Aric

The first obstacle was the Sector police and the check points. Huge problem…for anyone else; she had been warned and was prepared. As she slowed her bike Nÿx surveyed the fence and small guard post finding every possible tactical weakness she could exploit to her advantage.

"Get a grip girl. You don't need to sneak past 'em." The mumbled words didn't restrain her sight from focusing on the guard house and the two officers in there. Both wore the safety helmets and bullet proof vest over their uniforms required by their job. The bike rolled to a stop behind another civilian as she continued to look around.

'It would be so easy. One little EMP wave and the lights go out not to mention I slip past unnoticed. So easy.'

"ID." the male voice barked. Nÿx didn't flinch just turned her head and glanced up, over her rose tinted shades, to look at the officer.

He saw the soft smile on her face as she handed him her ID and frowned. He glanced at it then at her and went into the guard house without a word.

'Not a nice attitude for a public servant. Then again maybe he's got rotten teeth and I could do him a favor by knocking them out.' Nÿx straightened on the bike and pulled the shades low on her face. Her eyes focused on the guard house but she couldn't see much of the inside from her position. She raised a gloved hand to move a strand of loose hair behind her ear and listened.

"Got another one."

"Another? What is it with these old ID's?" the second guard asked.

"Beats me. Just scan it through I got a line that's growing like some fucking snake." The first complained. It sounded like all he did was complain but then again she'd only been there two minutes. Still, Nÿx was usually right about a person upon their first meeting or sight of them.

"Snake? So where's the betty?"

A Betty? 'What was that?' Nÿx wondered with a slight frown.

"On the bike. Are you done?"

'Oh, me. I'm the betty.' Nÿx realized with a frown, she didn't remember that being the name on the ID.

"Why don't I take it back to her? Looks like a goo-."

The door slammed shut sounding like a bullet in her ear and Nÿx quickly shoved the shades back on her face while pretending to fix her gloves. The officer gave her back the ID still un-smiling.

"Thank you officer. You have a nice evening." Nÿx put the ID back under her leather jacket never taking her eyes off the officer. His eyes never strayed from her hand either, where it slid beneath the leather to her chest.

"There's curfew." He barked seeing the smile on her face. "You got ten minutes."

-X-

'Curfew? Since when is there a curfew around here or anywhere? Krit never mentioned this. I'm seriously beginning to think his info is out of date. Very outdated. Come to think of it he never said where exactly I'm supposed to go.'

So where was she supposed to go? Krit had told her to check out Terminal City but other than that he'd left her to decide on other accommodations not that she had much money left. About two hundred at the least but not enough to get by for more than a couple of days. The minutes were counting down as Nÿx rode through a slightly dilapidated Sector. The houses were still nice enough not to be considered shacks but not by much and Terminal City? That was still two Sectors away.

Nÿx thought back to the week before she'd left. Krit and Syl had been poring over maps of Seattle and having Nÿx memorize them not a difficult task considering her photographic memory. Now that she was in Seattle the maps were becoming actual streets instead of just grids with names and numbers.

"Come on!"

"Get the cash!"

"Fuck him up!"

The men had a bundled figure crouched before them trying in vain to deflect their blows. The last one aimed a kick at the hunched figure with all the force he could muster and a wicked smile. At the last possible moment the hunched figure moved and the guy hit the brick wall. There was a loud scream as the guy's foot and knee connected with the cold stone. The hunched figure leapt to its feet and shoved the howling cussing man back into the other four before he ran.

"Get him!"

"Kill the son of a bitch!"

"Leave 'em! We gotta jet!"

"Get you're pussy ass over here!"

"I got him!"

"No you don't." the running figure yelled. He risked a smirk over his shoulder almost tripping.

"The fuckers taunting us!"

The men ran out of the alley and down the street into another alley. If the people in the houses heard the noise outside they didn't show any signs of it. People in this Sector knew not to be out past curfew and not just because of the Sector police. There were other things more threatening...

The guy kept running without slowing down which gave the men chasing him the impression that they hadn't hurt him bad enough. The sound of an engine and the flash of light barely registered as they chased their prey into the abandoned lot. One of the guys threw himself at the guy they were chasing and grabbed him around the knees. Both went down hard but the one being chased had more incentive to get away. He scrambled to get to his feet and managed to disentangle himself when he noticed the girl.

She stood glaring at the four thugs, her black hair getting in her eyes as it slipped out of the single braid. She stood fearlessly, legs slightly apart, eyes shooting fire, jaw clenched while her full lips formed a sneer of contempt.

-X-

The men ran into her path suddenly. The first went past so fast Nÿx didn't get a good look but the five others chasing him gave her the impression they weren't after the guy for his own good. She swerved to avoid hitting the last one, a straggler limping by. He came out way after the others Nÿx hadn't time to slow or stop. The tires caught the gravel and began to slide. She knew there was no getting out of the slide or avoiding the crash but she wasn't about to let her bike get totaled because of some idiot with a limp.

Nÿx tried to get some control but the bike swerved harshly to the right and then slid. She could feel it tilt but still refused to let go even as her side hit the gravel. With a last grimace Nÿx let go of the handles and rolled. She made two complete turns before managing to get her feet under her.

'Thank the lab coats for the feline genes.' Was her thought as she slid in the gravel, one foot gouging a path in the dirt and her full weight on the other while she used both hands to steady her slide.

Nÿx came to a full stop not far from her bike in a crouch. The sound of screeching metal was torture to her ears. She was afraid to turn around and see the mess, all her hard work, all those weeks building that bike from scratch.

"Ash…"

She'd had to steal most of the parts but the best was finding the body. She'd taken her time in building it, not just because she wanted it done right but because she wanted more time before she left Los Angeles for Seattle.

Nÿx stood slowly, feeling every muscle coiled and ready. She was beyond angry and the target for it stood before her. She pulled the straps off her shoulders and let the pack drop to the ground as she moved towards the limp.

"You better get out of here." The limp ordered as if he were looking out for her best interest but Nÿx was beyond listening. She wanted blood and this limp was responsible for the damage to her bike so he'd be the first to give her said blood. Her boots crunched on the gravel as she continued forward. The limp stared unsure of what to do. He noticed her hair was falling out of the long braid, the brown leather jacket was smeared with dirt and her jeans, which he absently noticed hung low on her hips and molded to her thighs, were stained with mud from her fall.

"Dukas," the limp called to the others with a clear note of worry in his voice. They had also been staring at the girl and at her deliberate walk they moved behind the limp in a ragged half circle.

"He told you to leave." Dukas re-iterated. He hung both hands on the front of his belt and stood as tall as his 5'7" frame would allow.

Nÿx flicked her glance in his direction assessing the threat before going on to the others. It wasn't much of challenge but it would be enough to vent her anger on. Then she could pick up her bike and move on, hopefully to find a place to hole up for the night.

"You shit heads fucked up my bike." Nÿx ground out coming to a stop right in front of the limp. "You're paying for repairs."

The men laughed uproariously. Dukas looked her over again and laughed harder. What was a little girl like her going to do about it? Not a damn thing that's what. There were five of them not counting the stupid limp and only one of her.

"Looks like we got us a pleasure puss tonight boys!" Dukas called to the others with more laughter. The men chuckled already imagining their 'fun'.

"Only satisfaction here is gonna be mine, boys." Nÿx said getting in Dukas face. She saw the ugly sneer replace the laughter and his eyes shone with a beastly glint. This wasn't a man, not by her standards, so he didn't deserve her consideration. These thugs were out for blood, enjoying the freedom being a gang afforded them and terrorizing innocent people. Nÿx ran her gaze over him once more before locking eyes with him.

"I'll shut that pretty punk ass mouth of yours, baby." The threat was minimal but he didn't know it. Nÿx saw his shoulder twitch and knew his hand was coming up for a swing.

Dukas stumbled back clutching at his nose and looking confused. He glared at Nÿx then glanced at his hand feeling the burning sting spread from his nose to his cheeks. There was a smudge of blood on his palm. The sight infuriated him and worse was seeing the smirk on her face. He swung at Nÿx again with an animalistic roar.

Nÿx leaned slightly to her left as Dukas came in. She raised her knee hitting his chest. The full force of the blow knocked the air from him then her elbow came down on his spine just between his shoulder blades. The slight pop was loud but the sudden screams of pain drowned it out. Dukas lay on the ground his body unable to move but feeling every ounce of pain race through his body.

"One down." Nÿx stated looking at the others.

-X-

The girl was fast. Too fast for a normal person so there was only one thing she could be. Only one thing... He knew what every one had been saying, what the reporters said on TV. Hell he'd seen the feed 'Eyes Only' had posted on the raid at JamPony. One of the girls, the lanky blond one, had looked just like everyone else. Like you or him, she was gorgeous and she had been one of them. Transgenic.

He got up and started to run again. It wasn't like she couldn't handle five thugs-make that four and one with a limp. What if she didn't handle them? They'd be on his ass again. He couldn't hide, not from Dukas but he was down for the count. Wasn't he?

"Shit!" the words left his mouth in a hushed whisper. "Shit, shit, shit!" he repeated going back.

-X-

The air was cold, the ground wet, every sound muffled by the night as the fight raged in the empty lot. Trees obscured most of it from any one looking out their window or some brave idiot walking out after curfew.

Nÿx's breath made small white clouds as she breathed regularly. The men had a huge fog trailing after them with grunts and groans as they tried to hit her, take her down.

The flash of metal glinted in the moonlit night and from the closest light pole. There was a crack and blood both combined with a painful howl as another of the thugs fell. His arm lay awkwardly pointing out in a grotesque angle, the sleeve of his shirt quickly drenched in blood.

'Just three left and I don't feel any better.' Nÿx thought as she bent at the waist turning as she swung her legs in a scissor kick. She landed in a crouch searching out the next target. One of the thugs came at her with his knife. She smiled coldly and jumped to her feet arms coming up to block a punch. The thug swung, the blade slicing past her cheek without a graze. Nÿx took his wrist in her hand and crushed the bones. He howled in pain dropping the blade which Nÿx caught. The end flipped in her palm as she shoved him away. She turned in a half circle slashing with the knife and felt it slide through cloth and flesh. The thug stood looking dumbly at her. Three bright marks crisscrossed his chest the cloth flapping in the cold air as he reached a trembling hand to the wounds. They weren't life threatening but the guy didn't realize it yet. With two quick steps Nÿx moved forward gave a slight hop and kicked his head. The thug flipped in the air before landing on the muddy grass, a brown foot print on the side of his face.

Nÿx would've laughed but she didn't have time then to enjoy the sight. 'Wish I had a camera.' But those were terribly expensive and the processing of the film was almost as much. Too much trouble for just a picture even if it was a good one.

There was a scuffle and more shouts. Two thugs were ganging up on another man. Nÿx saw him wave a stick then recognized the black jacket of the guy being chased. He'd come back.

"Men." Nÿx grumbled ducking as the other thug came at her. Men were stupid most of the time at least that's what Syl had told her. The thug reeled back from her scorpion kick and Nÿx didn't wait for him to recover. She moved forward jabbing her fist at his chest. The bone cracked beneath her knuckles and her left fist came down on his face. He went down hard with hardly any sound and she moved to help the guy who'd come to her 'rescue'.

-X-

Aric was doing fine, he was holding his own, he was kicking serious thuggish ass!

"Ooph!" Aric hunched and squeezed his eyes closed as the punch he knew was coming landed on his already bruised face. Suddenly he was pushed and there was no pain except for what he already felt. The pipe had fallen out of his limp hands and he cracked an eye open to find it. What he did see opened both eyes wide. That girl was fast, just a blur of motion. She punched, ducked, kicked and kicked ass without a rest. Aric wondered what he was even doing there. The girl could definitely handle herself without any help from him.

Still... both thugs were busy with her not paying any attention to him and Aric had some anger left over from the beating- unjust beating- they had subjected him too. The pipe lay in the wet grass to his right and without a second thought he grabbed it moving up behind the closest thug.

Aric swung the pipe like a bat. The metal rang hollowly vibrating up to his hands making them go slightly numb but he didn't let go. The thug stumbled and half turned to Aric. He swung again with more strength at the same time that she kicked. The thug practically flew into Aric's swing. There was a loud crunch and the huge guy went down like a sack of potatoes.

Aric swung again hitting the limp body before looking up at the last thug. He didn't care that she had things under control. Aric wanted blood, he wanted to inflict more pain and moved in for the kill. He was full of anger, not thinking clearly. He didn't wan to think, didn't want to consider the repercussions of his actions and that was why he was in this predicament in the first place.

The pipe swung in an arc the tip catching the mans shoulder. Nÿx crouched low and swung her leg out. She hit his knee and the thug went down. Aric swung again landing another blow this time to the chest. Before the pipe could come down on the thugs head it was pulled from his hands.

"What's your malfunction?" dark eyes flashing and framed by a pair of delicately shaped eyebrows scowled into his face.

"What?" was she talking to him? Why had she taken the pipe in the first place? He was helping her! Helping everyone these useless fools had ever hurt and would hurt in the future.

"You could kill him!" Nÿx yelled.

'Kill him? Yeah, I could and the world would be a better place.' Aric thought but the girl wasn't giving him that chance. Instead, Aric contented himself with a nasty kick to the thugs head. Blood spurted from a cut and the guy groaned pitifully. She shoved him and he stumbled back a pace. He shrugged indicating that he was done and watched as she threw the pipe far enough away he couldn't get it. While she was distracted he kicked the thug again before she could intervene. Then, Aric kicked the thugs head one last time before spitting on him.

He found her staring at him with both hands on her hips looking for all the world the way his sister did when she was annoyed with him. He started at the thought and frowned. Since when did he think of his family anymore?

"Hey!" he called to her back as she moved out of the lot and to the bike. "Wait up."

"What for?" she replied in a tone that said she didn't want him to answer the question.

"Uh-."

'Well that was eloquent.' He thought.

'My bike!' Nÿx wailed inwardly. Her pack still lay where she'd dropped it and her bike, 'Ash' as she'd named it, lay on its side. She bent down and gently ran a gloved hand over the body as if her touch alone would cause it pain.

"They got an ass beating, Ash." She muttered feeling angry again. She picked up her bike and surveyed the damage. There were huge gouges in the charcoal paint gleaming like silver lightning bolts in the night. The tires were still intact and when she rolled it a couple of paces there was only the slight squeal of grinding metal before it vanished.

Nÿx turned intent on getting her pack only to find him standing with it in his arms. His dark hair billowed in the cold breeze getting in his eyes. The side of his face was beginning to blacken and his cheeks were stained red like the tip of his nose, from the cold night air. His breath puffed out in short gusts as he shuffled from one foot to the other.

'Can't be more than 5'9", about 145-150lb on the slim side and not too smart I'd say.' Nÿx shrugged holding out her hand for her pack.

"Oh." He said glancing at her bag in his hands. He clutched it for a moment before loosening his hold, yet he didn't hand it over.

"Uh-well you can't leave."

One delicate eyebrow arched upwards and a steely glint shone in her dark eyes.

"Why not?" he knew it wasn't a question. The chic was looking him over with the knowledge that she was the superior being and he was a- well she'd squash him in a second.

"Because I just saved your butt back there! Don't I get a thanks?" Aric was pushing his luck on this one.

"Oh-ho! You mean that whole swinging the pipe like you think you're Tommy Lasorda or was that Mike Piazza you were impersonating? Heard he had a nice ass…" she trailed off but quickly turned a glare on him and imperiously motioned for her pack still in Aric's arms.

"Don't have time-." She began but Aric's brain got a light bulb idea forming and before he knew what it was he began to speak.

"Yeah. Curfew. Uuh… started about a minute ago." He said looking up from his watch. He looked at her frown and the bag in his arms a lazy smile forming on his bruised face. He winced slightly from the cut on his lip but said it any way.

"Guess you need a place to crash."

-X-

Thanks to Stand In Girl for her review and the prologue is Krit speaking. I actually wrote that before I figured out how I was going to start the fic.

Another thanks goes to superdani152003 and of course I LOVE Alce too who else is gorgeous enough on that show to love? Just a question... what makes you think Nyx belongs with Alec?

Another thanks to -alternate-universe-princess- for her review.

I seriously hope not to let you all down. Next chapter already in the works.