"Move, Randy, move!"
Meadow ran through the back streets, firing shots when she was able. Despite her best efforts, though, thin chains continued to chase her. Every shot she sent, no matter how many they were accompanied by, vanished without a sound. She couldn't afford to look back for too long, lest she lose Randy.
He ran a few scant paces ahead of her, barely able to keep going. She'd been sent as protection while he nabbed some cash for the group. And things had gone horribly wrong.
Angela had found them.
She didn't know how Angela's goons had gotten to them, but Niko should be aware of the situation by now. Hopefully reinforcements were coming. Meadow just had to hold out until then.
Whiplash was familiar enough at least. Jacob, one of Angela's personal favourites. The other person was someone she didn't recognize. And whoever he was, he had a Miracle that countered hers.
"Slow up!" The second guy behind her - not Jacob - yelled after them.
Ha. Did he think they were stupid? Angela couldn't have anything good planned for them. No way they were slowing down until they were home free.
They kept running, Randy gasping for air. Really, he was doing pretty well all things considered. Meadow herself wasn't sure how much longer she could keep going, and she prided herself on her stamina.
Of course, in a life-or-death situation, adrenaline did a lot of heavy lifting.
"Gotcha!"
Jacob lunged forward, almost grazing Meadow's back with his outstretched fingers. His chains looped around her, reaching for Randy as well.
"Keep running!" she yelled. Randy didn't respond, but didn't stop either.
Good. At least she could say she did her job.
"Go after him," Jacob said. The other guy nodded and continued the chase.
Wrong move. Meadow braced herself and unleashed a hail of pellets at Jacob. Most of them hit, but the chains around her tightened to the point she couldn't stand it and she cried out in pain.
"Serves you right. See what defiance gets you." Jacob grinned at her, wiping some blood from his arm. Meadow glowered at him wordlessly.
"Let her go." They both turned to find June standing at the mouth of the alley.
"Well, well. If it isn't Jase's little pet. We've been looking for you." Jacob grinned and cracked his knuckles. "Be a good kid and come along with me."
"Hell no. Now let her go." June took a step forward, glaring coldly at Jacob. Had Meadow ever seen such a serious expression on her face? Not often, that's for sure.
"Got a mouth, do you? Then I guess I'll just..." Jacob grinned and tightened the chains around Meadow even more. She gritted her teeth and tried to bear it, but sound escaped her anyway.
"Stop it. I mean it." June's expression darkened further.
"How about I stop if you come with me?" Why did Jacob look like he was enjoying this so much?
"Fine." June walked up to him, never once taking her eyes off him or blinking.
"Now stay." Jacob whipped chains around June and tightened them. Surprisingly, they didn't go through her. Meadow's heart sank into her stomach. Was June trying to save her? Even if she, Jase's favourite, got the punishment instead?
"Now let her go," June said firmly. Jacob let out a laugh.
"No." He tugged the chains and Meadow couldn't help but scream as they drew tight enough to draw blood. June, on the other hand, glowered as the chains around her fell to the ground. She was ethereal again.
Of course it would end up this way. No way Angela or her people would let any prey escape.
Hopefully Randy at least was okay. That had been her one job.
"Shit," Randy gasped as he finally fell against a wall. His pursuer was right behind him.
"Long time no see, partner."
At that voice, Randy's blood ran cold.
Justin.
He stood in front of him, twin weapons in his hands. One glowed blue, the other glowed red. A slight purple aura came off the end of each scythe-like blade, and a similarly coloured string seemed to connect each of their handles.
"Angel wants to see you."
"You're working for her now?" Randy asked, taking a step along the wall away from Justin.
"Well, after you left me out to dry, she convinced me to join the club."
"Left you out to dry? Justin, you left me out to dry!"
"I saved my own skin! You're the one who took the loot and disappeared on me. And let me tell you, Watson was not happy."
"I almost got arrested, you entitled -"
"But you didn't! Neither of us did. But you, you left me to deal with the aftermath while you ran off with some useless, cowardly former Angel member."
"At least he takes care of us." Randy glared at Justin. Part of him felt bad for his former partner's circumstances, but Justin had been the first one to backstab the other.
"Does he?" Justin asked, laughing darkly. "That whole Phalanx thing was a joke. Is that how he usually takes care of you?"
"The Phalanx made for good cover for more subtle things," Randy replied. He should know - he'd been involved with a lot of those subtle things.
"Your Phalanx is full of clowns. You don't even have your poster child."
Randy gritted his teeth. They didn't need Paris. He had been too dangerous to keep around.
"With Angel, I have immunity. No one can touch me - and with this new Miracle, I'm one of her most valuable people."
"People or pawns?" Randy had kept shuffling along the wall and was almost far enough from Justin to run. A little more...
But Justin's response was to clamp his two weapons together, making a circular shield-like object. Some kind of violet film filled in the gaps between the scythes. With a flick of his wrist, he threw the new weapon toward Randy.
He felt like his heart was going to stop. Whatever Justin's Miracle had created, it looked like it was ready to decapitate him. With a strangled cry, Randy ducked and barely avoided the blade.
"What was that for?" he asked, backing away from the weapon.
"I need to bring you to Angela," Justin replied with a grin.
Randy's blood ran even colder.
Justin was his enemy now.
