Aloveen Rising

44. Concrete Jungle

Cole swore repeatedly as he ran, how had everything gone so wrong? Celine was dead and of course, she had driven the car so the keys were back with her body. He'd hit the panic button on his phone but it was still going to take time for them to get to him, the toe of his shoe brushed the gutter and he staggered. He reached a bus stop and slumped on the chair, his body ached and his legs trembled.

"Are you ok young man?"

Cole looked up, a man stood in front of him looking concerned, Cole stood up shakily,

"I am, thank you. I was out for a run I'm just catching my breath,"

The man nodded and gave him a friendly smile, "I miss the days when I was young enough to exercise like that. I haven't seen you around before, are you new to Ravera?"

Cole tensed, "Look man, I don't mean to be rude but I'm not really interested in conversation,"

The man's grey eyes hardened, "Me either but telepathy could be useful" he said,

Cole had barely realised what the man had said when he suddenly rushed forward, Cole gasped and looked down at the spike sticking out of his chest. His body slackened and he fell back onto the seat, the man twisted the spike and blood began to run down the spike and onto the man's hand.

Closing his eyes Cole lashed out with his thoughts but the man's mind was locked like a vault,

"That won't work on me I'm afraid," he said coldly, "Only the inexperienced and mortals are susceptible,"

Cole grunted in pain as the man twisted the spike again, the man checked his watch, "I'm going to be late which is a shame, first impressions are so important," He grabbed Cole by the neck and squeezed, there was a loud crack and Cole fell limp. 

The spike started to glow and the man closed his eyes enjoying the feeling as his new power flowed into him. He let go of the spike and it started to smoke, he stood and watched until nothing but ash remained. The man wiped his bloody hand on his pants and walked away leaving the pile of ash behind.

"Again," Tee said,

Lucy dragged herself off of the ground and pushed her hair away from her eyes, she ran towards him and swung punches wildly. Tee stepped back with his hands behind him calmly avoiding her swings, she moved closer again and he lashed out with his foot, it connected with her left knee and she toppled over.

"That was sloppy," Tee said, "You need to be more precise with your strikes, don't just swing and hope for the best. Take a deep breath and try again,"

Lucy scowled as she rubbed her knee and then climbed to her feet and stood in a ready stance, Tee nodded and she moved towards him. She advanced more slowly this time, every step deliberate, Tee grinned, she was trying to back him into a corner. He turned sharply forcing her to change direction, he slowed letting her get close. Lucy feinted left and he raised his hands too slowly and her first collided with his cheek.

Tee raised an eyebrow and rubbed his cheek, "Nice one, you hid your movement way better that time,"

Lucy didn't say anything and spun swinging her leg towards his hip, he jumped out of the way and ducked behind a pillar. There was a pop and smoke billowed out of a ball at her feet, she blinked and looked around the room. It was set up to imitate bush combat, the lights were dimmed and pillars were spread across the room to limit their movement. Her eyes watered from the smoke and she kicked the ball sending it rolling across the room and spreading the smoke even further. 

Hoping to use it to her advantage she lunged for the pillar but Tee wasn't there. She heard the light slip of a shoe on the concrete and she ducked, Tee's arm swung through the air narrowly missing her and passing right through the space where her head had just been.

"This isn't fair," Lucy said grumpily, "I haven't done combat training since I was eight years old,"

Tee aimed a kick at her and she rolled out of the way but she misjudged her momentum and fell to the floor, she took one of the balls from her pocket and flung it at him. Tee raised his hand and the ball came to a stop floating inches from his face, the taser prong crackled and then faded.

"Well, if we are using metal," He said, he flicked his hand and the ball embedded itself into the concrete pillar. He moved his hands and metal wires slid out of his sleeves and wrapped around his wrists, Lucy leapt to her feet and ducked behind a pillar.

There was a crack like a whip and the tip of the wire smacked the ground where she had been laying. Tee moved his arms and the wires flung through the air snaking towards the pillar, the wires crossed paths on the other side of the pillar and flew back towards him. He gestured and they coiled around the pillar and locked in place.

He walked over to the pillar "This is why you can't stand still for too long," he turned and stopped in surprise, the wires were wrapped tightly around the pillar but Lucy wasn't stuck there with them,

Even as he looked around Lucy kicked him in the back driving him into the pillar, "I guess you need that advice too,"

Tee rubbed his back and darted sideways and Lucy's knee smacked into the pillar,

Lucy swore and grabbed her knee trying to rub the pain out, wires snaked around her feet and pulled and fell to the ground with a thump. Tee moved towards her and she slipped her hand sanitiser from her belt and sprayed it in his face.

He yelped and stumbled back rubbing his eyes, Lucy took her chance and hurled the plastic bottle at him hitting him in the throat. Tee gagged and Lucy leapt forward but she had forgotten about the wires on her feet and she fell to the ground again. Tee's eyes were closed but he turned towards the sound and gestured with his hand, six taser balls rose into the air. He flicked his hand and they were flung towards her, Lucy tried rolling across the floor but she wasn't fast enough and two of the balls hit her in the arm and chest. The taser prongs extended and she swore as the currents of electricity tore through her body. Her body stopped shaking after about thirty seconds but it felt like hours.

Lucy ripped them out and tossed them across the room, she released her smoke canister and flung it at Tee's feet. He gestured with his hand and it flew across the room but the smoke had already started flowing, Lucy crept up beside him and swung her elbow into his jaw. Tee spun and dropped to his knees, grimacing he slowly stood up rubbing his face.

Lucy stood in front of him her baton level with his throat and a cocky smile on her face.

He nodded appreciatively, "Well played," His phone beeped and he pulled it from his belt and sagged as he read, "Shit," he said quietly,

"What?" Lucy asked,

"An agent in the field activated their panic button and a squad was responding but the signal went dead and they can't find him at the last pinged location,"

"What was the operation?"

Tee looked at her, "Detaining your brother's friends."