Hey guys!
It seems I may have my groove back, despite having writers block, also things are slowly getting back to normal after a stressful few weeks of lockdown, as well as working hard at the hospital, I'm going back to my classes again which I'm so happy about since I've missed them so much!
I don't know how things are for you lot, whether you live in the UK like me, or anywhere else in the World, but I hope you're all coping despite still being in an uncertain time.
Anyway, enough about me, hope you enjoy this latest chapter, also some parts at the end come from my earlier fic 'Fury Within Her' and Tyroth Darkstorm's fic 'Mutant Vigilantes' so if you haven't read them, do so or you may not understand the last parts.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Innocent Victim
Meanwhile, not far away from Diablo and his Disciples hideout, Percy was hoping over the rooftops, he was scouting his area of the city, both searching for trouble and for Diablo and his group.
During the past few nights, the Chicago Knights had been unsuccessful finding Diablo, yet they still continued to search.
The grasshopper sighed as he looked around the rooftops as he continued to hop across them, he had wondered, or rather hoped that Diablo had fled the city out of fear of Tyroth and the Knights, mainly because since the episode with the car crash and Rex fleeing with the child from within it, there had been no other incidents that they could tie Diablo to.
But Tyroth and Jake still weren't convinced, and they had decided that on top of their usual activities, the Knights still had to search the city high and low for the Mutopian Rogue and his followers.
"Until we are sure Diablo really has left the city." Tyroth had declared "We will keep searching the city! Leave no stone unturned, no corner unexplored, until he's found!"
Percy sighed again as he remembered his leader's words and he soon stopped for a rest on one rooftop and leaned against a chimney.
"Same night in a row…" he said to himself, "another uneventful night! Man, if only there was a way for that Raven to show himself! I wish this whole craziness was over! I wish we had more peaceful and less worrying nights in Mutopia, it's like stuffs never the same anymore! Hell! Even I don't feel the same anymore!"
It was true, because everyone despite trying to return to their normal lives were still scared that with Diablo on the loose, they could still be discovered and had to change pretty much all they knew, their routines, their way of life and go through many new drills and safety measures in case Mutopia was ever breached.
Percy himself hadn't felt like his jokey self recently either because he was worried as well as frustrated at all the new rules and drills and he hadn't played a single prank nor pushed Kate's buttons like he normally would.
Just then, the patter of feet running across the pavement caught the grasshopper's attention, his eyes widened, and his feelers twitched.
He crept to the edge of the building looked down, taking out his small binoculars as he did so.
Right below him, a lone figure ran in the darkness, their footsteps echoing noisily as they went.
If anyone were to see such a figure run, they would know they were trying to get away as fast as possible and making sure no-one was following them.
After five minutes of running, they slowed to a stop to take a breath and lean against a wall in the darkness to gather themselves.
Standing up straight the figure revealed themselves to be a young Muslim woman, her dark brown eyes scanned the area then she took out a cell phone before checking it.
Percy raised an eyebrow as he watched the young woman look around fearful, he wasn't sure if she was thief avoiding capture or a victim running from trouble.
After watching her, Percy saw her put her phone in her pocket, then run off again then he decided to follow her curiously, if she was in trouble, he wondered if he could help her, after all, it was what Mutopians did, or rather what the Chicago Knights did, help people in need.
Not letting the girl out of his sight for a second, the grasshopper kept following her and he soon realised she was heading for the main train station.
"I wonder why she's going there?" he thought, he wondered whether to call for back up, but he decided just to keep following the girl.
Before long he saw her run into an open street getting closer to the station.
Percy then saw in the opposite direction a white Honda car approaching with their lights turned off.
Percy frowned as he watched the car wondering why it had its lights turned off, and he soon came to figure out why.
The car soon slowed down as the girl walked along the pavement, then the girl looked up to see the car, and as if on instinct stopped then back away attempting to run away, but the car pulled up and the doors opened before the girl could get away any further then two men jumped out and grabbed her!
Percy's breath caught in his throat as he watched, and the two men started shouting in a foreign language and the girl started kicking and screaming.
"Holy shit!" Percy cried as he watched, he then sprang into action and quickly hopped over, but he wasn't quick enough as the two men dragged their screaming victim into the car then sped off down the road!
"NO!" Percy shouted then hopped after the car, keeping to the rooftops so he couldn't be seen, yet he was determined to keep the car in sight or at least memorise the number plate!
Pulling out his phone, the grasshopper quickly made a call to the other knights.
'Guys!" he shouted "I've just witnessed a kidnapping! I'm chasing the car right now! Get to my position!"
"Right away Percy!" he heard Jack's voice on the other end "Don't let those bastards out of your sight!"
"Don't worry Jack!" Percy growled as he hopped faster still trying to keep up with the car "I don't intend to!"
Meanwhile, Chastity and Regan were flying over a quiet area of the city near the Chicago River whilst Samson watched from the side was well as kept an ear out for anyone who might spot them, as well as if the Chicago Knights would show up.
Regan dipped and flapped her wings as she practiced diving towards the water and pulling up before she hit it.
"Well done Regan!" Chastity praised "I have to say you're getting better and better with your flying!"
"Thank you!" Regan smiled as she did a twirl in the air then flew up to Chasity.
"Keep this up little Ankle Biter!" Samson smiled "And you're gonna be the best flyer amongst us!"
Regan grinned and blushed and was about to speak again when her large ears pricked up and she stopped in mid-air, almost dropping for a second but luckily Chastity caught her.
"What is it?" the Dove asked concerned.
"I can hear something!" Regan reported.
Samson frowned and looked around the place wondering if Regan could sense any danger, he partly wished Rex was with them as he would be able to smell out how could be nearby, but he and Diablo were scouting for food.
"What can you hear?" Samson asked.
"It sounds like screams." Regan replied, "Someone is screaming in fear and pain…a woman screaming."
Chastity looked at Samson in worry.
"I can't hear anything." She said but then seeing Regan's ears, she realised that being a bat, Regan had more exquisite hearing!
Regan then swooped down towards the river and over to a large pipe nearby that lead to the sewers.
Chastity flew down following her and Samson ran along the side of the river to where the little vampire bat flew to.
"There!" Regan said pointing to the large open pipe which was visible due to the river being at a low tide "It's coming from in there!"
"The sewer?" Samson asked as he leaned down, and it was then, he heard something, if rather faintly.
"Do you hear anything?" Chastity asked as she tried to listen and before long, she started hearing a similar sound which sounded like terrified screaming.
"Hang on…I hear it too!" she said.
"Likewise!" Samson agreed "We better get down there!"
Chastity nodded.
"Call Diablo and Rex to our position!" She said then turned to Regan "Well done little Angel! Not only are you a flyer, but a good listener too!"
Regan grinned proudly then looked determined as she started to walk into the tunnel, Chastity following as Samson radioed Rex and Diablo to his position.
Meanwhile, Percy had followed the car as fast as he could, yet as he followed it for about three blocks, he saw it turn into a dark alleyway and vanish!
"Damn! No! I can't lose it now!" he followed the alleyway and tried to look for the car, he knew what it looked like and he had memorised the licence plate to his best abilities.
"Come on! Come on! It can't be gone!" he cried "Please don't be gone!"
As he looked around, he suddenly saw the Rest of the Chicago Knights appear.
"Percy!" he heard Tyroth's voice from above and he saw the dragon hovering above him.
"Where is it?" Sephie asked "Where's the car?"
Percy stuttered for a second then looked down at where he was following the alleyway.
"Don't tell me you lost it Vermin!" Kate hissed.
"It went down there!" Percy said quickly "And I didn't lose it! It can't have gone far away!"
Tyroth snorted.
"It can't be far, not since he only saw it a few seconds ago! Everyone! Split up! You know the description of the car and the licence plate Percy relayed to us! You find the car! We find the victim and the perpetrators!"
"Yes boss!" Sarah said.
"Got it!" Jack said with a salute.
"Those cunts won't get away with this!" Kate growled.
"If those bastards are gonna do to that girl what they did to Mona! I'll tear them to shreds!" Sharky snarled.
"I'm with you Shark man!" Heather agreed.
"Me too!" Sephie added, remembering the gruesome story Mona had told her which resulted in her mutation, and how it still shook the gecko terribly.
Tyroth clapped his hands.
"Okay, Jack, Kate, you go south, Heather, Percy, you take the West, Sephie, Sharky, you go North, Sarah, Devina, you take the east, I'll search from the sky! Once the car is found, alert your position via your cells!"
The others nodded and quickly darted off in different directions, hoping to find the car and save the victim as well as punish the thugs.
So, Percy's witnessed a kidnapping of a Muslim girl in the city, and at the same time, Regan has shown another skill other than flying as she's heard distressed cries in the sewer!
Looks like there is a link and there may be a confrontation about to happen! Keep checking back to find out what happens next!