Axion and Virgil waited in the shadows, crouching behind a dumpster in the alleyway adjacent to the parking garage entrance. The moon cast a faint light over the cracked pavement and graffiti-covered walls, illuminating the rustling trash and stray cats prowling nearby.
As the time of the rendezvous drew near, Axion fidgeted, restless. She flexed her fingers, drumming them nervously against her thigh. "Do you think they'll show? What if they don't?" she asked, her voice low and quiet.
"They'll show," Virgil murmured, his eyes fixed on the building's entrance. "The Neon Vipers wouldn't risk losing this opportunity. Their supplier has something they need, and they won't leave empty-handed. Trust me. These guys are too greedy for that."
"Okay. So, what happens when they come out?" Axion inquired, clenching her fists and pressing her back against the wall. "Should we attack them right away, or...?"
"We'll need to wait until the deal's done to confirm that the supplier is here. Once we have a visual, you can take out the Vipers while I deal with the supplier. Be careful and remember to remain calm and focused. Don't hesitate and strike hard. No mercy." Virgil paused to gauge her reaction. "Got all that?"
Axion swallowed and nodded, inhaling deeply. "Yeah, got it. But I still think you're a bit of a jerk for making me do most of the work here."
Virgil snorted in amusement and patted her on the shoulder. "You're the superhero here, not me. Might as well put all that training to use now, hmm? Besides, it's good practice for you."
"Fine, whatever," Axion huffed, folding her arms defensively.
As they waited, Axion strained her ears, listening for the slightest sound. Her gaze darted between the building and the alleyway, alert for any sign of movement. The minutes ticked by slowly, feeling more and more like hours.
Eventually, the muffled sound of a vehicle engine echoed through the stillness of the night air. A dark, armored van pulled up to the parking garage's entrance, pausing briefly at the gate before rolling through and disappearing underground.
Axion glanced at Virgil, who gave a confirming nod. "That's them," he whispered. "We'll wait for a couple of minutes, then head inside. Let them settle in first."
The pair crept from the cover of the dumpster and made their way carefully toward the side entrance of the building. Once inside, they crept silently through the darkened hallway, straining to detect any noises from deeper within the complex. Voices gradually became audible as they advanced cautiously through the corridors.
Soon, Axion could distinguish sounds of conversation coming from the parking garage beneath them. As they reached the basement level, Virgil stopped at the top of a staircase leading down, cocking his ear in the direction of the voices below. He pressed a finger to his lips and motioned for Axion to follow him, guiding her alongside the railing overlooking the lower floor.
When they reached a turn in the corridor, he crouched low and peeked around the corner. He held up a hand, signaling for her to hang back and stay silent.
Axion peeked around his broad shoulders and over a dozen men gathered in a semicircle, facing a hooded figure in the center.
The dealer spoke, his voice echoing off the walls: "...and you have my guarantee that the product will meet your requirements. No other supplier can offer what I can."
One of the Neon Vipers stepped forward—a woman with long, straight black hair tied back into a high ponytail. She wore a black leather jacket and matching pants, paired with a pair of black high heels. Her lips were painted a deep red and adorned with a silver snake bite piercing, and her eyes were heavily lined with black eyeliner. She held a thin metal briefcase in her gloved hand, stepping closer to the dealer.
She must be that "Cobra" Kasumi person. Wow, she's actually scary-looking.
She extended her arm, offering the case to the cloaked individual. "You have what we need. We'd better not be wasting our time with inferior product."
The dealer took the case and opened it, revealing rows of small vials containing a bright blue liquid. He inspected each container carefully, his face obscured by his hood. "These are satisfactory." He snapped the case closed and handed it to one of his bodyguards.
He then picked up his own briefcase and placed it on the hood of a nearby car. He unbuckled the latches and pulled the lid open, revealing rows of syringes packed tightly inside. He turned and held out a vial toward Kasumi, motioning for her to take it.
"I trust you'll find this batch even better. The formula has been refined and improved."
Kasumi tilted her chin, her expression cold and unreadable. She grabbed a syringe from the case and examined it closely, flicking the needle with her thumb. She slid the tip of the syringe into the vial, drawing out a sample of the blue liquid. She studied it for a moment, then flicked her eyes back toward the dealer. "You'd better not be trying to pull a fast one on us, or you're going to regret it."
She returned the sample to the case and turned to the other Vipers. "Alright, let's load it up."
The members of the gang dispersed, breaking apart the circle and spreading out. Some went to the van, while others remained behind to assist Kasumi.
The dealer backed away, reaching out to grab another of his bodyguards and murmur something into his ear. His servant nodded and trotted back upstairs, disappearing through the doorway behind them.
Crap! They might have seen us!
Panic gripped Axion. She tugged on Virgil's sleeve urgently and pointed at the departing henchman.
Virgil held his hand out and made a fist, telling her to hold still. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. "Steady, don't give away our position. They haven't seen us yet."
The two of them remained hidden, remaining perfectly still as Kasumi finished her business.
Once the cases had been loaded, she marched up to the dealer, looming threateningly. "If this doesn't pan out, I'm coming after you."
He nodded. "Of course, Ms. Yamaguchi. You'll have your product within a month's time, as agreed. Now, if you'll excuse me..."
Suddenly, the sound of boots pounding against concrete reverberated through the room. From the ramp leading to the upper level, a group of Neon Knight gang members charged into view, wielding pipe guns and an assortment of melee weapons. They rushed the Vipers, firing indiscriminately, sending bullets and shrapnel flying through the air.
Kasumi and her crew responded in kind, ducking and dodging the projectiles, firing back with their own firearms. She dove to the ground and rolled out of the way, springing up on the other side of the van. She lifted her pistol and fired a round of shots into the melee, dropping two Knights to the ground.
The dealer seized the chance and ducked out of the line of fire, retreating to the opposite end of the garage with his bodyguard close behind.
A few of the other Knights followed after him, but were cut off by Kasumi and her men. They exchanged gunfire, pinning each other in place, exchanging rounds at point-blank range. The sound of lead smashing into flesh and bone echoed off the concrete walls.
"Let's move, kid. Now's our chance!" Virgil hissed, prodding her towards the chaos.
"Y-you got it!" Axion replied. She stumbled forward, shaking off her trepidation, and dashed off toward the combatants.
She saw Virgil dash around the fray and stalk the dealer and his escort as they retreated.
Meanwhile, Axion veered around the parking garage, narrowly avoiding getting shot by several gangsters. She took cover behind a pillar and tried to assess the situation. The fighting continued, with more gang members charging in from the ramp to join the fight. The bodies of dead and dying Knights and Vipers littered the floor, their blood seeping into the cracks between the concrete slabs.
Damn it, it's a mess down here. Where the hell do I even start!?
As Axion prepared to launch into action, she heard a clicking noise behind her. She spun around in surprise as a man emerged from a darkened corner of the garage, brandishing a sword.
He raised his weapon, as if preparing to strike even though he was a few meters away.
Axion's LED eyes widened in shock as the man flicked his wrist, and the blade split into multiple segments, becoming a long, flexible segmented whip.
He swung the whip toward her, the extension catching her off-guard, and Axion barely managed to dodge out of the way as the whistling metal passed above her, striking the pillar she had been standing in front of, knocking chips of concrete onto the floor.
Woah! Who is this guy!?
Axion scrambled backward, and as she regained her footing, she saw the man lunge towards her again, sword-whip raised high. She reacted instinctively, throwing herself to one side as the whip crashed down beside her, smashing into the ground and creating a shower of sparks.
He's fast!
The man shouted over the noise of the surrounding battle, "Kasumi! We've got a pest here. It's that Axion punk everyone's been talking about!"
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Kasumi paused mid-firefight, eyes narrowing in recognition. "That Super managed to sniff us out?" she snarled, leaping from behind the van. "Tsk. Go take care of her, Vaughn. I'll finish here."
The man called Vaughn nodded, his gaze locking on Axion, "With pleasure, Cobra." He swung his sword whip toward her with blinding speed, forcing her to jump out of the way as the sharp metal whistled past. "What's wrong, little Super? Can't even stand up against a simple thug like me? How pathetic."
Axion gulped. This thug seemed like bad news. At least the others were busy killing each other. That gave her the chance to focus on her opponent.
His eyes blazed with confidence as he struck the ground, the length of the whip tearing a wide gash in the concrete floor. He cocked his arm back, whirling the whip over his head before sending it snapping towards her again, the steel tip singing as it sliced through the air. She dove out of the way, but the segmented whip grazed her jacket, cutting into the fabric.
That was close! This Vaughn guy seems like a big shot. Must be Cobra's number two.
Axion steadied herself, her adrenaline kicking in. "Who says I can't!?" she retorted as she dashed forward, aiming a punch at his gut.
He blocked her attack with his free hand, pivoting on the ball of his foot and countering with a swift kick to her stomach.
She grunted as his boot connected, the blow sending her reeling back.
"Hmph. For a Super, you're nothing special." Vaughn's tone was mocking, the smirk on his lips widening.
He unleashed another furious barrage of slashes, whipping his sword from left to right, forcing Axion to evade his attacks while he gained momentum.
Axion gasped as the sharpened metal narrowly missed her head, grazing past her helmet.
The tail of his whip-blade swept around to her left, and she leapt to the right, only to find that he was already there waiting, anticipating her move. He smiled smugly as he sent his weapon sweeping across her torso, shredding the front of her jacket and slashing at her bodysuit underneath.
She screamed as the blade cut deep, drawing blood. She rolled onto her back, clutching the wound with a shaking hand, watching as Vaughn leisurely flipped the whip over in his grip, splattering the ground with drops of her blood.
"I don't know what kind of power you're supposed to have, but from what I've seen so far, it doesn't seem like much of anything," he said condescendingly, glancing at the gashes he had inflicted upon her.
"Shut up!" Axion growled as she forced herself back to her feet, despite her injury.
She needed to buy some time so she could focus and formulate a strategy. But what strategy? She'd never fought against someone with a weapon like that before. It would have been better if he just used a gun.
Think, Fii, THINK! What would Virgil do? He always has a plan! Use that brain of yours and...wait, I got it! If I can get close enough, I can pin him with my powers! Then all I need to do is punch him in the face! Damn it! Why didn't I do that before? Stupid, stupid!
----------------------------------------
Axion crouched low, her muscles coiled like springs as she eyed Vaughn, ready to move at a moment's notice. The cacophony of gunfire and clashing metal filled the air, both gangs trading blows.
Vaughn stood tall, his shoulders relaxed as he swished his whip sword back and forth, as if taunting her, daring her to approach. "What's wrong? Got nothing left?" He chuckled derisively.
She could feel her power thrumming inside of her, its energy radiating throughout her body, tingling along her arms and legs. "Just testing the waters. It'd be a shame if I knocked you out too quick," she joked, a surge of bravado flooding her veins.
His brows furrowed at her flippant tone, his expression hardening as he glared at her with icy contempt. "You should be begging for mercy by now," he said, raising the whip higher, readying himself for another strike.
She knew what to do; all she had to do now was act. She shifted her weight onto her toes, her gaze fixed intently upon his movements. Every muscle in her body tightened as she prepared to lunge. She wanted to wipe that infuriating look off his face.
The air around her seemed to shimmer as she manipulated the gravity around her body, lightening her weight.
With a burst of speed, she launched herself toward Vaughn. He swung his whip-sword in a wide arc, but she was already in the air, gravity’s hold on her lessened. She twisted, the weapon missing her by mere centimeters, before landing on her feet and closing the distance between them.
Time to flatten him.
But just as she was about to increase the gravity between them, a flicker of movement from below her periphery caught her attention and she instinctively recoiled as the whip-sword sliced through the space where her head would have been. The motion cost her, and Vaughn kicked her in the chest, knocking her to the ground.
"Argh!" Axion groaned, sprawling on her back.
Shit, shit! I was so close!
"Predictable." Vaughn brought the whip-sword down, and she rolled to the side just in time to avoid being sliced in half.
The ground where she had landed was marred with deep scratches, and she grimaced at the thought of what would've happened if that hit had landed.
Vaughn backed away, continuing to keep his distance while maintaining a wary posture, but he appeared to have become a lot more cautious than before, as if he knew he wasn't dealing with an amateur. "You're surprisingly tenacious, little Super. Not that it'll change anything in the end."
Damn, I underestimated him! This Vaughn guy's no joke. I need to stop playing around! Focus! FOCUS!
For a moment, they circled each other, both seeking an opening.
In a split second, Axion made her move. She bolted towards an adjacent wall by Vaughn's flank, dashing sideways while lowering her center of mass.
Vaughn whipped at her with lightning speed, but this time, Axion anticipated his attack. She kept her momentum and moved to avoid the blade, the weapon cutting through the air directly behind her.
She sprang toward the wall, her feet finding purchase where there should have been none, kicking off from it and somersaulting in midair as she zeroed in on Vaughn.
He turned, surprise flickering across his face as Axion descended. But he recovered quickly, extending his whip to meet her mid-air.
Axion twisted, narrowly avoiding a lethal embrace with the segmented blade. She barreled into him, tackling him with all of her enhanced strength, slamming him against the ground in a hail of dust and debris. His weapon clattered away from his grasp as she pinned him against the floor, holding him down with all of her weight.
Vaughn grunted, struggling to throw her off. She twisted his arms behind his back, attempting to keep him restrained. He jerked upward, his back colliding with her injured side. Axion winced, the pain causing her to falter, and in an instant, he flipped their positions.
Now on top, Vaughn reached for her throat, his fingers encircling her neck tightly and squeezing.
"Urk!" Axion choked, gasping for air.
Vaughn laughed, grinning maliciously as he pressed harder. "Good try, Super. I'll admit, I didn't expect you to be this entertaining. It's too bad I can't play with you longer."
Her plan didn't entirely pan out the way she wanted, but at least he was within her range now.
Axion concentrated, channeling her power to increase the gravity around her and Vaughn. She felt the graviton particles shift around her, affecting the gravitational field around their bodies.
With a burst of effort, she amplified the gravity, doubling and then tripling the pull on Vaughn. He collapsed on top of her, unable to move. His fingers slackened their grip around her throat, and he groaned, the breath driven from his lungs.
"What...what the hell is this?!" The man squirmed as the force increased, unable to lift his chest or support his weight on his arms.
She pushed him off of her, sitting upright, and punched him squarely in the jaw while amplified by the increased gravity. His head snapped back, his mouth open in a silent scream as his cheekbone shattered beneath the impact.
As quickly as she had increased the gravity, Axion released it, and Vaughn toppled to the side, unconscious.
"Take that, jackass," she muttered, panting as she rolled over and sat up.
It worked! Awesome! YES! In your FACE! That was...okay, I might be getting ahead of myself a little bit. But still, WIN!
Vaughn lay motionless on the floor, bleeding from his nose and mouth.
Axion staggered to her feet, scanning the room for her next target.
The sounds of the ongoing fight had died down, leaving only the ringing echoes of spent bullet casings bouncing along the ground. In the center of the parking garage, Kasumi and a few Neon Vipers stood over the bloody and battered forms of the remaining Neon Knight members.
"No! N-no!" one of the defeated gang members cried out, holding his hands in front of his face, pleading for his life.
Kasumi coldly sneered, "Cute. You Knights thought you could take us on? I'll show you what happens when you make an enemy out of the Neon Vipers." She shot the groveling thug in the head, and the lifeless body fell limp.
"Kill them," Kasumi commanded her soldiers. "Don't leave a single one alive."
The last few Neon Knights were executed without mercy, their pleas for forgiveness falling on deaf ears.
Axion's eyes locked with Kasumi, who stared directly back at her. The woman narrowed her eyes and reloaded her gun before pointing the barrel at her. "You...you're that Axion brat, aren't you? Yeah, you definitely fit the description." Her gaze lowered to the crumpled heap that was once Vaughn lying unconscious at her feet. "Huh, impressive. I didn't expect you to last so long against Vaughn."
Her expression darkened, her eyes turning to slits as she pointed her pistol at Axion. "How did you find out about this deal? You must have really stuck your nose where it didn't belong."
The surviving Neon Vipers leveled their weapons at her, standing by their leader's side.
"It doesn't matter," Kasumi added, taking aim. "Die."
They all fired simultaneously, unleashing a hailstorm of bullets in her direction.
Axion's LED eyes flared blue, her power activating instinctively. The gravitons around her fluctuated as she altered her gravitational field, forming a protective barrier around her.
The bullets whizzed through the air, the pull of the gravitational field bending their paths slightly, altering their trajectories. The projectiles veered away from her, ricocheting off the ground and the surrounding walls, pinging harmlessly around her.
Axion breathed a sigh of relief as the firing ceased, and the smoke began to clear.
Kasumi and the other Neon Vipers stared wide-eyed in disbelief, their weapons smoking at their sides. She holstered her pistol and spat angrily, "Get in the van and get out of here. We're leaving. NOW!"
She strode briskly to the idling vehicle, hopping in and slamming the door shut behind her. The Vipers scrambled to follow suit, loading the wounded into the vehicle, while those still able to walk assisted their comrades.
Oh no you don't!
Axion sprinted after the gangsters, channeling the gravitons around her body. She leaped through the air, the force of her jump carrying her effortlessly across the entire garage.
The van's tires squealed as Kasumi floored the accelerator, the vehicle lurching forward with a screech.
But Axion had other plans.
As she neared the fleeing van, she brought her leg down hard on the ground, unleashing a rippling shockwave that raced outward, the ground cracking beneath her heel. The wave smashed into the undercarriage of the vehicle, shaking it violently as the tremors tore through its metal frame.
Kasumi lost control, and the van skidded sideways, colliding into the wall with a loud crunch. The impact sent a shower of glass and twisted metal exploding outward, peppering the parking garage with debris. The front of the van crunched inward, and its engine stalled with a hiss of steam.
A message flickered to life in front of Axion's visor. On the left-hand side of the display, the letters "TSFI" appeared, along with a number which flashed a bright yellow:
[TFSI: 0.54]
She didn't need a number to tell her that her leg felt the strain of that attack. A dull ache throbbed through her feet, shin, and thigh, but she ignored it as she walked to the wreckage.
The driver-side door flew open and Kasumi spilled out of the vehicle, cradling her head and glaring daggers at her.
"Bitch. I'll kill you..." she grumbled, blood trickling from a cut above her right eye.
Axion cracked her knuckles as she approached her. "Sorry, can't hear you, talk a little louder? It's probably because you're about to get knocked out."