Chapter Twenty
Hitting Bottom
Trasher's Corner
Snohomish, Seattle
July 14, 2059
10:21 pm
"Put it down, Linna!" Nightsky ordered, coming fresh from his latest horrible act.
"Frag you!"
Nightsky went for his Manhunter. He hauled the heavy automatic from its holster. The laser sight underneath the barrel lit up a ruby red dot on its target.
"That's right try to take a shot. I dare you!" Linna held a pointed bolt beneath Alona's throat. She kept Alona between her and Nightsky, exposing only the smallest part of her body as a target.
"Kill him!" Barnabas cried, leaping over Imira's prone form and rushing the shadowrunner.
The Barnabas was fast. Faster than Nightsky expected, but the mystical powers that anchored on the adept's body made him faster still. The Manhunter swung to meet the charging banshee. The barrel roared a thunderous boom sending red hot metal through flesh and bone. The bullets ripped the fine suit Barnabas wore to shreds. Empty shell casings dropped on the floor, still smoking from their discharge. Nightsky kept pulling the trigger, snapping off rounds and hoping it would be enough.
It wasn't. Barnabas barreled into him with enough force to send him crashing into the wall. Nightsky's grip on the gun tightened. He pointed it at his foe's head, moments away from turning it into a canoe, but Barnabas slapped the weapon away and struck viciously in response. The Manhunter sailed into the darkness.
The chopping sword came up. Ngihtsky roared violently as he buried the blade into the demon's shoulder. Bone cracked beneath the blade's heavy impact and stayed broken as the blade rested in the canyon of a wound.
Rage filled Barnabas as his arm hung limply at his side. He grabbed Nightsky by the throat. The banshee's mouth opened wider than humanly possible. Teeth became shape, jagged needles as a hellish scream ran from the depths of the banshee's dark soul. It is loud enough to shatter the thin membrane of the outer ear. The cold chill of the scream can be felt through the bones of the victim.
Barnabas tore the sword from the gapping wound. Blood loss from repeated wounds was weakening him even though the magic preserved his life in the face of such injuries continued to knit his broken body back together.
"Do you see now how foolish you are?" Barnabas glared as Nightsky huddled against the intense pain and fear between his ears. "We are the enxt stage of human evolution. We cannot be killed by the likes of you. No matter how much you try."
"Kill him, Master." Linna held the reloaded crossbow at Alona's throat. "Kill him!"
"No!" Alona cried. "Linna stop this!"
"Quiet! You'll be joining your mother soon enough!"
Alona's eyes fell on the prone from of her mother. Then at Nightsky who looked barely conscious. "NO!" Alona whirled around and planted a fist in Linna's face. "I won't let you!" She grabbed the crossbow and struggled with it.
"You bitch!" Linna yanked Alona's hair, dragging both of them down as they fought for control of the crossbow.
Alona kicked at Linna, trying to get control of the weapon. She had no doubt in her mind that she could kill Linna. Seeing her mouth brought down was enough to drive her over the edge. Unfortunately Linna slammed her hard and beat her head against the concrete with enough force to turn her world into a whirling wash of pain.
Barnabas lifted Nightsky off his feet. "I don't know what Darvish saw in you, but it obviously doesn't compare to me. The time has come to put an end to this dance."
Nightsky forced his eyes open. In the face of possible death a smile crossed his lips.
Barnabas looked at the out of place grin quizically. "What-?"
Nightsky popped the forearm snap blade from its housing. Shock filled his features as he twisted the blade. Nightsky pulled the sai from the seath on his thigh and jabbed it at the demon's throat.
Barnabas brought his hand up and intercepted the needle-like blade. He screamed as it penetrated his flesh and boiled his tissue. The wound from the snapblade began to heal. The wound from the
"What is this?!"
Nightsky yanked the sai from the demon's hand. The dark thing in the back of the adept's mind started to peak out. Seeing the chance for revenge at hand. Black tendrils dug into Nightsky's soul. It pushed for ecstasy of violence.
"It's called silver." Nightsky waved the silver-laced blade of the sai in front of his eyes. "I did my homework this time."
The black monster squealed in joy. The moment had arrived. Great pleasure would be taken from the joy of revenge.
The sai plunged into the banshee's chest, piercing and bubbling skin. Deep red blood flowed freely from the wound. The sai came down again, both blows aimed at piercing lungs and flooding them with the vital fluid of life. The moment the lungs were pierced the pressure difference inside and outside the body cavity caused them to collapse. Breathing for Barnabas became a labored endeavor. The banshee wail was almost impossible to achieve.
The blackness bathed in the rage. Pure joy of hate and violence filled it's dark being and pushed for more. String it out, make it last. Milk every sickening moment for another chance to experience rush again.
Barnabas fell to the ground. Blood from his wounds coated his expensive suit. Wounds that did not heal.
"Stop it!" Linna commanded, now holding the crossbow on Alona who was obviously in a lot of pain. "Don't try anything again or-"
Linna never got to finish. The black beast in Nightsky's soul saw another chance to experience the joy again. Without a second thought Nightsky hurls the sai. It buried itself in Linna's bust, puncturing her aorta. The force of the blow made her fall. She hit the ground. Her eyes blinking at the ceiling in shock of what happened.
Nightsky found himself taking pleasure in her death. Linna now lay motionless. Barnabas was a bloody mess at his feet.
"Funny, isn't it." Nightsky picked up the sword, purposely dragging the blade across the floor in front of Barnabas. "You spent all this time doing what your keepers told you. If you had done something for yourself you wouldn't be about to see the great beyond." Nightsky lifted the blade over his head. "I hope when you get to hell some friends of mine continue the punishment I started here."
"You miss one thing....." Barnabas struggled for a breath.
"I don't think so."
Barnabas coughed up a mouthful of blood. "Sand......."
"Sand?" Nightsky tilted his head, then realized. Sand!
A muffled burst came from somewhere in the chamber's dark recesses. Razored flechettes tore through Nightsky's long coat. Sharp steel bit at his skin. Nightsky dropped. The sword clattered on the floor. Through the burning sensation from his side Nightsky managed to glance over his shoulder. His eyes brought shapes out of the darkness.
"Sand?" He breathed.
She was there holding the Viper that had been dropped earlier. "Hi, Nightsky."
Nightsky struggled to his knees. The reality of his own wound sapped his strength even as Barnabas lay nearby silently laughing to himself.
"Hurts doesn't it?" Sand mocked, walking towards him. "I am ashamed to say that I am happy that my Master failed, but now I get to finish the job he started."
"Sand? Why? You don't have to listen to him."
Sand giggled. "Yes I do. You're not the best anymore. You're not that high and mighty figure that wonders around the Blackhearts like a fallen angel. I've got that honor now. The gang will speak of me for years to come. Now that's funny. You came all this way," She motioned at the dead forms of the gutterpunks. "Went through all these chummers, only to be stopped by one of your own."
Nightsky got to his knees. He came face to face with the Viper. He held his forearm straight, covering his wound. "What are you waiting for then? Pull the trigger. See if the respect is worth it. I didn't think it was."
She grinned. A shallow, evil grin. "Goodbye, Nightsky."
The trigger pulled.
A crossbow bolt buried itself in Sand's arm. Alona stood over Linna's body with the crossbow in hand.
"YAAHH!" A burst from the Viper chewed up the floor as Sand tried to yank the offending spike from her flesh.
Nightsky moved quicker than Sand had time to comprehend. There was no hesitation. He grabbed the hand with the gun and swung it aside, keeping the deadly barely away from him. The snapblade popped out of its housing. It thrust into Sand's chest in one crisp, fluid jab.
"Nightsk-" The color drained from her face.
"Shhhh." Nightsky held her close as the blade pressed into her body. He leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sand."
"It....." She started to shake. ".....hurts."
Nightsky closed his eyes, feeling the blackness inside him recede. "Not for much longer."
Sand's body went limp. Her breath escaped for the last time. Nightsky twisted the blade, then retracted it from her cooling body. Her face looks peaceful for the first time in months. The horrors of life were gone. Now only the great beyond remained for her. Nightsky watched her for another moment, briefly remembering the little girl that use to follow Jackal around. The girl who always giggled and smiled despite the hard hand life had dealt her. He watched as she slept the long sleep. For a moment he wondered what dreams she would have in this sleep.
Then he collapsed.
Alona gasped. "Get up! Get up!" She rushed to him, neatly side stepping Barnabas who was crawling away. "Come on. Don't you die too."
Nightsky opened his eyes, shocked to see cool grass fields and warm sun beating on his face. Moist dirt rested under his fingers. The air was fresh, clean and unpolluted by the grim of the sprawl. For a moment he felt peace.
He shut his eyes.
No.
"Get up!" Alona pulled him. "Barnabas is getting away."
Nightsky blinked, focusing on Alona's concerned face as she fearfully glanced towards Barnabas. Then the pain came. A fire from his side that burnt a cinder from his mind. It been a long time since he felt it this bad. How he wished Shard were here.
"Can you hear me?" Alona gently shook him.
Nightsky pushed himself up. He took a deep breath, keeping one arm protectively over his wound. He spotted his sword nearby. A hand immediately reached out and snatched it. An attempt to stand brought a tearing feeling through his body.
Nightsky grimaced, turning to Alona. "Help me up." He whispered.
Alona blinked. "What?"
"Help me up." He said more forcefully.
Using the tip of the sword and Alona's support Nightsky got to his feet.
"Where you going, Barnabas?" Nightsky leered, half dragging that menacing sword behind him.
Barnabas left a trail of blood behind him. The wound inflicted from the sai were not healing. Nightsky shrugged off Alona's support. On his own he walked in front of the crippled man's path. The sword held strongly in his hand. Barnabas stopped crawling. His empty eyes met Nightsky's as he lifted the blade.
"Say hello to your afterlife."
The sword came crunching down. Barnabas stopped moving. The sword came down again and again. Blood splattered and bones crunched. A few moments later no one could tell that the pulverized mess had once been human.
"You killed him?" Alona breathed.
Nightsky discarded the sword. "I certainly hope so."
"Are you okay?"
Nightsky glanced at his side and grimaced. "I'll be fine."
Imira moaned.
"Mom?" Alona rushed to her. Nightsky followed shortly, after kicking the disfigured remains of Barnabas.
Imira lay paralyzed. Thick blood pooled beneath her body. The crossbow bolt was deeply buried in her flesh. Doubtlessly it had struck the spinal cord, probably punctured something else beneath it too. The wound wasn't as serious as her body's reaction to the wood in the bolt. The Human-MetaHuman-Vampiric Virus that had mutated her body into this twisted form of life also made her sensitive to the wood fibers. Nightsky rolled her over as gently as possible, careful of the bolt. He was unsure if he should pull it out given it's position.
"Mom!?" Tears were welling up behind Alona's eyes. "You're going to be okay. We'll get you to a hospital."
Despite the obvious pain she was in Imira forced a smile. "I do not think that will be much help, my child. I'm dying."
"No!" Alona cried out. "I don't care what you've done. What you are doesn't bother me. You're still my mother."
Imira gave a contented sigh. "I am sorry, nevertheless. I see now that I shouldn't have come after you in Tir Tairngire. Or you, Michael, here in Seattle. I should have let it all slip away." She struggled against the pain that slowly tearing her mind apart. "Both of you would have been better off if I had stayed gone to you. I ruin."
Nightsky was speechless. There were no words that would express his feelings. There was nothing that he could do to change the inevitable. Alona was on the verge of tears.
"I ruined both of your lives." She continued, looking at Alona. "I ruined yours by not staying." She looked at Michael. "And your's for not going. I'm sorry."
"Don't." Nightsky suddenly spoke. "It's just fate. That's the way life is for us."
Imira took a slow breath. "I'm sorry that I couldn't change that fate for both of you." A tear came to her eye. It mixed slightly with the blood from her nose. "I thought I was doing the right thing. I was putting a family back together instead of tearing one apart." She took a deep, struggled breath. She stared hopefully at the their faces for a moment. Quietly, a small flower of hope blossomed in her heart. "I just wish I had the time to finish the job."
The room suddenly became very cold. The muscles in her arms stiffened as her lungs released their last breath of air. Imira's eye's lost that luster for life, growing dull and void of hope and love. They were their to see the beginning. Now they watched it slip away.
Imira died.
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