The City Is My Hunting Ground

Chapter 18: Slice of Life

Zaun calls for its headsman

Blood dropped from all over Urgot. Seamus had resisted to the last moment, and he had 'scattered' all over the room.

Urgot headed towards the exit. It was hidden so well that even Camille couldn't have seen it with her robot eyes. The yordle hadn't most likely moved much. He was clever, and moving in a place like this was always a risk.

Only eleven were left. He had to make haste.

...

"Wha...t?"

Teemo woke up in another room. It wasn't theirs or Ghenn's. What had happened? Had Ziggs beated him with his puny little fists?

Knock knock.

"Teemo! Are you awake?"

He rose from the bed. "Yes! What has happened?"

Rumble and Tristana entered the room, closing the door behind them. Both had looked a little angry. "I said he won't remember", Tristana said.

"Hey, tell me what's happened. I don't remember anything after the fight. Did I lose?"

Tristana gave him a water glass. "Drink that first. You haven't drank anything for hours. And that cost hundred credits."

Teemo drank. "Thanks. Now can you explain what's going on?"

Tristana squinted her eyes. "I think you are the one who should explain. We just drugged you after you went berserk."

Teemo's expression changed from confused to sad and angry. He clenched his fists. "He did it! The attack! And you let him go, why? I checked the archives and everything proved my suspicions true. He killed my sister and dozens of innocents!"

Rumble joined the conversation: "But he didn't mean it. He would never do anything like that intentionally."

"He has a thing for explosions, he is a madman! How could you know?"

Tears fell from Teemo's eyes and he mumbled something vengeful. Rumble looked like he wanted to do something but wasn't brave enough.

Is he trying to take something from his pocket? I think he needs some encouraging.

Tristana knew the right medicine and winked to Rumble. He instantly took a small object from his pocket and threw it to Teemo's bed.

"Look that and come to talk us then. Ziggs had it inside his necklace. Let's go, Trist."

Oh no! I called her Trist! Now she'll say something mean or laugh. What an idiot I am.

"Okay", Tristana said. Rumble's expression was really weird.

"What did you give to him?" she asked after they had left.

"Just something that'll change his mind. Ziggs told me about it."

...

Teemo reached to grab the thing. He had a bad feeling about everything, mostly about what that thing was.

He put it on his hand and watched it. It was a small plate made of copper. He wanted to look away and fight back the tears, but he didn't succeed in either of those.

Teemo checked the last thing about the plate and found the thing he feared.

The carving said 'Half as long' with one handwriting and 'Twice as bright' with another.

...

"I'll take five shots."

The bartender made a puzzled look. "You sure you can handle that, little guy?"

"Don't worry, he's tougher than he looks. He drank a whole bottle of 'Serpent' at morning. I'll take just a 'Chuckola'. My plumber friend said it tastes great", Tristana explained Rumble's order. They had decided to have a drink while waiting for Teemo. After all, they now lived in a bar.

"You know him, so how does he usually react to things like these?"

Tristana stretched. "I've never seen him like this, actually. He usually is very calm and doesn't hold personal grudges."

"In their last moments people show who they really are", said Heat Edger, one of the regulars, from the corner table.

"What did that mean?" Tristana asked nervously.

Edger sniffed. Tristana did too.

"Smoke!"

...

Just when Rumble and Tristana ran to the room Teemo was, Verna and Natalia came in.