L.E.O.N (Chapter Three)

Chapter Three

         “Damn, Damn, Damn, DAMN!”
         The bullets echoed around him as he sped along the bridge.
         Darting around a corner he hid for a moment to catch his breath. The guard were getting closer but the bullets had stopped. He really didn’t want to have to harm any guard’s, but grasped the hilt of his sword all the same.
         He couldn’t linger so pushed himself away from the wall and pelted off down the bridge away from the guard. He heard the footsteps of his pursuers before the gunfire started again. He had nowhere to hide this time and, looking up, saw more guards ahead of him. He didn’t have time to think about the height he was jumping from as he leapt over the barrier to the hard concrete below.
         He landed with a crunch, “Ooooh, old knee’s” groaned Leon, setting off to run but stumbling. He wanted to take a minute but heard the noise from the guard above. He could also hear gasps and screams from the remaining crowd as he felt the presence of beings closing in on him.
         “Damn Clangy’s” he thought.
         Above him he heard, “There!” and leapt forward out of the path of the bullets, springing to his feet and sprinting towards the Clangy’s in front of him, the first was raising it’s gun arm as it ran but Leon’s sword met it first, slicing first through the beings arm then through it’s neck. Leon span after the attack swinging his blade through the necks of the next two Clangy’s. Bullet’s rained down on him as he leapt to the right.
         Hurtling across the street as the bullets rattled the Clangeroids, he turned and fled along the pavement using the parked cars as cover. A bullet grazed his ear as he ducked down an alley and took off.
         He darted left and right down the back streets, looking behind him at intervals. He was not home yet, and he was by no means safe. All too soon he heard the familiar, always unwelcome, sound of a Helicopter.
         “No,” he thought, “Helicopters.” and they were closing in on him, he had to get off the streets. Darting out of the alley he sped down a new street. There was a shopping mall at the end of it, “If I’m quick,” He quickened his step.
         As he ran he was hit with an unnatural wind. He ran as fast as he could but the chinhook above him was faster. It sped over him carrying the huge machine under it. Then the machine fell and the ground shook violently, rattling his bones, causing him to stumble to his knee.
         He stared at the Machine in front of him as it clunked and shuddered and spread out its eight legs, snapping its razor sharp pincers.
         “Arc-N1D” growled Leon, “Great.”
         The few people who had been on the streets were fleeing for anywhere that wasn’t here, their screams not covering up the sound of movement behind Leon. He turned his head slightly to see the two massive Obliterator Tanks, surrounded by Clangy’s, stalking towards him.
         A strand of bright red hair fell in front of his eye as he turned back to the Arc. It’s legs where scraped, it’s body was battered and parts of the yellow metal were spackled red: it had seen battle before. A loud whirring and a clunk and Leon knew it would attack. It leaned back on it’s legs slightly and leapt towards Leon at tremendous speed. Leon had leapt too, low under the machine, swinging his sword to the side. He landed and tumbled forward as behind him the Arc tried to balance but fell as the left four legs ground off one another and it’s body finally fell to a triumphant crash.
         The tanks opened fire but Leon had already disappeared. As he ducked through the shop door there was an almighty explosion from the wrecked machine. Leon thanked his luck.
         He dodged through the shop quickly, past paraphernalia and customers hiding their heads in their hands and past the yelling shopkeeper through the exit that led to the mall. Charging past some more customers he registered the mall in complete disarray. In front of him a Clangy gunned down a woman trying to escape and Leon pounced on it, pinned it to the ground and pulled, with all his might, its head clean off. He ran back to the woman.
         Bloody spattered and clearly dead. Leon sighed heavily, his heart heaved, he wanted to stay to do something to help. “Get out of here.”
         He turned half circled and pelted towards a bench, leaping off it he grabbed for a ledge on the next floor and pulled himself up. A small group of soldiers had their backs to him, pointing their guns at the terrified civilians, some hiding, some attempting to flee. Leon could take no more. He ran, jumped and kicked the two on the right. As one fell over the barrier and the other to the floor a third guard noticed him and opened fire. Leon bent double and grabbed the gun, span full circle snatching to gun from the guards hand and clobbered him round the face with it. The forth guard was pointing the gun at him but was backing away. Then he dropped the gun, held up his hands, shook his head and ran off along the corridor.
         He could waste no more time, so ran into the nearest shop, past the frightened civilians, through a door leading to a set of stairs, hurtled down them and along another corridor, through a set of double doors before tasting the cold air of freedom.
         He stalked towards the exit, keeping close to the right wall. The street seemed quiet and he chanced to smile as the light touched on his face. But the smile quickly vanished when something solid hit him square on his right cheekbone. The world turned sideways and he felt like everything slowed down. His feet had been knocked from the ground from the force as he spiralled anti-clockwise.
         His head cracked sickeningly against the concrete and his body crumpled down after.
         Blood flowed from his head in front of his weak eyes. The world still span but now there was too many of everything. Weakly he tried to look up at what had struck him. There was dazzling light obscuring his blurred vision, which began to dim. He strained his eyes just as a person’s left leg was being brought down to earth. He’d been staring out at nothing, as if bored. As Leon’s head began ringing his attacker looked down at him and his bright green eyes glinted through the sunlight.
         Leon felt like he’d like to close his eyes now, so did.

*

         He opened his eyes for the second time. This time he was in a very different place.
A quiet, peaceful, river replaced the vast ocean that had, before, lay to his left. A small wall of boulders replaced the muck wall that was previously to his right. There was solid ground beyond the rocks, but it was no longer golden, and looked much more solid.
         He also noticed that he was not beside the water anymore, but now in it; and also that he had better use of his limbs and could move. His muscles were no longer sore and weak; he felt stronger.
         His right arm was lying over a small log, which was keeping him afloat, and as he stretched his legs downward in the water they met with a soft, yet sturdy surface, which he promptly stood on.
         Standing in the water, which left only his head and a small part of his shoulders touching the fresh air, he took further notice of the world around him; his eyes wide open.
         The surrounding area was green and verdant. It almost looked happy to see him. The green was often interrupted by small pockets of a golden ray that sent beams of light down upon the green carpet. He could hear a familiar noise in the depth of the green, a sound he had last heard when he was in the golden place. It reached his ears and lifted his spirits, more so than even the bright and cheerfulness of the beams of light. But next from the welcoming exterior of the vast green desert came noises. Noises that, he thought, didn’t seem to belong in such a place.
         He looked cautiously over the boulders in the direction that the noises had come from. He saw movement in the distance off to his left. What light that penetrated the thick layer of green above him struck a long stretch of metal coming from the greenish shadows; and as it’s owner emerged slowly behind it more shapes appeared from around the same area.
         The men stalked closer to the river and peered over the line of rocks. He made sure not to exhale, finding it surprisingly easy.
         The men tried to look into the water.
         Slightly muffled voices met his ears as he floated as high as he dared in the water to catch what they were saying.
         “It ‘er too muck-ey to see in ‘er!” He heard one of them saying.
         “If ‘e go’ in’o the wo’a. The’e be no findin’ ‘im till ‘e come ou’!” said another.
         A third man laughed. “Can anyone tell me what this idiot just said?” Said a man with a hearty voice, who was clearly the leader.
         A forth man spoke with a low and dreary voice. “He said, captain, that if Leon has gone into the water, we won’t be able to track him until he comes out. Which, I believe, is most likely what he has done.”
         The captain laughed again. “Yes, that’s probably right. Okay then lads, up the river we go then.”
         “But si-ir, I’m not wearing my water proof shoes!” said a fifth man.
         He heard the other men grumble similar complaints before the captain spoke again. “Yes, good point. All right then, we go along the river! But keep an eye out for that little bastard. If he’s in the water then he’s got to come out sooner or later. He can’t hold his breath forever!”
         But that was exactly what he intended to do.





         “Cromwell, Harry” The man behind the little window called before another poor sap went up to him.
Pay Day in the city guard was not a good day. Levi had no use for the money and usually gave it to the first poor sap he saw on the way home. All the same he would queue up with the other drones for hours to receive his meagre earnings.
         “Arnold, William.” The guard behind the small window called. Another fool, signing up for such menial jobs as dishing out the wages in a vain attempt increase his own.
         His name was Hank and everybody knew that he was an embezzling bastard but no one kicked up that much of a fuss about it. They thought it to be a win for ‘their side’, as long as the boss didn’t find out, and so long as he kept his grubby little fingers out of the Guard’s pay.
         Today was not such a day.
         “Arnold, Chip” Chip Arnold past his brother on the way to the window and received a high five, another custom that was a mystery to Levi.
         As his brother reached the window, William Arnold let out an angry cry from outside the door, before rumbling back into the room shouting. “WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?”
         He stormed to the window, grabbed Hank by the collar and pulled him through the small hole. Chip looked bemused, and it was lucky for Hank that he had not joined in in his brother’s rampage; for the Arnold brothers were formidable men even by themselves, but together they were more than a force to be reckoned with. They were two of the top guards on the force beaten, only recently, by one new recruit.
         While Bill shouted abuse at Hank, Chip opened up his wage slip. His expression changed from bewilderment to sheer rage in a matter of seconds. He threw down the envelope and joined his brother. Hank swallowed his fear hard.
         “WHERE THE HELL IS THE REST OF MY MONEY HANK?” William yelled. This little bit of excitement had gotten the rest of the guard both thrilled and terrified, Levi didn‘t care though.
         Levi was known to be the only man not frightened by the two thugs. Not because he was known to be particularly strong, although his recent arrest was now known to all in the city and had elevated Levi to status of Hero, but more because he had a certain attitude that suggested you really didn’t want to try and get tough with him.
         Levi looked up at Hank who was not, as expected, shivering and sweating, but instead looked calm. William and Chip threw him against the wall, by the small window, and Hank’s head smacked the wood wall hard.
         A small line of blood fell down the wall as Hank touched the back of his head before clearing his throat and speaking. “Please, William, calm down. You wouldn’t want security to be called down here now would you?”
         This enraged William more but Hank did not seem to care. He was a weasel; a wimpy, little worm of a guard with no particular brain or brawn. But he was cunning, conniving, and slippery and seemed to be enjoying this moment very much, despite having the crap beaten out of him by the Arnold brothers.
         Chip Arnold threw one mighty fist into Hank’s gut before throwing his head back to the wall. “We know you nicked our money Hank,” He spat, “So stop being a conniving little shit and give us our damn money!”
         He stopped his assault and allowed Hank to regain his breath and composure, he checked himself over before speaking, “I have done no such thing Chip, and am quite frankly insulted that you would think such a thing about me.” He smirked.
         Levi couldn’t help smirk also at Hank’s gumption. But William seemed to have had enough. He let go of Hank, drew back his fist and propelled it in his direction. It hurtled towards Hank but stopped an inch from his face.
         Hank’s eyes were open. He had not flinched or prepared for the impact. Instead he stood there fully prepared for the events that would proceed. William, of course, was not quite so ready.
         He looked to his right, slowly, to look at the person which had his hand captive. He was not entirely surprised to see Levi’s cold expression staring back at him.
         William growled at him Levi, who twisted Williams arm powerfully, pushed it back to his chest and tripped him with his foot. William’s face was of utter shock as he flew backwards onto the glass coffee table which shattered under his weight.
         Chip was still bemused but now enraged and attacked Levi with all his wrath. Levi was all too ready for his attack though. As Chip’s hand flew uncontrollably towards him, Levi moved back slightly and a little to the left. Chip’s fist missed him completely and he fell forward. As he was level with Levi he was knocked forcefully sideways into the wall. The building shook at the sheer force of the push and Chip was left to slide limply to the ground.
         Hank pushed himself off the wall and walked towards William. He straightened the horrible red tie that sat around his neck and straightened his shirt before speaking to the broken Arnold brother. “As I was saying, William, I have not embezzled your money.” He said this slowly, clearly enjoying every minute of it. He smirked wickedly before continuing, “It was given to Levi: for his valiant act of arresting the most dangerous criminal in the whole city.” He finished, smiling triumphantly.
         Levi’s expression remained the same throughout Hank’s speech, while staring down at Chip. Even when hank went to the window, and brought out the fattest looking pay slip any of then had ever seen and handed it to Levi, his expression remained indifferent.
         Levi opened the slip and took out a cheque for 2,000 dollars along with a large wad of cash. He thought that a lot of people must have had their pay cut for them to pay for this and the thought caused the anger to fill him as he turned to hank; who was looking more smug that he ever had before.
         Levi walked over to William’s limp body and dropped the full envelope onto his chest before going over to Hank. His expression, while before triumphant, with a smirk the widest Levi had ever seen, was now of shock.
         Levi waved his finger back and forth in front of Hank like a metronome, curled his fingers into a ball and punched him softly on the nose. Hank was totally taken aback and as Levi turned to leave, blood started to trickle from Hank’s nose.
The rest of the guard roared with laughter as Hank rushed to the bathroom whilst, unnoticed, the door to the office closed with Levi on the other side of it.




         It was sunny outside, again, as Levi exited A.D.A: the Army Development of America centre.
         Levi looked up and back at the building. The first 5 floors were the city guard’s base but what lay on the floors above it where a mystery to most people. It was thought that somewhere in the building is the place where the government created Clangy’s. Some even said that more advanced creatures were created up there but Levi didn’t care. He didn’t think it his business to know, or even want to know, what was on those floors.
         Levi checked his watch. It wasn’t there. He had left it in his locker. Obviously the excitement of what happened upstairs had effected him more that he thought.
         Levi sighed. This meant that he would have to endure the congratulations of hundreds more guards, plus the news of his actions had undoubtedly reached all the way up to the top floor by now.
         But he couldn’t leave his watch. Beside his sword it was the only possession he really needed or liked.
         So Levi re-entered the building: across the main elevators and up one floor; along the main hall to the 2nd set of elevators and up to the third floor.

*

         “Right lads! This is it! We’re finally going to take the fight to the state.“ He paused momentarily to allow cheers from his audience. He lifted one large right hand upwards, signalling the crowd to settle, his right bicep flexing impressively.
         “As you know: at around 0900 this morning: one of our lead agents was arrested by the state.” There was an angry murmur from the crowd, “All right, all right, save it for the fight.” The man laughed and a few others laughed with him. He continued, “Our intelligence tells us that he is being held in a maximum security cell up on the 32nd floor and, I don’t need to tell you, it’s not going to be easy getting up there.”
         There was a feeling of unrest within the crowd; nobody seemed to know how they were feeling. Some seemed to be anxious: hyped up for the battle. Others were unsure.
         Robert noticed this and seemed to be angered. “I’m gonna put this right out there for y’all, ok? I don’t want any puss weeds coming with me. If you’re too shitless to come and liberate your brother, who has been fighting for your freedom for years, then so be it: y’all can just piss off then. If you’re unsure if you wants to do this: you can piss off too. Lets remember who we’re fighting for this time. This one isn’t for us, or our family or any of that stuff. This one is for Leon and y’all better remember that before you think about leaving.”
         The rapt audience seemed to gain fervour Those that before seemed unsure of themselves were now as hyped up as the others.
         “Right. Bernie’s turn I think. He’s a smart muther, so y’all listen to what he tells ya, ye hear?” The large man left the stage and Bernie walked on, looking nervous.
         “Right, thank you Robert.” He spoke in a confident tone, yet there was a slight show of nerves, “Like my muscle bound friend has already stated: Leon is being held captive on the 32nd floor of the A.D.A Complex. Getting up there will be hard; if not impossible.”
         Robert interjected from the side. “Ain’t nuthin impossible! We can do anything if we puts our minds to it” He reiterated.
         Bernie looked dubiously at him, “And your body, of course” he joked.
         The crowd chuckled slightly as Robert blushed.
         “May I continue?” Bernie asked. Robert simply nodded. “Right. It is going to be almost impossible to get to the upper floors but there is a way.” Bernie went over to small computer on the desk and fiddled away on it before a large picture of the Ada complex appeared on the wall in front of the crowd.
         “The Ada complex. The first floor is just a small room, home to the buildings first elevator. This is one of the most secure rooms in the building. There is nothing but the elevator, if you don’t count the video cameras which, incidentally, are hooked up to 6 automated machine guns. They are programmed to go off when they spot someone they don’t like. Seeing as the complex has each of your files in it’s system I doubt if they’ll be too friendly to you. Even if they did let you pass through the main doors and reach the elevator: it's operated by thumb print identification, which we cannot fake.”
         “But you could get in Bern,” Robert interrupted, “They don’t have your file, and you work there don’t ya?”
         Bernie sighed. “Unfortunately, no. I was recently fired for ’revolutionary behaviour’ - for calling my superiors colourful three-syllable words. I cannot set foot in there either. Even if I could it would do no good for I couldn’t get all of you in, and also the elevator only goes up one floor, where anyone who is on the lift will meet with a room full of soldiers.”
         Robert grunted, a sure sign that he was about to complain about something, “So, basically, everything you’ve just told us about the main entrance has just been a waste of ours and Leon’s time, huh? And what’s with all the caution? Let’s just blast our mutha fuckin’ way in there!”
         The crowd gave such an enthusiastic cry that echoed around the hall. Bernie waited for the crowd to quiet, a stern expression staring them down. As the last of them sat down, their spirits lifted, Bernie gave Robert such a scowl that he decided not to continue complaining. “It is necessary, General, that I brief our troops fully: give them 100% of the information. The reason we are going for a stealthy attack rather than a full on one is for Leon’s sake. It is going to be hard enough to get him out of there without anyone knowing about it, let alone with the whole state after us.”
Robert grunted again.
         “Now, may I continue?” Bernie asked rhetorically to continued grunting from Robert. Bernie scowled and threw his hands up into the air. “Alright then! Have it your way Robert. I was going to suggest a method to get in and out of the building without anyone knowing about it but now, and on your head be it, we shall use plan B.”
         As Bernie finished there was an excited murmur from the crowd and Robert, while still looking grumpy, had moved forward in his chair and seemed more interested.
         “Okay, plan B. Taking into consideration that no form of discretion can possibly be achieved when Robert is around. I see but one way to enter the building.” Bernie grinned toothily at this before walking off to his left and removing a very large green sheet from an even larger metal machine.
         The crowd cheered loudly at this sight of it and jumped up from their seats.
         Bernie retook his position on the stage and held up his left hand, “Gentlemen, please. We have one more point to discuss.” The crowd quickly quietened down and many now looked anxious at this unexpected change of tone from Bernie.
         “As Robert has already stated: at around Nine o’clock this morning: Leon was arrested. Yet so far no one has even asked how it happened.” There was an embarrassed murmur in the crowd. “Leon is no string chicken as you know. To this day: he has come across no man in any of his enemies that could match his skills, let along do the damage to him that has been done.”
         “What the hell has this got to do with anything Bern?” Robert interrupted, “The only reason Leon was captured was probably cause they piled hundreds of clangy’s on him or some shit.”
         Bernie turned to Robert once more, “But that is not how he was captured Robert. Our sources tell us it was no army that brought down Leon: but a single man.”
         This new information met a great deal of gasps from the crowd and many cries inquiring whom this soldier is.
         “An Arnold?” Robert asked, clearly concerned, but still cocky.
         “No.” Said Bernie, and Robert’s eyes widened, “Someone new, a rookie, but that doesn’t change the fact that he took out Leon with a single kick to the head.”
         There was murmuring from the crowd and a cry of, “Bullshit!”
         Bernie eyed the voice dangerously, “We know the media lie to us. But my source is not the news.” He looked over at Robert who was trying not to look at him, “And I believe my source.”
         There was a short pause before another voice asked, “So, can we take him?”
         “I don’t know… all I do know is that he has radiant green eyes, the brightest that I have ever seen,” Said Bernie, lost in thought. He shook his head, “and he has blonde hair, so watch out for him.”
         “You’ve met him then?”
         “No, seen him only. But if any of you should meet with him please leave him for Robert. No matter how strong he is he won’t be a match for Mr Muscles over there.”
         The crowd’s mood changed and they cheered and clapped.
         Robert, on the other hand, was blushing furiously, his chin pressed against his chest, “You know, I could be discrete if I wanted to be…”





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