I had no idea how much time I had until the fuse went off.
The Grenade exploded.
Apparently none at all!
Fortunately the fact I finally saw an attack coming also meant that it didn't actually have a chance of hitting me.
I fell into shadow as the explosion ripped both clones apart, setting off secondary explosions from other unused ordinance, and ripping the car we were beside to bits.
I mean seriously, it wasn't just all gone, you could still tell it was a car once but the fiberglass of the body was just all over the place, the wheels facing the explosions where gone, there where holes all through it, and I was pretty sure the underlining superstructure was either cut or warped from all the little fragments ripping through it at bullet like speeds.
...I honestly wasn't sure if insurance was going to pay for that or not. Hopefully the owner had a replacement policy rather then a repair one.
At this point Alabaster chose to make himself known, he had his gun not pointed at me but lowered in my general direction and a serious expression on his face, "Are yo-"
I whipped around and charged at him.
The gun flashed up barking.
But once again, I saw this one coming, so there was no problems.
exploding into my own shadow I appeared behind him hand knifing out violently to break his spine in half.
But unlike coil Alabaster actually knew something about fighting, he twisted to face me guessing I'd appear in his blindspot. His last dance partner had probably tried the same trick after all.
My blow still came down heavy, but it was to the side of the neck, not right between the vertebrae. It knocked him off balance, I hit like a truck after all and the neck was still important regardless of where you hit it, but not enough to instantly down him.
Instead I caught his arm as his attempted swing came in, and with a gripping twist, dislocated his elbow.
And down went the knife.
he brought the gun up between us, but I knocked to aside, striking his forearm to fast for him to react leaving the weapon to bark out harmlessly to my side.
Then his 'broken' arm lashed out at a blow for my solar plexus.
I deflected with an Elbow, and he tried to get the gun in again.
my other arm flashed out and knocked it low, before sliding up the arm and jabbing my thumb into a very specific point in his wrist.
The weapon released and my deflecting hand flashed down to catch it only for him to lash out and try to knock my hand free as I tried to empty a bullet into where I estimated his knee was.
So instead I went low and swept it.
He jumped. Guy was good, but unfortunately he forgot something.
I still had his gun.
Rather then retract my leg I planted it alongside my free hand in a three point crouched and aimed. And as he landed I squeezed the trigger once and sent a round right though his solar plexus.
He staggered, I adjusted my aim, and sent another bullet right up through his jaw.
He dropped as I pushed up rising, and as he hit the ground, I paused waited, aimed.
And when his head suddenly contained the brains I just blew out I shot them out again.
Alabaster reset in a little under five seconds. I did not have long to restrain him. If he was still wearing his shirt I could just tug it down by his elbows but Oni Lee had blown that clear off. I couldn't get his pants off in time to make a tie of them, and lacked any grab of my own to utilize.
Shit.
My eyes flickered around, as I kicked him over, caste mark casting more then enough light to let me see around me. Nothing cloth in the area. Buildings were shops but they had bared windows. Improve break and enter for supplies wouldn't work. That left me, him, the floor, and the blown to bits car.
I looked at the car.
It had apparently caught fire in the twelve or so seconds since it had exploded.
Good for it.
It was also leaning over since the axel had finally given way and the one remaining wheel on the exploded side had fallen off.
Idea.
Alabaster reset and I squeezed the trigger again.
Click.
Shit.
He twisted in place and swept for my legs in a move right out of break dancing. Rather then jump it, I twisted and rooted my self, letting his leg clash against my shin spoiling the jump. He immediately went into a flop to throw his momentum forward and get back up, but I threw the empty gun into his face, stepped forward and thrust down, into his chest knocking him right the fuck back down.
Then I withdrew my hand back half a step and struck fully down as he hit the ground and drove my entire upper body strength right into the weak point between his ribs. Fracturing them and driving them right into his chest.
The pink he spat up was less reflex and more just all the pressure escaping from what I was doing to his chest.
Then I twisted my hand around and dragged up to the ruined mess of the car as fast as I could drag.
He swung at me, but the bone structure anchoring his pectorals currently in pieces he couldn't get enough strength to make a difference, and I slid him right up under the vehicle.
Then he reset and rolled for his life as I channeled power and kicked the remaining front wheel off the car nearly pinning him under a ton or so of steel.
"-ive I give!" he called out as he rolled free looking thoroughly freaked out.
And grinning.
...And now I was little freaked out.
"Shit... you... don't hold back at all," He said slowly.
"You heal," I responded mechanically. "Total physical reset, a little thing like a bullet to the brain isn't going to stop you."
He let out a sound at that, "You're right... it doesn't."
And then he rolled back to his feat and swung full force at the car dropping the other side.
My eyes narrowed.
He smirked.
His mistake.