Fog, silence, and something waiting in the dark...
---
The alley was a maze of crooked stone and flickering gaslight.
Donarenzo moved first, eyes sharp, body low. His boots made no sound over the slick cobblestone as he followed the faint smear of blood — just a single footprint, light and precise.
Not the gait of a brute. Something faster. Trained.
Lucien stayed close, hand on the hilt of his blade cane."Whoever it is," he muttered, "they're not panicking. They want to be followed."
"Perfect," Archibalt replied with a dry grin, "because I love walking into obvious traps."
They turned the corner and found it — a collapsed warehouse, half-eaten by rust and ivy, its doors slightly ajar. Faint trails of smoke drifted from within, bitter and chemical. Lucien's nose wrinkled.
"Alchemical residue," he said. "Deliberate. Recent."
Without a word, Donarenzo pushed the door open.
Immediately they spotted a figure.
It attempted to make its escape but the crew hastily gave chase.
It jumped onto a platform and maneuvered its way out the window and onto the roof of the warehouse
Archibalt was the first to charge ahead, Donarenzo followed and Lucien close behind
The figure jumped off the roof and onto some scaffolding.
It ran on railings, vaulted over crates, and darted through people's houses
"Shit" Archibalt muttered, "Lucien you take the lead"
"With pleasure"
Lucien dashed towards Archibalt and used his shoulders to jump onto the steel steps
Lucien then ran up until he reached the roof of the building
He darted from roof to roof in hopes of creating a short cut to catch up to the figure
To his luck he spotted the figure slipping into an alleyway and he followed
He jumped of the rooftop and landed in a pile of trash to break his fall
Then faced the figure head on
"I must say, you really gave those two imbeciles a run for their money" Lucien said gripping his cane
"But I'm a different story"
(Silence)
Lucien dashed towards the figure swinging his cane ferociously
The figure dodged each strike swiftly
"You're nimble"
The figure retaliated with quick strikes of the hand
Lucien blocked each one with his cane
He then flipped his grip on his cane and hooked the figures legs
"I got you" he said with confidence
and he pulled the cane towards him tripping the figure
He then jumped and attempted to kick the figure straight in the gut
But the figure broke its fall with its arms and twisted its body to avoid the kick
It then bounced back up and started throwing consecutive strikes
One strike to the face
Another to the knees
Then an uppercut
"Damn it…" he spat, wiping blood from his lip.
"You're not just nimble. You're trained."
The figure struck Lucien in the side of the neck — his cane hand dropped limp, fingers twitched.
Lucien then switched to his left, slower less precise
"I'm afraid I can't let you out skill me"
He kicks up his cane and throws it, aiming straight for the head
The figure blocks it swiftly
But just as quick
Lucien lands a devastating blow
CRACK
"Dead Centre"
The figure falls onto the floor twitching
"A strike to the Solar Plexis"
Lucien Looks down in pity
"Not even the most seasoned of fighters can handle a blow like that"
"However I guess I can't even begin to call you a veteran"
Lucien took a deep breath relishing his victory
"Losing to my left hand… how pitiful."
Lucien walked over to grab his cane
"Pitiful?"
Lucien Looks back in shock
"How-"
THWACK
"ARRGGHH"
Lucien took a hit straight to the head and fell unconscious.
"Lucien!"
Just in time Archibalt and Donarenzo made their entrance
Archibalt mutters to himself in shock, "that person just took out Lucien…"
"Donnie, prepare yourself, if two on one we might have a chance."
"Alright then Arch, take the lead''
Archibalt immediately grabbed the trash near by an threw it at the figure
Donarenzo followed up by running across the wall and delivering and Kick to the head.
The figure blocked the attack- quick.
Archibalt then saw the opening and attempted to tackle the figure into the wall
It vaulted over him
Dashed to Donarenzo and traded blows with him
A left hook hit the figure
followed with a right uppercut
And a kick to the liver
SWOOSH
The figure dodged the last strike and retaliated with its own kick to Donarenzo
Archibalt recovering from earlier grabbed the figure by its waist-
But hesitated
A payed dearly for it
"Arch, we could've won. Why did you hesitate?" Donarenzo said whilst fighting back
"Donnie, it's a woman." Archibalt said with shame
"W-wait a woman!?"
CRACK
The figure hit Donarenzo right on the nose
"Surpriiiise"
Archibalt took a step back and Donarenzo put his fists down
"What?"
(Silence)
"Are you still too scared to hit a woman, Donnie?" The figure mocked
Donarenzo choked
"Do you know this woman Donnie?" Archibalt asked in confusion
"Alice…?"
"Bingo"
"Took you long enough to put the pieces together"
"And you call yourselves detectives?" Alice said chuckling