Rise from the Ashes

Chapter 15: The Yellow Serpents

"How do you know about us?" Em questioned while Max crept forward.

"Micheal Cryus," the man answered honestly.

'Fuck,' she thought as Luke armed himself with scattered weapons while Kida formed an ice sword.

"So, you're one of his followers," Luke determined, aiming his barrel.

"Not in the way you're thinking," the man replied, puffing out smoke.

"Really?" Luke rhetorically asked, not believing a single word.

"Then please enlighten us," Kida offered.

"The Yellow Serpents have been an underground gang for many years now. We stay silent out of the limelight and protect our people," he began.

"The news doesn't paint that noble of a picture," Em mentioned.

"What would you expect?" he countered. "They do the exact same thing to you."

Em side-eye glanced back at Kida and Luke. Puzzle-filled glazed-over gazes started back at her. Max brushed up against her leg, pulling her back to the old man's smoke rings.

"We protect our people the same way you save yours. But, unfortunately, the news and police just don't like our ways," he explained.

"You're Inhuman," Luke realized. "So why do you follow Mike?"

"Yes, I'm Inhuman, but we don't follow him. We know him from The Underground Arena. My men fight in it to earn money," he elaborated. "Once you're underground, you hear everything, and news of a girl giving The Arena Master trouble was something to pressure."

Em grinned her teeth, pinching the skin of her tongue between them, hoping she wouldn't set the train on fire in rage.

'We're talking to someone who fights against Inhuman slaves,' her subconscious whispered. 'He can't be trusted.'

"I sent one of my men to infiltrate his home, and they reported back that you were nearly dead, Emerald or should I say Phoenix-"

"Get to the point," Em ordered, igniting the blade stuck in the window. "Before I get to you."

"Haha," he laughed between puffs. "Message reserved. I see flashes of the future, allowing me to see you control the fire when you got rescued and later on recovering in the hospital. After that, we tracked down your closest acquaintances, Luke the mighty Steel Shield and Kida Ms. Frigid IceWings."

"Still doesn't explain how you found us today," Kida pointed out.

"I saw it in my visions," he rebutted.

"How do we know you're not just bullshitting us?" Luke questioned.

The man exhaled a perfect ring of smoke and ash, thinking about his next move while Luke kept the gun trained on him. Kida and Em stayed close, their shoulders touching, as Max sat in front of Em waiting for her orders.

"Luke, your mother will be hospitalized for heart palpitations in the next couple of days. Kida, you will go back to your old habits of cutting and starvation within the next week. Emerald, your infection will settle in tonight along with a severe fever," the man predicted.

"Now we know you're bullshitting us," Em laughed. "The girl of fire getting a fever, yeah, right."

"And a military sergeant with heart palpitations who's never smoked a day in her life," Luke added, dropping his weapon. "I think we've heard enough."

"You say that now," the man pointed out. "Come this time next week, catch this same train, and we'll talk with less of my men. If you don't, then we won't attempt to come after you again."