The Game We Play (3)

The air between Lucas and Vos was tense, almost suffocating. Vos's golden eyes bore into him, her plasma dagger pulsing faintly in her grip. Lucas, hands in his pockets, leaned casually against a crate, a cocky smirk plastered on his face.

"Quite the situation, huh?" Lucas began, breaking the silence. "You've got a bounty. I've got a bounty. It's like we're in the same club or something."

Vos narrowed her eyes. "Is there a point to your babbling, human?"

"Absolutely!" Lucas grinned, gesturing lazily. "I mean, think about it. A bounty is like free advertising. It says you're dangerous, skilled, and, let's face it, worth a lot of money. Kind of flattering when you think about it."

Vos's grip on her dagger tightened. "Flattering? You sound like an idiot."

"Hey now," Lucas mockingly held up a finger, "I prefer creative thinker. I mean, look at your bounty versus mine." He pulled up a holographic display from his wrist console, showing their respective wanted posters side by side.

Vos's poster detailed a long list of crimes: smuggling, espionage, and several counts of high-profile theft. Lucas's, however, was comically vague, simply listing him as "a high-priority target of unknown origin."

"You've got style," Lucas said, nodding at her poster. "Meanwhile, mine is all mystery. No crimes, no background, just a 'high-priority target.' Kinda makes me feel special, you know?"

Vos scoffed, but her eyes lingered on the display longer than she intended. "You're insufferable."

"Probably," Lucas shrugged. "But hey, at least I'm honest. Speaking of which—" he tilted his head, his silver eyes gleaming, "—who'd you piss off to get a bounty that high? Must've been one hell of a party."

Vos's lips curled into a snarl. "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Absolutely," Lucas said without hesitation.

Vos took a slow step forward, her movements graceful yet predatory. "Who are you, really? No bounty hunter or mercenary I've ever heard of has your skills. And trust me, I've heard of them all."

Lucas scratched the back of his head, feigning thought. "Well, if you must know, I'm just your average bounty hunter-slash-mercenary. A freelancer, if you will."

"Liar," Vos snapped, her tone venomous.

Lucas chuckled, shrugging again. "Okay, fair. But I could say the same about you. Didn't even know you existed until now. Kind of hurts, honestly."

That was the last straw. With a burst of supernatural speed, Vos lunged at Lucas, her plasma dagger slicing through the air.

....

The blade missed by a mere inch as Lucas casually leaned back, raising his chin. He retaliated in the same motion, his knee snapping upward and colliding with Vos's stomach. The force sent her flying into a stack of crates, which shattered on impact.

Lucas blinked, momentarily stunned by his own strength. "Huh. Guess those stat points weren't just for show."

Vos groaned, pushing herself up from the wreckage, her golden eyes blazing with fury. "You're going to regret that."

"I already do," Lucas quipped, cracking his neck. "You ruined my favorite crates."

Vos shot forward again, faster this time, her dagger aiming for his side. Lucas twisted, narrowly avoiding the blade, and countered with a swift jab to her ribs. She winced but didn't falter, spinning to deliver a roundhouse kick that Lucas barely blocked.

The fight escalated into a whirlwind of hand-to-hand combat. Vos's supernatural agility and strength clashed against Lucas's calculated movements and surprising physicality. Her plasma dagger hissed and sparked against his pistol, the two weapons locked in a deadly dance.

At one point, Vos managed to sweep Lucas's legs out from under him. He hit the ground hard, but instead of staying down, he rolled backward and fired a shot at her mid-leap. Vos twisted in midair, the plasma bolt grazing her shoulder but not stopping her momentum.

She landed behind him, her dagger slashing upward. Lucas ducked, spinning on his heel to deliver a kick that sent her staggering back again.

"Not bad," Lucas said, brushing off his coat. "You're keeping me on my toes."

"Shut up!" Vos hissed, lunging once more.

Lucas finally found his opening. As Vos lunged again, he sidestepped, raising his pistol and firing a precise shot. The plasma bolt struck her knee, sending her collapsing to the ground with a cry of pain.

"Easy there," Lucas said, his tone almost mocking. "Wouldn't want you hurting yourself more."

Vos glared up at him, her golden eyes filled with disdain. "You… freak. What are you?"

Lucas holstered his pistol, his smirk unwavering. "Human. Promise."

"Liar," Vos spat. "No human is this strong or fast. You're augmented, aren't you?"

Lucas shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Maybe it's the suit. High-tech and all that."

Vos's eyes narrowed, scanning him for any signs of augmentation. There were none, but she didn't know what to believe anymore.

…

"You've won," Vos muttered, her voice laced with bitterness. "So kill me and be done with it. I won't give you the satisfaction of begging."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Wow. Depressing much?"

She glared at him, confused by his lack of urgency. "What are you waiting for?"

Lucas tilted his head, his smirk returning. "Killing you? Where's the fun in that? Besides, you're kinda cute."

Vos blinked, her cheeks flushing faintly. "What?! Do you… want my body or something?"

Lucas laughed. "What? No! Geez, get your mind out of the gutter."

Her confusion deepened, but before she could press him further, Lucas raised his pistol and fired at her chest.

Vos flinched, bracing for the impact… but nothing happened.

She glanced down. No wound. No blood. No pain.

"What…" she stammered, looking up at Lucas, who was typing on a holographic screen.

He turned the display toward her, showing a recording of their fight. In the footage, the final shot showed Vos slumping lifelessly to the ground.

Her eyes widened. "You're faking my death?"

"Bingo," Lucas said, giving her a mock salute. "All I want is your bounty, not your life. Congrats, you're officially 'dead.'"

Vos's anger flared. "Don't underestimate me, human!"

Lucas crouched down, lifting her chin with a finger. His silver eyes met her golden ones, a smug grin on his lips.

"Underestimate you? Never. You're too interesting for that," he said. "But let's be real—your species prides itself on diplomacy, right? This whole thing has to sting a little."

Vos felt a rush of heat to her cheeks, equal parts rage and embarrassment.

Before she could respond, she felt something brush against her hand. She glanced down to see a medical kit resting there.

Lucas stood, giving her a two-fingered salute. "Thanks for the fun, Vos. And for the bounty. Try not to miss me too much."

He turned and walked away, his carefree whistle fading into the bustling crowd.

Vos let out an exasperated sigh, clutching the medical kit tightly. She hated the fact that she owed him, but more than that, she hated how easily he'd played her.

…..

Blending into the crowd, Lucas checked the hefty sum of credits now in his account.

"That should last me a while," he muttered, already planning his next move.

His thoughts drifted briefly back to Vos. Despite her anger and their fight, he couldn't help but admit she was stunning—especially when she was flustered.

He smirked. "If she comes after me, at least it'll be entertaining."