Chapter 35 - Boil Over
"What is that place Vermilion?" Malaria asked. Beginning to walk towards the destroyed building, she heard him follow.
"It was...an illicit hub..above the Sanctum," Speed answered. Ignoring the other two women staring at them, he saw the bat woman halt. Turning around, her eyes looked a little wild at him.
"...above...the Sanctum...?" she repeated evenly. "What of...the Sanctum itself?"
"Based on how...things look...it caved in...from a fire," he replied. Not stopping or looking at her, he continued to get closer to the destruction zone.
"...what...fire?" the woman asked with mixed feelings. Curling her hands into fists, her body tensed up as if going to attack him.
"...the one...that occurred...after you...passed out."
"...how...did...it...occur?" Malaria questioned through clenched teeth. Seeing him pass her, she turned around. Walking very close to him, the urge to ring his neck grew inside of her. Darcia remained where she was seeing the two get closer. Chiara looked paranoid at them, but was following them as well.
"Set explosions...throughout the Sanctum," the hedgehog answered stoically. Not caring about how the discussion was causing ire for the blacked skinned anthropomorphic, he saw movement. Not turning his eyes and seeing what was in his peripheral, he saw who it was. Focusing forward, he ignored who it was.
"...did...you...place...them...and...detonate...them...?" she asked feeling her claws slowly producing out. Staring daggers at the back of his head, he still hadn't stopped or looked back at her.
"Yes," he said.
"..." Malaria reacted with anger. Lifting her lips away from each other, her sharp teeth were shown.
'He was the cause of this disaster!?' Darcia thought with a surprised blink. The sight of the taller woman expression and her reaction to his statement, she began to walk backwards. Keeping some feet away from them to keep hearing them, she felt her fur standing on end. The intensity of the yellow eyes was eerie on how it shined through the faint ash filled air.
'...so that is why it reeks here...all the bodies...' the female stoat said in her mind. Despite knowing why the torturer was getting bent out of shape, she didn't want to be near her. Remembering how that hell hole place was and the people trapped in there was enough to keep her distance a little bit.
"...tell me...what for...before I release...all...of...your...blood," the bat woman threatened. Glaring at him and leaning towards his face, he never turned to her. Despite breaching his personal space on his right side, he didn't stop walking either.
"...you are...a broken record now?" Speed spoke. Giving a slight smirking face, a mild snort escaped from his mouth.
"...hmph..."
Readying himself if Malaria was going to attack him, the person with the gas mask moved more. Stopping ahead of and blocking the path, the cat woman had a handgun in her hand. Seeing it point down to the street below, he didn't stop walking. Quickly glancing to his right, the bat woman was still near his face. Though she looked like she still wanted to hurt him, her eyes had moved and narrowed at the OHP official. When both didn't stop, Darcia immediately got into an offensive stance and pointed the weapon at them.
[Stop right there] she ordered. Seeing the amputee blink with his right eye, he stopped.
Having a deadpan expression on his face, he stared at her with what seemed like annoyance. Noticing the malicious expression on the taller female, she was very close to the hedgehog. Given the type of weapon on her back, it was a metallic whip. Her rather gothish outfit gave her the impression that she was from the establishment that burnt down. She would be a direct suspect and criminal to the activities that were going on inside.
"Who is this Vermilion?" Malaria demanded keeping her mild scowl at the cat woman.
'Vermilion? I thought his name was Speed?' Darcia wondered keeping her position.
"Another stinking lost soul? Or just a mindless surface dweller?" she continued with being rude. Frowning from her comments, the official let them roll off her shoulders for now.
[I am Chief Darcia of the Oatisal Harbor Patrol. This town is in lockdown due to the hazardous waste exposing the air and city from the destroyed establishment. Every individual in this town is restricted to inside until further notice. Failure to abide by this martial law will result in criminal action and imprisonment]
"..." Speed and Malaria reacted with continuing to stare. Neither changed their emotion much except for the bat woman. She just frowned more while glaring at her.
'Like those two would give a rats ass what she says,' Chiara thought amused.
Blinking and focusing, she cautiously approached the hedgehog's left side. She wanted to put something in between her and the head taller person on his other side. Seeing his head move slightly when she halted beside him, his cybernetic eye bored at her. Thinking he would say something, he didn't. Not even a head nod for acknowledgment. Feeling agitated quickly, she dropped any pleasantries.
"Sup jerk," the female stoat stated louder than normal.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she tried to look intimidating. At the same time, she closed her right eye tight. She couldn't handle walking through so many spirited individuals. Just seeing one up close and looking at her made her fur stand on end. Despite not seeing them, the aspect that they were still floating around both him and the other still riled her nerves.
"..." the amputee expressed with nothing. His crimson ring moved slightly and gazed at something that was on her face. Despite the wrapped around clothed mask, what he was looking at was visible.
"...I see your...eye recovered..." he said at a normal tone and volume. Both blinked from hearing someone laughing out loud.
"HAHAHA! Hazardous waste you say!" Malaria blared out loud with dark humor. Looking at the authority officer with mockery, she crossed her arms loosely above her torso.
"If that is what you surfacers call the purification of lost souls, then my establishment gave them mercy!"
'She is definitely part of the black-market establishment,' Darcia pondered. '...I'm starting to suspect that he bombed it to destroy whatever was down there...permanently.'
The aspect that the bat woman wasn't even plugging her nose to the stench seemed very concerning. However shifting her eyes to the one arm man, he wasn't holding his breath either. Seeing only his right eye lid narrow to give a halved unamused face, she was still weary of him. Based on what witnesses stated from the alley incident involving him indicated that he was lethal. At the same time, he was now more of a credible witness and possible victim.
'That means he knows what was going on down there...and can prove identity of the other woman...for the first time...Chiara wasn't smoke and mirrors.'
[Since you are not heeding what I am saying, you three will be coming with me. Resist and I will detain each of you] she ordered firmly. [I also want to question you three with possible connections to the illegal activities that were occurring in that establishment. You all seem to know what goes on there which includes potential black market trading and crimes against our kind]
"Oh...so NOW you believe me," Chiara remarked with a ridiculed tone. Looking toward the officer, she gave a half frown and put her hands on her hips.
"Hella flatterin' Darcee."
"Are you challenging me worm?" Malaria questioned with a cruel grin. Reaching behind her to grab her melee tool while starting the feline down, a shot was fired. A bullet hit the pavement a foot away from her feet making the bat woman pause.
[You will stand down...right...now. Next shot will not be a warning] the chief warned.
Retraining her firearm at the tallest person, the unpleasant smile only widen a little. Seeing mild movement nearby, Darcia kept her weapon trained on who she was pointing at. Seeing what it was, it was the amputee talking to the female stoat. Despite being in a gas mask, her ears were still exposed to be able to move them. Perking her ears a little, she adjusted them to focus on their location.
"Hey...what shit went down when I passed out?" Chiara asked in a low tone watching the cop.
"...other than creating...a firestorm and leaving...nothing else..." Speed answered normally. He did not care about the situation nor felt threatened from a weapon being pointed in his direction.
"Did you get me out of the hellhole?"
"Yes."
"What happen to the kid? Is he alive?"
"He's recovering."
"I bet you left him somewhere alone again."
"..." the hedgehog responded with glancing at her. Sighing through his nose softly, it did not go unnoticed.
"...not using...your right eye...when it is healed?"
"H-How do you know it was healed?" she asked a little surprised.
"...your eye...was open...before you approached."
"...you didn't...put something weird in it...by chance? Like some silvery liquid?" the stoat asked evenly and looked at him with a blank expression.
"...yes..." he answered looking back at the officer. He could detect that she was not only tense, but starting to get annoyed.
"...so it was you..." Chiara remarked. Becoming angry, she grabbed his cloak around his shoulder.
"What the fuck did you put in my eye!?" she shouted at him. "Rather it still be damaged for what shit I see now with it!"
"...you're...welcome..." he spoke not looking at her. Immediately getting yanked to the left, the stoat woman pulled him to her face. His nose was pressing against her thick clothed wrapped mask.
"You freakin' fix it you shithead! I hate ghosts!"
'...he did the same thing to her...as the child?' Malaria pondered. Not interested in the stand off with the lead patroller, she stood straight. Glancing to her left, she waiting for the scene to end. It also made her smirk at the aspect that what the correction individual's order and threat held no weight with the other two.
"...I'm a monster...as you say...not a doctor...a quack..."
"ARGH! I'm goin' to kick your spiky ass!" Chiara stated loudly in frustration. Gritting her teeth, she began to shake him.
"Fuckin' fix it!"
"..." Speed reacted with a grunt. Despite being mildly thrashed around, he kept a look of disinterested.
"..." Malaria glanced at them with a deadpan face. Closing her eyes, she moved her left up. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she tried to calm herself from wanting to cackle out loud at how ridiculous the situation was morphing into.
[...] Darcia reacted with agitation at the scene in front of her.
It was as if they did not respect or were even taking her seriously. Making it awkward was how they were acting. They held no guilt or shame from the aspect of the aroma of death and destruction engulfing the city. Having reached her tolerance limit, she fire another shot ahead of where their feet were. Grabbing their attention, all of their faces bored back at her from stoic to displeased.
[If you two are going to have a lover's quarrel, you can do it in a jail cell]
"Shut up pussycat!" Chiara spoke out loud. Giving her a sneer, she shoved out a middle finger toward her.
"This asshole and me have personal shit to take care of right now. Go back to whatever the hell you were doin'."
[Chief...we heard shots. What's going on?] other officers chimed in on the walkie. Pressing the talk button, she spoke in a controlled and exasperated tone.
[Request back up to my location...next street over from campsite...north-east...all officers in the campsite...on the double]
[Roger] the lead spoke then sounded as if he turned away from the mic. [All units inside, shots fired next street over. Move it! Move it! Move it!]
[...] Darcia reacted with staring the three down. Regripping her firearm, she trained it on the amputee.
[Hands up you three. You are under arrest for breaking martial law in this town...I will not repeat-!?] she continued then blinked.
Recoiling in surprise, the hedgehog was standing in front of her. Reflexes tightened up to where she squeezed her hands. Thinking the gun would pop off, the trigger got stuck and didn't fully engage. Unable to glance at, his bloody stained face was occupying her view. Waiting for him to give a sadistic grin at overtaking her, he didn't express anything.
"...what...do...you...want...Darcia...?" Speed spoke in a low voice. She couldn't tell if he was being serious or mocking her. Seeing movement, only the taller individual walked toward them. Thinking she would grab her whip and attack, she didn't. Instead, she got beside both and looked down at her. She gave a cruel look of wanting to hurt her.
[...like I said...arresting you for not following...our laws] the cat woman stated focusing back on him.
"...the evil society...you have been seeking...beneath the metropolis...has been purged..." he began. Not moving from his spot and remained unblinking, he noticed that she was tensing up.
"...the tyrants...you have been hunting...from underground rings...are dirt napping..." the amputee continued. The female stoat came closer and perked her ears up from what he said. Darcia thought she would look at either the hedgehog or the bat woman; however, she only stared at her. Debating if she should retract her arm that extended past his head with the gun, she reasoned herself to not do any sudden movements.
[So you say...you seem to know enough of what was going on down there. Even if it is destroyed, what are the chances that the ring will continue?]
"...the leaders...in the hub...and below...are dead from...the inferno," Speed spoke evenly. "With heads gone...organization system...withers..."
[...] the cat woman responded with staring. Seeing two heads move, the other two women looked at him. Chiara seemed to hold a face of what he was saying or doing was unbelievable. The black skinned female changed her intimidating stance to wide eye and stared at him with ambivalence.
'I can't tell what their expressions mean... does that mean they are shocked from what he said? Or that there is something else behind what he just claimed,' she thought swallowing a lump in her throat.
Her nerves were straining against his never ceasing predatorial presence. The crimson on his face only seemed to amplify the image that he is a cold-blooded killer. Knowing that she couldn't take the three of them on, she wondered if her back up was close yet. Blinking from seeing his left robotic eye slowly turn to to her left, her fur on the back of her neck flared. His normal eye continued staring straight at her with no emotion.
"...many friends..." the hedgehog mentioned. His crimson eye slowly turned back and focused on her. The hue of it suddenly gave a piercing glow that induced apprehension.
"...must be...nice..." he continued.
Emphasizing the last part, it did not sound pleasant. Feeling he was going to attack, Darcia felt her stomach got impacted without warning. Gasping hard and dropping her weapon to the ground, his punch felt more like a hard frontal kick. Cringing and curling her body a little, she dropped to the ground. Coughing and wheezing from the immediate pain, she hugged her stomach harshly.
[Hey!] an officer shouted down an alleyway. It caused the three standing around the chief to turn their heads to the right.
[Officer down! Take them out!]
"Ah shit!" Chiara reacted with taking a step back. Seeing the crowd of patrollers bring out their weapons, Speed turned around. Sprinting forward quickly down the street, his velocity was that of a full throttled jet boat instantly.
"Damn you!" she shouted. Ripping the cloth mask off, she sprinted in his direction. Knowing she wasn't as fast as him on two legs, she lunged forward. Rushing on all fours, her speed increased quickly.
"Vermilion!" Malaria shouted angrily. Hating to run away, flashbacks of war came at her. Remembering when individuals got shredded from a rainstorm of bullets and lasers, she bolted after him matching his speed. Hearing and feeling projectiles being fired, she began to zig zag and weave. Seeing the stoat woman do the same, only near misses and nicks were felt.
"..." the bat woman continued feeling nostalgia wash over her.
As if her senses became slightly less sensitive, images of various battles would wash over her eyes. All the buildings would change instantly to small hilly grass lands. Atmosphere morphed from the roast corpse and ash aroma to burnt earth, black powder, and scorched metal. Concrete shards of the ground being impacted by the officers' weapons were replaced with small geysers of dirt. Warmth flowed over her body as adrenaline and fear pumped through her veins. Looking up and seeing an open space between two dead trees ahead, she blinked and saw she was between two buildings near a four way stop.
"Hey! HEY!" Chiara raged at the end of the intersection. Sliding on the street, she pivoted her body to the left. Getting grip and launching into the next street, Malaira continued sprinting and turned toward her direction. Passing the corner and hearing the shooting stopping, her eyes began to go up.
"SLOW DOWN YOU JERK!" the female stoat yelled. Getting next to a building, she began scaling it without slowing down.
"..." the Chiroptera reacted with feeling her eyes widening.
The amputee was running up the side of the building and leaped to the 2nd story roof. Feeling agitated from the sense of being inferior, she clenched her teeth. Extending her wings outward and flapping them downward, she slowly began to get lift. Jumping to the side of the building and pushing herself off of it, she fluttered her pans harder. Knowing she didn't go higher than the height of the Sanctum lobby, she was confident enough that she could fly and hover. Seeing the other woman climb over the edge, she narrowed her eyes and flew upward.
[Chief!] one of the officers spoke. After losing sight of the trio and firing remaining shots, a couple headed towards their fallen leader. Getting to her and helping her up, she winced and grunted while holding onto her stomach.
[How you holding up?]
[It hurts...like hell] Darcia made out struggling to stand straight. Breathing was not impaired, but it felt mildly painful.
[God damn...how are those three that fast to escape a bullet storm?] one of the patrollers commented both frustrated and impressed.
[You want a squad to go after them Chief?]
[...no...] she answered knowing that would surprise a couple of them. [Those three...are too dangerous...for what equipment...and personnel we have]
[...but...that disabled hedgehog decked ya] another remarked lifting his weapon up and reloading it. [That one along with that troublemaking woman should be put in the slammer]
[...ugh...] Darcia grunted able to stand up straight. Holding her stomach and coughing a little, she looked at the person that spoke.
[Again...do not engage them. Is that clear?]
[Copy that Chief. So what now?]
[Keep patrolling the streets. Until the clean-up and construction crew arrive, we are stuck here for now]
Flying above the edge of the building towards the roof, Malaria dropped down. Landing on the floor with both feet, she saw the other woman was breathing heavy nearby. She was staring at the hedgehog who was scanning for something below on the west side of the building. Retracting her wings a little, she moved away from the drop area and approached him. Wondering if he would turn to her, the other female spoke first.
"What...the...hell..." Chiara breathed sitting down on the floor.
'...her right eye...wasn't it...' the bat woman thought blinking. Seeing the organ was open, it had a slightly different shade from her left eye. Seeing her continue to stare at the amputee, the stoat visible shook for a second. Immediately, she closed it with her right eyelid.
"...Vermilion..." she called looking at him. Seeing him spot something, he turned around and moved away from edge. Stopping, his eyes moved to look at her.
"...yes?"
"Explain," she spoke and stopped to be a few feet away from him. "Why you told a falsehood to that corrections surfacer?"
"...a falsehood?" Speed repeated then slowly moved his eyes toward the other female. "...only truth...was stated...Malaria."
"...ugh..." Chiara muttered and forced herself to stand up. "Did you...suddenly become...a bird brain? You were...her personal...slave down there."
"...was...not now," he corrected.
"Don't tell me...you are aiding her?" the female weasel asked with a disbelief face.
"...heh heh heh..." the hedgehog gave a soft chuckle. He seemed more humored than threatening.
"He is not aiding me lost soul," Malaria clarified. "I am following him till I get the answers I need."
"...huh?..." the ermine reacted with confusion. "...you guys...lost me..."
"...Chiara..." Speed spoke in his usual tone. "...your workplace...will be less...busy..."
"...less busy?"
"...your first floor...will have...less shady traffic..." he continued having a stoic expression. Both he and the other woman saw her shake her head.
"Would ya stop talkin' crap and say somethin' straight?" Chiara stated looking at him peeved then pointed to her right eye. "Besides, you owe me for this."
"What procedure did you bestowed her Vermilion?" Malaria asked turning back to him.
"Hey! I'm talkin' to him. Shut up."
"Watch your tongue...worm," the bat woman threatened glancing back. "He's my prey...and owes me debt."
"..." the amputee responded with staring back and forth at the two. Putting his left hand over his face, he began to snicker. An old emotion surged into him that made him grip his skin harder. Clenching his teeth together, he began to grind them.
Tens of visions flew passed his eyes. Each recounted a time of which he aided someone or committed an act to resolve a situtation. How each ended, the flashbacks always showed a reaction of individuals. All were negative to which he was the blame. He was the cause of the others' new misfortune. None seemed to grasp the large frame of mind of what his actions did.
'THEY...ARE...ALL...THE...SAME,' he thought. Seething, he was trying to battle down the maliciousness surfacing through his mind. What kept his mind and emotions contained was his willpower and the rare occurrence of one individual.
'ONLY...A...CHILD...ACCEPTS...WHAT...HE...WISHED...FOR.'
'They are not the priority,' the hedgehog vented mentally with murderous clenched teeth.
'They do not matter,' he reasoned as he was beginning to shake in place.
"...Vermilion...?" Malaria spoke quieter. Feeling concerned from never seeing him like this, she got into a defensive stance.
"H-Hey!? W-What are you d-doing you jerk!?" Chiara questioned with apprehension.
"Tell me," Speed began with a harsher airy tone. It sounded like he was angry. He still hadn't removed his left hand that gripped his face hard.
"Give me...a reason," he asked and removed his hand.
"..." both woman reached with widen eyes. His right eye was smaller and looked at them with hate. It was amplified with his crimson ring glowing. With bared teeth exposed, his mouth was shaped as a primal predator would at their prey. His left hand was held in a claw position and acted like it wanted to strangle something.
"To not commit brutality...and continue to listen to your thoughtless prattle."
'...is he threatening...or putting a facade...?' Malaria wondered. Despite thinking calmly, she didn't make sudden movements or take her eyes off of him. A nerve twitched on her left temple from hearing the other female speak.
"Thoughtless prattle!? Listen here you piece of shit!" Chiara stated with anger. Producing her claws, the stoat took one firm step forward. Leaning forward to go into an offensive position, she copied his face.
"You have done nothing but shown me hell! Go on dickwad! Show me your worst if you got the balls to do it! I'll show you my fucking appreciation!" she blared at him. About to close her mouth, she felt a hand viciously snatch her face. Flinching hard and blinking with wide eyes, the amputee was standing nose to nose with her. His body was twitching as if holding back on releasing fury.
"...!?" both women reacted with fear.
'...how did he...just appear...' the bat woman wondered with wild wonder. '...his image didn't vibrate...nor did he dash forward...'
"...tell me woman..." Speed spoke keeping the same expression of controlled wrath. "...up close...so I can hear...everything..."
"...!?" Chiara reacted with instinct.
Immediately throwing her claws at his arm, he vanished in thin air. Breathing quickly and scanning around herself, her tail was standing on end. Hearing a growl nearby, both women flanked to the sound. Standing near a small retaining wall that was near the roof access door, the hedgehog was there. His image was vibrating in and out of existence at a glitching rate. His head was facing the wall when it instantly turned to them.
"...liberation from restraint..." he spoke pointing at Malaria. His arm phased out and back in now directed at the stoat.
"...recovery from damage..."
"...yet...yoUR...CONDEMNATION...IS...NOTED..." the male spoke and shook with what sounded like constrained hate. Disappearing with a glitch again, the two women scanned with their eyes. In their heightened animal senses, they still couldn't determine where he was.
"...so..." Speed continued with a calmer tone.
"...!?" Malaria reacted with a start. Doing a forward suicide dive and roll, she turned around keeping one knee on the ground. Standing behind where she was and facing her, his expression was that of a glare one side of his face. The robotic side never changed.
"...I will leave both of you here...so you can be free...of my existence," he declared. Turning to the left and walking to the roof edge, someone dashed at him.
'Is she a fool?' the bat woman thought.
The female stoat rushed him and caught up with him within a couple of seconds. Seeing him at the edge and lunging at him, her expression was a mixture. However, it seemed agitation was the bulk of it. Reaching out to grab him, he moved faster than her. Side stepping and grabbing her right wrist with his left hand, the hedgehog whipped her around 180 degrees.
Throwing her hard back the way she rushed him, she was launched back several feet. Trying to grip the floor on her hands and feet, she slid with scraps sounding loudly from her claws. Able to stop from gripping a small protrusion on the roof, Chiara looked up. Malaria had already brought out her metal whip and attacked him. The stoat's eyes widen seeing Speed dodge the tip of the whip and non-chalantly go over the edge.
"NO!" Chiara shouted. Rushing to the edge and looking over, she saw that he was standing on the sidewalk. As if he teleported down, he turned around. Sprinting forward as fast as a high speed car, he moved deeper into the city.
