TOURNAMENT

5 (Asta)

Asta watched as Cole lunged and slammed one of the larger thugs into the wall. Itching to do something, she jumped over the counter as the rest of her team engaged in the fight.

She slipped next to the cashier, who was hiding under the desk. She smiled reassuringly. She wanted to fight, but this was the victim, the real reason she was fighting. 

No matter how angry Asta got over petty crime, she would always make sure the victim was safe.

It was what Orco did. 

"You see that side exit?" she said hurriedly. 

The cashier nodded, and then yelped as one of the thugs was flung over the side of the counter and landed unconscious next to them. 

"Sorry!" came Kai's voice. He leaped over and dragged him away.

Asta scoffed. "I wouldn't be so hasty like that!"

"Cool it, Hot Pocket!" 

Asta wanted to throttle him, but she had bigger things to take care of. She sighed. "Ok. I want you to go through that side exit and call the police. Wait, do you even have a phone on you?"

He nodded. 

"Ok." She pushed him out from under the counter. "Then be on your way."

The cashier nodded and then rushed off. Now that he was gone, Asta could get in on the action.

"The cashier is taken care of," she said to Lloyd once she reached his side. 

"Great." He kicked of the guys in the head. 

Asta got the chance to take out one guy, who's nose was already busted and bleeding from a hit from Cole. Looking for any stragglers, she caught side of one guy on the other side of the restaurant, running out the back door to the ally.

"There!" she cried, pointing at him. 

The four of them ran outside into the ally. But the thug was gone.

"Dang it!" Asta crossed her arms. "We were too slow!"

"It's just one guy," Kai pointed out. 

"Doesn't matter," she responded. "We let him go."

"Ok, but they weren't even that much of a threat anywa--"

"Guys?" Cole said. He had walked to the far end of the alley and was staring at something. 

The three of them walked over and Asta gasped. 

There was a small table. On it was a worn piece of paper. And on it was drawing.

"Orco?" Cole breathed.

The sketch was so accurate, it was mistakenly her. The round face, button nose, dark hair, and long lashes. She was smiling, too.

"Do you think that guy left it here?" Lloyd said.

"The crook that ran out here?" Kai asked.

"How would he have this? How does he know her?" Cole said. He gently picked up the piece of paper, his big hands shaking a bit. "Does he know...where she is?"

Asta felt a twinge of hope, and then immediately killed it. This was some cruel joke. And it made her mad.

"This isn't funny," she said.

"Wait," Cole said, turning over the paper.

"What is it?" Asta stood on her tiptoes to look at it.

"It's a message." 

Cole's face went pale.

"It says Orco is alive."