October 30th
It couldn’t have worked out any better than planned. In fact it seemed like the forces were on their side. Nothing went wrong and everything was better than they could have expected. The storm was getting fierce but it didn’t keep the local partiers away nor did it keep the tourists away. It was less than usual but still plenty. Scarlet was bait and Viktor was the captor. Any overly drunk, unsuspecting scumbag that bit the bait was reeled in. They followed Flow’s rules for victims even though Viktor was still somewhat unwilling. Scarlett’s idea had been to say the least, ideal. Once all the kinks were worked out, Scarlett and Viktor were and unstoppable team. It was nearing four in the morning when they decided to call it quits after one more. They were smoking on the street surveying victims when someone volunteered. They were hanging out at Lafiett’s having a weak drink when it happened. They were seated at a small table right by the street when they first heard the voice.
“Get off me you drunk! Just because I look like a bum doesn’t mean I am!” It sounded like Cal. Viktor and Scarlett both spun their heads to the sidewalk across the street. There was a group of twenty something year old, heavily built, college students pushing around an older, tattered and dirty man. Viktor recognized Cal faster than Scarlett did. They left their drinks and ran outside but kept out of the confrontation. People were starting to crowd around the group, yet no one seemed intent on helping Cal. Scarlett and Viktor made their way around the group a little way down a nearby alley. The ruckus could easily be heard around the corner. Luckily Scarlett was a master of the streets and alleyways so they devised a plan to save Cal. Viktor was to get the mob to chase him down the streets until they reached what seemed like a dead end but was in reality a trap. Scarlett had made it her first month in New Orleans. It was a few blocks away from the funeral home, her old home. Viktor kissed Scarlett on the head and turned to go. He didn’t like that Scarlett would be in the trap with however many followed that far, but she was more than prepared for at least ten more victims and she was good enough to make it happen. Besides, men never suspected a sexy red head to be willing to kill them without reason. Scarlett waited until he was around the corner back on Bourbon before she began her way along a different route to the trap. She had a couple of tricks up her sleeve that she wanted to show Viktor.
He ran up to the crowd to see one of the biggest guys hit Cal in the face and drop him to the ground. Before they could converge on him, Viktor picked up a disposed bottle and threw it at what seemed to be the ringleader. It shattered on his thick skull and they all stopped and turned on Viktor. “Want a real fight boys?” The group laughed and Viktor picked up another bottle and threw it at the biggest man again. Same effect, only this time on his face instead of the back of his head like before. They stopped laughing and started chasing. Viktor took off at a jog to keep them close and began to speed up, then slow again to make them angry. Whenever they were close enough to actually catch him, he hopped, skipped, jumped, and sprinted just out of reach and then took off to get yards away. Dashing and dancing through alleyways Viktor was continuously followed by his attempted captors. He was making the final turn when he tripped over a stray dog running in the opposite direction, no doubt scared in that direction by Scarlett out of the trap. She refused to ever kill animals or even harm them in life or death situations. She had one soft spot and it was for everything nonhuman. He quickly rolled on to his back just in time to see one of the men jumping on top of him. He flipped the man over him in a smooth motion, jumped to his feet and continued running just out of reach. After another fifty yards he reached the “dead end” and waited for the rest to catch up. He pretended to be struggling up the fence when they arrived. There seemed to be no other exit since the brick walls were easily three stories on each side.
“Looks like we have the runt cornered boys.” The biggest said pushing through the rest. He was the last to arrive, out of no surprise. “I’m going to make you wish you had minded your own business boy. And for every block you made us run, I’m going to break a toe or finger.” He was cracking his knuckles as he moved forward. There were only yards between them now. The rest of the group was laughing and moving in for the kill when Scarlett walked in.
“Well hello boys.” She said in her sing song kind of way that made men melt. They all froze and turned to her direction leaving their backs to Viktor. They took a few steps away from him and he slipped through a trap door hidden under trash cans that Scarlett had found. She thought it must have once been part of the Underground Railroad but never checked up on the theory. It led to the sewer and had an exit hatch half a mile down the road. He locked the door from the inside like Scarlett had devised and ran to the exit. He couldn’t bear not knowing what was happening to his beloved.
Back in the alley way all attention was on Scarlett. “This is no place for a beauty like you” The biggest said moving back through the crowd to Scarlett. She threw her head back and giggled a sly and evil giggle that made them all stop and retreat a step. “It is you,” she began lowering her head, “who is in no place to be.” She stepped forward removing her gloves as they all backed away against their wills. They outnumbered her five to one yet they cowered upon her advance. The lone streetlight in the alley made her hands look even more grotesque than usual and the men were appalled. “You see gentleman, that man back there was my friend.” She giggled again, “actually, they both are my friends and you tried to harm them.” She stopped moving forward and they stopped retreating against the gate. Behind Scarlett a chain mail security fence fell and locked into place locking her in with the men. The biggest laughed, “What will you do now my dear, that you’re locked in with so many of us who can so easily over power you?” They all laughed in response like they were trained and Scarlet smiled the most evil smile she had ever smiled, for this kill would be pure and valid. Attacking an innocent was number one rule for becoming a victim and Scarlett was dying to kill, only if it was five. There had been more but this was all that come the distance. The smiles melted off their faces with the appearance of her own. She moved her hair away from her eye revealing her still healing scar and the men all gasped. “I got these from the last men who tried to resist.” She said holding up her hands by her face, “It will not happen again.” With that she lunged forward letting the red take over. She felt hands all over her for only seconds. The flashes of light ceased and sounds slowly returned to her as her red faded to black and then back to reality. She heard two sets of feet running toward her and hands shaking and pulling on the chain link fence at the other end of the alley. She felt dizzy and a bit sore. They must have gotten in more hits than she had anticipated but she was faster and spryer than all of them combined. As the scene focused she got glimpses of the past battle. Five men, all twice her size, lay motionless, eyes wide open, and dead around her. Blood was dripping down her face and covered her hands. She had never shed blood before and although she thought it would have been despicable to do so, she enjoyed it. The sounds of the fence rising and feet running at her brought her back to reality. She fully opened her eyes and saw Viktor and Cal come into focus. She smiled and laughed, “I got them all Vik. I got them all.” She fell forward into his arms and he cradled her to the ground. He had been around her enough to know that her endorphins were still running rampant through her body and she had yet to come to full consciousness. She was laughing wildly for only a moment before she came to and saw two brick walls leading up to the star filled sky. She sat up and leaned against Viktor’s leg. Viktor was smiling wildly and Cal looked confused. “What’s wrong Cal?” She asked. He simply shook his head and knelt down to hug her. He wiped the blood from her face with his hand and kissed her forehead.
“You are one stupid girl you know that?” He laughed. Scarlett smiled and replied, “Once a friend always a friend.” It was then that she did something she had never done before, blackout.
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