To Random person w/random thought: Thank you so much for your flattering review! wipes tears from eyes That was such a nice thing for you to say! Oh, and thankx too for your suggestions. I really like the about Rio and Hotstreak sharing some type of special power. Sadly though, since there's only one chapter left after this one, I can't see how I can fit it in. If I ever write a sequal though, I'll definatly make sure to keep it close in mind. Thankx again! I hope you'll drop me a line again sometime:)
To Jill: Thankx:)
To LaBOBuren: Hehe...cuz...torturing people w/cliffies is fun;) MUHAHA!
To Flamer: Well, can't please everybody can I? Look, I realize you're probably one of those people who just read stories to find something about them you don't like, but whatever. Everybody's got their own opinion, and I respect that. I'm glad you like the story, but if you ever have anything else to flame me about like this, don't. You crossed the line from constructive critisism to all out screaming flame (which I'm sure you already know), and I'd appreciate it if unless you actually have something nice to say about my character that you don't review me again.
To joyfulcry: Aww...thankx. That's what I was goin for, so I'm glad you see it that way:)
To Lobo-Chan: Yeah! Go Hotstreak beat him up for all us fans!
To Bandie: Thankx dude, that meant a lot to me. Like I told Flamer, I respect that everybody's got their own opinions, haha...but honestly, I like yours much better;) Thankx again so much, and whoever you are normally, I hope you keep reviewing:)
Alright! How is everybody today? I hope you're all good:) Haaa...wow...there's only one chapter left. I'm sad. Well, I'm guessing all you are glad though, huh? Okay, well here you go...Chapter 22.
Enjoy.
Just as Shiv was about to slit Rioko's throat, Shiv froze to see the figure of a burning metahuman step through the door behind him. "No! You're supposed to be dead!" he yelled furiously.
"Let her go." Hotstreak's voice was soft, but still filled with furious anger and wrath.
Shiv wanted with all his might to press his dagger-like hand into Rioko's throat and end it all right then, but some overwhelming fear took him over as he gazed into Hotstreak's eyes. All the green in them was gone now. Only a fiery red, engulfed in rage and pain remained. "D-don't come any closer, or I'll kill 'er!" he managed to stutter out.
"Don't think so." Shiv's eyes grew ever wider with fright as he watched Hotstreak engulf himself in a burning flame.
"I-I mean it...you come any closer and I-I'll kill her!" still wanting desperately to kill his prisoner, Shiv tightened his grip on Rioko's arm and pressed his hand-turned-dagger on her neck so it just barely cut into her skin; causing a weak whimper to escape her as a small trickle of blood fell down her neck.
Shiv felt a shiver rush up his spine when he saw a sinister smile cross over his rival's lips as he formed some type of fiery blade is his hand. "Ha ha...really? Let's test that, shall we?"
Before even having a chance to react, Shiv cried out in a mix of shock and agony after watching Hotstreak swiftly charge towards him and ram his fiery blade through his side. "Hhh...how did you...?" Not able to finish his question, Shiv let go his hold on Rioko and fell to the ground beside her. The look on his face chilled Hotstreak in a way that he knew he would never forget. It made him feel like a murderer. Though, he knew the wound he'd caused wouldn't kill Shiv, it was still enough to make him feel like he had. So much blood...so much pain. But in the end, he knew Shiv got better then what he deserved. Besides, he had more important things to think about now.
As Hotstreak stood, silently watching Shiv till the moment his eyes finally closed and he was sure the psycho metahuman had past out, Rioko too began to loose her hold on consciousness. She tried the best she could to hold up her weight, but an overpowering fatigue fought strongly against her. "France..." she said softly just before closing her eyes and collapsing towards the ground.
Hotstreak was pulled roughly from his daze the very moment he heard her voice. "Rie!" he felt his heart jump into his throat again as he quickly ran to catch her fall. While the rage burning around him slowly diminished, he braced her up from behind and gently lowered her to the ground so that her head cradled in his arm and her back and wings rested in his lap. "Rio...I'm so sorry..." he said quietly upon seeing his little sister's weary and bloodied state.
Feeling a strange surge of energy flow through her as the warmth of Hotstreak's hand brushed a lock of hair off her face, Rioko managed to force her eyes open to see the kind, worried face of her brother. "Francis...what are you...?"
Before allowing her to finish, Hotstreak gently placed a finger on her lips. "Shh...it's okay now. I'll explain everything later. Just relax...everything's gonna be okay." He could tell by the look in her cloudy eyes that she was somewhat confused. (And with good reason.) Still, for the first time in nearly nine years, all he could manage to think of was the joy he felt in holding his once-lost sister in his arms. Even when he felt a tear fall from his soft-green eyes, nothing could pull him from that thought.
At any other time, Rioko would have jumped to be this close to someone, but not this time. It was odd. After so many years of pain and neglect, the only place she really had ever truly felt safe was when she was in the arms of the very one who had caused all of that pain. "Thank you." she said softly just before allowing the comforting darkness looming over her to pull her into a tired sleep.
Looking down at her peaceful face, Hotstreak smiled kindly as he wrapped his arms tighter around her and rested his head on the younger girl's black tresses.
The moment of peace was not long-lived though as Hotstreak's attention was pulled to the deafening sound of a loud crash from within the factory. Part of him wanted to take Rioko and leave Static to whatever fate was to befall him, but as he looked again to his sister's beautiful face, he knew he had to help him. "Stupid conscious. I thought thieves weren't supposed to have that..." he mumbled to himself before gently slipping an arm under Rioko's legs and picking her up so her body and wings were cradled safely in his arms as he walked.
Within the confines of the old building, Static is found hovering on his metallic disk without a scratch on him. While Ebon, on the other hand, laid nearly unconscious on the floor. "I told you you'd pay." Static growled; voice still filled with a furious rage.
"Where did you get so much...power?" Ebon struggled to say while trying to stand.
Charging up another blast of the powerful purple energy in his hand, Static replied, "It's what happens when you hate something so much, loosing is no longer in your vocabulary." Static found himself smiling somewhat sinisterly after hearing Ebon cry out when his last blast of energy plowed into him dead on; draining him completely of all the energy he had.
"Nice job sparky." Static turned and felt his expression of fury turn to worry upon seeing his unconscious friend in Hotstreak's arms.
As Hotstreak made his way to his side, Static quickly jumped off his disk and ran to meet him. "What happened? Is she..." his voice was frantic and filled with worry as he spoke.
"It's okay. With a little rest and care, she'll be fine." There was a long moment of awkward silence between the two fighters, but was soon broken by Hotstreak as he cleared his throat; trying to draw Static's attention off of Rioko and back on him. "Look, Static...umm...I just wanted to, uhh..." he was never good at these kind of things, but he knew he had to... "Thanks."
Static seemed somewhat taken back by Hotstreak's sincere appreciation, "Hey, I just provided the distraction. You're the one who saved 'er. Not me."
"Yeah, but we'd both be dead now if it wasn't for your help." Hotstreak paused for a moment as he shifted Rioko slightly, "Look, thanking people isn't something I normally do, so just accept it, okay?"
"Sure. You're welcome." After hearing a small groan emit from Ebon, Static chuckled a bit. "Now, what'd ya say I call the cops to get these losers outta here and into a place they can't break out of?"
"You do that. I'm gonna take her back to my place for the night."
Static's instincts were still wary of leaving Rioko in Hotstreak's care, but if he had learned anything tonight, it was the Hotstreak cared for his partner more then he could ever imagine. "Alright."
No matter how slight it was, Hotstreak could still pick up the hesitation in his rival's voice. "I'll keep you posted. Oh, you'll find Talon down that hall and Shiv's out the back door." he said while nodding over to the dark hall.
"Got it."
After carefully placing Rioko in the passenger seat of his Lamborghini so as not to crush her wings and driving a good ten minutes, Hotstreak placed his foot firmly of the brakes and pulled the hotrod to a halt in front of a warn down apartment building. He climbed somewhat painfully (still being sore from the previous battle) out of the car and walked to the passenger door. After pulling the door up to its opened position, he again carefully took up a still unconscious Rioko into his arms. Once both were out of the car, he leaned her weight onto his chest and quickly shut the car door with a free hand before swiftly bringing it back to its place at Rioko's back.
The sky was black as could be now as Hotstreak walked up two flights of old, creaking stairs. "Francis!" he jumped slightly upon hearing an old, raspy voice scream at him from below. "Francis Stone! You'd better answer me boy!"
He sighed heavily and rolled his eyes before turning slightly and yelling back to the floor below. "What now Mr. Harker?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Hotstreak could see the wrinkled figure of an elderly man appear from the apartment closest to the stairs. "Where's your rent! You're two months overdue!"
Hotstreak winced upon remembering the bill he was so behind on paying. "Umm...I'll have it...tomorrow."
The old man's face held a deadly scowl as he spoke harshly, "You've been sayin' 'tomorrow' for the last two months!"
"Common old man, just one more day...I promise I'll get it to you tomorrow night tops."
"Ahh..." Mr. Harker waved his hand disapprovingly. "Your promises are worth just about as much as the trash in the dumpster outside."
Normally, Hotstreak would have taken an insult like that with a grain of salt, but as he let his eyes drift down to the peaceful face of his sister resting in his arms, it hit him harder then he ever knew it could. "I know..." he mumbled shamefully.
"What...?" Suddenly, the expression on the old man's face lightened considerably. "Look," he began, this time in a much kinder voice as he took in the appearance of the two beaten and bloodied teenagers, "You look like you got your hands full, quite literally, so why don't you just take till Friday to get it to me."
Hotstreak looked up and allowed a small smile to creep across his lips before nodding and turning to continue his trek up the stairs. "But that rent better get to me by then, or you're outta here, kid!" Mr. Harker's tone had quickly turned from kind to gruff again before he slowly limped his way back into his apartment. Stupid kids…always getting themselves into more trouble then they can handle…
