A City Afraid
A while earlier.
On the rooftop of a seemingly abandoned building near the wealthy district, where multitudes of vehicles and people drove and walked by, starting their day, still at the beginning of their week. Riverlye's large group was there, having spread through this corner of the neighborhood. From other abandoned buildings to rooftops from houses and buildings the people didn't frequently visit.
They were also installed between some streets, but that would only ‘occur’ during the 2nd and 3rd phase of the mission.
The same Arista who previously stood up in the helicopter when the Instructor was calling the few select and was bashed down with words stood near the edge. He looked at the city, facing the wealthy district, and complained yet again after another 10 minutes passed.
“Man, he’s somewhere being reckless. Where the hell is he? How are we supposed to keep the mission going just like this? He fucked up!”
The other Artistas, some at work and others resting, looked at him again, and as before, they ignored the fella. This time, though, footsteps echoed behind the young man, who looked back to see who wanted to mess with him before becoming a mute.
Pheli stood a few meters behind him, staring with a bulky and large rifle. While the young man felt cold sweat, Pheli looked away and headed to the Instructor, who remained near the communications’ guys. Their tech was to read and even hear any possible, near transmission.
Standing behind the Instructor, Pheli voiced before he turned around to face her, “I’d like to assemble my group to search my Artista. It might attract unneeded attention, but I must.”
“The answer is still no,” the Instructor calmly replied. Pheli didn’t step away, but the Instructor moved around to check on another few guys working on that tech. Pheli insisted, unlike in her previous attempts, “Fox is a great asset. Letting him out even if he achieves his mission now will be… bizarre. The mission was meant to use a couple of Artista’s lives to secure the target, but he can achieve it without dying, and I’d rather help him. That’s all.”
“…” The Instructor bent over a desk and supported his body with his hands, he stared back at Pheli, thinking, before asking someone sitting at the side from the communications guys. The latter’s focus was full bent on readings and frequencies through paper or screens, but the former only had to wait every now and then to contact Phesx. “How long ‘till his next transmission?”
“Oh, it’s 2 minutes, sir.” The Artista casually responded before fleetingly looking at Pheli. He wouldn’t be against her because of this, right? The Instructor saw the eyes of the Artista and felt somewhat irritated. Omar looked at Pheli and gestured towards the Artista, “See? I’ll think about it if I hear something else. You’re dismissed.”
“The mission takes priority over the steps. If I see that my Artista is in danger, I won’t need to assess any situation because I know what to do. Whether the instructor in command allows it or not, my people will move!” Pheli slowly tilted her head to the right, expressing with a frown.
She grabbed attention from everywhere around, alright. Even the ‘wronged’ Artista from before looked at them, feeling nervous of their confrontation.
The Instructor turned around and fully faced Pheli, knitting his own eyebrows before rising his voice, “It is me who decides who movies and when or what, and if not! Don’t think your position matters that much in Riverlye! There are many who can become the next weapons master. You are no Mel!”
… bang…
“… … …” Just as they began, and Pheli was about to rise her voice, their confrontation halted when a loud small pistol gunshot sounded from afar. It was just the morning, so such a thing thundered like a train collapsing in their ears. Furthermore, it was a military grade weapon, not a mere handgun that anyone in a position to ‘protect’ wields.
Everyone looked to where the small pistol was fired. They could hear it easily, facing in that direction, but only a few people walking and driving below noticed. Pheli completely ignored her situation and walked to the edge, whereas the Artista stepped away in a second.
As Pheli looked into the distance, trying to guess where exactly it came from, the Instructor went back to the communications’ guys, called by each of them in a row. After seeing something, or at least believing to do so, Pheli turned and walked to the Instructor.
Her walk was confident. Pheli wasn’t going to ask or propose anymore, clearly. But before she could get to it, the Instructor looked up at her and lifted his palm to stop her, voicing, “Wait.”
After a few seconds, the Instructor walked away from the communications’ guys’ corner, but Pheli’s eyes were excited, having heard a bit of their exchange. The instructor ignored it and reported to everyone, not just her. “There has been reports of gunshots in the wealthy district, near this one, from the northwest. We’ve also caught numerous messages between our contractor’s enemy leader and their people. Their leader has been commanding them for the past few minutes, and they seem to have found someone.”
“They’ve been lured,” Pheli voiced out. The Instructor nodded before looking at everyone. “The mission is stepping up! Ready those preparations, scare the people and do what you must to not get chased by those guys. Keep the streets clean and squeaky for when they come. We’ll only have a couple of hours at best before the military is mobilized. Who wants to stay then?”
The Artistas didn’t respond loudly nor called out in agreement, but they nodded their heads and became excited. Some couldn’t wait to start decimating a rising mob into the ‘big leagues’ of the criminal world.
“Snow, what are you waiting here for? Go and rescue your Artista. Tell him it’s a thanks for helping with the mission. That target better be safe and sound.” The Instructor basically gave Pheli the words she needed since a while ago, at last.
Pheli nodded, cocking her head to the right, downwards, and turned around. She glanced at her group before rolling her eyes a bit. She wasted no further time and brought another 2 groups with her, rushing on foot with their cloaks and masks still on.
They went through the roofs, with their selected vehicles hidden and meant for escaping. They headed to the gunshot’s location. Either way, the Instructor communicated them the address as they were on their way.
The closer they moved in that direction, the more and louder they heard gunshots echo, becoming more and more intense but then turning muffled. For a couple of minutes, the gunshots were stagnant, remaining in one place but still ringing on.
Pheli’s breathing became slightly heavier. Her eyes narrowed behind her mask as they approached it closer and closer. When they could see the alley Phesx was in, and a plethora of gunshots ringing everywhere, with many lost bullets flying up from inside it, she received more information from the Instructor.
“8 heavy pickup trucks are moving into the alley. You should stop them, but don’t waste time. Whoever is commanding has a pull on their peoples’ needs and knows how to move his chips. It’s a massacre inside. Get the target, and that Artista out. Be quick.”
Pheli frowned before sending the other 2 groups away. They changed directions, but still moved towards the same alley. Pheli led her group directly towards it.
The pickup trucks were just turning to enter the alley, and Pheli furiously scanned the alley with her eyes, when she found him to the side, nearly hidden from her eyes. Pheli’s eyes widened as she gave the order, lunging her group towards Phesx.
“Attack!”
… On the ground, Phesx felt his knees heading into the ground, about to break and bleed or just bruise him beside those cuts. The gunshots he received were alarming, but training so much, after this much knowledge and experience, albeit not a lot compared to others.
Phesx moved his body and even his insides, such as muscles, limbs, bones, and forced his organs to endure as much as he was impacted. All to avoid severe organ damage. His breath also echoed, but it was thin and ‘elongated’ in his body, but still managed to help at least a little.
Now, he heard buzzing, sharp whistles echo above him in the air. Phesx couldn’t understand what those were, but when he heard them more, just a few milliseconds, he felt they were familiar to…
Bang- boom, bang, bang! Bang, bang, bang!
A truck on his right bounced about when his hearing returned. Phesx’s eyes opened wide as it exploded with the second shot, hitting exactly where it needed to make it go big boom. It crashed to the side, with burning living bodies slowly dying inside as the others shot into the air.
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
The second truck was hit after, this time only with lethality, as Pheli’s group arrived atop the building before him, killing them cleanly. Pheli’s rifle muzzle let off some smoke as the others moved to surround him. They aimed at the incoming pickup trucks on his left, whose mobsters exited in fear and prepared to start a gunfight.
Bang, bang, bang! Bang, bang, bang! But just then, the other group freely fired away at the trucks from behind, surprising and exploding the tucks along anyone near them. Pheli’s group only killed a few who ran around, confused, while the other group executed most of them.
Phesx felt a few medics’ hands grab his arms, tying to lift him. Imán came and held his back up, with others holding his head and shins up as well. Phesx had 2 medics attending him on his sides. They were quiet for a while as they headed to the pickup truck on his right.
“How is he?” Pheli arrived before him, appearing in his field of view like in his first mission with them. A male medic said, injecting him yellow syringes everywhere. “Uhh, I don't know why… but he’s doing good. His superficial wounds are fine. Some green cream will do. It’s only his sides that need attention. He avoided his organs being hit, and he should be safe. Fox is smart.”
“A few pieces of bones broken and an irritated back. He’ll need green injections there, but he’s fine, Snow.” A female medic said, already tearing his shirt apart between his uniform and bleeding back. The movements hurt, but nothing like that mattered now, after what he did.
“Mn,” Pheli nodded before looking at Phesx, “Where is the target?”
“Garbage, sleeping.” Phesx muttered. Pheli’s face turned weird before blinking. Then, she went away for a few seconds while Phesx was rapidly shoved into the truck. When she returned, a bawling little boy squealed like he’s been roaming the countryside for a decade alone, sounded.
“You have to do something! That madman hurt me. I feeeel paain~! Aaaaaaawwww- wooooo!”
The fella shut up as Pheli shoved him to the back with Imán and the rest. The young man felt in danger again, although considerably less than with the madman from before.
Pheli went into the back seats with Phesx and the medics. She looked at him, now seated as the male medic touched everywhere around his torso and the female one helped him by holding Phesx’s arms. Pheli spoke, curious and a little helpless. “What did you do to him?”
“…Do you think I’d do good as a father?” Phesx paused before asking. Pheli, the medics, and Teon, as the driver, became paralyzed. Pheli blinked a few times before tilting her head. Phesx coughed a little before everyone went back to normal.
Looking at Teon, Phesx Caolia asked, sounding worried. “You’re driving, Teon?”
“Yeah, and get your body ready for bumps and crashes. Because I don’t like it.” Teon responded, starting the heavy truck before directly driving into the streets. The police were slow, of course, or they would’ve arrived long ago.
But once the scene was discovered, the military would rush into the city. It was far too much, even for the SPD, to handle.
Thankfully, the truck was smooth and flexible despite its heaviness. Phesx felt little trouble with his wounded body, when he heard Pheli whisper, “I think you’d do great.”
“…” - “…” Phesx lightly grinned, and they looked at each other as more syringes went into his skin. They didn’t have time to look lovely, though. Teon expressed in a loud volume before stepping hard on the accelerator. The other 3 trucks behind them also accelerated, forming a line behind each other. “We’re too slow! They’re catching up. Get ready to engage!”
“Main street. A lot of their forces are out, maybe even half. Fox angered them hard!” Pheli yelled and looked behind her as the young man became scared shitless, with the others wearing serious expressions. Behind the 3-truck line, a dozen vehicles chased after them, half of them belonging to bikes.
“Alright!” Teon said in a heavy, lazy tone before adding in a cutesy tone, “I hate this!”
The truck moved into the main street, where dozens of civilians were running already, alerted by some police who suspiciously did nothing to stop them before. Phesx looked at those cops whose hands went to their holsters but stopped when they saw the back of the truck.
“So it’s like that…” Phesx commented. Pheli replied in a light tone, giving the medics and Phesx a small pistol. His submachine gun was ruined, but his small pistol was picked up. It was damaged, though. Pheli gave him another one before opening the windows on her side.
“It’s been like that for more than a century…”
The male medic opened the window on Phesx’s side, while the female medic went to the co-driver’s seat. She asked Teon as they were closed in by the mob’s vehicles. “Do you want to let me drive?”
“Nope!” Teon said with a thin smile, the cheeky gal. The medic blinked before focusing on her task. The back of the truck had the young man standing, keeping Imán and the others safe. Of course, he was aimed at with handguns below the back’s sides, which would fire if he dared to sit down.
“Teon, can you take this thing down?!” The male medic said, knocking the rear window and kneeling in the middle of the back seats, aiming behind while the others lied down. He would take care of those behind them, while Phesx and Pheli to the rear sides.
“There!” Teon yelled before the rear window disengaged. The young man’s eyes shrank, about to be halved from the waist by the flailed window rushing about into the air. A kick behind his knees saved him, but he twisted a foot.
“Get up!” Gesán said after tumbling the fella down. The young man stood up with tears, feeling like shit as he was forced to feel more pain. Layo injected him a red syringe near his heel, saving him some pain.
The trucks behind them did the same, albeit without as much trouble as they did. Then, as the enemy closed in, starting by shooting at the 2 trucks behind them, the bikers rushed ahead. They took small submachine guns out of their passengers’ bags before getting closer and closer to the side windows.
Both the rider and the passenger struggled to aim up at the heavy pickup trucks. The wind at these speeds wasn’t ‘a bit’. But just as they ignored the young man, and didn’t see Imán and the rest, Phesx, Pheli, and the male medic peeked out and barraged them with bullets.
Bang bang bang, vruuumm- bang bang, bang bang!
The enemy were mowed down from their bikes one after the other, as if a dozen people ambushed them out of nowhere, but it was only 3 of them. However, 2 bikes managed to drive by as Pheli aimed at them, killing their passengers first before aiming at their bikers.
Bang bang bang!
The female medic fired her small pistol aiming for the bikes’ wheels instead, in front of Teon’s face, who kept driving. It was just before they began zigzagging, thinking they’d fool whoever was in front. Yet, as the medic shot, their bikes lost control, zigzagging even more before flying away.
The first biker flew to the wall, impacting a concrete wall in front of a family of 3 who crouched in fear, right in front of the mother, whose scream was lost in the wind. The other biker flew into the air with his bike as its front wheel caught fire. It went below the truck behind them, crushed by the right-sided wheels before suffering the same below the 3rd truck.
“There’re more coming… We’re close, form a row!” Pheli tilted her head low to the left after the first round of enemy vehicles was taken down. She shouted backwards. Phesx helped by pointing his pistol out, shooting once near the 2nd truck’s right wheel before doing the same to the truck’s right side. Before the truck moved into position, it did the same to the 3rd truck.
Teon slowed down, letting them catch up to the truck’s sides. Once it happened, the drivers nodded at each other before accelerating. They were just making a turn, so as they sped up, their image became a bizarre, fearsome one of bulls raging in the main streets.
“Aaaaah!” - “My heavens! Brutes!” - “Weeeeee!” - “Don’t look, honey!” - “Get back, get back!” - “What the hell is going on?”
This part of the city had more people active at this time, many who came from other zones were just 15-20 minutes from the city’s center, where things got busier. They couldn’t hear the commotion happening far away in a corner of another district, so they were calm and living their day like any other.
After the 3 big, heavy pickup trucks sped forth, with many cars panicking, carefully driving into the sidewalks. A dozen pickup trucks followed after, turning and racing each other into the sidewalks. People were immediately hurt.
Many lone walkers who ignored the ruckus from before were reached and smashed by the roaring trucks. Other families rushed away, some sacrificing themselves for their younger ones. It wasn’t until a kilometer later that everyone stuck to the walls and the store owners and even residences opened their doors to them…
The people were panicked and grieving, fearful and sobbing, but they helped each other after desperate screams echoed in the streets like never before. It was just a simple, other, typical day. Why did it have to be like this?
“…” Phesx could see the other trucks’ co-drivers. One was a woman, whose driver was the same, but the former was dead with her neck and chest pierced with blood flooding her. The other co-driver was still choking with bullets and blood in his neck as the driver focused on the road.
They received direct impact from before. Their attention was brought to the trucks from the first round due to their many submachine guns, but still only allowed a few bikes to rush forth. Phesx didn’t know how to feel, but he knew how he wanted to react.
Phesx Caolia hid his hands beneath his thighs when he realized he lost himself a bit there. Then, he looked up, seemingly noticing something. He narrowed his eyes, staring very far away, and atop a few abandoned buildings, as the main street turned elsewhere, but their destination was in front.
Trrrrrrr rrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrr bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang…!
Suddenly, firepower rained from the rooftops. The several pickup trucks behind them were bombarded with bullets from the front, protecting the column of heavy pickup trucks ahead. The latter kept rushing forth, entering the streets of another district as cars, waiting in stops, didn’t know what to do. Thus, they were helplessly pushed away. The only problem was heavy trucks’ speed. Phesx sharply breathed in and prepared for the bumps and crashes Teon talked about.
Civilians were slammed away, pushed after the initial collision, with the trucks bouncing and some passing over other vehicles. Only bikes escaped the momentary ‘light’ stampede, snaking through the gaps of light traffic before the trucks slammed against everyone.
But it wasn’t the same for those behind the heavy trucks. The mobsters crashed everywhere, with hurls of gunfire falling on them, some tried to rush to the sides and hide in a building to not fucking die. However, they crashed into concrete walls and injured some civilians before being fusilladed, still in their trucks, by the same gunfire, only with more focus on them.
Others stopped moving in the middle of the intersection between one district to another, with many pedestrians and perplexed drivers looking in a state of shock. It wasn’t until more pickup trucks drove by fast that they woke up and tried to calm down, nobody acted crazy, thankfully.
The 3 heavy trucks continued rushing towards the safe house. They didn’t have to slow down, as the civilians around the zone were scared beforehand. Thus, the trucks drove until they arrived at the safe house, with gunfire still supporting them from the roofs as the mobsters were forced to stop and form a defensive line with their trucks.
However, by then, Phesx was helped up some stairs to meet the Instructor, with a young man in shock, who couldn’t believe one of his arms and feet were useless now. He had to be carried by Imán like a princess and was injected more red syringes around his shoulder and foot to deal with the pain.
…