"Fatale in the Rain"
Part 3
By Joseph "Maniac" Cirillo III
Disclaimer: This story is intended for a mature audience. Reader discretion is advised.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen I'm pleased to play the number one requested song of the day, by Poets of the Fall, this is "The Late Goodbye"."
For what seemed like an eternity, Mona just stood there in front of Vladimir, both of them holding their guns to each other's head. The cleaners were all around the both of them, pointing their automatic weapons at Mona. They were locked in a stalemate. The sound of the radio playing out of someone's abandoned car was the only noise made on the street. The witness had run from the scene and was watched the events unfolding from afar.
"And you'd set me up with my little Maxie-poo. Vlad you really are a dick."
"I knew you'd see it my way, my dear."
"Why are you doing this Vlad?"
"Because I can! This is my time, this is my calling. Alfred Woden isn't going to live for much longer, I told him that kinky sex would finally catch up to him. Opportunity knocks at my door to take what is his. Its fate for me to be here, just as it is fate for you to be here. This is my opportunity to finally be the one playing the game of chess instead of just being another one of his fucking pawns! You are a pawn, just like me my dear."
"I am nobody's pawn."
"Oh you think that. But you were so willing to do the job I sent you to do tonight."
"A job's a job. You offered me money."
"Oh there's money. More money then you could ever imagine. I could never kill you baby. Join me and all will be forgiven. Be my Queen and I will be the King."
Mona wasn't stupid. She knew she had no reason to trust Vlad now. This wasn't black and white anymore. Like Max said to her at the bar, none of us were angels. There were shades of gray, but Vlad wasn't any shade of gray. He was already on the dark side. Mona started to hear her head throb again, like she had up on the roof of the book depository. She had feelings for Max she wasn't willing to admit, she wanted to be with him.
"Why did you want Gate dead?"
"What do you care? He was sided with Woden, he was going to tell him about my little insurrection. If Woden knew about it before I made my move, I would be taking a dirt nap right now. I just needed to have all the blame to go to you, that way Woden would never suspect until it was too late."
Instinctively Mona shot Vlad in the arm. The bullet went right through flesh and bone, spilling blood out. Having lost control of his arm, Vlad dropped his gun.
"See, you're nothing but a one armed bandit."
"Kill her you idiots! Mr. Kauffman, do your job!"
The biggest cleaner raised his gun in slow motion, she could see every muscle in the man's arm flex in slow motion as he raised it up to his chest. Mona's instincts kicked in, the cleaners were ready to pull the triggers on their weapons. Without thinking, she dove out of the situation. Every shot the entire group of cleaners fired at her missed. The bullets' trails whizzed by her with perfect clarity.
"Shoot her you dumb bastards!" screamed Vlad. "The police will be on their way soon!"
Mona got up, drew her two desert eagles and started shooting at the cleaners, aiming for their hearts or for their heads. There was an entire army of them, at least ten in front of her, probably more waiting in the back, probably more protecting Vlad. She could hear the sirens in the background. This was not a fight she could win.
"Get her!" screamed a cleaner in front of her. Mona shot the man in the head and he fell quickly, his body turning to that of a rag doll.
She kept moving. She couldn't explain what was happening to her own body during this firefight. She remarkably hadn't been shot yet. At sudden times her head would start throbbing again and when it did, instead of hindering her abilities it sharpened them. It was like she was able to dodge right out of the path of the bullets when they were fired at her. This was all too unreal to her. The more men she killed, the slower and slower time got, her abilities got sharper and sharper. This couldn't be shell shock, this must've been what Max used to survive the Lupino firefight. She didn't have time to think about how Max's abilities had apparently rubbed off on her, she had to save her own ass right now!
"Can't you fucking shoot her!" screamed Kauffman.
"She's too fast!" screamed one of his henchmen. The sirens were getting louder. The police would arrive in less then thirty seconds.
"Damn it! Everyone pull back!" shouted Vlad. "We can't be here when the pigs arrive! Just leave her, if the cops don't arrest her by the time they arrive we'll just kill her later!" The cleaners started pulling back, leaving Mona in a corner. She had to make a run for it.
She summoned all the focus she had left and made a break for it. The bullets couldn't catch up to her, she ran faster then a fox would run from a hound. She had to get out of there, now that Vlad had gotten greedy, he would be after Max too. She had to get out of there to warn Max.
"Damn it, hold your fire, everybody out!" ordered Vlad as he got into his stretch limo. He smiled at Mona just before his car peeled off.
"Don't worry my dear. I'll take good care of you and Max later." His car then sped away like it was pulled by a pack of demons.
Mona finally made it away from the crime scene, but she still knew she wasn't safe. That guy at the scene had seen her face, she was a wanted felon now. She needed to see Max, to tell him that their lives were both in danger now. The police bands she overheard near the scene said Max was now investigating a disturbance at one of Vlad's warehouses. She gave a weak smile. Now she had a reason to pay Max a visit.
Terror in the city today as Republican Senator Sebastian Gate was found assassinated just outside his expensive upper west side apartment complex. The only witness to the assassination gave a detailed description of a woman of a slim build around five foot eleven with shoulder length wavy black hair. The police have put out an APB on this yet unidentified woman and all citizens are asked to inform the police with any information as to this unknown woman's whereabouts. She is considered armed and extremely dangerous. For NYCNN, this is Kyra Silver.
The End
