Chapter 19

Aftermath

Not yet...

Just as Graves wanted to pull the trigger, a voice whisper to his mind, distracting him for a brief second. Graves senses suddenly risen as if something was threatening him. He look behind and he received punch at his face. It throws him far and rolled him to the ground, he shakes his head to get out the dizziness and tries to get himself back up, it was the strongest punch he had ever felt.

"Get up you motherfucker!" someone called furiously.

Graves look who was it as he tried to get up and it was Vi with eyes like a predator. The Enforcer gauntlets were no longer attached to her hands but never he felt a punch so strong. Comparing with the punches before, it was more painful. He searches the Sheriff rifle and it was not far from him, if he could get it, he might have a chance on killing the pink haired girl.

As soon as he got up on his two feet, he rushed towards the rifle with every single ounce of energy he could muster. He was close to the rifle but Vi was fast just like lightning, suddenly appear in front of him. He wanted to roll over to the side, knowing that she was a fast puncher. But it was too late, Vi gave him a strong right punch to his torso, stunning him from his tracks. She then gave a left hook to his face and continue to attack Graves with her two bare hand.

Right, left, right, left. All of them quick, all of them effectively strong.

Vi punches Graves until he was pushed against the wall and more flurry of punches were given mercilessly. Graves tries to shield himself with his mid arm but the punches was too fast to catch up.

She strikes at the wounded part and it made a bloody results, each blows staggered Graves and some of them force blood come out from his mouth. His torso was injured with bullet wounds and it worsen as fist meet flesh.

Graves thought that destroying the gauntlets would cut her damage and made her weak but she proved him wrong with each blow. He can't let her continue to do this to him, he will die because of blood loss and organ damage. In the midst of the beating he thought of his option. He has one good arm and one good leg, the remainder was not in stellar conditions but still usable if not disabled.

Graves realized that each transition of each blow have a moment of pause regardless of the speed of the punch,it might be a window of opportunity for him. He let each blow connects and wait for the golden opportunity for a counter.

Then, a pause.

Graves pushed Vi to get some distance and gave a good kick with his good leg, it connects and he gave a right jab at Vi face. Graves hits Vi with a few kicks and continue punch her face. But Vi dodged a punch like a professional boxer and push him back against the wall, giving him another barrage of punches at his injured body.

Vi was at the most advantageous position she could get, Graves was now but a punching bag for her, vulnerable of taking any attack. Nothing seem to stop her from beating Graves, Graves himself gave up and let Vi unleash her fury towards him. Vi punches leading to bloody results, soon her hands and body was covered with blood but not of hers, but Graves.

Vi suddenly stop to take a breath and holds Graves by the neck with her right hand. She readies her left hand for another barrage for punches.

"Tired?" Graves breathed heavily, spiting blood from his mouth. "Don't worry, I got a lot of time spend with ya'" he smirked.

"Don't worry about me, I got all the time I need." Vi tightened her hold, almost choking him.

"Hehe.." Graves chuckled weakly. "Really? cause she doesn't" Graves pointed at Caitlyn that laid on the ground weak.

Vi looked at Caitlyn and was shocked by it, she hold Graves even tighter and clenches her left fist. Just waiting herself to start the barrage.

"You want to kill me, then go with it" Graves close his eyes and cough blood, seeming to accept his inevitable end. "It will take time to kill a man bare handed, trust me I did it myself. Less in my condition but by then you'll be too late to save her"

She badly wanted to kill him with her bare fist but she kept having second thoughts, she kept glancing back at Caitlyn. Is a price of a friend life worth to kill a man? Is it worth for a price of vengeance? Vi closed her eyes and thought for a moment. She released Graves from her hold and walks away, she then ran towards Caitlyn.

"Cait..." Vi mumbled worryingly.

Vi knelt down as she arrives in front of her. Vi raised Caitlyn head and hold her kidney wound that was bleeding. Caitlyn face was pale and she breathed weakly, death was near.

"Stay with me Caitlyn." Vi shake her body wanting her to stay conscious. "You're strong Cait', we're going home together just like always."

"Move!" someone shouts.

Vi look at the entrance of the factory and a swarm of police uniform enters the factory. Various types of it, some wear heavy armor walking slowly with heavy machine guns. While others wear light armor carrying semi auto rifle, similar to the teams that enter previously. The swarm start to spread around the factory with armaments that seem ready for a war.

It was a sign of relief for Vi, but Caitlyn was still in critical condition.

"MEDIC!" she shouted. "I NEED A MEDIC HERE!"

Then a group of officers arrived quickly with stretchers and medical kits. Similar to the average police personnel but wearing white and red shoulder badges, stating that it was the medical group. The leader of the group quickly knelt down and checked Caitlyn body,while the others were setting up the stretcher and set it beside Caitlyn.

Vi was separated by a medic officer wanting more space and also wanted to check on her condition. Vi watched the medic doing their work and discussing Caitlyn condition.

"Heart rate is dropping, critical blood loss" said the leader of the team to his teammate. "Stop the bleeding."

"Halting further bleeding " the other medic injects painkiller to her vein and took out a machine that similar to a staple gun and connect the skin, closing the wound. "Captain, we need at least three pack of blood for her"

"Follow the procedures, everything is ready at the hospital."

The captain then took out an oxygen mask and wears Caitlyn with it, later lifting her on top of the stretcher that was set up beside her. He ordered his teammates to lift and carry it. Without a pause, two officers carry Caitlyn and quickly move, the captain followed from behind.

"Ready the ambulance with all necessary emergency medical equipment, ETA one minute arrival" the captain speak to his radio. "I need dressings and lots of water."

Vi wanted to follow the medical group but was stopped by the officer that was caring her wounds.

"Can't I follow her?" Vi ask the officer.

"Calm down, another ambulance is on the way. We prioritize the ones that needed most. " the officer answered.

"She's gonna be alright? right?" Vi asked worriedly, looking at the officer eye to eye. "You guys going to save her right?."

The officer went silent and look at her team leader that was rushing outside. She continue to check Vi body, evading eye contact."Let's just hope for the best."