CHAPTER 14 - The Criminals Hideout 3
Geoffrey felt so bad and shocked about the discovery of agent Tom's death — and he felt worse about being insensitive about it — though he was not aware.
Coming forward to meet Catherine where she was, he spoke;
"Miss Catherine — I am so sorry about agent Tom's death — I was not aware initially–"
"It's okay Geoffrey" Catherine cut him off with a hard look on her face.
"It's all in the past — all we have to do now is to make sure his death is not in vain — starting with saving those kids"
"Yes ma'am" Geoffrey nodded with a resolute expression on his face.
"So what's the plan?"
He had to make these criminal b**tards pay!
Meanwhile as Geoffrey and Catherine were busy making plans — Peter was busy browsing through the messages he earlier received from the ethereal voice.
_{Congratulations — you have eliminated five hostiles and gained five soul resent essences}_
_{Congratulations — you have saved one human and gained one soul tribute essence}_
'Huh? — what the hell are these soul resent and soul tribute essences?'
He remembered coming across such words before — but when and where?
As he was trying to recollect — another group of words appeared in his sights;
_{Warning! Tributary human (Catherine) is in danger — save this human to receive two-fold soul tribute}_
_[00:10]_
Peter stared at this message in befuddlement.
'Tributary human? — two-fold soul tribute?'
Apart from the vague and confusing words — Peter gazed at the name in bracket.
'Catherine was in danger? — but from whom?'
He also noticed the ten seconds timer below the warning message — does this mean he had to save her in ten seconds?
But apart from the three of them — there was no one else around!
Also he was yet to receive any warning of approaching enemies.
While he was still contemplating — he received an urgent reminder from the ethereal voice.
_{Warning! Tributary human (Catherine) is in danger — save this human to receive two-fold soul tribute}_
_[00:03]_
Only three seconds left — the timer began to flash with a red glow.
Meanwhile Catherine and Geoffrey were busy developing their strategy to rescue the kids — when Geoffrey suddenly asked a question;
"Um...may I ask how you were able to take out those guys earlier? — if am correct they outnumbered you fifteen to two"
On hearing this question — Catherine remembered her suspicions on the kid Peter — as she subconsciously glanced at his direction.
But then, her eyes widened in surprise as she saw Peter running towards her.
"Get down!"
Peter screamed and dived forward — while pushing Catherine to the ground.
Immediately they fell — the sound of gunshots erupted around them.
********************
At Chinatown Kentucky — top floor of the Tai Chi fist dojo....
"Mocheda that wasn't necessary"
Master Chang said with a sigh of resignation.
"Either way, I would have no choice but to give up my school"
"Master you don't have to — we will accept their challenge and fight to keep the school"
"We?" Master Chang gave Mocheda an incredulous look.
"Am sorry to disappoint you Mocheda — but my students were not trained in offensive martial arts"
"I was not talking about them" Mocheda said as she gave master Chang a strange stare.
"I was talking about me"
"You?" Master Chang became confused.
"Yes master" Mocheda nodded seriously.
"I will fight for the Tai Chi Fist dojo"
***************
~Blam!~
~Blam!~
The gunshots lasted for ten seconds before ceasing — which gave Catherine and Peter the opportunity to take cover behind a tree.
"Miss Catherine you okay?!"
Geoffrey — who had taken cover earlier — called out in anxiety.
"Yes I am!" Catherine replied as she glanced at Peter in shock.
She had to admit that this time around, he truly saved her.
But how was he able to detect the attack before it came?
And how come none of the bullets touched him or her even while they were stationary on the floor?
While she gazed at him with the mixed emotions of gratitude and confusion — Peter was once again staring at the floating words before his eyes.
_{Congratulations — you've saved tributary human (Catherine) and gained two-fold soul tribute}_
'Well that seems like a good thing'
Peter thought — as he was about to open his stats panel — when Catherine's voice interrupted him;
"Um.....th-thanks....I mean thank you for saving me"
She had a blush on her cheeks as she spoke — which brought out her pretty looks.
'Eh? — is she finally thanking me?'
Peter thought in amusement — as a smile crept up his face.
"It's okay — you'd have done the same for me"
He said — trying to sound gentlemanly.
"Y-yes" Catherine replied with unease in her voice.
Just moments ago — she was accusing him of being mysterious — and now he had saved her....probably for the second time.
At this point, she didn't know how to feel as her suspicions towards him began to die down.
Of course — this was what Peter had hoped for — he found it quite uncomfortable to be under the watchful eyes of a police detective.
--------------------------
Meanwhile.....a quarter mile away...
The man holding a sniper rifle was so shocked that his hands trembled.
His eyes just saw the unbelievable.
He had perfectly targeted the female — but when he pulled the trigger, the kid suddenly dashed forward and pushed her to the ground — which made the bullet to miss her.
But unfortunately for them — he had more bullets!
Using the fact that the kid and the woman were still within his sights on the floor — he aimed at them and began firing.
But to his shock and dismay — the kid and the woman were totally unharmed — no matter how many bullets he shot at them.
'What the f**k is this?!'
After he had emptied his bullets — the kid and woman rose up and took cover behind a tree.
'I have to report this to the squad leader!'
The man thought as he stood up from his lying position and retreated.
*******************
When master Chang heard those words from Mocheda — he chuckled and stared at her — like a father would stare at a diligent but naive child.
"I admire your courage Mocheda — but this is not an ordinary competition — it is a contest that involves the strongest martial school in the southern district — we can't afford to be careless"
"In that case master — I will make a bet with you — and if I win this bet, you must accept to let me fight"
Mocheda said with a determined look on her face.
"And what would the bet be?" Master Chang asked in amusement.
"A one on one combat" Mocheda replied simply.
At this moment, master Chang's eyebrows rose up in surprise — as he stared at Mocheda incredulously.
"You can't possibly be serious"
"I am master — except you're too afraid and cowardly to have a sparring session with your beloved student — then I'll understand"
This was the first time that Mocheda had actually challenged and ridiculed her master at the same time — which felt quite offensive and strange to master Chang — that it made him wonder what was going through the mind of his student.
"Why are you really doing this?" Master Chang asked as he gave Mocheda a searching gaze.
"Because I can't stand by and watch a friend of mine lose everything he had worked for — especially when I have benefited a lot from him"
Mocheda said with a smile — as she threw forth her question;
"So my dear old master — do you accept this humble student's challenge — or are you too chicken?"
*****************
"So what you're trying to tell me is that you shot at both of them but the bullets didn't penetrate?"
"Yes captain — but it was more like the bullets were being somehow deflected" The sniper guy said.
"Deflected how?" The captain had to ask.
"Not sure captain" the sniper guy replied after sometime.
"Oh for Pete's sake" the captain muttered in annoyance as he massaged the back of his neck.
When they were earlier told that fifteen of their guys were taken out by this woman and kid duo — it shocked them so much that they wouldn't have believed it — if it hadn't been reported by the boss's right hand man.
And because of that — an iota of fear had crept into their hearts.
"Should we report this to mega mind?" The sniper guy asked.
'Mega mind' was the name that was given to Brody's right hand man — whom was also the tech and weapons supervisor.
"And tell him what? — that we are afraid of one woman and one kid?!"
The captain felt embarrassment and anger building up within him — due to the fact that the mighty death-row gang was being invaded by a woman and teenager — and they were unable to do anything about it — except be scared and helpless.
"No we'll bring out all our artillery and pounce on them — guns blazing and missiles firing!"
"Captain....you mean we'll be unleashing all our weapons on them?"
"That's exactly what I mean" the captain said with a hardened look on his face.
"They may have been lucky with our first guys — but we will show them the despair of crossing the path of the death-row gang!"
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A/N
Okay who's eager for the next chapter?
Am not really worried over Peter's upcoming battle with the next group of the death-row gang....
What am eager to see is how Mocheda will be able to convince master Chang by beating him in their duel