Four days later
Wednesday
Safehouse F
It was time to move on.
Okay, we had lost a life – a life that had touched a lot people. Nevertheless, there was now a new life due to arrive. Somebody was pregnant! It was quite a surprise to find out that she was pregnant – yes, it is a she that is pregnant – obviously, for fuck's sake! I mean, they are very different people, but they are in love so I couldn't complain. Well, I went to speak with the mother to be... That was when Dave suddenly blundered into the bedroom and I lost my train of thought, completely!
"Mindy! Chloe just injured herself – bring the first aid kit!"
What has the damn girl done now? I grabbed the first aid kit and headed downstairs to find Chloe sitting on the mat with a large cut on her upper arm and another smaller one on her shoulder. Curtis was standing a couple of feet away holding a large curved sword in his right hand that had blood on the blade.
'What the fuck?' I thought.
"Okay, Curtis – I know that Chloe has been a real bitch to you for many years," I said. "But if you're gonna kill her, do it properly – a good thrust through the stomach, with a twist, would have worked!"
Chloe's mouth dropped open in shock. "You fucking bitch, Mindy!" Chloe growled. "Don't tell Curtis how to kill me!"
"If I wanted to you wouldn't be squawking right now!" Curtis said, but I could tell that he was a little shocked.
"What are you doing with that blade, Curtis?" I asked, seriously while Dave cleaned Chloe's wounds. "Your answer had better be good, or I'll run you through!"
"Chloe challenged me – she said I couldn't touch her!" Curtis explained, looking wretched.
I looked up at Chloe and saw that Curtis was telling the truth.
"Are you totally fucking stupid?" I exploded and made Chloe scream as I was none too gentle while I applied a dressing to her arm.
Chloe laughed, but I was not even smiling. I finished off the dressing and then stood up before turning to Chloe.
"You should know better! Stay out of my way today, or you'll need more serious medical treatment!" I growled and headed for the stairs heading down, but stopped and turned back to the mat. "Oh, Curtis – get the blade cleaned off and come downstairs – I'll show you how to use it properly."
Josh was laughing.
"Oh, Shadow's fucked things up again!" He chortled and received a nasty glare from Chloe.
You knew when Mindy was really pissed because she didn't use any swear words; she was so annoyed that she would forget to swear! I could see that Chloe had noticed this, so she chose to grab her gear and head home, which was a wise decision, as Mindy was most definitely not kidding about further bodily harm.
I watched as Curtis carefully cleaned the extremely lethal blade and inserted it into its cover and then he headed downstairs to see Mindy. It wasn't his fault as Chloe knew how to manipulate him, it was entirely Chloe's fault and could have ended in disaster. I wish that girl would use her brain a little more than she did. Chloe seemed to be getting more and more distracted recently – usually 'girly things', like boys – just a phase that she was going through!
"You angry with me Mindy?" I asked, carefully.
"Not really – sometimes the temptation to attack Chloe with a sharp blade gets too much!"
I laughed, but I still felt bad about hurting Chloe – what would Aunt Cathy say?
"So you like that sword, do you?" Mindy asked.
"It is pretty cool!" I replied.
"It's a fabulous blade – sharp and well balanced, but extremely lethal," Mindy said with a smile.
Mindy was always good at putting me at ease!
"It's the sword that I want to use, when I become a vigilante – like Kick-Ass!"
"You've still got a ways to go – like almost two feet up and a foot across!" Mindy laughed and I scowled.
"Good things come in small packages!" I challenged.
"Yes, they do – like me for instance," Mindy agreed.
Without thinking I blurted out my reply. "You are a perfect package, Mindy!" I felt myself blushing and wished I hadn't said it.
"Why thank you, Curtis! You're a bit young for me, though!" Mindy said with a mischievous grin.
"That wasn't what I meant!"
"Oh, you mean I'm not perfectly formed?" Mindy teased.
This was going a bit far! "Are you just gonna talk like a bitch, or are we gonna fight!" I challenged, unsheathing the curved blade in my hand.
"Oh – a hard man!" Mindy commented and seized a composite, carbon fibre Jo. "This Jō is impervious to that blade – come for me, Trojan!"
'Well this should be short lived!' I thought, as I moved towards Mindy.
"I'll make you a deal. You touch me with that blade and I'll take you out one night – just Trojan and Hit Girl!" Mindy said with a smile.
"Really?" I asked, incredulously.
"Really!"
Damn!
This kid had been practicing – when had he been able to practice? He knew how to wield that damn Spartan sword, so maybe my challenge was not so clever. He came at me fast and I found that I had forgotten how fast and lithe he had become. I actually laughed – he was like me, when I was young; he was using his speed and manoeuvrability to replace his lack of strength.
I really had to be careful now! I had expected the boy to be a novice and that I would be able to easily over-power him, but no. Well done Mindy, you opened your damn mouth once too often! Curtis was serious and he could easily chop my damned arm off, if I wasn't more careful.
I span around the mat and flicked the Jō to block Curtis' onslaught. He was good – I had to give him that and it was time to call an end to this before Hit Girl was cut to pieces!
"Time out!" I yelled and Curtis stopped.
Sweat was dripping off him and he was breathing heavily. The sword was heavy, despite the extra muscle that Curtis had put on over the past few months.
"Well done – you win!" I said and watched Curtis' face explode into happiness.
"I'm goin' out with Hit Girl!" Curtis yelled happily.
Three days later
Saturday night
Safehouse F
"You've got a bit mouth, Mindy!" Dave said, as he helped me gear up.
"I know! It needs to be to cope with what you put into it!" I teased – goddammit, Mindy.
"Not just big, but foul too!" Dave added.
"I didn't know that the kid had been practicing for fucking months! Chloe knew, but had been keeping it a secret!"
"Thanks Chloe!"
"Well, can't have you hurt on your first proper trip with Hit Girl!"
"It's gonna be scary, isn't it?" I asked.
"Knowing Mindy – yeah! She will try to scare you on purpose, but remember she will not put you in any danger. Stay alert and stay with Hit Girl, but follow every command without question or hesitation. I learnt that the fucking hard way!" Chloe grimaced.
Chloe was helping me gear up and she made sure that I was equipped correctly. I was a little scared, but this trip out should be nothing compared with Milwaukee!
"You know – you really aren't that bad a cousin!"
"Gee, thanks, runt!" Chloe laughed.
"You ready, Trojan?"
"Yes, Hit Girl!" I said.
I was on the back of Hit Girl's Multistrada, with my arms around her waist.
"Hit Girl and Trojan are rolling!"
"Copy that!" Battle Guy replied and we accelerated out of the Safehouse and up the curved concrete ramp.
At the top of the ramp, Hit Girl weaved around the piles of junk and shot out of the warehouse and over the rough waste ground. The ride was exhilarating and we had barely even started! We hurtled through the gate, Hit Girl turned left, and we raced up the street. This was my first time on a motorcycle and wow it was a rush of adrenalin!
"Am I going too fast for you, Trojan?" Hit Girl asked over the comms.
"Hell no – stop dawdling and put your damn foot down!"
I looked at the map on the large display and saw that they were already doing sixty miles per hour. The speed rapidly increased to eighty miles per hour, before dropping back to forty-five as they took a sweeping turn.
"She really scares me!"
"She knows what she's doing Cathy!" Marty said, but that was not putting my mind at rest.
Curtis didn't know that I would be watching everything. He thought that I was safely at home! However, I wanted to be here to watch on his special night out.
"We're out of here!" Kick-Ass called over the comms and I watched as Kick-Ass and my daughter both rode out of the Safehouse.
It was time to put my new wheels to the test!
I was riding my brand new motorcycle – the Ducati Diavel Carbon in black, but with green and yellow highlights. On each side at the rear were black panniers. I had replaced my helmet with a very similar design. My combat suit – well I was working on a replacement, but the damage wasn't too bad.
This would be my first night out on the new motorcycle – even Hit Girl didn't know that it was ready for use. This would be a surprise for both Trojan and Hit Girl! In my visor, I could see a purple arrow that indicated the direction to Hit Girl as well as a navigational pointer to show a recommended route. Shadow was cruising beside me as we headed northeast.
This was pleasant.
A nice evening ride with my little pal. The night was dark and cold, but pleasant. My first port of call was the donut-eating cops! As we approached them, I noticed that they were moving. I eased up behind them and then opened up the throttle and rocketed past with a blast on the horn.
"Bloody menace!" I said, grinning at Murphy.
"Who's the little guy on back?" Murphy asked.
"Beats me! These goddamn vigilantes keep getting younger!" I replied.
Damn! I could see two headlights coming up fast behind. I was about to react and then it suddenly occurred to me – where there is Hit Girl there is usually...
I was right – Kick-Ass and Shadow blew past at speed, with a wave from Kick-Ass.
"Cool wheels!"
What the fuck!
I had noticed a pair of arrows appear in my visor – a green one and a blue one.
Kick-Ass and Shadow!
They were not supposed to be out. Okay – evasion time!
"What's up?" Trojan asked as I accelerated and took a hard right and then a hard left.
"We're being followed – Kick-Ass and guess who?"
"Shadow!" Trojan replied. "Step on it!"
"I knew this would happen – I warned him, but who listens to Battle Guy?"
I watched as the purple symbol accelerated and started weaving through the streets. The blue and purple symbols increased speed as well and moved east, before turning north again.
"The chase is on!" Kim announced.
"You should be resting!" I warned.
"Plenty of time for that, doc!"