Chapter 15
"Look in a mirror! Look in a mirror!" Stienman shrieked, spraying bullets from his Tommy Gun.
Tristina and Jack dove to the floor as the bullets sailed over them, then scrambled to the only cover available to them: Stienman's platform.
"We need a plan!" Jack shouted over the ricochetteing bullets and Stienmans senseless shouting. "I saw a oil slick near the water at the back of the room. Lure Stienman to it, and I'll... supply... a Ki bomb." said Tristina, gritting her teeth at the word 'supply.' Jack nodded, then began loading a fresh clip into his Tommy Gun.
"Just avoid getting shot!" Tristina cried, bathing hands in glowing whitsh gold ki.
As Stienman rounded the corner, Tristina and Jack bombarded him with both Ki and bullets. "Look at you! Hideous!" Stienman screamed, once again spraying the floor with bullets.
Leaping out of the way, Tristina tumbled to a half kneeling, half sitting position before hurdling a Ki bomb at the oil slick she had mentioned to Jack.
"Oh sweet Aphrodite, Why do they always run?!" Tristina's ears folded back as she looked up to see Jack running towards the oil slick...backwards.
"Shit!" Tristina cried, sucking her Ki back into her hands and re-directing it towards her feet. "He doesnt see it...Shit, shit, shit..." Tristina muttered, her Ki hurdling her towards the sandy blonde human.
Heart hammering inside her ribcage with painful rapidity, Tristina felt the wind burn against her fur as she raised her arms towards Jack and Stienman. gulping down a lungful of air, Tristina bellowed "Jack!".
Seconds later, a pair of white furred arms wrapped around Jack's beige...and slightly bloody...torso. "Grab on!" Tristina cried as she hurdled over Steinman's head and shot into the air.
As Tristina felt Jack's left arm wrap behind her back and grab onto her waist, Tristina raised her right hand. one quiet 'click' and Tristina's Ki bomb engulfed the oil spill and Stienman as the mad surgeon raised his gun skyward.
Tristina's ears flattened against her head as Stienmans blood curdling scream erupted from the flames. Feeling her feet touch the grimy tile floor below, Tristina released her grip on Jack as the latter shouldered his still smoking tommy gun.
Tristina slumped to the ground, staring at the dancing flames as Stienmans screams died. As the adrenaline faded from her system, Tristina quietly willed her body to stop shaking. "Its over, Trish." Tristina looked up to see gripping her shoulder, then ahead of her to see the once rampant flames dying. "Its okay...Its..."
"No." said Tristina, shakily forcing herself to her feet. "Murder is never okay, Jack. I told you that. Yes, he was crazy. Yes, he was a murderous lunatic. But..." Tristina trailed off, still sickened by what she had done.
Little though she wanted to, Tristina gave herself a mental shove and drew closer to the oil slick. As she drew closer, she noticed the oil slick still fueling the flames surrounding Stienman.
Looking around, Tristina soon spotted a metal pipe near the platform they had first seen Stieman atop.
retrieving it, Tristina drew as close as she dared to the raging flames.
extending the elongated pipe, Tristina used her free arm to shield her facial fur from the flames.
jabbing the body a few times (and wincing each time) Tristina finally wiggled the keycard (nudged along by the pipe) from Stienmans pocket onto the oil slick beside him.
wincing, Tristina pinned the keycard beneath the pipe and slid it through the flames.
finally freeing it from its firey prison, Tristina tossed the now signifcantly heated pipe aside and began stamping one foot on the keycard to put out any stubbornly remaining flames.
"Are you two alright?" Tristina looked up to see Jack staring at the Walkie, from which Atlas's voice had just emerged. "About time someone took care of that daft bastard." Atlas rattled on before Tristina or Jack could reply.
"Make sure to get the key off Stienman, and head back to Emergency Access."
"Got it." said Jack, taking the card from Tristina and pocketing it.
"I'm working my way across the back side of Port Neptune meself. We'll get there soon enough." Jack re pocketed the radio as it fell silent, then slung his Tommy gun to his back and began to walk back towards the entrance to Surgery.
"Thanks for your help, Trish." said Jack idly as they walked through the eeriely quiet halls. "Save your thanks for when we're out of here, Jack." Tristina replied, still sickened by what she had done.