Una Extraña Aventura: A Zeppeli Tale [ON HIATUS}

Chapter Thirteen: Threats and Challenges

Alessandro bent over, almost falling to his hands and knees as he ducked below the yellow police tape that sealed off the entrance from the rest of the building. A police officer led him to an old bedroom, where a Speedwagon colleague was standing by. Several feet away, on the ground was a shroud, concealing something. Alessandro knew very well what it was.

"You won't like what you see, Colonel Zeppeli," his colleague said, crouching next to the covered corpse. "I didn't either."

The employee snatched off the cloth covering the body, revealing the corpse underneath. He was young, showed no signs of illness, and had no injuries. Except for two holes that pierced his neck. He was clad in the same uniform Alessandro's colleague wore, which prompted an expression of cringe from him that he barely held back.

"This is the guy we sent out to survey the area the more recent bodies were found. It seems like whoever... whatever killed those people was well aware it was being watched."

Of course it knows it's being watched. Carmen was aware of it. Alessandro mused as he silently examined the body, left in the same position as when he took his last breath. The senior man's eyes drifted to the dead man's hand, his arm outstretched.

"You notice that too, Colonel Zeppeli? He was holding something in his hand when we found him. Officer?"

A police officer passed the employee an object through the open doorway of the bedroom, placed in a sealed bag to preserve the evidence.

"A Polaroid camera," Alessandro noted as the employee showed it to him. "He was taking photos of the area when the vampire got him."

"And that's not all. Before he died, he left us with an invaluable piece of evidence. We found it sticking out of the printer."

The employee handed him a photo. It depicted the doorway of the bedroom, although a little blurry, indicating that the dead employee only had moments to take it before his inevitable death. A figure stood at the center. A cloak obscured most of their body, however the lower half of their face and locks of long, raven-black hair were visible. The shape of the face and its texture suggested that she was a woman, roughly in her late 20s. But since this was a vampire, that was hardly a useful guess.

So this is our vampire, Alessandro confirmed. It's strange. Vampires are said to be violent beings, but this one has no malice on her face. In fact, I even sense a hint of melancholy. Regardless, this vampire must be eliminated. Too many people have lost their lives at her hands.

"Colonel, we also found absolutely no damage to this apartment, which isn't we expect. Vampires are incredibly strong, but this one entered it peacefully."

"Almost like she had help in unlocking the door." Alessandro proposed.

"That's certainly a theory to take note of. I'll have the police double-check for fingerprints." the employee said, before taking his leave.

Glancing at the photo again, a flurry of thoughts infiltrated Alessandro's mind.

Why did she target this man, but take precautions to cause no damage, and leave the photo he took intact? Is this a challenge?  A threat? Does she want us to know about her?

---

Rosalia kept a watchful eye as she wiped down tables and seats inside Cafe Tacvba. After the previous evening's incident and the new information she had learned, she had more reason than ever to be cautious. El Pacto would soon, if not already, find out that Enrique had failed his mission and would send someone to find her.

I'm prepared for that event, she told herself. Enrique and I can and will take care the threats coming our way. No, not just us. Carmen and Vitale too. The four of us will dig their graves and push them in. Menudo, you're going to hell today.

As she was about to return to the counter, a sound gradually entered her ears. It became louder and louder, the source of the noise getting closer and closer.

It's really fast and heavy. Why's a car driving so roughly on a road like the one outside the shop?

She didn't have time to think over her own question, as a Nissan Skyline Coupe GTS-R barreled through the storefront, sending glass and furnishings flying into the air. Rosalia immediately called out Prism Deluxe and used it to protect herself and the two patrons of the cafe, whom the shield was just barely able to cover. Although confused as to how they remained unscathed, they scrambled to hide. The car had stopped moving, only shifting a few feet into the cafe due to the sheer debris in its path. The driver's side door promptly swung open, and a young man pulled himself out.

"E-Enrique?" she cried as she helped him onto his feet. "What the hell's going on? I'd ask you what on God's green earth made you feel like you had to crash into the cafe, but it seems bigger things are at stake."

She didn't care that her place of work has been damaged to such an extent that she would not be able to return for a long time. At that moment, she only cared for the safety of her new ally, and the customers in the cafe.

"I couldn't hide from them for too long," Enrique said, wiping sweat off his forehead. "They found me before we were supposed to meet with the Zeppeli pair. I drove here from Las Palmas in 20 minutes. I didn't know what else to do. I don't know what kind of Stand he has."

"He? Who's chasing you? Menudo?"

Did that man predict mine and Enrique's plan?

"No. It's Salmorejo. He'll be here any moment now with two of his soldiers."

With a calm mind, Rosalia ushered the two patrons out through a back door. As soon as she returned, a Toyota AE86 pulled up to the curb, slowing calmly.

"Oi, looks like that boy was in a real rush. Look at this mess." Salmorejo looked at the wrecked remains of Enrique's car, shaking his head. He signaled for his two soldiers to follow him, each wielding a pistol. They stepped through where the glass of the storefront had once been. Rosalia and Enrique hid behind Prism Deluxe's shield form as  Salmorejo looked at them with contempt.

"Enrique, my boy, I thought we were friends. Good friends trust each other, don't they? That's why I deemed you fit to scout out this place and to kill Alfajores. But instead, I see you crossing the floor to her side. You make me sick. You abused our friendship. Alvaro, Pau, turn them both into Swiss cheese!"

Alvaro raised his gun, but Prism Deluxe was faster. Using the sunlight reflected off the glass shards scattered across the floor, Rosalia aimed a powerful ray of light at the El Pacto soldier's face. Within seconds, he was on the floor, rolling on the floor while screaming and holding on to his face. His eyes were burnt, and he would never see again.

"Eat lead, bitch!" the second gunman cried. "Traitor, I'll come for you next!" 

Out of anger, Pau aimed his gun at Rosalia, vigorously pulling at the trigger. Instant Crush appeared between the young woman and the gunman. It created a gravity well, pulling the four bullets into it, before immediately repelling them back at Pau all at once. His death was instant with two bullets hitting his body, two others flying astray. One bullet would've been enough to kill the man, but Instant Crush's precision was poor, necessitating the pulling of several to compensate for the lack of accuracy.

"Jesus Christ Enrique, you... you killed him! That man's dead!" Rosalia cried. She'd watched her own father die, but watching someone who was now her ally kill another man without hesitation was different.

"Wouldn't be the first time, nor the last," Enrique scoffed. "And... Menudo's gone. Where'd he go?"

"I... I think I saw him leave before those two started shooting." Rosalia recalled.

"That bastard!" Enrique groaned. "He wants to lure us out. He used those two as bait and to get a quick look at our abilities. No wonder he's part of Cerberus. We need to find him, fast!"

"Is he a Stand User? These two certainly weren't." Rosalia noted, shuddering at how easily they went down.

"He gave me my Stand through the Arrow, so there's no question that he has one too. I haven't seen it. Come on, let's go!" Enrique cried, jumping over the broken glass and the two downed soldiers out of the store, Rosalia quickly following behind.