Part 47 (1/2)
He turned obediently, but his thoughtful expression suggested he was planning something. She was ready for whatever he had in mind. She knew all the tricks.
As soon as they were out of sight, she released him. ”This is your last chance to repent,” she said. ”G.o.d is listening.”
Harbinger began to spin around. The move would've seemed lightning fast to anybody else, but she had plenty of time to contemplate it. The spin flowed into a kick aimed at her chest. She casually stepped aside and he only struck the air. A knife dropped from his sleeve into his hand, and the blade was covered with brown paste. Still spinning and kicking, he attempted to slash her neck. His skillful execution impressed her. Clearly, he had practiced this combination many times, and it was probably his best. What a waste of talent, she thought.
She swept his supporting leg with a hook kick. As he collapsed, she grabbed the poisoned knife by the hilt and turned it upside down. He landed on the knife, and the sharp tip was driven deeply into his chest. Blood gushed out. She hopped back to keep her shoes clean.
”Thy will be done,” she declared.
The Presence was satisfied.
”Get out of my way!” Marina screamed.
She forced her way through the crowd. When her voice didn't make people move, she used her elbows instead. Her quarry was just a few yards ahead, and fortunately, he was having the same trouble as she was.
Finally, they broke free. The hunt became a desperate foot race through the tree-lined streets of northern Chicago.
She studied her target during the pursuit. He was young, perhaps twenty years old, and very fit. His baseball cap covered very short hair. He wore jeans so tight he couldn't hide much underneath. His white T-s.h.i.+rt, on the other hand, was loose enough to conceal weapons.
Aaron's bomb exploded in the distance behind her. The young man looked back without slowing.
Marina quickly realized he was too fast and the best she could hope for was to keep pace with him for a short time. Her weapons and body armor seemed to grow heavier with each step. Eventually, he would escape.
She could shoot him in the back. It was a tempting notion, but there were far too many witnesses around. Ethel would never forgive Marina for being so sloppy. She needed another approach.
”Hey, punk!” Marina yelled. ”Why are you running? Are you scared?”
The Eternal glanced back at her.
”I'm more than ten years older than you, and I'm a woman! You should be chasing me!”
He slowed down slightly and she was grateful. She really needed to catch her breath.
”Coward!” she yelled. ”p.u.s.s.y! Did Harbinger cut off your b.a.l.l.s? Stand up to me like a man!”
He stopped running and faced her. Breathing hard, she walked up to him. His face was pale from exertion, but he wasn't nearly as winded as her. I need to do more aerobics, she thought.
”Who are you?” he said.
She wanted her answer to be clever and profound, but no good ideas came to her on the spot. She settled for, ”I'm your enemy, and we're going to fight.”
He stared at her, and his smug expression indicated he wasn't impressed. ”Fine. We'll fight. No guns, though. I don't like guns.”
”Are knives acceptable?”
”Yes.” He nodded. ”Very acceptable.”
”Then we're in agreement. Now we just need a private location. We don't want the police getting in the way.”
He c.o.c.ked his head. ”You're serious? I'm going to slice you like a piece of salami. I'm a pro with a knife.”
She smiled in antic.i.p.ation. ”Go ahead and try, but first pick a location.”
After looking around for a moment, he pointed at the roof of a three-story apartment building. ”Up there.”
”Perfect. Lead the way.”
They went to the front door of the building. He tried to open it, but it was locked.
”Pick it,” Marina said.
”I don't have any lock picks,” he said.
She rolled her eyes. ”And you call yourself a professional a.s.sa.s.sin? What a joke.” She took a set of lock picks from inside her coat and handed them over. ”Try these.”
It took him a few minutes of fumbling with the picks to open the door. They climbed up a central staircase to the top floor. Another door led to the roof, and it was also locked.
”I'll do this one, junior.” She took the lock picks. ”Watch and learn.”
She needed only fifteen seconds to get through.
They walked out onto the roof. The surface was tar and gravel. Treacherous footing, she thought. She would have to maintain a balanced stance during the fight. A light breeze chilled her skin.
They faced each other at a distance of ten paces. The young man still had a smug expression but less so than before.
”What are you hiding under your coat?” he asked.
She opened her coat to reveal an a.r.s.enal of weapons and explosives. Body armor covered her torso and groin.
”Whoa!” he said. ”You can't have all that stuff. It's not fair.”
”This is a death match between professional killers, not a game of cricket. Fairness doesn't really apply. Besides, you were just giving poison to civilians. But we'll play it your way. What are the rules for this fight?”
He furrowed his brow. ”Two knives each. Nothing else. No body armor.”
”No poison, either.”
”All my knives have poison.”
”Then use mine.” She selected two relatively large knives from her collection and tossed them over.
He picked up the knives and examined them critically. ”These are beautiful.”
”Of course. Now strip down to your underwear. I want to make sure you're not hiding any surprises under your clothes. You want this to be fair.”
”You have to strip too. Underwear only.”
They took off their clothes and equipment and set them aside. The cold air bit her skin, and she began to s.h.i.+ver. The rough gravel cut into the soles of her bare feet. It will only be for a few minutes, she thought.