Objective Consequence (Book Two of the Subjective Justice series)

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

"Don't tell me," Akio said, shaking a box twice her size. "It's Indra in a bow?"

Face palming, her girlfriend shook her head from across the room. "I'm over here, dumbass."

Hawke coughed, rearranging the dying, leafless tree on the table. "Why the hell would anyone put themself in a box? Is that. . ." His face took on a deep crimson as both Indra and Akio looked at him with raised brows. "Oh—" Clearing his throat, Hawke grabbed a small box and tossed it at Indra who caught it out of the air. "Moving on!"

Unwrapping the large, red papered box, Akio tore open the lid of the box. "Hawke, it's empty." Akio cocked her head to the side, and took a step forward inside of it, letting her hand glide along the crevices of the wooden box, just in case there was some form of hidden compartment.

The rest of the mansion remained empty, besides the occasional passerby. With spaced out parting's, the rest of the vigilantes had returned to be with their families for the holidays. Only Chester, Hawke, Indra, Fluffy, and Jane remained within the mansion, with no one to visit.

"Exactly!" Hawke cried, clapping his hands together and tossing a medium, green wrapped box at Chester.

The Lizz hissed as it collided hard with his chest, knocking the air from his lungs. "I was going to ask if mine was to be empty too, but with that weight, I doubt it."

Akio sat down in the box, observing the others with curiosity. If this was anything like last year, the presents weren't going to be obvious. The year before Hawke had sent them on an adventure that resulted in almost everyone coming back with a sprain. The hidden gift had been eaten by a herd of Grimoire, vicious little scavengers had taken a chunk out of her arm that day. Akio grimaced, rubbing the scar. Hopefully this year he was a little smarter about his—placement.

Opening the gift in her hand, Indra glided her fingers repeatedly over the surface. "What the starshit is this, Hawke? It better not be feces or believe me, I'm going to beat your ass until you can't sit for weeks."

Taking a few steps back, Hawke laughed nervously. "N—no." He pulled a chair in front of him, creating a barrier between him and Indra. "Whatever would make you think that?"

"The smell and texture," Indra said disdainfully as she chucked it across the room at Hawke's face.

"Starshit!" He cried, racing out the door, his long, dusty brown hair flowing behind him.

Indra growled, removing her soiled gloves and slamming them on the table. "Someone throw these in the wash." Grabbing her cane, she stormed after the fleeing figure. "I know this mansion like the click of my Mamock. You can't escape what's coming!"

Akio, Chester, and Jane crept over to the open door, peeking their heads out to watch the coming chaos.

"Do you think he has a chance with his new Harkin stuff?" Chester asked, taking out a few coins. "Let's make bets. I place mine on Hawke."

Snorting, Akio took out two Drexi. "My moneys on Indra. When she's mad, it's like her abilities are amplified." Akio glanced over at Jane, the Gebul's nose twitched in contemplation. "You know who's going to win. New special abilities or not, there's no escaping that cane."

Jane stroked her brown, furry chin in contemplation. "I don't know. Hawke's pretty scary sometimes. . . I'm going to put my money on Hawke." Taking out two coins, she placed them in Chester's hand. "Your girlfriend is terrifying, but there's no matching—"

A loud yelp interrupted the conversation. All three crept cautiously down the hall. If Indra caught wind of another beating scheme, she'd go for them next. Akio didn't see a problem with a little gamble, considering she won every time. Indra was the raining terror of the vigilantes. Crossing her was worse than bringing the entire universe against you. At least death would be swift by another's hands. Akio shuddered.