vanderchill?"
"I couldn't let you be killed!" She whispered, taking hold of one of his hands and bringing it up to her face. "I love you, Javert."
"I . . . I don't know what to say, Keleen . . . " Never before had someone risked their life to save his, and genuinely Javert was awed by this. Yet, he showed little emotion expression-wise, for he hadn't wanted her to think he was going soft. It wouldn't matter to the world to her if he did, but he didn't know that.
"No need to say anything," she smiled slightly, stroking the feathers atop of his head. "Just you take it easy, Javert. I love you."
I don't, for I can't. Javert remained silent at what Keleen had just told him. Romance and love were foreign to him, for it hadn't at all been part of his upbringing. To be honest with himself, he didn't know how to react to her saying this to him.
Steadily Javert felt his strength return, and he slowly sat up. He watched as Keleen walked up to Steelbeak, and took this opportunity to retreat once more. For now, he would let her deal with the rooster.
"Now, I'm going to deal with you . . . " She said coldly, approaching the Steelbeak in a predatorily slow manner. "Get up on your feet, I have some unsettled scores to deal with you.
Dealing with Javert was one thing, but an ice-producing villainess was another. Steelbeak looked up at her, weary and feeling old before his time. He didn't want to die, not now that he had a family to look after. Too weak to stand, he pleadingly looked into her eyes, begging her not to take his life away just yet.