Chapter 8: Ram
Olivia and Skulker stood atop a building overlooking their target. A handful of streetlights below them flickered, the rest broken and dark. A half moon did more to illuminate the area. No one walked the abandoned streets, save for the two men in front of the old brick warehouse, guns hidden from casual observation. A third man stood atop the warehouse roof, lit cigarette dangling from his lips.
Skulker nudged her with an elbow. “Get goin’,” he prompted her. Oh, we’re starting this now?
Olivia spread her wings and leapt off the side of the building. What did Skulker say to do? “Flatten him?” So just hit him? I think I did that to a guy before. She climbed higher into the air, than tucked her wings and dove. Her speed built up, momentum aimed at the man on the roof. The wind rushed past her face, sending her hair whipping around.
Learning from her previous attempt, she tucked her head and lead with her shoulder, colliding with the man’s chest. With a strangled cry, he crumpled. She rolled with the landing, climbing to her feet the moment she came to a stop. The man let out a groan, clutching his chest. OK, flattened. Is Skulker OK?
The commotion from Olivia’s entrance hadn’t gone unnoticed. As she shook off the dust from herself, one of the men below called out, “You alright up there?”
Movement caught her eye in the night. Skulker, pistol drawn, emerged from an alleyway. He teleported across the streets while the two men below were busy craning their necks to see what was happening on the roof. Olivia jumped back as two, then four shots rang out into the night.
Scraping noises caught her attention. The man behind her struggled upright. She shied away. Wait, what do I do now? His fist glanced off her shoulder. Before she could react, another drove into her stomach. They both stared at each other for a split second. She shoved him away, sending him flying. His head smacked into the roof, and he lay still. Oh, he didn’t really hurt me. Her ears still rang with the sound of gunshots.
“Come on down,” called out Skulker.
She glided down, averting her eyes from the dead men and the blood on the ground. Skulker jostled the doorknob of front door to the warehouse.
“Fuckin’ locked,” he grumbled. He gave the metal door a sharp kick. “I’ll see if one of these guys has the key.”
Should I kick it too? It didn’t work for Skulker. Maybe a second will work. Wobbling, she placed her foot on the door and shoved. It didn’t budge, though something metal creaked.
“If you’re gonna do that don’t just nudge it. Put force behind it,” said Skulker, hand rifling through the pockets of one of the men he’d killed.
Oh, OK. She took a deep breath, raised her leg up, and shoved it forward as hard as she could. The claws of her feet punched into the metal. The hinges shrieked and gave way, the door slamming into the ground. She caught herself on the door frame before she could topple over, foot still stuck into the door. With a few shakes, she pulled her foot free.
She spun around to see Skulker staring at the scene. “Holy shit. Nice. Let’s get in there.”
He led the way into the warehouse, jumping over the bent and broken door. She followed after him, into a cramped and grimy hallway. In a split second, her eyes adjusted to the unlit interior. Her wings smacked against the walls as they walked. Olivia tried to keep her footsteps light, imitating Skulker, though she kept wobbling on her feet and bumping into the walls.
“That wasn’t quiet, they know we’re here,” murmured Skulker. “Keep your eyes open.” He stopped them at an office, its window covered over. A second lay on the opposite end of the hall. “Watch the hall,” Skulker whispered.
She nodded, attention split between Skulker and anything down the hallway. It definitely smells like people here. But all I can hear is ringing. With one shoulder pressed against the wall, he twisted the doorknob, pistol at the ready. In a flash, he shoved it all the way open and teleported in. Olivia waited, breath caught in her lungs, as she listened to Skulker’s footsteps inside.
Finally, he poked his head out and said, “Empty. Try the other one.” He nodded towards the door on the opposite side of the hallway.
“It’s locked,” she replied.
“Kick it.”
She took a deep breath and steadied herself. This time she pushed forward, letting her momentum carry her into the room. She stumbled over the broken door and into what was once an office. Haphazard crates of ammo covered the desk in the center of the room, and several coats covered the back of the office chair behind it.
Before she could free her foot from the door, a sharp intake of breath and a metallic click caught her ears. Shots rang out. Olivia threw herself to the side, a sudden pain lancing through her ribs. Skulker teleported in over her and fired. Silence fell over the room as a body hit the ground.
“That was fast,” grumbled Skulker as he cast a look at Olivia over his shoulder. He stiffened. “Oh shit, you’re still alive! You OK?”
She pressed a palm to her ear, failing to deaden the ringing sound. “I’m fine. I think.” She rubbed a bruise on her ribs. That guy didn’t get close. But I’m not bleeding. How?
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“Whoa,” said Skulker, pointing to her ragged shirt. “You sure?”
“Oh, um,” she mumbled. With a claw, she hooked the hem of her shirt up and revealed a massive deep red welt nearly the half size of her palm underneath.
“Wait, put it back,” he said, gesturing to her shirt. Once she let it fall, he leaned in and said, “Yeah, a fuckin’ bullet left that. You really OK?”
She paused, feeling no other pain beyond the bruise and her ears. “I think so.”
“That guy was packin’ a nasty lookin rifle an’ he just give you a bruise. An’ you can rip steel with your hands.”
“Is that weird?”
“Fuckin’ hardcore is what it is. Talkin’ with you is the best decision I ever made.” He offered her a hand and threw his entire weight into hauling her to her feet. “We’ve wasted too much time, gotta move quick now.”
She trailed after him, knees weak. What am I doing here? That guy had a gun. He shot me. What am I doing? The ceiling rose, though the walls remained only slightly higher than Olivia’s wings. The carpeting cut off, replaced by concrete. Dim fluorescent lights dangling from metal roof supports flickered ahead. They turned a corner, and found half a dozen men in a semicircle around them, immediately opening fire.
Skulker pulled Olivia back behind a wall as gunfire ripped through the air where they’d stood just a moment before. Two bullets grazed her partially outstretched wing.
“Keep ‘em busy!” he shouted, teleporting off and leaving her alone against half a dozen armed men.
What? How? Why? Olivia flinched as bullets punched through the thin drywall, a mere foot from where she stood. She let out a stifled shriek and threw herself to the ground. More bullets shot above her, shredding the wall.
“I think we got it!” called out one of the gunmen as the firing ceased. Heavy footsteps approached, the fumes of gunpowder wafting through the air.
Olivia stared in horror as a pair of shadows approached in the door frame she’d just dove away from. With rifles at the ready, two men, one broad shouldered and dark haired, the other balding, burst in and swivel towards her. Familiar pistol shots rang out. The men froze for a split second, half turning back towards the others.
They’re going to shoot him. They’re going to shoot me. She forced herself to her feet and rushed towards the two. The nearest one, the broad shouldered one, managed to react, firing directly into Olivia’s chest. Her momentum carried her into him, slamming him into the brick wall behind him. Out of instinct, she whipped her tail around, catching the balding man in the hip.
More shots came from the warehouse. Go away! She let out a primal scream and grabbed the broad shouldered man by the collar and slammed him into the wall once more. He slumped to the floor, unmoving and bleeding from the shoulder. She turned around to find the balding man had fallen to the floor. One hand clutched his hip, the other reached for the rifle he’d lost. No. She stomped down on his arm, which snapped with a sickening crack. He screamed and rolled over as she let him go, turning her attention to the warehouse beyond.
Skulker teleported behind a wall of shelves, keeping only inches ahead of the rifle fire. One of the gunmen was down, the remaining three oblivious to Olivia’s entrance. Leave him alone. She charged into the back of the closest one, raking her claws down his back. He stumbled forward, rifle still in hand. With a wild cry, he spun and swung his rifle like a club at her, catching her arm, just as her other arm came down for a second swipe. She caught him in the shoulder, sending him crumpling to the ground.
Someone approached from behind, and Olivia spun, claws aimed for the gut. She froze when she caught sight for a grey grinning mask. Silence reigned for a moment, with only the sound of their heavy breathing as she and Skulker stared at each other.
He flashed her a thumbs up. “God damn, no mercy for the weak. Let’s have a look around.”
Olivia half collapsed against a wall, chest aching and lungs burning. Skulker had shot the other two gunmen, their bodies sprawled out on the concrete floor. What just happened? She looked down at her bloody claws. I think I hurt people. She wiped them off on her pants as best she could. Oh god. What am I doing? Am I supposed to be looking for something?
Olivia looked over the main room of the warehouse, now able to take her time without people shooting at her. A dull grey pickup truck was parked beside one of the garage doors in the very back. The gang had shoved various bits of furniture into the corner, making room for shelves upon shelves of ammunition. Skulker flipped open one of the crates near where they had first entered. Bits of drywall and bullet shrapnel slid off the top of the crate as he tossed it aside.
“They got so many goddamn guns. Want one?” She craned her neck, looking over his shoulder at the dozen sleek black rifles, identical to the ones the gang members had used not more than two minutes ago.
“No thank you,” she replied with a shake of her head. They’re so loud.
He shrugged and moved on to the next crate. “Damn it, why do these guys always got real fuckin’ nice ones? Where are they gettin’ these?”
Olivia moved on to a desk beside the truck, opening an empty drawer. What am I looking for? She glanced at Skulker, now moving from body to body on the floor. He seems to know. I’ll look stupid if I ask. I guess I’ll know if I see anything weird.
“Here we go.” Skulker lifted the head of the man she’d clawed and twisted it so he faced Olivia. The man slowly breathed through a crooked nose. Long dirty blond hair partially obscured his face. “This fuckin’ guy. I’ve seen him before. Works for one of Sanchez’s lieutenants. Solid Tod, I think.”
“Solid Tod?” Olivia repeated. What does that even mean?
“Don’t ask me. He’s got a power an’ good reputation, though. I think this guy might be up to answerin’ a few questions for us. Well, me, you look beat.” Olivia just stared back, too tired to form a proper question. He reached up and patted her shoulder. “Come on, let’s go see what we missed back there.”
Skulker dragged the man back to the entrance. They stopped to search where Olivia took a bullet to the ribs. They continued their pattern, Skulker combing through the handful of ammunition boxes, while Olivia stood around and tried to look helpful.
Skulker began laughing as he reached the dead man Olivia had spent her whole time avoiding looking at. “What is it?” she asked, eyes still averted.
He popped the magazine out of the dead man’s rifle and showed her the top bullet. “He fuckin’ shot you with a 300. That’s a big, mean bullet.”
“Is that bad?” What does that number mean?
“Most rifles are somewhere around 200. I ain’t great with numbers but I think the 300 is supposed to make you around fifty percent more dead.” He tossed the magazine to the floor. “Let’s get outta here.”
Sirens in the distance approached as they finally exited the warehouse. “You hear ‘em too?” he asked. She pulled a sweaty lock of hair out of her face and nodded. “Yeah, we don’t wanna stick around. Great job! This took a bit longer than I thought it would,” said Skulker. “But we gotta move quick if we’re gonna find this kid. I’ll chat with this guy an’ figure out where to go next. First thing tomorrow night work?”
She stared. Is that normal? Just getting shot at and hurting people? But what will he do if I say no? And I guess we’re going to help find a kid. “I guess,” she replied.
“Perfect. Go on, I’ll be fine.” She took flight as the weak light of the morning sun began to shine over the horizon, leaving Skulker with a battered and unconscious man in his grips.