FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The Mercenary is the first arc of The Underground series

Chapter 20 of 32

A Long Detour

A cloud of dust plumed around Jenna as she hit the floor. She slowly picked herself up, cursing Alias. Did he really have to shove her down that hole? Getting her senses back, Jenna surveyed her surroundings. There wasn't much in this place; a few shelves, some ancient laundry machines, and some cardboard boxes. She could feel the fear spread throughout her body as she moved in the darkness. It was different when Alias was with her. At least with him, she didn't feel completely helpless. However, down in this abysmal place, she felt totally alone.

Walking over to the door, Jenna turned the knob and peeked outside the laundry room. She couldn't see anyone, or anything, but that didn't mean that there wasn't someone out there waiting for her. The vixen moved silently down the dark hallway, being wary of her lack of sight.

Her heart stopped as she heard a door slam. Which way had it come from? Alone in the dark, her senses were all askew. It could have come from in front of her, but it sounded more like behind her. It could be Alias, but it didn't seem like it had been long enough for him to make it to the basement level. Her heart started beating faster and faster as panic spread throughout her. She should hide, but if I was Alias and he didn't find her because she was hidden, he could miss her and move on.

Her mind split a thousand directions. She didn't know which way to move and even though she wanted to, her feet wouldn't let her. Trembling and not know what to do she stepped back into the cover of the darkness.

A paw clasped around her mouth.

Terror, like a harsh wind, enveloped her. A scream attempted to escape Jenna's lips but was caught by her assailant. Instantly, her paws went to whosever arm was around her neck. She struggled and pulled to no avail, as she was pulled further back.

"Hey! Hey!" A familiar voice whispered in her ear. "Relax!" Alias commanded.

A sense of relief washed over Jenna as she stopped fighting her ally. Her heart still a mess, she let herself fall backward into Alias. She was for sure that that had been it. Jenna thought that it was over, and she had been caught. As she leaned against Alias, she could feel his heart beat through her back. He seemed relatively calm, but this was probably just an ordinary night for him.

"Christ, Alias." Jenna whispered, exasperated. "Next time just shoot your guns to let me know where you are! That's worked in the past!"

Alias's paw went to Jenna's shoulder. "You know me, I'm one to shake things up a bit." Pulling her to the ground they hid behind a few stacked boxes.

"I've noticed. Your super must love you." Jenna replied.

Alias snorted. "Ugh, I've spent a fortune in floorboards lately. Glad the tenant below me works nights."

Jenna scowled and turned to face Alias. "How did you get down here so fast?"

"Very carefully." Alias replied his keen eyes scanning the darkness. "I took care of two, but I doubt that's all of them."

Like a lighthouse for a sailor, the other side of the room illuminated with beams of light. Alias concentrated his vision to that area. She couldn't tell how many there were, but it was enough. Alias seemed perplexed. His grip on both pistols told her this, as he bit his lip pensively. The problem was, the darkened figures had just entered the door which served as Alias's exit.

"Stay here, keep down, and don't make a sound." Alias whispered in her ear.

Like a ghost Alias moved. Going under the cover of darkness, the black fox made his way through the dismal basement. Jenna couldn't hardly keep track of where Alias was due to his swift moves and dark completion. Then the living apparition that was Alias jumped up from his hiding place and launched an attack on the two assailants at the other end of the room.

Alias's foot landed square in the middle of what Jenna suspected was a horse, knocking him to the ground. The other one, which light from the flashlights had revealed to be a rat, immediately pointed his pistol at Alias, however Alias was too quick for the rat. Jenna jumped as several shots rang out and echoed off the concrete of the basement. Alias gripped the rat's forearm and held his paw at a safe angle, then spun around behind the rat still clutching his arm and used his other arm to wrap around the rat's neck. With one quick fluid motion, Alias flipped the rat over his shoulder; throwing him against the wall. The rodent slammed against the hard surface with a crunch.

The horse, who had been easily disposed of, was now getting his senses back and climbing back to his feet. Grabbing his gun, he rose to his feet. Jenna clasped both paws over her mouth as she saw what was about to happen. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion; she could not look away. The horse took aim at Alias's back, but at the very last second, Alias moved and the bullet that exploded from the barrel of the pistol buried itself in the adjacent wall.

Alias, using both his paws, grabbed the horses wrist, and again spun around him. This time, he took the horse's arm with him. Alias's free paw attached to the horse's forehead, forcing his back to arch outward. Manipulating the horse's own arm, Alias forced the clutched pistol to the horse's back. Jenna watched as Alias pushed down on the horse's trigger finger, with the gun buried into his back. There was a muffled explosion and the sounds of a water balloon bursting and spraying its contents everywhere. The bullet exploded from the horse's chest, spray-painting the far wall. The rat was on his feet as Alias let the horse fall to the ground in a bloody mess, when he took hold of the horse's gun and pointed it at the rat. One final explosion was heard, sending a slug through the skull of the rat, and dropping him to the floor in a pool of his own blood.

All this happened in less than eight seconds.

Alias looked back to the blue vixen who was struck with his ability. His sheer destructive nature had allowed him to dispose of two enemies in less than the time it takes to brush your teeth. Jenna all at once saw the killer reemerge within Alias. She could see why all who knew him feared him. Jenna finally understood why he was the way he was. This was who Alias was, regardless of who he had been before, he had been hardened to the point where Jenna didn't even know if there was any emotion left within Alias besides hatred.

"I said are you alright?" Alias's voice broke through her concentration.

Jenna had been aware that he had been speaking to her, but being lost in thought she hadn't responded.

"Uh, yeah, fine." Jenna stammered.

Alias scowled. "You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm good." She replied simplistically.

Alias nodded. "Let's get the Hell out of here then."

Grabbing her paw, Alias pulled Jenna along behind him. They ran through the darkness to an iron door, which she assumed was the exit. Gun drawn and ready, Alias slowly opened the door, sending the barrel out first. Jenna's heart was racing with anxiety. Fear ate away at her so badly, she could feel her leg shaking.

"Clear." Alias whispered to her and again pulled her along.

The exit was to the back alley. There was an orange glow around them producing light. Jenna looked up to see it was the light produced from Alias's building; turned into an inferno. They continued to run down the alley away from the street.

"There!" Alias called to her. His paw pointed to a silver SUV. Alias ran to the driver's side and opened the door. Jenna followed, and hopped in the passenger's side.

Gripping the pistol by the barrel, Alias slammed the handle down on the ignition.

"Damn, they're making these things harder to hotwire!"

As Alias continued to struggle, Jenna waited. The locking mechanism wasn't moving and time was ticking. Going out on a limb, Jenna reached to the sun visor above Alias and pulled it down.

A set of car keys fell right in Alias's lap. The fox stopped and looked over to her.

"And where did a CEO's daughter learn that trick?" He asked.

The vixen shrugged. "I saw it in a movie once."

Alias smile picking up the-

Glass shattered, as a loud gunshot rang out. Jenna gasped as she sunk in her seat, clutching the laptop to her in fear. Alias quickly started the SUV and pushed the accelerator down. Hollow metallic pings echoed throughout the car as they sped away into the night. Jenna didn't get back up until they had cleared the alley.

Then all was quite. The only sound that came was from the car engine as they glided down the dark streets. Jenna tuned around and looked out the back. Or at least where the back should have been. The lift gate glass had been shattered, which explained the breaking of glass sound they heard before they pulled away. Sirens wailed in the distance as sparks from the growing fire in the apartment complex grew, giving an eerie iridescent glow to the night.

"Bet you never had a wild night like this." Alias murmured.

Jenna just glared at him.