Welcome to Gaia! ::

Title: Deathshot
Rating: pg-13 to mature
Reason for rating: fighting, violence, suggestive themes, violence, cussing
Genre: Sic-fi/ action/ adventure

In the distant future war no longer exists. Now a new game called Deashot is the king of games, and it has replaced wars. Games are held in gient "domes" that generate illisions and simulare battles. Now for one team, it is the start of a bright new future into a dark world of professnal Deathshot....

So a million word and spelling errors await you! be ready to pull your hair out! anyways enjoy it's super long!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 1

Leo lightly touched the earpiece dangling from her right ear with her ring finger. Her teammates spoke in rushed whispers as she made her way through the thick jungle with inhuman stealth. Her hand dropped from the ear piece and silently removed a pistol from it’s holster on her thigh, her target was close, she could almost feel it.
“LEO!” One of her teammates yelled in her ear, “Get your cocky a** over here ASAP!”
“Gabriel,” she whispered so low she wasn’t sure the high tech device could pick it up, “No war is won by merely taking over the enemy base.”
She spotted her target as Gabriel spat a string of curses from the other side of the ear piece. He was the last left “alive” from his team and he was clearly frightened on his own, as well he should be, Leo had been playing mind games with him the entire time she had stalked him thought this jungle. A snapped twig close to him, or a bush of air possibly made by a moving body, now he was little more then a whining ball of flesh that need to be eliminated, and Leo was just the girl to do it. He stood with his back to her swinging his head side to side, disparity looking for her, little good it would do him now. She was reaching for her second pistol when Gabriel’s voice sounded in her head again.
“Damn it Leo! Capturing the base may not be good enough for a real war but it’s good enough for a game of death shot!”
“The only true victory,” said Leo in her cold huntress voice, “Is when…”
“s**t head get your a** over here now!”
“Every…” Leo took aim at the man’s heart with both pistols.
“Kip! I can’t talk to this bloody wanker!”
“Single…” Leo’s fingers tightened on the triggers as the voice of kip came on the line.
“Leo, come on let’s win this peacefully!”
Without a single second of hesitation, Leo continued her little speech.
“Soldier is…’ Leo felt herself relax and breath for the shot like her mother had taught her so long ago.
“Leo! This is Bon! Please end this now!”
The shot exploded in the still air and echoed off the canyons and trees, intensifying the sound. Flocks of birds took to the air and cried out as they flew off. Leo watched the man crumple to his knees, holding his heart and then fall face first into the dirt unconscious, the white shirt stained red. Leo spun both pistols around her trigger fingers and then slid them back into their holsters in one fluid movement. A smug smile crossed her lips for a moment, but it was quickly replaced by her regular frown.
“Dead.”
The world around Leo began to shift and dissipate, the jungle seemed to melt into the floor, and walls made out of light pink and blue pentagons appeared in a sixty yard circle all around her. The trees folded in on themselves and the birds seemed to blink out of existence, the vines dropped from their place in the trees and sank into the ground. Leo batted at one as it fell on her, but the vine passed through her for it was only a hologram just like everything else in the dome. As the landscape disappeared, Leo could see all three of her teammates standing on a raised platform, which had been the enemy base only moments ago. All of them looked annoyed, but Gabriel looked livid. As the colored pentagons started to disappear as well, Leo jogged and jumped onto the platform with her teammates.
“You stupid, selfish son of a …” Gabriel started, but Leo held up her hand and stopping her.
“Smile Gabriel,” she said as the walls fell away completely and a shouting crowd met their eyes.
Leo forced a pleasant smile and waved to the small crowd of their fans. She grit her teeth at the vast amount of empty space she could see in the stands. The crowds had hit record low turn out rates, they all wanted to see the flashy, so called “professional” games that were held on the weekends in huge stadiums. No one seemed interested in the hardcore real games without huge screens, team souvenirs and autographs singings. But the meager applause from true fans lightened Leo’s mood a bit. Gabriel’s angry voice sounded in her ear as her teammate leaned over and whispered for only her to hear.
“Your going to answer to me when we get back to base.”
Leo was lifted off her feet by the collar of her shirt and slammed into the outside of the team’s hovercraft home. Gabriel was down right furious with her, and Leo could think of quite a few reasons why.
“You god damned butcher!! We had it!!! HAD IT!!! Why did you have to kill him?! You pry scared him for life now!!”
Gabriel’s pure white hair hung lose to her back and some strands fell freely into her flashing gold eyes. Leo’s calm temper fanned Gabriel’s anger to new heights. She slammed Leo into the hover house again.
“Your like a freaking killer! Stalking and talking and taking em’ out like that!”
“I do what has to be done.”
Kip rested her hand lightly on Gabriel’s shoulder. The hot tempered younger girl turned to stare at the older one, Kip had an un natural talent of mellowing people out with only her voice.
“Gabriel, what’s done is done. Leo did what she thought was right.”
Kip’s level head effectively cooled Gabriel’s raging temper. She let Leo drop into the dirt, turned on her heel and stomped in the make shift home, slamming the door behind her and without taking off her muddy combat boots. Leo picked herself up off the ground and dusted off, straightened her blood red hair and started removing her combat vest, jacket and communication equipment. Kip brushed out her own blonde hair with her fingers and took out the annoying ear piece.
“Leo? Why do you feel the need to over kill the other team like that?”
“To eliminate any threat to our victory.” Leo answered coldly.
Kip rolled her violet eyes as Leo finished removing her equipment and set it on a near by table for her to clean later.
“Leo, practice compassion.” Kip said sorrowfully
Leo laid both her pistols on the table and proceeded to quickly take them apart.
“Are you even listening Leo?”
Leo’s skilled fingers and hands had completely taken apart both pistols and had begun cleaning it piece by piece. She wiped down every piece with water and quickly dried it and then polished that piece to perfection, but never to a bright shine It still amazed Kip how fast Leo could take apart her guns and then put them back together with out stopping.
“Uh guys?” Bon stuck her pink head around the back of the hovercraft “Team Jet Rush is here to congratulate us on our win. Go get Gabe will ya?”
Kip moved away from Leo and headed into the mobile home to find Gabriel. Leo snapped her guns back together in the blink of an eye and re-buckled the holsters to her thigh. Then slipped the pistols back into place, she didn’t want to take a risk of being without them. Bon bounded around the back of the hovercraft, her pink head bobbing up and down, just as Leo finished her task and stood to formally great their visitors.
“Right over here guys! Yup, this is the infamous Team Phoenix campground!! We’ve had this same exact spot ever since we started competing here. Which was about …oh… three years ago now.”
The four men from team Jet Rush followed Bon, even without their helmets on, with a quick scan of their faces Leo knew who each man was. The one in front was shot by Kip, earning her extra skill points for the first “kill” of the game, the second Gabriel and Bon had fought over the right to take the fatal shot at him, Leo had seen though their seams, they had both wanted to ask him out, and while they were fighting over him Leo had taken out number three in the line and then moved on the number four. Bon had scored the “kill” shot on number two while Leo was already stalking number four which was technically Gabriel’s “kill”, which explained why she was upset that Leo had earned herself double the skill points while Gabriel got none.
When all the men were in side the small campground they all stopped to stare at Leo.
“You mean there are two women on your team? We thought it was just you.”
Leo felt her eye twitch, she should have been used to the by now. Not many girls played Deathshot and even fewer played tournaments, so it was an extreme oddity that a whole team would be made up of them.
“Our whole team is in fact made up of women”
Kip and Gabriel picked the perfect time to emerge from the mobile home, now all four women stood together in a line in front of the other team. Bon looking as happy as always, Kip in silent dignity, Gabriel in all her hot tempered glory, and Leo with all the charm and happiness of an ice storm. The four men stood wide eyed at the women before them, no doubt still in shock that they had lost to a bunch of girls. Finally, one of the men found enough courage to speak, Leo instantly guessed that he was the team’s leader. He stepped forward and gave a small bow, a Deathshot custom of honoring a winning team.
“That was the best match we’ve had in a long time. It’s little wonder why you’re the best in the league. I would very much like the shake your captain’s hand.”
The four girls looked at each other and exchanged questioning glances, they had never really decided to have a captain. Any time they had tried ended with them discussing something else or never agreeing on a person to lead them, and it was usually Leo and Gabriel arguing to be captain. Leo stepped forward and offered her hand anyways.
“We don’t have an official captain, but I’m the most senior experienced. And that really was a great match team Jet Rush.” Leo said calmly.
But in the back of her mind she knew they were no match for them, the game was over before it even began, Team Phoenix was just too powerful for anyone in this league anymore. The other team’s captain shook Leo’s offered hand and stepped back, the rest of his team half turned to leave, but their captain had one last thing to ask.
“Before we go, I was wondering Miss. Hazard,”
Leo was caught off guard. Her mother was Mrs. Hazard not her, she had a huge urge to turn and look for her mother behind her, but she knew it was impossible for her to be she had died ages ago, her memory still stabbed at Leo’s heart.
“What kind of guns do you use? I failed to find their model in our data base.”
“No, you wouldn’t find them.” Leo answered
“Because their one of a kind!!” Bon interjected before Leo could answer.
Leo shot Bon a icy glare, but the younger girl didn’t notice.
“Their the only ones in the whole wide world because Leo made them herself!! Isn’t that just so cool?! She made them all by herself!! How many people can do that now days??”
Team Jet Rush looked awed, in this day and age almost everything was made by machines.
“Really?” asked the captain, “May I have the model numbers to enter into our data base?”
Leo shrugged and removed both pistols from their holsters.
“The one on the right is the P-A-I-N-7 and on the left is the S-U-F-F-R 24.”
“Appropriate names….” said one of the team, he was quickly silenced with an elbow to the ribs by the other two teammates.
Leo pretended she hadn’t heard the comment as she spun the guns and slipped them back into the holsters. The other team took her silence as an order to leave and the did so... in a hurry. They quickly made their way out of the campground as Bon waved good-bye.
“Losers.” Gabriel gloated “They were no match for us and they know it! Why’d you have to go giving them the idea that they even got us to take them seriously Leo? You shouldn’t give losers like that false hope.”
“I was practicing compassion.” Leo shrugged
“That wasn’t the way I meant it…” Kip sighed as she shook her head.
Bon glanced around, having completely missed the conversation before and missing the meaning of this one now.
“What?” she asked as she tilted her head off to the side.
“It’s nothing Bon.” Leo said as she made her way into the camper.
On the drivers seat sat the team’s mechanic, Junich Yamamura or Jun for short and on his lap attached to his face by the lips was his wife, Bambi Yamamura.
“Get a room you two.” Leo said as she walked past the pair.
“OH!! LEO! Wha…wha… what are you talking about!?! We… er… we weren’t doing anything!” Bambi stammered as she re-buttoned her shirt.
Leo waved a piece sign with her fingers over her shoulder without a word as he wandered down one of the camper’s halls to her room.
“Give it a rest will ya,” Gabriel said annoyed as she came through the door “We all know your in love, but show you affection for each other behind closed doors!”
“Let them alone Gabriel.” Said Kip as she came in after Gabriel. Jun straightened his tie and closed his shirt, his face as red as Leo’s hair.
“Uh…er… great job on your win today team! You beat the pants off them!”
Jun ran his long fingers threw his short black hair, his gold wedding ring shinning on his finger. His brown eyes looked worried, as if he had been caught at something.
“Just like Bambi was about to do to you?” Gabriel teased, if it was possible Jun’s face turned a deeper shade of red.
Bambi looked far more relaxed and care free, she had grown up it seemed, with the team’s teasing. Gabriel sat down at the little table and picked up a piece of fruit that was in a bowl at the center of the table. Kip sat opposite of Gabriel and rested her head in her hands. Bon came bounded up the stairs into the camper, and she frowned.
“We need to liven this place up! It’s so drab and boring in here! We need some curtains and a few rugs.”
Kip looked around at their little home. It was rather big for a mobile home, but not spacious at all, there was a small kitchen and an even smaller table were all six ate meals, then it broke off to four small halls, one led to Jun and Bambi’s room, one to Gabriel’s then another to Bon and her own room and then Leo’s room, which Kip had never really seen. Also there was the briefing room, which was the living room as well. And it was just all around crammed with stuff that had never found a place besides were it was shoved. The only clean part free of junk was the dashboard and drivers seat were Bambi had to drive.
“That really was a great game….” Jun desperately trying to keep the subject changed.
“Yeah it was! Except for the fact that Leo took it upon herself to score two kill shots herself!” Gabriel yelled down the hall the way Leo had walked to he room.
She viciously bit into the fruit she was holding and chewed angrily.
“OH Gabriel don’t start that again!” Kip pleaded.
“No way! She’s the only one getting any skill points and increasing her rank and standing! I say next round we take her guns and make her base guard!”
“Fine,” said Bon as she sat next to Kip, “But you’re the one that’s going to have to take them from her.”
Kip half smiled as Gabriel’s face turned a light pink and fell silent, no one wanted to take Leo’s guns from her because it was just plain suicide. And none of them had a death wish… yet.
“Speaking of guns!” Jun exclaimed “Leo! Your parts arrived during the match today!”
Jun pulled a small package out from under the dashboard of the mobile home and stood up holding it when he walked right into Leo. Jun stumbled and dropped the fragile package, he tumbled backwards, but Bambi caught him, Kip and Bon catching her in their laps as the still sat. Leo managed to catch the falling box only milliseconds before it hit the ground. She stood up with the box firmly in her grasp and she set it down on the table.
“LEO DON’T DO THAT!” Jun cried as he pushed himself back onto his feet. “You know how much that creeps us all out when you do that silent vampire, creeping up on your pray, thing!”
“Sorry Jun, it’s my nature or something like that.”
Everyone was already gathered around so they merely looked on with great interest as Leo tore into her box.
Leo dug though handfuls and handfuls of packing foam and finally found what she was looking for. She lifted a bright shining copper colored something out of the box and turned it over in her hands
“Excellent! Perfect condition!” Leo said with a smug smile.
She reached into the box and pulled out a gun part. The others “oow” and “ah”ed silently, as Leo pulled out more and more shinny copper colored gun parts and one by one carefully laid them on the table. Gabriel picked one up and held what looked like a smaller version of a shotgun barrel and pondered it, then she looked over the rest of the pieces that Leo had dug out of the box and the picture came together in her mind.
“YOU b***h!!” Gabriel shouted as she chucked the gun mod at Leo, who caught it in her left hand without blinking.
“What?” Asked Leo calmly as Gabriel jumped up from the table nearly knocking over.
“YOU TWO TIMEING TRAMP! HOW DARE YOU!”
Gabriel threw a punch at Leo who sidestepped it and ducked as another fist swung her way. Leo felt the wind rush by her ears and tensed to dodge again.
“Gabriel don’t make me hurt you.”
“GABRIEL WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!?!” Kip screamed as Gabe lashed out again.
Leo dodged and found her back against a wall, she wouldn’t be able to get away next time, all she could do now was brace herself for the impact.
“SHE’S TRYING TO TAKE MY PLACE!”
Gabriel’s fist connected with Leo’s jaw with a crunch and Leo stumbled back as Gabriel seized the collar of her shirt and slammed her into the wall behind her hard. Leo gasped for air and clawed at Gabriel’s hands uselessly.
“You think you can replace me hun?! How about I replace you first!”
Gabriel smashed Leo’s head against the wall again with a sickening pop, and blood dribbled down Leo’s neck and from her mouth.
“Gabriel stop! Your killing her!!” Bon screamed as she leapt from the table and grabbed onto of Gabriel’s arms.
“The damn whore diserves it!” Gabriel said as she tightened her grip on Leo’s throat.
“GABRIEL!” Roared Kip in her infamous “don’t mess with me” voice.
Everyone instantly turned to face Kip.
“Talk! What the bloody hell is going on !”
In a rage Gabriel dropped Leo and stormed over the copper gun parts still laying neatly on the table. She scooped up a piece in her fist and shoved it at Kip.
“See that!?! That is a short barrel gun mod for shotgun type weapons!’
Kip raised an eyebrow and gave Gabriel a confused look. Gabriel threw up her hands and rolled her eyes as if the answer was clear as day.
“It’s used to upgrade less powerful shotguns without having the buy a totally new gun! And jackass here plans to put it on her damn pistols!”
That explain ton only seemed to confuse Kip more.
“When she puts that bloody upgrade part on her bloody pistols they become bloody shotguns you bloody stupid wanker!!” Gabriel screamed in rage.
Kip turned the part over in her hands examining it, how could such small parts turn a pistol into a shotgun? It was just plain impossible!
“But it’s used for a shotgun. How could her pistols use it?”
“It’s quite simple really,” came Leo’s voice right behind Gabriel.
As Gabriel spun around, her brain didn’t even have time to register that she was in any danger before Leo’s fist smashed into her face. Gabriel was thrown back and landed on her back and slid to the open door, leaving a bloody trail behind her as she held her face in her hands moaning.
“I told you not to make me hurt you dumb a**.”
Leo stood on wobbly legs, her mouth and nose dripping crimson blood. Even in her poor state Kip couldn’t deny that Leo looked somehow regal, as if pain and survival were all her life and she now ruled over those elements.
“Don’t make me repeat myself fool.”

Chapter 3

Even Leo was shocked by the simplicity of the statement and situation.
“That’s it?! Deal? You agree with all of our demands?” Leo asked
“Yes.” Elizabeth, “And the standard stuff is as you said, standard and I already planned on giving you that, and the selling and trading, I wouldn’t dream of it, because I see how well you work with each other and to change that would be disastrous for your ability to win. As of the interfering with tactics, I barley know enough to buy a team let alone try to give orders to them, but I’ll do my best to keep my nose out of your affairs. The only thing I want to change is the publicity. You will have to do a few things to get your names out there and advertise.”
“Why?” Asked Bon.
“Oh cool it. Don’t get so upset. It’ll just be a photo-shoot here and the in your uniforms and a T.V interview one an a while. Nothing uncomfortable or sell out.”
Kip placed a hand over Leo’s mouth when it looked like the hot tempered redhead might say something stupid.
“I think that’s perfectly reasonable,” Kip said as she glared at all the other girls, “Being that Ms. Excel is generous enough to give us what we what.”
Leo looked around to Bon who was nodding her head vigorously and then to Gabriel who shrugged and lastly to Kip who nodded once, she was out voted again. Leo removed Kip’s hand form her mouth.
“Fine, I think that’s reasonable too. But ask us what we are willing to do and not do before you plan anything!”
“Your beginning to push it, but I’ll see what I can do. Most things pop up without warning and go away just as quick.”
“Well we what to keep our free will and pride above all else!” Leo growled.
“I know,” said Elizabeth “That’s why I like your style. You remind me a lot of me and my company. You what to be the best with out having to conform, I respect that. And now there is only a few pieces of business left to take care of ladies, first is a fifth teammate. In the professional league you need five people on a team.”
“Don’t insult us! You need a fifth person in sim-pro and junior leagues too! And we have one already thank you very much!” Gabriel said loudly.
Elizabeth raised her eyebrow.
“I’ve watched your team play for months down and I haven’t seen any fifth person.”
“Well we have one!” Gabriel said again.
“Well then why isn’t she here then?” Elisabeth inquired.
“Because it’s her day off.” Leo said smoothly, “Gabriel, get her down here.”
She tossed the white haired girl a small cell phone that Gabriel caught.
“I’ve already dialed the number.”
Gabriel held the phone up to her ear and waited.
“ERIC! IT’S ABOUT TIME YOU PICKED UP!! ……… NO! I don’t care were you are right now! We have something really important going on right now! ……. Really? You just, fell in? …….and you got stuck?! IT’S WHAT COLOR NOW?!?!”
Leo flashed Gabriel a cold glare and she got back on topic.
“Look Eric! Call Bambi and get directions to were we are, and then get your a** over here ASAP!”
“Well now that, that is taken care of ladies, there is just the contract left to sign. Now what is fair to you? Ten years?”
“Seven.” Said Leo quickly.
“Fine, seven it is. Isi, do you have the contract all drawn up?”
“Yes Miss. Excel! It’s right here!” Isi brought a piece of paper to Elizabeth.
“Ladies, does this look fair to you?” she asked as she handed the paper to Leo.
Leo took the contract and stared at it.
“I’m not the person to ask that, we need our lawyer.” Leo said as her eyes roamed the page.
“You have a lawyer?” Elizabeth said as she arched her eyebrows.
“We do. BAMBI! Get in here, we need your legal help!”
Bambi came threw the door looking a bit confused.
“My legal help? I’m a bit rusty, it’s been awhile since I used my law degree Leo. And you know Eric just called.”
“And who is this? A sixth teammate?” Elizabeth said a bit annoyed.
“She’s our bus driver.” Leo said with a shrug.
Elizabeth looked taken aback as Bambi looked over the contract. After about a half an hour of aggressive negotiations between the two parties they finally agreed and singed the contract, all except Eric who had yet to show up. Elizabeth set the contract on the desk and stood then offered her hand to the members of the team.
“Well now that we’re in this thing together, and we all know each other a bit better, you guys can call me by my nickname, E.”
The door opened with a loud buzz that made all the girls jump just a bit, Leo hand dropped instantly to the pistols hidden in her jacket, but quickly relaxed as she saw a pink haired girl huffing and puffing, leaning on the door way.
“Am, am I too late?!
Everyone stared at the bright neon pink hair that topped her head.
“Eric,” Gabriel said slowly, “Eric please tell me you DIDN’T do that to your own hair!”
Bon started it, at first it was a low mumble and then a soft giggle, and then Kip caught it and began to grow into a laugh. Isi herself began to tear up from hiding her own laughter and E twitched the corner of her mouth into a small smile. Leo remaind silence and rubbed her temple with a hand.
“YOU LOOK LIKE COTTON CANDY!!” Shouted Gabriel as she burst out laughing.
Eric turned a bright red color that made everyone already hiding their amusement begin laughing as well. Poor Eric had to endure five full minutes of laughing, she looked on the verge of running away when Leo quieted they down.
“Alright you had you laughs! Now shut up!”
“Eric,” Kip said lightly, “Would you care to tell us what happened?”
Eric turned a whole new shade of red as she turned her eyes away from the others.
“Well….” she began.
“We don’t have all day! We wouldn’t want to keep Mrs. “E” waiting Eric!” Gabriel said loudly.
“Well, I was at the traveling carnival on my day off, and I was walking, you know just minding my own business when I got shoved from behind, and then I tripped over my foot and I fell head first into one of those indusial size cotton candy machines. And… well, some of my hair got stuck and I couldn’t get out and then all that stuff stared spraying and I was screaming and kicking and it got all over me and then this really nice guy helped me up and then he helped me to a bathroom were I cleaned this stuff off, but the owner said that my hair is stained this way forever!!”
Leo rubbed her temples again as everyone cracked up at Eric’s expense again.
“I take it this is the fifth teammate you were talking about?” E said with a small grin.
“Do we have to clam her?” Gabe said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
“DON’T JOKE ABOUT THAT GABRIEL!!” Eric yelled as she walked over and stood by Leo, the only one not laughing at her.
“Now that you’re here Eric, why don’t you look this thing over and sign it if your willing and sound of mind?” Leo said as she handed her the contract.
“I don’t even have to read it!” She said as she took the paper from Leo, “If it’s good enough for you, it’s more then good for me!” Eric quickly scanned the page and signed her name at the bottom right, along with everyone else.
“Well that settles it,” E said as she rolled up the contract, “Welcome to professional Deathshot.”
“Wait,” asked Bon, “We were never invited into the pro league!”
“Well let me let you in on a little secret…” E leaned in closer towards Bon, “You are now.”
“Well if that’s all, we’ll be going,” Leo stared.
“Hold on, I’m not quite done with you yet.” E said slowly.
Leo arched an eyebrow challenging E.
“I still need to appoint you a manager.”
“A manager?” Leo asked coldly.
“Just someone to schedule your games and your “publicity stunts”, then the accounts that need to be kept in order. You know, all the stuff you don’t have time to do or don’t want to. And I have the perfect person for the job. Isi, meet your new assignment.” E said smoothly.
Isi nearly dropped her glasses as she whipped around to face her boss. Her forehead broke out in a sweat and her glasses slipped down her nose a bit.
“ME?!? But-but-but, I’m an indoor person! I don’t know how to be a manager!”
E looked a bit bored, as Isi looked about ready to have a panic attack.
“Isi, can you type?” E asked her
“…Yes…” Isi answered slowly
“Can you schedule things well without overbooking?”
“Of course!” Isi said
“Can you balance a huge account and keep track of it?”
“I’m the best! You should know that, I’m your secretary!” Isi said proudly.
“Then you’ll be a perfect manager. Now go pack your things, you’ll be living on the road with Team Phoenix until farther notice.”
Isi made a small squeaking noise and then passed out. She crumbled to the floor totally uncurious, her glasses on the very tip of her nose.
The whole team moved to catch her but E waved them off.
“She does this a lot. It’s normal… for her any ways, don’t get her too exited or upset, she does have a tendency to fly off the handle.” E looked over at her unconscious secretary.
“Just let her sleep for a while and she should go back to normal. And I want her back in one piece, her mind too, so do me a favor and don’t drive her completely crazy.”
“Well are done with us now?” Leo asked impatiently.
“Maybe. You can put this off till later, or you can do it now. But we’re still going have to catalog you.”
“Catalog us?” Eric gulped.
E led them down a brightly lit hall lined with white wash doors until they reached a large room. As they filed in a huge door slid out of the doorway and closed itself. The room was huge and echoed their footsteps as they all filed in. The room was taupe colored and it had one huge window in front of them that Leo guessed was one way glass.
“Line up here please, one arm span apart from each other. I’ll be on the other side of the glass monitoring you.”
E turned to leave as the girls began to line up when Bon spoke up.
“Your not going to have poison gas come out of the ceiling that will make us go crazy as it slowly eats away at our flesh and makes us rot from the inside out until we become stinking corpses are you?”
Eric and Gabriel sniggered, but exchanged uneasy glances at one another. E turned smartly on her heel and faced the pink headed girl.
“No, I prefer to feed people to my pet T-rex that I keep in the basement.”
“WOAH!! REALLY!? You have a pet T-rex!! Can I see it?!” Bon said excitedly
E rolled her eyes and walked out. Gabriel smacked the back of Bon’s head and growled something at her as Bon rubbed her head. A light flicked on behind the window and Leo could see E and another young woman in a small room. The other woman sat down and typed something into what could have been a control panel. E lean over and pressed a button and her voice boom and echoed through the room.
“First we’re going to take some pictures. Stand as straight as you can and try not to blink.”
Leo stood as tall as she could, and a moment later the walls opened in several different places all around them and shinny black lens could be seen focusing in on them. Leo spun around and looked all around herself, she didn’t like being watched.
“Leo, please stop fidgeting. Your making this take longer.” E said from all over the room.
Leo turned back around and faced the window again.
“Now on the count of three,” said the young technician. “One, two..”
One powerful bright flash blinded all five and left them seeing spots for a good minute or two. Gabriel rubbed her eyes and shouted.
“WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THREE?!”
“Surprise, no three. Moving on. Lets keep going with the picture theme and get those out of the way shall we?”
The technician did some more typing and a very small door on the far wall slid open. A small robot that looked like a fat box with wheels rolled it’s self out and over to the line of apprehensive Deathshot players.
“This little guy is a portable camera,”
Almost on cue the top of the box opened and a robotic arm extended until it was about as tall as Leo, and then the “head” box on the end of the arm slid open reviling another black lens.
“Now, please show us any permanent markings. Like scars, birthmarks…. or tattoos.”
“Lets start at the far right, Eric is up first then.”
The fat box camera wheeled it’s way to the beginning of the line and stared Eric in the face as it waited for it’s commands.
“Uh… well… I have a star burst on my left hand,” She held up the back of her hand for the camera. The bright pink, green, purple and orange star burst was quickly photographed with a flash of light.
“And, a cherry blossom with a wing on my right shoulder and a shooting star on my left.” Eric pulled her shirt off the back of her shoulders and the camera snapped both pictures. “And the last one is a broken heart with wings at the base of my neck.” The small pink and red heart sparkled for a second in the flash and then the camera moved on.
“Bon your turn please.”
“Alright!! Well for starters I have a wooden spoon on my right leg!” she lifted up her pant leg to show the camera which bent down and quickly snapped it’s picture, “Then I have a wooden spork on my left for-arm…” The picture was taken, “And a dragon on the right.” A green dragon spiraled up her arm from her wrist to her elbow. The camera turned it’s “head” around and snapped a few pictures all the way around her arm and then it moved on to Gabriel.
“I know the drill!” Gabe said as moved her shirt away from her shoulder, “I have a golden dragon on my shoulder, and…” She lifted up the back of her shirt entirely reviling two small, feather white wings, one on each shoulder blade. The camera swiveled it’s head behind her and first zoomed in on her shoulder and took it’s picture, then it pulled back and took the picture of both wings. “Your turn Kip,” Gabriel said as she pulled her shirt back down.
The camera turned it’s huge black eye to Kip as it rolled it’s way over to her.
“Well over my heart is this,” she tugged the fabric away, revealing a black crescent moon with a cross in the middle of it. “And on my shoulder is this black moon. And then on the small of my back I have this fancy pinwheel like thing with curls and fancy lines.”
When the robot was finished taking pictures Kip straightened her shirt and in pointed to her rib cage.
“And I have a scar here, just below the last rib that might have been made by a knife.”
When the robot was done it moved on to Leo, who stared down it’s only black eye.
“I’m not really comfortable showing you mine.” she said slowly.
“Come now, we’re all girls here. Is it some were embarrassing?” E asked.
“No, not really. Fine, I’ll do it.”
Leo removed her shirt, her body was covered in small scars and she unhooked her bra and turned around. E gasped a little as she saw Leo’s tattoo, it was two gigantic black angel wings that took up her entire back. They were made of small, interact back lines that laced in an out through the wings that looked as if they were in mid flight. E could only imagine the pain and agony that she had to endure for untold hours to have that much work done on her back.
A flash woke her from her daydream, the camera robot had moved on as Leo redressed herself and then turned around to face the window again.
“Thanks guys, we’re done with pictures,” and with that, the fat box robot packed itself up and returned to it’s hole in the wall. “Now all we need is some background information and we’ll be done. Starting with Eric again, true full name?”
“Eric Avalon.”
“True hair color?” E said, the amusement sounding in her voice.
“Pink…. Now.”
“Eye color?”
“Starburst, blue, lavender and pink.”
“True color?”
“Permanent contact.” Eric said
“Alright, if you have permanent contacts let us know right off got it? Age?”
“Sixteen and a half.”
“Birth date?”
“2/11”
“Last thing, parent’s full names?”
“I don’t know my parents. I was orphaned when I was very young.” Eric said as she blushed and turned away.
“Alright, next true full name?”
“Bon! My name Is Bon James!”
“Come on Bon!” Gabriel sneered “She said TRUE full name!”
“Come on now! We need your real name please.” E said harshly.
“Bon…Bon….. MY FULL NAME IS BONBON JAMES!!” Bon said quickly.
“Thank you Bonbon, now, true hair color?”
“Permanent dye, pink.”
“Eye color?”
“Permanent contact, teal.”
“Alright, age?”
“Sixteen.”
“Birth date?”
“9/28”
“Last thing, parent’s full names?”
“Ah, about them, yeah… I was put up for adoption and I never got a home.”
“Then why are you here? Shouldn’t you be in the social services system?”
“Ah… about that… I kinda…maybe…sorta…. ran away. Don’t tell anybody.”
E shook her head as Bon squirmed under everyone else’s stare.
“Next!” E nearly shouted.
“Ok this is getting dull. So see if you can keep up. Gabriel Celestetia. Permanent white, permanent gold, seventeen, 9/11 and my parents are Michael and Serra Celesetia. Got all that?”
The technician nodded when E tapped her shoulder.
“Yes we have it, next.”
“Kip Carter, natural blonde, permanent light violet, nineteen, 7/17 and that’s all subject to change because I have a sever case of amnesia so I don’t remember anything befor the age of twelve.”
“Helpful,” E said sarcastically. “Leo you last.”
“True full name?”
“Leo Hazard.”
“Hair color.”
“Natural blood red.”
“It isn’t dyed? I find that hard to believe.”
“Well believe it. Next question.”
“Eye color?”
“Natural silver.”
“Now that I can’t believe. We need your real color.”
“That IS my real color. Look up my retina scan in the Deathshot database.”
E motioned for the assistant and the woman quickly brought up the website and downloaded the info. Leo was telling the truth.
“Fine, now how about your age? Three hundred? In vampire years?”
“Seventeen.” Leo said coldly.
“Birthday? 10/31?”
“11/21”
“Parents? Let me guess Dracula?”
“My mother was Sasha Hazard, dead. Father unknown.” Leo said, nearly breathing ice.
“Right, what a messed up group. Only two of you know your parents and only one knows both that aren’t dead. Well anyways your done.
Leo, Kip, Gabriel, Bon and Eric all filed out of the room and E was waiting for them outside of the door.
“Thanks for your cooperation. And I have the date for your first professional game. Two weeks from today in Raynim stadium.”
“Raynim Stadium?! That’s at lest a three week drive from here!” Gabriel shouted.
“Well I guess you better tell Bambi to floor it.” E said with a smirk.

Chapter 5

Off the side of the table came five people, to the huge amounts of applause. The first one in the line was a mountain of a man, he had short, crew cut shaved hair and cold shallow, brown eyes, Leo instantly recognized him as the captain of the team.
“Rav ladies and gentlemen!” The man at the table shouted.
Fallowing him was another younger looking man with two toned blonde and brown hair and blue eyes with just a touch of green in them that were framed by a pair of glasses.
“Dark!” The man shouted the players name.
Dark stopped and took a mock bow and played to the crowds cheers with a huge grin on his face until Rav dragged him down to his seat. After Dark came a man with haunted lime green eyes that darted around the room, that strongly reminded Leo of a small bird, and his shoulder length orange hair made her think of him as some kind of tropical toucan or something along those lines.
“Tequila!” The man called out.
After that came a beautiful young woman, her light brown hair hung loosely past her shoulders and her golden eyes were silted much like a cats. But undoubtedly the most interesting and peculiar thing about her was the lion tail that jutted out from the small of her back. Leo noted that the tail seemed to swish back and forth at times, and she wondered if it was real.
“The beautiful Leandra!”
Leandra gracefully took her seat as the last person entered the room. He had short brown hair and bright blue eyes. Bon and Eric giggled when they saw a monkey stuffed animal on his shoulder.
“Taro!” The man rang out one last time.
Taro took a huge bow and made the stuffed animal bow as well. Dark clapped and Leandra covered her eyes with her hand in embarrassment. When Taro finally sat Dark high fived him over Leandra’s head and then she smacked them both upside their heads. Rav rolled his eyes and stood, his chair scraping the floor unpleasantly and Leo flinched again.
“Thank you mister chairman.” He said in a dark voice that sounded like rusty nails being dragged across a chalkboard. “I would like to thank our team owner and sponsor Double Helix Genetics for the flowers they created for this event.”
That explained the flowers, Leo thought to herself. Double Helix Genetics was the biggest and the only genetic research company in the world, the flowers had their DNA altered to look like that just for this event. Double Heel must be very happy with their team to pour so much money into altered flowers for a one day thing for only a few hours with no profit involved. they were after all infamous for cut throat business practices.
“That Rav is kinda cute,” Gabriel started when Kip whacked the back of her head.
“No men! Men make the heart weak and are a constant pain in the a**!”
Gabriel rubbed the back of her head as Leo glared at her from across the table, she had missed a good part of Rav’s speech.
“And with the chairman’s permission I’d like to move on to some rule changes and additions.” Rav looked over to the chairmen who nodded. “The first of which is these little beauties.”
Rav lifted a gauntlet and placed it on his hand. Leo glared at the small gunmetal gray glove that coved all his fingers, wrist and up to his elbow. She sat waiting for it to do something impressive as Rav flexed his fingers for a moment and then in the blink of an eye closed his hand into a fist. From the gauntlet instantly sprang a bright blue oval that hummed softly and glittered in a semi-solid form. Leo instantly knew the oval that covered Rav’s forearm to be a shield.
“This my fellow players is a Ploynithside barricade, or as I’ve come to call it, a PB shield.”
Rav slowly moved his arm back and forth and the shield hummed, everyone’s eyes were transfixed on the blue aura.
“This is the only thing capable of stopping a DS bullet in mid flight with out activating the bullets paralyses components. Dark, if you would be so kind to demonstrate.”
“Sure thing boss.” Dark said with a smirk. “The Jackal or the Hollow?”
Rav rolled his dark eyes as Dark took out his two huge hand guns.
“Pick one. Just don’t pull any stunts like you did in practice.”
“Jackal it is!” Dark lifted a enormous black pistol with white writing on it that read “Jackal”.
Leo gaped at the size of the supposed hand gun who’s barrel alone must had been the size of Dark’s forearm, fingers included. He lifted the gun and rested the muzzle back on his shoulder as he walked around to the front of the head table, then he walked to the regular tables down and around all the way to the back of the room. Everyone in the room murmured to each other and exchanged confused glances at everyone else.
“This far enough?” Dark yelled above the crowd from the entry hall.
“We can still see you keep going!” Leandra yelled back which made the room erupted into giggle fits.
Dark stuck his tongue out and screwed up his face as he mimicked Leandra’s words.
“Keep going we can still see you na na na! Shut up your not funny!”
“Dark, whenever your ready.” Rav said loudly.
“Fine fine fine! Don’t rush me!”
Dark put the barrel of the gun in the crook of his left arm that he held horizontally out in front of himself and began to squeeze the trigger. Rav quickly put the PB shield out in front of himself as Dark let the bullet fly. The gun let out a roar and for a moment the blue aura Rav held shone brighter and hummed louder and made a clashing sound as the bullet slammed into it. Then the noise subsided and the shield still glowed and hummed and Rav was still conscious. Needless to say the entire room was impressed.
“Ladies and gentlemen, in the upcoming season every team member will be equipped with one of these shields.” Rav said as Dark lowered his gun and made his way back over to his chair. “The catch is they will be smaller then this to make it more difficult to block a bullet.”
The murmurings started again but Rav quieted them down when he held a small robot in his hand.
“Also You are going to be seeing these in the dome as well.” Rav touched the top of the little robot’s head and it glowed with familiar looking blue pentagons. And in a matter of seconds Rav was holding a small black and white puppy.
“Oh my gosh it’s so cute!” Gabriel squealed.
The puppy sat down in Rav’s hand and began to scratch it’s ears with a hind paw.
“Don’t let this little guy fool you,” Rav warned. “One bite from him is just as bad as getting shot by a double barreled shotgun in the dome.”
“Oh we’re so alike!” Gabriel smiled at the little puppy.
Leo smacked herself with her hand in embarrassment as Gabriel made puppy eyes at the puppy.
“These are called Ploynithside attack drones. And they well be released into the dome as soon as the game starts. Some are completely harmless, and some are highly dangerous like this little guy here. Taro, hold out your hand.”
“NO!” Screamed Taro as he backed his chair away from Rav. “I already fell for that one!”
“Come on Taro, we have to demonstrate. I swear it won’t be as bad as last time.”
Taro hesitated, but Leandra grabbed his arm and dragged him over to Rav.
“Get over it you big baby and take it like a man!”
“I DON’T WANT TO BE A MAN!” He screamed as Rav held the puppy close to his arm.
Instantly the puppy bit down on Taro’s arm releasing a powerful electric charge that shocked him pretty badly. After he regained consciousness he whimpered and quickly made his way back to his seat.
“And that was toned down.” Rav said, “During a game if your bitten just once by one of these guys your out of the game.”
Instantly everyone in the room began talking at once. Who had made these things? How were you going to survive if just one bite would take you out of the game? Just how many would be in the dome at one time? Would they hunt you down? Were they heat seeking, were just some of the questions that everyone needed answers to.
“Don’t worry, there well only be three dangerous drones in the dome. They are equipped with heat seeking devices but they are programmed to only pursue you for short distances. They also won’t always look like this, they could be any animal or just a hologram, so be careful out there. Also a well aimed bullet will dispatch them.”
His explanation didn’t put anyone’s mind at ease but Leo guessed that was the way he wanted it, to leave them guessing.
“Also, some changes to the rules. The famous executions of prisoners will no longer be tolerated. And headshots are grounds for removal from the game. So keep these new things in mind this season. Now without further ado, lets eat!”
“Can you believe how cute that puppy was!” Gabriel said for what must have been the millionth time.
“Yes Gabe, pass the salt please.” Eric said from across the table.
Gabriel passed the salt to Kip who passed it to Bon who passed it to Eric.
“Thanks.” She said as she salted her mash potatoes.
The brunch was more of a feast then anything, huge tables were set up to the right side of the room and were piled high with all kinds of different and exotic foods. There was so much of it that the girls thought that the chiefs were told that they would be feeding an entire army, which was partly true.
“I like the cool new shields!” Bon said though a mouthful of scrambled eggs. “Do you think they come in yellow?”
“No Bon,” Said Kip, “But all the new things will force us to come up with new battle tactics, isn’t that right Leo?”
Leo played with the peas on her plate, she wasn’t hungry.
“Leo? Hey Leo! Are you even listening to us?” Gabriel yelled into her ear.
“I’m not deaf Gabriel, well maybe now.” Leo said, rubbing her ear were Gabe had shouted.
“What’s wrong Leo? Your not lost in thought are you?” Kip asked.
“Well that would be a rare sight!” Gabriel smirked. “So tell us Leo, what were you reminiscing about?”
“I wasn’t reminiscing. I was trying to figure out a way to somehow make you useful to this team, but I guess that’s impossible.” Leo grinned.
“You want to say that again to my face!” Gabriel yelled as she half rose from her chair.
“Your useless.” Leo said again to Gabriel’s face.

Across the room a little ways from the team Phoenix table sat another team that stared at the noisy newcomers in pure bewilderment.
“Really? Their going to be contenders this year?” Ask the one with blue hair.
“I can’t see that happening,” Said the other who had a strange mix of orange, blue and pink hair and three scares on each side of her face like the whiskers of a cat. “They look like they just jumped off the hobo wagon.”
“Look, they don’t even get along,” The white and green haired one said as she pointed at the team.
The other two looked in the direction of where the third was pointing. The hot tempered white haired girl was standing and shouting something at the calm red headed one, both girls with the pink hair seemed to be trying to get the two to stop fighting while the blonde went to refill her drink.
“If they act like that in the dome, we have nothing to worry about.” The blue hair said.
“Yeah, they probably take each other out before we have to do any work at all!”
All three girls giggled to themselves and pointed to the new team, attraction other peoples attentions.

“Gabriel knock it off already. Your causing a seen.” Leo said darkly.
“I don’t care! We’re taking this outside!” Gabriel yelled as she grabbed the collar of Leo’s suit.
Gabriel was drenched the next second with water. She instantly let go of Leo and turned around to face Kip who was holding and empty glass in her hand.
“What the hell was that for!” Gabriel growled.
“Go to the bathroom and cool of Gabriel, I’m disappointed in you.” Kip said in her “don’t mess with me” voice. “ I thought you were doing well keeping your temper in check for this occasion but then you let Leo get the best of you and it all went to hell.”
“You owe me a new dress,” growled Gabriel as she stomped off to find the bathroom.
Some foolish men at another table made the mistake of cat calling and whistling at her, she punched the closest one in the face as she stormed past, leaving him with a broken nose and a table of concerned teammates. Kip sighed and sat down next to Leo, who was staring blankly at the far wall.
“The pressure must be getting to her if she’s snapping so bad this soon. But you didn’t have to push her Leo, you know how bad she is when it gets close to game time.”
Kip waited for an answer from her but Leo continued to stare at the wall. Kip reached over and waved a hand in front of Leo’s silvery eyes but got no response, finally she tapped Leo’s shoulder and that snapped her out of it.
“What?” Leo asked her.
“What’s got you so upset? You’ve never been nervous before a game before.” Kip asked putting her hand to Leo’s forehead to see if she had a fever.
“It’s nothing.” Leo said.
Her thoughts wandered back to the stadium in the moon light and the phantom man leading her through the maze of halls. It was almost like he was leading her to the exit because as she made her way back down the hall there was an exit door not but a few yards away that led her outside with out having to wait for a guard that knew the password to open the door. She kept replaying the chase in her mind, trying to see if there was anything she overlooked that could have led to her capturing him, but there was nothing she could have done.
“I’m just a little distracted is all.”
“Well you better get un-distracted!” Bon said from across the table. “Your hands down the best strategist on the team and we’re gonna need you.”
“Really?” Leo asked as she raised an eyebrow, “I thought I was the best player all around.”
“Please,” Eric said, “That honor belongs to me of course.”
“No way!” Bon shouted, “I’m the best!”
Kip shrugged as Bon and Eric fought over who was the best player on the team. As the two younglings fought Gabriel came walking back from the bathroom, her portable mini phone in hand.
“E just called guys, she wants to meet us outside to talk about something.” She said as she picked up her purse.
Bon and Eric quickly stuffed the rest of their breakfast into napkins and then crammed them into their own purses, as the others headed for the door.
“All hale the newbies! Their too good to stay for the whole thing!” Someone shouted.
Almost instantly the whole room was booing them. Leo growled annoyed as people stepped in front of her to boo her to her face. She pushed them out of the way as she made her way out the door, the other quickly fallowing her and when they had left, the entire room burst out laughing.
“There you are. I’ve been waiting.” E said at the bottom of the long staircase.
“Yeah and it better be damn good, you just got us all booed.” Gabriel said loudly.
“Well that’s not my fault.” E said flatly. “But this relatively important. Who’s the team leader?”
The girls looked at each other and then back to E.
“We don’t have one, we all work together.”
“Good, I thought not. I thought not, I had to fill out some paperwork and they wanted to know who the captain was, and I chose Leo.”
“WHAT?!” Gabriel roared. “WHY HER?!”
Leo looked just as thunderstruck as everyone else.
“Why not Kip, she’s better with keeping the team happy.” Leo said as she pointed to Kip.
“That’s exactly why she isn’t captain. You’ll make the right decisions even if it pisses the rest of the them off.”
“Well I can do that too! Why’d you pick her?!” Gabriel shouted again.
“Because your too hot headed to lead. Just look at what you did back at brunch.”
Gabe shut her mouth and growled something about being baited to snap.
“All those in favor of Leo as captain raise your hands.” E said.
Eric, Bon and Kip all raised their hands and E smiled.
“I guess I chose right.” She said as everyone lowered their hands. “Oh and one more thing.”
E reached into her purse and pulled out a sniper scope. The whole team looked at her funny as she handed it to Leo.
“Isi tells me your quite the gun mechanic.” She said with a sly smile.
“And what if I am?” Leo said as she crossed her arms and glared at E.
“Well I was just thinking, I owe a gun part factory and you use guns. How would you like to upgrade all the teams weapons with the best parts before they hit the market?”
Leo arched an eyebrow as did everyone else.
“Of course you’ll have to do something for me.”
“And what would that be?” Gabriel asked before Leo could.
“On your uniforms you’d have to wear a small patch with my company’s insignia on it, and you have to swear that I’ll be your only sponsor. Your going to be big, and I don‘t what to share my new team with anyone else.” E said with a smug smile.
Leo turned to everyone else, and all but Gabriel nodded.
“You have yourself a deal, when do we get the parts?” Leo asked as she shook E’s hand.
“I thought you’d say yes. There already here, Isi has them and I suggest you hurry because I want to see them in action at your game tomorrow.” She waved as she walked off, back to the brunch room. “I look forwarded to it.”

“Are you sure she’s still alive in there?” Isi asked as she looked back at the door to Leo’s room with a worried expression.
“She’s fine.” Eric said as she pulled a card from Bon’s hand of cards, “She like to be alone when she’s working.”
“Especially when she has a lot to do, HA! You go the old maid!” Bon said smugly.
“I wonder if she’ll be done with all the guns in time.” Bambi said pulling a card from Eric.
“You know her, she has to get it just right, but when she does, it’s a thing of beauty.” Jun said as he pulled the old maid from his wife’s hand of cards.
At eight o’clock at night Leo finally emerged from her room, looking frustrated. Everyone stood up and flocked around her, eager for news about their weapons.
“Are they done?! Are they done!” Bon said jumping up and down.
“What were the parts like! Are they really good?” Asked Erick excitedly.
“Did they all work?”
“Are they pretty?”
“Are the guns alright?”
“Did you rig mine to explode and kill me?!” Gabriel shouted above the rest.
“I need a bar.” Leo said simply.
That clearly wasn’t the answer everyone was looking for.
“Come on! Are they done?”
“Yes! Their all done, fine and powerful! I need a drink!”
Ten minutes later Leo was leading the way down the street to the nearest bar. Jun Bambi and Isi had opted to stay but everyone else had come with her. People on the way sniggered and pointed to them but nothing more then that. A neon pink sing reading “Deathshot Bar” caught their attention, Leo lead the way over hoping to relax a bit, she was wrong.

Chapter 7

Leo felt herself pass through the doom’s outer shell and then she landed on the bank of a mighty river with a roaring five story high water fall. The others landed beside her and in a split second they were fired on. They dove and somersaulted back behind a line of trees that created a forest with low hanging branches and large, leafy bushes everywhere, a snipers hell, and began fanning out being careful to stay behind the cover.
"Roll call," Leo said softly.
"Kip in and ok."
"Gabriel in, annoyed and ok."
"Bon a little sick but in and ok."
"Eric here and fine."
Leo sprinted from tree to tree towards the waterfall.
“Fan out!” Leo said as she sprinted. “I want as much ground covered as possible, look fro some kind of way across. I’m heading for the waterfall someone else take down river, and keep behind the cover.”
"Looks like the other team is across the bank hiding as well." Kip said inside Leo‘s head. "Bon can you line up a shot?"
"Negative. The tree line is to thick I can barely see them with the scope."
"Oh my god look at that." Eric said horrified.
"What! What is it!" Leo said freezing behind a tree expecting an attack.
"In the water! look!"
Leo barely leaned out from behind the tree she was hiding behind and looked at the water, she had failed earlier to notices the black dorsal fins of at lest a dozen sharks moving slowly in the river.
"Well I guess swimming is out of the question!" Gabriel said loudly.

Outside the dome the audience watched huge screens that showed what was happening inside. E sipped her drink in her private owners box as she watched her team do nothing special at the moment.
"LOOKS LIEK THEY HAVE TO FIND THEIR WAY ACROSS THE SHARK INFESTED WATERS!" The announcer boomed.
E pressed a button on her chair and glass window shot up around her box, completely cutting out the sound from the stadium. She turned her chair to the wall beside her and press another button and the wall opened up in to a large TV screen with ten different things playing in ten different squares.
"Show me team Phoenix." She said.
Instantly the screen split into five squares instead of ten, one team member in each square.
"Show me Leo." She said again.
The screen showed that her captain was carefully climbing the jagged rocks to the top of the waterfall, and E arched an eyebrow.
"Looking for a way over the top are we?" She asked the screen. "Well if you don't find one there, what will you do I wonder? Or if you do, how would you get everyone else up and over with out being caught?"
There was a knock on the door to her box and E quickly pressed another button and the screen returned to it's original ten squares.
"Come in." She said.
Isi poked her head inside and E relaxed.
"Come in Isi, here sit down."
"How are they doing?" She asked as she made her way over to the extra chair E motioned too and sat down.
"Fair enough," She said pointing to the screen. "But this course was designed to challenge their minds, not their aim. I'm curious to find out who will discover that out first."
"Where did you learn that?" Isi asked surprised.
"I read it here." She said as she pressed a button.
Half of the screen turned into the field that the teams were now playing on, slowly spinning showing the field at every angle with a paragraph explaining the purpose and set up of the field underneath it.
"Wow, Isi said, "They have all kinds of courses that emphasize different aspects of Deathshot! They really have thought of everything."
"Indeed." E said confidently as she turned her eyes back to the screen, looking for her captain.

Leo scrambled up and over the top ledge of the rocks only to find a gigantic lake that stretched all the way to the other side of the dome.
"Damn!" She said as she crouched.
"What's up there Leo!" Gabriel’s voice sounded in her ears. "We've just trading shots back and forth praying that b***h lady luck is with us!"
"There's nothing up here! It's just a big lake with no... oh my god." Leo trailed off as she stared at the water.
"What?!" Gabriel demanded.
Leo watched as a shark at least thirty feet long and ten feet across slowly swam by, it's eye looking directly at her, then it disappeared into the depths of the lake.
"Remind me never to go swimming again." She said as she backed toward the ledge.
"What already!"
"The biggest fake shark on earth, this thing is huge. Knowing our luck it's one of the harmless ones, but I don't what to take that chance."
"s**t! Well now what?"
"We find another way across, I'm climbing down, make some noise so I'm not shot in the back." Leo said as she crept back to the edge of the cliff.
"Not that you don't deserve it, you head her girls, open fire."
Leo herd her side of the river explode with gun shots, the signal for her to clime down. She slipped over the edge and quickly started her descent down the dangerous rocks. Her hand slipped off the slime on a rock leavening her dangling with one hand clinging to the rocks, this was the best Ploynithside plastic ever if could even replicate the slippery slime on the rocks Leo thought as she swung her other hand back to the rocks and caught a better hold on another, less slippery rock and began to clime down again. She was nearly half way when the other bank of the river exploded in gun fire.
"What the hell is going on down there?!" Leo yelled to her team.
She didn't get an answer. The rocks just above her hands exploded as a bullet slammed into them. The rocks crumbled into nothingness in her hands as she began to fall slowly backwards.

The crowd outside the dome was on it's feet as the player fell from the cliff side to more rocks below. E gripped the arm rests of her chair as Leo free fell three stories straight down and then disappeared from view behind a large group of rocks. Cheers erupted and the screaming fans began screaming louder.
"OUCH THAT HAD TO HURT!" The announcer screamed above them.
"Is she out?!" Isi said jumping to her feet.
On the screen that showed the players one was blacked out.
"No not yet." E said, relaxing her hold on the chair a little bit. "She isn't out unless that black box reads "killed" in big red letters. I think her camera drone just lost track of her when she fell."
"I hope she's ok in there." Isi said watching the black square.

Leo groaned as she opened her eyes and her world spun. She was laying flat on her back in some dark cave that she didn't remember being in. Water dripped from the unseen ceiling on to her visor and it's annoying rhythm forced her to sit up, her world spun again and she felt bile come up the back of her throat. She sat for a moment letting the world slowly stop spinning as she remembered falling from the cliff, it was a good thing shot guns were famous for their poor aim. She wasn’t numb anywhere so she wasn’t shot, there were some tares in her gloves and her fingers were oozing blood from shallow cuts from the rocks. Crimson blood was flowing freely from a mild gash on her right but nothing was bad enough to worry about.
"LEO!" Gabriel screamed in her ear. "LEO ARE YOU DEAD?!"
"No, not yet." She said holding her head, getting blood all over her gloves.
"Were are you? We saw you fall, are you in the water or something?"
"No," Leo said as she slowly stood up and leaned on a nearby wall. "I'm in some kind of cave. I think it's at the base of the waterfall, in fact..."
Leo leaned against the wall and painfully limped a few yards into the cave.
"In fact what?" Gabriel said annoyed.
"This just might lead behind the waterfall." Leo said.
"And? We need a way across! Not a way to see the back side of water!"
Sure enough Leo was right. She finally released the wall as she stood behind the raging waterfall, and father down the tunnel she could see light.
"I think it does lead to the other side Gabe." Leo said smugly. "Get down here, I've got an idea."
Gabe sprinted from tree to tree whenever the coast was clear, she cursed Bon's heavy sniper rifle as it bumped against the back of her legs again. Why she had to trade her shotgun for Bon's rifle she didn't know, but it was really starting to piss her off. When she reached the end of the tree line near the base of the waterfall she paused.
"Alright I'm here, now were the hell are you?" Gabriel said to the ear piece.
Her answer was Leo's black gloved hand emerging from the top of a pile of rocks a few yards away at the base of the waterfall. The problem was the run there was completly in the open.
"It's not that big of drop, just run and slide in, I'll catch you." Leo said.
Gabe didn't have much of a choice, there wasn't any other way to the other side, she took a huge breath and sprinted for the rocks. Instantly she was showered in bullets and her arms and legs began to go numb were they struck the paralysis components kicking in but, none of them hurt too bad, she just hoped that they didn't score a hit on her heart. A few feet before were Leo's hand was she dropped into a slide, then she was falling in darkness for a few breathless seconds and then she landed on something soft and squishy.
"Well that wasn’t so bad." She said sitting up.
"Yeah. Not if your on the top!" Leo's voice from underneath her. "You mind getting off me?"
Gabe rolled off Leo and was smacked on the back of the head as Leo got up.
"Ouch! What was that for!" She said as she rubbed her head.
"From crushing the air out of my lungs a second time this game!" Leo hissed. "Now shut up unless you want us heard!"
“Well you seem fine!” Gabe whispered loudly.
On Leo’s cheek was a very small cut with barely any blood leaking from it, her gloves were also torn around her fingers and they seemed fine, but her gloves seemed to be stained with a lot more blood then their should have been.
"You want to let me know what I'm doing?" Gabe shot at Leo.
"We're going on a hunt." Leo said ask she waved Gabriel down into the tunnel, limping just a bit.

The kills came as a shock to everyone, ever since a second member of team Phoenix had disappeared everyone thought they were done for. But there it was, two of the five squares for team Sure Shot blacked out with the word "killed" in big red letters, they had come almost simultaneously leaving everyone even more in the dark.
"What the heck jusst happened?" Isi said as she stared in disbelief at the screen.
"I think we've just found our wayward team members." E said was a smile.

"Two down three to go." Gabe whispered in Leo’s ear. "You think the camera mods have found us again?" She asked as Leo loaded the Suffer-24 sniper mode.
"There’s no way to find out, we're just going to have to hope that they are. Ready for phase two?"
"Don't have to tell me twice." Gabriel said.
"Got the next one in sight?" Leo asked in a whisper as she watched the man in front of her tap the side of his helmet, looking for his lost teammates.
"On the count of three." Gabriel said. "One, two... three!"
Leo sprang out from behind the tree with barely any noise at all, he never saw what hit him. Soundlessly Leo brought the butt of the Suffer down on the back of his head. He dropped to the floor, losing his weapon as he did. Leo took the opportunity and fired the Pain-7 that had jumped into her hand, into his heart.
"Dead." Leo said as she stood over her kill, weapons still in hand.
"What took you so long?" Gabriel said.
"You were to say dead when you were done." Leo said as she made her way to the last member, that was somewhere in the middle of this line they had set themselves in.
"Yeah well, I didn't want to disturb you when you were working."
"Excuses excuses." Leo said.
It's wasn't easy finding the last member where as the first four weren’t hard to spot at all, they had spread themselves out along the tree line just as team Phoenix had done. But with the rest of his team gone the last one had fled somewhere into the forest. And Leo was disappointed to find that there was plenty of forest for him to hide in. She met up with Gabriel at his last location.
"You find him?" Gabe asked.
"No, but I can track him." Leo said as she knelt to the ground looking for boot prints.
It only took her a minute to find his trail in the soft forest ground.
"This way." She said as she sprinted off, Gabe on her heels.
He had moved quickly through the forest, more then likely trying to find a place to hide. Leo fallowed the deep prints back into the trees, and just as Leo was about to suggest splitting up and looking for him when a shot rang out from her left. She dropped to the ground and quickly scanned for her attacker, in a instant she found him fleeing from behind some bushes.
"I see him!" Gabriel shouting reading Leo's mind.
Both girls sprinted after their fleeing pray and it was only a hundred yards later that they got up with him. Leo slid and swiped her leg out, knocking his feet out from under him, and he went face first into the dirt. Gabriel quickly placed a boot on each of his hands and sat down on his back.
"Y-y-your braking the rules!" He gasped as Leo handed the Pain-7 to Gabriel. "You can't do this! It's against the rules!"
"Sorry, but we don't play by the rules. And plus, it's not in the rule book anyways." Gabriel said as she fired the gun into his heart at point blank rage.
A buzzer sounded, the game was over. Gabriel stood up grinning as she handed the gun back to Leo.
"That was a horribly over used thing to say, we don't play by the rules." Leo said as she re-holstered the gun.
"Well excuse me!" Gabriel shouted as the forest began to melt away.
"GABE YOU DID IT!" Shouted Bon as she ran and jumped onto Gabriel bear hugging her.
"That was great thinking Leo." Kip said as she walked up. "I wouldn't have thought to have two sneak over to the other bank while the rest kept them occupied. And it was a stroke of genius to have one person start on each end of the line to trap the ones in the middle."
"We won! We won!" Eric shouted as the dome disappeared completely.
"TEAM PHOENIX IS THE WINNER!" The screamed as the crowd rose to it feet in applause.
The Ploynithside plastic rearranged itself into a platform under the teams feet and lifted them high up into the air. The girls waved to the cheering crowd who were on their feet., Bambi an Jun kissed in celebration and the two shirtless guys hugged each other as they jumped up and down, spilling their beers on the people around them as they did.

"Well that certainly wasn't expected." Dark laughed as he dangled his legs over the side of team Deathwatch's private box.
The box was the highest one at the very top of the stadium, it was huge with ten chairs and a bar in the back for drinks. The view was unbeatable and you could barely hear the crowd, unless something amazing happened. Dark stared at the tiny figures on the raised platform far below him.
"Don't get excited, they just happened to beat the worst team here that's all." Tequila said.
Dark rolled his eyes and propped his head on his hand with a sarcastic look on his face, that the other didn’t fail to notice.
"Gez Tequila your always such a buzz kill."
"He's right, it was a fluke they found the tunnel. If that girl hadn't fallen they would still be firing randomly at one other until the timer ran out." Leandra said as her tail swished back and forth.
"I don't know," Taro said as he jumped up on the railing in a monkey like fashion. "I won't mind fighting them, their all so cute."
"Don't even think about it. No girl on earth would go out with you, you hairy ape." Leandra said angrily.
"Your just jealous because your in love with me." Taro said confidently.
Leandra gave Taro a powerful shove sending him over the railing. Taro yelped as he caught the railing with one hand and dangled from it like a monkey.
"Are you trying to kill me women!?" Taro yelled as he scrambled back over to the safety of the box.
"As a matter of fact I was." Leandra said coolly.
"She has you their monkey boy." Dark smirked.
"What do you know! You've never been on a date with a girl before!" Taro yelled at Dark.
"Well it's better then going out with men like you do!" Dark shot back.
"Gentlemen, is there a problem?" Came a cold voice.
"Sir Roman!" All of the team gasped as they dropped what they were doing.
"I came here to watch the new team play only to find my own team... misbehaving." The mysterious man said slowly.
"We weren’t misbehaving!" Dark said nervously as he put his arm around Taro's shoulders. "We.. we were just talking loudly. That's all."
"Good." Sir Roman said.
The owner, president, CEO of Double Helix Genetics entered the box and took a seat by the open end of the box. His black suit and tie matched his crew cut black hair and the black eye patch that covered his left eye, making his other brown eye stand out.
"I'm sorry to say," Leandra started softly, "That the game is already finished. Team Phoenix was the winner."
"Then it must have been a very short game." Sir Roman said.
"Yes it was. Only fifteen minutes for the team captain of Phoenix to find the cave and pick off the other teams members." Tequila said as he stood next to Sir Roman.
"What was interesting about them was that they used physical contact to take out their opponents." Dark said.
"Physical contact? How so?" Sir Roman asked as he spun his chair around to face his team.
"Well," Dark said. "One of them pistol whipped one and the other used the butt of her sniper rifle to brake another’s nose. Then they worked together to tip and sit on the last one."
"What about the other two?" Roman asked.
"Sniped from behind." Tequila answered. “Before the camera modes could find them”
"Well, well, well." Sir Roman said as he spun his chair back around to the felid. "It looks like Miss. Excel has found a few diamonds in the rough." He grinned to himself. "Dark!"
"Yes Sir!" Dark answered quickly.
"I want you to go congratulate the team when they get back. And tell Miss. Excel that I would like to take her to dinner this evening."
"You got it Sir." Dark said as he leapt over the railing and disappeared.
"Why can't he use the door like normal people?" Ramon sighed.

The crowd was already on it’s feet so none gave the solitarily man standing inside an unused hallway a second glance. His long black trench coat was pulled close to his body despite the heat of the sunny day, the collar of the coat was pulled up, hiding this face while a red scarf circled around his forehead keeping back a mane of long black hair. The man stared at the screens that were proudly flashing pictures of the winning team when a shuffling sound brought his attention behind him.
“I see your still skulking around your hall.” Said an ancient old man.
He had snowy white hair and baggy old clothes with patches sewed on everywhere. And while the rest of the him looked old and haggard his bright hazel eyes had the look of a much younger man.
“Ah,” Said the old man as he looked up at the screens. “I see you’ve found her already. I’m glad, you saved me a trip into those awful swears.”
The black haired man said nothing as he stared up at the screens.
“As talkative as ever I see.” The old man sighed. “Don’t get any ideas my friend, it isn’t her.” He said, lightly resting his hand on the younger man’s shoulder.
The black haired man spun around on his heel and walked back down the dark, disserted hall without a word, his trench coat billowing out behind him as he went.
“Don’t do anything stupid!” The old man called after him. “He wouldn’t do anything stupid.” He said to himself. “Would he? He’s going to do something stupid! He’s going to do something very stupid! I don’t believe it!” He huffed. “But then,” He said, a slow smile splitting his face. “She always had that effect on all of us, especially on him.”
The old man limped down the hall after his dark friend, never noticing Leo’s sliver eyed stare watching both of them.

Chapter 9

The spinning seemed to last for an eternity until they finally slammed to a sudden stop. The impact sent everyone flying to the opposite side of the bus where they had all began and a soft hissing filled the air. Everything was silent for a few moments and then someone moaned. Then someone else and then another until groaning filled the bus.
“I think I broke my neck!” Bon said as she lied awkwardly over the table.
“You wouldn’t be talking if you broke your neck.” Eric moaned as she flipped the overturned chair off herself and stood.
“Oh my back!” Kip painfully groaned as she slid off the back of the passenger side chair that she had bent backwards over. “Is everyone else ok?” She said though grit teeth.
“I’m fine.” Jun said, a drunken smile on his face. “I’m good. My safety restrain did a fine job!” He said with a dizzy slur in his voice. “The air cushions worked like a dream.”
Kip gave Jun funny look and arched a hurt eyebrow.
“Er… Jun, the air cushions didn’t go off at all.” She said.
“Good old technology!” He said patting the wheel affectionately.
The air cushions exploded at that moment, slamming Jun in the face with a large white cushion of air and then just as quickly deflated. Jun stared up at kip seemingly drunk.
“There we go.” He said dreamily.
Gabriel groaned from somewhere in the middle of the bus.
“I don’t think it was all that bad. I’m ok.” She said.
“That’s because I broke your fall.” Leo’s muffled voice said from somewhere. “Now would you get off me.”
Gabriel pushes herself onto her elbows and found herself face to very angry face with Leo who’s eyes flashed silver fire.
“Look who’s the pervert now. I thought you were going to suffocate me with your breasts.” Leo said never flinching as Gabriel first looked stunned and then growled with pure fury.
“If you don’t mind, I’m tired of your boobs pushed into my face. Get off.”
Gabriel reached back and slammed Leo in the face with a fist and pushed herself up into her knees.
“Stupid pervert!” She screamed as Leo’s head bounced off the floor.
As Gabriel stormed away Leo slowly sat up holding her bloody nose.
“Yes, that was really mature Gabriel.” Leo said her voice sounding strange though a broken nose.
"You asked for it pervert!" Gabriel hissed shaking her fist at Leo.
"I'm not the one with homosexual emotions!" Leo shot back angrily.
"Can you two stop fighting of one whole minute!?" Kip yelled above both of them. "If you hadn't noised we just crashed in the middle of god knows where!"
"And?" Eric said confused.
"Are we really in a town called god knows where?" Bon asked excited.
"It's a figure of speech Bon." Kip sighed. "And it means we need to get the bus fixed or get to a town before it gets dark."
"I can take a look," Jun said as he rose from the driver's seat, no longer dizzy drunk. "But it sounded pretty bad. We may need to get towed to a shop."
"Well, " Leo said emerging from the back pulling on her boots. "Lets go take a look."

"It's bad." Jun said from under the bus. "Something completely short circuited almost everything under here."
Leo leaned against the bus, the collar of her trenchcoat pulled up against the bitter wind that had begun to blow though the little valley they had crashed in. The bus had spun for quite awhile along an ice covered back road before it had slammed into a snow bank where they where now stuck knee deep in snow.
"Can you fix it?" She asked as Jun rolled himself out from under the bus and sat up.
"I can, but not here with the traveling tools I have. I need a garage to fix all the damage."
"Damn it." Leo growled as she narrowed her eyes.
"Hand me that rag please." Jun asked. "Where is everyone else?"
Leo tossed him the rag sitting on his toolbox and shrugged as he caught it.
"Kip took Bon to play in the snow and Gabriel and Eric are huddled together for warmth in the bus next to the heater and far as I know Bambi and Isi are still asleep."
"That's good." Jun said with a smile as he wiped his hands on the rag. "Maybe she won't wake up until I get her bus fixed."
"I wouldn't count on it." Leo said staring into the sky. "I think I heard her just wake up."
Almost instantly running foot falls sounded from inside the bus and Leo grabbed the back of Jun's jacket and jerked him away just as the door to the bus slammed open where his head would have been only a second ago.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BABY?!" Bambi screamed making birds take flight.
"Suger pie!" Jun stammered as Leo let him go and backed away, clearly not wanting to interfere. "Your up."
Pure fury poured from Bambi as she stomped towards Jun and she nearly breathed fire and glared death his way.
"I leave you to take care of my baby for a few short hours while I got some sleep that YOU told me to get and you PROMISED that everything would be fine and then you go a wreck her?!"
"No! Of course not! I didn't wreck her at all! She's perfectly fine, just the hover pads are a little banged up and the..." He stared but Bambi cut across his sentence.
"How can I trust you? I can't believe you would do something like this?! Is this how your going to treat our child?!"
"WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH!" Jun shouted above her as he franticly waved his hands. "What are you talking about?! Are you...?”
Bambi reached over and slapped his face leaving a large red handprint on his cheek.
"Of course I'm not! I'm just saying when we have a child is this how your going to treat him or her?!"
"Don't scare me like that!" He shouted, holding both his cheek and his heart. "You nearly killed me!"
“Well it’s what you deserve after you treated my baby so bad! I want a devoice!” Bambi screamed at him.
“Now now,” Jun said in a clam voice. “I know you don’t mean that… your upset. But I promise…”
“Your promises mean nothing!”
“Come on suger! This was an accident! Tell her Leo!”
Jun turned around and looked at Leo, his eyes pleading with her to say something to get him off the hook and possibly save his marriage. Leo was about to say something in his defense but when she looked up at Bambi the look in her eyes scared the living daylights out of her. Bambi glared death at Leo now, putting her on the same level as Jun himself if she so much as spoke one word. Leo’s eyes widen with fear and she pointed an accusing finger at Jun.
“He was driving!” She said.
“LEO!” Jun shouted.
“Your on your own!” Leo said. “Hell hath no fury like Bambi’s wrath!”
"Ohhhh!" Came Bon's voice. "Somebody’s having trouble in paradise!"
Leo nearly sighed with relief as Bon and Kip came into view down the road. Bon's face with pink from the sun and snow but her sprits were as bright as ever, she sprinted the rest of the way between them and leapt into Bambi's arms.
"Never ever ever ever let Jun drive again! He's scary and nearly killed us!" She wailed.
"Don't worry Bon." Bambi sighed as she patted the top of Bon's head. "Jun will never be driving again!" She finished with a venom filled glare at Jun.
"How was your walk Kip?" Leo asked as the blonde finally arrived.
Kip smiled oddly and ignored Leo's question.
"Bon, why don't you go inside and tell Eric, Gabe, and Isi about your little adventure?"
"Ok!" Bon shouted as she jumped up the stairs into the bus. "Guys guess what!"
Kip shut the door behind Bon and turned to the other three who looked at her funny.
"We were set up." She said quietly.
“What are you talking about?” Bambi asked, temporarily forgetting her anger at Jun.
“What I’m saying is that this wasn’t an accident.” Kip said keeping her voice down.
She pulled something small and black out of her jacket pocket and held it in the palm of her hand.
“These things littered the road were we started to spin out of control.”
The black thing in her palm sprang to life and crackled with a bright arch of blue electricity that looked like an old stun gun.
“If there were a ton of them,” Jun said. “All those currents hitting the bus at once would knock out the power and lock up the engine, sending it into a spin.”
“But how would all those thinks go off at once?” Bambi asked as she carefully picked up the disrupter.
“Someone had to trigger them.” Leo said coldly.
“They could have been computerized to go off at the same time.” Kip said folding her arms.
“No.” Leo said taking the disrupter from Bambi. “They only have one powerful charge in them. A computer might have set them off for an animal or a different vicinal. If they were aiming for us they’d have to trigger it themselves.”
“Well now what do we do?” Kip asked. “It’s to dangerous to stay here if someone is after us.”
“Well it’s obvious we have to get to a town and fix the bus.” Bambi said glaring at Jun again, but slightly less life threatening.
“Yes but where are we?” Leo asked as she dropped the disrupter to the snow.
“Well, a little before all this happened I saw a sign that said ten miles to Neo Moscow. So we’re in Neo Russia.”
“Great. We basally didn’t move at all since I went to sleep.” Bambi growled.
Jun whiled as Bambi glared at him yet again.
“Well we’re going to have to walk to town.” Kip sighed not liking the idea.
“We can’t leave the bus here.” Bambi said. “Something could happen to it. Jun and I will stay here.”
“ME?!” Jun yelled.
Unknown to team Phoenix only a mile away on the top of a tall, snowy hill was the root of their problem. Four figures dressed in all black held binoculars to their eyes watching them intently.
“Ha!” One laughed. “I told you they would find your little toys Leandra!”
“Shut up Dark!” Leandra said as her tail swished back and forth angrily.
“Aw you made her mad!” Taro said as he punched Dark’s shoulder.
“Stop it you two. Their going inside.” Tequila said darkly.
“Why are you the only one who ever does any work Tequila?” Leandra asked as she watched the three girls and the one man go inside the broken bus.
“I guess I’m the only one who knows the meaning of work.” He said lowering the binoculars.
Dark rolled his eyes behind Tequila’s back and moved his mouth up and down in a very disrespecting way.
“God Tequila, you are such a lap dog. Loosen up, it’s only a mission.” Taro said between laughs.
“Sir Roman told us this was a top priority mission. How can you not take that seriously?!” Tequila spat pissed at Dark and Taro’s lack of discipline.
“Stupid men!” Leandra yelled. “Stop bickering and remember the plan!”
All three males grudgingly stopped fighting and listened to Leandra.
“As soon as they come back out and head to town we make our move.” She growled, her golden eyes narrowing to slits.
“Why did I have to come?!” Gabriel shouted as she trudged though the knee high snow banks.
“Shut up… Gabriel!” Leo said harshly as she finished loading her pistols. A big vain throbbed on her forehead.
Eric, Kip, Gabriel, and Leo had set off to hike the ten miles to Neo Moscow to get some kind of help or a tow truck. Jun and Bambi were staying with the bus and Isi had had a panic attack and passed out on the couch. Bon had clamed she was afraid of the dark and that she had to stay with the bus. The others had excepted the excuse because Bon brought up the great point that at lest one gun women should stay with the bus. So now the four of them were on their way, having to endure Gabriel’s constant whining.
“The least you could have done was let me bring a blanket.” Gabe griped.
Leo clicked the safety off on her pistol and put her index finger on the trigger, sliver eyes narrowed. Kip put her hand over the gun and shook her head. Leo growled and lowered the gun and put it back in the holster on her thigh.
“Lets cut out the fighting ok. We just started this walk and you two are already at each others throats.” Kip said as she watched Leo’s hand twitch by the pistol as Gabriel sighed loudly.
“If we keep moving we’ll stay warm Gabriel.” Eric said hopefully, trying to avoid any unnecessary bloodshed.
“A blanket would have been better.” Gabe growled.
Kip caught Leo’s arm as she raised the gun again, the safely still off and an murderous look in Leo’s cold eyes.
“Whoa!” Eric shouted. “What the heck is that doing here!” Her finger pointed at something in the distance.
Kip and Leo stopped their struggle and looked up at were Eric was pointing. A little distance down the road was a tall dark forest of trees that towered over the surrounding landscape, and right in the middle of the road they were fallowing.
“I didn’t see that on the map earlier!” Eric said as she stared at the trees. “How far do you think it goes on for?”
Leo holstered the gun and broke away from Kip.
“I don’t know.” She said. “But I’ll find out.”
With that Leo started toward a small hill to their right, and she began bounding up the side to the top. Even though the deep snow banks she made good time as was soon surveying the view from the top.
“It’s forest as far as I can see.” She shouted down.
“God damn it!” Gabriel yelled stomping her foot.
There was a soft bang and Gabriel awkwardly leapt to the side, stumbling to her knees. A smoking hole in the snow to her side told her exactly what happened.
“DAMN IT YOU COULD HAVE HIT ME!” She screamed up at Leo.
“THEN SHUT THE HELL UP AND YOUR KEEP BREATHING!” Leo raged back down at her.
“Leo get down here!” Kip yelled up.
Leo jumped from the top of the hill and slid down on her feet much like water skiing. Kip thought for an instant that she looked like a bat with her black coat billowing in the wind but the image was lost as he hit the bottom of the hill and stomped over to Gabriel who had just got her feet back under her. Both Leo’s guns leaved at Gabriel’s head.
“If I hear one more word of whining out of you I’ll improve the ventilation in that hot head of yours.” Leo said, clearly fed up with Gabe.
Gabriel glared at Leo who glared back unblinking, their gold and sliver eyes locked in combat. Eric’s own starburst eyes nervously flicked back and forth between the two, not daring to interfere for her own safety. She didn’t have the same flare as Kip when it came to cooling tempers, especially violent ones like Gabe and Leo’s.
“Alright knock it off!” Kip shouted stepping between them. “We clearly have no choice but to go through this forest! And we’re going to need everyone ALIVE!”
"Damn it's dark." Gabriel said as she looked up at where the sun should have been.
Dark branches blocked out most of the light and the snow clinging to them blocked out even more. The trees huge trunks were covered in dark bark that was scared by the elements.
"I know." Eric said keeping close to the others. "It's spooky."
"You hear that?!" Gabriel shouted as she came to a sudden stop.
Kip walked right into her back and Eric walked into Kip. Leo stopped and turned from her place a few feet in front of them and rolled her eyes.
"There's nothing here but your imagination."
"I don't know..." Kip said in a fake nervous voice. "If the legends are true... well maybe not...."
"What legends?" Gabriel shouted.
"The legends of the wood witch." Kip said softly.
Leo sighed and rolled her eyes at lest twice while Kip "nervously" looked around and pulled the younger girls closer to her.
"There's an old legend that says that a witch lives in the last forests of the earth. They say that when the new world was build on top of the old, and they cut down the forests that an old witch swore revenge. She warned the the trees of the earth would rise up and take back what was theirs."
"But trees don't move." Eric said as her eyes darted to the trees.
"She's a witch Eric, she incanted the trees hello!" Gabriel snarled.
"Anyways, they say anyone that goes into her trees... never comes out....the witch captures them and feeds them to the trees to strengthen them."
"I don't what to be tree food!" Eric stammered. "What does the witch look like Kip!?"
"No one really knows.... no one that got a good look at her... lived."
The others gulped in unison as Kip tired to suppress a small smile.
"But! Some that have escaped with glimpses of her. They say that she has hair the color of the blood that lays all around her trees... and her eyes... her eyes are as cruel and uncaring as that of a savage animal. And as cold and shallow as clear ice! Her fingers... her fingers are tipped with nails that will slit your throat like a razor.... and her voice! It's too horrible!" Kip said putting her hand over her mouth.
The other two leaned in till their faces were cheek to cheek and only inches away from Kip.
"Please!! You have to tell us!" Eric whispered, her voice cracking.
"Her voice.. it's... it's... it's too deep to be a women's .. and it's gruff and cold and .. it... freezes you in your place so you can't move. And then... she... just before she cuts your throat she whisperers... she whispers.... the most terrible thing!! She tells you too... too... too...."
"GO TO HELL!!" Leo screamed right behind the other girls.
Screaming echoed off the entire forest and snow dropped off several branches and the few remaining wild birds took to the sky chirping and squawking with fright. Leo covered her still ringing ears as Eric and Gabriel lay in the snow breathing deeply and holding their hearts. Kip sat on the snow covered ground laughing. Laughing so hard she had to hold her sides in fear that they really would split open. She soon collapsed on the snow unable to even remain sitting.
"YOU STUIPD GIT!" Gabriel screamed scrambling over to Kip; pluming her with fistfuls of snow.
"STOP!" Kip giggled as she was both punched and covered with snow, but she still couldn't stop laughing.
"THAT WAS THE MEANEST THING EVER LEO!" Eric yelled as she threw snow at the older girl.
"Your the idiots that feel for that old story." Leo said; frowning as usual, but her sliver eyes held a spark of amusement.
Leo finally pulled Gabriel off Kip who was still laughing. Gabriel flailed and kicked around as Leo dragged her off by the collar of her coat.
"You went along with it didn't you!? Bloody a*****e!" Gabriel raged as Leo held onto her.
"You even look like the witch!" Eric said. "OH MY GO D YOU ARE THE WITCH!"
"If I were any kind of witch I would have feed you useless losers to something far worse then trees. Now can we get moving? We’re burning daylight."
Suddenly Leo dropped Gabriel and drew her pistols, safety off. Everyone fell silent as Leo's cold eyes scanned the woods around the little group. When Leo heard something, it was for real.
"We're not alone." She said clicking off the power limiter.

Chapter 11

Leo's hair fluttered in her cold eyes, the two didn't need words to know one of them wasn't leaving whole. The man stretched his neck from side to side and then his shoulders as Leo snarled. There was a "pop" and the man began to flex his fingers. Leo's eyes widened, there was no way that could happen after she had paralyzed his arms.
"How did you do that?!" She demanded.
"Fast healer." He answered.
"Imposable." She growled back.
The only answer she got was him crouching into an attack position, his black gloves taken off and razor sharp talons on the tips of his fingers shining in the setting sun. Leo pointed her guns at the ground and emptied the camber. The other's gold eyes looked at her with no emotion at all as the bullets exploded in the snow. Leo holstered the guns and strapped them in tight.
"We fight fair. No holding back." She said pulling on a pair of black leather gloves from her belt.
"No holds?" The golden eyed man said with what could have been mistaken for a smile. "Very well."
With that the man stood straight and closed his eyes. Leo instantly crouched with her hands curled into fists, like some cross between a street fighter and a martial artiest. The black clad man snarled as if he was in pain as Leo herd a noise that she couldn't quite describe. At first it sounded like a cracking and squishing, but then it was more like flesh being ripped apart. Leo's sliver eyes darted around the man as his snarls turn in to yelps of pain as blood began to flow from his wrists. He cut himself?! She thought quickly taking a step forward to get a better look. Her question was answered a moment later as something began to push itself out of his skin at the wrists. Leo's own skin crawled as long green and orange feathers grew out of his wrists up to his elbows. The in-human feathers were covered in blue blood that made them stick together in a unnatural way.
Leo was completely repulsed and felt a sliver run down her spine as a louder squishing noises issued from his back. Leo felt like vomiting as the man tore off his shirt and she saw his back bubble up and down like slowly boiling water. Something tore the flesh with a sickening ripping noise and blue blood splattered everywhere on the crisp white snow. Leo put her hand over her face as oozing bits of flesh and blood splattered on her as well. When she looked back at her opponent, two huge bird wings covered in chunks of his own flesh blood streaming down them had burst from his back. The feathers all stuck together as vile chunks of his back slowly dripped down to ooze onto the pure snow.
"What the ******** are you?" Leo demanded more discussed then afraid.
"That isn’t information you need. Now fight and die." The masked man said in a cold voice.
With that he spread the vulgar wings wide, goo stretching between the monstrous feathers as Leo took a step backwards as the now winged man approached her. He took a running leap and flapped his wings; sending a shower of darkening blood and flesh bits on Leo again. She quickly put up her arms to protect herself as she felt a rush of wind blow past her and a fist connect with her crossed arms that sent her sprawling backwards. Leo only had a moment to regain her wits as she rolled onto her side as another rush of wind ruffled her bloody hair and snow flew everywhere. A pair of legs slammed into were she was nothing short of a second ago. She slashed out with her arm to pull him off balance, but with a blast of air he was gone. Leo scrambled up before he could stomp her again, but as she spun around to find him, he was gone.
"Not a chance in hell!" She said whipping around to make sure.
There was no way the he could actually fly. The human body was too heavy and un aerodynamic too sustain flight. So then... Leo was struck hard in the chest from above as she tried to unravel the mystery. She rolled in the snow as colored spots danced before her eyes. A piercing screech resonated in her ears as she kicked her leg over her head and rolled backwards into a stand with her winged assassin nowhere to be found. Leo looked up just above the tree tops and a pair of yellow and green wings flashed in the remaining sun, so he could fly. Leo was at a loss for one of the few moments of her life as she gaped at the graceful killer gliding through the air. He banked and turned her direction once again pumping his wings and picking up speed; his talon like finger nails outstretched.
Leo came up with a one step plan as his unbelievable speed brought him right to her again. Leo's body moved without her brain as she slid under his razor claws. The blades glanced off her cheek as he barely missed her, but left three light red streaks. With a snarl of effort Leo lowered her head and stood up right as he passed over her. Her powerful shoulders tipped him off balance, sent his wing tip into the ground, and then him crashing down after it. He tucked his wings to his body before they snapped like twigs as he bounced off the snow covered ground hard and rolled head over heels sending white powder into the air. He slammed to a sudden stop thanks to a tree, and as if there was no shock at all, leapt to his feet with his wings half open. No one was there as he twisted his masked head to look around himself, gold eyes flashing with cold fury.
Leo crouched in the low braches of one of the trees. Tons of other dead braches completely camafloshed her and her dark hood pulled over her give away red hair. Her sliver eyes watched him scan the trees and pass right over her as he began to cautiously make his way over to the tree line. Leo didn't like his stance and the way he kept his distance from her hiding place. Everything about him screamed "bird of pray" and if her hunch was right, and she would bet her life that it was, he should have bird eyes. She scanned his body for proof of her theory, but there was nothing on his wings, arms, waist, arms, and chest. She found what she was looking for on the back of his hand as he neared the tree she was hiding in. Her sliver eyes looked it over and over to make sure she didn't have it wrong; it was just like she thought.
"Tag." He said to no one. "Your it!"
Leo was caught off guard as the man leapt in to the air flapping his wings and rammed into her. Leo was flung out of her place and stared to fall when she caught a branch and swung herself around it like a gymnast and let go at just the right time to fly through the air and land on another thick branch on a neighboring tree.
"Can't fly in a forest can you?" She asked the man still on the ground.
"Can't live if you have no blood can you?" He answered back pointing at her shoulder.
Leo spared a glance at her right shoulder that had a deep gash in it leaking ruby blood. When and how had she got that? She wondered turning her attention back to him.
"Well, we're just going to have to make this fast then won't we?" She asked. "And I'm going to make you pay for what you did to my coat. It's my favorite."
The golden eyed attacker smirked beneath his mask and spread his arms and wings wide.
"Then what are you waiting for? Come take your vengeance, we are fighting fair after all."
"I can't exactly fly; making this unfair on many levels." Leo said gathering herself of the balls of her feet as the bird man began to crouch. "So your going to have to come up and get me."
Leo leapt backwards just as the man burst though the branch she was on. Splinters flew everywhere while Leo spun her leg in mid air and caught the guy in the shoulder before flipping back and catching a branch with the back of her knees; ending upside down staring as the winged man plowed into the snow.
That's funny. She thought to herself as she performed, a quick bit of gymnastics and got her feet under her and stood. That shouldn’t have done that much damage, it almost felt like his shoulder collapsed, and he was way too light for a guy his size... what the hell is going on with him? Leo thought as she leapt onto another branch as wild flapping rushed by her. With that the man was air born again above the tree tops and just out of her reach. Leo watched from her place in the tick of the trees as he circled wide around their battle field. He couldn’t dive bomb her without hitting the trees and hurting himself first, so what was he planning?
A stab of agony ripped through her shoulder as she felt the blood drip down into her glove and in-between her fingers. Was he just waiting for her to bleed to death? She'd do it too, Leo had always known she had a problem with her pride, but that was besides the point. If she let this guy go or drag this out any longer she wasn't the only one that would be in trouble. Who knows how the others were fairing, and knowing Gabriel she would get in over her head. Leo sighed, Eric would try her best not to hurt her attacker and Kip would let hers off with a warning and a long lecture about responsibility and life. Leo sighed again, they were all doomed. A screech brought her out of her musings as her attacker landed on the top of a tree.
"Come and get this little lion." He said dropping form his perch and slashing his talons against the tree as he fell.
Leo arched an eyebrow, get what? She thought, they were fingernails for heaven’s sake, what’s the worst he could do to a tree with those? She got her answer as her jaw nearly hit the floor. The top of the tree had been sliced right through and the bird man gave it a push and it began to fall her way. Leo watched it for a moment and then quickly looked around and leapt to another branch just the as downed tree smashed into her spot. Leo snagged a limb and flipped around it as another tree top was sliced and pushed her way. This is ******** insane! Leo screamed in her head as she dropped down to a lower branch and then ran as far as she could on that limb were she leapt off and caught hold of another. How the hell do I fight in a damn tree?! Let alone while more are falling on me?!
"Come now you common dirty street beggar. Is that the best you have?" The winged man said as he sent another splintered tree top her way.
Leo stopped and stared at the falling tree and made a reckless decision. The assassin watched as the sliver eyed girl stayed as the tree slammed into her. With a thud it slammed back into another tree, then forward, then back until it smashed into the ground spraying white everywhere. The girl was nowhere to be seen even with his enhanced eyes. Being careful, he hopped like a bird from one branch to another until he was standing about were he had last seen her. The tree branch she had been on was completely gone and there was blood on the trunk behind, and deep scars in the bark that bleed sticky sap. She was gone.
"Time to move on and dispose of the other trash as well."
The man opened his wings to take off when something slammed into his back. He yelled as the momentum carried him head first into the tree with a vicious thud and then the weight on his back pulled him out of the tree into a short free fall. He was bashed and slammed into the trees branches on all sides. His fragile wings snapped and broke as did the leg that got caught on a branch and popped with a slash of blue blood. His shoulder splintered into a hundred pieces as his body slammed into the ground on it with his other arm trapped beneath him. Blood streamed from his mouth staining the snow a dark sapphire and his broken wings fluttered in aquward spasms.
"Well well well. Hollow bones, I was wondering why you were so light." The sliver eyed girl said as she stood on his back right between his wings.
His body couldn't hear his brain’s commands through the splintered limbs and the only appendage that was working was too banged up to be of any use.
"I'LL ...KILL... YOU!" He roared as she stood on top of him.
How dare this common street peasant with nothing spceatial about her but her fake eye color do this to HIM! Leo dug the heel of her boot into the base of his broken wings.
"Your going to have to wait in line for that." She said with no hint of amusement or victory in her voice. "Now who sent you?"
"Like I would tell my orders..." He spat. "to a dirty blood like you!"
Leo growled as she moved her boot from his wing to the back of his neck.
"Your hallow neck won't last long, last chance." She breathed coldly.
"What's the point? The others will have finished off the other trash anyways and then they'll come for you... AHHHH!" He screamed.
Leo crouched and dug her fingers deep into the base flesh of his left wing and sticky blue blood raced down her hand.
"You can insult me all you like..." He screamed again as her fingers tore through the other side of his wing. "but if your ever do anything to any of my teammates and friends, I'll make sure you suffer the most painful death imaginable!" She snarled.
Her boot bit into the back of his neck as she pulled up on the wing. It flapped and fluttered uselessly as his shoulders rose from the ground only to be stomped back down by Leo's other boot. The air was filled with the sound of straining muscles and the man's screams that were muffled by the snow. Suddenly Leo's hand was free of the strain as she was showered with a stream of blood gushing up from his back. The bird man's head shot up, dislodging Leo's foot from his neck and he let out an entirely different kind of scream. The screech of a wounded bird came to Leo's mind as the mournful cry echoed off the trees, the snow, and the little valley they had found themselves in. Soon the entire forest was echoing with his death cry as Leo stood next to him.
Azure blood streamed from the wing in her hand as Leo watched the man stare up at her with pure hatred in his golden eyes. Leo watched as his eyes left her and turned to his missing body part. The brightly colored wing twitched in it's death throws as the man watched the blood drip down. At the end, a small portion of back muscle was still clinging onto the separated limb, dragging in the snow. Leo's face showed no signs of emotion as she tossed the wing down in front of him, ignoring the gaping hole in his back quickly filling with blood.
"If I ever see you again, I swear you'll beg me to end your life."
The man moved his mouth as if to say something, but only a squirt of blood came out as his eyes began to glaze over. In a sudden movement Leo stomped on a thick broken branch that spun upwards and was cough in her left hand. She spun and brought the make-shift weapon around horizontally like a sword to catch the claws of a black clad female assailant and knock her aside. Then Leo brought it down diagonally to slice a snowball in half that had been thrown her way to then do a quick spin on the balls of her feet and bring in up and batter the shoulder of a second, male, attacker who had leaped at her. She brought the wooden "sword" up to deflect the stroke of a real one heading her way and the top foot was sliced off. It had served it's purpose, however, as she half turned and let the black covered man fly by.
"s**t! You really messed him up." The first male said looking down at Leo's attacker.
"How the hell could this have happened!?" The other male screamed.
"No time! We need to get him back to base NOW!" The female yelled above them. "Don't you dare think this is over!" She snarled at Leo through her mask as the bigger male picked up the half dead man. "We'll be back!"
With that all four disappeared into the forest in the blink of an eye. Leo watched where they had gone for a moment or two before she sank to her knees exhausted and nursed the gash in her shoulder.
"Your damn right this isn't over, if anyone is hurt or dead..." She said struggling to get to her feet. "I'll hunt you down." She spat in the direction they disappeared in.

E fussed with her rebellious hair as she strode through the fancy Chinese restaurant. Her black hair that was normally in a strict braid was pulled up onto her head in a tight bun with a pair of royal purple chopsticks stuck through it for the cultural effect. E's private plane had barely touched down in Neo Hong Kong when her personal cell went off in her pocket. There where only a handful of people that had her number, and even less had the power to get it. She came to a complete halt on the runway as her other assistances bumped into each other as her small entourage came to a stop. E slid the sun glasses she was wearing to the end of her nose as she stared at the screen flashing an unknown number. She pressed the small phone to her ear and answered it.
"Who is this?" She asked in a sharp tone.
"A good afternoon to you too Miss Elizabeth." Answered a cold masculine voice with a bit of a laugh.
E's face contorted with disgust as she instantly knew who that cocky voice belonged too.
"How did you get my personal number Mr. Alexander? Oh wait, I shouldn't ask that should I?" She said folding her arms across her chest.
"I see you still remember the way things work around here. I'm glad." He answered almost mockingly.
"If you only called for an afternoon chat I'm afraid I can't speak, I have a business to run after all, unlike some people." She said as her assistances looked on with worried expressions.
"Now now, we both do the best we can my dear Elizabeth. I was just calling to invite you to dinner this evening, or did you not get my invitation?"
E rolled her eyes, he knew full well she had rejected his invitation from that big Dark guy he had sent to inform her after her team's victory.
"I already gave you my answer Mr. Alexander, or did the muscle brain crony not remember the word "no?" She sighed trying to sound pleasant.
"Well you know me," He chuckled. "I never take no for an answer."
E's eyes narrowed instantly and she felt like screaming. He was just calling to patronize her.
"Well I guess men never change." She said resuming her walk to the car that was waiting for her.
"Neither do you. You never take the time to stop and enjoy your victories."
"And your going to enjoy them for me is that it?"
"No no no my dear!" He said with a laugh. "I'm merely going to help you enjoy them. I'll have a car waiting for you at eight. Wear something ... I don't know... cultural. When in Rome darling."
And with that he hung up the phone giving E no room to discuss the subject further. E snarled and tossed the phone over her shoulder as she stormed the rest of the way to the waiting car (the phone was luckily caught by one of her assistances).
"The nerve of that man!" She raged. "He didn't even let me refuse him and now I'm stuck going!"
The car sped her to her riverside hotel as the assistances looked out he heavily tinted windows at the gorgeous views of the foreign country. E however sulked in her own way by snapping out orders and lashing out at anything that didn't go according to plan.
"YOU THERE!" She shouted thirty minutes into the ride. "GET TEAM PHOEINX ON THE PHONE! I WANT A STATUS REPORT NOW!"
A few minutes later she was listening to the team's annoying message system that consisted of Bon shouting out all the members names and a number to press to leave a message for that person. She then went on to do a short karaoke number fallowed by a retelling of her favorite bedtime story and then she was cut off by the tone. E then left a very short tempered message and hung up still fuming. She now had no excuse not to go when she couldn’t get a hold of her team and create some kind of emergency that would require her full attention.
At the un promised eight o'clock E was promptly whisked away by a big black car to a country side restaurant. So here she was now, fussing with her hair as other diners looked up at her as she walked through looking for Sir Roman Alexander Vanderbelt the maniacal, a loving nickname his enemies had given him. It wasn't as if she could even refuse him a second time. One couldn't refuse the head of the biggest and most powerful company on the planet without some major repercussions both socially and economically. Even more so when he called your personal line with his own.
After a few large rooms full of Chinese art and very confused people she spotted him sitting outside staring at the view. Her high heels clicked on the wooden floor as she made her way to the outside dinning patio. She threw open the large glass doors and glared death his way. Sir Roman sat alone on the enormous patio that over looked the country side, all the other tables had apparently been relocated for the restaurant’s powerful guest. The table itself was in the middle of the patio covered with a white tablecloth and a few burning candles and two place settings with a bottle of white wine chilling on one side. E sighed and collected herself before she did something rash, and calmly walked to the table.
"Elizabeth!" Sir Roman said turning away form the view of the patio to greet her.
"Please Alexander, It's E." She said annoyed knowing full well he called her that to make her angry.
"Only if you call me Roman." He said standing to shake her hand.
He hadn't seemed to have changed physically either. He still had very short crew cut dark black hair and that eye patch over his left eye that un-nerved even the steeliest of people. His dark suit and tie couldn't hide his huge shoulders and build that looked as if they belonged to a professional linebacker. He smiled and his good brown eye danced with amusement at E's unhidden hate of him.
"If you insist." She said shaking his hand.
Sir Roman walked over to her seat and held it out for her as she sat and then opened the bottle of wine. He offered E a glass, but she politely as she could turned it down.
"I'm not a fan of wine with Chinese food." She said with a forced smile.
"Too bad." He said pouring one for himself. "It was an excellent year."
"Lets get down to business shall we Roman? Why did you call me out here?" E asked not wanted to draw anything out any longer then it had to be.
Roman only laughed as he sat back down in his seat and sipped his wine.
"Does an old friend need a reason to celebrate another friend’s Deathshot victory?"
"With you there is always a mess of strings attached and a catch at the end." E nearly snapped as a waiter brought them a few menus and water.
"Did I mention how lovely you look this evening E?" Roman asked.
"I believe you just did." E said pleasantly.
Roman was of course commenting on her traditional Chinese dress. It was royal purple with the high collar and long slits up the sides.
"You said to dress traditional." She said knowing he had hopped she would wear something the opposite. "But what would dear Amanda think if she hear you flatter me like that?"
E smirked as Roman's eyes narrowed for a split second. Amanda was his personal assistant that he had been having an ongoing affair with, and no wedding date was in sight. Needless to say it was always a big gossip topic that was a thorn in Roman's side that never seem to go away.
"I'm sure she would understand that I couldn't help it." He said dancing around the topic. "But I'm sure you didn't come all this way to hear about Amanda."
She hated to admit it, but he was right. E would have loved to push the matter to press that thorn into his side some more, but then she might not get to the real reason why she was here.
"Your right Roman, but do tell her hello for me. We came here to celebrate right? So tell me why you'd choose to celebrate with me? Don't you have your own team?"
"Of course, but I'm sure they've grown tired of all the winning and celebrating by now." He said rubbing his own team's success in her face. "Besides, I hear that the scouting division said that your team was hands down best up and comers this season. I'd like to see them do well, is that evil?"
"Of course not," E said thinking the opposite. "but then what are you doing fraternizing with the enemy?"
"Well first I'd like to congratulate an old business partner on her excellent find, and then toast a hopefully contending team worthy of being a rival."
"I'll toast to finding a worthy rival for my team." E said lifting her water glass as a waiter came to take their order. "I'd like the orange zest chicken with the side of lowmain and wild rice." Said E without missing a beat.
"I'll have the Mongolian beef with the honeyed shrimp." Roman said a heartbeat later handing the man the menus. "A toast!" He said raising his wine glass to E's water. "To find a worthy adversary for the best team." He said as their glasses clinked together.
E held off until just as Roman put the glass to his lips.
"Team Phoenix." She said as the both drank.
Roman sputtered as E smirked. He had just toasted to the best team, team phoenix. He smiled as his wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"Toshe my friend. Quite cleaver."
"A little joke you understand Roman." E said, happy for the first time this evening. "I couldn't help myself."
The evening continued in much the same manor. The two tried to make pleasant conversation until their food arrived, which was very difficult for them both. When it did arrive they ate in silence as the candles flickered in a light breeze. The food was gone soon enough and they had to return to small talk. E wiped her mouth with a napkin and set that on the table as she finished.
"Back to business Roman. You wanted me here for more then just a pleasant evening."
"Haha, your always looking for the catch." Roman laughed as he put his own napkin on the table. "But I promise you their isn't one."
"I'm sure that isn't the first time you've said that." E replied starting to get annoyed by all this talking that was getting them nowhere.
"Dessert?" He asked as the waiter came back.
E only shook her head, the sooner she was out of here the better. Roman waved the man off and filled his and E's glasses with wine.
"It's not with Chinese food." He said handing her the glass.
E reluctantly took it and had a sip or two.
"I can see you would like to leave soon so I was wondering..."
E turned her flashing purple to the man, here was way she was called out this evening.
"Would you care to make a friendly wager on the outcome of this years season?" Roman asked.
"What kind of wager?" E asked her suspicion growing leaps and bounds every moment.
"Nothing extreme, just old friends making a bet between them. What do you say?" He asked his brown eye narrowing in the candlelight.
"What are the stakes "old friend?" She asked her eyes unblinking as Roman shrugged.
"I haven't thought of anything quite yet, perhaps we can have another dinner to discuss that. I was only wondering if you were interested."
"Maybe I am." E said slowly. "I'll think about it." E rose from her chair to leave. "Thank you for the wonderful evening Roman. Again, tell Amanda I say hello. Now if you don't mind, I should be going." E started to walk to the glass doors when Sir Roman began to talk.
"I may have toasted them the best team, but they are far from it. Think carefully if you decide to bet my dear E."
E turned on her heel and walked back to the table. Roman watched her as she put her hand son the table, picked up the whine glass and splashed the remaining liquid onto his face. Roman blinked, but didn't do anything else as E stared him down.
"Your bet is on... you cocky son of a b***h." E spat turning and storming out the doors faster then she had come in.
The nerve of that man. Calling her out, making her waste her time just to tell her that her team had no chance of winning, and then parading around the fact that he was so cocky and self centered that he thought there was no way they even posed a threat to his own team. People watched as E stormed through the restaurant again, shaking out the bun her hair was in and then braiding it back over her shoulder. She snatched her phone out of her purse, pressed a button angrily, and pushed it to her ear.
"It's me. I want my team on the phone now and I don't care how. We have work to do."

Chapter 13

Kip's violet eyes fluttered open to a strange room with whispers coming from the corner. She blinked a few times and sat up, a blanket falling to the floor. Gabriel tossed on the bed closest to the window while Eric snoozed on the other. Both girls where still fast asleep recovering.
"Yes. I understand." Someone softy said in a flat voice.
Kip yawned and stretched, knocking a pillow to the ground. She was sitting on a couch that she didn't remember, but then she didn't' remember much after getting out of that damn forest.
"I will." The soft voice said again, this time over by the window.
Leo stood with a phone pushed to her ear, gazing out of the crack in the blinds. She wasn't wearing her signature trenchcoat and her black shirt was torn, her shoulder bleeding through the bandages slightly. Kip was almost positive that Leo didn't sleep at all that night. As if she had read her mind Leo turned around and locked eyes with Kip.
"I'll give you an update later. I have to go."
She snapped the phone closed and put it in her pants pocket.
"You feeling better?" She asked.
"You look like crap." Kip replied concerned for the other more then herself.
"Your feeling fine." Leo said leaning up against the wall, careful of her shoulder.
Leo looked more ragged from the front. Her black shirt was tattered, torn, and spotted with dry blood. Her dark pants were soaked with more and the sliver chains had drops of red shining on them as well. The two holsters on her thighs, however, were spotless and clean. A drastic contrast from the white bandaged shoulder flecked with blood.
"Are you still bleeding!?" Kip whispered loudly standing up and getting dizzy.
Leo took two quick steps and put and hand on Kip's shoulder.
"Don't get up so fast. I'm fine. The bleeding stopped earlier." She said as Kip blinked the stars from her eyes.
"We should get you to a hospital!" Kip groaned laying back down on the couch.
"No need." Leo said putting the blanket over Kip. "I need to get back to Bon and the others. You just sleep."

Leo felt exposed without her coat as she slipped out of the small room. The holsters on her thighs were empty but the guns were still at her sides, one hidden in her shirt and the other at her hip in her pants hidden by her shirt. It was nearly eight in the morning but adrenalin still raced through her body. She had been on the phone with E since she had returned to the hotel room. The powerful women had her own story to tell before she let Leo speak, and her news was almost as disturbing as Leo's. But when she told her own story the CEO was silent for a good minute.
"Your positive?" She had asked with deadly seriousness.
Leo hadn't missed a beat as she jumped into a detailed explanation of the brand on her attackers hand. Leo quietly made her way through the lobby and out into the freezing air. She missed her coat even more. E had had her on hold for only a few minutes and had requested a tow truck for an early morning pick up to bring the other half of their team
to safety.

The mechanic wearily turned on the lights of the little auto shop and yawned. He wouldn't normally get up so early, but the money was worth it. Just a tow and quick fix of an old hover bus, nothing big for such a chunk of money. He flicked on the lights in the garage and waited for the person that was to take him to the broken down bus. He sat behind the desk and lazily glanced at the clock, six minutes to eight. It felt like he blinked when a quick knocking snapped him back to the moment. The clock read eight on the dot. They were timely whoever they where. Quickly he crossed the tiny lobby and unlocked the door. A pair of alien sliver eyes glared back at him from the door frame.
"Are you ready to go?" The young red head snapped quickly.
"Do I know you?" He asked knowing he'd seen her strange red hair somewhere.
"No." She said flatly. "We need to get moving, we have a drive."
After that his strange guest was silent as he ushered her inside the store.
"I'll just be a minute to get the truck." He said already feeling uncomfortable with the silent girl, perhaps he would be working after all.

Isi was rudely awaken by shaking. She had been having a pleasant dream that she was back at the office; filing papers neatly in a file cabinet and getting a fresh cup of coffee that didn't splash and spill all over her. But she was soon reminded of where she worked now as she slowly came too in the hover bus of her nightmares.
"Get up." Someone gruffly said still shaking her.
"I'm up I'm up!" She said groping for her glasses in the dark.
She finally found them and stumbled to put them on. Her simi-long hair was tangled and what was left of her make up was smeared and streaked on her cheeks.
"LEO!" She gasped as her eyes adjusted to the glasses and the morning light in the bus. "You guys are back!"
"SHHH!!!" Leo hissed. "You'll wake up the others!"
Leo didn't explain herself as she made her was to the driver's seat, putting the bus in neutral. Isi watched awestruck as Leo flipped one of two switches and then climbed into the driver's seat.
"What are you doing?" She asked getting up.
Leo didn't answer as she flipped on the radio.
"Truck 3-4-7-2-4-9-7 this is bus P-H-N-I-X-1, ready and waiting for assistance. Over." She said into the speaker.
"You guys got us a tow truck!" Isi gasped excitedly standing next to Leo in the drivers seat.
"Truck 3-4-7-2-4-9-7 do you copy?" Leo said ignoring the manager.
The radio crackled to life as Isi sat down dejectedly in the passengers seat.
"This is Truck 3-4-7-2-4-9-7 I copy. Prepare for magnet lock. Over."
There was a faint buzzing and then the hover bus jumped a foot forwards. Isi squeaked in surprise as she slid forward in the seat; catching hold of the dashboard to steady herself. She watched as a good two feet of snow feel into the bus's vacancy, and just like that they were free. Leo's fingers quickly flipped a few more buttons and she checked some lights.
"Truck 3-4-7-2-4-9-7 we have a steady lock. Over."
"Bus P-H-N-I-X-1 engage your engine and prepare for tow."
Leo looked over the dash board for the ignition card, but it wasn't there.
"Bambi has it." She said out loud herself checking the floor.
"I'll go wake her up for it." Isi offered half standing.
"Don't bother." Leo snapped quickly.
She was already punching in something into the small screen next to the ignition slot. Isi quickly sat back down and rang her hands together; wishing she was still dreaming and not with this ice queen. The screen Leo was messing with beeped loudly as Leo reached under the dash this time and pulled something out.
"What and earth are you doing?" Isi stammered leaning over to see what Leo was doing to the bus.
"Your better off not knowing." She said yanking out a pair of red wires.
She quickly replaced one and pulled the other to the slot where a normal person would have put the bus's ignition card. The live wire sparked and the bus began to purr as the lights flickered on. Isi stared at the Deathshot player and wondered where in hell she had learned that.
"Bus P-H-N-I-X-1 we are ready to commence tow. Over."
"Proceed when ready." Leo answered.
A moment later the bus slowly began to creep backwards leaving the deep snow bank behind.
"We're free!" Isi almost shouted as they began to pick up speed.

Bon yawned and stretched out her arms as far as they'd go blinking the sleep from her eyes. Jun was sitting on the floor next to her bottom bunk bed with his head and arms resting near her head. Bon yawned again as she sat up; careful of the underside of Eric's bunk above. Bambi sat next to Jun with her head on his shoulder; both were snoozing away; Bon's story book still open to the page they had fallen asleep on. Bon sleepy smiled at her sariget parents as she pulled the spare blanket back onto their shoulders. Carefully she slipped out of bed and got dressed for another cold snowy day. She had nearly half the day mapped out with snow angels, snow people, snow castles, snow balls fights, snow cones when she happened to look out of the window.

Bambi heard Jun and Bon call her name but she didn't want to get up just yet. Her mind was changed, however, when they each took a side and shook her back and forth between the two of them. Her brain turned into over scrambled eggs as the yelled her name and shook.
"OK OK OK OK! I'M UP!" She yelled herself.
They instantly stopped shaking as she put her hands on her head to stop the room from spinning.
"Bambi can buildings move backwards?" Bon asked bluntly.
Bambi thought her head was still spinning.
"Of course they can't! What gave you that bright idea?" She barked; she was cranky first thing in the morning.
"That." Jun said pointing at the window.
Bambi glanced out the small window and felt her jaw drop. There where indeed buildings and they where in fact marching backwards. Bambi scrambled to the window.
"Impossible! We're stuck in a two foot snow bank!" She glanced down. "We're MOVING!"
Suddenly the bus come to an abrupt stop, sending them stumbling to the side. Something clicked loudly outside and the bus began to slowly rotate.
"What the hell is going on?!" Bambi raged. "Who's doing this to my bus?!"
Fuming Bambi rushed to the door, but just as she reached it all the lights went out and the door locked itself in place. Bambi nearly walked face first into it. Bon latched onto Jun's arm as the bus went dark and began to back up into a garage it seemed. After a few slow moving minutes they finally stopped with a jerk. There was another metal clang and a wiring sound of something closing as the sunlight began to fade. The lights flickered back on and the door swished open, but no one ran through. All three stood together not knowing what to expect; this was like something from some ancient scary movie. Isi stumbled just then making the three other weary passengers scream in horror. Isi screamed back making the others scream louder that only made Isi scream more.
"WHAT THE HELL IS WITH ALL THE YELLING!" Leo screamed above them all.
"LEO'S BACK!" Bon yelled running to hug Leo.
Leo sighed and growled as Bon hugged her around the middle.
"LEO! We thought you where killed or even worst!" She whiled as Leo put a hand to her face annoyed.
"You guys are back!" Bambi breathed rushing over to hug Leo as well.
"Leo!" Jun said nearly crying hugging Leo with the other girls.
Isi watched as a vain in Leo's forehead began to throb.
"Off!" She growled through gritted teeth.
"Sorry." All three said at once letting her go.
"We're in town now in an auto garage. So Jun get to work. I have to go get the others." She said waving them to fallow her.

Eric was already up with Kip making the bed when Leo opened the door Bon, Isi and Bambi at her side.
"Morning sleepy heads." Bambi said as both girls looked in shock.
"Not fair not fair!" Bon wailed as the other two girls rushed for them. "You guys got to stay in a fancy hotel while I was stuck in the damn bus!"
She didn't have much time to complain because she was quickly wrapped up in hugs from Eric and Kip. Then Bambi and Isi in turn. Gabriel was still sleeping on the bed unaware of the going ons. Leo pushed pass the girls and walked over to Gabe's bed.
"Sleeping beauty. Wake you a** the hell up."
Gabe mumbled and pulled the sheets over her head. Leo put a boot on her side and kicked; rolling her off the bed sheets and all. Gabe flailed wildly as she fell to the floor with a bang getting tangled.
"What the hell! Let me at em'! I'll rip em' apart!" She yelled trashing around. "Come on bastared!"
Leo picked up the pillow she had been using as threw it at her head.
"Nobody's here but your imagination Gabbs." Leo said as Gabriel untangled herself waking up.
"Who the hell is Gabbs?" She yelled.
"Don't you ever get tired of yelling?" Leo asked sighing.
"Who the hell is Gabbs?" Gabe shouted again struggling to stand up in the tangled mass.
"A name that doesn't piss me off as much. Now move it." Leo said turning back to the group at the door. "Lets get back to the bus."
"But I want to jump on the beds Leo!" Bon whined as she threw herself onto the bed.
"Fine." Leo said heading out the door as she picked up her coat. "Let's go."
"Bye Bon." Eric said fallowing Leo.
"Have fun! Don't get lost!" Kip smiled leaving.
"I'll kill that b***h one day!" Gabe snarled heading out he door without noising Bon at all.
"Later." Bambi waved pulling Isi along with her.
"GUYS!" Bon yelled jumping off the bed running after them. "WAIT UP!"
They where only half way down the hall when Bon caught up. The moment she was about to open her mouth and say something Leo's phone rang. The girls exchanged glances, who in hell had Leo's number? Leo didn't even look and the incoming number before she picked it up.
"Hello." Leo said leading the girls back to the bus.
"It's me." E said on the other end of the line. "I have secured transpiration for you."
"What kind? We have transpiration." She fired back.
"There's more then enough room for the bus as well. But as things stand now, you'll be behind seclude by at least a few day. I don't want to take anymore risks with the current "situation" at hand. I want to be able to have you all guarded until I get the bottom of this."
"Where do you want us to meet this new transportation?" Leo said stepping out into the cold Russian morning.
"I'll send the location latter. For now just get the bus fixed and keep together."
"Will do."
"Don't use any specifics on phones. Don't tell anyone else besides the team and don't talk to anyone until you get to Neo-China. Got that?"
"Got it." Leo said and hung up the phone.

They next few hours the entire Deathshot team was in the bus, first listening to each member's story of the attacks in the woods and then to Leo re telling E's strange invitation with Sir Roman Alexander. Finally, Leo breathed deep and broke the news of the symbol and who is was connected to. All the faces, including Bon's, went ghostly white. It took awhile for the news to sink in, and when it did it hit them like a rock in the face. Jun had the misfortune of walking in as they all sat staring with what he thought would be the good new of the bus's full and complete recovery when he was hit with the news as well. Leo let the news seep into them before they had to get moving. Her phone beeped and she flipped it open, they had coordinates and directions. Leo tossed the phone to Bambi.
"We have to get going. E wants us here." She said making her way to the door to pay for the repairs.
Isi fallowed her, because she was the one that handled the money, and Kip came after her to make sure Leo didn't push her luck with their finances. However, she ended up saving a pair of lives. While Isi inquired the amount of payment flanked by Kip and Leo the door behind them creaked open.
"Hey is this place open! We need help with our moped... OH MY SWEET LOVING JESUS!"
Leo felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
"OH MY GOD! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S THEM!"
Brown haired Nai and gray haired Jebus stood just inside the door still wearing their helmets.
"What are the odds of meeting up with you guys here before your next big game!"
"I mean we can't believe our luck! We didn't have time to ask for autographs before you have to leave last time!"
"Oh. Look at that..." Kip said with a forced smile. "It's our biggest fans... Nai and Jebus right?"
Bon picked that time to bound inside.
"Hey guys Jun and Bambi say hurry up! Oh hey! It's you two again!" She said with a smile. "The funny men!"
"Hey it's Bon James!"
"Do you think we can get an autograph! Please?" They begged in unison.
"Uh, who are these guys?" Isi asked of Kip as Bon bounded over to sign pictures.
"Rabid fans..." Kip said. "Their nice and all, but they have a bit too much energy for me."
"I'm going back to the bus." Leo said turning on her heel. "Pay and lets get out."
"LEO HASZARD!" The both yelled after her.
Jebus and Nai both rushed past Bon and Kip and scrambled in front of Leo before she could get to the door. She stared at the two who she was taller then by a few inches her, sliver eyes narrowed.
"Please please please please give us your autograph!" They begged pushing and pen and picture of the team at her.
"Get out of my face." She said pushing through them.
Both grabbed the back of her shirt to stop her from going.
"Please! Your autograph is a super ultra deluxe one of a kind mega rare collectors item!"
"Do you want me to kill you!?" Leo roared turning on them.
"LEO! Be nice to our fans!" Kip yelled at the younger girl.
"Her autograph is worth more then mine?" Bon yelled just as loud.
"Please sign! Just one itty-bitty one! PLEASE!" They begged yanking on her shirt.
In a flash of sliver Leo had the barrel of one of her pistols press against the pair's heads that were smushed together.
"Let go of me right NOW!" He snapped loudly.
"SHOOT ME!" Jebus yelled happily pushing Nai away. "Please please shoot me!"
"NO!" Nai roared shoving the other away and pointing the pistol at his own head. "I'm a bigger pain in the a**! Shoot me!"
"Get real! I'm more annoying!" Jebus said leaping into the line of fire.
"Out of the way she's shooting me Jebus!" Nai said pouncing on his friend's back and pounding his head with his hands.
"NO!" He yelled tossing Nai to the floor and power slamming him.
Kip watched as that dangerous vain in Leo's head began to throb.
"ENOUGH ALL OF YOU!" She roared over the fighting boys who were pulling each other's hair. "Leo get back to the bus and no more waving guns around!"
Leo didn't need to be told twice. She slipped the gun into the empty holster at her side and disappeared into the garage.
"As for you two!" She said rounding on the boys. "You best learn to respect people's boundaries! You can't just come in here and think we're some kind of animals put on display for your amusement!"
Both boys hugged each other and stared at Kip with teary eyes.
"Yes mom!" They said as one. "We'll be better next time we swear!"
A vain in Kip's head began to throb. Mom?! She was only maybe a year older then they where! Isi sensed the danger of Kip's long sleeping anger.
"How much and quickly!" She said to the clearly frightened mechanic.
"It's been paid for in full up front!" He said watching Kip get ready to explode.
Isi closed her account book and snatched Kip's hand before she tore the fans apart. Bon quickly grabbed her other hand and began hauling her out to the bus.
"Bye guys! See you in Neo China!" She waved as she shut the door.
Their new destination was almost due north and not too far from where they where already. It was Bambi that actually pointed out just what was waiting for them.
"An airport?" She said confused. "Why would she send us to a damn airport?"
"To go flying?" Bon said pressing her nose to the windshield.
"But what about the bus!" Jun asked staring out the window as well.
Bambi pulled up to the airfield that didn't look like it was for commercial use. A little old fashion guard house, some electric pulses, and outdated pulse chain link fence was the rather large field's only defense. A guard stepped out of the house and walked over to the drivers side of the bus.
"Are you the ladies with the special ride to China?" He asked smacking gum in his teeth.
"Um... yes," Bambi said looking confused. "Where do we go?"
The guard smiled.
"Take a right and all the way to the end. It's been a long time since we've seen one of these babies."
The whole team exchanged glances as he went back and opened the gate for them. Bambi fallowed his directions and headed right down the runway. It was a deceptively long trip but as they came upon their destination something loomed ahead, waiting for them.
"What in God's name is THAT!" Gabriel breathed.
The plane before them was huge. It looked something like the old space shuttles that that first gone into space, only the top had been cut off leaving it flat. It's wings where no more then tiny fins on it's sides near the end of the fuselage and a cuple of dorsal guiding fins on top. It looked like they a better chance of getting the hover bus to fly then this thing.
"She sent us a ******** carrier!" Leo said behind the passengers chair.
Carriers where used to transport huge amounts of goods from the place of manufacturing to the sellers and buys across the world in no time at all. This plane could reach 11,000 miles an hour. Mach fifteen, and could climb to almost 100 feet straight up, nearly outer space. E wanted them in China in a damn hurry, Leo did some guess work in her head. The flight would only take a little over an hour to go nearly half way around the world.

Chapter 15

Leo grumbled to herself as she sat in the waiting in the dressing rooms and listened to her teammates endless banter back and forth to each other.
"Red just isn't my color! Do they have this shirt in pink?"
"This skirt is too big! I need a small I knew I lost weight!"
"Look at me! I'm a princess!"
"No one can see you in the dressing room Bon."
Leo slumped, out guessing what would happen next.
"Hey Leo? Would you mine getting this skirt in a small for me?"
"Oh and while your out there see if they have this shirt in pink!"
"Yo Leo, these pants in low rise!"
Leo sighed getting up from the couch and picked up the assorted garments that the girls had slung over the doors of their changing rooms for her to pick up. She realized she should be used to this by now, one of the drawbacks to females, but it still made her angry that they made her their errand girl. Early on she found that it was like fighting a force of nature when it came to trying to resist a shopping female. So long ago she had given up on trying to fight it.
“Eric needs a pink shirt, Kip needs a small skirt and Gabe needs an extra wide size of pants.”
“LOW RISE GOD DAMN IT!” Gabe yelled.
“Says you…” Leo muttered under her breath.
She headed back out to the shopping area and went looking for the clothes she needed. She pretended didn’t notice the stares from the other customers anymore. Leo didn’t like high priced stores with soft music playing and the air unit making the whole store cold enough to store meat. They bothered her in a way that made her more irritable then usual, even more so when everyone stared at her like they did now. Leo was still wearing her torn black pants with the sliver chains that had her bloodstains on them with the tattered black shirt. She wasn’t exactly fitting in with the other people in the store that all looked like they owned a privet Deathshot box high up in the stands. Leo grumbled as they stared at her putting back clothes and taking new ones. With an icy glare at the annoyances she turned on her heel and headed back to the dressing rooms the girls had cleared of any other people.
“Here.” Leo grunted tossing the clothes over the respective doors. “These are the last ones and then I’m cutting you off.”
“Oh fine…” Kip said. “I guess we do need to move on to the next store.”
“Kip I need your help!” Eric whined. “I don’t know it I like this dress.”
“Dress? I just brought you a shirt!” Leo said angrily.
“Oh I know, I’m just going to try that on later.”
“Why do I even bother?!” Leo roared throwing up her hands and stalking off to the couch.
On que all four unlocked their doors and came out in various outfits. Leo sighed and let her head roll onto the back of the couch as they analyzed each others findings. Leo was sure that they all spoke a different language when they did this because none of it ever made any sense to her. She had learned to just not listen unless she was called on when they did this ritual. She quickly pulled out her phone and checked the time.
“You have nine minutes left in this store.” She announced to the four. “After that I’m dragging all out by your hair.”
“Why so soon?” Gabe asked.
“Because you all agreed that you would spend two hours in each store so you could hit six stores in that twelve hours! So do you want to b***h at me some more or do you want to go to another store?!”
“Pissy much?” Gabe said. “Fine I’m done here anyways.”
“Oh bite me!” Leo snapped after her as the girls disappeared back into the dressing rooms.
“Leo cut it out!” Kip ordered from behind her door. “You’re just causing problems.”
“You’re causing problems.” Leo muttered to herself as she waited for them to change.
After the allotted nine minutes pasted Leo raved at her team to move their asses or she was taking their already bought clothes hostage. All the good it did was cause more fighting and arguing between Gabriel and her. It took the four another ten minutes to gather the garments and pay for them all with their bright new credit cards and then have Leo all but shove them from the store.
“Easy Leo!” Eric said nearly falling as Leo gave her a rough push to get her out the door.
“Why are you always so mean when we go shopping?” Bon cried as she rubbed her back where Leo had violently pushed her.
“That’s the only way I can get through to you!” Leo snapped flinging the armload of bags in her hand like a whip to drive the girls away from the store.
“Geez, party crasher.” Gabe mocked as she ran her free hands through her white hair. “Everyone else is having fun but you as usual.”
“If I have to suffer you all suffer!” Leo barked as she herded them down the crowed street.
“Oh look, a mall.” Gabe grinned nearly skipping with delight. “Imagine all the shops in here!” She was clearly enjoying Leo’s suffering.
“We could spend less time in each smaller store and expand our findings by at least forty percent!” Eric chimed excited.
“You scare me sometimes…” Bon said giving Eric a funny look at her mathematical prediction.
“Well let’s go!” Kip said tossing her hair over her shoulders and striding through the sliding doors.
“Welcome to the Neo Hong Cong international mall.” A pleasant voice said as the team entered.
“Wow… it’s beautiful!” Eric said staring up and down.
The mall was built in a huge circle that extended up to the sky and deep down in to the ground. Escalators, moving sidewalks and elevators where numerous to make traveling to the other countless floors easy and convenient for the shoppers. Leo’s skin crawled at the countless amounts of people everywhere. It was like a zoo to her.
“Come on lets find out where we’re going.” Kip said taking control of the gawking girls.
She lead them over to a near by electro-directory that pleasantly asked how it could be of service. Kip quickly asked for the floor numbers of the best clothing stores. The directory told her that the mall was slit up according to sections and that the clothing section was on the sky levels floors ten through fifteen. It then proceeded to list the store names but by then the girls where long sense gone; heading to the nearest elevator to take them to their next textile conquest.
Leo once again found herself waiting slumped against the dressing room wall almost the moment she walked into the store. Clothes seemed to fly off the shelves into Kip, Bon, Gabe and Eric’s waiting hands. Leo cursed the advent of malls and places of human gathering such as this. She was happy in complete solitude for as long as possible, but that never seemed to be the case unless she was on the hover bus.
“Leo! Hey Leo! I need some help over here quick!” Eric shouted holding far too many clothes then she could safely carry.
Leo quickly came to Eric’s aid and took an armful of heavy clothes away for the smaller girl.
“Thanks!” Eric smiled. “Now will you help put them away for me?”
Leo opened her mouth to protest her unpaid labor but Eric had already moved on to a rack of clothing leaving Leo with nothing to do but grumble and put the clothes away. Angrily, Leo stacked the assorted garments on their respective piles and hung up the others, her fuse dangerously short.
“Leo! Oh Leo!” Kip sang from somewhere in the cotton jungle. “Where are you?”
A vain on Leo’s forehead began to throb as she curtly slammed the hanger back on the rack, making the entire frame shake. Kip seemed to fallow the sound and find her fiery teammate as if she where some kind of bloodhound.
“Found you.” Kip said pleasantly. “I have a favor to ask.”
“I’m no doing you or anyone else anymore god damn favors!” Leo hissed loudly.
Kip new better then to get loud with Leo when she was like this, the only thing she could do to keep Leo from going nuclear was letting her get a little time alone.
“Hey I was just thinking we could all use some drinks… would you mind getting us all some?” Kip asked with a smile.
Leo sighed angrily and glared at Kip, knowing exactly what she was doing and why.
“Fine, but everyone gets the same thing. And I’m not making a food run!” She snapped.
“Alright alright!” Kip said grinning. “Don’t take too long.”
Leo didn’t waste any time turning on her heel and getting the hell out of the store. Most likely the other customers and clerks where more then happy to see her go; wishing Leo had taken the other girls with her as well. Leo shoved her hands in her pockets and stalked down the halls of the great circular beast not really looking for a drink dispenser. She just needed some time to recharge her battery for dealing with others that had been worn out. Her bad mood seem to create a dark aura around her that make the shoppers jump out of her way and pull children aside and cover the youngster’s eyes. Leo passed several drink machines on her rage walk but she wasn’t interested in getting drinks any time soon. She walked down moving stair cases three steps at a time, one after the other, until she was in the sub levels quite a few floors down.
The shops down here seemed a bit more “dark” then the ones above ground; Gothic, incense, novelty joke stores and an odd assortment of others lined the great circle. Leo stopped to look in the window of one of the shops found her self longing for her now useless trechcoat back at the hotel. She’d had the thing forever and it was a part of her, like a second skin. What did it ever do that damn attacker that ended its life so abruptly? Leo grimaced as her shoulder seemed to throb in response to the thought of her masked attacker. She guessed it was time to buy a new one anyhow; the old one needed repairing. Leo walked inside the dark clothing shop and looked around with her hands in her pockets. The store had plenty of dark coats, but nothing remotely close like the one she had. She quickly walked out and tried the next store and the next for quite a few stores. Passionate Theme was the last store on the floor and the last store of its kind in the international mall. Leo was skeptical at first, the store sounded more like a sex shop then a punky, gothic store, but a quick glance in the window instantly drew her in. She didn’t need to see anything else as she took the wondrous thing of the rack. Without hesitation she pulled the coat on and flipped up the collar. She turned to the full length mirror and fell in love for the second time in her life. The inside was a blood red that matched her hair nearly perfectly while the outside was dark black pleather that fell to her mid calves. Around the bottom, the end of the sleeves and the collar was lined with warm back fur. The back of the coat had black trimming with a sliver lines of rivets running down them to the fur lined bottom. Leo stared at the coat in the mirror and smiled. She loved it.
“Find something you like?” The sales attendant asked from behind the un-busy counter.
“For once.” Leo said with a small smile taking off the coat and walking up to the counter.
The sales girl smiled as she saw what Leo was holding.
“Ah, you have good taste.” She grinned pulling on one of her ear pricings. “I’d be buying that to if I had that kind of money.”
“How much?” Leo asked, knowing that any price would be miniscule compared to what the girls upstairs where paying.
“Seven hundred.” The girl said simply. “Plus tax.”
Leo smirked; this was definitely not a coat to be put through hell like her old one. But, seven hundred credits didn’t do this magnificent coat justice.
“I’ll take it.” Leo said laying the coat on counter.
“Really? Just like that? You have that kind of money?” The girl asked, more interested then suspicious.
Leo produced her credit card with its shinny platinum surface and held it between her fingers.
“Before I pay… do you have any other coats in this place?”
“Do we have other coats?” She girl seemed to laugh.
She let herself out from behind the counter and showed Leo to the back of the store. Leo grinned at the forest of long coats of all sizes and colors before her eyes.
“Black.” She said. “Something with buckles and a hood.”
Leo spent the next twenty minutes trying on black trench coats one at a time. Every one was better then the last and Leo’s icy heart finally settled on a beautiful black gunner coat with a high collar that could buckle and serve as a mask. It also had a plethora of pockets both inside and out to store and hide any number of things. She buckled the front and turned in the mirror.
“This one.” She said liking her reflection.
“You know you can leave it open too…” The sales girl said. “The slit up the back of it keeps it from blowing out in the wind if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“It’s nothing like that.” Leo said slipping the coat off her shoulders. “I just like it closed.”
Leo motioned towards the counter and the girl took the hint. Leo felt satisfied as the credit card slid through and the girls eyes grew wide with the limit amount.
“Do you need a box Miss Hazard?” The girl asked with a touch of new found respect.
“Just for the dress one.” Leo said pulling the gunner coat back on. “I’ll wear this one out.”
Leo transferred the pistols out of her shirt and pants back into the holsters on her thighs that the new coat now covered when the girl was busy boxing the other coat. Leo grinned as she took the sunglasses out of her pocket and put them back on top of her head. She felt complete again.
“Come back again.” The girl said as Leo took the boxed coat and strolled towards the door.
“When I ruin this coat.” Leo said over her shoulder.
Her batteries and tolerance for the human race recharged Leo headed towards a moving stair case back up to the upper levels.
“Whoa! Bitchn’ coat!” Someone shouted as Leo walked by.
Leo stopped and glared at the man who had shouted.
“Nice indeed.” He said chewing on the end of a pair of black sunglasses.
“Really?” Leo spat. “I can’t say the same.”
“Ouch! Kittens’ got claws!”
The man grinned tossing his shoulder blade length black hair. Leo sized him up in an instant and decided she didn’t like him just as fast.
“Names’ Algus. Alugus D. Wolfsbane.” He said holding out his hand his sapphire blue eyes sparkling.
“I didn’t ask for your name.” Leo said walking away.
“Hey hey hey! Not so fast!” Algus said walking after her. “I didn’t catch your name.”
“Didn’t give it.” Leo said walking faster.
“Well I’m asking for it!”
“Not interested.” Leo said getting onto a staircase.
The man Algus was on right behind her. Leo took a step back as if she’d missed a stair to force the annoying man off the stair case.
“Alright I get the hint!” He said letting a few stairs pass before he got on.
“Obviously you don’t if you’re still fallowing me.” Leo growled.
“You give me your name and all stop fallowing you.”
“Not a snowflakes’ chance in hell.” Leo said staring straight ahead of her.
“Then I guess I’m going be fallowing you for a while.” He said. “So do you like Deathshot?”
“No. I don’t.” Leo said unemotionally.
“No way!” Algus laughed. “Everyone loves Deathshot! People who hate Deathshot love Deathshot!”
“Whatever.” Leo said thinking of a way to lose him.
“So I have my own team.” Algus said staring at his nails in a vain attempt to look unimpressed with himself. “Yep, I’m a professional player. Making the big creds…”
“Stop talking.” Leo snapped angrily.
“The Bloody Reapers, yep, I’m the captain Algus D. Wolfbane. Well Captain Algus to the boys on the team. We have our opening game of the season coming up; you should come check it out.”
“I don’t think so.” Leo said, he hate for humanity coming back full force.
“I could get you great seats. Hey, so do you have a sister or something?”
“That’s it.” Leo said. “I’m out of here.”
Leo slung the bag over her should and leapt up on to the moving hand rail.
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?” Algus shouted trying to grab her coat.
Leo quickly leapt and grabbed hold of a moving stair case above and out to the side of the one she was standing on and hauled herself over onto the stairs.
“Please remain still while on the staircases!” A pleasant voice scolded loudly as Leo hauled herself up and over the handrail. People on her new stair case quickly jumped away as she swung her boots over the edge and landed on the stair with a swish of her coat. This staircase was making a far steeper angle up and by the time Algus got to his own destination Leo would be long gone.
“HEY!” Algus shouted up at her. “I still need your name!”
Without even looking Leo stuck her hand out over the side and flipped Algus the middle finger.
Leo strolled over the polished tiles of the upper floors content with her escape of the annoying Algus.
“LEO!” Bon yelled skidding around corner. “What took you so long?”
Bon sprinted and wrapped her arms around Leo’s middle. Leo bopped Bon on the head with her box and Bon let her go.
“Ouch! Hey we where all worried about you! Did you get us drinks? Did you?”
“No!” Leo scoffed slinging the box back behind her. “I finally did some of my own shopping.”
“Well Kip already bought some clothes for you to look through! Come on their pretty cool!”
Bon took Leo’s reluctant hand and dragged her to the upscale food court that the other three where sitting at.
“Found her!” Bon sang dragging her to the table.
“Did you have to make and bottle the drinks yourself?” Gabe asked looking for her drink.
She got whacked with the box as well only a lot harder.
“I didn’t bring you any drinks!” Leo hissed. “I did some on my own shopping.”
“But Kip said…” Eric started turning to Kip.
Eric turned to Kip, but the blonde only shrugged her shoulders in an innocent way not looking anyone in the eyes. Eric growled and glared at her in response.
“Oh… I see how it is.”
“Hey it was this or Leo exploding in a store. I trust you all remember what happened last time that happened?”
“Yeah yeah yeah.” Leo said putting the box on the table with all the countless others. “Everyone was horrified bla bla bla.”
“You don’t sound horrified.” Kip said.
“That’s because I’m not.” Leo said taking a seat between Eric and Gabriel. “Now what’s for lunch?”
“It’s not lunch brake yet!” Gabe sneered.
“What?” Leo hissed.
“We already had snacks and now it’s time to get back to shopping.”
“Ah! Fellow shoppers!” A mystery female voice said behind them.
All of Team Phoenix whipped around to find a tall young woman with big, black sunglasses covering half her face and a big hat to cover the rest.
“And you are?” Gabe asked annoyed.
“How rude of me,” The women said pleasantly. “I was just about to introduce myself.”
The women took off her hat and set it on Gabriel’s head as if she where a hat rack and tossed her long golden brown hair. She folded the expensive designer sunglasses and put them in her brand name pants pocket.
“Pleasure to meet you, I’m Leandra Lona.”
“As in team Deathwatch’s Leandra Lona?” Kip said stunned.
“Ah so you know me.” Leandra said waving her hand as if she got that reaction all the time. “Looks like I don’t get a make a first impression yet again.”
“The pleasure is all ours.” Leo said standing up with what her team knew was a forced smile. “Let me introduce us. We’re team Phoenix.”
“Ah the newbies!” Leandra said with a grin. “I thought you all looked vaguely familiar.”
Leandra looked over her shoulder and shouted at three men all holding as many bags and boxes as they could carry. Two of the men where big and had a nearly unthinkable about of packages. The other man was holding remarkable few bags and seemed worn out.
“BOYS! GET OVER HERE!” Leandra waved at them.
“Hey haven’t you had enough yet?” One of the big guys with short brown hair said. “You’re overworking us!”
“Yeah!” The other one said setting down the massive amounts of bags he was carrying as he slicked back his two toned blonde and brown hair. “I’m not carrying your stuff anymore unless I get a break!”
“Good. You can take a break while you introduce yourself to Team Phoenix.” Leandra sighed as she waved them off. “This lug head here is Dark Weed.”
“Nice to meet you.” Dark said with a pearly white smile.
“This moron over here his Taro.” Leandra pointed to the other big man.
“The pleasure is all mine to meet such stunning beauty in such a place as this!” Taro said offering his hand to Kip who sat closest to him.
Kip arched an eyebrow and took his hand to shake it. Instead Taro kissed the back of it. Kip quickly took her hand back as Taro grinned impishly with his kaki colored eyes.
“Sorry, are you not used to such formalities?”
“No, you’re just weird.” Kip answered without hesitation.
Leandra and Dark broke out laughing as Taro’s face fell. He offered his hand to each girl in turn and arched his eyebrows at Eric and Gabe.
“Watch it ladies.” Dark said. “Taro looking at any cute girls like that only means trouble.”
“I’m not looking at anyone like that.” Taro said with a huff. “You saw right Tequila.”
The man standing behind the others looked sideways at Taro from under his hooded jacket.
“I didn’t see anything.” Tequila said hoarsely with a wheeze.
“Oh yes,” Leandra said stepping aside to revile the third man.
He was wearing thick sunglasses that completely hid his eyes and his hood was pulled far down covering every strand of hair. He had his hands pushed deep into his pants pockets and the collar of his shirt was pulled up hiding his chin and mouth.
“This antisocial bum is Tequila.” Leandra said pointing to the man.
“Forgive me for not leaping for joy,” He grumbled. “I’m not in the best of heath right now.”
“Don’t worry.” Leo said standing up. “It’s an honor to meet all of you.”
She offered her handshake to Tequila first and the man watched her sideways.
“Scared of me?” Leo asked softly with a friendly looking grin. “Honestly I don’t bite.”
Dark and Taro bust out laughing and had to hold their sides. Leandra even had to hide her grin behind her hand as Tequila’s lips turned up only slightly.
“Of course I’m not.” He said taking her hand and shaking it. “I just didn’t want to get you sick.” He said taking her hand.
“Don’t worry about me.” Leo smiled pleasantly with a very uncharacteristic happy note in her voice. “I’ve had much worse injuries then a cold.”
“Really now?” He said almost sounding board.
Leo could feel the man’s hand bones straining in her crushing grip as she continued to chat.
“Your captain wouldn’t happen to be here would he? I’ve always wanted to meet him.”
“Leo what’s gotten in to you?” Gabe snapped more confused then angry.
Leo let Tequila’s hand go and turned as casually as she could on her heel.
“Oh Gabriel, You know how I get when I meet other DS teams, epically one as famous as Team Deathwatch.” Her voice was cheery as she playfully scolded her teammate.
That’s what the rival team heard. What Gabe saw made her and all the other girls turn pale. Leo’s sliver eyes where flashing icy fire and her mouth was twisted into the ugliest snarled which intensified the creepiness of her pleasant voice. Leo’s face was contorted with pure and absolute hate as she mouthed the words “shut the hell up” noiselessly and turned back around with a smile once again.
“So sorry, I’m just a big fan.”
“Well Rav doesn’t really come out with us. We’re all employees of Double Helix as well as on the team so Rav is kept really busy.” Dark said with a sigh. “In fact when I get back I have a bunch of paperwork I need to finish up.”
“Procrastinator!” Leandra snapped angrily. “You always leave your work to the last minute and I have to clean up all your mistakes!”
“Boys.” Kip said rolling her eyes. “That’s why I don’t keep any around. Too much of a headache.”
“I like the way you think.” Leandra said with a smile. “You know I could really use some shopping buddies that will actually shop with me. You girls interested?”
“That’s very nice of you…” Leo started. “What do you girls think?”
“Y-you know… I’m not that much of a shopper.” Gabe said quickly.
“I don’t have any money… sorry it sounds like fun.” Bon said shyly with her face red.
“I’d love to take you up on that offer.” Kip smiled happily.
Leo whipped around to glare in shock at Kip who only grinned.
“It’s not everyday we get an offer like this, as long as it’s a real offer and not just a pleasantry.” Kip grinned.
“I’d love too as well.” Eric said.
“It’s settled then.” Leandra said with a smile. “I’ll call you both for a shopping date next time I get a day off.”
“We have to go,” Dark said looking at a digital clock display. “Or we’ll delay our practice time at the stadium.”
“Yeah we only have two hours before then. We can get some more power shopping done before we leave.” Leandra said.
“Well I’m leaving then. I’m not getting stuck with any more of your bags.” Taro said offering his hand to each of the girls. “It was nice to meet you all, I wish you cuties all good luck in this season and I hope to see you all on and off the field.”
“Oh Taro don’t be like that.” Leandra said. “besides, Dark will help me with my bags.”
“It was very nice meeting you all…” Dark said hurried grabbing Eric’s hand and started shaking. “But I have all that paper work to finish so I better get going!”
Leandra smacked both of the boys with her purse who both cringed.
“Alright I get it. We’ll go back and get ready for practice. Again it was nice meeting you all and I’ll call when I’m free again.” Leandra said holding out her hand and Kip shook it.
“The pleasure was all ours and I’ll be waiting for that call.”
Each girl in turn shook each of the rival team’s hand and enchained pleasant goodbyes. Leo held her hand out to Tequila once again.
“Well let Rav know I was disappointed that I didn’t get a chance to meet him.” She said nicely.
“I will,” Tequila said taking Leo’s hand. “Oh… and good luck this season.”
With that, the young man put his hand on Leo’s right shoulder. The one with the still fresh zig-zaged wound. Leo didn’t so much as flinch as he patted her shoulder roughly.
“Welcome to the big leagues.” He said as Leo let go of his hand after a really rough pat.
“Good to be here.” Leo said less nicely.
“I hope we face each other sometime. It could be fun.”
“Can’t wait.” Leo said with a chilly voice.
“Catch you ladies later.” Dark said with a wave as he picked up his share of Leandra’s boxes and bags.
“See you on the field.” Taro said with a grin.
“I’ll call you.” Leandra smiled as she turned on her heels and snapped her fingers. “BOYS! HEEL!” she shouted.
“I’ll be seeing you…” Tequila grinned with a patronizing wave of his hand as he fallowed the others.
“Well if they weren’t the biggest cockiest, condescending, stuck up, jackasses I’m not a DS player.” Gabe snapped sitting back down angrily after they where completely gone.
“Their a little intimidating… and scary.” Bon mumbled.
“Well they seemed nice… you know after a minute or two.” Eric told everyone. “They didn’t seem that bad.”
“You alright Leo?” Kip asked.
Leo clenched and unclenched her fist angrily as pain ripped through her shoulder, down into her arm and into her back.
“Why wouldn’t she be alright?” Gabe snapped. “You’re the one I’m worried about taking out that ice princess on her offer to go shopping! What was that about!? Even after the ice QUEEN gave her royal decree not to.”
“I was thinking if we got in good with them we could work it to our advantage. And Leo what was with that look? We could have all gone shopping together. What was that all about?”
“Shopping time is over.” Leo spat picking up all the boxes and bags piled on the table. “We’re going back to the hotel right now.”
“Bull s**t.” Gabe roared. “I have like six hours left to shop! I’m not stopping because you’re a jackass!”
Leo tossed the bags back down to the table and they made a big crash as they fell and slid to the floor.
“Find. Carry this yourself then.” Leo growled. “I need to talk to E.”