RUN!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own, nor do I claim to own any of the characters of Birds of Prey. No copyright infringement is intended, honest.
***
Barbara bit her bottom m lip nervously as she read the incoming information on her computer screen. "This can't be good," she mumbled as she typed again searching for more data. After a few seconds the screen showed the results. Now she felt most worried.
"Huntress, do you copy?" she asked through her comm device.
::Kinda busy,:: came the short reply.
Barbara could hear the sounds of fighting coming through Helena's comm.
"Is Dinah with you?"
There was a delayed response after a few grunts and groans.
::No.::
"You okay?"
::Just fine,:: Helena replied angrily, annoyed with the interruption.
I found something that worries me. Are you..."
Before Barbara could continue, she heard Helena's connection turn off.
"Son of a..." she swore softly. She had done it again. Sighing, she put her hand to her ear and called out to Dinah. "Dinah, do you copy?"
::I'm here, Oracle. What's up?::
Where are you?
I was finishing homework at Gabby's house.
"Huntress is in the middle of something at the moment so I need you to go out to do some investigating."
::Cool! Where?::
"My Intel says that on the East side of the city there's been some activity down in the sewers. According to my map of the sewer system, there's a main tunnel over on Derby Avenue. Look for the manhole marked number twenty five."
::Copy that.::
I have some info, but not much. The guys that are there.I have a bad feeling about them.
::I'm on my way::
"Dinah...be careful."
::Right,:: Dinah replied with an aren't-I-always-tone in her voice.
***
Dinah climbed down the narrow, metal ladder and into the tunnel. The smell was
overpowering and she did all she could to block her nostrils from inhaling the
rotted stench.
She walked slowly along the tunnel, trudging through water, mud, and trash.
Voices presented themselves from further on ahead as they echoed throughout the tunnel. The echo made it hard to hear what they were saying so she decided to get closer.
Taking cover into the darkness, Dinah stayed out of sight while she listened to the men talking.
"The game starts tonight, you all know the rules," one of the men stated.
"Come on, do we really need rules?"
"The game isn't fair to everyone if there aren't rules, my friend. Each of you have paid a good deal of money to play this little game, and as the host of this game I want to be sure that each of you gets your moneys worth. Allow me to go over the rules one more time, just so we're all clear. Rule number one - each player will be equipped with one Glock .357 and one full clip of 5 bullets. Each of you have your own distinct, colored bullets. Rule number two - you are not to use any other weapons and will be padded down before the game begins. This makes the playing fair for everyone. If we find that you have used other weapons, let's just say that you won't be playing another game with us or anyone else for that matter because Joey here will kill you."
Dinah felt herself flinch a little at the word "kill."
"How the game works is you try to make use of as many bullets as you have been supplied, but you cannot shoot to kill. The game lasts for exactly two hours and after two hours, the prey will be taken back here. At that time, Joey will remove the bullets. The player with the most hits wins the game - fifty percent of the total amount paid by each of you to play. The losers, well, are losers and get nothing."
"What if a bullet goes all the way through? Technically it's a hit, but it won't be there for you to count it."
"These bullets are designed not to produce a through-and-through. So don't worry, all of your hits will be counted." Suddenly his cell phone rang. He answered it and talked with someone for several minutes. After hanging up the phone he smiled and rubbed his hands together. Gentlemen, everything is ready.
Who or what is the prey?
You'll find out soon enough. I'll give you tracking devices. This way it'll make the game a little more interesting. Think of it as hunting in the jungle, a concrete jungle, that is.
One of the men looked at the organizer and crossed his arms. I'm curious as to what made you think of this game, if I may be so bold as to ask.
I want to show all my enemies what will happen to them if they interfere with my business, and basically if they try to fuck with me.
"Alright, let's get this game going!" one of the other participates snapped, annoyed with the delay.
"Okay, okay. I can see you're all eager to get underway."
Dinah quietly made her way closer to where the men were, doing her best to stay hidden in the shadows. Her new location afforded her the ability to see some of the men, but she was still unsure as to how many of them there were.
A heavyset man passed out small black boxes to each of the men. "Here are your tracking devices. The device will be activated in exactly twenty minutes, signaling the start of the game. You will have only fifteen minutes to use this device to locate the prey. This should allow you enough time to find the prey and make your first move. After fifteen minutes, you're on your own. You'll have to use the remaining hour and forty-five minutes to hunt the prey using your own skill."
The men laughed and Dinah felt her skin begin to crawl.
A large, muscular man opened a briefcase containing three handguns. That solved the question of how many men were playing this deadly game.
He passed out the guns and closed the case up.
"Gentlemen, let the games begin."
Dinah quickly moved as far into the corner of the tunnel as she could when she heard them coming her way. The darkness shielded her as the men walked past, totally unaware of her presence.
As soon as they were gone, Dinah followed them.
"Oracle?"
::Go ahead.::
"There were some men down here, they're planning some sort of hunting game. They didn't say specifically who they're hunting but my guess is that it isn't quail."
:Did they say his name or where they're going to start this game'?::
No, I'll follow them. Where is Huntress?
::She's still got her hands full with a couple of thugs on the other side of town. Her comm is off, as usual.::
They are going to kill someone, Barbara. I have to follow them and help who ever they're hunting.
::Wait Dinah, I'll call the police.::
If you call the police the man that is organizing this could kill the prisoner. The guy behind this whole thing did tell the others that the reason why he's doing it is to show everyone who's boss.
::I knew this couldn't't be good. Follow them and be careful. Keep constant contact.::
