Quinn pulled out his wrench, clutching it tightly with both hands as he stood protectively in front of Fii. "Just stay behind me. I'll handle them."

"Aw, ain't that sweet. Your boy-toy's gonna save you! Or try to, at least. This'll be fun to watch." Zoltar taunted. He drew his sidearm and pointed it at Quinn. "You know what, why don't you toss that weapon away and kneel on the ground? Hands behind your back. Do what we say, and we'll let you walk away with only a few broken bones. Otherwise...you might end up with a few bullet holes in ya."

Quinn glared at the gangster, unfazed by the threat. "Not happening. Tell you what. We're going to leave now. If you or your buddies lay a hand on us, you're dead."

The surrounding gang members broke into fits of laughter upon hearing those words, only to be silenced by a fierce glare from Zoltar.

"Get a load of this guy. Thinks he's some tough shit because he's got a tool in his hands? Why don't you show him what happens to trash when they disrespect me?" he hissed. "Grab them. I'll teach them a lesson."

The Gully Rats' grins widened as they swarmed closer, spreading out to surround the duo. One of them brandished a length of steel chain, spinning its end in a loop as he moved to flank them. Another lifted his bat, wielding it with both hands as he advanced.

Quinn shifted into a combat stance, gripping his wrench firmly, preparing to engage. He glanced back at Fii, whispering softly. "Don't worry. I got this."

No, I think you don't.

Fii gritted her teeth in frustration. Damn it. She had to act, but she needed a plan. And she needed to make sure that Quinn would be safe. A glance at the thug with the chain told her that he was her biggest concern at the moment.

Before she could think of a plan, Quinn threw his wrench at Zoltar, taking him by surprise. The tool smacked into the hand that was holding the pistol, forcing the gangster to drop the gun.

While the rest of the gangsters stared dumbfounded, Quinn lunged for the fallen weapon and picked it up. He whipped around, firing at the gangster carrying the chain. The first shot missed, but the second caught the thug in the shoulder, causing him to double over in pain, dropping the chain as he clutched the wound.

Two other thugs rushed at Quinn. Quinn sidestepped one and bashed him in the jaw with the butt of the pistol, knocking him to the ground. He blocked a strike from the other, hitting him squarely in the chest with a well-placed kick, sending him sprawling backwards.

The remaining gangsters hesitated, caught off guard by Quinn's aggressive move.

Quinn trained the pistol on them, pointing at their chests. "Back off. Right now."

Fii blinked in astonishment.

Wait...he really got this? Woah...

With their momentum broken and the thug with the chain taken out of commission, the others fell back, hesitating. A few of them exchanged uncertain glances, shifting their gazes over to Zoltar, seeking guidance.

The gang lieutenant snarled, pointing at Quinn angrily. "Stop standing around like idiots and grab him! I'll kill you all if you screw this up. Rush!"

His words spurred the thugs into action. They charged towards Quinn, roaring, brandishing their weapons. Quinn fired another round before it clicked empty. One of the charging thugs tumbled to the ground as a bullet struck him in the leg.

The other four pounced on Quinn, tackling him to the ground. He struggled, throwing a punch and managing to knock one of them off. Two others jumped on top of him, slamming him back to the dirt. They pinned him down, punching and kicking as they restrained his arms and legs.

"Fii, get outta here! Run!" Quinn cried out as he wrestled against the three assailants, twisting his body desperately as they punched him repeatedly. "I can't hold them long—" A vicious blow to the face cut off whatever else he intended to say, eliciting a pained grunt from Quinn.

Argh! Damn it! I have to help him!

"You two, deal with the girl." Zoltar ordered. Two of the goons detached themselves from the group wrestling with Quinn, grinning maliciously as they converged on Fii. "The rest of you, keep her friend occupied. Break his face, his legs, his arms—whatever—just keep him down and quiet. Once you've knocked the fight out of him, bring him over."

As the gangsters approached, Fii backed away slowly, circling the cart with the package on it, trying to keep it between them and her. But they merely followed her movements, edging closer and closer until they could reach out and grab at her.

Fii altered the gravity around her just enough to enhance her reflexes. That should be enough.

One of the thugs lunged for Fii. Fii ducked, avoiding his grasping hands and slipping past him. Before he could react, she sprang upright again, slamming her fist into his temple. The thug stumbled sideways, stunned, dazed, and reeling. Fii capitalized on his disorientation, driving a powerful knee into his stomach, doubling him over as he gasped for air.

Another thug came at her from the side, swinging a crowbar wildly.

Fii darted under his attack, grabbed his arm, and flipped him over, slamming him to the ground.

A third thug circled around to her left, wielding a knife. Fii feinted an attack, causing him to swing the blade in a wild arc. She snatched his wrist as he overextended and twisted his arm, forcing him to let go. She caught the falling knife in midair and threw it away. Then she launched an elbow into his face, smashing his nose. He crumpled to the ground, writhing and crying out in pain as blood spurted from his face.

By this point, the first thug she'd attacked had recovered his wits and charged at her again. Fii blocked his punch, deflecting it to the side, then drove a palm into his face. His eyes rolled back as he collapsed in a heap, out cold. The second thug tried to tackle her, but Fii swept his feet out from under him and kicked him in the stomach. He crashed to the ground, groaning weakly as he curled into a ball.

The gangsters surrounding Quinn stopped assaulting him long enough to gawk at the scene, distracted by the sight of Fii defeating her three opponents so easily.

Zoltar stared wide-eyed for a moment before turning his rage on the trio who were supposed to subdue Quinn. "What the fuck are you doing!? Stop her! Hurry up, and help the others, damn it!" He barked furiously. "Do I have to do everything myself? Fine!"

He charged at Fii, attempting to club her with a bat.

Fii dodged, ducking low, and drove an uppercut into his chin as she rose, knocking him off balance. She then spun around, landing a swift kick to the back of his head. The impact sent the gang lieutenant sprawling forward, colliding face-first with the ground hard enough to send a plume of dust billowing up. He didn't get back up.

Meanwhile, Quinn had managed to free one arm, and he seized the opportunity to roll aside, dislodging one of the thugs from atop him. The thug grappled for his arm again, but Quinn grabbed him by the shirt collar and delivered a powerful headbutt, breaking his nose and splitting his lip. Blood poured freely from both injuries, and the thug backed away, holding his head in agony.

Quinn shoved another thug off and scrambled to his feet. He raised his fists, glaring defiantly at the remaining two gang members. They regarded him warily, sizing him up. After a brief moment of hesitation, they decided discretion was the better part of valor, turning tail and running away.

"Damn cowards, you get back here!" Zoltar's furious yell echoed through the street as the fleeing pair retreated from sight, leaving only the gang's battered and beaten leader behind.

He attempted to crawl after them, but Fii strode over to where he lay and grabbed hold of his neck, lifting him effortlessly off the ground. "Ahhckkkk!" he sputtered in fear, clawing uselessly at Fii's arm, trying futilely to escape her iron grip.

She unceremoniously kneed him in his groin, cutting off whatever pathetic excuse he had to say, before tossing him away like the trash he was. He landed in a heap, whimpering as he writhed helplessly on the ground.

That was...kinda satisfying, but also a bit disappointing. Her blood used to run cold whenever Zoltar and his crew showed up to harass her. Yet, now? That whole thing felt anticlimactic. The rush she felt when she fought Kasumi and her second-in-command was way more exhilarating than this.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Was this really all she'd been afraid of before?

Pathetic.

Quinn jogged over to Fii, panting heavily. He was a bit bruised, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but otherwise none the worse for wear. "Holy shit, Fii. Where'd you learn to fight like that? You totally thrashed them." He eyed her in awe.

Uh, oh. She had to come up with an excuse fast.

Fii leaned against the cart for support as if she were exhausted. "Oh, uh, that? Yeah, um, I saw a video somewhere about how to fight. Thought I'd give it a try. Seems it paid off." She forced a chuckle, trying her best to appear convincing.

"Haha, yeah, no kidding." Quinn grinned. "Seriously though, that was incredible. You moved so fast, and were strong enough to take those guys down easily. Wish I could fight like that." He massaged his sore ribs gingerly. "Thanks for the assist, by the way. Sorry I couldn't handle them all by myself, like I said."

Fii shook her head dismissively. "Nah, I needed help, too. We worked together and that's what counts. Hey, let's get out of here before more of 'em show up. We've already wasted too much time dealing with these assholes." She paused to check the cargo on the dolly cart, ensuring it was still intact. Fortunately, everything seemed undamaged, so she exhaled a sigh of relief.

She took hold of the handles again and started walking. This time, Quinn remained close by her side as she pushed the cart onward, ready to intervene if needed.

"You good?" Fii asked as they trudged along.

Quinn nodded, rubbing his bruises gingerly. "Yup, just a couple of bumps and scratches. Nothing serious." He wiped the blood from his mouth before flashing Fii a wry grin. "We make a pretty good team, don't we?"

I don't know about that.

"Guess so." She shrugged, returning the smile.

She kept a close eye on the surroundings in case Zoltar or his goons had recovered and wanted revenge. Fortunately, nobody appeared to be following them. After a few minutes, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, satisfied that they were safe once more. "Okay, so, that was fun, but let's never do that again."

"Agreed." Quinn nodded vigorously. "The sooner we drop this thing off, the better. Hopefully nothing else will happen by the time we get there."

"Same." Fii agreed as they continued their journey, making small talk along the way.

After dropping off the air conditioner at Lyria's place, Fii and Quinn made their way back through the Rust Market, stopping occasionally to buy some snacks along the way. Fii treated herself to a skewer of synthie meat and vegetables while Quinn indulged himself in a large bowl of soupy noodles.

They chatted amiably as they strolled past various stalls, exchanging stories about their respective lives, trading jokes and funny anecdotes. Fii learned quite a bit about Quinn and his life in the slums. Like how he grew up here and learned his craft through trial and error, scrounging around for spare parts, salvaging bits of technology wherever he found them, building new devices out of old components, experimenting with different ideas in his spare time, teaching himself whatever he could.

After passing by the water towers, Quinn paused to survey the area before speaking. "Hey, uh, about earlier...thanks for having my back. I owe you one."

Fii waved him off. "No sweat. Thanks for coming with me. If anything had happened to Rao's package, I'd probably get an earful, or even worst, be made to pay for everything. Couldn't let that happen. Besides, I had to keep you safe too."

"Still, though," Quinn persisted, "seriously, thank you. You saved my ass back there. I owe you big time."

"Don't worry about it, seriously." Fii smiled reassuringly. "We don't always have to grind gears without oil, ya' know?"

Quinn laughed, clapping her on the shoulder lightly. "Alright, I'll hold you to that. Here, let me treat you to lunch tomorrow to make up for today."

Fii shook her head. "Nah, you don't need to do that."

"Please," Quinn insisted. "Just a little grub 'n' guzzle. Let me do something nice for you. " He gave her an earnest smile. "Consider it a date. Whaddya say?"

Fii hesitated for a moment before relenting. "Fine, fine, sure, why not?"

"Great!" Quinn exclaimed cheerfully. "Meet me at Rao's place at noon. Don't be late!" He flashed Fii one last grin before bidding her farewell. "Alright, I gotta get back to work. Catch you later. Stay out of trouble, Fii!"

"See ya." Fii waved goodbye.

From the corner of her eye, beyond Quinn's back, she spotted Zoltar and a few of his cronies approaching from an alleyway, pipe pistols drawn. They aimed their guns directly at them.

Before she could cry out a warning, her body moved faster than her mind.

She stepped in front of Quinn just as the loud crack of gunfire split the air, drowning out his surprised yelp of alarm.

As the bullets streaked towards her, Fii focused on their trajectories, adjusting her gravikinesis to affect them. She imagined a vortex around her and Quinn, a gravity field that would bend the path of the bullets away from them. But unlike the time she used it around Virgil, she made sure to give space inside so that Quinn wouldn't fall prey to her power.

The barrier caught each bullet in mid-flight, slowing them down just enough so she could alter their vectors and push them off-course.

But...why just move them away? Why couldn't I just...

Fii concentrated, adjusting her gravity field to spin the bullets around them like tiny satellites, keeping them locked in their trajectory. The bullets spiraled and whizzed around them in a perfect circle, forming a barrier of moving metal projectiles.

Then she moved her hands, carefully directing the bullets' paths, bending their paths, so they aligned with the gangsters. The bullets soared through the air, tracing a trail of sparks as they bore down on their targets.

Zoltar's eyes widened in horror as the projectiles hurtled towards him.

The bullets hit the gangsters' weapons, sending them flying through the air and knocking their owners off their feet. One bullet grazed Zoltar's left arm, tearing through his skin and leaving a shallow gash. The rest of the bullets hit their marks, hitting the thugs' shins, calves, and thighs, and drawing a chorus of pained cries from the gangsters as they limped away.

Zoltar cursed loudly as he stumbled back, clutching his bleeding arm. "What the fuck?! She's a Meta?!!" he yelled. "Goddamn it! Forget this shit!" He spat angrily before gesturing for his gang to retreat, not even bothering to pick up the weapons they'd dropped. "Let's get outta here!"

The gangsters hurriedly hobbled after him, cursing and shouting profanities as they fled into the distance.

Once they disappeared, Fii lowered her hand, exhaling a shaky breath as she released her gravity field.

Quinn slumped to the ground beside Fii, his jaw slack with disbelief. "Fii...You—you have powers? You're a Meta?"

Fii's eyes widened, realizing what she'd done. Her eyes darted around the area to see if anyone else saw her. It didn't seem like anyone did. Only Zoltar and his goons knew she was a Meta. And Quinn now, too.

Crap. Not good. Not good!

"Sorry, I gotta go," she blurted out before rushing off, but Quinn reached out and grabbed her hand, stopping her.

"Wait!" He tugged on her wrist. "Hold on a sec. Hold on a second. How...? Where...?" he spluttered, unable to formulate his question coherently. "Just, hang on. You've been a Meta all this time? Is that why you knew how to fight so well?"

"Yeah, kinda," Fii replied hesitantly, averting her gaze from Quinn's. "I mean, yes, kinda, sorta, yeah. Um, look, please don't tell anyone, okay? It's kind of a secret. I can trust you, right? Promise me you won't tell anybody, please?" she begged desperately, staring into Quinn's eyes.

Quinn hesitated briefly but nodded. "O-of course. I promise, I'll keep this a secret. You can count on me. Just...wow...I never would have guessed you were a Meta. That's...crazy." He glanced around to ensure they were still alone and lowered his voice, leaning closer. "Fii, I swear I'll keep this a secret, but those guys from the Gully Rats also saw you; walls talk, streets scream. Are you going to be okay?"

Probably not. Edith isn't gonna like this one bit, and Virgil would probably lose his mind.

"Uh..." She frowned, unsure how to respond. "I'll...figure something out. I'm...gonna go now. Bye. I'll see you later."

"Um, wait, what—" Quinn began to reply, but she rushed off before he could finish.

----------------------------------------

Zoltar's muffled scream cut through the air as Virgil slowly pressed his bowie knife through the man's chest. His blood seeped onto the dusty concrete of his dive, forming a dark crimson puddle beneath him. Virgil's other arm grappled the gangster's throat, constricting his breathing, and preventing him from uttering more than a pathetic croak.

Around them, several gangsters lay sprawled out on the floor, all dead from stab wounds.

Virgil dug his knife deeper into Zoltar's flesh until it was hilt deep, then twisted the blade.

Zoltar choked in his blood, then finally went limp, his eyes glazing over as he bled out. Virgil withdrew the knife and flicked the blood off. He stood over the bodies for a few moments, gazing at them with contempt.

This wouldn't be the last of the Gully Rats. Their leader would just appoint someone else. But Virgil didn't care; these scum became more of a liability since they saw Fii's power. He wiped the bloodied blade clean on Zoltar's jacket and tucked it back into his boot holster before stepping outside.

He'll have to signal the Pallbearers to remove the bodies; the blood stains will be a chore to clean.

The sun had set by now. No doubt Edith was berating Fii at the clinic for being reckless and displaying her power outside of her heroic alter-ego. The kid deserved the tongue-lashing; she had no business using her powers for personal reasons. He was confident she understood the risks, but sometimes, young people are blinded by emotion, especially when it comes to protecting their friends.

Well, hopefully this experience will serve as a sobering lesson.

Virgil lit a cigar and puffed away as he gazed upon the dilapidated landscape. He walked through the narrow alleyways toward a small storage building, passing by the locals who scurried away at his approach.

Good, the fear keeps them from meddling.

He picked the lock and opened the door to a dimly lit interior. A row of tables stood covered in equipment, tools, and random junk. He scanned the space and saw the guy who was with Fii earlier, working at the far end of the room. The kid hadn't noticed him yet; he was busy tinkering with some contraption. He didn't even hear the door open or Virgil approach.

Virgil coughed deliberately, drawing his attention.

Startled, the guy dropped whatever he held, scattering its contents everywhere. He looked up and gulped visibly. "Oh, uh...hello? Can I...help you with something?"

Virgil leaned casually against the wall, taking a puff of his cigar. "Sit down," he instructed in a calm tone. "We need to talk."