Road to Destruction |Part 2| Into the Underbelly

[Nicholi]

The noon sun shines overhead. Nicholi Anhelo and Hanson Crawford travel onward to their destination: The Ruined City. After escaping a small tiff in a bar, the two headed south. They have traversed somewhere near 20 miles since then. They are now entering about to enter the grand city of Neral Niai. The city is known for its bustling industry, wild nightlife, and vile mob activity.

Nicholi stops in the middle of the road and turns to Hanson.

"Well Hanson, seems we've reached our next rest stop. We'll restock on food and drink, get a good nights rest, and continue heading to The Ruined City in the morning. For now I think we should head to the local pub."

Nicholi and Hanson walk on, heading towards the the city entrance. The two finally arrive. Nicholi looks to the sky, though little can be seen due to the massive structures and buildings. The local pub is within sight from the city entrance. Nicholi and Hanson walk among the crowded streets and head for the pub. The two enter. A large group of people cover the complex. Nicholi searches for a table to sit at. After spotting one around the back, Nicholi and Hanson have a seat.

"I think I'll have a bite to eat. I recommend you do the same. It's a bit warm in here. I need to get rid of some this excess clothing."

Nicholi removes his hat and overcoat. He now sits garbed in his usual atire. A waitress heads to the table at which Nicholi and Hanson sit. The young lady stops and greets the newcomers with a smile.

"What can I get you sirs?"

As Nicholi prepares to order, a small group walks into the room. The are headed by a portly man in a black overcoat. A women, around here mid thirties, trails along the side of the man. Several burly men make up the rear of the group. Nicholi looks up to observe the group. After a quick glance he returns his attention to the waitress.

"I believe I'll have a steak, medium rare, and a glass of red wine."

Nicholi sits in silence. How could it be? After ten years, how is it their paths could cross yet again? This now makes the situation more urgent. If he was found, there would be no end to the trouble he and Hanson could be in.

[Hanson Crawford]

*And, of course, while all this was going on, Hanson was oblivious to everything.*

"Let's see here," he said, looking at the menu and wondering what to order. "I'll have this chicken sandwich, no mayo, please, though, I'd like ketchup if you would, and..." another pause as he scanned the menu. "An iced tea, please."

*He took a moment to look around. Then he turned back to Nicholi, whos thoughts were elsewhere.*

"Now, this is a nice joint," he said smiling. "We can just sit back, relax, and eat a nice quaint meal. What could go wrong?"

[Nicholi]

Nicholi chuckles at Hanson's last remark.

"We can only hope so Hanson."

Nicholi leans back and glances back at the group that had entered. The portly man had just lit a cigar and offered a cigartte to his ladyfriend. Nicholi turns his attention back to Hanson. He now bears a more serious tone.

"I'm afraid there is a chance we can run into a bit of trouble. I'm aquanted with a member of the group that walked in a moment ago. That group is part of one of the largest crime syndicates in Xenon. We best be careful. Don't do anything that might draw their attention or casue them to be suspicious."

As Nicholi finishes talking, the waitress arrives with his steak and Hanson's sandwich. Nicholi begins eating his meal. Thoughts still run through his head. He only hoped the situation wouldn't take a turn for the worst.

At the table in which the syndicate group sat, small bits of conversation began. The woman looks at Nicholi and Hanson.

"Well, well if it isn't Anhelo. Its been awhile since the two of us last met. I think I'll go over and pay him a little visit."

The woman takes her cigertte and puts it out in the ash-tray. She turns to the portly man and speaks.

"I'll be back in a sec. I have some unfinished buisness to take care of with an old flame."

[Hanson Crawford]

*Hanson glancs first to the left, then to the right. Suddenly extremely paraniod. Everyone seemed to be looking at them an excessive amount. He didn't even realize who Nicholi was addressing and had not even noticed the Syndicate members on one side of the bar. His eyes were on the other side of the bar. Where a group of young ladies dressed in school uniforms had walked in perhaps a second before the Syndicate members. Now just because Hanson had been staring at the girls because of there looks as they walked in and had only pulled his eyes off of them during Nicholi's warning, he had not seen the Sydicate member's walk in, he so thought the girls were the tarkets of Nicholi's warning. Now he stared at the girls in new light. Sure they looked cute and defenseless, but he bet they could kill him a varity of ways with only a salad fork. He noticed the girls glanced over at their tables many times. It never crossed his mind that they might think he and Nicholi handsome. He was too paranoid. The girls were, in fact, from some of the richer families of Xenon, just getting out of school, and going off to eat. They would later think Hanson a bit dim in the head, but still cute. They would later fear Nicholi, but that just made him more attractive in their eyes. He did not see the Syndicate member walking over. Suddenly some one hit a table rather loud a few tables over. Hanson thought it was a gunshot and rose to his feet and yanked out his sword.*

"NOBODY MOVE!"

*The room went silent instantly. Hanson looked around nervously. The Syndicate member sat down quickly. The girls were bewildered. Nicholi was rubbing his forehead as though with a headache. The man who had thrown his hand on the table now had his mouth hanging open. Hanson coughed nervoudly, not making eye contact with Nicholi. He continued looking around. Eventually talk resumed. The Syndicate member resumed walking. Hanson still didn't see. One of the girls had just gotten up. She was walking over. One of her hands was behind her back. Would Hanson believe she was just coming over to flirt? Of course not! This was a dire situation.*

'Crap crap crap crap CRAP! What do I do?' he thought. 'Can't make an action again. This could be it. I hope Nicholi is prepared. Something tells me these girls are looking for more than just fun. I hope Nicholi has a plan....'

[Nicholi]

Nicholi continues to rub his forehead. After watching Hanson jump to his feet, with sword drawn and ready to fight, he could only imagine the attention they just drew. Nicholi hears footsteeps. He glances back to see the female syndicate member still walking in their general direction, accomponied by two other women. Nicholi returns his attention to Hanson.

"Hanson, please refrain from drawing any more attention to yourself. Things are about to get ugly."

The three women reached Nicholi and Hanson's table. The female syndicate member sat down next to Nicholi.

"Well, well, if it isn't the great Nicholi Anhelo. I never thought I'd see you again."

Nicholi turns to speak to the woman.

"The same could be said for you Jennifer. I'd hoped I'd never have the misfortune of running into you again."

"Still the same cocky a****** you were before. What has it been, ten...fifteen, years?"

"Nevermind the past, what do you want?"

"Can't I just drop by and talk to an old friend?"

"I have more pressing matters to attend to than talking to an old aquantince."

The other two girls sitdown next to Hanson.

Jennifer moves closer to Nicholi.

"Is that all I am to you? An old aquantince? What about back then? I know you haven't forgotten our reala........."

Nicholi cuts her sentence off before she can finish it.

"If you don't mind, I was right in the middle of eating."

Jennifer stands up.

"Fine then I'l leave you to your meal. I'll see you around town some time, I'm sure of it.."

Jennifer walks off and returns to her table. Nicholi turns to see hanson lapping up the attention he's getting from the two girls that sat next to him.

"Ladies,and I use that term lightly, please peddle your services somewhere else."

The girls stick their tongues out at Nicholi in childish retort. Before leaving each girl gives Hanson a peck on the cheek.
Nicholi returns his attention to Hanson once more.

"If your done having fun, I recommend we leave here now before anyhing else happens."

[Hanson Crawford]

*At first, Hanson did not appear to have heard Nicholi. His eyes were locked on the two girls who were now walking away. Nicholi sighed. He did not have time for this. He finally got Hanson's attention however, and Hanson looked at him in a daze for a few moments before replying.*

"Leave? Now? But we've met such nice people here! I mean, you met up with your old friend and..."

*He broke off as Nicholi gave him a look that seemed to say two things, We are not friends, and Do you never pay attention? Hanson looked blank again for a second and then said,*

"Ok, sure. Just let me eat first."

*Nicholi, pleased with getting results, nodded. Hanson ate his sandwich calmly. The girls had done much to settle his paranoia. His eyes kept straying over to the table they were at. They kept making eye contact with him and giggling. Man, they are fine.... So, Hanson made sure to eat slowly. In his current state of mind, it was oblivious to him that the longer they stayed there, the more danger they were in.*

[Nicholi]

Nicholi finishes his meal. He lets loose a sigh and stands to his feet. He turns to Hanson.

"When you’re finished meet me outside."

Nicholi walks out of the pub and leans against the building wall. He begins to drift into a state of semi consciousness.
Slowly, the area around him begins to shift. An extreme pain runs through his body.

"Arrrgggghhhhhh....... D***."

Nicholi slumps over in pain. His head throbs in a violent tattoo. His body begins to sweat profusely. Nicholi collapses in agony.

Inside the pub, Jennifer and her underlings eye Hanson form afar. Jennifer looks at a watch.

"The toxin should be kicking in right now. When Anhelo's friend leaves, be ready to initiate phase two."

The two girls acknowledge Jennifer's words with a nod.
Hanson remains oblivious to the greater evil that is soon to occur.

[Hanson Crawford]

*And so, Hanson sat, blissfully anaware of the waiting danger. When he finished the last of his sandwich and drank a last few mouthfuls of tea, he stood up. The girls made eye contact and giggled. He bowed and headed towards the exit. The second he stepped through he saw Nicholi kneeling on the ground.*

"Nicholi, what the-" he rushed over. Oh, he was wide awake now. Even more so when the two women stepped between him and Nicholi. They were both wearing winning smiles. Even in his panic Hanson gave their bodies a looking over. They were sexy in a dangerous way. Without saying a word one of the them kicked him right in the gut. Her smile never flickered. He grabbed his stomach. And the two women just stared at him smiling. Now, they were just dangerous. His hand went to his gun. Not to use, only to get them to stand down. Before he reached it, a bottle crashed over his head. Neither of the two women had moved. No, this isn't how it's suppose to work. We're suppose to win. We're suppose to... these were Hanson's thoughts as he lost conscouness, lying on the ground. And so the two women, still smiling, picked him up, and carried him off.*

[Nicholi]

Nicholi slowly begins to regain consciousness. He sits upright and rubs his head. It was now night-time and the tavern was empty. The streets were still very much alive. The night life of Neral Niai was one of lust and gambling.

"How long have I been out? I was too careless this time. I imagine that one of Jennifer's flunkies spiked my drink while I was distracted. Hanson wouldn't have notice as he was preoccupied by lust."

Suddenly a though dawned on Nicholi. Where was Hanson?

"D***. I bet Hanson got caught. Otherwise he would have taken me somewhere to recuperate while I was unconscious. Or maybe he's just enjoying the night life. What am I thinking, of course he was kidnapped. Why else would Jennifer go to the trouble of rendering me unconscious?"

Nicholi stands to his feet.

"Where to start searching? He could be anywhere in this city."

Nicholi reaches for his medicine chest. He finds a small note attached to the chest. He grabs the note and begins to read it.

Dear Nicholi,

If you want to see your friend, come to Neral Niai's capital building. Come alone and don't inform the authorities. Otherwise your little friend might have an accident. I'll be waiting for you.

Love Jennifer

"Well that answers my question."

Nicholi heads off in the direction of the capital building.

"Try to stay alive Hanson.'

[Hanson Crawford]

*Hanson awakes to find himself in a large room. It is a nice room, aparently well taken care, but all but a few lights had been turned off, giving the room a creepy look. He tried to get up only to realize he's to a chair. Of course he is. This is what they do to you when you get kidnapped. Their are a few people talking near by who weren't troubling to keep their voices down. He heard enough to get the gist of why he was here, just by sitting in the chair. He looked rich, they wanted money. Hanson had to stifle a laugh. Imagine if they knew he didn't a nickle on him? Imagine if they knew that there wasn't anyone who cared if he lived? He also realized they wanted Nicholi. That bit might work for them. He knew they had to think he had wealthy friends, or they'd switch all their goals to getting Nicholi. And that wouldn't be good for either of them. So, Hanson waited. He then noticed that the two girls who had snatched him were standing in the corner, keeping constant watch on him, and still grinning. Hanson didn't want to know what was going on in those minds. So, he just leaned back and waited for Nicholi to show up, and hoped that Nicholi wouldn't walk into a trap.*

[Nicholi]

*Sorry for the wait. The last part will be finished and posted once Hanson replies. Enjoy.*

Nicholi approaches Neral Niai’s capital building. The building is some 60 stories high. The building’s peak seems to merge with the night sky. Nicholi arrives at the door of the building and is greeted by a man in a black suit and black sunglasses. The man acknowledges Nicholi’s presence.

“I suppose you’d be Mr. Anhelo?”<br>
Nicholi nods in confirmation.

“You are only allowed to bring two weapons with you so please choose them and leave the rest of them here.”<br>
Nicholi grabs his nagitana and sets the chest next to the building.

“Follow me then.”<br>
The two enter the building. The complex is eerily quite. The first floor is void of any life, sans the man in the suit and Nicholi. The man stops in front of an elevator.

“Please enter the elevator Mr. Anhelo.”<br>
Nicholi follows the man’s instructions and enters the elevator. The man presses a key combination and the elevator doors close. As the elevator begins its ascent, the man steps behind Nicholi and begins to speak.

“We are currently in route to the 15th floor of this building. Your friend is on the 58th floor. You have 15 minutes to get to him before we kill him…”

The elevator comes to a halt. Nicholi hears the sound of a gun clicking behind him. The man has a gun drawn to Nicholi’s back.

“...Starting now.”<br>
Nicholi drops his gun from his sleeve. He turns and kicks the gun from the man’s hand and then knocks him unconscious with the butt end of the gun.

“Sweet dreams.”<br>
The elevator door opens. Facing Nicholi is a group of five men, all armed with handguns and knives. Nicholi cocks his gun.

“I suppose she wants to make this challenging. Alright then, let’s see what she has in store”<br>
Nicholi throws his jacket at the men. The group begins firing a volley of bullets into the jacket. The jacket hits the ground. Nicholi now stands behind the group, gun ready to fire. Nicholi fires three shots, each aimed for a man’s arm. The shots connect and three of the men grasp their arms in pain. The two remaining men turn to fire at Nicholi. Quickly, Nicholi roles near the fallen men and raises him in front of himself.. As the two standing men fire, the majority of their shots hit their fallen comrade. Nicholi is grazed twice in his left shoulder and once on his forehead. The two men look on in disgust at the act they have just committed.

“You b******!!!!”<br>
Nicholi throws the now lifeless body on his assailants. Upon impact with the corpse, both men fall to the ground. Nicholi strikes both men unconscious with the butt end of his nagitana. He then proceeds in rendering the two wounded men unconscious. Nicholi grabs his now ruined jacket and puts it back on.

“This was my best jacket. Oh well, back to more pressing matters. Time to find to Hanson.”<br>
Nicholi walks back to the elevator. As he is about to enter, the elevator lurches and then plummets down the shaft. Nicholi looks up to see that the elevator cords have been severed.

“Guess I’m going for a walk.”<br>
Nicholi makes his way down the hall. The end of the hall splits off in two directions: left and right. As Nicholi approaches the split, he hears footsteps heading in his direction.

“Sounds like I have some company.”<br>
Nicholi presses against the wall. Form here, he sees that the left path leads down another hall. The right path leads to a staircase up to the next floor. Nicholi’s assailants are approaching from the right.

“Alright, I best get this over with.”<br>
Nicholi turns around the corner, gun drawn and ready to fire. To his surprise, the corridor is empty. All that is seen is the stairs. Nicholi slowly walks down the hall.
Suddenly, a large explosion occurs behind him. The hallway behind Nicholi has now been destroyed.

“It would seem like there’s no turning back.”<br>
Nicholi walks up the staircase. After climbing about ten floors, he reaches another door. Not knowing what lies behind it, Nicholi slowly opens the door. The hallway before him is empty. No living creature is in sight. Nicholi continues down the hall. After walking about 4 feet, another explosion occurs, this time in front of him. A large hole is now open on a side wall exposing the outside. A large group of footsteps approaches from the other end of the hallway. The door at the end of the hallway bursts open, revealing several men armed with Gatling guns.

“This isn’t my day.”<br>
Nicholi makes a bolt to the opening in the wall. He leaps outside and grabs hold of a terrace. Nicholi pulls out his nagitana and begins thrusting it into the wall of the building. He begins his ascent up the building. Several men appear from the opening and begin firing handguns. Several bullets graze Nicholi’s leg. Nicholi takes his other hand and fires several ultimatum shots back at his attackers. One man is downed and falls out the side of the building. Nicholi continues his assent up the building. After scaling about fifteen stories, he finds a window. As he reaches for the window to open it, the window is smashed away from the inside. A man with a knife appears and prepares to attack. Using what strength he has left, Nicholi hurls himself upwards and rests one foot on the pole of his nagitana, while the foot lunges towards the man with the knife. Nicholi lands inside the building. He reaches outside to grab his nagitana.

“Lets see… I started on the fifteenth floor, went up ten floors via the stairwell, and climbed fifteen floors outside the building. That puts me on the 40th floor. Hanson’s eighteen floors up. I need an easier way to get there. In my current condition I’m not sure if I can take anymore flunkies.”<br>
Nicholi walks down yet another long hallway. On the right wall Nicholi sees an elevator. Upon reaching the door it opens.

“Strange, someone must be watching me.”<br>
Nicholi enters the elevator. The machine rises up the shaft slowly and noisily. The elevator reaches the 58th floor and stops.

“Maybe I should have asked for Hanson gift wrapped and handed to me….”<br>
Nicholi exits the elevator and walks down the hall. He reaches a single door at the end of the hallway.

“This must be it.”<br>
Nicholi enters the room. He finds Hanson gagged and bound to a chair.

“Alright Hanson, time to get out of here.”<br>
As Nicholi approaches Hanson, two mean appear from the shadows, armed with semis.

“You thought we were gonna make it easy for ya didn’t ya? Well you were wrong, you’re outmanned and out gunned. There’s no way your gonna leave this room ali……..”<br>
Before the man is able to finish his sentence, Nicholi lodges a bullet in his brow. The other man tries to run, but Nicholi renders him unconscious with the butt of his nagitana.

“I have to fight tooth and nail through a building full of well armed men, and they leave you to be guarded by the village idiots.”<br>
Nicholi unties Hanson and waits for him to speak.

[Hanson Crawford]

*Hanson sits calmly, as Nicholi frees him. The second he's out he leaps to feet, spits out the gag and bruses himself off.*

"Well done, Nicholi! And in less than 15 minutes too! Now that is something."

*Nicholi looks around, hastily searching for more guards.*

"No worries!" said Hanson. "Everyone left about a minute ago for some unknown reason."

*Nicholi sudden froze looking at the wall that Hanson had had his back to. Hanson spun around to see a large, red clock digital clock on the wall. Which was strangly counting backwards....*

"So THATS'S why they were laughing everytime they looked at that wall...."

*Neither of the two spared anymore time talking and sped back the way they had come, back into the hall, where they instantly heard laughing and the clicking of many guns. Suddenly a bottle came wizzing through the air and slammed into Hanson's arm, throwing him into a wall. Nicholi turned in the direction the bottle had come from to see the wall that had once been their was gone, standing in its place were about five gunbearing guards, two smiling women, one man in a trench coat, and Jennifer. Hanson meanwhile groaned from a few feet away*

"Okay," he said through clenched teeth. "Who keeps throwing those bottles?!"

The man in the trench coat steps foreward. "It is I!" Cries the man, lifting his sombrero like hat from his eyes. "'Bottlecap' Rocky!" He then lifted his coat to reaveal dozens of bottles tied in at various places. Then two bottles shot out of his sleeves which he caught instantly and took a battle pose. "I've been hired by this Syndicate with the sole purpose of making sure you don't leave this place alive!"

Hanson flung this aside. "There's a bomb in this building!" he cried.

The man pulled a remote control out of his pocket and hit the only button on it. "There. The clock has reset! In twenty mintues, this building will become ten stories shorter!"

"Why would you do that?" Hanson asked, flabergasted.

"Destroy the evidence! If the police find dead bodies in here, they'll realize what happened! But if they find dead bodies in here after an explosion, they'll decide that the explosion killed them, and we'll never be caught up in this!" The man then gave a bit of miniacle laughter before crying, "Time to die! only fourteen minutes and twenty-eight second until boom-boom!"

*Then the man, Bottlecap Rocky threw one of his bottles at Hanson, who narrowly dodged it. It exploded as it hit the wall, knocking Hanson to the ground.*

Hanson got to his feet, deciding upon the only way to do this. "Nicholi, don't follow me. I'm gonna need room." With that he took off for the room he'd just left, already he was pulling his sword from it's sheath. Bottlecap Rocky took off after him, the two smiling girls following him, and two of the guards followed them; leaving Nicholi alone.

[Nicholi]

*This didn't turn out quite like I wanted it to, but here's the final product.*

Nicholi takes a moment to think about the situation. In about twenty minutes this building would be blown to bits. Hanson just ran off into more trouble, possibly more than he can handle. There was also Jennifer.

“I’m not sure this night could get anymore annoying.”

Nicholi walks out of the room and heads back to the elevator. The door opens and Nicholi steps inside. The door closes and the elevator begins its assent. Nicholi wonders what Jennifer has in store for him. Currently, he is injured in his left leg, both shoulders, ad his forehead. The elevator stops on the top floor. Nicholi steps out. He now stands in a large office. In front of him is a desk with a large chair. Nicholi walks up to the desk and turns the chair around. To his surprise, he finds the Syndicate head dead, apparently stabbed and strangely enough, charred. Nicholi looks up.

“Only one place she could be.”

Nicholi walks out on the terrace and up a set of stairs to reach the roof. The cold night air clings to the desolate rooftop. From the far side of the rooftop, Nicholi spies a lone figure.

“Alright Jennifer lets settle this once and for all.”

The figure walks forward. Slowly, the figure raises its arms. A plume of fire is shot in Nicholi’s direction. Nicholi dodges the oncoming blast. The figure begins to speak.

“You finally made it. I’ve been bored waiting for you.”

Nicholi readies his nagitana.

“I’ve gone through Hell and high water to get here. Your flunkies proved a constant nuisance. One thing bothers me though. Why do all of this? Why kidnap Hanson, send me through trap after trap, throw away the lives of so many of your own men, and most puzzling of all kill your own lover?”

Jennifer laughs at Nicholi’s last statement.

“That pig, my lover? HAH! I only used him for his resources. Being the “girlfriend” of a mob boss has its advantages. Wealth, power, protection… everything I needed. Now the culmination of that roach’s assistance comes to it light. I’ve waited for this moment. The moment which I finally get the revenge I so sweetly deserve. You’ll pay Anhelo, for what you did to me.”

Nicholi grins.

“I assume you mean leaving after our families arranged that wedding. I never had any intention of marrying you. If ever marry someone it’ll be of my choice, not just because my family thinks it would benefit them. You’re family lost most of their fortune didn’t’ they? I heard that your manor was burned to the ground along with all of your money.

Jennifer steps forward again. She raises her arm and another plume of flame is fired in Nicholi’s direction. Nicholi’s left leg is hit by the flame.

“You’re right Nicholi. My family’s manor was burned to the ground. Every last wall and floor was turned to ash. It’s both a fond and painful memory. The day you left me, my heart broke. I loved you and you left me. I was so angry that day. So angry, that I destroyed my own home. I wanted to be rid of everything that reminded me of my heritage, my family, and you. On that day I swore I’d hunt you down and kill you. You broke my heart Anhelo. Now I’ll break you, and I’ll do it with this!”

Jennifer reveals a flamethrower strapped to her back.

“I got this little beauty through the syndicate. I’ll set you ablaze Anhelo. Here’s your first taste of the fires of Hell!

Jennifer shoots several blasts at Nicholi. Nicholi runs to the left, being closely followed by the flames.

“Always the crazy ones. Why can’t I ever find a normal woman?”

Nicholi continues avoiding the flamethrower’s blasts. Jennifer begins firing my rapid shots.

“You can’t keep this up forever Nicholi. Eventually you’ll tire out, and then I’ll burn you alive!”

Nicholi is hit in the back by a plume. His jacket catches on fire. Nicholi grabs the burning garment and throws it. It falls over the edge of the building and plummets to the ground.

“Die Anhelo! Breathe a little harder. Bleed a little deeper. Die a little faster!!!”

A large plume hits Nicholi’s body. His chest is badly burned badly and he has lost a dangerous amount of blood. In a last ditch effort, Nicholi runs straight for Jennifer.

“That’s it Anhelo, just let me finish you in one blow!”

The flamethrower releases a monstrous blast. Nicholi is hit head on.

“I’ve done it at last! I’ve killed Nicholi Anhelo!”

As Jennifer finishes these words, the flames settle. A lone figure rushes form the fire and straight for Jennifer.

“How? That should have killed you!”

Nicholi thrusts his nagitana forward. The blade severs the fuel line. Jennifer’s weapon is now useless.

“I can’t die yet. I have a duty to fulfill and I’m not about to let some nut job like you stop me.”

Jennifer slumps over in a heap. She begins sobbing.

“Well, I suppose this old flame has just burnt out.”

Jennifer sticks an unlit cigarette in her mouth. Nicholi walks over to her. He pulls a lighter from her shirt pocket and lights the cigarette.

“To burn out, there had to be a spark in the first place. Enjoy what’s left of your life.”

With this, Nicholi walks back down the stairs. Jennifer releases a puff of smoke form her cigarette.

“Yup… same cocky b****** he was back then. You haven’t changed Nicholi Anhelo. You haven’t changed one bit…….”

Nicholi checks his pocketwatch. In 5 minutes, the bomb will go off and the building will go down with it. Nicholi enters the elevator. The doors close behind him and the elevator begins its descent.

[Hanson Crawford]

*Hanson flees into the room he was once held captive in with the five Syndicate members following him. Once he put his back to the wall to prevent them surrounding him he turned to face them. The two guards lept foreword at him, but Hanson grabbed the sheath hanging from his back and pulled his two kodachi from it. In a flash of steel, he slashed the throats of the two guards, who fell lifeless to the floor. The two women and Bottlecap Rocky stared at him in disbelief. Then one of the women, the one with the bigger breasts of the two stepped foreword, pulling a single kodachi from beneath her sleeve. With a scream she lept foreword. Hanson parried with one of his kodachi's, and used the other to attack, but suddenly he saw a second, thinner kodachi coming at him. He switched from offensive to defensive with his second kodachi, but when the kodachi clashed, his stance was awkward. He knew a true swordsmen could have killed him within two seconds, but luckily his opponent was not so skilled. But still he stared at the woman's second kodachi in disbelief.*

"Ah, you are unfamiliar with my weapon, aren't you, you little pest?" She asked, smiling in a very attractive way. "My second kodachi was concealed within my first. You believed I only had one weapon and now look at you. Both hands, useless." In his perivial vision, Hanson saw the second woman, the better looking of the two, moving slightly, and aiming what looked like a spear at him. He know he had to move fast, or his end would could quickly.

He turned his eyes back to the woman who was currently fighting him, stalling him until the other woman could kill him. Every few seconds, she would shift her arms, attempting to free her kodachi's in order to use them. While this was of no use, it did not change the fact that one of Hanson's arms was in a bad position. It was extremely uncomfortable, and Hanson knew it would fail him. And then her kodachi would find him, and he didn't want to think about what would happen after that....

"You're the one who's useless!" Hanson cried, twisting both hands with all his might and pulling up wards. Both of her kodachi's shattered as he lifted his weapons up. "You must not know much about swords." Hanson said to the indignant woman. "The kodachi hidden in the first one was so thin that it stood no hope as a real weapon, merely as a killer for people who's minds are entirely away from the battle. And as for the first one," Hanson tutted which made the woman go beet red and even at such a hostile moment Hanson couldn't help but think it sexy; "Once the core was removed, the weapon was nothing but a piece of metal waiting to be shattered."

Hanson turned his vision to the spear woman as he was saying this to make sure she wasn't trying anything. She wasn't. She had been so shocked by his maneuver that she had dropped her spear and was standing there staring at him with her mouth hanging open. 'Well, at least they're not smiling anymore,' thought Hanson.

"Hey," said Hanson, in a slightly angry voice. "Do I look that weak?" Nods from around the room was his answer.

But the woman he had just defeated was still outraged. She reached into her pocket, for some other weapon, but Hanson brought the flat of his sword down upon her head. She fell instantly. Her sister in crime screamed and bent over to grab her spear but Hanson reached foreword, grabbed her by the hair, and slammed her face first into the ground. She did not get up either.

Hanson turned his attention to Bottlecap Rocky. "Ready to finish this?"

"I was ready to finish this five minutes ago, but you were too busy flirting with those girls...." came the cross reply.

Then Rocky threw a bottle at Hanson, who, narrowly dodging it, crashed into the wall. The bottle hit the wall and exploded beside him. Rocky grabbed a chain with a bottle at the end of it and began swinging it in front of him. Hanson knew the second he moved in for an attack, he'd get that bottle upside the head. But as he hesitated, Rocky grabbed a bottle from within his jacket, and threw it at Hanson. Hanson dodged, but then Rocky moved in for the kill with the chain. Hanson threw one of his kodachi down to grab the bottle only to see Rocky pull another bottle from within his coat which he tried to slam against Hanson's head. Hanson tried using his other arm to block the bottle, but Bottlecap Rocky expertly flicked his wrist which, due to years training with a chain, wrapped around Hanson's other hand and pulled it out of the way.

"I have you!" screamed Bottlecap Rocky as his bottle neared Hanson's undefended head.

"Uri! Fly!" cried Hanson.

Next moment something slashed through Bottlecap Rocky. The bottle he'd held and the chain fell from his arms as he fell, bleeding to the ground. He watched Hanson untangle himself from the chain as what looked like a small sky blue colored dragon that looked straight out of a fairy tale landed on the boy's shoulder.

"You... you..." Bottlecap Rocky tried to get words out, but none would come. His shock and his injuries were too great.

"A biogenetically engineered dragon." said Hanson as prepared to walk away. He glanced back at Rocky, who lay dying, and at the girls who were both still off in dreamland; then he looked at the clock. Only ten minutes the get out of the building. He picked up his other kodachi and put both in the sheath. "One heck of a trump card, eh?" And then he left the room, and went to floor one via the nearest elevator. He petted his dragon as he descended. And finally, as he left the building a few minutes later, he mentally wished Nicholi luck in getting out too.

[Nicholi]

The elevator makes an abrupt stop. Nicholi arrives at the first floor of the building. He walks out from the elevator, blood slowly dripping from his side, and heads for the front doors. He checks his pocketwatch to find that 5 minutes remain. As he closes the watch, an elevator door opens on the other end of the room. Nicholi raises his nagitana, readying himself for another fight. The elevator's occupant steps out and turns towards Nicholi's direction. The individual raises his hand in acknowledgement to Nicholi. Nicholi hears the person begin to speak.

"Nicholi it's me, Hanson! Are you all right?"

Nicholi breathes a heavy sigh of relief. He puts his nagitana away and answers Hanson.

"I've been better. We'll discuss pleasantries later. This buildings coming down in less than 5 minutes."

Hanson gives a nod of conformation and the two walk out the building. Upon exiting the building, Nicholi grabs his medicine chest and begins to sprint away from the building. As Nicholi and Hanson run from the area around the building, Nicholi spots a group ahead of them, apparently set on not letting them pass. Nicholi hears one of the members of the group speak.

"If you want to pass, you'll have to pay up. I'd say about a 1,000......."

Before the man has a chance to finish, Nicholi strikes him in the face with the butt end of his nagitana. Nicholi spots a motorcycle behind the felled gangster. He mounts the bike and motions for Hanson to follow. With a loud roar, the bike starts up.

"I'm afraid I don't have time to play with you punks."

Nicholi reaches into his jacket and pulls out a few 100 gold pieces. He tosses them at the gangster he knocked out.

"That should be enough for the bike. I'd advise you all evacuate this area in the next few minutes. Farewell."

With those final words, Nicholi and Hanson ride off, heading north. Behind them, Nicholi hears a large explosion. He doesn’t bother to turn around, as he already knows what's happened. He looks onwards, following the moonlit road. As he and Hanson ride off through the desert sands Nicholi's thoughts turn to the others once more. He gives a small sigh.

"Before we meet the others, I need to make one final stop back at the manor. There's someone I have to visit before we meet the others. I also need to tend to these wounds soon. We should be able to get there in a few days. In the mean time, try to stay awake. I'd prefer you'd not fall off the bike before we reach somewhere safe."

Nicholi and Hanson continue their journey north, their next destination, White Village. As the two of them ride through the desert, the dark night sky begins to cloud over. It would be four more nights until the next full moon...