Shattered (Sequel to Shadowfax)

Clash

              Nutsy knew something was wrong the moment Rika stopped her mad dash through the jungle. For one, the assassin had managed to slip completely out of view. That was red flag numero uno.

Unfortunately, his consciousness was divided among the many wires making up his collective form, and Nutsy was a bit slower than usual. He didn't realize Rika's plan until it was too late. He didn't realize the danger until something stabbed at one of the cords, and Nutsy reared back in shock. As soon as the wire he controlled was off the ground, Rika sliced through it cleanly, cutting off his connection with the rest of the network. With the wire went Nutsy's mind.

Jade's shriek of enraged grief split the air, and dagger met saber with a metallic keening.

...

Most of Jade's time with the Professor was a wash of blood-hazed memory and pain; surfacing only in night terrors that had her screaming herself awake in a sheen of sweat. One of the few things that never completely left her was Rika.

Rika, with her kind, silky words. Rika, with her biting blade. Rika, who claimed to care about what she wanted only to possess. Rika, who had gripped her wrists with claw-like nails as she leeched the energy, the humanity, from Jade when she had become to excitable. Rika, who Jade still hated perhaps even more than the Professor. Rika, who Jade was going to shred through like a piñata.

Jade's eyes were brighter than they had ever burned, more orange than red in their fire. Rika recognized the fire, and her teeth were bared in mad ecstasy as she drove the blade down again and again. In her excitement, Rika's grip faltered for the briefest of moments, and Jade's gauntleted hand lunged out to slash the skin of her perfect face.

Rika whirled away, hissing. She reversed the grip on her blade and slashed upwards. Jade jumped back to avoid having her stomach split open. Her feet tangled in the tree roots behind her. She stumbled awkwardly, and was forced to shadow through the tree as Rika stabbed forward. Rika yelped as she felt the bones in her wrist crack. "Favori, you're starting to grate on my nerves."

"Too bad, Bhitseach. I'm just getting the bloody party started." Jade flicked out one of the darts from the pouch at her side and flung it at Rika's neck. Rika caught it and flung it back; pissed-off now. She unsheathed her own dagger and swiped at Jade with a reversed grip again, following up with her saber.

Jade knocked the blade back and pivoted. Using the momentum to swing around and kick at Rika's head, she gasped painfully as Rika's fingers gripped her ankle. She kicked up with her other leg and twisted. Rika's shoulder popped and she let herself drop, taking Jade with her. Jade slammed into the ground. The air whooshed out of her lungs. Rika snaked out of the Scotty's grip and planted her knee on her stomach. Jade hissed painfully, fingers scrambling madly for her dagger.

Rika pinned the lass's arm and wrenched off the glove on her other hand with her teeth. Placing her bare hand on Jade's throat, she began to leech.

...

Jax was pacing madly along the branches of the canopy. "Jade's getting her arse handed to her down there. I'm done waiting."

Steve put a cautionary hand on his arm, applying some pressure with the tips of his fingers. Sphinx and Falcon watched nervously from the opposite branch as Jax rounded on him.

Jax snarled, "That lass down there is my sister. Try to stop me, and I'll fry your bloody arm off."

The super soldier grimaced. "I'm not looking to fight Jax, but we need to be smarter about this. Think. What's going to happen if you rush into this?" He didn't give him the chance to answer. "You're going to end up in the same position as Jade. Right now, the only one of us who stands a chance of attacking her without getting leeched is Loki."