Fade

Chapter Six

"Would you believe us if I said that this isn't what it looks like?" Impact asked, taking a step back.

"No," Jade Jaguar deadpanned.

"It's exactly what it looks like," I said, glancing behind me like it might've offered a way out. "Stealing money out of a bank vault is a lot harder than I thought it to be. The movies just don't prepare you right. No wonder people prefer robbery. Burglary is such a hassle."

Crimson Cardinal rolled her eyes at my rambling. "Really, Captain Obvious? Ugh. You're an obnoxious little sewer rat. You almost smell as bad as my boyfriend."

Like you can talk, you're the size of a garden gnome and you reek of cheap perfume.

Jade Jaguar sent a glare to his girlfriend at the same time Impact charged forward and tackled the rude bird to the ground. I winced when he started punching her, then cast my gaze to Jade Jaguar.

"I think this is the part where we start smacking each other around," I said, only half joking.

I abandoned the bag of cash to meet Jade Jaguar halfway in the vault when he started walking forward. Crimson Cardinal and Impact could be heard shrieking at each other in the background.

Jade Jaguar flipped me over his shoulder as soon as I was close enough. I grunted when my back hit the floor. I scrambled back to get away, and just so happened to back out of the vault.

I smirked, the familiar rush of power returning. Not putting power suppressors around the whole building was just a flawed design choice.

"Time to play cat and mouse. Catch me if you can." I gave Jade Jaguar a wink before teleporting outside.

It took him a moment to reach me, shivering against the morning breeze. "Could you quit doing that?"

"Where's the fun in that? Dreary weather we're having, by the way. Almost as horrible as your partner's insults."

Jade Jaguar chuckled. "Nothing could be as bad as they are. Sorry about that, by the way."

"Oh, it's all good."

I teleported behind him and sent a kick to his back. He whirled around and punched me in response.

I stepped back just in time to avoid a roundhouse kick and rubbed my jaw.

"I changed my mind," I declared, glancing at the red and blue flashing lights as they drew nearer, disoriented by the sirens. "I can't really do the whole fighting thing today. Let's reschedule."

I teleported inside before he could respond and ran to the vault, kicking Crimson Cardinal's face on the way inside.

She was on top of Impact, beating the poor guy to a pulp. As soon as I kicked her, he forced himself up—how he could after the beating he just received is beyond me—and made a dive for the duffel bag.

Crimson Cardinal reached it first thanks to her stupid mechanical wings that let her fly across the vault. She kicked the bag away from Impact just as he reached it.

"Try again," she sneered.

"Sure thing," Impact replied, lunging at her.

Crimson Cardinal easily sidestepped his attack as Jade Jaguar reappeared.

Moving forward, I made a grab for the bag only to get a swift but hard kick to the ribs. White pain blinded me as I collapsed on my stomach. I was momentarily frozen on the ground in complete shock.

I couldn't breathe for a moment, memories flashing in my mind of a very similar incident with my parents. I took in a shallow breath and forced the tears down.