Enhance: Chapter 27

“You sure this is worth going to?” Shade asked as Yumi walked out of the kitchen.

She nodded, finishing up an apple.  “You guys told me to play it safe. I’m playing it safe. Keep doing the fights like I have been until it’s time to strike.”

“Right but I just got a bad feeling.”

“Well don’t. I’ll go in, kick some ass and then come back home.”

He looked at her and gave a small smile but he wasn’t convinced yet. She looked at him and stroked his cheek gently. It was a move that was still somewhat new for the two of them. Physical contact and the like. Shade glanced away and she turned him so that he was looking at her.

“You worry too much.”

“You don’t worry enough.” He smiled this time though and then shook his head. “You sure you don’t want me there.”

“Yes. After the thing with Big Mac they’ll definitely be looking out for you.”

“Fine. I’ll stay behind. Watch TV or something. Just call me if you need me.”

“Will do.” She took her usual stuff with her, her mask inside her bag. Slinging it over her shoulder she walked out the door onto the balcony. She gave one last wave before she was gone.

Running outside, even in the dead of winter she loved it. The lights outside were like tiny stars in the streets. Almost like she was running on the sky. However as she ran she focused on where she was going. She didn’t know the odds of her winning or losing this next fight. The last one threw all thinking out the window and she to be on the movie. Yeah she had ben handicapped but still.

With all of that in mind she slowed down as she arrived at her destination. The arena was loud as it normally was and she laughed. She walked inside and took her normal route to Rook’s office. As she walked though her face grew more stoic. She had to hide just how much she didn’t like this guy anymore.

As she knocked and she glanced around and raising her eyebrow. The door opened for her and she stepped inside the office and nodded to the goons as normal before looking at Rook. “Hey Boss.”

Rook glanced up at her and nodded. She nodded back but sensed movement behind her. The door closed and she watched as one of the guards raised a gun. She narrowed her eyes and then glanced over her shoulder.

“Not getting the joke here boss.”

“Shut the fuck up.” Standing up suddenly, his chair being knocked over as he shook his head. “Can’t believe I let one of you fuckers onto my side like this.”

“Still not following you, boss.” She was feigning ignorance but she was on edge, keeping one of her eyes on the gunman and the other on him. One wrong move and she was going to get shot.

“Don’t fucking play with me. After what you did to Big Mac. Did you think that you’d get away with this shit? That I wouldn’t figure it out?” He laughed and shook his head. “What other people with enhance have the power to melt someone’s face with their hands.”

He glared at her and then walked forward, putting his finger against her forehead. “But since you happen to be one of those masked fuckers I’ m going to get what I want from you. You’re gonna tell me everything about you and the rest of them.”

She glared at him and pressed her head against his finger. “What makes you think I’m going to do that?”

Suddenly she was struck in the back of the head. The force from the butt of the gun drove her forward and she fell onto her knee. With a grunt she mumbled something before getting hit again and falling to the ground. “You won’t have a choice.”

Echo slumped down into her chair and she seemed to be pouting. Though it was more than that. Roxie was at her feet and whining softly. With a frown Feint entered the living room and looked at her. “Everything okay?”

Perking up slightly she laughed but it was half hearted. “Kinda but not really.” She tried to sit up and ended up falling right back into her chair. Like she didn’t have the strength. Feint put her laptop down onto the table. She then walked closer, leaning against the arm of the chair and then pressed her hand against her forehead lightly. Roxie looked at Feint before turning her attention back to Echo.

“You feel really warm. Burning up. Are you alright?”

“Get Rogue. Tell him he needs to make a trip. I need another dose.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just tell him soon.” She shut her eyes tightly for what was supposed to be a moment but lasted far long.

Feint frowned but she backed away and walked through the house searching for him. She finally found him on the second floor in the den. He was looked like he was writing in the arm chair that they put up there. He heard the door open and glanced toward her.

“What is it?”

“It’s Echo. She says she needs another dose.”

He was on his feet almost instantly and vanished. Shocked she walked back out to the living room but he was putting on his mask. As he fixed it into place he walked toward Echo. Her eyes were closed again and she was taking shallow breaths but she reacted when he touched her cheek.

Feint came down and then held her hand out toward him. “What’s going on?”

“I need to go out. I’ll be back.”

Before she could even say another word, he vanished again. She knew he was outside and shook her head. She looked at Echo and her worry didn’t go away. Instead it actually went up slightly. She checked her temperature and felt that she was getting paler.

“What’s going on?” Shade asked as he walked from his room back into the living room.

“Something’s wrong with Echo and Rogue’s just up and disappeared. Neither of them are telling me what’s wrong.”

Shade looked at Echo and he nodded. “She does look bad.”

“I know. It’s got me worried. Hear anything from Yumi?”

“Nothing yet. Though her fights usually last a little longer than this.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Give a bit and don’t worry. Her words.”

“I know. Just with Echo not doing well, Rogue gone and Phase doing something for Darren it’s got me on edge.”

“Wait what is Phase doing?”

“Darren said they found something on the USB drive. Outside of the stuff they’re going to have to personally read, there was an address. Phase said he was going to look into it and by himself. If it’s a trap the rest of us won’t get caught in it.”

“And what if he gets caught in it?”

“That’s why I’m tracking him on my computer. Just in case anything happens.” Feint folded her arms and then sighed heavily. “I’m just hopping nothing goes wrong tonight.”

Phase slowed down as he landed on a roof top. His mask was pinging again as he walked toward the address though he had muted it this time. He wasn’t in the city, instead closer to one of the suburbs. Nicer neighborhood, less people on the streets this late at night. But it still didn’t feel safe.

As he walked he noticed a growing decorative trend. Lots of Rs and chess pieces hanging in the houses or shops. That was a dead giveaway that this was a Royals neighborhood. He was in the right place at the very least. Scanning around he checked the street signs quickly.

“Banks and Board street.” He followed it down and glanced at his map. There was a storage facility down the way. From what Darren had showed him there was more in that storage facility than just old antiques and boxes. Speeding up as he ran, he leaped clearing dozens of homes easily. He jumped and as he landed he stumbled slightly shaking himself.

“Still gotta learn to stick these landings.”

Walking forward he took a deep breath of night air and started cataloguing life on his hand. They had a team. They had a home. They had money. They had ‘jobs’. They had a system. They weren’t normal and yet they had it all finally. Family. Echo called them that when they first met and he hadn’t really understood it then. Yumi’s cockiness. Shade’s sarcasm. Echo’s kindness. Rogue’s silence. Darren’s smarts. Feint’s everything.

That thought made him slow down and stop in the snow, staring toward the sky. He felt happy, and despite the temperature warm. Smiling behind the mask he shook his head. “Damn. So this is what happy feels like.”

“What what feels like?”

Phase turned and then jumped to the side instantly. The ground was swept away by wind and the force from the attack. Air slammed into him and he was blown backwards off the roof. He landed hard and grunted glaring at his assailant. Raising his head up he narrowed his eyes scanning for his attacker. They focused in on the man with long whiskers and a beard. Lowering his head, he smiled at him.

“Hi there. Don’t believe we’ve met yet.”

“I’ve heard about you. Ramon right?”

“You know my name but I don’t know yours. I think the King said you were 52 or something like that.”

Narrowing his eyes he nodded. “Don’t go by that name anymore. Call me Phase.”

“Phase? That’s a bit lame right?”

“Mask give me some sun protection and block out the noise,” Phase threw his hand down and shut his eyes. There was a muted bang and he felt the blinding light behind his closed lids. He didn’t have a lot of time with the flashbang. Running forward he jumped over Ramon’s head and kicked him in the back of the knee. He let out of a sound of pain before Phase punched him right in the face. Ramon hit the ground covering his face.

“Actually Ramon. I thought it was more on the nose.”

“Harfy har harf.” Ramon groaned as he rolled over then hopped to his feet. Rubbing his nose again he glared. “That hurt.”

“That was the intent.”

Ramon cracked his neck slightly and then smirked. “Alright. Try this on for size.”

Sticking his feet into the ground he thrust his arms forward. Phase didn’t blink as the flash appeared. Jumping away he dodged as what he assumed was lightning almost caught him. When he skidded away his mask showed that it wasn’t lightning. But metal whips. Ramon dragged them backwards and they seemed to have rewound into his sleeves.

Phase looked at him and then nodded. “Alright. Avoid that.”

“That would be the intention.” Ramon ran forward and punched him in the stomach. Phase retaliated with his own punch and a knee to the chest. Rotating with the punch he turned and kicked the Knight in the chest. Leaning into the kick he stepped off Ramon’s chest hooking his leg around Ramon’s neck and dragging him straight down.

As Ramon hit the ground Phase jumped backwards.  The wind kicked up and he was sucked back into Ramon’s grasp. Ramon stood quickly and closelined Phase in the throat. Short of breath from the blow he was unfocused as another punch slammed into his stomach. Stepping behind him Ramon slammed his elbow into the back of Phase’s neck driving him to his knees.

Grunting and pain blocking out his higher mental faculties he was low on options. Leaning forward he grabbed a handful of snow before throwing it into his face. He heard Ramon’s shout of surprise and pain giving him time to put space between them.

Rolling across the ground he whipped around to face the Knight again. He was rubbing his eyes trying to clear out the frozen water. Shoving his hand into his pouch he grabbed an IED and ran forward. Ramon glared through the snow and thrust his hand forward.

The wind raged and almost slammed into Phase. He crouched low, digging his hand into the ground to try and keep his footing. He managed to be stationary but couldn’t block the knee that slammed into his head. Reeling back Phase threw the IED at his chest as he rolled backwards.

Ramon’s eyes widened as he looked down at it. Taking a deep breath the IED fizzled and then fell off him. Phase grit his teeth as he got up again. “Nice try Phase.”

“I’m not out of tricks yet.”

“I don’t doubt that. But I don’t have time to beat them all.” Dropping low he threw his arms down. The wind slammed in him as he raised his hands to cover his face. Something solid hit his hands and he realized too late what it was. The whip charged instantly and his body went rigid as he slumped down to the ground. Teeth locked together he lost consciousness by the time he hit the ground.

Ramon grunted as he walked toward him. Reeling him in slowly rotating his arm. “You were way more a challenge than I thought. Hope you’re worth it.” Lifting him up quickly he threw him over his shoulder and started walking toward the facility.