Sorry about the long wait between chapters, guys, but now that summer's here, and high school's over, I should have more time to write. So here you go!
El Tigre: Evolution
"Speaking of killing things..."
-Diego Luxe
Chapter 5
Frida stood on a rooftop overlooking Miracle City. A network of lights and dark streets lay beneath her. The Miracle City Volcano sat in the distance, dormant for the moment. The night air was pleasant. Frida breathed it in…and outstretched her wings.
…Wait….wings?
But she had already taken off, soaring through the night. It was as if someone else was in control. She was exhilarated by the sensation of flight, but frightened by it as well. She tried closing her eyes, but could somehow still see. And her vision was zeroing in on something moving through the alleys. Something had seen her. Something that wanted to avoid her. But it would not escape.
Upon closer inspection, it was a man in a cloak, stumbling through the darkness. She dive-bombed the fleeing target, and a feeling of malicious joy flowed through her veins. Seconds before impact…
Frida woke up, sweating.
"That was freaky," she said out loud, to no one in particular. She took several deep breaths and hopped out of her bed. She was a little shaky. A twinge of pain ran through her arm. She clutched at, and then rubbed it.
She opened her bedroom door quietly, and tiptoed out into the hall towards the bathroom. Her family's assorted snores carried down the hall as she made her way.
Inside the bathroom, she closed the door behind her and turned on the tap. She ran her fingers under the cool water and raised the sleeve of her nightgown. On her upper arm was a nasty black scratch.
"That woman scratched me while she was holding me back…"
She started to run some cool water over the wound, cringing as she did so.
Zoë sat on her bed, counting money. The armored car heist with Sr. Rivera had been a success. She grinned and snickered to herself.
Then there was a knock on her bedroom door. "Zoë?"
Zoë frantically stuffed all of the money under her mattress. "Yeah, what do you want?"
Her mother opened the door and poked her head in. "I just got a call from the school. Apparently you went AWOL on the school field trip to the LuxeCorp building. Want to tell me what that was all about?" she inquired, stepping into the room.
"Just upgrading to some nicer "toys"," Zoë said with smirk, using air quotes. Her mother raised an eyebrow, then smiled and ruffled her daughter's hair.
"That's my girl. Just expect to get an earful from that weasel Vice Principal tomorrow." She sat next to her daughter on the bed. "How about we go out tonight, just the two of us? Your abuela is glued to some reality dating show."
"I don't know, Mom," said Zoë, searching for an excuse, "I'm a little tired…"
"C'mon, I got this tip about an armored car…"
Zoë gulped.
"Um, I heard about that too. But I heard that Puma Loco already hit it earlier." Zoë said. It was the truth. Part of it, anyway.
Sra. Aves clenched her fists. "Blasted Riveras! They always get in the way! Oh well, maybe some other time," she said, getting up and leaving the room, closing the door behind her.
Zoë sighed, then got her money and started counting again, snickering.
Rodolfo sat on the couch watching late-night TV in a dark mood. Grandpapi walked by, whistling and flipping through a stack of crisp, new twenties, and noticed his son's state.
"Rodolfo, what is the matter? Today was a fine day!"
Rodolfo sighed. "I just feel…washed up."
"Is this about that fight the other day?" Grandpapi asked, plopping down on the couch next to his son.
"I guess. It just seems like villains are getting younger and stronger while I…" There was a long pause.
"It's okay, Rodolfo," the villain-father assured the hero-son.
"Maybe I'm getting too old for this…"
"Ha! If you are old, then what am I?" Grandpapi crossed his arms. Rodolfo smirked slightly.
Diego Luxe stood staring out of his office window. Los Alados were standing behind him, exchanging curious glances as their boss stood silently.
"It is slightly concerning," said Luxe, finally breaking the silence, making Los Alados jump. They regained their composure when he turned to face them. "That object-wielders would join forces when my plans are so close to fruition. When the Tome is almost complete.
"There were just two of them," said the black-haired Alado.
"There was a third, you idiot," said the female.
"What, the blue-haired girl with goggles?" he questioned.
"Not her," she snorted. "She was worthless. I'm talking about whoever rescued them by teleporting them out of here."
"Indeed," acknowledged Luxe. "El Tigre and his newfound friends are a problem that need to be taken care of."
"Consider it done, sir," said the white-haired man.
"But not by you," Luxe continued. "I need the three of you to finish collecting pages for the Tome. I have someone else in mind for El Tigre…"
Luxe walked over to the speakerphone on his desk and pressed a button. "Secretary?"
A voice responded, "Yes Sr. Luxe?"
"There was a break-in in my office during all the confusion earlier. I think it might be connected to the vault robbery. I want to get the best people we have on this case. Get me the Von Krieger Brothers."
There was a pause on the other end. "The Germans? Are you sure that's necessary?" The voice was nervous now.
"Just get me the brothers. I'll handle the rest," Luxe replied as he took his hand off the intercom. He smiled to himself.
"Um, who are "The Von Krieger Brothers," boss?" asked the black-haired Alado.
Luxe grinned again. "They are a crack team of assassins who happen to owe me a favor. One is an object-wielder, and the other just likes to kill things." The two male Alados nodded while the female had a sort of dreamy look on her face, probably fantasizing about meeting the brother who liked to kill things and striking up a conversation.
Luxe turned back to Los Alados. "Speaking of killing things, how is our friend, the Prophet? Any word on his location?"
The female Alado snapped out of her dreamlike state and reported, "I caught one of his cronies in an alley, but he wouldn't talk."
Luxe sighed. "Oh well, like they say, good things come to those who wait."
The man sitting in the dark room was still watching the passing event in the bowl of water. A man in a cloak joined him. It was the same cloaked man who had gone to see Manny's mother, Maria.
"The mother was not cooperative." The cloaked man said. The other man nodded but kept staring at the bowl. "What do you see, my liege?"
The man shook his head. "I see a storm approaching, and not one that will relieve this drought, but instead bring darkness…"