A plain but otherwise all-black truck surged forward with a strained with an ear piercing roar. It then screeched changing lanes to avoid traffic with the cabin rolling to such an extent that its left wheels were airborne for just a split second.
Doctor Lewis was doing her best to concentrate. She knew all too well that her truck in no way was configured anywhere near a police cruiser and interceptor in an almost vain attempt to keep up with the police convoy.
They were fading away in the distance but she still could hear their chatter since she grabbed a spare radio before everyone departed the range. She was no expert in Kendra's suggested tactics but one thing was for sure. The plan was to not even get out of their trucks if they could help it. It was to extract Bo and Kenzi using their trucks as shields. From what Mia relayed knowing Kenzi's last location before they lost contact was that the alleys were tight and somewhat passable by cars or truck, but not all. Even then it was a tight fit for many. If that plan failed, it was to setup a base and send in a team to extract them. If it was the latter, that was much more risky since it'd put the team more in harm's way especially if it was in ambush.
She swerved onto the shoulder and did glance at Arin. Arin was calm for the situation but she fidgeted. She was still a young teen at first glance, but just by the fidgeting alone, she knew Arin was scared. It then occurred to the doctor that by her hurried and rushed actions combined with the desperation of the situation, Arin felt it too. She was going to a war zone and needed Arin to calm down too. Sure Arin was a Valkyrie but even at her age, Valkyries didn't go on missions yet and for good reason. Couple that with Arin feeling everything, it just made matters much worse.
Lauren took several deep breaths to calm herself even though she cut off some cars who honked at her madly. "Arin," she mentioned as calmly as she could, "If I have to get disembark … umm… get out of this truck to help out, I need you to STAY in here ok?"
Arin at first nodded but shot her a glace and objected, "I want to help Karen. I am older and wiser than I look."
"I… I know," Lauren smashed on the brakes narrowly evading a disabled car on the shoulder. "But I'd be safer for you in here."
"But.. but" Arin strained to think tactically, but blurted out "you could die out there and I won't let that happen."
"If I have to leave, it'll be to treating the injured returning to back to our extraction point," Lauren reasoned accelerating so hard that she knew by the sound alone, she just hit redline before the truck grudgingly shifted up a gear with a hard jerk. "I'll be fine behind the perimeter of miniguns and SWAT team members."
The doc hoped that quelled her but it didn't.
"No I won't! Won't Won't WON'T!" Arin huffed and pouted.
"Arin," Lauren smiled the best she could, "Everything will be just fine ok? We'll cross that bridge when we have to ok?" How could she reason with a kid, but at the same time, this was Arin, now 3, 4, 8. She remembered most of her past life from what she gathered which included them being lovers.
"Don't fucking avoid me Karen!" Arin burst out leaning forward and into Lauren staring her down. "You PROMISED me you'd answer me like we were before!"
There was that name again. While the cursing took her off guard, she knew by Arin's use of her real name, this shit got real and Arin wasn't even close be being finished.
"You WILL go into a war zone since FATE said so," Arin was steaming mad and pissed nearly screaming above the strain of the engine. "My fate will be the SAME as yours and where you go, I'll go, OK?"
"NO" Lauren shouted back glaring at her, "I need to keep you safe for EVERYONE'S stake…."
"Fuck that!" Arin cut her off pounding the dash, "My sister is out there being beaten to death by some mob. Bo my mom and your ex is hammering down death's door and YOU want me to just cower and tremble in fear?! And YOU are MINE! My hero and lov…"
Lauren turned hard into the exit ramp but knew where they were going even though the SWAT convoy disappeared out of sight. Even taking in the GPS directions displayed on the center console, she was so mad at Arin's comment that she just lost it and screamed in her face.
"Watch your POTTY MOUTH missy! Also … you .. YOUUUUUUU DIED!..." Lauren cried out slamming on the brakes to come to a screeching halt at the end of the exit ramp. "You died Arin!" Lauren accused pointing at her almost touching the Valkyrie's nose. "I had to bury you in my mind! I… I didn't even have a chance to say good bye! And .. and … YOU LEFT ME! YOU!"
Tears streaked down the doctor's face even though she was charging forward like a raging bull. "I loved … LOVE you and when you died, that SAME dagger put a hole in my heart too! YES, I know you're back but I CAN'T LIVE WITH MYSELF IF I LOSE YOU AGAIN! So… so…. YOU'RE mine too! Not to mention your mom's and Tamsin's. So I need you to STAY safe in here and if this truck isn't and it means running away… RUN! You understand me Arin! RUN and don't you DARE stick around to fight! Run away and don't look back!"
Lauren felt really bad immediately after saying that but she didn't have time to reason with Arin and not only that she needed to get back on the road. With that she sped away kicking up dirt then she put the pedal to the metal.
"FINE!" Arin jerked away to give Lauren her back and then crossed her arms in a huff. What else was she supposed to say to that?
Finally after 2 minutes of intense silence as well as the cold shoulder treatment, Arin finally asked sucking it up, "Your vest is missing my tessens and you need more mags. Let me get you ready ok?" Arin had a pained look on her face as if she was preparing someone who she cared about to their death. At the last minute before she faced Lauren again, she smiled and scrunched her face just like Tamsin.
"Ohhh ok," Lauren did need that observing Arin hopping to the back to get everything ready. Arin only had a very short time to teach her how to use the tessens, and hoped that she didn't ever have to resort to them since it'd probably be out of pure desperation. Also it'd weigh her down too and left less space for her medical gear but at this point, she needed to pick and choose her battles.
They were almost there, Arin noted by the chatter on the police radio still packing for Lauren. "Hey Lauren, is your smart watch still linked to the minigun configs?"
"Ohh yes, I almost forgot," Lauren blurted out taking a turn hard. "HOLD on Arin!"
Arin just tersely stated back gripping on the back of the chair, "good" but then tacked on not knowing when she'll be able to tell her this again. "I love you Karen."
This threw Lauren for a loop since it had multiple meanings and the one that she wanted to avoid was romantic love but had no time to argue. "Me too," Lauren replied quickly.
Bo felt the ground rumble beneath her and with steely determination held her ground ready to face her attackers, but knew she needed to run into an alley or other choke point to slow them down since she was out in the open and a sitting duck.
She turned sharply to run past the burning truck which was entangled by rebar and hesitated. She was leaving Kenzi behind and that hurt but the show has to go on but she was also her family even before her time with the Fae began.
With barely anytime left to make a get-away and already low on chi, Bo yelled and was so pissed she grabbed the passenger door of the mangled SUV and in a loud grunt tore the door clean off using her Fae strength.
She then dove head first into the inferno, thick with billowing smoke. Bo coughed and grunted and in a flash of red light stormed out of the burning death trap with Kenzi over her shoulder and her Dragonov and then sloppily RAN. She ducked into an alley before the mob appeared but stumbled and fell to the ground. They needed more distance but she was already too weak. She leaned Kenzi on the alley wall behind a dumpster then plopped down next to her panting. The mob sounded like they were at or near their truck now.
As a Hail Mary, Bo reached over to check Kenzi's pulse. Nothing as expected, but something was off. Kenzi had no heart beat in addition to her mortal injuries but she still had a very faint aura like her soul had not left her just yet and maybe, just maybe there was hope.
With the last bit of her strength, Bo smiled then grabbed her bestie planting her lips to hers. She felt the last of her chi leave but at least she felt Kenzi's body stiffen and come to life.
Kenzi groggily opened her eyes and groan rubbing her head, "Ohhhh holy cow dung. Bo!? Bo bear!"
Bo lifted her head off Kenzi's shoulder where it ended up and smirked weakly. "Shhhh Kenzi." Bo pointed to the direction of the mob.
The Kitunse immediately peered around from the back of the dumpster. She felt like crap and just took it. They were looking for them, "Come on Bo Bo, let's get out of here!"
Try as she might to pull Bo to her feet she just couldn't since Bo was just too weak but remembered she had not only her booster shots that Lauren made for her in her inside pocket of her jacket, but Lauren made one for Bo too which boosted her powers. If magic didn't work here which Lauren suspected, then medically, this WILL and if she played her cards right, it'll also bring them good luck and boy did they need it.
Kenzi didn't have much time so in a slight blur popped Bo's quick releasing capsule into her mouth and she did the same for her pill and the effect for her was immediate. This was her second dose and Lauren warned her that another one would probably kill her. She still felt like crap and now had a pounding headache but at the very least now she felt a bust of energy.
The Kitsune was back.
Bo didn't know what happened, but even though she was running on empty barely able to stop from slipping into unconsciousness, she jolted back to life. She felt sick to her stomach now but that was the least of her issues at present.
Without a word Kenzi zipped away and signaled for Bo to follow when the coast was clear scouting ahead stealthily. Turn after turn, alleyway to alleyway they ran to lose track of those looking for them. They even weaved through abandoned industrial buildings long since forgotten but for some reason or another, they kept catching up. Not that they were spotted, but from all the clamoring of the horde, it was hard to not hear them get closer.
Bo had to catch her breath and Kenzi did too leaning against any vertical surface they could find. "Can ya hear me now?... I guess not," Kenzi announced to her now cracked and broken cell phone she fished out of her pants pocket. She knew Bo's cell phone was out of battery when they hit the diner, so no go there either. "Hey Bo-ba-lish? We have no way to call for help, you might wanna use the link you have with Tamsin now."
"No," Bo huffed doubled over. "I will not put her in danger because of me"
"She's your wife! Just call for air support ok?" Kenzi said agitated but keeping her voice down. "And screw fate like a Phillips driver! You said you control your destiny, remember?"
"Yea, but fate loads the gun, but it is I that need to pull the trigger. I'm not going to chi suck Tamsin or our baby dry Kenz," Bo mentioned stubbornly shaking her head. "I'm not ok?"
Kenzi knew Tamsin was already on her way, but they need to hold out but for how long? Mia's team was 2 districts over and would have issues getting them even if they arrived now since getting around this mob was nearly impossible. They seemed to be organized since Kenzi barely was able to out maneuver them to prevent from being boxed in or surrounded. Of course Tamsin could fly and as the crow or Valkyrie flies (in a straight line), the distance was much shorter but still Tamsin could only carry herself and some small items. An air lift out of this hell hole wasn't even an option.
Bo grunted and straightened up and fixed her Dragonov in front of her noting the telltale clamor of the horde then nudged Kenzi, "Hey let's get a move on."
"Where to?" Kenzi asked with a smirk but it was an honest question laden with a hint of waning hope since where could they go? They didn't have quick way out of there.
"Main Street." Bo ordered confidently sly grin. "I'm sure they're parked cars there or abandoned ones that we can borrow."
Kenzi smirked at the word "borrow" since it really meant to steal, but it was a good idea. If this town went all mindless zombie on them, someone may have left their vehicles to chase them without even bothering to park it. If not, she knew some ways to get them started and Bo knew that too. "Yeppers!" Kenzi piped up zipping away to scout ahead.
Main Street was 3 or 4 blocks away and change from her memory taking a direct route, which was a little foggy since they took all these twist and turns but did scouting before signaling Bo to come up the rear.
Bo was exhausted with all this running and had no idea how Kenzi could zip around to not only get her bearings but to scout ahead. Several times, Kenzi doubled back and shot off in a different direction to avoid the crowd.
It was then Bo heard the screech and cackle of 3 witches floating on brooms zooming down towards her.
She was found and that made this really bad. It was only a matter of time now before they were boxed in.
Bo then felt Kenzi pass by in a blur and then yank her down a thin and dirty alley barely 2 meters wide and then out the other side.
All the witches pursued at full speed and then more joined. One was far back high into the air barely visible pointing and providing some guidance to them. They had air support too.
Bo was sick of this running but more importantly, she needed to get rid of their tail, so she whirled around turning to them then slapping the barrel of her Dragonov on top of a dumpster for stability.
She never had a chance to fire this but it's not like she had a choice right now with one just about to ram and tackle her.
BANG!
The first witch screeched, flipped and splatted on the wall before bouncing decapitated next to Bo. Normally this witch would have been thrown back from the round, but she was going so fast that she still had some forward momentum.
BANG!
The two behind her were in a line as well screeched and fell to the ground. The front one had no head and the other screamed and flopped in agony on the ground before going limp.
BANG!
Dead.
BANG!
Dead.
Bo took aim now using her scope to see far away for the look out who was started to do evasive maneuvers catching on that Bo had some serious aiming skills.
BANG!
The witch or her broom was nicked and it looked like her boom was spinning uncontrollably but was getting control of it.
Bo with a death glare taking more careful aim grunted "Fuck you, bitch" and rapidly emptied her magazine of 8 deadly rounds toward the dot in the sky and in a blink of an eye it disintegrated with a squawk.
DEAD.
Kenzi yanked her again already scouting ahead out of breath, "Come on Bo Bo… this way. 2 blocks this way….. others are blocked"
Bo barely had time to eject her spent magazine and running for her life. Reloading had to wait. By her firing her Dragonov she did give away their position almost as good as that witch.
Bo barely made it a bock and Kenzi zipped back lunging in to hug Bo total spent and huffed out in almost defeat, "Bo Bear, we're surrounded… shit I'm sooo sorry."
The Kitsune, thought she really had a chance with her speed and she felt bad, this was going to be their last stand, here and now and already checked the roof tops but didn't have to vocalize it since a couple seconds later rabid Fae and humans were appearing on roof tops ready to kill.
Bo took in the scene around and above her and from the look of her visions she saw with her father, YES, this kind of looked like their last stand. Hopefully if Tamsin was tipped off by her extreme emotions by now, all Tamsin needed to do was retrieve bodies by the time she arrived. How she wanted to use the link to tell Tamsin how much she meant to her but she needed to do this not because she was cold hearted but because she loved her that much.
Bo didn't hesitate and reloaded her weapon and checked for her dagger Density and it was ready to go too.
Kenzi, didn't have Stalingrad on her since it was back in the burning truck, but she did have her dagger and MP-443 Grach from Dimitri.
Being cornered for Bo, didn't mean give up, but another challenge to hold onto dear life and teach Massimo that if you screw with a bull, you might get the horns. "Push to Main Street," Bo ordered charging forward into a side alley to make a choke point for anyone that wanted to follow them. Several in front of them dropped dead due to Bo's Dragonov.
Kenzi ducked a fireball and pushed Bo behind her out of the way. Apparently, Magic still did work for Massimo and his Fae followers. Freaking A-hole.
Arrows.
Bo sliced several and used those mindless human as shields throwing them in front of her and Kenzi.
There was a flash, but it seemed like someone's magic fizzled out.
Then several of the crowd who got a hold of Kenzi fell flat on their face tripping on one another. Enough time for Kenzi to reload and put a cap in them.
More arrows and Bo was about to duck when a gust wind came through and the arrows diverted away to graze her, swishing by Kenzi to kill several attackers on that side.
She kicked several Fae out of her way to move forward and fired her Glock into a powerful Sasquatch and hit him between the eyes killing him, but as a bonus her spent shell ricocheted against the alley wall and smacked a charging human in the eye. Enough time for Bo to drive her bayoneted into the assailant.
GUN! Kenzi noticed and brought up hers too and this human was at point blank range ready to fire but she'd be a little late to defend it even with her Kitsune skills.
CLICK.
Dud round.
Kenzi then puller her trigger and it went off with a bang.
In a blur she reloaded.
Both of them realized that they were having a great streak of luck and hoped it would hold out long enough to steal a car and make a break for it.
But luck could only take one so far.
Bo yelped and was knocked off her feet by a round that her shoulder. Lucky for her, the vest she wore absorbed it but it still hurt. They were on top of her. She stabbed and slashed one that came too close and they ended up falling top of her. She tried to use her powers and shoot them with a tendril of energy even try to shove them away but no luck, she had no chi left and hence no power, the same as when Kenzi revived her. Apparently, this magic pull that Lauren made for her only boosted her more human attributes.
Kenzi fired several rounds as fast of the gun would go at Kitsune speed and knocked serval of them away from her and Bo. She knew Bo was in trouble but before they could breath, her weapon locked back requesting for another magazine. Oh shit, Kenzi realized she was out.
BANG!
Kenzi and Bo were showered when blood flew everywhere. Bo got up with the help of Kenzi and not missing a beat stabbed several with her bayonet with Kenzi pulling out her dagger engaging hand to hand.
"Kenz!" Bo yelled tossing her own Glock high into the air towards her and it was on the money.
Kenzi stabbed a Fae across the neck then the Green / Red Glock landed right into her out stretched hand.
Their forward momentum was halted in this tight confined space and now it was a battle for seconds of survival.
Bo heard Kenzi stop firing and passed her a magazine not even looking at her since they were now back to back. "Last mag!" Bo announced.
Pulling the trigger on her Dragonov, it didn't do anything then realized she was out and knew she had no more magazines left.
Several seconds later, Bo and Kenzi crawled out and in top of all the dead bodies almost being suffocated with only knives in hand. Bo had Destiny and Kenzi had Bo's bayonet knife and her smaller dagger.
Another wave came for them and as exhausted as both were not able to even keep their balance standing on top of dead bodies, they faced death head on.
Kenzi threw her knife as a sorcerer was about to cast some spell and he fell down dead.
Bo stabbed and kick away the lead attacker on her side.
This was it, Bo took her free hand and searched for Kenzi's who had her back against her.
Kenzi gripped Bo's extended hand tightly. Shit this sucked but at least she was with her sister to the very end.
The next wave charged them along with arrows flying in an arch to kill them.
Hildr was surrounded and without a horse as well, she swung skillfully with both of her both of her swords, one was a dagger from a fallen Frost Giant that she stabbed through the heart. He didn't need it anymore.
Since male Frost Giants where almost twice their height, Valkyries learned when not on horseback to jump up for the death below or go low taking out their legs then killing them when they fell or were on their way to falling to the ground. In this case, Hildr noted that many of them were expecting Valkyries and wore more leg and calf armor as protection but that didn't stop her from going low.
From behind her she a pudgy Frost Giant charged her ready to slash his sword down while she was already engaged with a skilled muscular and strong one. He also has a lot of armor and it covered his legs as well. She had to stab him where there wasn't armor but he covered all those well.
Except maybe, but she wasn't sure. I'd be a somewhat dirty trick but a third just charge her too and she kicked the pudgy one behind her with a skillful back kick.
Like a cat she dove between the strong one legs and flipped onto her back and it was a good thing too since he was just about to deliver a killing blow.
She was sliding the wet icy ground and right as she was passing underneath the strong one she thrusted both her swords up into and darkness between his legs hitting something but it didn't have armor at least.
She also realized that she was still sliding and to men in line behind him to get a whack at her and she did it again and again and finally she popped up right before she slid to a stop and beheaded one more.
She quickly to a glance behind her and path and it was littered with dead or dying frost giants. The ones still standing were in disbelief with their blue entrails and intestines, and guts leaked and splatted to the ground. The strong one was trying to reel his intestine back in to get back into the game but quickly realized the futility of it all when Sigun in a flash sliced off his hands.
He fell to his knees staring at his stumps, blue blood squiring out of it and Sigun did a Valkyrie war cry to back everyone up and that they did a little bit holding trying to shield their ears. In this hell hole the wind, rain and ice was deafening already that they wore ear protection too.
Them all of a sudden they backed away cautiously even more even closing their normally wider stance a lot more when she lifted up the formerly strong one's gut covered appendage complete with its jewels still attached but this also had piercings and even a ring around it. To frost giant men this was a status symbol. For them, not only where they good with the ladies, but they were upper class probably and trained as such. Then as if perfectly time, the strong one gave up his life flopping to the ground dead. Obviously he was no match for Hildr of 1, 1, 1.
Nothing stopped a horded of attackers more than intimidation and fucking with their heads.
There was a tense silence with only the elements raging around them when they all began to draw short barreled fired arms akin to a sawed off shot gun. She knew they had them but then it dawned on her why they didn't used it before. I'd simply give away their position since these were extremely loud when they went off and not only that, it was a distinct sound that couldn't be mistaken for anything else. They were looking for a measure to stealth but her war cries in addition to Sigun's would have already done that somewhat.
WAIT, Hildr mused, Sigun was really quiet as she used her shield mounted on her arm to engage the closest combatant, and the shield deflected the projectile into another frost giant to her left and he busted into flames before exploding in a blinding flash.
These rounds were new to her and special. They were even louder ringing in her ears but apparently these rounds were also incendiary and explosive.
She jumped up high stabbing the one in front of her who dared to fire on her in the neck then back flipped over his head using his shoulders for support. At the last minute she shoved him into several in coming rounds from his friends.
She knew he was gone when she was a shower of blood coat a bare spot in her neck.
Dropping her acquired frost giant dagger, she disarmed the next breaking his fingers and hand while trying to get a hold of Hildr.
Hilder then rammed the firearm between his legs and yanked the trigger hard. These were 2 round shotgun type weapons and it probably only had one round left, but just in case, the more the merrier.
She turned away from the blind flash which emanated from his groin so she didn't get blinded herself and beheaded another charging her with a sword but also took his firearm too.
She quickly shot a round into the air and it made what looked like a fireworks display though dulled significantly by the thick clouds.
With no contact from Sigun, she was dead and that had to suck. The link still worked in the bad lands for short distances like on earth when the portals closed, but the range was much more than adequate for this battle.
Her final hope? WARN Tiffany's camp who should be around here somewhere since these rivals were probably in a marching formation headed there it seemed for an ambush she guessed but it was not for certain. For all knew they were doing a grid search with the limited visibility.
At the very least Sigun and her weakened them up enough to stop them from killing Tiffany and her followers. Sure Tiffany's camp was probably armed but the elements would kill you first. At least now these assholes just lost the element of surprise.
She recalled her horse and surprisingly Titan was still around probably in hiding.
It was time to go shoving firearm the next round into the next attackers chin and his head exploded with his remains shooting straight and high into the air. There was a bright blue tail that followed it before bursting into a red star at its apex which could be seen even through the fog and mist. At she got a reloaded fire arm from him before he dropped to the ground.
It was time to go with her armored and bloody horse ramming through the crowd. Titan was limping a lot. He was covered in blue blood as well as streaks of his own red blood.
She grabbed the saddle as he passed not even stopping, and swung herself up deploying 1 round into an attacker that grabbed her ass trying to pull her down and another to her flank. She urged Titan to surge forward and run and that he did slamming through the thinning ranks of enemy frost giants.
Next stop? The earthly plane.
What of Sigun? What of Tiffany?
Hilder had several battle wounds already and needed to fall back. She was also losing blood quickly and sopping wet from all the elements and frost giant blood.
Retreating was the only course of action now but she still had to go earth side to see Bo and Tamsin. She wanted to go and warn Queen Tiffany but she had no idea where she was but she DID know where the nearest HOPEFULLY working portal was.
What would she tell Thor and his father when she got back? Thor was addicted to Sigun like no other and HOW she delivered the message and news could greatly influence how Thor and even Odin reacted. An all-out war with the frost giants was a big possibility. Thor would also probably blame her for not keeping Queen Sigun safe.
For an unwilling Queen such as Sigun, Hildr mused, she did well in short span of time and would be remembered as such since rebirth for Sigun was no longer a possibility with all portals closed.
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