Summa Logicae

9 - Surprise Attack

Jake walked beside Mika, the two of them blending into the bustling New York night. After the intense showdown with the PAD soldiers, laying low felt like the best course of action, at least for now. As they wandered aimlessly, Jake's stomach growled loudly, reminding them of their hunger.

"McDonald's?" Mika suggested, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Yeah, sure. Just... isn't it risky? I mean, if the PAD shows up, there will be a lot of civilians," Jake said, glancing nervously at the streets filled with people.

Mika waved off his concern. "Don't worry. The PAD will be too busy tightening security around their headquarters. After what I told Voss, they'll focus on guarding their base. Besides, even if they do come, I can evacuate everyone in time. Relax."

Her nonchalant confidence calmed Jake a bit, though a part of him still felt uneasy. However, they continued, and soon, the golden arches of McDonald's came into view.

"I'll grab the food." Mika offered, stepping inside the fast-food joint without waiting for a response. Jake leaned against a lamppost, his eyes scanning the street out of habit.

As he waited, something caught his attention—a faint, glowing sphere, hovering in mid-air down a dimly lit alley nearby. It wasn't large, just about the size of a basketball, and it emitted a soft, pale light. The sight of it unsettled him, but despite that, there was something oddly hypnotic about the way it floated.

His feet moved before his mind had time to protest. The sphere seemed to beckon him, guiding him deeper into the alley. It drifted slowly, as if waiting for Jake to follow.

"What the hell...?" he muttered to himself, a part of his brain screaming that this was a bad idea. Still, he pressed forward, curiosity and the strange pull of the sphere overriding his instincts.

The further he walked, the darker and quieter it became. The sounds of the busy street faded behind him, leaving only the faint buzz of city electricity and the soft footsteps of his shoes against the pavement. And then, from the shadows above, a figure dropped down silently behind him.

Jake's instincts screamed just in time. He spun around, barely avoiding a knife thrust aimed directly at his eye. The blade slashed through the air, grazing his cheek. Adrenaline surged through his body, and he stumbled backward, his heart pounding.

"What the fuck?"

The figure—a woman, judging by her slim but muscular build—didn't speak. She was dressed in a tactical outfit that immediately reminded Jake of the PAD soldiers from earlier, though her gear looked more stealth-focused. Her face was hidden behind a mask, only her cold, calculating eyes visible.

"Who the hell are you?" Jake asked, his voice steady despite the shock. There was no response. The woman simply adjusted her grip on the knife and advanced again.

With swift, practiced movements, she lunged for his throat. Jake barely dodged, managing to counter with a quick kick aimed at her midsection. She blocked it effortlessly, spinning around with a brutal elbow strike that Jake barely avoided by stepping back.

They traded blows, her knife a blur as she slashed at him from every angle. Jake's mind raced.

[I'm glad I learned the basics of Muay Thai years ago], he thought for a second while still focused on the fight at hand.

His training was  a bit rusty, but it was enough to keep him alive for now.

The woman was fast—too fast. Every time he dodged or blocked, she was already setting up her next attack. Her footwork was flawless, her strikes lethal and precise. But Jake wasn't defenseless. He ducked, rolled, and countered, managing to land a few solid hits on her. But it wasn't enough.

She changed tactics suddenly, throwing two knives in rapid succession. Jake rolled to the side just in time, but the assassin was already closing the gap. They engaged in close combat once again, the clash more intense than before. Jake's muscles burned as he fought to keep up, but it was clear she was far more skilled.

"Gaaarrggh!"

A sudden sharp pain exploded in his side as her elbow connected with his ribs, a sickening crack echoing through the alley. He gasped, stumbling backward and falling to the ground, clutching his side. One of his ribs was broken.

The assassin wasted no time. She pulled another knife from her belt, her eyes locked on Jake's chest. With a fluid motion, she prepared to throw it directly at his lungs.

But before the knife left her hand, blood sprayed across the alley.

The assassin staggered, her eyes wide with shock. A gaping hole appeared in her chest, and she dropped to her knees. The hole was so clean that the blood took several seconds to even start leaking. No conventional weapon could cause this kind of damage.

She then coughed up blood, her body trembling before collapsing face-first onto the ground. The knife she had intended for Jake clattered uselessly beside her.

Jake, panting heavily and still clutching his side, slowly stood up, his hand trembling as he lowered a weapon he had pulled out moments before. It was a small, unassuming device resembling a revolver, presumably given to him by Mika. Jake hadn't even noticed when he'd drawn it, but in the heat of the moment, it had saved his life.

The weapon was unlike anything the assassin had seen, and she couldn't even see from where Jake had pulled it out from. Now, she lay dead in the alley, blood pooling beneath her.

Jake looked down at the body, his mind reeling. He wiped the sweat from his brow and swallowed hard, forcing himself to stay calm.

"Mika," he muttered under his breath, "I hope you're done with that McDonald's order..."