Chapter 8: Hate
They passed down a dark road into a darker part of town. The limo stopped in the rain next to some litter bins.
"Get out," said Phleg coldly.
"Why?"
"We're here. The Boss wants to meet you early"
"In a dark alleyway at this time of night?" laughed Megufu
"Shut up smart-arse," said Rikki, "Get out"
Megufu did stepping in a black oily puddle and closed the door behind him. The window wipers were still going. Phleg got out with Rikki who leaned against the wall with something shinny in his hand. The wind-screen wipers kept going.
"Follow me," said Phleg coldly and Megufu followed on. They walked further into the darkness until they came to a dead end. Litter bins were over turned here and there and pipe work and metal grated steps, reached up into the sky dripping with water. The rain stopped briefly and the dripping seemed to intensify.
"Give me the rock Megufu," said Phleg firmly
"No…" returned Megufu, "I'll give it to the Boss since you're so keen to see it"
"I wouldn't say that if I were you Megufu…" began Phleg icily
"What is this a set up or something?" said Megufu deadly seriously
"Yes," replied Phleg quickly and from his rain coat took out a black curiously shaped spell-binder. It fired and a long green dart pierced Megufu's flesh in his arm. He clutched it in shock and then looked up quickly at Phleg who grinned.
"You!" is all Megufu said before rushing forward. There was a burst of white light and electricity and Megufu flew back and hit the wall in pain.
"I hadn't planned to kill you Megufu," said Phleg coldly, "But you must understand I will if you charge me again. The sparkster spell I just cast on you was set at 100. I could easily move it up to 150 if you try that again. That dart I just hit you with was a slow working deadly poison. If you don't hand me that rock soon Megufu and me in return give you the antidote, things will get pretty nasty for you pretty soon"
"Alright!" whimpered Megufu on the floor choking on blood, "I'll get you the rock"
Painfully he took the backpack off of him the straps smoking with heat. He thrust it aside and reached into it passed the zip. He felt for the spanner. He found it but there was only one problem. He hadn't pumped it up ready to fire again. He was finished. There was no way the boss had ever intended to pay him all that money and now he'd die at the hands of Phleg. He'd just been a pawn for bigger gamers. He clutched the rock in his hands and stood to his feet holding it.
"You want the rock?"
"Hand it over Megufu before things become even more painful for you. I'm not such a dead person as you clearly think. Don't think I haven't heard what you said to Gambo. I do have feelings Megufu. I am an easy going man if you're easy with me… so far I've found your attitude very, very difficult"
"I'll give you the rock," spat Megufu, "I'll ram it through your fucking head!"
He ran forward and Phleg's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Megufu to try the same trick twice but he reacted all the same. There was a blast of electrical light but Megufu was too angry to notice. The only thing he wanted to do was take hold of this man who he disliked so much and tear him limb from limb. How dare he attack him here of all places! The pain seemed irrelevant compared to his want – the insanity – the lust to kill this man who wanted to kill him. He felt his body weakening his mind breaking.
The light stopped and there was only darkness.
Revian waited. The renewed rain was making him wet and cold and he didn't like it. He wanted this job to be over very soon. All him and Riki had left to do was deliver Phleg and the rock back to the boss and that was it.
As far as concern for Megufu went – he didn't really care. He hadn't liked Megufu, but then again his dislike for him had never become great. He had been along with Rikki, envious of his success. There were not many in Virage who had made such a career and there were certainly not many who had been called back from retirement. It was only right that such a lucky soon to be rich man should meet his end in a nasty death. It was them who had done all the work.
Revian didn't like Phleg much either but that didn't matter. Phleg at least was not successful. Revian did not get on with successful people in Virage – at least in his opinion. The rain pattered against the car and he began to envy Rikki for being the driver today. Had he somehow known that they were going to get stuck in rain?
There was a crunch of glass in the darkness. Revian turned to watch Phleg return.
"Is he dead yet? Come on Phleg we haven't got all day!" he called
The noise did not respond. Rikki made the windscreen wipers wipe and yawned in the driver's seat. Drips dropped everywhere so that Revian's chin had begun to feel like a small waterfall.
"Come on man," sighed Revian, "I'm dying out here"
The water trickled irrelevantly and uninterrupted.
"He's dead," said a voice from the darkness. Revian stood to attention, "And so are you"
There was a flash of purple light and Revian felt a pain in his chest. A black shape stood in front of him with strange demonic wings. The monster withdrew his hand instantly covered in blood leaving a gaping hole where Revian's heart had been. Revian fell to his knees his body going quickly cold and pain stretching everywhere. A kick sent him flying unto the darkness. Rikki saw the trouble and the blood fly and in a panic quickly started the limo up. The wheels screeched as he reversed but he too was too slow. The windscreen smashed as a dark figure stood on the bonnet. A large shard of glass was in it's hand and it thrust it forward plunging it through Rikki's eye dead instantly.
There was a bang of purple sparks as it shot up through the sky. Megufu collapsed on the roof of the building still laughing and then crying and then laughing again, and weeping, and in a maze of confusion he lost consciousness.
