Bandit's Revenge

by Max Jager

  "So how about we go to my place," suggested Cole as he put his hand on Mary's shoulder.

  Mary grunted as she pushed the man's hand off her.

  "Hands off, buddy!" she asserted.

  The barista gasped as she looked at Mary like was she crazy.

  What is she doing? she thought in shock, You can't turn him down! He'll kill you! Hell, he might even do something worse than that!

  Cole and Drake laughed as she whispered to Mary so they would not hear what she had to say.

  "Hey!" she began, "Don't you know who these people are? They're the Landians who took over the Ice Lands! If you don't comply, who knows what they'll do to you!"

  "Whoa!" exclaimed Cole, amused, "You're a feisty one, aren't you? Lucky for you, I like them feisty."

  "Same here," said Drake as he looked at Rachel, "The feistier the better!"

  "Interesting," said Rachel, still confused as to what was going on.

  Looks like Rachel hasn't changed much, thought Mary as she nervously looked at her friend, She still doesn't know what it looks like when a guy's hitting on her. Ah, well… Looks like I'll have to take the lead from here.

  "Listen, boys," she said as she stood up and seductively put her arms around Cole's neck, "As much as we'd like to get with you…we have other things we need to do first."

  Cole and Drake looked at her in surprise as they responded.

  "I don't think you understand how this works," said Cole, baffled that any woman would turn him down knowing what he would do if they did not comply with his demands.

  He would have gotten a bit more upset, but Mary took her finger and ran it down his chest and stomach, distracting him.

  "It's not that we don't want you," she lied as she looked into the man's eyes, "We're just…a little busy today, that's all… I'll tell you what: I'll give both of you a kiss on the neck, and then I'll tell you where you can find me tonight. My friend is feeling a little under the weather right now, but I'll be more than happy to take both of you on at the same time."

  The men gasped, surprised by the girl's offer, and after exchanging a look with each other, they nodded their heads in agreement.

  "Sounds good to us!" exclaimed Cole with a wide smile.

  "Great," said Mary with a devilish grin as she flipped her hair, "Now…who's ready for a kiss?"

  This isn't like Mary, thought Rachel as she sipped her iced tea and watched Mary sensually kiss Cole's neck, Why is she acting so weird…? She must be planning something…but what…?

  Cole grunted a bit as Mary kissed his neck, and Mary ran her finger down his chest and stomach as she apologized.

  "Sorry," she said, "I like to leave a mark on my men with a small bite. I hope you understand… I only bite the guys I really like…like you two, you know?"

  Cole and Drake speechlessly nodded their heads, and as she proceeded to kiss Drake's neck, Rachel continued to think of what she could be planning.

  Wait a minute… A kiss…on the neck…

  Her eyes widened in surprise when she finally realized what Mary was trying to do.

  Wow…she thought as she smiled a bit, I never would have thought of using my looks to do such a thing… I have to give her credit. I don't think I've ever seen her do something so…cunning…

  Drake grunted when Mary bit him, but she made him feel better by placing her hand on his chest and looking into his eyes.

  "You okay, babe?" she asked.

  Still speechless, Drake nodded his head, and Mary smiled as she placed her other hand on Cole's chest.

  "I'm glad…" she lied, "Well, boys…it was nice to meet you. I can't wait to hook up with you two tonight. My friend and I have to leave, but before we go…let me tell you a secret."

  Cole and Drake looked at Mary like she was the most amazing woman in the world as she spoke.

  "There's one particularly kinky thing I enjoy doing…more than anything else in the world."

  Whoa…thought Drake as he practically drooled at the thought of what Mary could be referring to.

  "Well…" stammered Cole, who was becoming increasingly unable to deal with the amount of sexual arousal he felt, "…what is it? We'll do it, whatever it is. We promise!"

  "Good," said Mary ever so seductively, "Anyway…that particularly kinky thing I really enjoy doing…"

  Cole and Drake's eyes were practically popping out of their heads in anticipation of Mary's next words.

  "…is poisoning my men with my love."

  Cole and Drake did not quite understand what she meant by that, but they started to understand a bit when they felt their necks become numb.

  "Wha…?" grimaced Cole, "What do you…?"

  "You…" grimaced Drake as he winced, "Yo… posen…es…"

  Drake's eyes widened in shock when he realized that he was losing his ability to speak coherently.

  My voice, he thought nervously as sweat dripped down his fact, I can't…use my words…!

  What did she…do…? thought Cole as he and Drake fell to their knees, and…how did she do it?

  The other customers in the shop gasped as they watched the unexpected turn of events.

  Whoa! thought one man, What did she do?

  She poisoned them, thought a woman, but…when? How?

  All the while, Rachel was as calm as could be.

  "Wow," she said with a smile, "I must say, I certainly didn't expect you to do that."

  "It was the only thing I could think of," said Mary with a giggle, "What can I say? I'm not as weak minded as I used to be. Besides, they were coming onto us, and since they probably wouldn't have taken "no" for an answer…this was the only…logical solution."

  What the…? thought the barista as she looked at Mary in shock, Did she really poison them? But how…?

  "Well, I think it's about time we headed out," said Rachel as she stood up from her seat, "Shall we?"

  "We shall," responded Mary with a smile as she and Rachel walked towards the door, "See ya, boys! I'll see you tonight, okay?"

  Rachel shook her head and chuckled as she opened the door to leave the café.

  "Yeah," she said, "If they're still alive…"

  Damn it! thought Drake as he looked over at Cole, who had fallen into unconsciousness, They're getting away! Uh, she must have poisoned us when she bit us! Damn it! Just when I thought I had hit the jackpot…!

  Meanwhile, in the Ice Lands' capital city of Lax, Victor Prey, the supreme leader of the Landian invaders, spoke to one of his men over a communications radio.

  "That is everything I have to report, sir!" exclaimed the man frantically.

  Victor gritted his teeth irritably before he spoke.

  "You've got to be kidding me," he said, disconcerted, "A man in a duckbill cap did that?"

  "Yes, sir! It must be War, and if he's back, then that means Bandit Lane and the others have come back as well!"

  That must mean that man who electrocuted Arrok and the others a few weeks ago was Mercury! he thought as his right eye began to twitch.

  Victor grunted as he gritted his teeth in frustration, for he had heard all about how formidable Bandit and his allies were when they had visited the Land of Power during their three year adventure.

  "They're probably trying to maintain a low profile," he began, "We need to lure them out of hiding. Contact all of the Landian units immediately, and tell all of them to come to Lax! Make sure you also tell them to be on the lookout for the man in the duckbill cap, and a man with inconceivably dark red hair! No one has red hair as dark as Bandit Lane!"

  "Yes, sir!"

  As it so happened, in the city of Reppo, the red-haired man Victor Prey referred to walked through the streets whilst he smoked a cigar. He gritted his teeth as his stomach grumbled.

  Man, he thought as he looked around for a source of food, I should've eaten before getting off the ship. I thought I could make it until I actually managed to get back home, but…I really need something to eat, and fast...

  I wonder how the othe
rs are doing… It has been too long, indeed. I certainly hope Brayne and Abe don't do anything outrageous…

  He chuckled as he finished his thought.

  ...without me…!

  Public Enemy

  Bandit smiled as he exhaled a puff of smoke from his mouth, and his smile grew even wider when he noticed a food stand positioned about twenty yards away. In front of the stand stood a number of individuals waiting to order whatever Icelandic dish they desired.

  "I'll have an order of fried snowy owl wings, please," requested one patron.

  Bandit's mouth watered as he watched the owner of the food stand prepare the man's order, and hand it to him within the next twenty seconds.

  Fried…snowy…owl…wings… he thought as he watched the patron walk away while eating the crispy delight, Fresh off the fryer…

  "Can I have an order of brown rice and wolverine meat, along with a bottle of Ice ale, please?"

  Bandit's mouth watered even more as he watched the owner prepare the patron's order, and hand it to him within the next forty seconds.

  Wolverine meat…he thought as he practically stared at the patron's food as he walked away, How I've missed you…

  Bandit closed his eyes as his heart rate increased, and gritted his teeth as he remembered all of the Icelandic delicacies he had eaten as a child.

  It's… It's too good to be true… he thought as his eyes watered with tears of joy, But it is true… I'm…back…which means I get to eat all the Icelandic food I've missed out on for the past three fucking years!

  Bandit practically ran to the food stand, and as he waited in line, he smiled as he looked at the menu.

  Oh man, he thought excitedly, What should I order? Shrimp scampi? Lobster bisque? Seafood pasta? Smoked seal? An orca sandwich? Penguin dumplings? Oh man, I can't make up my mind!

  "Next in line," called the owner of the food stand to the next customer.

  He watched as Bandit happily walked up to the counter.

  "You look mighty hungry," he said with a smile, "What would you like to eat today?"

  Bandit closed his eyes as he thought.

  So the time has finally come… This wasn't an easy decision to make… Nope, not at all… But…I have no choice… There isn't a better option than this… I'm going to order…

  Bandit gave the food stand owner a wide smile as he pumped both of his fists into the air.

  "I'll take one of everything!"

  In the city of Ekusa, adjacent to the capital city of Lax, a tall, muscular man casually walked through the city.

  He was about to turn a corner, when he saw a man with a duckbill cap covering his eyes walk past him. Surprised, he stopped walking, and his eyes widened as he thought about who he just saw.

  Wait a minute…he thought as he walked away, Could it be…?

  War…?

  Meanwhile, chaos ensued in a section of Reppo.

  An Icelander, Alfred, was engaged in a fight with a Landian because he had finally been pushed to his limit when the Landian tried to force his wife to go home with him.

  Unfortunately, Alfred was fighting a losing battle.

  "Stop it!" yelled a woman as she ran away from the area of the disturbance.

  "You're gonna get yourself killed!" yelled a man in fear.

  A crowd of people gathered around the two, and nervously watched as their Icelandic brother got beaten down.

  "You have to settle down!" they cried.

  "You don't stand a chance!"

  "Stop, damn it!"

  "You're making a mistake!"

  "Just stop!"

  "I know it's hard," said Anne, Alfred's wife, as she looked at her husband in fear,"but…there's nothing we can do…so let them do as they please! At least…"

  She gritted her teeth as her eyes filled with tears.

  "At least I'll still be alive!"

  I hate this! thought Alfred angrily, The Ice Lands used to be a peaceful place, and now what? It has become a place for these stupid ass Landians to whore around, and with other people's wives!

  Alfred tried to punch the Landian in the face, but the Landian, Ezekiel, ducked to evade the blow. Alfred yelled in pain when Ezekiel proceeded to punch him hard in the stomach, and the civilians witnessing the fight balled up their fists in anger when they saw Ezekiel fall to his knees and throw up blood.

  Damn it! he thought as he groaned in pain.

  He had been defeated, but despite his inability to continue fighting, Ezekiel hit him once more, knocking him onto his back.

  "No!" screamed Anne in horror.

  She tried to run over to her husband, but her Icelandic brethren held her back.

  "Get off me!" she cried, "I have to help him! He… He needs me! Please, let me go! Please!"

  Unfortunately, no matter how much she wailed, they did not let her go.

  One of the men holding her back closed his eyes as he spoke.

  "I'm…" he stammered regretfully, "I'm…sorry…but we all know…that there's nothing you can do…"

  "So what?" she cried out, "He's my husband! I have to… I have to be there with him! I… I…"

  Unable to deal with her emotions any longer, Anne stopped trying to free herself from her bondage, and cried as she watched Ezekiel lift his foot and stomp on her husband's chest.

  No…

  "You should have known better," said Ezekiel with a smirk, "The Landians here can do whatever they want and take whatever they want, and there's nothing you weaklings can do about it! Now prepare yourself…"

  Alfred grunted as he helplessly watched Ezekiel lift his foot off his chest, and position it over his head.

  No…thought Anne as her eyes widened in fear.

  "…for the most brutal death I have ever given anyone ever!"

  "No!" screamed Anne as loud as she could.

  Sadly, Anne's heartbreaking scream could not save her man, so she had no choice but to helplessly watch as he met his demise before her very eyes.

  Ezekiel slammed his foot down hard on Alfred's head, and everyone watched in horror as his skull was crushed beneath Ezekiel's feet.

  Her mind shattered, Anne fell to her knees in sorrow as she remembered the day of her wedding.

  No…

  Tears streamed down her face as she looked up at her man's murderer, who laughed maniacally as he walked away.

  "Woman!" he called out to her, "I'll give you the rest of the day to grieve, but tonight…I expect you to meet me in this very area…or I will kill everyone in sight until you show yourself."

  The Icelanders gasped as he continued.

  "I want what I want, and nothing is going stop me from having it."

  Anne looked at Ezekiel with eyes filled with hatred, but despite that, she could not bring herself to get up.

  Alfred…

  Broken, the woman did not have the will to live any longer, so she allowed her body to fall to the ground, and wept.

  …Will we…ever…be free of these people's tyranny…?

  In the Landian headquarters in the city of Lax, hundreds of Landians ran around the base in armor and weaponry as their leader spoke to them over the intercom.

  "All of you are to assemble at the plaza in front of the headquarters immediately!" he commanded, "Once everyone has been assembled, we will proceed to wreak havoc on the city in order to force Bandit and his allies to show themselves. Word about this plan should have already spread by now, but nevertheless, make sure all of your associates are at the plaza! Bandit Lane, Brayne Mercury, and the others could turn out to be the most dangerous threats we have ever faced, so we will need all the manpower we can get!"

  "To the plaza!" yelled the men as they ran through the halls of the headquarters.

  "We'll make sure they don't get in our way!"

  "Put on any and all armor you can get your hands on!"

  "Radio anyone you don't see at the plaza to make sure they're on their way!"

  "Do not underestimate these people!" continued Victor over the interc
om, making some of the Landians running around the headquarters gasp in surprise, "These are the Icelanders who helped fight against Zor and his forces. How big a part they played in the defeat of Zor is unknown to me, but since they're here, they obviously were powerful enough to endure three years of difficulty! There is absolutely no way they're weak!"