The shipyard was empty, just like they predicted it would be. Coming out of the car, the three of them were only a hundred meters from the boat. Oliver and Ivan began to make their way towards it, but Katrina stopped moving right when she shut the passenger door.
“What’s going on, Ivan?”
“Let’s get on the boat, Katrina.”
“No. I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on. Why isn’t Ethan here?”
There was no reply.
“Why is everybody so panicked in the streets? Why is their smoke coming from the middle of Zimba? And why are you and Oliver acting so strange? I know Ethan doesn’t have to meet with somebody about funds. He would have told me himself and he wouldn’t be doing it at the last minute.”
Ivan and Oliver exchanged glances.
Her voice suddenly spiked. “Why won’t you tell me!?”
Ivan still would not answer. And neither would his counterpart.
“I am his wife. I have a right to know. And you—you have no right to keep this from me. If something is happening to Ethan, then I deserve to know. I need to know.” A tear began to roll down her cheek. “Please...tell me…”
Oliver could take this no longer. “He’s gone, Ms. Katrina. He’s gone to fight.”
“Fight? With who?”
“People have come to the city. They’re destroying everything and everyone that gets in their way. Nobody knows what they want and they’re not going to stop. Ethan has gone to stop them.”
Katrina tried to register everything that she was hearing. Shaking her head, she looked back in the direction of the fire and smoke before looking back at the two men. “Why can’t the police stop them?”
“Because only Ethan has even a chance against them. Everybody who’s tried to stop them has fallen.”
As Oliver spoke, Katrina’s a heavy weight suddenly dropped on Katrina’s heart. She knew the answer to her next question, but she had to ask it. “Who are these people, Oliver?”
Oliver took a deep breath. “People like Ethan. Only stronger.”
“H—how many?”
“Six.”
“Six? Six of Daken’s soldiers?”
Oliver nodded.
Katrina almost could not even ask the next question. “Was she there? Vixen?”
Again, Oliver simply nodded.
Katrina began to tremble uncontrollably. Her eyes suddenly burst with tears—tears of fear, sorrow, and anger. Without thinking, she suddenly came forward and grabbed Oliver by his shoulders and violently shook him. “How could you not tell me!? How could the both of you keep this from me! How dare you!”
“Ms. Katrina, you need to calm down.”
She let go of him and took a step back. Her eyes went from Oliver to Ivan. “You let him go! You both let him go without stopping him!”
“He had to go. He knows it…and so did we.”
“Why didn’t you tell me!?”
“He didn’t want us to.”
Still trembling, Katrina’s gaze fell to the ground, feeling like she would collapse at any moment. “I—I could have talked to him. I could—could have stopped him.” She looked back up at the two men. Her eyes momentarily flashed with rage as did her voice. “He’s going to die because of you two! You might have well just killed him with your bare hands!”
Ivan came to her and put his powerful hand on her shoulder, making her look his way. “Your husband is the bravest man I know, Katrina. He asked me to do this one last service for him. He asked me to make sure you got out of the city. And he asked me to keep it from you and so I did. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Right now…I just want to protect the thing that means the most to him in this world: you.”
Looking away, Katrina took a deep breath. Then another. Her trembling slowly stopped and her voice came back under her control. And when she spoke, she spoke with a steadiness that was not natural. “We’re not leaving, Ivan.”
“What?”
“We’re not leaving without him.”
“We have to. It’s what he ordered.”
“And this is what I’m ordering. We’re staying here, and we’re going to wait for him.” Her eyes came back onto Ivan. “He’s going to come back.”
“Katrina—”
“I’m staying here, Ivan. I’m waiting for Ethan. And if you both want to protect me, then I’d advise that you both do the same.”
“…fine.” Ivan let go of her shoulder and turned to Oliver. “Keep a lookout for any intruders.”
“I’m on it.”
As Ivan turned and left her, Katrina looked back at the distant fire. It seemed to be growing with every second. And knowing that her husband was heading towards it brought an insurmountable fear into her heart. As she stared at the destruction, a simple sentence escaped her lips. “Come back to me, Ethan.”
Chapter 28
Flames of War
The six darkly-clad figures continued to march down the destroyed street. People fled in terror. Some ran away as fast as they could in the opposite direction of the murderers, running over one another as they did. Others tried to seek refuge indoors, hoping that the killers would move on.
Many shop windows were blown out. Most of the streetlamps were now flickering or destroyed. Numerous cars were flipped over and ablaze. A few of the burning ones had been lifted up by Vixen and thrown into buildings, causing several buildings to catch fire as well.
In the distance, sirens were heard as every officer in the city came rushing towards the scene. But in their hearts, the coming rescuers knew this could very well be their end. After seeing what these people were capable of, after seeing how easily they had dealt with every cop that was brave enough to make a stand, they knew there was no chance of survival.
Nothing could stop these monsters. The entire city was at their mercy.
Vixen’s eyes came upon a child who was on the concrete ground ten yards away from them. She hugged her teddy bear close to her chest. With her sprained ankle, there was nowhere she could go. A few feet away, her unconscious mother lay on the ground.
Vixen’s cruel smile grew as she looked at the helpless child. “Don’t be afraid. Death is only the beginning…for some people.”
She raised her hand to end the child’s life. But it did not happen.
“Vixen!”
Hearing the roar, the red-headed woman and her comrades turned around. Ethan stood fifteen yards away, crouched down on the roof of an abandoned car. Wearing the same clothes he wore while watching the destruction, his face was uncovered.
Slowly, Vixen lowered her hand. “You finally made it, darling.”
Ethan reached under his hoodie. He looked over his foes. A woman with long blond hair and a Hispanic man were armed with a pair of sheathed katanas strapped to their backs. A dark-skinned man and a white man each wore two holstered pistols and daggers hanging from their belts. And the last soldier, an Asian man, held a steel staff in his hands.
“You were wise not to wear a mask. I would have just ripped it off anyways.” Vixen looked towards the faces that were hiding indoors behind windows. “It’s time for everyone to find out just what you really are, Ethan Daniels.”
A news helicopter hovered above them all. Its spotlight focused on the new arrival as the cameraman tried to get a good look at his face. But Ethan ignored the camera and the onlookers. He knew that none of that mattered anymore. What mattered was stopping these killers.
“You should know that this is all useless, Ethan. Just like you failed to save your father and William, you will fail tonight. Daken will just continue to bring me back to life again and again. It doesn’t matter how many times you kill me. You can’t save Katrina.”
“Then I’ll find him and kill him after I’m done with you.”
“You couldn’t even handle Danior without help. How do you plan to fight all six of us?”
Ethan didn’t answer as his fingers touched his concealed belt.
“And as for finding Daken,
he’ll save you the trouble, darling.” Vixen’s eyes went onto the blonde next to her and Ethan’s gaze followed. “With the help of Alice.”
In the next instant, Alice’s eyes changed. They turned red. The same red that Ethan saw in his nightmares. The edges of the woman’s lips curved into a sinister smile. And when she spoke, it was the cruel voice of Daken. “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it, Ethan?”
Ethan’s eyes widened with fear. In an instant, he could see nothing but those horrible red eyes. And he could hear nothing but that wretched, merciless voice ringing in his head. “…you.”
“Yes, Ethan…me.”
“Are you here?”
“I’ve merely possessed the soul of my slave. I can possess many people. I can control countless souls, except for yours.”
Ethan did not reply.
“Did you think I was just some monster, Ethan? Did you think that I was nothing more than a scary face, even after everything you’ve seen me do? It’s time that you broadened your thinking. I’ve told you before—I am not from this world. I came down from the stars to carry out my mission.” Daken glanced Vixen’s way. “I’ve created soldiers that are nearly invincible. I’ve taken control of so much of this world. But still, you are my greatest accomplishment.”
“Why?”
“Because none of my creations could have done what you did, Ethan. You’ve surpassed any expectation I ever had for you. You’ve killed monsters who should have crushed you with their bare hands. By all means, you should not have even ever gotten past Anthony Griffin. You have inspired a world. You have fought day in and day out for years and come out victorious. You, Ethan, you are my greatest creation. It is this that makes me unable to possess you. It is this that made Vixen unable to kill you the way she killed William. It is your heart that sets you above the rest.”
Ethan and the monster’s eyes were locked. “So why are you here? To put an end to me?”
The possessed woman laughed, a cackle that could put fear into even the worst demons and ghosts. “What would give you that idea? Your endless nightmares?”
Ethan was silent.
“Yes, those were me. I can’t possess your conscious soul, but I can haunt your dreams. Yours…and your wife’s. I never really let you leave, Ethan. I’ve always kept my eye on you. During your hunt for Anthony Griffin, Jaing watched your every move.”
As Daken mentioned Jaing, Ethan remembered the brown-haired assassin. He was there when Anthony killed Ethan’s father. But right when the fight had begun, Jaing had vanished.
“I have eyes everywhere. They’ve been watching your every move for years and yet you never even saw them.” The monster paused for a moment and his cruel smile grew. “And today, I'm here to continue my test. To continue to see just how much you love her.”
Ethan’s heart suddenly felt a cold grip of fear.
“They’re here to kill Katrina. My soldiers took your father, then your friend. We will see if you are worthy. Today, we will see if you love her enough to die for her.”
Ethan unsheathed a throwing knife.
In the next instant, the voice of the monster suddenly spiked. Every ounce of it was filled with cruelty and wickedness. “We will see if your nightmare will come true! We will see if you will fail her! We will see if you are worthy of being at my side!”
“Shut the hell up!” Ethan launched the first knife. It cut through the air for several feet before Vixen froze it midflight.
But it did not stay there long. In the next instant, it ruptured into a ball of fire between Ethan and his foes. The thunderous roar of the explosion was heard above everything else and its flames lit up the night sky for an instant.
When the explosion ended, Ethan was nowhere to be seen.
The news helicopter’s camera and spotlight stayed focused on the now empty space where Ethan had been moments before. But within seconds of him disappearing, the spotlight went onto Vixen and her soldiers.
Vixen’s eyes stayed on the space. She then looked at where the little girl had been lying helplessly on the ground. She was long gone too. She turned to her comrades. “Find him and kill him.”
Before Vixen’s words were digested by the group, a roar came from behind them. “Not if I kill you first!”
As he said his last word, Ethan was upon his foes. With lightning speed, Ethan knocked down his first opponent before he had a chance to react. The Hispanic soldier came at Ethan with a razor-sharp katana in each hand. Ethan swiftly blocked them with his daggers before kicking him away. A third soldier came from behind Ethan. Ethan sidestepped the metal staff and turned around just in time to block a second strike before smashing his elbow across the Asian man’s face and knocking him away.
Another soldier carried a handgun in each hand. He fired at nearly point-blank range, but Ethan sidestepped the merciless rounds with unearthly agility before leaping into the air and powerfully kicking the shooter right in the chest with both feet. The man went soaring through the air for several yards as Ethan landed perfectly on his feet. Ethan turned around and blocked Alice’s first katana. As he did, she plunged her knee into his stomach. Without wasting any time, she dropped down and slammed her foot into Ethan’s chest, sending him off his feet.
Before crashing onto his back, Ethan caught himself and did a backwards flip. He gracefully landed on his feet and looked back up at his attacker. Alice charged at him, katana in each hand. Ethan launched two knives in quick succession, but she swatted them away just before she came upon him.
With a fury, she attacked with her deadly weapons. Ethan dodged and weaved most blows while blocking several strikes with his long daggers. The sound of the fast-moving blades clanging and smashing against one another filled the street and the spectators watched on, barely being able to keep up with how fast the fighters were moving. As he blocked either katana with his daggers, Ethan stepped up and head-butted Alice with a quick move. He followed through by twisting around and elbowing her in the stomach before hitting her across the face with his forearm.
But he suddenly froze.
Vixen’s hand was up and held Ethan in place from nearly twenty yards out. A slight smirk was on her face as the rest of her comrades regained themselves. “Do you really think you stand a chance?”
With a flick of her wrist, Ethan went soaring through the air. He slammed hard into a parked vehicle, denting the passenger door. As the sound of the powerful collision echoed through the street, Ethan collapsed onto the ground. He rose back to his feet, not showing any of the pain he felt, just his anger.
“Just like in your nightmares, you have already failed her. I can’t rip out your intestines like I did to your friend…but I can pummel you to death just the same.”
“Don’t you people ever shut up!?” Ethan reached under his hoodie. He pulled out a small metallic ball and threw it at his feet. In the next instant, smoke filled where he was standing.
Vixen raised her hand to freeze Ethan before he escaped. But by the time she did, she could feel that he was no longer there. Her smirk barely diminished.
“There he is!” Alice exclaimed.
Seeing where her comrade was pointing to, Vixen whipped her head and saw Ethan running off far away from where he had been standing—too far for Vixen to be able to control him. She looked back at her soldiers. “Hunt him down. Don’t let him reach the boat.”
Alice nodded. “You’ll kill the girl?”
Vixen maliciously smiled. She looked up at the news helicopter. “No. I’ll butcher her.”
***
From above him, the dark-skinned soldier armed with a long dagger came at Ethan. Ethan sidestepped the surprise attack and his foe landed on the deserted sidewalk a few feet from him. Without wasting any time, he came at Ethan. Ethan sidestepped the first few strikes before ducking to dodge a third swipe. Ethan came up and attacked with his own daggers. His foe dodged the first several blows before blocking Ethan’s daggers with his. With ferocious speed and aggression, the two battled i
t out under the looming shadow of a four-story shop.
But the fight did not last long. With a quick move, Ethan kicked his foe in the ribs before slicing his dagger across his foe’s arm. Ethan kicked him right in the stomach, causing him to stagger backwards. Ethan took a step forward with every intention to finish off this foe, but he never had the chance.
Sensing a deadly fury coming his way, Ethan instinctively leapt backwards just in time to dodge a fury of bullets. They whizzed right by him and buried themselves in a mailbox with a loud thud. Whipping his head around, Ethan saw another soldier charging at him, guns in hand.
Without wasting a moment, Ethan turned around and began to run in the opposite direction. He could hear the roar of the pistols. Ethan sprinted down the sidewalk at an inhuman rate, but his foe kept up stride for stride.
Sensing the bullets right as they were released from the gun, Ethan moved side to side to avoid him. Numerous rounds flew right past him, but none touched him.
Up ahead on the walkway, Ethan saw two more soldiers seemingly appear out of nowhere and he realized that he had fallen into a trap. Alice and the soldier with a staff were the second hand of the pincer and were coming right at him. Within moments, they would be upon him.
Thinking fast, Ethan made the next turn that he could and ran into a darkened alley. He could hear the footsteps coming after him as his attackers pursued him. They were only seconds behind him.
Leaping up, Ethan grabbed hold of a fire escape’s railings. He expertly scaled it. Flawlessly, he travelled up towards the rooftop and was at the top within moments.
Coming over the rooftop’s tall ledge, Ethan did a frontal roll before rising to his feet. And right as he did, he came face-to-face with one of his pursuers.
“Surprise.”
Alice was standing only a few feet away with a katana in each hand. Wearing her smirk, she watched as Ethan instinctively unsheathed his daggers and focused his eyes on her. The Asian man leapt over the ledge and landed a few feet to Ethan’s left in the next instant. His staff was strapped to his back, but he quickly armed himself with it.