Chapter 480: Kindness (2/2)
”LEONARD,” she squirmed, ”LET ME GO!”
”No chance in hell,” said he tightening his grip, ”-we're leaving if that's the last thing I do.”
”WE CAN'T KEEP THIS UP,” panted Rena, ”-LAMPARD, GO SAVE LEONARD, I don't think those are the assassins.”
”What do you mean?” the terror was bordering the realm of nightmares. The mask figures had kicked Leonard to the ground and aimed a gun at his head.
”GO,” screamed he, ”-GO AND DON'T LOOK BACK!”
”FUCKING DAMN IT!” as much as the gut said to help, as much as he gritted, as much as the fist clenched, a sacrifice had to be honored, and so, with tears of ire blurring the somber streets, Lampard ran. Jen didn't take it well, her nails dug into Lampard's arm and left blood. Rena followed with utter shame, so much for being fighters, so much for training so long. In the end, without weapons, they could but run away.
'Please make it in time,' the roaring of the bike came so fast that all they saw was a blink and two of the four ended onto the building across, an explosion rattled the street. The remainder ate the pavement with cracked skulls and a dagger in another's throat. He jumped at full speed and use the men as a cushion. A deadly gamble that paid off, '-fuck sakes, I've broken my arms and a few ribs, it shows a hemorrhage, my lung's punctured. I can't breathe…'
”Igna, is that you?” Leonard's expression said it all, ”-why are you here?” the boy rested between two bloodied corpses.
”You sure you can talk with that broken mouth?” he laughed unable to move, the internal bleeding intensified.
”Are you crazy?” he crawled over; ”-I didn't see what happen…”
”Have you heard of bowling?” asked he out of the blue.
”Yeah?”
”It's like that but with living humans,” the face turned pale, ”-Leonard, I'm sorry I arrived late,” the crunchy sound of shoes against the gravel path amplified.
”Leonard, are you ok?” cried Jen.
”Leonard, what happened?” said Rena tending to his wounds.
”Guys,” added Lampard, ”-that's Igna, right?”
”He saved me,” added Leonard wallowing in pain, ”-he died.”
”Fuck off,” said Lampard checking for a pulse, ”-you can't be serious…” the heat vanished, the body grew heavy and the pupils lost their vigor.
”We need to move, now,” argued Jen, ”-sorry Igna, we must run, the assassins should be after us,” her mind didn't care for him, she wanted to protect Leonard. The selfishness, the greed of humankind, no amount of kindness could overturn the latent desire to have what one wanted. Rena collected the stray weapons. Leonard was holstered on Lampard's back and ran off into the distance without care. The explosion birthed a raging inferno, the crackling of wood soon spread to the neighboring houses.
”Igna's been killed,” displayed the lenses, ”-estimated revival time: 60:00 minutes. Toggling Operation Swan.” Somewhere in Hidros, a missile silo deployed automatically. A projectile shot for the sky's giving the impression of a meteor. ”Éclair's duty is automated and separate, the task given is to ensure the safety of Phantom and the owner, Igna Haggard.” A few minutes later, a capsule landed a millimeter from the lifeless body. Articulated arms controlled by the spirit injected blood, potions, mana, as well as drop a strongbox. ”Estimated Revival Time - 02:00 minutes.”
Over yonder ran the Group, ”-I would have been the sacrifice a few minutes earlier. Why didn't we take his body, why, Lampard, WHY MAN.”
”SHUT UP LEONARD. I'm tired of having to run away while my friends die. Igna rescued you without a care for his life, I'm not going to let another sacrifice themselves anymore. It's done.”
”I understand, but why,” he turned to Jen, ”-why didn't we take him with us…”
”It's our fault he got into this mess; I don't want to think about it anymore. What is done is done, he sacrificed himself to save us, I'm grateful, tis about it.”
”How cold can you get,” wondered Rena, ”-I admit I'm not that good a person. What you did there was beyond shameful. You stole money from him and disrespected his body, how can you do that to a friend?”
”Shut up,” bloodshot eyes glared, ”-I don't want to hear about it.”
”Is this really how humane we are? cried Leonard, ”-it's the second time we treated him like shit. I can't… I'm done, I wish I had died there.”
”SHUT THE FUCK UP,” *smack,* ”-Don't be selfish,” cried Jen, ”-this is our fault. Move forward, I don't care, hate me, I'm going to save us. No way am I going to stay here and let you die for my sake, you HEAR?”
”Revival complete,” *cough,* '-my head,' the scorching heat felt pleasant. '-Where am I?' memories of the crash returned.
”Éclair, I'm alive, right?”
”Welcome back,” said he, ”-I'm ashamed to say the noble sacrifice amounted to nothing. The companions stole your money, luckily, the smart-phone is untouched. What is the plan now?” images of them scuffling across the empty roads came in waves.
”Going to help them of course. I'd have done the same, and have done so previously. I thought my regeneration took longer than an hour, it's been 10 minutes.”
”Don't worry about the details. The strongbox contains a sword and a gun. Please take them for self-defense. As for the bike, there's another on the way. I'd guess in 20 minutes or so.”
”Mother's going to be mad.”
”That she is,” affirmed Éclair, ”-the bike you broke cost around 50,000 Exa.”
”EXPENSIVE!”