Chapter: Seventeen: Open Conflict
Chapter Author: Beck2
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"Hyde! Put him down you stupid Git! Wait!" His voice turned panicky. "Gently—OOPH!"
Skinner had the wind knocked out of him by the flying body. As he lay flat on his back, he contemplated on how lucky it was that Hyde was playing rather than really on a rampage. If he threw that person like he meant it, they would have to peel his poor thieving body off the stone buildings around him.
Shoving off the man that had hit him in less than good temper, he got up to, once again, act the diplomat. After all, he reasoned, bloodthirsty politicians, bloodthirsty Hyde, it was almost frightening the similarities.
That was it. He was never going to listen to one of Nemo's schemes again, not even if there were dozens of cities at stake. He was a thief, not a diplomat.
Following at a safe distance, or as safe as he could be without losing Hyde, Skinner began to pepper the brute with insults, trying to get his attention off of the hapless citizens.
"You stupid brute! It's a good thing you don't have a mother or she would have died of shame by now!" He knew it was a bad idea, and usually, he'd have run ahead and warned off the other citizens, but he was too angry to care. Not only had it been a horrible week, he now had to deal with this problem, alone no less, and it did absolutely nothing for his mood.
Hyde snorted and ignored him. Apparently insults about mothers didn't affect him all that much. Now he knew Hyde was a beast.
"You bastard! You know…Henry is ten times better than you are! You're just some slobbering incoherent bastard that he has the misfortune of living with!"
"What did you say?!"
Now that got his attention.
For better or worse.
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He slowly turned toward the grease painted thief, and lumbered forward, every step punctuated by a spitted word. "Henry is nothing without me. Nothing but a sniveling weakling."
"Well he must not be all that bad if he has to put up with some idiot like you."
"You are this close to being crushed like the worm you are." Hyde glared down at the smirking thief, who was beginning to look a little uncertain under his mask.
"It's amazing you can use such big words with you being such an ape and all."
The playthings that had occupied his mind were getting away. He had wanted so desperately to play with them, rip off an arm or two, squash them underneath his thumb like a bug. But then this little League member had shown up, and dared say these things about him?! The insults were nothing, but to say Henry, that wretched existence, was better than he was, was a foul lie!
He felt his rage keep building. One of them was going to die. And he knew which one it was. He swung one meaty fist above his head and swung down to crush the annoying worm. His quarry proved to be more than just fancy words though, as he ducked away from the assault and danced away from his second fist.
"Stand still, damn you!"
"What, and let you turn me into a thieven' pancake? I think not."
Roaring angrily he launched himself at the smaller man, who once again eluded him, this time by mere inches.
"I will get you. And then I WILL TEAR YOU APART!"
The thief didn't answer, running quickly away from the murderous fingers of Hyde.
But as luck would have it, and luck was certainly on his side, Hyde thought gleefully, the thief tripped and stumbled, slowing him down enough to be slammed against a wall.
The thief lay there motionless, crumpled against the wall.
No, Edward you can't!
"Yes Henry, I can and I will." He reached up his arms to crush the unlucky Skinner's skull.
And then there was pain.
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It was irony, really and truly.
His sanctuary was a most holy place, a place called the Duomo Cathedral. It was irony that, one of the places he had wanted to destroy, one of his most important targets, would be the place that would save him.
Duomo Cathedral was deserted, not one soul to help dust the already spotless relics and statues.
Commander Orick hid in one of the curtains, listening to the hubbub outside. Everyone was talking. It should have been easy to slip away in the immediate confusion. But police had been true to their code, and scrambled forward to the rescue, and he still in his gray uniform had been too easy to spot and question. And killing someone for clothing had not been an option either, it would only set more fuel to an already volatile fire.
Hiding would have to do.
Tapping his fingers on the wall next to an ornate sword, he considered his position. When he had bought away those plans from an…'associate' of the reclusive M, he did not stop to consider the lengths The Nautilus's captain would go to stop him.
He would have to do better next time.
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Via Tribunali. That was the street he stood on. Not far from here was the famous Duomo Cathedral, built at the end of the twelfth century, surviving earthquakes and disrepair, only to make a glorious return, and resting place of the relics of San Gennaro, whose reason for sainthood eluded him at the moment.
Knowing these things were simply a means to an end. He tried to remain worldly, so that he may better deal with obstacles in his path. This was no different.
But that was not the thing that held his chief interest. Not his philosophy. It was Orick. Mina Harker's superior vampire skills had led her to this cathedral, the last battleground that he may ever face.
He gripped the saber hilt and moved forward to the ornate doors and pushed them open with little force. Mina Harker stayed outside, loathe to come inside, though whether it was because of the cathedral or the private battle he stressed that she was not to interfere in, he was not certain of the reason.
He stood in the doorway and passed his eyes over the scene that lay before him. The building was massive with a hundred places to hide.
"Orick. Come out and face me!" His voice boomed in the oddly empty halls. He stepped forward into the building. Paintings, sculptures, rich beauty seemed to permeate the atmosphere.
"If you are a man of honor, you will face me." His dark eyes glanced around but he saw nothing. "Come out Orick, and face your death with what honor you have left."
"Nemo is it? You should know that honor has no place in this world." The cutting words came from behind. He ducked his head down to dodge the whistling blade, and drew his sword from the sheath and slashed upwards, jarring slightly when blade met blade.
"This is your last day Orick."
"So you say. Let me tell you-" He used his strength to shove Nemo back, "There is always another day."
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"Can't you row any faster? It feels like we aren't going anywhere."
"Remind me again why I helped your ass out of the water." Gilly muttered darkly.
"What was that?" Sawyer looked at him with red eyes, still smoky and watery from the fire.
"I said, you want to go faster, get a bloody damn oar!"
"I would if you would get me one to use! I can't exactly see them!"
Clunky whined sickly and covered his muzzle with a paw.
"Don't throw up on the boat Clunk, just a little ways to shore now." Gilly said reassuringly to the dog.
"We're gonna miss all of the action."
"Don't you think we have enough excitement in our lives? I mean, you almost drowned, I saved your life, we're even now by the by, and now we have a sick dog in our boat, you might want to lift up your shoes looks like he's going to toss the bread he had for breakfast."
"What do you mean, we're even?" Sawyer put his feet up as best could without rocking the boat.
"Well…" Glly shifted a little uncomfortably. "You saved me from the fire, I save you from water, kind of makes us even, you know?"
"Yeah." Sawyer said with a little wonder. "Yeah, it does."
There was a silenece between the two men on the boat.
"So does that make us friends now?"
"Hell no."
"Just wanted to check." Sawyer squinted and looked out over the water he could barely see.
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A/N
Wow, this must be the prize winner for my latest update ever for this story. Anyway, yes, I know it took me a long time just to get back, I got back from my trip and I was dead, fell asleep for most of Monday, got a bunch of homework piled on me for the rest of the week, managed to get one update for another story up Friday, was busy all weekend, and this was the first time I managed to get time for this chapter. So, I wrote it a little bit longer than usual, hoping somehow to make it up to all of you with that little gift. I know it probably doesn't make up for my tardiness, but there you have it. Again, I'm sorry, and thank you all for having the patience to wait for me.
Oh, and should anyone wonder, I had a great trip, and it was a nice vacation from school and writing, though the latter's vacation turned out far longer than I wanted it to.
Asteria: I hope you like Hyde's bit here too!
Niani: That's great! I hope you love this one just as much!
Steffi-333: Heh, yes, but he has to cause his little bit of mischief, or he'll be out of sorts for days, you know. Hope I didn't worry you too much this time. I know I haven't updated in a while. Hope you liked this chapter!
Silversnow: Well, I put in a nice long Hyde piece, hope you like it!
Silent Bob 546: I won't ask what, as I too, have had odder stuff happen. I don't know who I feel sorry for more either. It's teetering between Sawyer and Gilly and Skinner. Hope you liked this chapter!
Clez: I know it took me awhile to get back on track, and I did have a good trip. Sorry! I didn't mean it really! Heh. Thank you very much on Hyde, he's actually a fun character to write for.
Yvonne Clark: Heh, I know, I want to find a documentary on fictional characters, though that may defeat the purpose. My favorite character? So hard to choose! Well, to be totally honest, I love all of the characters. And favorites has to be a tie between Nemo, Quartermain, Skinner and Henry. Edward, Mina, and Sawyer take the second tier.
Fritz Will Get You: Wow. Thank you very much! And thank you to your cats, I hadn't realized I'd picked up more feline readers.
Please leave your comments on the way out, and thank you very much.