IMPULSE: Armageddon

Chapter 12 - Fight Club

A fly buzzed loudly. It tapped onto a grimy window that overlooked onto a dead tree. The bartender came out from behind the bar and the two men got off their stools to join the fight.

"Emily," said the man standing behind the bar, chewing the name as he said
it. "You've got some nerve showing your shit ugly face in my pub."

"What, your pub?" Emily said with a scornful laugh. "You won this place off me in a poker game and you cheated! How dare you."

"So did you," the man behind the bar said. "I just cheated better than the likes of you. Why're you back here?"

"Couldn't stay away, could I? This town holds too many fond memories for me. Actually Dan, I was hoping you might have been around - is she here?"

Dan Starfall looked like he might explode. "Don't you dare even mention her, you hear me?"

Emily shrugged. "And what are you gonna do about it?"

"I think there's been a misunderstanding here." Zekken said, but he was ignored.

Dan stepped forward, fists bunched at his sides. "How about I finish what we started 20 years ago? Right here and now."

Emily scoffed. "You want to kill me, is that it, huh?"

"Oh, it's not just me, Emily. If there's anyone else in here that wants to eliminate this piece of scum, please step forward."

Everyone took one step forward.

"So that's how it is, is it?" Emily said, acting upset. "After all that talk of friendship, after all those years, all that we've been through.. You want to kill me, really..?"

"Kill you," said one person in the bar, "horribly."

"I'd love to help you out, guys," Emily said, holding up her hands and showing them the shackles, "but as you can see, I'm a little bit tied up at the moment. Still, I suppose if you manage to kill these two fine people who walked in with me, you might be able to get your wish that you so desire."

Dan narrowed his eyes. "Kill a little girl? Yeah, I think we could handle a insignificant task like that without a problem. And what about you, skinny man? Who the hell are you?"

"We're really not looking for a fight," Zekken said.

"Then it will come as a nice surprise," said the man to Dan's left. Electricity crackled in his hand.

"We're here on Council business," Zekken tried.

The man on Dan's right bristled, and Dan grinned.

"Hear that, Peter? They're with the Supreme Council."

Peter snarled. "I hate the Council."

"Oh," Zekken said.

"We all hate the Supreme Council."

"Ah. Then we're not here on Council business. I was just joking about that."

"Well then, you're going to die here laughing," Dan sneered,

Zekken observed him for a moment then removed his sunglasses and took off his mouth mask and laid it on the pool table. Eyes widened. Mouths
opened. Backward steps were taken.

"It's Zekken Ghoulbane," said one of the pool players.

"T'm not fighting him," said his friend. "No way in hell!"

"What's wrong with you?" Dan barked. "This is my pub! You understand me? This is my turf. I'm the only one to be worrying about in here. It's a dead man! What's the big deal all of a sudden!? We can take him out! There's six of us here and there's one of him. Oh, and a stupid little girl. Is that too much for you, tough guys?"