Don't Kill Me Here
"You are a true trouble magnet!" Zed spoke as if he were stating a fact. He now understood why Felicity got along so well with Jessica. She had always loved trouble, and most likely her sensors detected Jessica's trouble magnet ability.
Jessica's face turned red. She was shocked by Zed's words given the present condition, but then she thought his words were true.
"I am sorry," Jessica apologized. From Zed's conduct so far, she knew he wouldn't leave her. He would definitely help her, but this made her feel worried.
Zed suffered internal injuries just due to summoning his fire domain, and that too without attacking someone, so what about now facing a gang of five mutants? They might not have terrifying abilities like him, but surely their battle experience would make up for shortcomings.
Most importantly, this gang was one of the strongest gangs in the city, and from what she knew, the gang leader was a fierce mutant named Irina.
"Don't take our patience for granted," the chief of the five men warned Zed. The gang had been patient so far, but this kid didn't know the meaning of getting lost.
"I should tell the same to you," Zed remained as calm as ever.
"Zima, let me deal with him," a fat man who had been silent so far stepped forward.
"Monto, don't kill him though," Zima agreed to the proposal. He was sure Monto could deal with a brat like Zed given his inborn strength.
"I will spare his life, but I won't spare his annoying face!" Monto clenched his fist and, with a speed not suiting his body, he threw a punch at Zed's face.
Monto grinned fiercely as he saw the punch landing on Zed's face, but contrary to his expectations, the punch passed through Zed! It was similar to how a stone passes through a curtain of water!
The Zed in front of him turned into water vapors and disappeared into thin air.
Illusion!?
"Watch out!" Monto heard a warning from behind, but it was too late. He found a hand, engulfed with flames, clenching his throat. The flames seethed viciously, but they didn't burn Monto, as if waiting for its master's permission.
"N-no, please!" Monto felt the scorching heat on his face. He was sure the flames could burn him in no time.
"You should never underestimate your opponent," Zed released his grip on Monto's neck.
Monto was pleasantly surprised, but then the next moment he felt a kick landing on his balls!
"Aahhhhhhh!" Monto collapsed loudly on his knees, gasping for air. His face turned pale and his eyes bloodshot.
"Oops!" Zed politely bowed towards the fallen opponent and said, "I applied extra force by mistake as I thought you are very strong!"
Son of a bitch!
What has my strength to do with a kick on balls?!
You didn't even have to use such an underhanded attack when I was already under your grip!
Monto wanted to curse loudly, but currently, he couldn't even handle the pain much less curse.
Zima's expression turned heavy. He couldn't understand how Zed dodged Monto's punch. That punch looked simple, but it was both fast and heavy.
Jessica's eyes widened with surprise. She couldn't help but marvel at Zed's mastery of fire so well that he could manipulate the opposing element of water. She was sure Zed transformed the water vapors into a doppelganger just a moment before Monto threw the punch.
Zima commanded the other three to support Monto and bring him back. Zed allowed them to do so while waiting for their next action.
Monto gulped down a mouthful of water and then looked at Zed with a vision full of hatred.
"You are going to die!" Monto said with a voice filled with fury.
"I am? Here I thought you were going to spare my life," Zed's face was full of sadness.
"You!" Monto gritted his teeth. Earlier, he had claimed he was going to spare his life, but now this bastard was intentionally poking at his sore spot.
"You won because I underestimated you!" Monto said.
"Of course!" Zed nodded in agreement, "Otherwise, how could I land a kick on you?"
"Shut up!" Monto turned towards Zima and said, "Kill him!"
Zima was hesitant. He was sure they could defeat their opponent if they attacked together, but he had a bad feeling seeing the relaxed attitude of Zed.
"I am commanding you on behalf of my sister," Monto ordered once again.
"Excuse me!" Zed waved his hand to get their attention," Please kill me somewhere else. We are in a residential area, so people might call the police if you murder me here!"
Zed then pointed at his hovercraft and said, "The hovercraft has outer cameras that record everything within its vicinity and store in cloud. If you kill me here, then the police would definitely find evidence. No matter how influential you are... you won't be able to go scot-free with all the evidence."
The group had their mouths wide open in shock.
Was he so stupid?!
No! He has to be a moron!
Otherwise, what type of person will tell others the perfect ways to kill without arousing suspicion?!
"How about killing me at your headquarters?" Zed explained further after finding no response from the group, "You won't have to worry about disposing my body there!"
Jessica was dumbstruck. She was sure Zed wasn't a fool, but then why would he insist on going to a devil's lair?!
"Jessica, we have made them wait for us so long!" Zed woke Jessica from her trance-like state. Then he once again spoke to the group, "You said you were in a hurry, so let's go. Jessica will heal your friends while you heal me!"
Jessica: "......."
"The deal can't get better than this!" Zed concluded.
"He must be brain-dead!" Monto muttered.
Zima was silent. He felt something amiss but couldn't exactly pinpoint what.
"Most of our friends, including my sister, are there! So why are you hesitating?!" Monto was incensed," Let's take that fool with us and complete his wish."
Zima reluctantly consented after making sure Zed didn't carry any traceable item.
Behind them, Claudia was monitoring the entire situation through the sensors of the hovercraft. She looked on as Zed and Jessica were 'taken away' by the gang.
[[The world lacks in many things but definitely not in idiots.]]
She activated the stealth mode of the hovercraft and followed her master.