by Jeremy Mac
The masked man stops short of the vehicle, his search has just ended.
The masked man tosses his rifle to the side, then reaches around his back and tosses the pistol with it. Reaching over both shoulders he unsheathes the twin short swords strapped to his back, twirling them and then crossing them.
Lathan pitches the sawed-off away, it is empty anyway, and reaches over his shoulder to unsheathe his katana.
The masked man wastes no time attacking first. He is fast with sharp, precise movements, using his whole body to make each strike strong and deadly. Lathan’s defense is strong and confident, blocking each strike, but the twin swords are an intimidating challenge.
The masked man’s attack ends as fast as it started and both now circle one another, their eyes locked onto one another, waiting for the next move. Then Lathan attacks and it doesn’t stop and after seconds that feel like long minutes the masked man is finally able to hurt his adversary; he blocks his sword in an overhead swing and locks in a hold to keep his arms held high as he brings his other twin sword around, slicing the open area of the dark swordsman’s side. The cut is deep, to the bone of his ribs. Lathan stumbles backward, clutching his arm to his side but the masked man allows him no time for recovery. Lathan gets hold of his bearings and springs back, this time swiftly slinging one of the swords from the masked man’s hand and bringing the katana across his face, not enough to kill him unfortunately but enough to hurt him and throw him momentarily off balance.
The masked man puts his fingers between the cut fabric of his mask, touching his face, and gazes at the blood that covers the tips of his fingers. A rage like no other Lathan has ever encountered explodes within the masked man’s eyes. He charges after Lathan and crosses swords with him. Both men hold each other’s gaze before pushing away and striking again.
The masked man keeps a steady attack, causing Lathan to inch backwards until he’s pushed against his vehicle. The masked man strikes down hard and pushes the edge of his sword onto that of Lathan’s, inch by inch closing down on his face. Lathan strains beneath the strength and weight of the masked man, blood from his face dripping down on him, the masked man’s mouth is partially exposed and he can smell his breath.
Lathan kicks his knee upward, stunning him. He kicks twice more before he is able to push him off. Lathan jumps forward, sword raised high, seeing in his mind’s eye the masked man’s head being split wide open.
A rocket shoots by and demolishes the exterior wall of a building close by. Chunks of debris crash to the ground, dust clouds pollute the whole area, blinding the two. Seconds stretch into eternities. Lathan waves through the dusty haze, searching. He hears the roar of an engine and turns in time to see his vehicle heading straight at him. With no time to move to either side he does the only thing he can do, he jumps high, rolling over the hood and slamming into the windshield. The masked man swerves to the side, throwing him off and he lands hard on the pavement, hitting his head and knocking him out.
73
A fumigant mixture of spent gun powder, rocket and bomb explosions and debris, and ash hovers in a stagnant smoky gray haze over The Pinnacle. Hundreds lay in massacre. The rapid popping of gunfire is reduced to a few shots every so often. War cries manifest to death cries and of loss. The Pinnacle’s armament proves stronger. The remaining Maddick’s either run and hide or surrender or keep fighting until their inevitable deaths. Those who hide are hunted down throughout the day, leaving no corner or crook and cranny overlooked or stone unturned, until the very last of them is found and executed.
There is no feeling of victory. Only the ache of loss.
74
Lathan went in and out of consciousness as he was taken to the hospital. He was then sedated, his side stitched up and was diagnosed with a mild concussion. He awakes the next day with an enormous headache but recognizes the room he’s in.
“Tell me this is still my first visit in here, and that last part had all just been a big nightmare.”
“Sorry babe, but this is visit number two,” Taya says, squeezing his hand, then leaning forward to kiss his lips.
“Everything okay?”
“We beat them, if that’s what you mean.”
“Many people hurt?”
Tears well in Taya’s eyes. “Yeah.” She wipes a finger over the tears threatening to spill. She’s cried so much already and she can’t imagine how she’s able to produce anymore tears. “The hospital is full. Lots of deaths, but there are much more who are injured.”
“James?”
“He’s fine. He’s helping with the injured. I’m supposed to send for him once you’re awake. You want me to go get him?”
“Not yet. Let me just be for a minute.”
75
“I need a car,” Lathan says to James as he maneuvers out of bed, ready to leave after hearing the news that the masked man escaped with his vehicle.
James moves in front of Lathan, holding out his hands, palms outward, to try to stay him but cautious of actually touching him, well aware that Lathan’s injuries still may not hinder him from causing harm to others.
“Lathan, you are in no condition to be leaving right now. You’ve suffered a concussion that needs to be under observation along with injuries that should be –”
“I’m not staying another day, James!” Lathan’s voice is louder and harsher than he means for it to be, causing James to recoil and a bolt of electric tension to strike throughout the room.
Once the tension settles a bit Taya catches her breath, holding a concerned gaze on Lathan. James holds his composure, neither backing away nor advancing, simply waiting for the furnace to cool.
A moment passes. Then Lathan takes in a deep breath, lets it out, and calmly says, “I have to go.”
“It’s that important? The briefcase?” James says.
“Yes.”
“Very well. You’ll get your car. And whatever else you’ll need.”
“Thank you. I won’t forget this.”
“No. We thank you.”
Before leaving Taya kisses him long and holds him tight.
“I meant what I said. That I love you.”
Lathan is at a loss of words. Although he tries to formulate a response, nothing seems to want to pass his lips.
“You don’t need to say anything right now,” Taya says. “You can wait till you come back home. Okay?”
76
Although it’s only been twenty-four hours since the news of Vincent’s and his followers deaths spread throughout Maddick, much change has already begun.
Not long after Vincent’s departure a group of men and women gathered together to prepare for a takeover. This group has been meeting in secrecy for months, planning for the opportune moment. They’re a conglomerate of people ranging from the common townsfolk to the prostitute to even a few of Vincent’s very own. All of whom have had enough.
Once Vincent was gone the takeover began. It happened quickly. Vincent made the mistake of leaving very few of his soldiers to secure order and surprisingly they gave no resistance in being subdued. In fact, most of them were relieved at what was happening and asked to join the alliance.
The group gathered at the town square, where so many daily fights took place, to announce their uprising. All those willing to join them and fight were welcome. But all those who wanted no part in it were asked to stay in their homes or leave the town entirely.
Many stepped forward, standing with them.
Many others went back to their homes.
But moments later they returned, carrying knives, axes, pipes, and other potential weaponry, ready to fight alongside them.
The first to show back up from the battle was Mongoose with Max in tow, frantically asking about Jizell. They had already taken her and Tank back to Jizell’s home where she was doctoring their cuts and bruises. The moment Jizell saw Mongoose her immediate concern went to the two huge cuts on the sides of his face but he brushed her hand away, insisting that she care for Max first.
While Jizell went to work on Max, Mongoose gave everyone the news that Vincent was dead.
A quiet disbelief bestilled the room for a moment until someone spoke up.
“How do you know?”
“Because I’m the one who killed him.”
The surviving Maddick’s who came running back to their beloved Maddick were greeted by an unwelcome force. If they made it back in they were either driven back out or killed. Many were killed.
As all of this was happening a committee was formed whose responsibility was to transform the town into a democracy. All people are liberated and subject to the new democratic law constituted and enforced by a committee of their peers under the town’s jurisdiction solely for the well-being of the people.
The town will be re-named as well.
77
Two days after Vincent and his men went to their slaughter, late in the evening, a stranger arrives in an old muscle car asking about the masked man.
Everyone insists that no type of SUV has shown back up, and even if the masked man had appeared back in town sans the mask no one would even know it was him since no one has ever seen his actual face.
The stranger describes the fresh cut on the masked man’s face but with all the men who’d showed back up with all kinds of facial wounds they couldn’t be sure.
The stranger doesn’t stay long to investigate further. The masked man isn’t stupid. He knows it is only a matter of time before the masked man discovers the briefcase and the contents inside. If he hasn’t already. And he has two day’s head start already. The Brakida Mountains are thousands of miles away, and the journey has only just begun, and it’s expected to be a hard and trying one.
And also perhaps a very lonely one.
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