Shaggy was feeling great. Not only had he passed Bartle’s body off to Cekrass, but Ephemara just told him they had stolen close to one hundred-thousand credits. In various denominations and also several handheld credit readers. Vick and the boys had done a little looting themselves and, all told, they were looking at a very hefty score. He briefly wondered how the others did, but then remembered they were hitting drug labs. Which meant that they could probably rob the guards, but they weren’t getting much else from the labs. Which was fine. So long as they hurt the Wild Bunch.
The Bunch had struck at them, and they had responded. Shaggy was sure this was a huge black eye to the Bunch’s operation. If not an open wound. What would the people under the Bunch’s control think if the Bunch couldn’t protect their own businesses? They’d have to hit a few more places, maybe do some more networking, and then Bunch turf would be theirs for the taking. Piece of cake.
“Your eyes are bigger than your stomach, boss.” Vick said.
“Fuck that. We whooped their asses and stole their cash!” Ephemara cheered.
Vick shook his head as he lit another cigarette. “We hit one of their businesses while they were on the back foot. They are going to regroup and come back at us.”
Ulf shrugged. “We’ve handled them before. Their low-level guys are a joke. Shit, I bet we could march our way into their turf right now and fuck’em up.”
Ephemara wrapped a slim arm around the stocky teen. “I like the way you think. Whaddaya say, boss? Let’s not end the night early. Let’s go paint the town red with blood.”
Shaggy could feel Ephemara’s bloodlust pulse through the pack link. But he clamped it down. They literally had bagfuls of credits to get back to the hideout. He would not risk all that money getting lost just to crack a few skulls. That money was going to help build out the hideout, while funding some recruitment drives and business funding. They were close to knocking out the Bunch, but they didn’t need to push it. Not yet, at least.
His feelings were transferred down the pack link and Ephemara’s face soured. She threw on a feral grin. But Shaggy could feel her disappointment. But all he could do was shrug. She was going to get to take part in a gang war in the streets, and she literally just burned down a building. How much more blood did she want? Shaggy heard the woman huff as he turned to look back down the road. There was just no pleasing some sociopaths.
The streets were dark and empty. Lit only by the odd streetlight, and even they flickered ominously. But Shaggy had gotten used to the worn-down look of the area’s buildings. Old brick buildings with solid foundations and broken in windows. It all gave the neighborhood an apocalyptic vibe. But Shaggy was sure he could see what it could be. It was going to take some long hours of work and not just cracking skulls. But It was going to be worth it. Once they got a portal set up to Under-Town, they’d have an influx of people and credits. Not to mention a portal would make it significantly easier to push goods to and from their Lair. It was all coming together so well and so solidly that Shaggy was sure he was forgetting something.
Something pushed at the back of his mind and for a second he thought it was another mind-reader trying to probe his brain. But it was a memory screaming at him from a blood-soaked room. One Shaggy was sure he had repressed, but the feeling made his inner wolf howl in joy. Shaggy stopped walking as he stared inwardly. His wolf had gone quiet after the fight with the flesh blob, but Shaggy’s musings seemed to have stirred it.
He stared into the eyes of his wolf in that deep dark pit Shaggy kept him in. Shaggy was sure the damn wolf was grinning at him as a memory pushed itself to the forefront of Shaggy’s mind. A cavern made of flesh and bone, veins pulsing with power, and an old man cackling at a god. Shaggy felt his pulse quicken as he remembered his patron. Xang the God of Blood. He had a mission to go kick the old-man’s new teeth in. A mission he was more than happy to fulfill.
Shaggy glanced around to see his pack looking at him. Stopped on the sidewalk with his eyes closed. He was sure they felt his anxiousness and excitement, but they weren’t sure where it was from. Shaggy gave them a feral smile and silently promised himself that when everything was settled with the Wild Bunch, he was going to find the old bastard and chop him to pieces. There were a few steps he needed to do before that, though. Namely, getting back to the hideout.
He was about to start walking again when a building several yards away from their group exploded. Bricks and chunks of building went flying into the street. Closely following the devastation was a twenty-foot tall, stark white rhino-man.
“Is that Perinadon a giant? Why is there a giant Perinadon in our way?” Shaggy muttered as the beast-man shook debris from his body.
“Not a Perinadon, Boss. That’s something else.” Ephemara gulped.
Shaggy felt his whole pack tense as the behemoth finished cleaning its suit and turn toward them. He sighed as he noted the look of anger in the large animal-man’s eyes. Luckily, no other Bunch thugs were following behind him. Although that might have been because the building the giant had popped out of was slowly collapsing. Shaggy shook off his shock and started forward, his pack flanking him. He thought about sending them away with the cash, but all he got back was a mental snort over the pack link.
“Uhh, boss?” Dee called from behind them.
Shaggy gave a mental groan. “You two stay back. If you see a chance, run back home with the money. Stanley, you go with them.”
“Boss?” Stanley asked, both annoyed and relieved at the order.
“Hows Kev doing?” Shaggy asked simply.
Stanley’s Quinica had retreated back into Stanley’s body after the casino. The boy had said that his passenger was nearing the limits of it’s abilities. Apparently, covering Stanley with full armor took a lot out of the parasite. But even without it, the boy was still part of the pack and tough as shit. He’d see Ulf and Dee back to the deli. Cekrass handed off Bartle’s body to Stanley, and they all stared up at the monstrous gangster.
The rhino snorted, it's large white horn gleaming. “None of you are leaving! You’re the filthy interlopers marching into Wild Bunch turf, aren’t you?”
“Oh, it talks. Neat.”
“Why wouldn’t he talk?”
“I don’t know. I just assumed.”
“You know what they say about assumption?”
“It makes you an asshole?”
“That’s not the saying.”
Shaggy continued to bicker with Ephemara and Vick as the twenty-foot tall rhino hybrid stomped closer. Shaggy was sure he saw bits of the street crack and go flying as the rhino’s bare three-toed feet smashed into the ground. Cekrass stayed watchful as they had their petty argument. Ready to move at a seconds’ notice.
“ANSWER ME!”
The rhino man’s roar echoed up and down the street. Several lights came on in various buildings and nosy NPCs with more courage than sense stuck their heads out their windows. Shaggy took in the scene before he grinned. This was probably a good way to make a statement. A large, slow, idiot like the hybrid would make a great example for the populace. They just need to topple the bastard fast. In case any other Bunch assholes were around.
Shaggy stepped forward. “Now, why would you think that? We were just walking down a quiet road, and then you come barging at us. Is that how the Wild Bunch handles themselves?”
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
“Go fuck yourself!” The rhino yelled. “One of our casinos just got hit. So we’re out smashing any group stupid enough to be on our turf tonight.”
“Well, that’s not nice,” Shaggy deadpanned.
“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Of course it isn’t! A stampede has been called! The Wild Bunch is out in force tonight! We are going to run over all in our path! So, you know what? Even if you aren’t the interlopers! I’m going to crush you!”
“You keep saying ‘we’. Who is this we? All I see is your dumb ass.” Shaggy snorted as the giant lifted his foot to step on him.
The rhino never answered as he stomped forward. Intent on turning Shaggy into a pancake. Shaggy sighed and grew his claws. He moved out of the way of the slow kick and sliced his claws into the big hybrid’s ankle. His nails sunk into the fatty flesh and cut deep before they stopped cold in the middle of the hybrid’s body. Shaggy grinned and tried to yank his claws free. But to his horror, he was stuck.
The rhino screamed as Cekrass and the others of Shaggy’s pack pounced forward. Shaggy’s feet left the ground as he was dragged along with the rhino-man’s steps. He saw Cekrass hop off the bigger beast’s knee and jammed his own reptilian claws into the rhino’s chin. Ephemara was behind the beast looking for a moment to attack and Vick was firing away with little success. Shaggy kept trying to yank his own claws free even as the giant threw his foot forward, dislodging Shaggy.
Shaggy’s claws held up as he went spinning down the street. The rhino’s bellows intermixed with the sounds of Vick’s rifle blasting away. But the beast man’s hide was way too thick. Cekrass was scrambling around the large rhino’s shoulders. Trying to find a vulnerable spot. The bastard was slow, making him easy to outmaneuver. But if they couldn’t hurt the guy, it was going to be a pain in the ass. Ephemara was searching the streets for a solution. But for now, they needed to keep the damn monster occupied.
“You little shits don’t know who you’re fucking with!” the rhino bellowed as he reached up for Cekrass.
But the lizard-were was too fast. He kicked off the rhino’s back and landed in the street. Shaggy pounced as the hybrid turned to deal with Cekrass. He aimed for the enormous beast’s chest and jabbed his claws forward. He soared through the air and collided with the giant’s torso as it tried to backhand his friend. Shaggy winced as he watched his claws bend slightly before they finally punctured flesh.
The rhino let loose another roar as it tumbled backward from Shaggy’s attack. Vick kept up a steady stream of blaster fire into the rhino’s face. But Shaggy was sure the large bastard was glaring at him. He wrenched his claws loose, happy that they came away easier, before he jumped away. He felt the rush of air blow by his face as the rhino swung a palm at him. The massive white hand missed by inches and Shaggy felt himself get blown away by the sheer force of the blow.
Cekrass’ feelings of uselessness emanated from the Pack Link. His punches were ineffective and his claws weren’t long enough to do any actual damage. Shaggy could feel his pack mate’s anger and annoyance. But he sent the lizard an order to retreat and the stoic lizard sent back a mental nod and apology. Shaggy dove back into the melee, trying to nick and slice the giant rhino’s flesh where he could.
Stanley and the boys were away. Having dashed down an alley and Shaggy could no longer feel the teen over his Link. Which he took as a good thing. For Stanley. For them, things were getting repetitive. It was a literal death of a thousand cuts. Shaggy would slice and cleave flesh and then roll out of the way as the big rhino-man yelled his fury at the skies. Vick's stream of blaster fire tailed off as Shaggy opened another shallow cut in the beast’s stomach.
“Getting low.” Vick shouted over the screaming giant.
Shaggy mentally acknowledged the Sharpshooter’s words and was about to tell him to retreat when Ephemara sent them both images. Further south down the street was a faulty streetlamp and a fire hydrant. Her plan became apparent as she showed images of her breaking the fire hydrant and sending water into the street. Shaggy wasn’t sure how much it would work, but it would certainly speed things up. He sent an order for Vick to go ahead first as he worked to enrage the massive hybrid.
“YOU FUCKING COCKBAGS! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING?!”
Shaggy smiled as he flicked blood from his claws. “They are just leaving us alone to dance. Why? You don’t like it being just the two of us?”
“FUCK YOU!”
The white-knuckled fist zoomed through the air at Shaggy. He had to activate Slide Move in order to shift out of its path, and even then, he was pushed back. But he caught himself and pounced upward at the rhino’s face. Claws extended to do some damage. He felt them rake across the hide of the beast as he sailed past it’s shoulder. Shaggy hit the street and rolled to his feet. He gave the rhino man a cursory glance before he sprinted southward.
The rhino was panting loudly and holding a blood-stained hand to his cheek. Shaggy heard a roar of anguish and he was sure the streets were vibrating. Thundering footsteps followed him as Shaggy crouched into a loping run, letting his instincts take over. In his mind, he could see both Ephemara and Vick ahead, ready to shove a lamppost into the large puddle of water they had created. Shaggy could see the fire hydrant still disgorging water into the street.
“I’m going to kill you!” the hybrid shouted as Shaggy’s feet hit the wet road.
Thankfully, the road was flat, so very little of the water was draining. It wasn’t a puddle, but Shaggy hoped it would be enough. He let his senses use both Vick’s and Ephemara’s point of view to see how close the giant was behind him. It was closer than he had thought. The behemoth might’ve been slow, but his steps carried him far. Shaggy gave the order long before he was out of the water. Vick hesitated. Ephemara didn’t.
Shaggy activated his pounce ability. Aiming at a trash can next on the sidewalk and hoping it worked. His thigh muscles tensed and he felt himself go sailing as Ephemara did a leaping drop kick on the lamppost. Shaggy was sailing through the air, so he didn’t get to see. But he heard and then smelt a sharp electric crack and then electricity raged through the street. Blue arcs crisscrossed in every window and Shaggy slammed into a metal trash can.
He rolled out of it and looked around. The big bastard was standing in mere inches of water. But large arcs of electricity played across the street. The lamp post sparked and caught fire as every other light on the street died. Followed by all the lights in the buildings nearby. There was a momentary flicker as everything tried to come back on. But then all the power on the block and the one next to it died.
The giant rhino, for his part, was standing stock still as electricity played across his face and body. Shaggy thought that their little scheme hadn’t worked. But then the ground shook as the giant toppled to his knees. As the lights went out, so did the rhino. He collapsed face first into the street and Shaggy gave a sigh. Vick lit another cigarette as Ephemara whooped in triumph.
The street was dark. But the form of the large body in the street was easy to make out. Shaggy quickly got to his feet and rushed forward. Even if the electricity had finished the job. He wanted to make sure.
“Boss, let me…” Ephemara said as Shaggy plunged his knife-sharp claws into the giant’s neck.
It took some work and a little wriggling, but he finally got them deep into the giant’s throat. There was a gasp of escaping air and the slow bubbling gurgle as blood flowed out of the wound. Shaggy sighed as he stood to his full height. He turned to see both Vick and Ephemara staring at him.
“What?”
“Boss…” Ephemara started.
Shaggy raised an eyebrow, genuinely confused.
“That was all your fault.” Ephemara said emphatically, while Vick nodded.
“WHAT?! What the hell does that mean?! I didn’t summon a giant rhino into our path!”
Ephemara snorted and waved her hand dismissively. “You might as well have. ‘I doubt we’ll have to deal with any trouble on the way back home.’ Well, this was trouble. You summoned this trouble.”
Shaggy snorted as he looked at Vick for help. But the sharpshooter merely shrugged. Shaggy could feel Vick’s agreement with Ephemara and he was outraged. Rotten pack of NPC. They didn’t know how good they had it. He plunged his claws into the giant rhino’s neck again in frustration. The body didn’t even shudder as his claws dug deep into the neck. He was about to argue further when a rhythmic vibrating shook the ground and Shaggy’s legs.
It stopped and then started again and again. Shaggy glanced at Ephe and Vick, but the two looked just as confused as him. A quick searched found that the noise was coming from the Giant Rhino’s inner pocket. Shaggy ducked into the inner coat and came away with a normal sized cellphone. He wondered briefly how the big guy used it, but it went off again in his hand.
“Do I answer it?” Shaggy asked as he held up the phone.
Ephemara grinned as Vick took a drag off his cig and shrugged. Shaggy shrugged his own shoulders and walked toward the big rhino’s hand. It took some doing to get the biometrics to recognize the rhino’s large finger. But when it did, a rough voice squawked from the phone.
“Lenny! Where are you?! We need backup! Lenny! Use the charm on the back of the phone to enlarge it, Lenny!”
Shaggy grinned and put on his most official sounding voice. “We’re sorry. The giant fuck you are trying to reach has been haphazardly decapitated. Please hang up and kiss your ass goodbye.”
“WHAT?! Who is this?! What did you do to Lenny?”
Shaggy couldn’t help himself. “The same thing I am going to do to all you Bunch bastards. So either get out of town or get ready for a fight. Cause the wolves are coming, bitch.”
Shaggy switched off the phone and threw it into the water. On the sidewalk, Ephemara was grinning like a madwoman and even Vick couldn’t hide a grin. Shaggy sighed as he turned eastward, back toward home. There was still a lot to do and much more to buy with their newfound windfall.