Dark Waters

Chapter Twenty Eight: Tensions

Chapter Twenty Eight: Tensions

Leopard stood from the nearby building's rooftop, staring at the shouldering wreckage that had been the warehouse earlier.

Behind him, he could hear the whispers of his fellow Dark Flame ninjas along with the concerned murmurs of Rainier and his family. He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to think of the possible ramifications of what happened just a few minutes ago.

To Leopard, it was like everything moved in slow motion. He paid no attention to the falling debris around them and ordered everyone to get out. In a corner of his eye, he noticed Rainier doing the same thing with his brothers.  Trusting his fellow ninjas to follow his orders, the Dark Flame Black Elite Commander crossed the long distance to the door and used Quicksilver to break the chains holding it shut and destroy the locking mechanism.  By the time the others reached the open door, he had already cleared the street and smashed the nearest streetlights, giving them enough shadows to escape.

Below them, sirens crowded the streets. Only after putting several streets between them and the docks did they come to rest in an alley to wait for the police and fire engines and ambulances to finish driving by. There were so many news channel vans that none of them wanted to risk stepping out to the light, even to get away that much faster.

Leopard took a deep breath, and willed his heart to beat slower now that the adrenaline and excitement wore off.

The Mizu Clan was here. After what happened in the T.C.R.I. facility, they are considered the enemy. As the Blue Leader and Dark Flame Black Elite Commander, he was supposed to order the other Dark Flame ninjas to kill them to avenge the Grandmaster.

But he owed Rainier his life. He owed Rainier and his brothers for helping his fellow ninjas get out of the warehouse.

Honor dictates a life for a life, right?

Behind him, he could hear Taro and most of his squad finally coming to their senses. He could hear their surprised whispers and he felt the tension between them and their sworn enemies in the air.

He had to do something. Taro and his team are not ready for another fight; though he is sure they will fight to the death if the situation calls for.

Too many lives have been sacrificed by this bloody war already.

Whispering a prayer that his sister would arrive soon, Leopard turned to face the others.

***

Rainier warily eyed the Dark Flame ninjas surrounding him, Kenny and his brothers. This is not good, he grimly said to himself. The odds were definitely not in their favor.

Just behind him he could hear Daniel's soft mutters about all of this being his fault. Not that he could blame his younger brother, of course. He did insist on going after Leo and Daniel still thinks they should take part in this mess.

He was debating the possibility of Kenny, him and his brothers fleeing the scene with minimum injury, when the ninjas suddenly parted, revealing Leopard.

The dark clad ninja approached them, only stepping five feet away from Rainier, and much to everyone's surprise, and bowed before his lookalike.

"On behalf of the Dark Flame, thank you for your assistance for helping my clan brothers. As Blue Leader of the Dark Flame and as Commander of the Black Elites, we will leave you and your clan in peace for 24 hours, provided you do not interfere with our business." He stated. It wasn't much but it was the best he could do for now.

He could hear the whispers from the other ninjas. Some were relieved that they wouldn't have to fight while some were outraged that they were going to let the Mizu clan get away.  "But Commander..." One of the ninjas spoke up.