Been a while since we've been on here, so if you need a refresher, reread the previous chapter so you can understand what's going to happen. Anyhow, enough talk and enjoy!
With a brief reflection, all Spinelli could hear was the gun firing and hitting her…
As she laid on her back, coughing while covered in a bloody mess, Arnold leaned next to her.
"Scar?! Scar! Stay with me! Stay with me, Scar!" Shadow shouted. "Vitals are dropping, she's losing too much blood!" Warren said.
"Set up a Vigilante Down detail! Get Flyer down here with MedEvac NOW! And get those cars here IMMEDIATELY!" Trickshot shouted on a radio unit. A paramedic with a backboard ran over.
Getting an oxygen mask on Scarlet's face, she trembled as she continued losing blood.
Lifting the backboard onto the stretcher, Shadow had to keep pressure on her gunshot wound. Every sound, Spinelli heard it as an echo as she struggled to stay conscious…
Wheeling the stretcher out, two final faces were seen…
"You got it, Tiger…" Gerald encouraged, briefly touching her arm.
"Hang in there, Scar…" Nadine told Spinelli. As it went black for a moment…
The front entrance was opened to find a massive group of police officers. Multiple ambulances outside along with the PRT at the entrance, its rear doors were open as the Hybrid was moved aside to make room. Stella and Miles stepped ahead to clear a path as Scarlet fell unconscious.
"HEY! OUT OF THE WAY! MOVE IT! ALL OF YOU, OUT! CLEAR THE WAY!" Stella yelled while clearing the way.
"HEY! MOVE IT! CLEAR OUT! CLEAR!" Miles looked back. "COME ON!" He motioned the paramedics as loud whirring helicopter blades were heard, dust being kicked up as the QR Helicopter landed.
Wheeling the stretcher toward the QR Chopper, Scarlet strapped onto the stretcher, an IV bag sitting on her stomach, the entire Strike team came out behind the medics, most of them in disbelief, fear, and anxiety. Gerald had his hands on his forehead for a moment. Trevon, the tallest of the bunch, saw his unconscious and battered friend with a worried expression. Almost nobody believed their eyes.
Even surrounding police officers were in disbelief as the stretcher was wheeled to the QR Chopper. Just about the entire police force was shocked.
The helicopter blades kept spinning as Ariel stepped out to help load Scarlet onboard.
Shadow touched Ariel's shoulder, his hands completely stained with Spinelli's lost blood. "I'm going with her!" Ariel nodded as he climbed in once Scarlet was inside the helicopter.
"Alright, let's move it now! Come on!" Ariel shouted from the background as Stella walked to Miles. "Hey! I need you to be in touch with Ariel along the way. Go!" Miles nodded understandingly and walked away to set up radio contact with the chopper and Ariel's earpiece.
Stella looked over at the Commissioner. "Gallup-"
"Clean escort for the PRT. Already on it!" The Commissioner walked over to one of his Sergeants.
With the Strike team standing in the background, police squad cars came rushing into the scene as Stella went on her earpiece. "50V21 here! I need all available!"
"I read!" Phoebe's response was muffled by what seemed to be clothing. "Already notified, Montgomery's picking up Dr. Young as we speak." Phoebe answered.
As the QR Helicopter started taking off, Stella spoke. "Get Young notified! We have a GSW to the chest en route! Penetrating trauma to the left quad! Severe blood loss! It's Scarlet! Ariel's on her way back, be ready!" Stella looked to the right to see the PRT racing off with a police escort.
As Stella got off her earpiece, she looked back at the cloudy sky to see the QR Helicopter already flying away and at a good distance away. She gulped hard as more squad cars raced in while more police squad cars followed behind the PRT.
With the wind blowing in her face, her red-orangish hair flowing lightly with the wind, Stella took her earpiece out of her ear as she stared at the helicopter in deep concern and anxiety…
Hours Later…
With everyone back in the lair, the vehicles covered in dust, everyone kept Scarlet in their thoughts, awaiting any update.
Arnold was with their kids, trying to keep them comfortable and calm as much as he tried to keep himself calm. Everything was silent minus the minor beeping from the main desk.
Soon, Phoebe came out, a tiny bit of smeared blood on her cheek. Everyone immediately surrounded her.
"So… Um… The bullet grazed an artery, w- we're still repairing it… H- Ashley's left quad is fine, thankfully. Thankfully no infection either…" Phoebe quietly explained.
"Phoebe." Arnold started. "Is she gonna be ok?…" He asked. Phoebe shook her head and sighed, her hands flopping to her sides. "I don't know… She's lost a lot of blood…"
Nadine stepped forward and patted her shoulder.
"If you'll excuse me, I have to get back now…" Phoebe turned around and walked away to the secluded OR, which had advanced tech no hospital had.
Miles lightly tugged on his son's shoulder and motioned behind. Trevon came back after scoping the crime scene out.
Shadow walked over to him. "What do you have?"
Trevon exhaled. "Cops found a bullet casing, my guess is it's the same bullet Scar was shot with. Couldn't find much else except this small note." Trevon opened his palm and revealed a small note. "Your mother also traced down who shot that bullet… Only a handgun we know about."
"Haidra…" Arnold started reading over the note. "'You will find me when the time is right.'" Arnold read.
"Real sorry, Boss…" Trevon said. "No, it's ok, man… We'll find Haidra, and when we finally bring her in… she'll wish she was never born… She practically has every charge possible, it stamps her life sentence!"
Trevon lightly nodded. "Amen to that…"
Arnold looked back and motioned his children over. "C'mere guys…" Pamela, Allen, and Amelia ran over to hug their father.
"Dad…" Allen squeezed his father. "Is Mom gonna be ok?" Pamela asked. Arnold closed his eyes for a moment before opening them. "I can't guarantee anything but one thing… We will bring Haidra to justice. She'll pay for every crime… I promise you guys that… for this city, for your mother… We'll silence her one day, I promise you three…" He clenched Amelia's suit.
"Sarge." Ariel came over with a laptop. "Hate to interrupt, I really do, but a police chopper that was dispatched to look for our perp found a burning V insignia on a rooftop in Chinatown."
Arnold sighed. "Alright, uh… My God… C'mon." He told Amelia and Ariel and walked away.
In Chinatown…
With the sky cloudy as ever, the QR Jet overhead of the rooftop where the burning V symbol was found.
Two ropes flung down, Shadow and his daughter slid down. Gerald was awaiting as backup.
On the rooftop, they found a masked ninja with heeled boots, on one knee and a blade in hand, a familiar sight to Amelia, but she didn't say a word yet.
"Who the…?" Shadow questioned.
The female ninja took off her mask and looked up to familiar faces. "I owe you my life, Shortman."
Shadow raised his guard, raising both his arms with pistol devices forming on his gloves. "Who are you and how'd you find out?!"
The female steadily set her blade down, stood up, and raised her hands. "I can explain! Please! Ok?" Shadow didn't move. "I'm Miranda Kidd, I'm 25, but I'm here because of you!" She also appeared to be the same height as Spinelli, who was around 5'10.
"What do you mean?"
"You and Ashley saved my life when I was a teen… I remember that night you two saved me from near death… My parents were shot and killed by the Militia… I was only a teen, I felt helpless… I managed to get away, days passed by, and I felt alone and scared… But it wasn't until you and Ashley came one day to help me." Kidd explained.
Shadow lowered his hands. "Wait… you're that teen we ran into that day? Oh- Oh my God! B- But how'd you figure us out?"
Kidd sighed. "I don't know myself, to be fair. I mean, I grew up, and I went to figure out about the people who helped me. I asked my grandmother, she told me it was a 'Arnold P. Shortman, and 'Ashley F. Spinelli-Shortman. Now, of course, being my curious self, I wanted to figure out who you two were… One thing led to another… I studied you two, and I learned as much as I could. I spent the last two years learning your fighting techniques. But most importantly here… you two saved my life, I almost repaid that debt but… I'm real sorry about your wife."
Arnold nodded understandingly. "Ok, so, what about your grandmother?"
"She passed… I have no family left, that's why I seeked you. Not just to meet you or anything like that, but I just want to know, if… uhm… if you could take me under your wing?… Be my mentor?" Miranda asked hopingly.
Amelia looked at her father. "What do you say, Dad? I mean, she seems pretty trustworthy, plus, she helped Mom before she got shot!"
Shadow exhaled deeply. "You know what, Kidd? We'll take you in, I wanna know I can trust and count on you. You seem trustworthy, but I wanna know if I can truly count on you, Kidd."
Miranda softly smiled. She stepped forward slowly and eventually hugged Shadow. Arnold hugged her back. Kidd lightly sniffled. "Thank you so much… You have no idea how much this means to me…" Miranda slowly broke down. "I lost everything… my parents, my grandmother…"
Arnold softly smiled. "You'll be under our wing… Even though you're 25, you'll be like a daughter to me. Guess I'm more of a girl dad now." He chuckled. He let go and put his hands on Miranda's shoulders. "But… Understand, if you ever tell anyone who we are… we'll bury you… Our identities aren't something to joke about. Even the slightest rumor will destroy us… Ok?" Arnold displayed a little tough love. Kidd nodded and wiped her tears away. "On my life I will never tell anyone… I promise you."
Arnold ruffled her hair. "Good girl…" He smiled. Kidd softly smiled back, feeling eager now that she found hope and a home.
"Sarge, we got suspicious activity reports at 283 May Ave. We gotta head over now." Ariel radioed.
Arnold looked at Miranda. "Ready, kid?" She nodded. "I'm ready, Sarge."
At The Designated Address…
Starting off with Ariel knocking on a door, the QR Jet out of view from the street, and the door was opened by a black elderly woman.
"Hi, I'm with Catholic charities!" Ariel greeted, but immediately pulled a V badge from her belt and stepped inside. "Ma'am, I need you to do exactly as I say, now…" Closing the door behind her.
Shadow gave the nod to Gerald to find a different entry point.
Gerald walked to the side of the house, keeping his handgun raised.
"I know you're all scared, but I need you all to listen to me." Ariel quietly told the group of elderly women. "Get under the table now, calmly and quickly. Let's go." Ariel took cover with the women.
CRASH
THUD
"WE GOT ENTRY!" Trevon shouted as Kidd was the first to enter.
"LET ME SEE THOSE HANDS! NOW!" She yelled at a dark-skinned man.
The man pressed against a wall with his hands raised. "Clear!" Kidd shouted.
Shadow and Amelia stepped forward, looking for anyone else.
Suddenly, a gun peeked the corner. "GUN! GET DOWN!" Shadow shouted and yanked his daughter down.
Another black man came out from the corner with an LMG and started firing everywhere, bullets spraying the entire house.
The gunfire stopped shortly after, he walked to where Shadow was hidden, when suddenly…
POW
Trickshot had found his way in and shot the man in the back. "Offender down! Call out!"
"Clear!" Kidd shouted.
"We're clear!" Shadow shouted as he looked at his daughter, who nodded. "Ariel? Call out!"
Over with Ariel, the conjoining wall had many bullet holes, Ariel finally got up and grabbed her radio. "We're clear…"
Everyone let out a relieved exhale.
Shadow got up and helped Amelia up. "Kidd." He motioned her to arrest the guy with the LMG. He threw a pair of cuffs to her.
Kidd nodded and walked over to slap the handcuffs on the now unarmed man.
Back At HQ
Back home, Shadow was currently with Ariel, regarding some changes. Pamela and Allen were upstairs with their grandmother Stella, and Miles was currently interviewing Kidd for her trust and knowledge.
"Ariel, these earpieces are good, you can't lie." Shadow started. Ariel nodded. "Of course, why would I disagree?"
"That is until you wear them constantly, and it's honestly bothering our ears…" Arnold sighed. "Ariel, we need different comm units. The earpieces are starting to bother our ears!" He exclaimed.
"Hmm…" Ariel thought for a moment, her finger tapping the desk as the monitors showed random info and old solved and unsolved case files. "I'm not much of a tech expert like Phoebe, but I'll see what I can figure out… "
Arnold patted her shoulder. "Thanks." He smiled.
Soon, Gerald came over with Swoops on his shoulder. "Hey, Arnold."
"Huh?" Arnold looked at him. "You won't believe it, but Swoops found cops surrounding a home invasion crime scene. Speaking of which, Gallup should call us in right…"
Impulse suddenly pulled up the address of the home invasion. "Sir, a home invasion crime investigation has begun. Commissioner is calling you in."
"How convenient…" Arnold looked at the address. "Alright, uh, you three with me." Ariel and Gerald nodded. Swoops screeched once, understanding.
At The Home Invasion Scene…
With Swoops flying around the house, looking for any evidence, Shadow, Trickshot, and Ariel met up with the Commissioner and Superintendent.
Shadow and Gallup shook hands. "Real sorry to pull you away from your wife, but we need you on this. I feel terrible and I wouldn't pull you away from her unless it was important. C'mon." Gallup and the Superintendent led the three inside the house.
"Ok, so evidence suggests a home invasion. The entire place was tossed, multiple offenders, here for a while, were believed to have taken valuables like jewels. The crazier thing is the homeowner got his whole head blown off with a shotgun. He also caught 15 bullets from a Light Machine Gun, chest and torso. No idea whether he died from the LMG or shotgun shot." The Superintendent pointed his radio at the bloodied corpse.
"Ok… Straight forward robbery homicide. But with all due respect, why'd you call us in?" Shadow asked. The Superintendent pointed all over. "These bullet casings. They come from unknown weapons, we have no records of these casings, figured you could shed some light on these."
Just by looking at the bullet casings, they immediately recognized them. "How many murders are referenced with these casings?" Trickshot asked while looking at the casings.
"Several homicides, and multiple gangs have been wiped out with these guns. And with these gangs being eliminated, it's sparking turf fights between gangs." Gallup answered. "Shadow, we need heavy hands to help stop this. Whatever you can do, will be a huge favor." The Superintendent added.
Shadow looked at Trickshot and Ariel, and they nodded. "Any witnesses?" He asked. Ariel slowly walked across the living room, keeping an eye out for any evidence.
"Yeah, the neighbors saw heavily armored vehicles arriving and leaving this place. No plates, red and white, looked like they were stolen from the military. Scene's fresh and all yours." Gallup answered.
Ariel saw a photo of the dead homeowner and his wife, a photo of their wedding. "Superintendent? Anybody notify the wife?"
"We've called a handful of times but we can't get a hold of her." The Superintendent answered. Ariel lightly nodded. "Any forced entry signs?"
"Alarm company registered entry through the garage." The Superintendent pointed behind her. Shadow motioned her the go-ahead.
"You two gentlemen, you're with me." Ariel told two forensics workers and walked to the garage.
Shadow looked at the corpse. No head since it was blown off with a shotgun, multiple bullet holes, the windows with bullet holes, and a pool of blood.
Back Home…
Pulling up the Militia-modified weapons files, so far no names were identified, but only the witness names.
"Not much to work off of, as usual, but these casing we found at the scene…" Arnold started. "They match these modified weapons the Militia possess. As the Superintendent said, they wiped out any gang that stood in their way, the question is what's their motive for all this? Now, as for the vehicles, they were right about them being heavy military vehicles, except they're manufactured by the Militia themselves."
Impulse then displayed multiple files of the Militia's heavy military vehicles.
"Unless they have something in mind, I really see them as random killings." Gerald shrugged as he had a hand on his chin. "Tying up loose ends?" Ariel suggested.
Arnold shrugged. "The Militia are always unexpected, guess that's what makes 'em tough to catch." He sighed. "Not much evidence to go off of."
"Unless we don't get anything else, we can't go head-on against them without reason. Guess we're at a dead end…" Arnold started, but got tapped on his shoulder. He looked back to see his mother.
"I got news about Ashley." Stella told her son, although she didn't say much. Arnold looked with a worried expression.
Soon, with Arnold at her bedside, gently squeezing Spinelli's hand as he looked into her beautiful eyes. Spinelli looked like herself again without the dried blood on her, although the minor cuts and scars were still there.
Kissing her forehead softly and gently, Arnold nuzzled into her cheek. "How you feeling, hon?" Arnold asked. "… Like I've been asleep for a year… I feel my body aching too…" Spinelli answered in a low tone, recently awake from anesthesia.
Arnold softly smiled as he continued holding her hand. "Get some rest." Spinelli lightly rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Arnold… You know I hate those words…"
He softly chuckled. "I do." Arnold answered while stroking her hair gently.
"I gotta get out…" Spinelli's eyes sparkled in a begging manner, almost like puppy eyes.
"Not optional." He chuckled again. Stella walked in. "How you doin', Tiger?"
Spinelli barely shrugged. "… Feels like I'll be flying a little crooked but I'll be fine…" Stella warmly smiled. "I talked to Young, she said there's no structural damage, you got lucky."
Spinelli lightly nodded. "Where's Amy?…"
"She's ok, she's doing fine." Stella answered. Spinelli sighed. "I really wanna see her…" She slapped the bed with her right arm since her left had the IV.
Dr. Young walked in with an iPad. "I'm sorry guys, but we need to run some tests on her."
Arnold exhaled and squeezed her hand one more time. "Worry about getting better, you'll be on your feet in no time." He leaned over for a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Spinelli softly smiled. "Go kick some ass for me…" Arnold returned the soft smile. "I will, Ashley…"
Swoops flew into the room and landed at the edge of the bed, screeching once and flapping his wings with his beak open. "I missed you too, bud…" Spinelli softly chuckled, raising her hand merely to wave at him.
Arnold warmly smiled, rubbing her shoulder, leaning over to kiss her forehead, and held the kiss for a few seconds.
Dr. Young chuckled. "Ok, ok… he can stay."
Meanwhile, wearing simple black Nike sweats and a Nike Tech, Kidd briefly roamed around the luxurious mansion before heading down to the lair, but more importantly, a secluded area…
She raised an eyebrow. Walking into the secluded area, which a digital screen warned 'DO NOT ENTER'. Miranda stepped inside either way, ignoring the sign.
The room lit up immediately with her footsteps. Light after light turned on, while the entire room was dusty, Kidd couldn't believe her eyes.
"No way…"
There, she found an entire display case full of trophies and medals. Multiple motorcycle helmets also sat in their own display case. There, she also found a destroyed and rusted motorcycle, which looked like an old model of the Stealth Cycle.
Walking slowly, admiring the entire room, she looked at the trophies and medals. Squinting to see whose name was on it, it read "Scarlet…. MotoGP Champion…" Kidd's eyes went wide. "How does she have time to compete in MotoGP?" She asked herself. But then, her eyes went onto a TV screen above, which displayed one image only.
BREAKING
CRASH!
HERO AND UPCOMING RACING SUPERSTAR OUT FOR THE YEAR
Famous hero, Vigilante, and beloved champion of the MotoGP Series, Scarlet (unknown identity), OUT for the remainder of the MotoGP season. The image read. The image also contained Spinelli's destroyed motorcycle with her lying unconscious in the gravel. Smoke came from her motorcycle with parts and pieces scattered everywhere.
Miranda stared at the image in disbelief. "... Wow… How does she do it?..." Kidd questioned.
If anything, Spinelli has been through a lot, but she's a fighter 'till the very end. Proving it on multiple occasions.
Kidd then looked at the racing helmets, each one with a unique and iconic design. Miranda admired the tomboyish designs along with some feminine touches like a rose, except it was flaming roses. Miranda looked at the news image, and then behind her, which was the exact destroyed bike in the photo.
"Why do they even have it? I thought it would've been scrapped by now…" Miranda questioned. One thing she just noticed was a helmet beside one of the tires. The helmet had a flaming skull on the left, and Scarlet's signature nickname on the right. Except the helmet was pretty damaged. Scratches everywhere, gravel and turf stuck onto it, and the left side of the visor was also ripped off with the right side hanging.
As for the Stealth Cycle, the entire motorcycle was destroyed. It was split in half, all of its parts were scattered around its chassis, a bunch of wires hanging about, along the left handlebar barely hanging on with the right handlebar nowhere to be seen.
Miranda slowly approached the destroyed cycle, when suddenly, a female voice was heard.
"What are you doing here?!" It was Stella, who received a silent alert of the room being disturbed. Kidd immediately turned around with her hands up before noticing it was Arnold's mother. "Oh, uh… Nothing?"
Stella wasn't having it, nor taking it lightly. "What on Earth are you doing in this room?!" Stella slowly approached Kidd.
"I wasn't doing anything, I was just checking this out!" Kidd exclaimed as Stella walked up to her.
"No. I don't care what you were doing, get out. Now. No one is supposed to be in here! Out! Now!" Stella clenched Miranda's jacket and started dragging her out.
After dragging Kidd out of the room, Stella pressed her hand against the wall, letting Impulse recognize her handprint to close off the room.
"Look! I- I wasn't going to do anything bad! I was just looking around!" Kidd explained.
"I don't care what you were doing, NO ONE is ever allowed to enter that room. No one EVER talks about that! Understood?" Stella crossed her arms and frowned.
"But-" Miranda tried to insist, but Stella glared at her. Kidd gulped. She soon sighed and slowly walked away.
Stella looked behind her, with a look of sadness. She shook her head and sighed softly. "Oh, Ashley…"
Yep, you read right. MotoGP. Now, I have plans to bring up Spinelli's past in MotoGP, and see how that storyline works out. But, I will still be focusing on all the action since it's been quite a while. In the upcoming chapters, I have quite a lot planned out. So I hope you'll stick around to find out!