Property of the Mafia

[22] Blood Ties

I was in a state of complete shock. The flames that circled around me were no longer a menace as I struggled to think straight. 

What was going on?

Leon? Arc?

Twins? Was it possible?

I had thought there had been bad blood between the two, but... after today... after seeing them fight together... I may have miscalculated. Was it supposed to be a secret, then? Or maybe I had inhaled a little too much smoke and was hallucinating?

I glanced down at the locket again. No. I was not wrong. That had to be Leon. Call it instinct if you will, but I could tell the little boy next to Arc was Leon, even with the blonde hair.

But if that was true, were Ares and Leon related as well? 

Why are they in different families then?

My eyes wandered to the battle still taking place in the fiery wasteland. I tucked the locket into my dress, entranced. Leon and Arc were fighting like animals, desperate to take down their pay. Their faces were smeared with blood, ash, and endless determination. Van, sadistic scum as always, wore a ruthless, coy smile, holding his own effortlessly against the two. Is he invincible? I seethed.

My heart was raced in anticipation and fear. Were they going to win? Would I even be able to last long enough to see the victor? The pain in my back and arms was unbearable. My vision was starting to grow blurry and my insides felt like they were burning. I couldn't even imagine how beaten down Leon and Arc felt.

But more than the pain and my surroundings, watching Leon fight now was a whole new experience in itself. It was like he had become someone I didn't know... in more ways than one. Sure, I had seen him fight before... but not like this. Not so hate-driven and malicious. At the warehouse he had maintained some composure, but now... nothing was inhibited.

I coughed again, hugging the extinguisher to my chest as I waited for an opening. 

I didn't come here to die or watch them die. I came here to help.

Just the thought itself propelled me to hold on. I rubbed my eyes roughly, forcing to look past the smoke and haze and wait for a chance. If I leapt it now, I would probably just be an obstacle. Leon would think about protecting me over anything else. I had to be patient.

Leon abruptly dropped his stance and bent his knees to lower himself. With a swift push off the ground with his hands, his right leg shot out like a whip in an attempt to trip Van. Though not entirely successful, the kick managed to startle Van and set him off-balance for a second. That brief second was the opportunity Arc needed to charge him behind and kick him in the opposite direction to completely lose balance.

As Van began to fly across the stage, he somehow managed to maneuver a mid-air spin, sending a brutal kick to Arc's lower stomach. The two both flung towards the ground in opposite directions. Leon lunged towards Van, pinning him to the ground as he gave a solid punch to Van's face. Van wheezed in pain as blood trickled from his lower lip. He spat out what seemed to be a tooth and glared at Leon in complete outrage. Van delivered a ruthless headbutt to Leon's head, shoving him off with ease as he prepared to shoot him. I gasped in horror. 

Arc reappeared valiantly, recovering from the previous kick, and threw a small dagger at Van, hitting him directly in the collarbone region. As Van recoiled and pulled the dagger out, Arc pulled Leon off off of the ground, wiping the blood that was dripping from his forehead into his eyes. Though Arc's daunting smile had returned, it was easy to see that the man had taken some serious damage. Leon was in bad shape, as well. I tried to creep closer, dragging my limbs across the floor like in some militant operation. I had to back them up. I had to help.