Chapter 2: The choice

Disclaimer:

Jeremy Beljous looked down at the girl laying on the floor Half in shock half in pity for a moment unable to speak, never once in all of his days had he seen a woman beaten down so badly His heart filled with both concern for her and a raging hatred for her assailant. "Yumi" Jeremy finally said in a shaky voice.

He swung his arm down to her to help her up and then heard it the Voice of the assailant and the pounding of footsteps coming down stairs.

"BITICH, I should have finished you when I had the chance!"

The concern Jeremy once had slowly began to turn itself to rage His breathes became labored and shallow while a low growl eminated form each breath as the footsteps got closer and closer.

"Get out of my Way, drifter!" the voice yelled

Jeremy turned to see the would be attacker poised ready to strike her in her exhausted fragile state with intent to kill in his eye.

Just then even before he knew what he was doing Jeremy struck the first blow. He lunged foreword violently hitting the man squarely in the chest with a front kick. there was a loud "Oomph" followed by a tremendous crash as the man was carried off of his feet and into the wall behind him.

Yumi reached up with what little strength she had left in her body "Jeremy" she cried blood running from the corner of her mouth.

Jeremy snapped back to reality for just a second and he looked at her lying there helpless. at that moment he had two choices he could leave her there, save his own skin and pay her back for Aelita.. or.. or he could he could try and get her out of there before reinforcements arrived. for a moment he turned almost leaveing her thinking the pain and anguish Aelita suffered because of..of.. Her Tears filled his Beep blue eyes as his soul ravaged itself from within. He didn't like the idea of taking HER but something inside of him couldn't leave her there either, and he grabbed her by the wrist and he his an he pulled her to her feet.

She started to say something but there was little time for conversation as one of the bouncers took a swing at Jeremy, he ducked delivering a vicious kick to the ribs with his steel toe boots. The man sank winded as jeremy grabbed and smashed a nearby Liquor bottle across the back of the mans skull. there was a loud whump as the man fell to the floor bleeding from the head. On they rushed through the club lights flashing and techno pumping in the hazy air. He had to find an exit and find one fast Jeremy thought as the rushed through the crowd dragging the barely conscious Yumi.

He spotted one out of the corner of his eye It was I the back Left unguarded in all the chaos this was his chance when, BAM there was a loud impact and Jeremy's Vision Blurred, he stumbled back and lost his grip on Yumi who stumbled and fell out onto the dance floor she was Nearly unconscious but somehow she was bumping between dancers and stumbling about like a drunk.

Jeremy finally stopped his backward stumble when he collided with the bar. Knocking over glasses he growled and launched himself up off of the bar at the man who blindsided him. he charged in but the man was too quick as Jeremy's fist met only air, he spun around with another attack only to meet a good solid block. there was a brief stair down between the two men they were about the same size and 6' 3" 6'4" and well over 200 pounds of solid mussel. Strangely Jeremy though the man Looked filmier but he shook it off as he launched a series of attacks. However none landed to full effect while Jeremy sustained more than a few direct hits.

This isn't working he thought as they exchanged blows. out of the corner of his eye Jeremy spotted what he feared most reinforcements coming his way a dozen of em or so. He couldn't afford to linger any longer as he forcefully retreated through the croud to the exit where he spun around grabbing Yumi with one arm and with the other slinging the door to the exit open apparently the large man wasn't ready for this as the corner of the door smashed directly into his face, his head flew back like a giant wip throwing him to the floor like a rag doll. All the while the others were making their way through the crowd after Jeremy and Yumi. "The exit lead them through a variable maze of back rooms and clutter until jeremy found the Large red exit sigh.

Just outside Jeremy was met but the bouncer that had let him in earlier. Jeremy Drew back his fist ready to fight as a small drop of blood made its way out of his nose and down to his lip. The bouncer did nothing but to step out of his way and say "I hope you enjoyed your stay at Club ANAX Mr. smith.

"Thoroughly!" jeremy said sarcastically with a growl realizing the man wasn't hostile. he slowed his pace a little and limped dragging Yumi to his bike. he slung her over the seat and put her near limp hands around his waist and he fired his bike up and Peeled out of the parking lot slinging gravel Every which way.

It was just then that the crowd of bouncers and otherwise shady characters emerged form the club. they has seen jeremy Take off and were eager to follow hoping in their cars and bikes when the man jeremy first flattened came out and Yelled. "STOP!" there was a great pause and the men looked at him funny.

After a long Aquward silence one of the men finally spoke up. Why did we let em go boss?"

"You idiot don't you understand they have no place to go and she has no proof of anythinf to bargan with the authorties, in essence she has nothing on us." He smiled Evilly well evilly as he could with the pain that ran through his chest, he grabbed it where Jeremy had left a buge bootprint in the middle of it and then staired of at the bikes taillights hopeing he hadent made a mistake in letting them go. then he and his men walked back inside all the while the one bouncer, Mr. smith looked suspiciously at the Boss.

Out on the road...

Jeremy was having with the conversation with himself. "Damnit Jeremy what did you get yourself into this time, a thousand miles away form anywhere you know running form some Mob Boss for all I know with a half dead girl You come to hate back when I could feel but now , NOOO.. you had to be the hero you had to just be a Stupid Ass meddling..."

But he was cut out of his Self bashing by a weak voice in his ear. "Jeremy where are, are we dead?"

"fraid Not girl." He replied in anger but with a strange tenderness.

"that explains why it still hurts then." She groaned with a weak smile.

"Listen We got to get you to a hospital police station or something or something and I have no idea of where we even are but your banged up pretty bad. and im afraid if your not given medical attention soon..."

"No. She said as sternly as she could "we can to go there, we cant." She groaned.

"Look we gotta go some place you cant last the night on the back of this bike."

"Yea your right," there was a long pause and Jeremy felt she was trying to hide something protect someone he didn't know but there was something she wasn't telling him. "look" She finally said. "there's a city on down the road about 15-20 miles a place called Lucy's Falls, its not much But a friend of mine gave me a key so if we can make it there. Ill rest up heal up and be outta your hair."

"That's fine with Me" Jeremy spoke in a harsh tone.

"Thank you" she whispered into his ear. and then rested her battered head on his shoulder and hugged him about the waist tightly.

AS the Bike roared Down the road Jeremy could have sworn that he felt tears of gratitude roll down his shoulder and he began to winder if he really had made a mistake.