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Chapter -11- Hard Lessons Learned

Forty-five minutes later, Addis Ababa, Capital of Ethiopia ...

"Am I going to need a Tetanus shot?" Rachel asked in a sour tone.

Karla shrugged. "Vaccines, tch."

"It might be a good idea," James murmured. "I want her to be safe."

Rachel appeared uncomfortable. "My parents didn't believe in vaccines either. We had a cousin on my mother's side that had serious problems from a flu vaccine."

Karla shrugged. "I got vaccinated for TB a hundred years ago. I had no autism until I visited '4Chan.' Nevermind, don't ask. First rule of 4Chan, don't talk about 4Chan."

Rachel stared at Karla for a moment. "You do realize I'm a computer geek right? How do you even know what 4Chan is?"

"Never been there," James replied.

Rachel made a sour face. "It's the only thing darker than the dark net."

"Oh I know what it is, I just don't go there," James said.

"Good," Karla replied. She picked up the bloody knife and looked it over. "Because the Random Board has been melting brains since 2003. I don't see it changing any time soon. I think 'Slash B Slash' stands for 'beware.'" Karla paused and looked down at the open gash. "That's really going to slow you down."

"Yeah, I know it." Rachel sighed softly.

Karla tilted her head. "Is it too soon to make a joke about..."

Rachel held her hands up. "In-before the succubus makes a 'creeping Moses' joke."

Karla froze, mouth open, in mid-sentence. She frowned somewhat. "Am I really that predictable? I mean, we barely know each other."

"I know you through Tamamo. I know you've adopted the humor of Peri Lynn Darken, because you were devastated by her death, and when your memory of her was repressed, a part of her personality manifested in how you act."

The succubus stared at her for a moment, unable to think of anything clever to say. "Well, there's ... that." Karla cleared her throat into her hand. "So, we need an Ethiopian doctor with a steady hand to sew up your leg, or you need Wound Seal."

James looked from Karla to Rachel and back to Karla. "What's that?"

"It's a powder. I don't know what's in it. It's a clotting agent. It coagulates the blood on the spot. Look, there are paramedics out there who live on a shoestring budget and they can stitch you up as well as any doctor. You guys want me to walk out of this tent and find someone? I will. But I don't speak whatever languages people use in this country."

"Let's head to the hospital," James said. "I'm making the call, here. They'll clean the wound, too. We can't just assume that knife was dipped in rubbing alcohol before he stabbed her with it."

"Okay, kids. C'mon. Let's get to a hospital." Karla cleared her throat. "Just so you guys know, Dr. Falcon has people in this country looking for us. They took a few pot-shots at us after your nephew got his hands on that staff. I tried to teleport it here with me, but I can't phase it. So ... let's get you guys cleaned up and rested, and we'll head back to Axum together, tomorrow."

Rachel reached for Karla's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Thank you for helping me. I really appreciate you coming all this way and taking this thing out, personally. I really means a lot."

Karla looked at James then back at Rachel, not used to the attention. She squeezed Rachel's hand in reply. "You're a part of the team, hon. We're all besties, here. I just ... I came to help friends."

"That's really sweet of you." Rachel leaned back on the folding table. "Okay, I guess grab one of those ambulances out there by the plane. Anyone you want. Are there still news cameras out there?"

James peeked outside of the tent. "Yeah. A lot of them. A lot of cops, too. A lot of everybody. It's like the whole damn country is here. Freaking Al Jazera is here. Good lord." He turned back to the two girls and said, "Just wave and nod. We didn't get arrested for killing that guy, so..."

Karla's eyes lit up. "You killed a terrorist?"

"I guess so, yeah," Rachel murmured. "I'm not proud of it, Karla."

Karla reached for Rachel's right hand, which levitated up. Karla high-fived her. "That's what I'm talking about, girl! I am _so_proud of you!"

"I didn't mean to break his neck, Karla," said Rachel. She licked her lips apprehensively.

"Was he going to kill you and everyone else onboard?"

"Yeah," James cut in.

"Then yes, I'm proud of you! Fuck him and the camel he rode in on!"

James grimaced. "He wasn't Middle Eastern. He was American. And he mentioned being hired by Dr. Falcon."

Karla smirked. Her expression faded to one that was a bit more somber. "That bastard is sending people to take down planes now? This isn't the first time, you guys. They once had someone whose ability was supernatural suggestion. They _forced me_to use my telekinesis and crash a plane, killing everyone on board. I had to watch them die, then teleport out with the killer. I was so messed up in the head, I couldn't even fly without losing my shit. I was powerless to stop the attack, and I couldn't save anyone. You guys did it, and Rachel, you did it without powers."

Rachel blinked, speechless at first. After a moment to compose herself, she asked, "Why did they want you crash the plane?"

"Because it was an Esoteric Council assassination. They wanted to kill someone onboard with supernatural importance. You two did what I could not do, back in 1997. You saved everyone. You killed the bad guy. So, chin up girl - I'm proud of you. You did a great job."

Rachel licked the inside of her teeth and nodded quietly. "Just ... let's get this leg sewn up and get some rest. Is that staff really ... is it real?"

"We sure think it is. Conner wasn't a believer until after he touched it and met angels in heaven. Yeah, no, I'm not kidding. Now he's completely freaked out. So, I think it's legitimate. C'mon, let's take the express route to the hospital." Karla reached her hands to Rachel and James' hands. She interlaced her fingers with each of their hands and the three of them disappeared.

X

X

Twelve hours later, Addis Cardiac Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ...

James frowned, watching through the doorway. His eyes remained steady, zeroed in on the operating table. Karla had removed Rachel's knife shortly after leaving the airport but that was hours ago and Parker wanted the best for his fiancée.

Here they sat at the hospital. James received attention for his bruises and minor cuts. Rachel, however, needed almost fifteen stitches in her leg.

He rubbed the side of his head with a frown, watching her wince from time to time as the doctor continued to run the needle through her flesh, sewing the wound shut. Never having seen the knife, the doctor glanced up at her and asked, "How did you say this happened again?"

Rachel cleared her throat. "You saw the news, right? Hijacked plane?"

"That was ... at least ten hours ago," he said, surprised.

James frowned. "Twelve, actually ... but who is counting, right? Sorry, I'm just concerned for her. We're in way over our heads, here, and I don't think right when I'm tired and worried."

"I'm very, ah, quite sorry," said the Ethiopian doctor. He continued his work, saying, "The hospital was, ah, inundated with gunshot victims about the time the hijacked plane touched down. I do apologize that you had to be waiting so long but most of the patients were critical - gunshot wounds and such. You've really waited twelve hours to be receiving of the stitches?"

Rachel nodded slowly. "I had it wrapped tight with my belt. One of the doctors approved me for painkillers - that was about seven or eight hours ago. So, how long do I have to have these?"

"These absorbable sutures will break down and disappear after a few short weeks. Typically with a wound being of, ah, like this I would use non-absorbable sutures but these new sutures are very good and affordable. Besides, you won't need to return to have them removed. Very unfortunate, you'll always have this scar but you should be walking without a, um, the limping in no time. You are very well and fortunate the way this wound looks."

James cut his gaze to Rachel. "Karla said the blade broke. When she ... removed it, there were two pieces. She said the blade snapped and pushed up parallel to the rest of the knife, so that it wasn't so deep."

Rachel offered a semi-drunken nod, still a little weary from her last injection of painkillers. "It wasn't metal, after all."

"How long was the blade originally?" asked the doctor.

"I guess ... about ten inches." James paused and said, "I'm sorry ... I forgot; I'm American. It was, uhm..."

Rachel cut in, "It was about twenty-five centimeters long or so."

"This wound is not nearly being so deep - it didn't touch the bone."

Rachel lowered her gaze, again watching closely as the doctor stitched her wound. "Yeah, that makes sense ... the blade broke and was pushed back alongside the remainder of the knife's handle - it wasn't professionally made or whatever." She smiled inwardly and shrugged weakly then said, "Yeah, I guess I did get lucky." She turned to her betrothed, adding, "That white stuff, there, is the layer of fat beneath the dermis."

"Rachel..." James grimaced.

"Sorry, right."

The doctor pulled the thin black line through her flesh, completing the final pass. He cut the end of the line. Finally, the doctor walked the scissors, needle and excess line over to a sink on the far end of the room. He began to wash his hands just as the power went out.

The emergency lights, posted over most of the doors, came to life. They basked everything in a vibrant white lighting. The doctor rinsed his hands off in the sink then reached for a phone on the wall. He tapped the receiver twice then hung it up on the cradle. "Hmm, that's odd ... no dial tone."

"It could be tied in to the power directly," she mused. "Don't hospitals typically have a backup generator?"

"Yes," said the doctor in his thick Ethiopian accent. "However, it usually is the kicking right back to on ... this is taking longer than expected."

"Heads up." The voice belonged to Karla who stepped in through the doorway, hands on either side of the doorframe. "We've got company. The security guards are struggling to hold their own, even with the help of two Americans - I think they're sailors. They're gonna' need our help."

The doctor turned around from the counter. "If these attackers are pinning down the security team and two military-trained people, what help can any of you be the providing? You may have been lucky on the airplane but this is different. One of you will be walking with a limp for a month, one of you is now being the black and the blue ... and..." He shook his head then turned to Karla. "Miss, you are a pretty face but that alone will not make a difference. And please try not to be taking this the wrong way but ... you're a woman. There are a group of males on that security team and if they cannot handle it, neither can you."

The succubus smirked, feeling challenged by his words. She turned back to James. Preening and with a flourish gesture, Karla reached down the front of her shirt and withdrew a piece of paper. "Their orders are to terminate the couple who was on the news this afternoon. It says here that the team consists of two Americans. I'd say that's close enough to assume they mean us."

James tilted his head. "The order must have come from either Falcon or one of his ranking goons. How did you get their official orders page?"

Karla shrugged. "You know I have my ways. You're not the only one here with 'Parker Skills' so to speak." She glanced at the doctor then back to James. "It's like ... I don't know ... I just snap my fingers and the next thing you know, I have what I need and no one sees me." She offered him a knowing smile.

Rachel groaned, still woozy from the side effects of the drugs. She touched her fingernail against the scar and visibly flinched, obviously still hurting now that the painkillers were wearing off. "They've come to kill us for screwing up whatever plans they'd made. Guess we've been noticed now." Rachel offered a weak smile.

"Guess so," Karla agreed.

Rachel stretched a bit, wincing again. "Leg hurts. So much for needing to find an artifact to gain Falcon's attention..." She turned to the doctor and said, "We'll be leaving, now. If they find us here with you ... well, it's obvious that you would be shot or something. Thank you for your help."

"Do not stress your stitches," he told her in a firm voice. "Running will break them, so do NOT run!"

"Don't worry," interrupted Karla with a smirk. "I'll make sure she hops from one location to another in a matter of speaking." She approached Rachel on the left and James came to his fiancée's right side.

They lifted the girl's arms up over each of their shoulders then hoisted her from the table together. Once outside of the room, Karla cleared her throat and, in a soft voice, said, "I know we chose this hospital because it's close to the airport, but maybe we should have gone somewhere less obvious."

"When it rains it pours," murmured Rachel.

"Where is Conner and his crew?" asked James as he helped to move Rachel down the hall.

Karla glanced back to make sure the hallway was empty. "They're in Axum, working, unlike us. They're setting up logistics, renting a car and everything else we'll need. No worries, they won't be in danger from those slobs downstairs. James, I'll get us outside then you can take Rachel out back and wait. I'll take care of these morons."

"Why?" asked Rachel. "We can _all _just slip out the back and go."

Karla and Rachel both turned their heads to look over at James.

Karla cleared her throat purposely and said, "And here I thought I was the one who used to have issues with a lack of humanity. Those guys will kill anyone and everyone until they've ensured that no one has escaped the hospital. It's a death squad, you goobers. They kill people - that's what 'death squads' do. I'll dispatch them and you two make a break for it. Else hundreds will likely die. I'll meet up with you shortly."

James gritted his teeth. "If you take a bullet, Karla..."

"What, you care about me, now? Huh? Is that it? Maybe you can tell Conner it's time he feels that way about me, too, hmm?" She grinned.

James sighed as the trio continued down the hallway together. "The fate of the world is supposed to rest with whoever stops Falcon. That's us."

Rachel added, "If we get killed before we can do something to stop him, more than 'hundreds of' people are likely to die, Karla. Believe me, I want to fight every bad guy out there and help every innocent out there and do everything I can ... but we're not super heroes, Karla. We're ... us."

The succubus flinched and, before the blink of an eye, everyone was standing outside in the alley. She eased Rachel down against the brick wall and turned to James. "You know, Conner told me the same thing before I left to help you. He said not to get into any fights. You Parker boys are both real sons of a bitches, y'know that? With great ability comes great responsibility."

"That's a spin on Voltaire," Rachel said."

"Yeah?" Karla smirked. "We're responsible for all these mundane idiots because they have no idea how to help us, let alone that we need help. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't help them."

Rachel frowned. "You've been hanging out with Reno and Evan too long."

Karla crossed her arms. "Your excuse is bullshit. I have great power, so obviously I have great responsibility. Go lick your wounds," Karla's eyes slid to James, adding, "and make sure that Rachel gets out of here safely. I told you before and will tell you again: I'll meet up with you shortly."

James frowned, trying to reason with the succubus. "You might be able to stop several dozen pellets of buckshot, but you can't stop hundreds upon hundreds of rounds from dozens of automatic weapons. We've all been lucky this far because we're all still alive. But risking your life is foolish because we need you to help save countless people. It's not being selfish, it's being smart. We have to choose our battles carefully else we'll never survive long enough to fight the battle that actually matters."

"And you're the one that needs to live so you can stop all of this - not me," replied Karla with a slow shake of her head. "You're the guy that can handle the magic stick of Moses. That's why I offered to fight this battle on my own. Now get your butts out of here, you two. I'll cover our path so they don't follow us or get in our way later on. We don't need these hired guns following us. This is our chance to drop beneath Falcon's radar again. Now GO, James. I'll meet up with you." She hooked a thumb to the canyon of cleavage displayed by the cut of her blouse. "I've got my cellphone." She motioned to show that it was tucked down between her breasts. "You've got my number and I've got yours. I'll meet up with you later! Now GO. Last time."

James clinched his jaw then sighed. He turned back to Rachel and helped hoist her up to take the weight off of her injured thigh. "Let's go. Karla is _PMS_ing over these guards - let her have her way. C'mon." They hobbled through the alley away from the hospital.

Karla stood there, watching them with her arms folded. Once they were beyond her line of sight she clapped her hands and rubbed them together, rapidly. "Oh no! They're men and I'm a woman! Whatever shall I do?" She lifted both of her hands, snapped her fingers then made a dance-like gesture, pointing her index fingers outwards with a semi-curtsey. Her hair wavered as though a breeze toyed with the strands. Her skirt ruffled in the unseen wind. Her body disappeared from the alley.

The succubus reappeared within the main hall of the hospital behind a group of hired soldiers. She took two deep breaths to hype herself up. Ahead of her, the men walked briskly in a discordant cadence. They hustled down the hallway headed for the main stairway.

She followed them casually until they filed into the stairwell, and then she vanished again.

The succubus reappeared at the top of the stairs, arms folded. She eased her rump up onto the banister rail and lifted one leg, placing it against the opposite rail to give the approaching men a hint of inner thigh. They hurried up the steps and the line came to a stop once they saw her.

Karla smiled. "What? Never ascended the Stairway to Heaven before?" Her smile broadened and, in a melodic tone, she added, "When I get there, I know, if the stores are all closed, with a word I can get what I came for." Her smile reverted to a devious looking grin. "Robert Plant was singing about me, gentlemen. This is that very same Stairway, boys." She casually lifted her hand and perused her sparkling, well-manicured nails. "But not for the same reason as the classic rock song."

"She's one of the..." The third man back suddenly disappeared. He reappeared freefalling in the gap at the center of the stairwell. He flew by everyone on the circular staircase and struck the bottom, several stories down. A couple of the soldiers peered over the railing, gawking at the crumpled body far below.

"And another one's gone, and another one's gone," sang Karla, "Another one bite's the dust! Hey!" The two men at the front of the line flinched at her outburst; she continued, "I'm gonna get you, too! Another one bites the dust." She glowered at them with a menacing grin. Quite suddenly, the two men, side by side, slammed into one another with incredible force. They stumbled to the steps, dropping to all fours looking dazed.

"Look at you little pawns," she said gleefully. "You run up the stairs in a line like good little boys, and now all of you are screwed. Is Falcon scraping the bottom of the barrel? What're you going to do? You're too jam-packed in here to draw your weapons, without shooting the guy in front of you, let alone deafening yourselves. This isn't very fair, now, is it? We should do this somewhere that has wide-open spaces," she told them, opening her arms, splaying her hands outward in charismatic fashion.

"She's one of the freaks," said one of the men.

Karla ignored the insult. "We need room to spread out because, let's face it ... this is personal, isn't it?" Karla lowered her gaze to her shiny fingernails. "Yeah, my team totally kicked the crap out of those guys on the plane this morning. I hope they were buddies of yours. Anyhow, I'll see you up on the rooftop. After all, I'm the one you came for. See you there!" She reached behind herself, opened the door to the top floor, backed through it, and then closed the door behind herself.

As soon as the door latch clicked into place, she teleported to the roof and waited. Several minutes passed. Finally, the rooftop door swung open and a line of men poured out, guns raised and at the ready. Karla, seated atop of an air conditioning unit, had her legs crossed and was again attending to her nails purposely.

One of the soldiers casually commented, "Damn she's fast."

"End of the road, lady," said one of the men. "Tell us where your friends are."

Karla tilted her head from left to right as if cracking her neck. "Beat it out of me ... be rough," she told them, running her fingers through her hair playfully. "God, I love it rough. Which one of you is going to put on a good show for me?"

A young boy stepped out from through the ranks of his peers.

Karla blinked in surprise, half expecting a large burley man. She quirked her brows at him. "You? You're not even ... legal. Why you? What's your name, kid?" She cut her eyes from left to right, quick to note that everyone stepped back out of reverence and respect for the small-built young Asian man.

"I'm nineteen. You may call me Lee. I'll be quick but be warned ... this will be painful. I'll be sure not to break you so that you can tell us what we need to know. Move into a submission pose when you are ready to give in. If you continue to get up, I'll continue my assault. Begin."

"Lee, huh? Why does every oriental have to be named LEE? You guys go out of your way to tell the world that there is a huge difference between Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodians ... and you all have the name LEE. What's up with that?" She rambled on to anger him but the young man remained calm.

Finally, Karla waved a hand to show that she was ready. He broke into a sprint, heading directly towards her. He threw his arms out like a gymnast and dove into a series of flips upon approach. Stoic and un-amused, Karla looked down at her nails in display of her disinterest.

Within ten feet of her, Lee landed upon his feet then bound straight up. He sailed towards her, extending his foot. The succubus disappeared an instant before his jump kick connected with her forehead.

Expecting an impact, he flailed wildly and dropped to the ground. Off balance, he whirled about in confusion but couldn't find her.

Karla reappeared, standing, in the same place as she sat before, directly behind him. She brought her left knee up and caught him in his back. She then swung a fist, striking him in the back of his neck.

The succubus vanished. She reappeared on Lee's left. Karla delivered another powerful strike, using her palm against the side of his face. Aided by the force of telekinesis, Lee went flying across the rooftop, twenty-five feet away. He rolled three times and came to a rest, crumpled on his side. The young man lay motionless.

She brought her hand back up, inspecting her nails to ensure that they were all intact. "That wasn't even an uppercut. You guys freaked out and backed up when he cut through the line ... what did he do to earn your respect, boys? I thought he was supposed to be badass?" She turned to face the group and folded her arms. "I was just warming up."

The leader of the pack drew his pistol and fired it. Karla dramatically clutched her chest. "Oh! You've got me ... oh! Oh!! Right in the heart - oh the pain ... the agony!" She dropped her hands and glared at the man holding the pistol. "Sweetheart, I hate to be an 'Indian giver' but you can have the bullet back - no need to ask for it."

The bullet reappeared behind the man and struck him in the center of his torso. It didn't penetrate his flack vest but the velocity of the round did manage to knock him to the ground.

"What _was_that? A nine-millimeter round? Who uses a nine these days?" She sat back down on the air conditioning unit.

Something struck her from behind, knocking the succubus to the ground. She fumbled, struggling to regain her equilibrium quickly.

Karla glanced over her shoulder and saw Lee behind her. "You again. Stealthy little guy, aren't you? Here ... allow me to go 'ninja' on your scrawny rice-eating tail." She stood up, dusted herself off casually then lifted her hands. "C'mon, what happened to 'no mercy'? You should have snapped my neck while you had the chance, ya' little goober."

"I told you," said Lee, "I wouldn't kill you; I plan to hurt you until you tell us where your friends are hiding." He lunged forward, fist drawn.

Karla blinked from before him and appeared behind him. She kicked at the back of his knee, causing the Asian man to crumble. She vanished again, only to return to the rooftop directly in front of him, bringing her knee up just in time to catch the young man in his face as he fell.

She jerked her hand up then thrust it down, palm outward, striking him directly on the top of his head.

Again, the amplified force of her telekinesis backed her palm strike. She drove him completely through the ceiling and into the crawlspace designed for ductwork. The ventilation collapsed and he fell through a drop ceiling and into an empty nurse's station, draped over a countertop. The hospital sprinkler system went active, spraying water throughout the entire top floor.

Karla gazed down through the hole in the roof then lifted her gaze back to the remaining sixteen soldiers. "Enough, seriously ... I called you boys up here to buy my friends time to escape. They're long gone by now and I'm getting bored. Enjoy Ethiopia - check out some of the food before you guys leave town, now, ya'hear?"

Karla sauntered towards the edge of the rooftop to get a good look at the city. "Now, where to go..." She rubbed her chin, looking for a place to teleport. The remaining soldiers lifted their weapons and abruptly opened fire.

She disappeared. In the blink of an eye, she returned directly behind the group of soldiers. However, one of them was paranoid and readily expecting her.

He slung the butt of his rifle back and caught her across the side of her face. Karla dropped to the ground, her jaw slack from surprise.

Anger flashed in her gaze. She threw her arms outwards, using a telekinetic wave attack. The powerful force threw all sixteen men from the rooftop with excessively intense power. She rose to her feet, watching the man who struck her as he sailed over the adjacent building.

Seconds later, the mercenary disappeared through the window of another tall building three blocks away.

Exhausted by the energy discharge, Karla dropped to her rump and sat there panting from exertion.

She lifted a hand to the side of her face and felt something warm and wet against her fingertip. She drew her hand back then narrowed her eyes at the light dab of red liquid on fingernail. Softly, she muttered the word, "Oww."

Karla's eyes lifted seeing that there was one soldier left. He was flush up against the door that led down into the building. He slumped down the surface to a crouch and reached to rub at the backside of his head.

A smirk crept across Karla's muzzle. "If it makes you feel any better, I have a knot on the back of my head, too, from that little Asian kid slugging me from behind.

"I doubt you could win a fair fight, lady," murmured the man, sitting on his haunches.

"Yeah? You outweigh me, you've out-trained me, and you aim to kill your targets, pal."

"I bet you wouldn't have a chance if you didn't use your little trick, where you jab someone and knock them a mile away."

Karla snorted. "So you want me to use realistic strike inertia? Done deal." She waggled her index finger and the soldier relocated to the center of the rooftop.

The lone soldier held his hands out to get his bearings from being teleported.

Karla stood tall, stretched her back then sauntered towards him. "Do you see the blood on my face? See it, boy? I bleed ... I'm as soft and tender on the inside as you and your friends. But I don't roll over and die for just _any_body. So, what's your name, lone ranger?"

"Eric."

Karla quirked a brow, tilted her head and rolled her eyes. "Are you serious? You can't possibly understand what kind of crappy drama I'm going through with someone named Eric right now. A man who was supposed to be a protector. A man who said he'd never leave. A man who said he'd have my back forever, and didn't. A man who was supposed to protect my children, and wasn't up to the task. A man who said there will never be 'till death do we part,' and then took the quick way out of the relationship."

Eric said nothing.

She cracked her knuckles. "This is going to be therapeutic." She lowered her hands and smoothed out the lay of her skirt then said, "I'm Karla ... now to make this a fair fight, throw down all your weapons except a knife and a pistol."

"Fine." He unshouldered his assault rifle. He tossed it to the side. It skittered across the rooftop. He took off his flak vest and, due to the grenades within a webbed net on the side, he carefully set it aside.

Next, he took out a silencer barrel, attached it to his pistol and told her, "This - so we walk away from this with our hearing." He gave the weapon a twirl then re-holstered it. The extended barrel jutted out through a small gap at the bottom of the hip holster. "Let's do this."

"With pleasure, sweetie." She gestured to him with her hand. "Come get some."

He started with a low kick, aiming for her left knee.

Karla drew back her leg, taking the brunt of his attack with her shin then blocked a following punch with her forearm. She jerked her head to the left, avoiding a straight jab.

He threw two more jabs but she evaded them, leaning her head back to narrowly avoid both.

"That all you got, kid?" She watched him pivot. "Roundhouse, huh?"

Eric's foot lifted but connected with empty air.

Karla reappeared behind him with a punch to his kidneys. She flitted through the air once more, appearing in front of him. She gestured with one hand, causing him to teleport five feet up into the air then jerked her other arm upwards, meeting his jaw with an uppercut as he descended at the whim of gravity.

Next, she reached for his shirt and belt, picking him up the way Rachel lifted one of the hijackers on the plane, earlier. However, she struggled with a long, loud grunt. Slowly, she brought him to hip height then brought her knee up into his abs. The strike to his gut was far from devastating. In the end, she simply dropped him. "It's easier when I use my abilities."

Eric got to his knees and exhaled loudly, almost like a sigh. "Yeah, well," he took another breath, "women aren't designed to lift things like that. They lack muscle tissue in their shoulders that men have." He dusted himself off, brought his fists up and started over by throwing two jabs. One struck Karla in the shoulder but the other missed, going right through empty air.

She teleported two feet to the left, grabbed his wrist and pivoted. Karla backed her shoulder against his torso, bent her knees then doubled over, flipping him onto his backside.

The soldier kicked his leg up but Karla lifted her forearms, blocking the strike. She squeaked out in pain then muttered, "God damn steel-toe boots."

The succubus drew her foot back and kicked him in his collarbone then teleported him to a standing position directly in front of her. Drawing her fists back, she delivered two quick strikes to his face then teleported him again so that he appeared directly behind her. Karla lifted her left leg, catching him in the jaw with a half-turn high kick.

He stumbled, bringing his hands to cover his face and exposing his mid-section.

She closed her hand into a tight fist then buried it into his gut with all of her small-framed weight.

He took the blow gracefully and closed his fingers around her blouse. The mercenary twisted around, throwing her.

Karla disappeared from midair and reappeared behind him. She jumped straight up into the air and threw her leg forward, kicking him at the top of his spine.

He toppled, going into a sloppy forward roll. He stood up and turned about quickly just in time to catch her attempting a sweep kick. Eric leapt over it and kicked his left leg up, catching her in the face.

Karla keeled to the right then waved her left arm out; her palm glowed a carnation hue. An instinctual defensive mechanism kicked in and she telekinetically threw him halfway across the roof.

He rolled several times then sat up, dizzy. "H...hey I th-thought you weren't going to do that crap!"

She winced with a nervous chuckle. She brought her hand up and cupped the side of her bruised cheek. "Sorry, reflexive action."

He drew his pistol and aimed it at her while coming to his feet. "You don't hit very hard but you've got good endurance, I'll give you that."

"I didn't hit you with a telekinetic strike, like you asked. I just waved my hand to throw you. YOU asked me not to use my abilities during a physical strike, so I didn't break your silly rules."

"Whatever. Tell me where your friends are."

"Or what? You'll shoot me?"

He lifted the pistol, aiming down the length of the barrel. "If I have to."

"Do it," she chided with a smile.

Her taunt worked. The man fired two quick shots.

She teleported the first round and knocked the second one away with a telekinetic force wave. It struck the ground. The other round reappeared, hitting the ground just inches from his boots. He flinched in response, causing Karla's smile to broaden. "Wanna try it again?"

Eric charged her. He bared his shoulder as if about to tackle her then suddenly fired a volley of pistol rounds as quickly as he could move his finger on the trigger.

Karla leapt into the air. She disappeared as two rounds passed through where she once stood. A split-second later, she reappeared, burying her knee into his face only to disappear again.

With a soft grunt, she landed gracefully on the ground several feet behind him then slowly lowered to one knee. "Nice job. You winged me." She moved a hand to her hip relieved at the lack of a serious wound. Barely worse than a paper cut, she inspected her blouse, where it was now torn. "But you'll have to do better than that." Again, she vanished.

Karla struck him from behind. The debilitating punch at the top of his spine caused the man to drop to the ground with a cry of pain. He wavered a bit, struggling to remain conscious.

The succubus drew her hand back, shaking it rapidly to wave off the pain in her knuckles. "Goddamn hard head."

He didn't reply. Instead, he keeled over to his side, gasping for breath. His body tensed in an attempt to get up but he couldn't manage it. Through watery eyes, he glared up at her but was too dizzy to keep his gazed focused.

"That was supposed to knock you out, damn you. What's the matter ... get the air knocked out of you?" She watched with feigned interest as he struggled to breathe. He clutched at his chest, which burned painfully.

She approached him slowly. "You're going to be hurting tomorrow, that's for sure. Better get some Icy-Hot for that." She knelt down beside him and smoothed out her skirt again. "Listen, you tell me where I can find your boss and I'll let you live. I won't throw you from the rooftop. I won't punch a hole into your chest and rip out whatever I can get my fingers on ... that's what we women do, y'know. We're very good at ripping out men's hearts. Take my word for it."

He wheezed, still unable to take a full breath. She offered him a dull glare. "Any time now. I don't have all day."

He rolled away from her to cough and gasp for air.

"Oh geeze. You big baby." She moved closer, wondering if he was ready to give in.

Eric rolled back towards her, buried his pistol into her torso and pulled the trigger. The slide popped back but the only sound to come from the silenced weapon was a click.

Karla's eyes widened and she gazed down in a measure of shock and horror. There was no pain, much like Conner once described ... she blinked twice and reached for the weapon.

Karla jerked it away from her torso and lowered her gaze further. To her surprise, there was no hole, no blood and no gunpowder discharge on her blouse.

The confusion only lasted a second before nervous, healthy laughter bubbled forth, ringing out in sheer relief. She saw the confusion in his eyes, as well. "You stupid fool," she giggled nervously. "Your gun jammed!"

He cut his gaze over to where her hand met his on the weapon. Part of a shell was half-lodged in the chamber. His jaw dropped, quivering in disbelief.

"Guess it wasn't in the fates, sweetheart. Let me show you something Topaz Parker taught me." She jerked the gun, flipping it over. His finger, caught in the trigger guard, bent back but didn't break. He winced in pain, unable to cry out. "Aw, that was supposed to work." She flipped the gun back over the other way and pulled it from his grip. She took it by the barrel and clocked him in the face.

Eric fell back again with shallow breaths. "Under ... Atlantic. Off the coast ... Virginia," he wheezed then rolled away from her in shame. "...Surrender."

"God damn right you surrender." She threw the jammed weapon as hard as she could. It landed at the edge of the roof. Karla grumbled then waved her hand at it. The weapon went flying off into the distance.

She stood up, clutching her side again. The small scratch on her hip felt like a burn mark akin to being jabbed with a lit cigarette. "Nice knowing you, Eric. Thanks for the fight." She kicked him in the ribs purposely as she stepped over him. "I enjoyed it."

Karla walked to the edge of the rooftop, looked back at him still laid out on his side then said, "Fantasize about me. I'm the friskiest, most passionate woman out there. Too bad you'll never know that side of me, huh? Maybe if you weren't such a jobber, working with the wrong side. Ah well, your loss. We all have our place in life." She stepped off the rooftop and dropped from his sight.

Karla teleported herself to the alley and casually walked away from the hospital. She emerged from the space between the buildings.

There, in front of her, was the body of an armed mercenary, lying motionless. She stepped over the dead man and crossed the street. Karla paused and looked back at the body, lying in the mouth of the alley. She frowned, thinking back to what Evan said about her killing with such ease. "It's not like ... it's not like I do it indiscriminately. Lee and Eric are alive." She pursed her lips and sighed through her nose. After a moment to deliberate on her actions, she smirked. "The rest deserved it ... shooting up a hospital like that. Douchebags."

In the distance, the flashing lights of an emergency responder vehicle approached at a high rate of speed. Karla grimaced and favored where the bullet winged her waistline. She cursed softly and continued across the street and down the block. Her other hand rubbed at her forehead. "James is gonna be upset. I hate when I run my mouth and wind up proving someone else right."

From using her abilities repeatedly, she was hungry and tired. "Pretty sure I'm negative calories." Karla paused and looked back at the hospital, now up the block from where she stood. She held her hand out and focused.

Silence.

A moment later, her handbag appeared on her shoulder. She looked down inside of it and smiled. "Hi baby-boy," she said to Kuda, softly. "I would never forgive myself if I forgot you, sweetie pie." She reached down beneath his warm, furry body and withdrew her cellphone. "We need to make it so you can mirror-hop again, my sweet little boy. Soon, I promise."

Karla thumbed her cellphone and sent a message to James. "Need an address, plzKthx."

Kuda looked up at her from the purse with soft sad eyes.

"Yeah, momma's hurt. But nothin' I can't handle. I've had worse periods." She continued walking down the street with a sigh. "Okay, maybe not. But labor with Elvena was definitely worse than this." Her mind raced back to where the mercenary would have killed her had his gun not jammed. She sighed.

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Next Chapter: https://www.sofurry.com/view/781620