12-30-2014, 06:33 PM
Jacinda was glad that Ricky didn't say anything about her use of poison on the man- or shooting his guards in the back of the head with no warning, for that matter. Good. He knew she wasn't interested in hearing his whining. He was a good kid but a little too soft. This job would shave that away quickly, or else you risked getting stabbed in the back.
'El Diablo'- so pathetic, this little weasel man- almost seemed to whine as he spoke, finally realizing that the pain he was feeling meant he was nearing death. Jacinda allowed the box to open just a bit and she relished his weakness. Not too much. Still had to keep things under wraps. But you had to enjoy what you did, after all, or else why bother?
She administered the antidote none too lightly. She had neglected to tell him that it didn't do jack-shit for the pain. But that wouldn't last too long anyway, mores the pity. If ever someone deserved to suffer it was this douchebag.
The vehicle stopped outside the caves and they exited. The full moon hung fat and low in the night sky, shining brightly and casting an eery ethereal glow to everything. There was little sound from the city due to the light breeze, but she could see the lights of the brothel and cantina in the far distance. The night was cool, though she kept her leather coat on. She'd put her gloves and body armor underneath back at Ricky's place, and it felt tight against her, as if holding her.
The anticipation continued to grow in her stomach, the familiar warmth beginning to radiate out, arms and legs, hands and feet feeling loose and limber. She pulled her gun and let Ricky order the guy around. She was content to walk in trailing their decoy. No question that he'd be the first target which would give them the opportunity to strike.
The queztals were normally around the size of a small bird or bat, though briefly, after seeing the bodies scattered, she wondered how they'd been able to drag people back here. Maybe it was a pack. They were ferocious and quick and cut deep and true, always seeming to alternate between the eyes and the hands and mouth, for some reason.
They walked into the cave with the "Devil" at the head, his whimpering weak, thankfully, due to the pain he was in. Ricky did have to shove him ahead a few times, keeping his soft red light just bright enough to illuminate without ruining their night vision. She kept her eyes alert, looking everywhere, listening. Nothing but the occasional breeze or some distant semblance of music suddenly drifting out from the city.
As they went deeper it became more silent. The all stopped at the same time when they heard the screech and Ricky's light went up....and their they hung. Four roosting quetzals. They were bigger than any Jacinda had ever seen as they dropped to their feet and spread out, fanning out their wings. The size of large eagles, wingspan 10 feet maybe, long necks ending in a head with a massive sharp curved beak and a bony crest across the top. The red of the light traced reddish lines- veins?- in the membrane of their wings as the large sharp claws at the tips twitched. Two of the creatures seemed to focus on Diablo and rooted him in his place, his whimpers trailing off.
But Jacinda could only spare a moment for that because....there was something wrong. Two of them were looking at her, staring with those black dead eyes, endless pits and she couldn't move. It was as if she could see herself reflected in them. Despite having beaks, she almost imagined a smile on one of them. For the first time in years, she felt fear lance through her, from chest to groin and her limbs felt watery and weak, like she had as a little girl so many years ago.
And at that moment, the two quetzals struck.
She could almost see them move as if in slow motion toward her, claws and screeching beaks coming for her. This was it. The terror seemed to overwhelm her, the fear of the oncoming death.
But from deep inside, something snapped. That box burst open and all her rage and anger and hatred burst out from inside her, a volcano of pure fire, filling her, suffusing her to her core, and suddenly that fear and terror she'd felt turned into a fury she'd never felt before. They judged her?!! Her? "Fuck you!!!"
she screamed and pulled up her gun and fired at the one closest to her, hitting it point blank in the head.
It still moved forward, thrashing even as it fell and knocked her to the ground. She struggled as the other rushed forward, claws raised, beak snapping, as she tried to bring up her weapon. Her hand came up just as she saw herself reflected in its eyes.
Despite the certain death approaching, she laughed, filled with glorious joy to see the fury and fight on her face. What a run. Bring it on. She spit in its eye one last time.
'El Diablo'- so pathetic, this little weasel man- almost seemed to whine as he spoke, finally realizing that the pain he was feeling meant he was nearing death. Jacinda allowed the box to open just a bit and she relished his weakness. Not too much. Still had to keep things under wraps. But you had to enjoy what you did, after all, or else why bother?
She administered the antidote none too lightly. She had neglected to tell him that it didn't do jack-shit for the pain. But that wouldn't last too long anyway, mores the pity. If ever someone deserved to suffer it was this douchebag.
The vehicle stopped outside the caves and they exited. The full moon hung fat and low in the night sky, shining brightly and casting an eery ethereal glow to everything. There was little sound from the city due to the light breeze, but she could see the lights of the brothel and cantina in the far distance. The night was cool, though she kept her leather coat on. She'd put her gloves and body armor underneath back at Ricky's place, and it felt tight against her, as if holding her.
The anticipation continued to grow in her stomach, the familiar warmth beginning to radiate out, arms and legs, hands and feet feeling loose and limber. She pulled her gun and let Ricky order the guy around. She was content to walk in trailing their decoy. No question that he'd be the first target which would give them the opportunity to strike.
The queztals were normally around the size of a small bird or bat, though briefly, after seeing the bodies scattered, she wondered how they'd been able to drag people back here. Maybe it was a pack. They were ferocious and quick and cut deep and true, always seeming to alternate between the eyes and the hands and mouth, for some reason.
They walked into the cave with the "Devil" at the head, his whimpering weak, thankfully, due to the pain he was in. Ricky did have to shove him ahead a few times, keeping his soft red light just bright enough to illuminate without ruining their night vision. She kept her eyes alert, looking everywhere, listening. Nothing but the occasional breeze or some distant semblance of music suddenly drifting out from the city.
As they went deeper it became more silent. The all stopped at the same time when they heard the screech and Ricky's light went up....and their they hung. Four roosting quetzals. They were bigger than any Jacinda had ever seen as they dropped to their feet and spread out, fanning out their wings. The size of large eagles, wingspan 10 feet maybe, long necks ending in a head with a massive sharp curved beak and a bony crest across the top. The red of the light traced reddish lines- veins?- in the membrane of their wings as the large sharp claws at the tips twitched. Two of the creatures seemed to focus on Diablo and rooted him in his place, his whimpers trailing off.
But Jacinda could only spare a moment for that because....there was something wrong. Two of them were looking at her, staring with those black dead eyes, endless pits and she couldn't move. It was as if she could see herself reflected in them. Despite having beaks, she almost imagined a smile on one of them. For the first time in years, she felt fear lance through her, from chest to groin and her limbs felt watery and weak, like she had as a little girl so many years ago.
And at that moment, the two quetzals struck.
She could almost see them move as if in slow motion toward her, claws and screeching beaks coming for her. This was it. The terror seemed to overwhelm her, the fear of the oncoming death.
But from deep inside, something snapped. That box burst open and all her rage and anger and hatred burst out from inside her, a volcano of pure fire, filling her, suffusing her to her core, and suddenly that fear and terror she'd felt turned into a fury she'd never felt before. They judged her?!! Her? "Fuck you!!!"
she screamed and pulled up her gun and fired at the one closest to her, hitting it point blank in the head.
It still moved forward, thrashing even as it fell and knocked her to the ground. She struggled as the other rushed forward, claws raised, beak snapping, as she tried to bring up her weapon. Her hand came up just as she saw herself reflected in its eyes.
Despite the certain death approaching, she laughed, filled with glorious joy to see the fury and fight on her face. What a run. Bring it on. She spit in its eye one last time.