Ch.7
Oz pulled up
to the entrance to the club and tossed the keys to a valet when he stepped out
of the car. He walked around to the other side and held out his arm for
Rouge. She looped her arm through his as she stepped out and they both walked
past the long line of people that had spent hours waiting to be let in.
Once inside
the club Oz and Rouge were escorted to a table near the bar. Heads turned
as they walked by and people murmured asking one another who they were. Soon the
handsome couple caught the eye of Tony Donelli, their
target. Tony is a big shot mobster who lives a reputable life style.
His main interest was in rare jewels but he did pretty much everything,
from murder all the way to petty theft. He was as bad as they get.
Tony sat on the other side of the club. He and some other goons were
seated together, each with at least three women hanging on them. The club
was lit with florescent lights rimmed around the ceiling and floor, so Tony was
visible enough from where our two agents were seated and visa versa. There were
two guys stationed in the back, armed no doubt, and one three at the front.
There was a small hallway at the end of the bar leading to the back of
the building.
Oz sat with
his arm around Rouge. He whispered from the corner of his mouth, "You see
the door at the end of the bar?"
Rouge leaned
in and kissed his neck then whispered in his ear, "Yeah, the bar tender has a
gun strapped underneath the bar…"
Oz glanced
over at Tony and saw that he had noticed them, "Show time…" he whispered and he
pressed the small switch on his watch to start the recorder. Rouge
continued on to play her part…. reluctantly. Oz looked at her, "Yah know it
wouldn't kill you to put just a little more effort into it…"
Rouge whispered,
"This is as good as it gets." She smiled and ran her finger down his chin and
across his lips. Oz kissed her finger and smiled. "Don't get any ideas hairball…"
Rouge muttered.
Oz put on the
mock hurt act, "Who me? I would never Rouge baby…"
"You're enjoying
this way to much Ozzy…"
"Oh yeah…" Oz
smiled. Oz glanced back over at Tony's table some guy was whispering something
in his ear. Tony looked over at Rouge and Oz. Ozzy
didn't like this, something was wrong he could sense it. He knew Rouge sensed
it too as she shifted uncomfortably.
"Ozzy…maybe we should get out of here." She whispered.
Oz ignored
her he saw another guard come over and stand at the end of the bar near the
hallway. There were four more armed men standing in the club now too.
He stayed seated and played it cool. He waved a waitress over and
ordered a drink. Minutes later she came back with his drink. He took a
sip and waited.
"Ozzy…"Rouge said more pleadingly this time.
"Relax." Oz
said.
"I am relaxed
I just don't like the idea of getting shot!" She whispered back.
Just then two
guys in dark navy blue suits came over to their table. The taller one
spoke. "Our bwoss would like a few woyds wid you."He
spoke in a heavy Brooklyn accent.
"I'm sorry
boys but I'm busy at the moment…" He said not even looking at them.
The other guy
the shorter one bent down and gripped Rouge by the arm and glared at Oz. "His
insists…"
Rouge didn't
give these guys the pleasure showing pain so she bit her tongue to keep from
wincing. She looked at Oz as the guy forced her to stand up.
Oz stood up
agreeing to follow them. He couldn't do anything to help Rouge; if he
tried they would probably do way worse damage then bruising her arm. Ashe
stepped up to the table he Tony and all of his crony's
stared at Oz with suspicion.
Tony puffed his
cigar and then spoke, "Well I don't ever remember inviting a couple of spies
into my club…" He voice was more polished then the two that got Rouge and Oz.
Rouge's expression
was neutral as was Ozzy's. "You must be mistaken…" Oz
said casually crossing his arms over his chest.
The conman
smiled, "No my friend there is no mistake…Ozzy…"
Oz's eyes
widened with shock and surprise…they had been sold out, but by whom? He stood
there and watched as all the thieves and murderers laughed at him at his surprised
expression. He didn't resist when two other huge guys came and pinned his
arms behind him. So many thoughts were running through his head as to how
to get out of this and who would the sell out be. Rouge caught his eye
and he looked over at her. She was just as shocked as he was but she
seemed to be doing better at thinking of a plan to get them out. He
looked back at Tony when he motioned for Rouge to come closer. It took
every fiber of his being not to jump at the guy. He clenched his jaw as
he saw Tony run his hand over Rouge's thigh. Rouge forced herself not to
kick the guy in the groin.
Tony saw that
he hit a soft spot, he smiled, "Why don't you take the lady upstairs…"He looked
at Oz, "And take him out back...show him what we do when someone comes putting
their noses where they don't belong."
The two goons
gripped Oz's arms even harder and jerked him making him walk outback. Oz watch
as the other guy took Rouge upstairs. The two guys threw Oz out the door;
they threw him so hard that he collided with the cement wall of the ally head
on. His vision was blurred slightly and he turned around facing the two.
One came from his right and punched him hard and fast in the ribs. The
other one came from the left and punched him in the jaw just before Oz fell to
the asphalt. Oz stood up and faced them again. Oz swung a punch at the
guy on his left. The guy caught his wrist just before Oz made contact.
The other guy came and grabbed Oz's other arm. In one swift movement Oz
slid his arms out of his jacket leaving the two goons empty handed and spun
around kicking both of them at once.
The two went
staggering back but not by much. They looked at Oz shocked for about a split
second then dropped the empty jacket and came at him. Oz swung with his
left and sent one guy down instantly but wasn't fast enough to block the other
guys punch. Oz was sent back hitting his back against the wall. He ducked
when the guy went to punch him again and he heard the cracking of bones when
the guy's fist hit the wall.
Oz stood
there breathing heavily. He just now started to notice the blood running
down the front of his face. From when he hit the wall probably, and also the
little bit of blood at the corner of his mouth. The one guy that went
flying to the ground stood up and took out a pair of brass knuckles from his pocket, the other slid a knife from behind his back.
Oz smiled,
"Whatever happened to playing fair…" He HAD to throw in a cocky remark.
The two
goons, now really ticked off, ignored his remark. The one with the knife
came first this time. He lashed out at Oz. Oz jumped back in time, and
ducked when he lashed out again. Oz kicked the knife from his hand
sending it straight up in the air. Oz punched the guy in the face
breaking his nose and caught the knife all in one moment. The guy was
staggering back blinded by pain. The other man came up and took his
place. Oz held the blade of the knife face down and he and the other guy
circled waiting for the other to make a move.
It started to
rain and lightning. Oz wiped the mixture of blood and water from his face
with the back of his hand. He smiled that same cocky smile and flipped the
knife over in his hand so he was holding it by its blade. He was just a
split second faster then the other guy. He through the knife burying the
blade deep in the guy's chest, then he spun around and kicked the hilt of the
knife pushing the blade even further. The guy crashed to the wall behind him
and fell the ground. The other guy stayed on the ground looking up at Ozzy. Oz looked at him and turned around going back
into the club. He was one ticked kitty or guy.
Steam came
off of Oz's body, like when steam lifts off the hot asphalt after it rains, is
he reentered the club. He eyes were hot with anger and his mind
completely set on payback…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rouge couldn't
see where they were taking Ozzy as they took her
upstairs. Every time she struggled under the guy's grip he just
backhanded her, so she stopped and just let him lead her up. He threw her
into a room that was furnished with a tacky get up. He closed the door behind
her leaving her in there alone. Big mistake…She walked over to the window,
there were bars blocking her way out. She looked around to see what she
could use to get out. But knowing her luck there was absolutely nothing.
She looked up
when she saw the door open. It was Tony Donelli
himself, she stayed where she was and glared at him. She turned to her
and smiled. "Well my dear looks like it's just me and you." He walked
over to her and ran his hand down her cheek, she went to slap it away but he
caught her by the wrist. "I wouldn't be so bold…" He backhanded her sending
her to the floor.
Ok…now she
was officially ticked. He took a step towards her but she
stood up, "Wait…!" She glared at him, "I have something to tell you…" When he
smiled Rouge knew she had him. "I have a pretty good idea about what you have
in mind for me…so let me tell you what I have planned." She stood up straight
and put her hands on her hips. "First, I'm going to slap you around a little
bit, then you're going to meet the wall, after that I'm going to send you
through the window but not before I break your neck… and through all that
you're going to tell me what I want to know…"
He looked at
her then laughed, "Oh you will? My dear you can't even lay a hand on me…" He
went to touch her shoulder but she grabbed him by his arm.
"Uh-oh….I touched
you…" She slapped him hard across the face. " Now…Where's
the chaos emerald?" He looked at her shocked that she had actually hit him, "To
long…" She slapped him again. "Where is it?!" He went to hit her but she ducked
and then backhanded him sending him to the floor. She walked over and place her
heal on his throat. "Where is it?!" He choked and sputtered, she pressed
harder, "What?!"
"Ina safe under the bar!" He yelled.
Rouge grabbed
him by the collar and forced him to his feet. "Now…whom do you work for?" He
cursed at her. "Wrong answer!" She back handed him
again and held him up to her face. "Answer the question."
"Someone
named Isis…" He said clearly his pride hurt.
He tried to hit her again but she hit him first.
"Where is
she?" She demanded.
"Somewhere in
the middle east…" Rouge raised her hand, "At an old military compound!" He
added quickly.
"Is someone
named Arsinoe with her?" She yelled raising her hand
again.
"Yes!" His
voice was shaking.
"And what about the army?"
"You're not
getting anything else from me…." He said apparently proud of is brazen act.
"Aw…that's to bad." She kicked him back into the wall. He hit it hard
and fell to the ground. She stood over him and looked down at him. "So changed
your mind yet?"
"Yes…" He
coughed up blood. He knew what was coming next, what the heck, "And she plans
on using the emeralds to make the host stronger."
Rouge took a
step back from him and cocked her head to the side, "Hmm…I don't remember
asking about that but," she shrugged, "Thanks any way…Just think…At least I
didn't have to beat it out of you…" She turned her back on him and walked over
to the door.
She heard him
stand up and she turned around and saw him holding a knife. He came at
her with the knife. She grabbed his arm with the knife and twisted it
breaking the bone. She kicked him in the groin, and then she punched him
in the neck crushing his windpipe and spun around and kicked him sending him
through the window.
She stood
there breathing heavily, "Wow," She gasped, "I did all that in heels…" She
smiled and turned to the door. When she opened it a guard stood next to
it. She punched him rendering him unconscious. Then she walked over to
the steps, when she got to the bottom some guy went flying past her. She
looked around and saw Ozzy taking on a whole bunch of
goons.
~*~*~*
As Oz walked to the stairs a couple of goons circled around
him. He stopped and looked at them. His yellow cat eyes seemed
demonic as they glowed in the dim light. One guy came at him from the
side; he turned and punched him sending him halfway across the floor.
Another one came and another until Oz and completely decimated them all.
He looked up and saw Rouge standing at the foot of the stairs unharmed.
Well he relaxed but not for long when all the goons began to get back up.
Rouge walked over to Oz and they stood back to back. Both of them were
silent as one by one the goons began to stand up and get ready to fight again.
Then all at
once they came at Ozzy and Rouge. Oz punched one guy
out and picked him up and threw him on another. Rouge did a roundhouse
kick send one into the air and crash landing on a table. They worked at each
others back kicking some major tail.
Then both of
them stood breathing heavily and surrounded by unconscious bodies. Oz
turned around and faced Rouge. "You all right?"
Rouge nodded,
"Never better…" She leaned on him and he wrapped his arm around her waist both
helping the other one walk.
Rouge lead Ozzy over to the bar.
The bartender pulled out the shotgun and pointed it them. Rouge
rolled her eyes, "Gimme a break…" She grabbed the gun
by the barrel and yanked it out of his hand and flipped it over and pointed the
gun at him. "Gimme the stupid
emerald." She demanded. The bartender didn't hesitate when he
opened the safe and handed Ozzy the emerald. Ozzy took it and Rouge tossed the gun over her shoulder.
Together Rouge and Ozzy walked out of the club.
A guy had
just pulled up and stepped out of his car. "Where's the valet?" He looked
at Ozzy and Rouge. "Man…what happened to you two?"
Oz let go of
Rouge and left her leaning up against the car as he walked over to the guy.
He grabbed the keys from him and open the car
door.
"What the
heck do you think your doing?!" He grabbed Oz by the wrist.
Oz looks at
the guy's hand then at the guy, he gave him one of those, 'Dude touch me and I'll kill you' looks. The guy let go and backed
off. Oz and Rouge got into the car and Oz hit the gas making the tires
squeal and sped off.
Both sat silently
for a moment. Oz was still steaming about the whole set up. Thoughts ran
through his head of who the leak could be. He guess whoever they were
they were also the ones that gave out the A.N.E formula as well. If they
were willing to get rid of a couple of agents then he figured that Tye and Tino could be in serious
trouble. He turned the car around doing a 180 and sped back off to the
university where Tino and Tye
would be waiting. He bet the leak wasn't actually counting on him and
Rouge surviving so they had the element of surprise.
Oz pulled
into the parking lot of the university, he caught a glimpse of a black jaguar,
and he knew that car. His raised as it all began to add up. He turned
the car facing the doors of the lab where Tino and Tye would be. He looked through and saw only a little
glimpse of light, which was enough for him.
"Hang on…" He
said. Rouge looked at him like he was nuts but she braced herself. Ozzy slammed on the gas and went speeding through the glass
doors. Him and Rouge jerked forward when he hit
the breaks just before the made impact with the wall. Oz shook piece of
glass from his hair and looked over at Rouge.
Rouge slapped
him across the face. "You moron! Are you nuts!"
"Ow !Well
at least you're all right." He said rubbing his cheek.
"Yeah well,
your boss isn't…" Rouge said as she got out of the car. She looked over
to her left and saw a man on his back screaming and yelling at Ozzy.
Oz got out
and looked at Scythe, then he looked around and saw Tye struggling to sit herself up. Oz ran over and
picked her up, "Where's Tino?" he asked her as he set
her wheel chair right side up and set her down in it.
"He's over
there." She said pointing to a body in the shadows.
Tino lay face down on the floor. Oz ran over to him
and rolled him over. There was a bullet wound in his shoulder and a
contusion on his forehead. He checked his pulse. He was alive just
knocked out. Oz looked up and saw Rouge standing over Scythe with her
heal in his throat. Oz stood up and walked over to Scythe.
Scythe squirmed
under Rouge's foot but she only pressed harder on his windpipe cutting off his
air. Ozzy came and stood next to Rouge.
Scythes eyes grew wide with fear. Oz kneeled down and looked Scythe
in the eye. "Proud of yourself are you?" Ozzy
asked giving Scythe one of those, 'Choose wisely for it may be your last',
looks.
Scythe smiled,
"It was worth it…" Oz glanced up at Rouge she pressed her foot harder on his
neck.
"So what's in
it for you!" Oz demanded.
Scythe struggled
some more under Rouge's hold. "Getting rid of you!
Plus I'm getting paid well…"
Rouge let
moved her momentarily only to kick him in the side then she placed her foot back
over his neck. Oz looked up at her and she shrugged, "What?"
Oz looked
back at Scythe, "Tell me everything you know. Or else I'll let Rouge here
shred you to ribbons."
Scythe glanced
up at Rouge who smiled at him evilly with a demonic amusement in her eyes.
He gulped, "Alright! Alright I'll tell you! I sold the A.N.E
formula to some guy a while back when you joined the force. That was your
first mission. You had to track him down and get the neural enhancer. I
didn't think you would succeed but you did. Then Isis, who was his
creation, hired me. I sold a copy of the formula to her as well. I
set up the mission when you first met her, only to through you off my tracks.
Then putting you in recon got you out of her way for a while. It
was a win win situation." Rouge pressed harder on his throat when he stopped,
he sputtered, "Rouge was part of Isis' plan." Rouge's eye's widened and Ozzy looked up at her, Scythe kept talking, "Rouge knew of
project Shadow and the chaos emeralds. So I had Rouge's division hire her
to get a head start on finding the chaos emeralds to make easier for Isis'. Then we put you on the assignment.
With the two of you out there looking for them it would be easier to kill
you both and take the jewels."
Just out of
spite Rouge kicked him again. Scythe yelled and Oz grabbed him by the neck.
Just out of
spite Rouge kicked him again. Scythe yelled and Oz grabbed him by the neck.
"You sold us out! Isis set all this up from the beginning! You low life
son-of-a-gun!" Oz reared his fist back and punched Scythe in the jaw. Scythe
started to laugh, "What's so funny!" Oz yelled at him.
"As we speak Isis is moving into position to attack.
You cant stop her!" Oz dropped him and
stood up.
Tino stirred and moaned. He stood up and looked over
at Oz and Rouge. "Hey guys…some party huh?" He rubbed his head gingerly
wincing slightly.
"Tino, we need to change back to our original forms." Oz
said his tone firm and serious.
Tino shook his head. "I haven't gotten to finish the
formula yet. But it wont take me long to get it." He stood up and
looked at Scythe. "What do we do with him?"
Oz looked
down at him, "He's coming with us…" Oz bent down and searched Scythe's pockets
then he pulled out a pair of car keys. He grabbed Scythe by the neck and forced
him to stand up. "Tino we're gonna need some equipment as well and we have to figure out
where Isis is."
"She's in the
Middle East…. and so is
the host and army." Rouge said walking nest to him.
Rouge helped Tino out and Tye out as Oz
dragged Scythe out to his car. "Hope you don't mind me barrowing your car…"Oz
popped the trunk open and tossed Scythe in. Scythe yelled and banged on the
hood from the inside. Rouge walked over with Tino and
Tye and they all got in the car. Rouge sat in the
back with Tino and Tye got
in the passenger side. Oz started up the car, "Let's get out of here…"
and took off.
They were all
back at head quarters in the lab. Ozzy handed Scythe
over to them and reported what had happened. Oz walked into the lab and
sat on one of the tables. He took off his shirt and looked at his bruised
rib cage.
Rouge walked in and winced when she just now noticed how beat up Oz was.
She walked over to him, "Wow…you took quite a beating."
Oz looked at
her she was walking barefoot and carrying her shoes in her hand, he smiled,
"And you didn't."
Rouge smiled,
"Only my feet. I can't wait until I'm back in my original form." She set
her shoes on the floor and grabbed the first aid kit that was sitting next Oz.
"Tino say when he'd have the formula ready?"
She asked as she took out some gauze and alcohol and began to clean his head
wounds.
Oz watched
her, "He said he'd have it done by tomorrow morning." Rouge nodded and continued
cleaning his wounds. Oz sat there and continued watching her in silence.
"Are you all right? I mean…. they didn't do anything to you did they?"
Rouge stopped
and looked at him, "No…I'm fine. I told you I would remember?" She smiled and
began to put bandages on him.
Oz smiled,
"Yeah…I remember." He thought of something else, "Hey Rouge…What's Project
Shadow?"
Rouge dropped
the gauze and quickly picked it up, "The what?"
"Project Shadow…Scythe
said it."
Rouge shrugged,
"I don't know really…" She finished up and put up the first aid kit.
Oz left it
with that, "So what's the plan now?"
Rouge, glad
that he dropped the subject, looked at him. "I don't know but…"
Oz looked at
her, "But…?"
"I'm being reassigned…"
"What?! They cant do that!" Oz said getting off the table and standing
up.
"Yes they can
Ozzy… and they did."
"But why?"
"Well, you
think we have all the chaos emeralds right?"
"Yeah all six right?" Oz said not getting it.
"There's seven
Ozzy…"
Oz looked at
her, "And…so now you cant continue working with
because we don't have all seven…"
"The other
one is in the hands of a friend of mine. When I refused to get the emerald from
him my superiors said that I would be reassigned to another mission since I
failed to full fill this one."
"That's ludicrous!"
He stopped, "Wait…what friend?"
Rouge shook
her head. "Don't worry about it. Just know that the last emerald is in good
hands.
Oz ran his
hands through his hair, "So when are you leaving…?"
"As soon as Tino is done with the formula, then I'm out of here." She
said gloomily.
"This sucks…"
Oz said leaning back on the table.
"Yeah…but
I think we need to go get some sleep…" She put her hand on his shoulder, "We
both had a rough day."
Oz nodded
"Yeah…" He started for the door, "Ill see you tomorrow Rouge…" He walked out
leaving her standing there.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next morning Tino had the
formula done and ready. This time Ozzy and
Rouge took it in separate rooms. They emerged from the rooms in their regular
clothes. Rouge Thanked Tye and Tino
and turned to Ozzy.
"Well Oz…It
was great working with you…" She walked up and hugged his neck.
Oz hugged her
back. "Yeah same here…"
Rouge pulled
from the hug and stepped back looked up at him. " Do me
a favor and give Isis
one from me?"
Oz smiled,
"Yeah sure."
Rouge turned
and walked out. Oz stood there with his hands in his pocket. One
more friend, he smiled and turned back to Tino and Tye who were looking at him. "What? Do I have something one
my face?"
Tye shook her head, "That was so sweet!"
Tino smiled, "Go Ozzy! Got yourself a girl now!"
Oz looked at
them like they were crazy, "Me and Rouge? HA! That's a laugh. We'd kill each
other."
Tye nodded, "You got that right. But don't worry we
know you don't like her that way."
Tino looked down at Tye, "We do?"
Tye hit him, "Yes."
"Y-Yeah we
do." Tino said smiling.
Oz rolled his
eyes, "Alright you two we got work to do." Tye
and Tino nodded and went back to work. Oz
decided to go to the gym and train some more. Alright Isis, he thought, I'm coming for you…are
you ready?
