Sign In
Register
Help
1
Rhesal dived over his fallen Ninja ZX –12R and rolled when he hit the ground. He scrambled back over to the bike and tilted it up so he could use it for cover. He felt the heat on the Ninja from all of the bullets that had hit it. Rhesal sat down, trying to soothe the pain in his knees. The Ninja looked horrible. The windshield was shattered and both tires were flat. The muffler looked like a tin foil sculpture. All in all, things were not looking good.
Rhesal checked the magazine in his Mossberg 500 “Cruiser” and loaded four more slugs into the chamber. He cocked it and loaded another slug, no use in wasting ammo. He got to his knees and then turned around. He looked over the seat of the Ninja, expecting to see Nero’s guards right on the other side, hundreds of laser sights on his forehead. Instead, he saw only an empty street.
Rhesal got on the bike and tried to start it, but the gas tank was leaking and the engine was shot to hell. He lowered the bike quietly, and looked at his surroundings. He was on the longer part of an “L” shaped street. He was standing right in front of a dead end, and was looked at the bend where the streets meet. He couldn’t remember much…. his head hurt like hell. Where are the others? That was a strange thought…. What others? Hadn’t he been alone when he got here? And what was he doing here? Selena! Rhesal jumped when this thought rocketed through his mind. Of course…. It was all coming back to him now.
2
Rhesal had been on the team that was supposed to be gathering information on Nero. Nero had been holding a conference with each country’s leaders, making them an offer they literally couldn’t refuse. When those brave few that did not like the idea, Rhesal thought he saw the Queen among them, expressed their thoughts; Nero put a bullet in their head personally.
Rhesal and his team had been watching the meeting in the center balcony of an abandoned opera house. Nero had been on the stage, looking at row after row of frightened leader. It was just Rhesal, Selena and Ricky at that moment. Brad had gone to see if the others were back yet. They had all decided to meet in front of the opera house and discuss their findings and their information. Rhesal remembered seeing a guard come on the stage and whisper something in Nero’s ear. Nero gave a wolfish grin, and nodded to the guard.
The guard walked offstage and dragged Brad back onto the stage. The guard’s right hand was clenching Brad’s upper jaw and he was dragging him that way. Brad’s left leg was broken, the knee was bent oddly. He tried to keep pace with the guard, no doubt to lessen the pain, but he stumbled every four or five steps and the guard would yank him forward.
The guard threw him to the ground, and Brad hit the wooden floor hard. He got to his knees and looked up at Nero. Selena gasped when she saw his face. Both of his eyes were puffy and swollen, his lip was split and he had bruises covering his shaved head. Nero looked at Brad with familiarity and said,” Do I…know you?” Recognition crossed his face and he pointed at Brad.” You’re the nosy reporter aren’t you? The one at the courthouse! That was you!” Nero was furious. He pulled out his infamous silenced APB/ 6P13 from his docker’s clutch and aimed briefly. He shot Brad in the crook of the arm. Brad cried out in pain, blood spraying all over Nero from his gums. His teeth were covered with blood, and his right canines were missing. Brad’s white tank top was now covered in blood from his arm. “Please… don’t…” Brad was crying.
Rhesal’s eyes were brimming with tears. He looked over his shoulder and saw Selena weeping. Nero leveled the gun at Brad’s head and pulled the trigger. Brad jerked back and landed on his back, his knees still bent. Selena cried out, “NO!!!!!”
Rhesal had been hunkered down on his feet, behind the wooden railing, watching the event’s progress. He kicked off the railing as soon as Selena opened her mouth, and he tackled her to the ground, slamming his hand over her mouth. But he was too late.
The guard that had dragged Brad pulled out a Ruger MP9, unlatched the stock and opened fire on the balcony. Nero also unloaded a clip into the wooden railing before giving up. “After them!”
MultiQuote