“Better hurry up and decide there, varmints! My patience might be infinite, but the fuse on this here dynamite ain’t!”
[Just a moment!] I shouted through the slat, right before hopping back down. Not a moment too soon. A bullet zipped through the space where my head had been a second before.
Maybe that should have surprised me, but it didn’t, especially after hearing what his men had to say. There was little doubt in my mind that Zapper and I would be shot to pieces the moment we stepped out the door.
Speaking of my companion, he was watching me with a worried expression. [What do we do, Boss?]
[I’m not sure yet.] A quick scan of my cooldown timers showed nothing good. My replication bracelet still had two minutes left, and my baton had over three... seriously, how was that possible? Had so little time really passed since I made my mad dash in here? Time always felt different in combat, but that just seemed excessive.
[Boss?]
[I’m thinking, Zapper.] At least my Claw Slash was off cooldown. Not that it did much good if I couldn’t get close to Brad. [Maybe we can stall for time. How long do you have until your skill—]
“Time’s up, doggies! Decision, now!!!” Brad’s voice echoed through the empty bank. With a sigh, I moved back to the window, staying low enough I wouldn’t get hit by any more errant shots.
[How do we know you won’t kill us the moment we step outside?]
In answer, several bullets whizzed past my head. Zapper let out a whine and lay down with his paws over his eyes.
“You don’t, varmints. Guess you’ll just have to take that chance. Unless you’d rather get blown to—”
[I have a better idea,] I yelled back. [How about we fight it out, just you and me? Winner takes all.]
There was a moment’s silence. Then, “Just you and me, eh? How do I know you won’t have your tiny friend jump in to help the minute I’m distracted?”
[Hey!] Zapper said with a growl. [I’m not tiny, I’m small boned!]
I shushed Zapper gently, then turned back to the window. [How do I know that you won’t do the same? You’ve still got one man out there with you.]
A gunshot echoed through the street, but no bullet zipped past the window. As it faded away, Brad called out. “No worries on that quarter. So, what about yourself? What assurances can you offer me?”
[Let Zapper—my friend go. Once he’s out of sight we can start our fight. Sound fair?]
“Hmm. I suppose it’s square enough. Tell that other mutt to run for it, while he’s got the chance.”
I turned to Zapper. [Okay, Zapper, run for the elevator, and don’t look back.]
[But—]
[I’ll be right behind you,] I said, trying to sound reassuring. [But I don’t trust Brad not to try something underhanded. Until I know you’re safe, I won’t be able to face him with my full strength, understand?]
[I don’t know, Boss, that doesn’t make—]
“Time’s wasting, doggos. Your friend has until the count of ten to get himself clear. Ten... Nine... Eight...”
[Go!] I shouted. Then, for good measure, added, [Trust me!]
[...Okay, Boss, I will.] Zapper tore out the door, running for all he was worth. I was sure I’d hear a gunshot or two, but I trusted in Zapper’s Fast Twitch skill to keep him safe. Yet surprisingly, no shots rang out.
Eventually, Brad counted his way down to zero. “Deal’s done, varmint, it’s just you and me. Let’s do this.”
Right. All I had to do was charge headfirst across thirty feet of open ground at the crazy gunslinger with a bag of explosives. Simple, right?
Right.
Taking a deep breath, I dove out the door.
And immediately took a bullet straight to the head.
----------------------------------------
Triple Chance Dog Tag has activated automatically. Remaining uses = 1. This ability will reset at midnight.
Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
Gah... Talk about a rough start to a fight. Barely out of the gates and I was already down one respawn.
But my impromptu death had a significant advantage to it: Brad had turned away from me, crowing over his victory. The desperado leader hadn’t even noticed as I’d reappeared!
I didn’t waste the opportunity. Dust churned beneath my paws as I rushed forward.
“Yeah, that’s right, that’ll teach you to—what in the rough Hell?” Brad spun as I got near, trying to backpedal even as my leap brought me into the air.
His gun rose for me. But my claw descended faster.
Claw Slash tore through Brad, spilling his guts onto the dirt.
Wait, no. I realized too late that it wasn’t Brad at all. He’d pulled another desperado from the ground! Brad let the now-dead man tumble to our feet, a look of surprise now permanently etched on his face.
“Stupid Varmint, did you really think I wouldn’t keep a few in reserve for an occasion such as this?” Brad’s expression was one of absolute triumph. He aimed his revolver again. There was nowhere for me to go.
A blast like thunder. Darkness.
Triple Chance Dog Tag has activated automatically. Remaining uses = 0. This ability will reset at midnight.
And just like that, I was back for the second time in as many minutes. Actually, I’m not even sure a minute had passed since I last died. It all happened so fast.
“There you are.” I turned at the sound of Brad’s voice, and found him leering over me, his gun pointed at my head. “Figured you might still have another trick or two up your sleeve. How many times you plan on letting me kill you, mutt?”
[Guess you’re just going to have to find out.] I growled, spinning even as I spoke, knowing it wouldn’t be fast enough but having to try anyway. Brad’s gun roared as he pulled the trigger, and I felt a sharp pain in... my shoulder?
Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you Glancing Shield! Even if my joy did come with searing pain.
But pain was only temporary, while victory was still waiting right in front of me to be seized. As Brad’s eyes went wide in surprise, I reared up. My Claw Slash came roaring down, tearing apart a... a second desperado?
Ding dong dangit, how many men was he hiding beneath us???
Brad recovered from his surprise before I did, and his look of triumph returned. “Nice try, but you’re gonna need more than those party tricks to take down ol’ Brad.”
He tossed the desperado’s corpse aside and brought his gun up again. I wracked my brain for any idea but came up empty. No more Claw Slashes, and my other abilities were all still on cooldown, though my replication bracelet was only a few seconds from being usable again. Not that it mattered, without an offensive attack I couldn’t hope to—
“Goodbye, Varmint.” Brad’s voice brought me out of my desperate introspection. He cocked back the trigger and took aim.
[BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
From a nearby rooftop, a small, furry mass launched itself into the air. Zapper plummeted downward, his face encountering Brad’s arm, teeth sinking in, blood spraying between the little dog’s lips. Brad let out a howl of pain. His shot went wild.
“Why you—gerroff me! Gerroff!”
Yet Zapper hung on with a ferocity that would have made any professional ratdog proud. Brad’s gun spun away down the street as the desperado leader tried desperately to free his arm.
[I gor-im, Borss!] Zapper’s words were barely audible. [Finish hirm!]
[But I can’t, I don’t have any more—]
With a mighty swing, Brad managed to free himself, and Zapper went tumbling down the street, landing in a twisted heap a good twenty feet or so away. He didn’t rise.
“You...” Brad glared at me. He pulled a piece of dynamite from his pocket. “Shoulda just done this from the start!”
I probably should have panicked at that point. But I didn’t. Because Zapper had given me the answer that I needed. In hindsight, it was rather obvious.
Every time I used my skill, Brad blocked me. Which meant I needed to take him down without a skill.
Or at least, not an offensive one.
Purely on instinct, I activated my bracelet. An invisible hand grabbed the scruff of my neck and hurled me backwards. I didn’t make it the full twenty feet before encountering one of Brad’s men and stumbling to a halt, but it was far enough. The explosion hit my face, singing the fur and trying to push me away. I held my ground.
Warning: you have been inflicted with Knockback.
Knockback’s effect is negated by Indomitable Choke Chain.
Huh. Interesting that didn’t activate earlier when I got blown out of the building. I guess a knock-forward and a knockback were two different things?
Whatever, I could worry about it later. Brad was currently staring goggle-eyed at the middle of the crater, a look of mixed horror and confusion on his face.
“How’re you still standing?” he demanded of the thin air. I’m guessing he was seeing my illusion. That was an opportunity I wasn’t going to waste. Jumping to my feet, I charged, darting around the crater and leaping for Brad.
He noticed me at the last second, spinning around and bringing his hands up. They reached out in a feeble attempt to swat me away.
Then my teeth found Brad’s throat. Acrid blood filled my mouth.
Yetch! If I needed any further evidence that these spider-men weren’t actual humans, the proof was in the awful-tasting blood pudding, so to speak. Regardless, I held on, clamping my teeth down even as Brad flailed and beat at me with his fists. The pain was a dull staccato compared to the roaring inside my ears.
Gradually, his attacks grew less insistent. Slowly, he dropped to his spider-knees, and then keeled onto his back. Still I held on, refusing to let go until I knew for certain he was dead.
And finally, the message I’d been waiting for appeared.
You have defeated: Brad the Bad (Advanced) — Level 12
300 XP and an Advanced Desperado Bounty Ticket awarded.