Scrapyard Angels Act 1 Chapter 24

This was a reckless plan, a stupid one even but things got personal and I'd rather finish things now rather than have it bite me later when I least expect it. Things from the past have a nasty way of creeping up on you and destroying what you cherish.

I was hurt, yes, but it didn't hurt as bad as it should have. Whatever ointment Cindy gave me earlier was working wonders as my hands barely hurt anymore. Still, I was sore all over but I had my rest and my fill. I was more than ready to take on what’s in front of me in my mind but, of course what my mind thinks is true and what reality is can be quite different.

“What the hell do you want! Money? Women? I can give it to you! Surely I could match whatever the Veraza’s gave you” The Baron kept shouting even as he ordered his men to keep shooting. I’m getting mixed messages here you know and I can’t help but laugh at the naked desperation he displayed.

“I told you once and I told you before, I’m after your fucking head!” I could afford to taunt him. Talking was a luxury and an opportunity I had.

The amount of gunfire being shot at my general direction as I hid behind a metal pillar was quite concerning. The constant ping of lead along with the splash and sizzling of chems hitting my cover was making me sweat as I hunkered down but eventually they ran out of ammo.

I came out running, tossing lighting whichever which way before I passed by another set of frothing and twitching guards. My fight with the guards was a dance at this point. Without support and back up as the rest were pinned down fighting the forces outside, I tore through them like a hot knife through butter. They shoot, I hide, maybe they get smart and try luring or flushing me out, they run out of ammo before I come out guns blazing. It was almost therapeutic doing this.

“You can turn around assassin! You know you can’t win!” He shouted at me as our chase continued. I was quite frankly flattered at his words. Me? An assassin? Maybe but that would be a big maybe. I didn’t bother to respond as I felt that our chase wouldn’t last for long as no more guards came to stop me. He ran out of men to throw at me

Round a bend I went and there he was trying to open a small and unassuming wooden door. Rising to the air, flew straight right at him. While my hands can't be much use in a fight, my feet were still in perfect order. I lashed out with my left leg and planted my foot right against his face. We plowed through the door as I broke its hinges from my kick.

He rolled off to the center of the dimly lit room bleeding and broken. I grimaced as I felt a tooth against the sole of my feet. I pulled it out and threw it away before I started walking towards him.

"So it finally ends here. You took me on quite a wild chase." While I could have just thrown lightning at him from the start, it was a cathartic beating the shit out of someone so powerful and wealthy and it didn't hurt he had such a punchable face.

He rose up shaking, hand raised up in surrender as well to protect his face from further mauling. "Please, I beg you, I'll give you anything you want. Just let me go!"

"My girlfriend was tougher."

"Your girlfriend? O-oh t-this is just a misunderstanding! We can sort things out! Where's Warwick? Isn't he what you want?" For how weak he was, I had to give credit to him for having at least some brains inside that head of his.

"He's kinda dead." I honestly wished I brought the arm but I was too busy trying to get help.

His mouth was bleeding, his teeth chipped and broken and his face was a large patch of bruises and cuts. I gave him another kick for good measure.

He laid there gasping and groaning, hands clutching his face as I slowly floated up. He tried to crawl away but I was faster and I had wings to carry me up in the air. I hovered over him, flying just above his height.

I reached in deep once more, pulling at my flagging pool of mana before firing at the Baron. The blast hits him straight in the chest and sends him flying off, destroying several tables and scattering lab equipment everywhere before crashing against a purplish glass vat that shattered upon impact. He cried out as he toppled over, his back peppered with the shards of jagged glasses.

It’s contents poured over him, washing his form in a purplish sludge of goo and viscera. It was a pitiful sight seeing him cradle his stomach as he crawled away from me. Blood trailing behind in a seemingly desperate attempt to escape. I landed close to him, walking up to him before stomping on his back to drive the shards in deeper.

“It ain’t funny anymore when you’re not watching it huh?!” I shouted as I gave him a good kick before he laid there groaning. I kicked him again and again, taking my anger and frustration out of him knowing that he can’t fight back. As I gazed away, psyching myself up to kill him with my bare hands, I noticed something odd about the room.

I was so focused on toying with the Baron in front of me that I didn't notice the cages around me. It wasn't the cages that caught my attention but the dark figures inside them. I lit my hands up once again, letting electricity dance between my fingers to light up the room.As I raised them, I saw the occupants. There were children all in small cages, whimpering and trying to make themselves small.

As I looked around, then more I noticed how fucked up things were. There were occupied cages lining the walls of the room with tubes and wirings running here and there. Beakers and flasks lay around various tables along with what looked like a whole operating theater, tables with straps and all that.

Tubes of purplish liquid along with twisted creatures straight from one's nightmare lay suspended inside them. There were actual voidlings among them and I do not like how their eyes still glowed with life.

"What the fuck is this..." I whispered as I looked around. What the hell did I stumble into?

My shock was cut short as the man ahead of me laughed. I backed away as I saw dark veins crawling up from beneath his collar and up his head. He turned to his stomach and there clutched in the arm I thought was broken was a syringe with his thumb pressing down on the plunger. "Here I thought you were a hardened assassin but now I see you're just a boy. Funny isn't it, a powerful guy like me brought low by a mere boy out for revenge. Do you know how much I've worked to get here in the top? So many bloody years and so many bodies. If only you knew what you’re helping to destroy." He laughed out as he slowly sat up.

My hands reached out, firing a blast at his chest. He seized up as the blast hit him squarely right over the heart, his limbs rattling before he settled down and tilted his head at me. A smile stretching across his before he let out a rattling laugh. Why isn’t he dying? I kept firing, burning away at his flesh yet its as if his body was pulling itself back every time, pulling at the contents of the vat that was strewn around him

"You might be wondering why there's so many children here? Since everything's burning and I'm going to die soon might as well spill the beans as they say.

You see… The thing is, money and influence can only give you so much power. What you really need is real power like that magic of yours, but not everyone can have magic or wave some sword so we have technology for that. What you want are some test subjects and do some good old experimentation, or at least fund it. Cant have an omelet unless you’ve cracked a few eggs. Well I think my eggs heads already cracked enough of em to make me something"

He let out an unholy howl of pain and anger as the sound of bones and flesh tearing themselves to pieces reverberated across the room. His spine bending backwards in sickening before he hunched over. His clothes started to tear as his body expanded, boils spreading across his form as he started to deform before my very eyes. His limbs twisting in all sorts of unnatural manners as he clawed at the ground. Flesh seemed to flow out of him, veins spreading out as his body reshaped itself.

He was gaining size and purplish veins spread across his body. Chitinous spikes sprouting from his back. Whatever was happening, I can't let myself stay frozen. I kept throwing lightning at the thing in front of me.

The unnatural howl it let out shook me to the core. It was painful, like having nails drive themselves inside my ears. The room descended to chaos as the children finally cried out while a monster was born in front of me. I kept throwing yet all I ever got was angry growls and my only saving graces was that it has yet to find its footing thanks to its legs which have yet to form properly.

I cursed out as I decided it was time to book it. I came here for revenge but revenge wasn’t worth it when you're going to put yourself in more danger than was necessary, particularly if your target refused to die. Right in front of me was a danger that I did not want to fight.

I should have booked it the moment he stabbed himself and everything went to shit; yet here I was flying down to start opening the cages. “GO! Get the fuck out of here!” I shouted as I started opening cages, cutting through the locks as I pulled out the kids inside. They were kids and I just can’t leave them here to die.

The kids didn’t need to be told twice as they fled but some stayed as they started helping the others go. Thankfully the keys were nearby and now it's only a problem of opening them all out.

“Come on, come on, we don’t have all day!” I shouted as I started blasting away at the purple tumor monster. Even as flesh blistered and blackened, new flesh came back to replace it. Even its head proved to be tougher than its flesh as hard carapace grows in the place of skin. More and more it grew and soon it was pressing up against the ceiling.

It’s size wasn’t just the issue but now it was becoming more lucid as it started to lash out. It’s titanic arms lashing out, crushing and destroying whatever lay before it. I hoped that I could free more of them before it was too late. It lashed out and my breath was taken away from me as I felt its knuckles slam against my chest.

I was thrown against one of the cages and it's only thanks to my wings that I didn’t take the full brunt of it but now they were twisted and deformed. I could still fly but the magnets were all misaligned. I couldn’t steer myself properly and I knew I was in trouble as an inhumane laugh echoed inside the room.

All the kids have been released now but now I was the one in trouble with this beast fully awakened. They were merely strangers but how could I not help them when it could have easily been Jinx in their place? What's worse was that I felt like the large pool inside me was slowly starting to drain. I was running out of time to get out.

It still possessed a humanoid build, yet it had been twisted, more akin to an insectoid form with all the claws and spikes it possessed. Purple veins pulsed across its form as blazing red eyes honed on me. My heart leaped up to my throat as it roared out and started running towards me.

I flew up and made a dash for the door but it was faster. He crawled along the floor like a demented beast, eating up the distance between us in large strides. His cruel claws swatted me out of the air and down on the hard ground before he reached out and caught me.

Dread filled my body as he held me in front of his large beady eyes. There was no trace of humanity in those cold sadistic eyes. I struggled with all my might to get out of his grip but his fingers were like hard iron, unyielding and cruel as they dug into my sides. I couldn’t help but cry out, discharging as much electricity as he held me up to his open maw. Rows upon rows of cruel teeth raised up and pointed up like daggers ready to tear my to pieces. I had truly fucked up and there might be no way out.

Just as he was about to bite down when the most unexpected thing happened. “Here catch!” came a voice as Whump came flying up in the air and right at the eye of the monster. My mouth was wide agape just as Whump bit down hard on the white of the monster's eyes. I hastily closed my mouth as blood and liquid came pouring out.

I dropped down with Whump as he released his grip on the monster’s flesh as he let go of us. Down we fell only to crash against the soft furry back of Mr Floofington. He grabbed me by the collar before dragging me away. If they were here then… I whipped my head at the source of the voice. It was then at that moment a familiar set of blue pigtails filled my vision.

“Hey you Shelob wanna be, how about you pick on someone your own size!” shouted my blue haired Angel before the air was filled with gunfire.

There Jinx stood like an avenging angel as she held a large mounted repeater in her hand. The continuous fire was almost deafening as the Chemtech Mechanism kept the barrel cranking.

“Jinx!?” How the hell did she get here and how the heck did she find me.

“Can’t hear you! Too busy firing this weapon I found!” Shouted Jinx as she stared right at the beast while peppering it with shots. There in her hands was a multi-barreled minigun which looked like it was unscrewed from its mount before having a handle jerry rigged onto it. Brass casings flew everywhere as the beast was actually pushed back but soon she ran out of ammo.

I pushed myself up as I grabbed all of Jinx, Whump and Floofington and dragged them away from the scene. “Hey! I was just about to reload!” She protested as she stumbled a bit before finding her stride as I led her out.

“Jinx, trust me on this one but those things are far too tough. We need to get out of here!” I shouted before my words were drowned out by the monster's roar. We ran as it struggled to get out the tiny door before bursting through the hallway hot on our heels. Its clawed feet slipping as it tried to chase after us.

“How the hell did you find me?” I shouted out as we ran as fast as our little legs could carry us.

“Floofington followed your scent and there was a commotion in the direction you were heading. Also did you know that a major Chem river is running under this factory? Sneaking in via the tunnels was a breeze!” She replied as she slung the large gun behind her back

“Celestials be damned Jinx, you could have been hurt and are you really taking that thing?”

“You’re one to talk when I’m saving your butt and it’s mine alright? I got it from an armory and it's mine fair and square!” She pointed out how I was in danger. “It did help so why not a little thanks here?!”

I could hear stone tearing behind us just as we were about to reach a window where we could glide out of. “Ok fine- DUCK!” I shouted as I pulled her down as my sense screamed at me. A piece of rock came flying above us and tearing through the fragile window ahead of us. It was probably not a great idea to fly out in the open when there’s an active siege but we had little choice.

“Jinx, I need you to grab hold of me and don’t let go!” I shouted as I secured Whump on my shoulder before lifting up Mr Floofington.

“Are we going to jump?” Asked Jinx as she grabbed onto my back.

“It's more of a glide really, so hold on tight!” I run straight ahead before making my jump. Spotlights were immediately pointed at our direction as we glided down to the ground. While my wings can carry a lot, I couldn’t carry the weight of my family.

The fighting seemed to stop as the monster behind us stood on the edge of the window. It was still growing, its heading reaching up to the high ceiling before it roared out. I quickly cut power in my wings as it made a leap towards us. We dropped down fast and it sailed past us and against another building.

I had barely enough time to power up my wings just as we were about to crash into the ground. As we landed down in the middle of no man's land, the gangsters and enforcers turned their weapons away from each other straight at the monster chasing us.

I let go of Jinx as we made our dash to friendlier lines but we were cut off as the monster cut us off as it landed in front of us. The road cracked under its weight, but it surprisingly held itself up. It roared as it was pelted by many small arms but we needed bigger guns to keep it distracted for us to escape.

“Jinx, if you still have ammo, this is the best time to reload!” I said as I tossed Whump at Jinx. “This thing right here hates us with the passion of a thousand sun and it will keep hunting us down, so why don’t we try and take it down?”

With electricity on hand and Jinx behind me, I started taunting the beast. I ran to the side shouting out to catch its attention.

“Hey you! Remember me! Come on, you know you want a piece of me!” I dashed to the side as the monster slammed its meaty hands on the pavement. Its reaction was slowed as the men around us kept firing round after round. I joined in the fun as I threw electricity at its fresh wounds. I was running low but I needed to get Jinx out from danger.

“Yooo hoo, over here you big dumb lug! Bet you can’t catch me!” Shouted Jinx as she got on top of Mr Floofington and started firing. We ran circles around the beast trying to take it down. Yes we could run, but I’m not sure this thing’s going to stop anytime soon. It needs to die.

It ran after us, crashing against the buildings in its mad dash to try and grab us yet I fear that our efforts were futile. It reached out for the corpses of men and gobbled them up, growing faster with each thing it ate. It grows taller, wider, and meaner with each bite.

Men were starting to flee around us and leaving us fewer and fewer people around to fight. With all its hate focused on us, I just knew that it would never let us go. Even as my lungs burned, my arms leadened, I kept running hoping to find an weak spot or a chink in its armor but this wasn’t a video game like League but real life.

Fear once more gripped my heart as it swiped at Jinx tossing her aside like a rag doll. I shouted out, trying to get its attention but whatever alien intelligence was up there knew she was important to me. It smiled, oh it smiled with its wicked fangs as it looked back at me before staring at Jinx.

My heart hammered against my chest as I quickly cycled through my options, trying to think of something until I saw parts of the roads gave way where he landed. I knew what I had to do.

I stretched my wings before flying up high, trying to get as much height as I could. I wasn’t as fast as I wish I could with my wings twisted in the wrong direction but I was quickly climbing up. The beast was heading for my sister and this might just be my only hope.

Up high in the sky I floated, my back almost up against the almost liquid like Grey. The scene below me is almost like a mere diorama with people barely visible to the naked eye. I whispered my apology, hoping that Vi wouldn’t kill me as I dove down.

The air around me screamed as I head down feet first, my wings pushing me faster and faster. The back of the beast grew fast, becoming wider as I came down on top of him like the hammer of Thor.

It hurts crashing against his carapaced back but I felt him buckle beneath me as I kept pushing, pressing down hard with all my might. My bones creaked in protest as I saw him trying to reach for Jinx but it was his legs that gave out first before my limbs.

He crashed down against the ground; breaking the already damaged road. Spider webs spread from his form until I felt weightless for a brief instant. We were falling but we couldn’t stop now. Drawing up the last dregs of my strength, I roared out as I pushed one last time. We crashed down hard against the multiple levels of Zauns, breaking through platforms and buildings until my vision was drowned out by a river of green sludge.