Neo Paris

Chapter 20.2

In this sector, she benefitted from the Novoskaya's neutrality: they wouldn't attack her. But they wouldn't protect her either. And here, no one was entirely safe: roamers, thieves, fugitives, addicts, mutants, and lunatics of all kinds lurked freely, ready to pounce on any prey... She ventured down an avenue, close to the walls, at a brisk pace. The cluttered sidewalks were deserted of any visible presence, but her thermal sensors revealed numerous heat spots behind the facades, most of which were walled up and defended like fortresses. The hotspot she was seeking was 300 meters away: she caught its signal, weak but stable. It came from a dirty but well-preserved building, in pure Haussmann style. It was guarded by a brigade of kyrills, sprawled on the front steps, who straightened up at her approach. One of them stepped forward, a stocky little guy with a bull's neck, probably their leader, looking wary and threatening.

"Beat it, Brother! You've got no business here."

She stood in front of him without a word, unhooded herself, and produced her little effect. A Sister! A rare commodity, down here. The guards relaxed a bit, their eyes lascivious. For them, a woman was a prey, not a danger.

"You're a long way from home, little sis, and quite alone..." snickered the little boss, eyeing her lecherously, perfect moron. "It's not very wise, you might run into... mishaps... Now, of course, we can make arrangements... If you're nice to us, I guarantee nothing bad will happen to you..."

The kyrills behind him cackled like hyenas on ecstasy. Some sticked out lecherous tongues to her, others wiggled their rotten arses back and forth in an imaginary porn rodeo coitus.

"I'm here to see Kolya, smartass, we have business together. I know he's here. He's expecting me. Don't get yourself into trouble, he hates waiting."

This little bitch was getting on his nerves, with her airs. He was going to teach her...

"Yeah, right, of course. And tomorrow, I'll grow a third ball, right?" said he, in a concert of degenerate laughter. "If you're so expected, why Kolya tell me nothin', huh?... Now, beat it, or I blow you out!"

He stepped forward, threatening, seemingly decided to clear her out of the way. She dodged him with a side step and with a lightning-fast movement grabbed his wrist. Key, torsion, pivot, reversal, projection: he found himself face down on the ground, unable to move, his arm twisted high behind his back, all ligaments taut as cables, ready to snap. Intense pain radiated from his shoulder to his fingertips, stifling any attempt to struggle. After the initial shock, the others rushed at her.

"One more step and I'll tear his arm off!"

She applied even more pressure to the wrist, which she moved under the armpit in an unbearable twist. She felt a first crack under her fingers. The pig screamed in pain, writhing like a worm, powerless, and spat at his men the order not to move, full of drool and fury.

"Alright, stop! Stop! I call!

— Very well, kitten, very wise, brainer. You see, a bit of goodwill, and everything sorts itself out... Now, hurry up!"

She slightly eased the pressure. The man relaxed a bit, caught his breath, closed his eyes to concentrate. He mentally made a call to Kolya, who accepted instantly and forced a synch back. He only saw a piece of the ground floor through his guard's eyes.

"What are you doing, idiot? Having a nap?

— I... I've got... someone here... insisting on seeing you.

— I'm not expecting anyone. Who is it? Look up, so I can see.

— Can't, boss... It's a... a sister, from the Opus...

— So what? What does she want?... But look at her, idiot, so I can see her face!

— I can't, boss! She took me by surprise... I'm on the ground, she's on my back!"