Dance Moms Bodyguard (5) Protectee

Chapter 1 : The Prey

Chloe got off the bus and assessed the area. It was late and empty, all business were closed except for a small convenience store. It said 11:00 on her phone, and the last bus wouldn't be arriving for another thirty minutes.

She walked the path she set earlier, visiting every turn, looking into every alley, checking for possible hiding spots and escape routes. She constantly checks on glass windows, road mirrors, anything that could offer a rear view. She spotted a shadow.

She did not make a run, but instead slowing her pace, trying to draw her stalker close, to take a good look at his face.

The Slasher, as they were calling him on local news, has attacked two victims in the area, all female, all came off the last bus. According to news report, the attacker came out of nowhere, cut the victims' faces with a razor blade, and then disappeared.

As the shadow approached, Chloe reached into her jacket, ready to pull out her retractable batons.

She used the street lights as measurements, watching the shadow growing longer by the second, estimating the distance. Five feet, four, three, two...

She made a sudden drop, as if tying her shoelaces. An attacker would go for her body and miss, and she could take a strike to his knee. But the shadow walked passes her, not even looking back and continued his path.

Chloe sighed in both relief and disappointment, she was hoping for an early catch so she can go home. She studied the person who has just passing her, he wore a gray sweater with hood over his head, his hands were in their pockets, he walked differently, and his pants skin tight. It was a woman. She told herself.

She visited the spots where the attacks took place, turned into a parallel back street and made her way back to the bus stop. She hid herself in a dark corner, watching the final bus arrived, A man and a young woman gotten off the bus, Chloe followed the woman.

She was in her early twenties, probably working through her college. She was heading west, a new direction.

Chloe took the opposite street. She wore all black tracksuit, her blonde hair tugged under a blank baseball cap, blending into the dark street.

Two blocks later the lady turned south, Chloe took an alley left, hoping to catch her at the next junction. There she spotted another shadow.

It was a slim figure, wearing an old army coat and looking out the street, waiting for his target. She made her approach.

She figured the Slasher would attack fast, so she sneaked up quietly, ready to catch him the moment he strikes, but not before.

The stalker was so focus on his target he didn't aware of anyone from behind. He had a paper cutter in his hand, ready to slash out.

"Behind you!" someone called out behind Chloe.

The figure turned and saw Chloe, he froze. Chloe swung out her batons, knocking the cutter out of his hand, her other baton came in, striking into his right knee like an axe. The attacker dropped to the ground with a painful cry, Chloe finished him with a kick to the face.

Looking behind she saw two people struggling in the dark alley. The gray sweater, was fighting with another man, this one bigger and firmer.

"Call the police!" Chloe said to the young woman, and then turned to the alley.

By then she saw the gray sweater swung the big man against a wall, sent a punch into his gut, wrapped her arm around his face, bringing him down with her entire weight, crashing his head to the concrete ground.

"Who are you?" Chloe asked the person who warned her, probably has just save her life. The gray sweater turned away and ran. "Wait!"

The gray sweater was taller and had longer legs, but had to maneuver through the dumpsters and trash. Chloe jumped on top of the crates and across the dumpsters, her light weight allowed her to catch up. She made a leap and tackled the mystery person, pulling off the gray hood.

Underneath was a dark hair girl with sharp features, under the dim light she looked Indian, or Latino.

"Who are you?" Chloe asked again.

The dark hair girl swung back an elbow to drive her away, Chloe ducked, caught the girl's throat between her fingers, pinning the older girl to the ground.

"I'm not going to ask again!" Chloe squeeze her throat.

"Kalani!"

"Who?"

"Kalani!" the girl choke at her words. "I'm not your enemy!"

"Why are you following me?"

"I was sent to protect you!"

"You what?" she loosen her grip.

Siren growing from the main street. The young woman must have called the police.

"Look, d'you wanna hear this at the police station? Or do you wanna do this over coffee?" the dark hair girl asked under her choke.

Chloe released her, pulled her to her feet and disappeared into the darkness together.