Pup

Sealing the Deal

Then, we all heard howling in the foyer. We all went to see what was going on, and we saw the Night Howlers fighting the Jackrats. Milo looked at me and glared. I glared back at him. My breathing became quick and heavy.

"MURDERER!" I screamed.

I then sucker punched him in his nose. He stumbled back while wiping the blood from his face.

"Justin, go help Winston and the others... Leave King to me..." I growled.

When Justin was about to head downstairs, Victor blocked his path.

"Where do ya think you're goin', Rodriguez?" Victor asked.

"Down." Justin said.

Justin then jumped off the balcony overlooking the foyer. He then started beating up his own gang members.

"Victor, Dimitri, Alan, go and help the others!" Milo cried.

The three of them nodded and headed downstairs to join the fight. Milo turned back to me and cracked his neck.

"Fightin' Morgan's kid should be quite entertainin'." he said.

"And fightin' the man who murdered him and my mother will be satisfyin' and enjoyable." I retorted.

We charged at each and began our brawl. I swiftly dodged Milo's attacks, hearing the words my father once said.

"If the enemy's bigger, you gotta be quicker."

When I got close to Milo, I whammed my fist near his face.

I think I heard his jaw crack.

Milo gripped his jaw and winced in pain.

"Lucky shot..." he said.

"Just like how you shot my parents!" I cried.

Milo groaned as he rolled his eyes. He charged at me and pulled his arm back, ready to punch me. I quickly blocked the attack and his fist hit my wrist.

Ow...

Milo's fists kept raining down on my wrists.

At this rate, if he keeps goin', he's gonna break my wrists...!

I then kneed Milo in his jaw again.

At the point, his jaw's probably broken by now.

He backed away and began to breathe heavily.

"You're Morgan's kid alright... You got the same fightin' spirit he once did." Milo said.

"What did ya expect from an Ackerman?" I asked.

This time, I charged at him, moving swiftly. I pulled back and threw a punch at Milo's temple. Unfortunately, Milo caught my fist. I tried to get it free, but Milo's grip was too strong. He then started pushing my wrist backwards. I groaned and winced in pain. Then, I heard a loud crack. I screamed in pain.

My wrist... He broke my wrist...

When Milo released my hand, I scrambled away from him, holding my wrist. I groaned when I felt the pain strike my wrist, like a knife cutting off my hand. I glared at him and growled. I charged at him again. Almost immediately, I stopped in my tracks, paralyzed with fear.

"Y'know, this is the same gun I used to kill your parents. And now, I get to use it on you." Milo said.

My body began to quake. When Milo took a step forward, I took two backwards. My attempt to get away was short lived when I hit the balcony railing. Then, Milo shot a bullet in the air to get everyone's attention. The Night Howlers and the Jackrats looked up at Milo. He then pointed the gun back at me.

"Surrender Night Howlers! Give us everythin' ya own, and the girl lives..." Milo said.

"Don't do it, guys!" I cried.

"Shut up!"

He placed the gun on the back of my head. I let out a desperate sob.

"Last chance, werewolves!" Milo said.

The boys looked at me and then back at Milo.

"Tick tock, boys." Milo said.

What can I do...?

Then, an idea hit me. I then began to howl. The Jackrats and the Night Howlers looked at me with confusion. I looked at my brothers and howled once more. I could see the boys smiling. Then, they began to howl as well. The choir of howls grew louder by the minute. When I felt the weapon retract from my head, I quickly turned around and kicked the gun out of Milo's hands. I then grabbed the gun and aimed the gun at Milo. Milo just stared at me. His blank stare made my hands tremble.

"So, this is how it ends, huh? You shootin' me down, and for what? Pleasure? Satisfaction? Relief? Anger? Hatred?" Milo asked.

My breathing became shaky and quick.

"If you're gonna shoot me, I not gonna stop ya, kid." Milo said.

Why is he bein' so calm about this...?

The answer soon dawned on me when I heard Winston's cry.

"ALITA, BEHIND YOU!"

BANG!

When I turned around, my breathing became normal again. Victor was standing behind me, gun in hand, and a bullet through his chest. Blood spilled from his lips and from his wound. He crumbled to the ground, and before his final breath, he fired a bullet. Everything started going in slow motion. I saw the bullet approaching, and I swiftly cocked my head to the side. When everything was back to normal speed, I turned around to see blood spilling from Milo's chest. He clutched his chest as he crumbled to the ground. He looked up at me, like he was begging for mercy.

"This is exactly what you deserve... An eye for an eye... a soul for a soul... a life for a life..." I said.

Milo's breathing soon came to a halt. I dropped the gun and crumbled to the floor, crying my eyes out. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. I stood up and turned to the boys. Believe it or not, both gangs were standing in front of me. Hiro stepped forward and looked at me with a very concerned look. I let out many desperate sobs and embraced Hiro.

"They're gone... both of em'..." I cried.

"We heard... we're so sorry, Ali..." Hiro said.

My breathing slowed down and I sighed. I backed away from him and reached into my pocket. I opened my hand and revealed my father's chain. I sighed and put it on. I held the cross in my palm and balled a fist around it.

"Now what?" Dante said.

We all looked at Winston, waiting for his answer

"We go home." Winston said, walking away.

He looked back and smiled slightly.

"ALL of us..." he said, looking at the Jackrats.

"Are ya sure, Winston?" Cosmo asked.

Winston nodded.

"Without a leader to follow, they'll wander astray. They good, young men, and they ain't any different from us." Winston said.

The Night Howlers and the Jackrats looked at each other. Then, they all smiled and nodded. When I started following the boys out the door, Justin pulled me back. When he turned me around, our lips sealed together. His kiss, deep and passionate, but was still gentle. When our faces drew away, we smiled at one another. We walked out the house, hand in hand.

I hope my parents are happy, wherever they are. I know that they are watchin' over me, no matter where I roam... It's probably wrong to be happy if someone is dead, but I feel so much better now that Milo is out of the picture. Momma used to tell me a saying that's been with me for as long as I can remember...

"When life puts you in tough situations, don't say, "Why me?", say, "Try me."